Small Budget-Small Boat Liveaboard

[sailorchic34]

Myself, I can cruise the California delta and central bay area for less the the cost of a cheap liveaboard slip. I've spent the last three months in the delta, taking a slip every two weeks for laundry, grocery's and a LONG shower. Compared to the price of a slip, I can do it for less cruising.

OK I like river cruising... There I said it. Long distance ocean travel does take more toll on the boat, but cruising down the ICW or the San Juans or California delta on the west coast is less wearing on boat systems. Mind you it gets honking windy in the delta so sailing is pretty easy.

The key for me is just knowing which marinas and stores have the lowest prices. While I'm firmly holding down the low end at about $600/month (in a marina or river cruising), I could very easily spend $1000-$1500, just staying in more expensive locations, hitting the more expensive stores and eating out more (I rarely eat out... OK I never eat out). But I have swimming, kayaking, river otters, herons, owls and a grumpy cat for friends and neighbors. I also don't drink so no bar bills.


I generally do keep up with boat maintenance. Though haul out and bottom paint will be delayed for 2 more years. However as my boat has a solid hull and deck, I have zero core issues. I will need to address standing rigging in a few years. But everything is stayloc anyway so that's easy. Running rigging I redid 8 years ago and still have part of a spool left. (Did my own eye splices and purchased a spool of braid on sale.

I also avoid west marina as much as possible and use ebay for bits and pieces (two water seals for $13 for example, rather then $9 for one "marine" seal).

I save on maintenance in several ways. Varnish maintenance for example, I love the look of varnish. I however after many years of varnishing found that I like painted woodwork far better. A $12 quart of paint last 5 years or more compared to the sanding and varnishing 2+ times a year at $100+ a year. I also painted my jib UV strip on for $12, which works just as well as $500 of sunbrella. Big plus it matches the cap rail paint too. Yeah!.

When I put a new stove in, I used a RV stove to replace the 40 year old RV stove that was in the boat. It works just as well as a marina stove for $1000 less. Of course the $120 120V fridge still works after 9 years too.
Oh the used $70 tablet for a chartplotter. Pretty sweet. I also added waterproof wireless remote to my old autohelm 3000 for $14. That works fabulously and included two remotes. Bitchin....

My mainsail was a used one for less then $400. Still looks pretty good too.

Ground tackle, I use a brick. Ok ok I'm Joking. I have a Big A$$ Mantus on the bow that holds Very well. Somethings you just don't compromise on.

So there can be differences on how one does maintenance. If you have big bucks, you shop at west marine, defender and think nothing of spending $5k on a few items. Yet, I can live for a year for just a bit more then $5K

[vjm]

I just bought my first boat, a Bristol 24. The plan is to learn to sail better than I currently do, and learn to maintain her, and then transition to living aboard. It's plenty big enough for me. I sort of look at it as my available funds are spread over less square footage so I can splurge on nicer quality and invest in longevity for safety items and essential systems. Currently looking for a kero stove that I can incorporate, and getting ready to order a composting head so I can reclaim all that storage space.

There is a LOT of hostility towards smaller and simpler dished out by many people in the sailing community. Ignore it. Everyone has what works for them. They look at my boat and see a space that is unlivable and "like camping. " I look at their boats and see lives devoted to material things and allowing maintenance of complicated systems to dictate your plans and decrease your enjoyment, perhaps to the point of giving up the entire lifestyle. We are both wrong and we are both right. What is more important is that we are both living in ways that are right for us.

I am winding up a small refit and my takeway is that I am definitely happy to have a smaller boat. The seacocks I had to buy were the smallest size and least expensive, a gallon of AF paint was enough for two coats and three on certain parts, my new anchor is 25 pounds (and that is oversized a bit) which means I don't have to have a windlass immediately (or at all). Everything is not cheap (it is a boat, after all), but it is all relatively inexpensive, even for top quality items.

I had to chemically strip the old AF off, and that was very hard work. I can't imagine having to do that on a boat twice the size of mine. The materials cost would about double, but the backbreaking part would be exponential.

I love hearing about small liveaboards, and I do highly recommend sailfar. All of the helpful advice and celebration of the lifestyle, none of the aggro from larger boat owners.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by vjm

(...)

