Taking the Plunge

[frgeorgeh]

Originally Posted by mhward1337

Best of luck to you! We are a couple of years behind you (waiting for the pension to kick in - 28 months, but who is counting?!?!?), but basically the same plan.

Any ideas where you will head after getting a boat?

We will have our home base in Florida. Probably move down the keys as we learn. Eventually we would like to go to the Bahamas and down the whole chain of island, perhaps cross the bar into the Rio Dulce to Guatemala where our kids have a home. One thing I have learned from my studies is never rush on a schedule. Make plans, prepare, and wait on the weather!

Best of luck my friends!

[sneuman]

As a liveaboard for 7+ years now, I can offer encouragement. Use it as an opportunity to simplify. Live more outside the boat than on it. Find a good group of fellow liveaboards and you'll have a built-in community. Accept that others will find your lifestyle odd -- some will say so outright, others will feign intrigue while judging you. And, remember: there's a fine line between living on a boat and in a van down by the river! Watch Saturday Night Live: Down By The River Online | Hulu

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by frgeorgeh

onestepcsy37 That looks like a nice boat. Is the freeport a good vessel? I want to avoid those boats that have so many problems with POX and blisters after the changes made in hull construction during the seventies.

They are well made and very liveable. The size and interior layout are very similar to ours. This one appears to be in move aboard condition, meaning there is no major work to be done. You could live aboard while your wife changes it around to suit her style...

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[frgeorgeh]

Thank you!

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[huttosteph]

Loved reading your plan. Ours is similar and we plan to be on a boat in five years. Currently we have two 15 year olds to finish out in high school and then we are good to go. It looks as if you're going to be there soon! We want. 37-45 foot boat already well appointed for cruising. Will be selling the house, cashing out annuity and going balls to the wall. My family thinks I'm crazy, and that we will die on a boat, or end up penniless and destitute (kind of hard to do on a fixed income with two checks a month coming in, even if worse comes to worse, right?) Good luck, keep us posted!


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[frgeorgeh]

Finding out that having stuff means it's so hard to get rid of. The agent put the "coming Soon" sign in the yard and already got 4 calls. The car started itself this morning and headed down the driveway. Barely caught it! But I digress. How did we collect so much STUFF over the years? And why did we think it was so important?. Having 2 sales - one Sat and another next Sat. Pray we get rid of all this junk holding us down! And thanks so much for all the positive.comments and encouragement! More to come!

Fr. George.and Betty Jo

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[Hudson Force]

Frgeorgeh, Welcome to the community here at CF and soon to our community living aboard and cruising in Florida. Keep us posted of your progress!

[frgeorgeh]

We had our estate sale yesterday. Still have a lot of crap to get rid of but feeling the millstone getting lighter already.

House hits the market tomorrow. Could use some prayers for quick, easy sale at a good price. What we clear is what will determine what boat we are able to buy.

Getting closer to Florida every day!




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[frgeorgeh]

With the estate sale behind us, it is now time for us to find a broker. As I posted earlier, We want to go to Punta Gorda area in Florida. Can anyone a) recommend a broker in that area, b) recommend the best way to find a good broker or if this is even the best way to go.

We would also appreciate any ideas on a place to stay in the area that would not break the bank. We would be willing to boat sit for someone in exchange for a couple of dry bunks should such an opportunity arise.

I will be taking almost three weeks off when we go. That is not a great deal of time to travel and find a boat, arrange inspection and haul out so, I feel the more prework I do now the better off I will be. Any help or words of wisdom greatly appreciated. We are so excited!

[s/v Breakaway]

Originally Posted by frgeorgeh

Thanks to everyone that responded. I found this poem about 2 years ago and it really put me in my place, sitting there in my cubical day after day. If you know the author would you please let me know?

