What U.S. city is best for liveaboard boats?

[s/v Beth]

I stand corrected. I imagined you in a nice white slip with those little plastic cones on the poles. You know the one, with the marina attached to the hotel and the pool and hot tub next to the docks so visitors can look at us like zoo animals...

Now what woman (or man) would live like that? Maybe I was thinking of Astrid and her cruise boats going by...

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I stand corrected. I imagined you in a nice white slip with those little plastic cones on the poles. You know the one, with the marina attached to the hotel and the pool and hot tub next to the docks so visitors can look at us like zoo animals...

Now what woman (or man) would live like that?

I did that for a couple years in Mission Bay next to Sea World. Use to sit outside the seal pens and watch the show from the fly bridge. But I doubt you can do that any more. Also had pool and spa rights at the Islandia Hotel.
Those were the dazes.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

I did that for a couple years in Mission Bay next to Sea World. Use to sit outside the seal pens and watch the show from the fly bridge. But I doubt you can do that any more. Also had pool and spa rights at the Islandia Hotel.
Those were the dazes.

Us too. We lived aboard at Marina Village back before they really started busting chops about it and then at Driscolls next door to it. Loved living aboard in Mission Bay. Awesome weather, the best marine hardware stores anywhere and free fireworks every night courtesy of Sea World. Back then (mid 90's) we were only paying about $300 a month for our slip. Those defintely were the days!!

[GaryMayo]

Landlocked in Nebraska, on a 1800 acre lake, in a 32' ketch. My sailboat is on the trailer, because winter is coming along with snow drifts and 40 below wind chills.

Because of posts in this thread, sure sounds inviting to not splash it in my lake again!!!!!!!

If any of you guys/gals want to spice this thread with pics, I would sure love to see them.

Once I retire, most everything goes to the auctionhouse and off I go to anywhere that I cannot see the shoreline should I choose to.

Pulled my boat Tuesday. Ramp I used was on the far side of the lake. By motor, at 2.9 knots, it was 15 or 20 minutes.

This may well be the most enjoyed thread I have ever read here.

You Mexico guys chime in here, as well as coastal and island people everywhere.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I stand corrected. I imagined you in a nice white slip with those little plastic cones on the poles. You know the one, with the marina attached to the hotel and the pool and hot tub next to the docks so visitors can look at us like zoo animals...

Oh stayed at a few places with a pool and hot tub... l really get annoyed when they start throwing peanuts though... .

[sailorchic34]

GaryM: I lake sailed in Kansas which is just like Nebraska, but with less corn and a bit more boring. The coasts are SOOOOO much better for sailing... For those from outside the US, Nebraska and Kansas are about as far from oceans as you can get. There are no natural lakes in Kansas BTW.

Marinas are nice, but I prefer a more natural setting. My back yard a few days back... Yes it is a tough life....

[xymotic]

San Diego/all of socal is very nice but for me out because it's very $$ and slim pickins for availability.

Puget sound is very nice if you can handle the winter weather.

I think I'd volunteer Portland Oregon. Though take it with a grain of salt because I haven't actually lived there, but it *seems* like there is lots of livaboard community up the entire river, lots of stuff to do and see and resonable cost of living, better than California.

[s/v Beth]

The only problem with the river is the rain right now. That and you cannot really sail in the Pacific right now. So there is some down time during the winter. I love the people and culture there though. You can sail on the river, its just tricky to go offshore during this season.

[River Cruiser]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

GaryM: I lake sailed in Kansas which is just like Nebraska, but with less corn and a bit more boring. The coasts are SOOOOO much better for sailing... For those from outside the US, Nebraska and Kansas are about as far from oceans as you can get. There are no natural lakes in Kansas BTW.

Marinas are nice, but I prefer a more natural setting. My back yard a few days back... Yes it is a tough life....

Lot of sailboats in Kansas cause the wind always blows well almost always. I like pool 24 on the upper Mississippi now I was on a 12,000 acre corp lake in Kansas over 10 years. The wind helps in learning how to dock a boat without getting a lot of dock rash. I chose Two Rivers marina on the Illinois side because they have diesel & the town on the Missouri side has everything I need a well stocked hardware store, 2 lumber yards, a Krogers grocery until last week when it closed & several great places for breakfast or dinner. All of this within 2 miles of the marina or less by boat to the city dock. We don't have the great year round weather of some areas, what we do have are small towns all up and down the river, most have a dock, boat club or marina nearby. There are also islands, sandbars & sloughs by the hundreds where you can beach or anchor and not be bothered or ones where there's a party every weekend. Another plus there are over 500 miles up river or the GOM & everything else south.

[denverd0n]

The answer to this question is the same as the answer to questions about the "best" boat, the "best" dinghy, the "best" anchor, and any other sort of "best."

There is no "best." There are pros and cons. There are different people with different perspectives. You'll come to different conclusions depending on the different criteria that you apply.

First you have to determine what your priorities are, and then what criteria you want to apply in making your decision. Then you can figure out what is best for you. And don't for a minute think that what is best for you is going to be best for anyone else.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

The answer to this question is the same as the answer to questions about the "best" boat, the "best" dinghy, the "best" anchor, and any other sort of "best."

There is no "best." There are pros and cons. There are different people with different perspectives. You'll come to different conclusions depending on the different criteria that you apply.

First you have to determine what your priorities are, and then what criteria you want to apply in making your decision. Then you can figure out what is best for you. And don't for a minute think that what is best for you is going to be best for anyone else.

The OP laid out the criteria he was looking for, cost, availability of liveaboard slips and atmosphere towards boaters (some locales are obviously friendlier and more welcoming than others). Information pertaining to just those three items could be helpful to people in transit who are wondering where the likely places are that they could stop and "stay awhile".

[LauderBoy]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Newt: Actually I didn't pay anywhere near $500 a month to live aboard. There are a few places that are way less, but not well know. Though most marina's are in the $500-600 range for a 35' live aboard.

That's not unreasonable at all. How hard is it to find an open slip? I had sort of written Cali permanently off my "maybe one day head over to" list because it always sounded like there wasn't anyplace left you could liveaboard at.

[Wjpetersen]

I voted SF Bay as well. It is cheap to live aboard compared to regular housing and the weather is great all year round.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by Wjpetersen

I voted SF Bay as well. It is cheap to live aboard compared to regular housing and the weather is great all year round.

That's great to know as the atmosphere for liveaboards in Southern Cali has gotten more difficult over the years. Used to be able to liveaboard there in a lot of places without too much difficulty. Now you have to either be sneaky about it or pay through the nose.

[bstreep]

Corpus Christi, TX. Here's why:

1) you are right downtown
2) inexpensive floating slips
3) good security
4) 2 yacht clubs (one very exclusive, one very reasonable - your choice)
5) Low unemployment - you can probably find a job you can walk to
6) Great sailing (CC is the windiest city in the country), and several good places to cruise to
7) No state income tax
8) No harassment from local law enforcement.
9) Great fall/spring/winter weather (same latitude as Tampa), and with the typical windy summer, it's not oppressive.