Moving from Colorado to San Diego to live full-time on a sailboat

[Sailingwannabes]

My wife and I going to retire within six months and move to San Diego to closer to our kids.

We're just beginning our search to find out how living full-time on a sailboat would be.

Can you share your experiences and any advice? We're thinking the Shelter Island area.

Thanks,

Sailingwannabes

[robwilk37]

lots of good cheap boats for sail in sd. shelter island would not be my first choice. parking, crowds, somewhat isolated etc. if you do land there try to be at least halfway down the fairway or more - towards the cop dock. this gets you away from all the humphries noise and dinghy traffic in the summer. harbour island is tough because of the airport. the marriot downtown is awsome, close to everything. there was a 55' stinkpot for sale there a while back for $45k. thats a cheap waterfront condo in a great city. if it was me, id find a clean powerboat with blown engines. lots of living space and real furniture and it would never leave the dock. then keep a daysailer in the same marina my water fix.

last time i checked most marinas had a liveaboard wait list but that might have changed. also november 1st is exodus in SD, a lot of liveaboards bail for mexico, so things open up a bit.

enjoy...

[rebel heart]

Talk to Kathy at Sun Harbor Marina. We were there for years. Small, well managed, in the heart of Shelter Island.

[Butler]

One step closer to NOT being sailingwannabes. Been said here many times, living aboard is a great start. It has been for me. Getting to know the boat, getting used to the scale of the new space and the change in managing a boat as opposed to a house, opportunity to re-work and and improve your new home as needed.
My favorite is getting used to having a boat that is ready to sail in spite of "living" in her and all the discombobulation that can mean in a much smaller space. This while taking longer and longer trips with the benefit of having a home base.
This also provides the opportunity for cruising newbies like myself to make sure its a life that works. The beauty of SoCal is that even if ones goals change it is a great place to "weekend warrior" it if a person comes to see that a full-blown cruising life is not quite for them.
I know you guys will enjoy living aboard and San Diego can be a great spot especially if it means you will have the kids close at hand! Hard to beat sailing with family!

[Sailingwannabes]

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. Great info and very motivating.
Please feel free to send any other insights.
Safe travels.

Jeff & Carole

[Pau Hana]

Love Shelter Island- we used to keep our 33' Owens Brigantine at the Kona Kai Marina. Easy access to the main channel and open water, great community (Point Loma), and there's nothing like a raft up for a concert at Humphrey's.

[Dennis.G]

Be aware that slip rents in San Diego are expensive, and marinas charge extra for live aboard boats on top of those rates. Make sure you have determined budget for this, might be more than your first guess.

[Sailingwannabes]

Great insights, so thanks again for your responses. My wife is originally from San Diego and our kids are 3 months away from having our first grandchild. Can't think of a better way to spend quality time with them!

Been to Humphrey's before, but on the ground versus listening from the water.

Costs are always a consideration, so thanks for your good reminders.

What did you do with all of your household furniture, etc., before you decided to live aboard the boating world?

Jeff & Carole

[Pau Hana]

I went thru a divorce, and was starting over. Was on the hunt for all the usual household amenities; one day, I was talking to a client who is a liveaboard (I do marine insurance), and within 30 days I had purchased a 38' Bayliner and moved onboard.

Several years later, when I became engaged and she moved onboard, we packed her (and mine) keepsakes away in storage, and either sold or gave away her furniture. After all, the boat comes equipped with built in furniture

Kathy's folks sold their home, and RV'ed across the country for 10 years- with all their stuff in storage. When they came off the road, they had stuff that was 10 years older, out of style/fashion, and it was all discarded. $12k to store stuff for 10 years, just to throw it away, is pretty spendy....

Moral- living aboard is about not being attached to stuff. Sell your furniture, or give to to family to safeguard- but don't put it in storage.

[boating2go]

I know this is over a month old but I live aboard at Intrepid Landing Marine in San Diego and they are accepting new liveaboards. It is on the walkway along America's Cup Harbor and just feet from Shelter Island. The walk way ends on Shelter Island Drive about 1/2 city block from the marine. The views are great, it has all new docks, and when completed will have great facilities. PM me for more information.