There is a LOT of hostility towards smaller and simpler dished out by many people in the sailing community.

(...)

Can this be a place-specific thing?

Zero hostility where we have sailed. (the EU, West Indies, So Pac, Indian, etc,)

In fact, I think a couple of times we have heard things like 'you guys must have balls' said in a serious manner by people in bigger better boats. I always play this down by saying 'we do, but you have ICE!'.

Why is Florida so unfriendly? Or is it a US-wide problem?

Cheers,
b.

[Cheechako]

I've just not seen hostility toward small boat boaters....?


Tried to check out that Sailfar.net forum but unable to register and no contact info to ask why.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by vjm

There is a LOT of hostility towards smaller and simpler dished out by many people in the sailing community.

Interesting....having lived aboard full time now on year nine including cruising in Mexico for 4yrs, I have never seen any of this hostility towards smaller and simpler boats. To the contrary, I think they are admired. Now if their boat looks like a POS...sure the folks with well kept boats of ALL Sizes will look down there nose. That's just a personal hygiene and general boat maintenance issue.

I've just never seen animosity or hostility to the smaller and simpler dished out boats.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Steve Bean

I hope I won't be accused of disloyalty to CF for this! OP might like to visit Sailfar.net, mostly small boat people.

Tried to check out that Sailfar.net forum but unable to complete register and no contact info to ask why.

[vjm]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Can this be a place-specific thing?

Zero hostility where we have sailed. (the EU, West Indies, So Pac, Indian, etc,)

In fact, I think a couple of times we have heard things like 'you guys must have balls' said in a serious manner by people in bigger better boats. I always play this down by saying 'we do, but you have ICE!'.

Why is Florida so unfriendly? Or is it a US-wide problem?

Cheers,
b.

I had not thought about it as a U.S. thing but I think you might be right. My sample size is too small but my feeling is that people who are not from the U.S. are less likely to display any small boat hostility.

But for all of you saying you don't see it...this forum is absolutely rife with it. Most forums are. It is absolutely better in real life, although it still exists. But people are less willing to be jerks face to face.

This may be a Florida thing, but there are also many places where live aboard marina rules include a minimum size. Not a minimum charge, like "X amount of dollars per foot, 30' minimum charge") but an actual minimum size they will allow someone to live aboard. Why? Who knows. I'm sure they have their reasons. Happily, I have found that the ones I am considering will waive it sometimes, as will the "no liveaboards" marina. It's a weird process.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by vjm

I had not thought about it as a U.S. thing but I think you might be right. My sample size is too small but my feeling is that people who are not from the U.S. are less likely to display any small boat hostility.

But for all of you saying you don't see it...this forum is absolutely rife with it. Most forums are. It is absolutely better in real life, although it still exists. But people are less willing to be jerks face to face.

Still not sure I see a focus on small boat haters here, but if you mean "anything but my boat , size and opinion" then yes, this forum rules for that!

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Can this be a place-specific thing?

Zero hostility where we have sailed. (the EU, West Indies, So Pac, Indian, etc,)

In fact, I think a couple of times we have heard things like 'you guys must have balls' said in a serious manner by people in bigger better boats. I always play this down by saying 'we do, but you have ICE!'.

Why is Florida so unfriendly? Or is it a US-wide problem?

Cheers,
b.

I have only sailed Fla. once, totaling two months, and never found an unfriendly soul.

[barnakiel]

Yep.

So it seems you just have to go to some other place and maybe from the new perspective you will find the hostility that you encountered a one off, odd event.

There are jerks everywhere and each and every one of us is one now and then. Except for the uber humans maybe. But most people do think it all over and I have at times been approached by people saying sorry. And I too said sorry many times - at times for my wrong doing, at times just to make the other person feel good. Life is too short to spend time feeling anxious or angry.

I hope you are in the position where you can just move on and leave the bad spot behind you. There are so many fantastic places to cruise and live aboard that one is truly wasting their time living where people are not friendly and just nice.

Take heart, keep on sailing, anchor where you feel happy,

Cheers,
b.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I have only sailed Fla. once, totaling two months, and never found an unfriendly soul.

