Where can I liveaboard - NOW?

[ARGold]

Hello All:

Our youngest child is soon to leave the nest and my wife and I are looking to transition to a liveaboard very soon.

Fortunatly there is lots of opportunity in my profession (Senior Electrical Engineer) so that I may find a job in almost any English speaking metropolitan area. Our plan is to liveaboard for two years while working and building the cruising kitty (kids colleges left only a small starter fund plus the house), then cast off from there.

Since I am able to work from home, I'll get a boat with three staterooms and use one as an office/electronics lab while having a spare for crew/visitors/grandkids. We are looking in the 45' to 55' range. From what I have seen, finding a boat will not be a problem.

But here is the rub. We will be ready to go very soon but waiting around for a livaboard slip (we want to be dockside) is not in our plans.

So I come to this forum and ask the question: Who knows of an English speaking major metropolitan area where a US citizen can find a job, buy a boat and move aboard immediatly?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by ARGold

So I come to this forum and ask the question: Who knows of an English speaking major metropolitan area where a US citizen can find a job, buy a boat and move aboard immediatly?

Quite a few areas where you can do this, at least most of this. Finding a job might be problematical.

[ARGold]

Before I made this post, I have been reading the forum. while there is advice here, I wanted to have an interactive discussion here and have a thread title that asks the question directly.

I did note two locations in another thread that may be of interest: Corpus Christy and Baltimore.

Since Baltimore is close to the grandkids, my wife is excited about that idea. But from what I can tell from my brief travels on the east coast, the winters are bad enough that most boats haul out. Here in Seattle, despite the high latitude, people can live on the water the year round. Is it also true of Baltimore? How far north do you get before winter haul out becomes the norm?

Corpus Christy - my main issue there would be the summer heat and humidity. We have lived in Mississippi and I recall that summer was a time you moved from air conditioned space to air conditioned space. Once we finally cast off, I hope to follow the temparate weather so I had not really considered having an A/C unit on my boat. But nor can I imagine sweltering in the summer before we have the chance to cast off and sail to nicer climate.

[ARGold]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Quite a few areas where you can do this, at least most of this. Finding a job might be problematical.

Thanks Rick but I'm hoping to stick to the topic of where to look.

For me, finding a job has NEVER been a problem through several cycles of boom and bust. I guess I'm lucky but I worked hard to get to this point in my profession also.

Please only reply if you have specific advice as to where there one can find a liveabord slip without waiting on a list more than a couple of months.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by ARGold

So I come to this forum and ask the question: Who knows of an English speaking major metropolitan area where a US citizen can find a job, buy a boat and move aboard immediatly?

I may have misunderstood your final question. I know where you can buy a boat and move aboard. I do not know where you can find a job. Perhaps if finding a job is not a problem you should have left this qualification out. Perhaps you meant "where a US citizen is allowed to work".

[Jolly Roger]

If you are in Seattle already, why not buy a three cabin boat from an existing live-aboard, and take over the slip? I know a fabulous Formosa 51 for sale for around $190,000 on a live-aboard slip. What kind of a vessel can you afford?

[ARGold]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Perhaps you meant "where a US citizen is allowed to work".

Yes, that is probably more accurate. I think the key is "major metropolitan area where a US citizen is allowed to work".

Jolly: funny thing, I can't seem to get my wife to move to a boat here in Seattle. It seems we actually have to move to a different city or else she will just want to stay here in our nice comfy house! Too comfortable and too many roots here, I need to tip the apple cart...

[Maren]

Originally Posted by ARGold

So I come to this forum and ask the question: Who knows of an English speaking major metropolitan area where a US citizen can find a job, buy a boat and move aboard immediatly?

I don't know the West coast well but on the East coast, I think you might find the Chesapeake Bay will fit your needs. There are several large cities (The Hampton Roads area in the South to Annapolis and Baltimore in the North. Additionally there is a lot of sailing in area. The area is protected from most hurricanes, which is a real problem for those on the coast south of about Va Beach or Nags Head. There are major hospitals and cultural centers also. There are no visa requirements and connectivity is very good to excellent. Finally, you have a long mostly protected water route all the way down to the Florida keys and (extended) beyond to Texas.

How is that?

[SouthernComfort]

Houston area (Kemah, Clearlake/League city) would be my first choice, both because of your profession and slip availability.

Houston is the third largest pleasure boat area in the country and there is no waiting on slip availability.

Your profession is in very high demand here also.

[Charlie]

SF Bay. Slips avaialble and high paid work in Silicone Valley. Not as warm as all places but good spot to sail.

[ARGold]

Originally Posted by Maren

I think you might find the Chesapeake Bay will fit your needs.

Today, I have been looking at the Chesapeake Bay area quite a bit. there do seem to be many jobs to be had. Earlier I asked a question about winters there. Do folks usually haul out or keep their boats in the water?

Do you know of any marinas that have immediate liveaboard space available? I'm using google Earth to look at the area, it looks like Baltimore has some big marinas...

[ARGold]

Originally Posted by SouthernComfort

Houston area (Kemah, Clearlake/League city) would be my first choice, both because of your profession and slip availability.

The issue I have with Texas or the Gulf (of Mexico) areas is the heat and humidity in the summer time. Do livaboards down there have air conditioning? I have never seen a sailboat with an A/C unit on it before.

[ARGold]

Originally Posted by Charlie

SF Bay. Slips avaialble and high paid work in Silicone Valley. Not as warm as all places but good spot to sail.

Wow, I am surpised to hear that. all I have seen is that SF bay is not very freindly to liveaboards and I'm really amazed that slips are available. Cannyou back that up by telling me which marinas have 50' liveaboard space with no waiting list?

[SouthernComfort]

I am liveaboard myself, and yes most boats have reverse cycle AC in them. Boats built with AC systems are more common than ones that aren't these days. I've noticed that boats newer than the early '80s will generally have them.

[forsailbyowner]

The area around tampa bay has liveaboard slips available. particularly sarasota, but I do know of slips available in St Petersburg. Were in Stuart Fl right now and some are available here also , in my travels this summer ran across liveaboard slips in Charleston, Buefort, Myrtle Beach, titusville and Eau Gallie fl