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

[watersofdiego]

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

As for costs, availability of liveaboard slips, the boating atmosphere, etc.

[Hudson Force]

I would highly recommend North Florida's St Johns River,- Jacksonville, Orange Park & Green Cove Springs for low rates, hurricane protection, low salinity, excellent inlet, easy daysailing, free three day city docking and free pump out options at Metro Park.

[Mimsy]

Houston is great for affordability, slips and job opportunities. The down side is there isn't a whole lot of interesting cruising anywhere near here. In fact, there is none. Yes, you can sail to an anchorage but there are about 3 or 4 in all of Galveston bay. I would vote for Houston IF you are looking to keep working and just do occasional day sails.

If you are thinking of retiring and looking for interesting cruising grounds, my vote would be Seattle (actually Port Towsend) if you like cold weather, Tampa if you are looking for warmer as its less crowded than the East coast of Fla.

[sailorchic34]

I'm voting for the SF Bay area. Prices are not that bad, compared to SOCal or southern Florida, $500-600 ish with liveaboard fees. Good weather, Really great sailing all year long and 750 miles of delta to explore too. housing prices are sky high, but that what makes liveaboard so nice. Highways in the bay area are bad (crowded) though. Food can be pricey, but there are inexpensive places to shop too.

Sunny and 75 now btw. Its a tough life...

The Gulf coast of texas and florida are nice too.

[Sailmonkey]

I also voted Houston, but I need to qualify it. If you need/want to work, and have good sailing but not "cruising" this is the place.

However, if I had my way......and I hate cold weather.....we'd most likely be either in the Tampa area, or not the US at all.

[Gelfling]

There will be a lot of comparing apples to oranges in this post for sure. But with my two pennies I would say that I can't imagine there being better cruising grounds (US) than in the Chesapeake. Live aboard or not.

[hellosailor]

So, diego, do we assume you're retired or on a trust fund? Local salaries don't matter to you, local medical care don't matter, and you want, um, peace and quiet? Good fishing? Lots of Golf? Can't stand heat and humidity? Looking for low state taxes? Or maybe, just an active night life scene?

What does "best" mean to you?

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Mimsy

Houston is great for affordability, slips and job opportunities. The down side is there isn't a whole lot of interesting cruising anywhere near here. In fact, there is none. Yes, you can sail to an anchorage but there are about 3 or 4 in all of Galveston bay. I would vote for Houston IF you are looking to keep working and just do occasional day sails.

If you are thinking of retiring and looking for interesting cruising grounds, my vote would be Seattle (actually Port Towsend) if you like cold weather, Tampa if you are looking for warmer as its less crowded than the East coast of Fla.

Tampa Bay area is FANTASTIC for sailing. We haven't had a direct hit from a hurricane in something like 80 years. Don't know why but they just don't come in here much. If you are in Tampa, I don't think there are many live-aboard opportunities, but on the St. Pete side, there are three live-aboard opportunities -- one on the Tampa Bay side, one on Boca Ciega Bay south end, and one near Madeira Beach (that one has some limitations, such as a WICKED current running through it most of the time and not as well maintained as either The Harborage (Tampa Bay) or Pasadena Marina (south Boca Ciega Bay, close to the Gulf).

If you want to go a little further south, there are two very nice marinas on opposite sides of the Manatee River: Regatta Point on the north side (Palmetto) and Twin Dolphins on the south side (Bradenton). Both have real advantages. TD is only 25 min. from Gulfport, just south of St. Petersburg.

Once you get to the Gulf of Mexico there are many beautiful places to sail to that are "short trips" -- up to 3-4 days. Or go a little further and the Keys and the Dry Tortugas are at your doorstep. There are many active sailing clubs in the area, so lots of ways to connect with other sailors.

I prefer Pasadena to Harborage just because it's 45 min. to the gulf instead of 4 hours from Harborage. I personally don't care for being "stuck" with sailing around Tampa By for a day sail.

The central Gulf coast has a moderate climate for Florida. 90 is a typical high in the summer, and it RARELY goes below 45. SE Florida won't get as cold, but it's considerably more expensive both to live and to keep a boat there.

Oh yeah we have some GREAT boat repair facilities not far from here, at Salt Creek (Tampa Bay side of St. Petersburg).

If you have children, there's a *terrific* Sea Scouts troop in the area (in Gulfport, actually).

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by Gelfling

There will be a lot of comparing apples to oranges in this post for sure. But with my two pennies I would say that I can't imagine there being better cruising grounds (US) than in the Chesapeake. Live aboard or not.

Uh, I wouldn't consider the Chesapeake right now, maybe later. Sailing in it was fun but expensive.
Sailingchic- consider coming up the coast- 93 a month and walking distance to Costco....

[Blue Crab]

I'm a little confused. Is this the thread where Sailorchic is nekid at the bow in 6" red come **** me pumps? That's the city for me!

[Hudson Force]

Most towns that are far smaller than those on the list have much more to offer for the liveaboard cruiser. Smaller towns often have amenities important for a liveaboard cruiser without a car and with good bicycling opportunities for all needs. For me, as a US East Coast cruiser, I've had home and good community in Portland(Me), Portsmouth(NH), Gloucester, Provencetown, Onset, Newport, Port Washington, Atlantic Highlands, Cape May, Havre d'Grace, Chestertown, Annapolis, Portsmouth(Va), Elizabeth City, Oriental, New Bern, Georgetown, Charleston, Beaufort(SC), Fernandina, Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, St. Augustine, Daytona, New Smyrna, Titusville, Vero Beach, Stuart, Fort Lauderdale, Key Largo, Marathon, Key West, Fort Myers, Gulfport(FL), Tarpon Springs........... For me, these choices would offer much more than the big cities for easy liveaboard/cruising.

[sailorchic34]

Well the nice think about the SF bay area is there are small towns further up the bay with easy walking to stores from the marina. Actually Berkeley is not bad for that, though its a mile walk to get to the other side of I-80.

Pittsburg, Benicia, Petaluma, Rio Vista and Antioch all are small towns with easy or mostly easy access to stores from the marina's there. A few have free city docks to pull up for a few hours to provision.

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.

I'm ignoring BC btw
No 6" pump's or even 1" on this girls boat.

[s/v Beth]

Do you anchor out then SC, or do you pay slip rates?? Fess up how much?

[Red Charlotte]

If you can dig on the prices in San Diego, this town is the best ever.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Do you anchor out then SC, or do you pay slip rates?? Fess up how much?

I spend a fair amount of time anchored out now a days. When I had a slip I was paying about $200 a month. Now I go into the marina's for a day here or there to provision, dump trash, take a REALLY long shower, etc..