I agree with Cadence.

I've kept a Florida home port while living aboard for 43 years and sailed in and out of Florida for sixty years on boats from 8' to 41'.

There are some marinas with exclusive policies, but not pervasive. The worst example I was exposed to occurred in the Keys where I was refused access to purchase fuel as they did not allow sailboats in their marina. There are some members only yacht clubs and some marinas that do not allow liveaboards, but very rarely any refusal to accept a vessel due to it's smaller size.

I do understand that, if a marina reaches full capacity, they would have more profit with their slips filled by larger vessels, but still, I have not noticed any unfair treatment of those with smaller boats.

Sometimes adjacent marinas will have very different policies.- stern in only; no portion of the boat extending beyond outer pilings; no personal items on the dock; no laundry hanging,- even a towel; no refit work; no houseboats; no pets .... and the neighboring marina may allow all of this.

Policies at individual businesses differ, but I don't think Florida is unique in any way.

[PommyDave]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Tried to check out that Sailfar.net forum but unable to complete register and no contact info to ask why.

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I've just not seen hostility toward small boat boaters....?


Tried to check out that Sailfar.net forum but unable to register and no contact info to ask why.

You have to carefully read the info the owner gives newcomers on the main site's "Register" page. Then you fill in the form and give answers to the Captcha questions. (I had to try/fail about 4 times). AND once you have successfully filled in everything on the Registration form, you need to go back to where you started and copy the Owner/Moderator's email address and use that to send a personal email from your PC or phone explaining you are not a spammer. I did that and was accepted.

[Sofie B]

Originally Posted by PommyDave

You have to carefully read the info the owner gives newcomers on the main site's "Register" page. Then you fill in the form and give answers to the Captcha questions. (I had to try/fail about 4 times). AND once you have successfully filled in everything on the Registration form, you need to go back to where you started and copy the Owner/Moderator's email address and use that to send a personal email from your PC or phone explaining you are not a spammer. I did that and was accepted.

Way to weed out the likes of me(probably preferred anyway). See, I don't have the patience. Is it just me or does registering there seem really long winded?
I like the sheer size of this place.I haven't got around it all and I imagine as time goes by I'll get a bit more sophisticated as to how to use it.The simplicity of posting photos is great too .I'm glad of the op to record images of the way our yacht will change and the fun onnit/innit. Ok 'nuff said.

[PommyDave]

I can tell you, Sofie B. I nearly gave up on trying to register. It didn't like my password, so I had to use a more complex one. Then when I tried again, some of the fields I had entered were empty, so I had to try again. I had problems with the bloody Captcha because my Mac keyboard decided to autocorrect the letters I had typed in, and changed them to some dictionary word it "thought" I had meant to say.... I went round and round in #$@** circles, I can tell you. Getting into that forum is/was a PITA.

Grrrrrrr!

[Sofie B]

Originally Posted by PommyDave

I can tell you, Sofie B. I nearly gave up on trying to register. It didn't like my password, so I had to use a more complex one. Then when I tried again, some of the fields I had entered were empty, so I had to try again. I had problems with the bloody Captcha because my Mac keyboard decided to autocorrect the letters I had typed in, and changed them to some dictionary word it "thought" I had meant to say.... I went round and round in #$@** circles, I can tell you. Getting into that forum is/was a PITA.

Grrrrrrr!

Yep, says it all really."PITA to join, all welcome" yeah, nah. I've been thinking 'bout our boat and the subject of this question of small, live aboard and what that would be for me. I'm not a "yachty" as such. Boats are all pretty new to me (other than parties and well, parties) but i'll give anything a go. I love being on our boat. Whether it's helping fix the motor or sailing or motoring about, watching the sun rise or set. I just understood the meaning of "360deg ocean view" t'other suggested. It's my apartment any where in most of the world. Luvin' it. I'm also very lucky to have our own home. That gives me the opportunity to bling Rhombus (our Hartley) . If my man can fix/ rebuild the motor on a swing mooring, I can make this an amazing floating apartment. He's also dealing with rewiring ,new galley and new head. That should keep us busy. This forum is enough for now.