A small boy heard the ocean roar,
There are secrets on my distant shore,
But beware my child, the ships bell’s wail,
Wait not too long to start to sail.
So quickly come and go the years,
And a young adult stands abeach with fears,
Come on, Come on the ocean cursed,
Time passes on. Oh sail you must.
Now its business in mid-aged prime,
And maybe tomorrow there will be time,
Now is too soon, it’s raining today,
Gone all gone-years are eaten away.
An old man looks, still feeling the lure,
Yet he’ll suffer the pain, than go for the cure,
The hair is white, the steps with care,
The tide has turned, he is aware.
So all too soon the secrets are buried,
Along with him and all regrets he carried,
And it’s not for the loss of secrets he cried,
But rather because he’d never tried.

Fabulous! This really says it.

[stillbuilding]

Jip


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[frgeorgeh]

We might have an offer on the house tomorrow. Fingers crossed!


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[Lubber4now]

Originally Posted by sneuman

As a liveaboard for 7+ years now, I can offer encouragement. Use it as an opportunity to simplify. Live more outside the boat than on it. Find a good group of fellow liveaboards and you'll have a built-in community. Accept that others will find your lifestyle odd -- some will say so outright, others will feign intrigue while judging you. And, remember: there's a fine line between living on a boat and in a van down by the river! Watch Saturday Night Live: Down By The River Online | Hulu

Your last sentence says it for me.

My question is how much is safe to have income wise.

It appears most here are sail types and I plan on MV'ing it. Adventure is great but I want the comfy forward cabin with the comfy aft bedroom, old softy that I am - so any cruiser types help me out.

I've lived a quiet life in the country since retiring with lots of room for my dogs to run, but they're old now. I plan to move on once they do.

Call it the Senior Citizen Cruise - built for comfort not speed. No bluewater, split time between anchor out and marina tie up. Rent storage for my vehicle and travel trailer. Cruise mainly on the ICW between Biscayne Bay and Jax.

Any advice on what a safe daily income would be or am I heading for a van by the river?

Thanks-

[frgeorgeh]

Poo! No offers on house yet. Trying not to be too impatient but we sold everything and are sitting in camping chairs waiting, watching people trudge through the house over and over during the showings. Lord teach me patience.


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[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Lubber4now

..........................

My question is how much is safe to have income wise?
...................................
Call it the Senior Citizen Cruise - built for comfort not speed.
...................................
Cruise mainly on the ICW between Biscayne Bay and Jax.
..................................
Any advice on what a safe daily income would be or am I heading for a van by the river?

Thanks-

We're near Jax on the St. John's River now. Although we venture much further, this section of Florida's East Coast is "home" to us. There's a great variety in expense that depends upon your need for frequent marina stays. There are some places where it is simple to remain at anchor and have dinghy access for needs ashore,- groceries, laundry, etc. and other places where there are mooring fields with reasonable prices that include some shore amenities. Daily rates are so much higher than longer term rates at marinas, so we usually remain anchored or moored for as long as three months or so and then take a month or weekly rate at a marina. For our 41' boat, we are able to find some weekly rates at $200 to $300/week and monthy rates ca. $500/mo. while daily rates are usually from $60 to $110. Keep in mind that costs are always changing. When we first moved aboard we were paying 5 to 10 cents/ft for a daily transient rate and 30 cents/ft at the "resort" marinas. $50 to $80/months was common.

So, these figures probably mean that your maina/ mooring/ shore access costs would likely be equivalent to those same costs in maintaining a house with the associated utility bills, tax, & insurance. Just as with the sudden "new roof" need for the house, there will be the sudden refit need with the boat. I've never had a house, but from what I hear, the expenses are about the same. In either case the safe income is more than you spend, ..... I know,- obvious, but vague. People seem to vary in what they consider to be necessary expenses!

"Senior citizen cruising"? We've always considered ourselves "cockpit potatoes", poking about with little reason to be someplace rather than where we are. This was true in our twenties as it is now as senior citizens. You can find comfort aboard and slow comes easy!