Long Distance boat owner

[dmksails]

Hi Everyone! I'm in the process of purchasing a 31-ft sailboat that is located in Seattle. I'm living and working in San Francisco. I want to leave the boat in Seattle at least thru the summer and spend every 2 weeks up there sailing. Problem I've got is that I can't find a live-aboard slip.

Is being on the boat 1 or two weeks out of the month qualify as living aboard?

I still work, and can do that remotely as long as I have a good internet connection. That probably means I can't go and anchor somewhere and cell phone wifi probably wouldn't cut it as I would easily be pulling multiple gigabytes each day.

Any suggestions?

[Ungvar]

I wouldn't self identify as a live aboard for 1 or 2 weeks a month, especially if I maintained a permanent residence. That just sounds like normal usage to me.

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[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by dmksails

I'm living and working in San Francisco. I want to leave the boat in Seattle //
Is being on the boat 1 or two weeks out of the month qualify as living aboard?

As you said, you're living in SF and will only be on your boat a couple of weeks at the time. Being on a boat and living on a boat are two different things

[Tayana42]

Rules vary even within the same state. In one marina without being approved live aboard I can stay 12 nights per month. At another one close by I'm allowed 3 nights per week and one 2 week stay per year. More to the point, most marinas don't keep track of how many nights in a row you are on the boat unless someone complains. So do check what the rules are in the area your looking to keep the boat. Check several marinas. Then be a good quiet neighbor and you probably won't have any issues for a week or two at a time.


S/V B'Shert

[goat]

I'm in Northern Alberta and my boat is in Southern California. As the others have said, going to your boat for a week or so every month is not living aboard, and if you go out sailing for the weekend and anchor out somewhere, it's even less.
Don't worry about it.

goat

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by dmksails

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Is being on the boat 1 or two weeks out of the month qualify as living aboard?
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I have a feeling that the only definition that counts is the one from the marina you want to stay at.

[captjcook]

My brother had a liveaboard slip at Shilshole Bay Marina but it appears they have a waiting list. In Florida we are full time cruisers not liveaboards...I agree with others that a week a month should not be considered liveaboard.


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[Tosh]

Check out Blaine Marina - near Canadian border - beautiful sailing and two beautiful marinas.

[basssears]

Originally Posted by Tosh

Check out Blaine Marina - near Canadian border - beautiful sailing and two beautiful marinas.

Blaine could be good choice as they rarely have waiting list, not sure about internet there.

Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham allows you to stay two weeks a month without declaring as live aboard... we live in Idaho and commuter boat and have not had any issue with staying 1-2 weeks in marina while doing boatbwork. 31' probably has wait list right now but it's been much shorter than it used to be, only a few months for us last spring.

No free WiFi that I can reach from our gate in Squalicum, maybe a better antenna than I have would work, but there is for pay internet with I believe monthly plans, no idea how fast.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by basssears

allows you to stay two weeks a month without declaring as live aboard

Wow ... so a retired couple that spends most summer days on the boat would be considered a liveaboard, eventho they have a home on land where they actually live?



Here in the Netherlands, the marinas that have rules usually say something like you have to be off the boat / away for one night every 3 months (or more). Which is hard to proof

If a marina were to say you're a liveaboard, they'd have to proof you're there all the time and don't have a home to go to - not an easy thing to do.
Situation here is different tho, cos the Dutch law kinda makes living aboard illegal throughout the county with a few exceptions where the municipality allows it even if it's not exactly legal.

Having said that, Dutch liveaboards only have 2 or 3 marinas where the municipality allows liveaboards to choose from, so plenty are in marinas that either don't care or they try not to be noticed. The latter can be difficult in some marinas. But they can't charge you extra, all they can do is tell you to leave.

[basssears]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Wow ... so a retired couple that spends most summer days on the boat would be considered a liveaboard, eventho they have a home on land where they actually live?

They mean you can sleep on boat two weeks a month without being considered live aboard... you can spend part or all of every day of the month on boat if you wish.

[jrbogie]

i live in northern california and have my boat in channel islands harbor, oxnard. the marina rules are that more than three consecutive overnights a week is considered live aboard but the marina folks wink at that and i spend about two weeks on the boat at a time. in fact during the summer i spend more time on the boat than in my home. it's all about relationships i suppose.

that said, i have listed my house for sale and when that happens i'll be in the market for a bigger boat that i plan to live aboard full time. only ten percent liveaboards are allowed in channel islands and there's a waiting list so it looks like i'll have to move to ventura until my name comes up. good luck.

[Xthewater]

Here in Portland we don't live aboard but spend every chance weather permits to be on board working and sailing on the boat. There are several live a boards around us and for the most part are quiet but there have been some evicted who were a problem. Just this last week I met a new addition who was renting as she put it. My impression involved with drugs due to appearance, slurred speach early in the day and other telltales. I know marina isn't aware of it but I'll let dogs lie unless try to bite me. One such owners dog did try to bite me on the face last year literally, last straw situation and he was evicted.
Point is you should have no problems visiting for a week or two and likely be out sailing when you're there.
All the best!

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by basssears

They mean you can sleep on boat two weeks a month without being considered live aboard... you can spend part or all of every day of the month on boat if you wish.

Yes, that's what I understood. But then you'd have to live near the boat cos you have to drive up and down all the time.

Haha, we (as in, Dutch liveaboards) often wish it was as accepted here as it is in the US, but a rule like this would NOT go over well with a lot of people

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by dmksails

I still work, and can do that remotely as long as I have a good internet connection. That probably means I can't go and anchor somewhere and cell phone wifi probably wouldn't cut it as I would easily be pulling multiple gigabytes each day.

What? You can't get a 4g data contract with a large monthly data allowance that will allow you to work on board at anchor around San Francisco Bay?



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