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08-05-2017, 07:20
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New Orleans
Boat: Bruce Roberts 44 Ofshore
Posts: 2,842
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Smallest Liveaboard?
I was walking the piers, drink in hand, a couple nights ago, and was admiring a little Catalina 22 and a couple slips away, a Nonsuch 22. Both are kinda tubby little boats with enough room for a single liveaboard. Now me, I have too many ongoing projects to go smaller than my 27' boat, but if it was nothing more than a place to sleep and eat, with no tool and material storage needed, no great piles of junk, no workshop space, I could see living in something like that.
Anybody here living aboard, in a teeny weeny boat? Who lives on the smallest? Anybody living full time in a Potter 19? How about the 15? I'd like to hear about it. "Tiny houses" are all over the news these days and lots of folks are embracing that minimalist lifestyle ashore. Seems like "Tiny liveaboard boats" ought to be a thing.
I have seen folks here in Louisiana living in very small "camps" afloat, but while they can be moved, they are not really designed for traveling. I want to talk about actual boats that are designed to go places, not plywood shoeboxes on styrofoam pontoons.
__________________
GrowleyMonster
1979 Bruce Roberts Offshore 44, BRUTE FORCE
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08-05-2017, 15:57
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
Had a nice looking Woman who claimed to be living aboard I think it was a 25' Hunter in my Marina for awhile, but it didn't last long. I think she stayed in it when she couldn't find any better. Odd situation as she drove a relatively expensive car and had what looked like expensive clothes.
Then "poof" she was gone and a for sale sign on the boat.
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08-05-2017, 17:05
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Hailing Minny, MN
Boat: Vancouver 27
Posts: 1,090
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
Not sure if you're excluding yourself from that mix, but I always thought a 27' was kinda "tiny house" material!!
I think if more young people knew about the lifestyle and how to make it sustainable it would catch on and become the "thing" it deserves to be..
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09-05-2017, 04:32
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Lived aboard & cruised for 45 years,- now on a chair in my walk-in closet.
Boat: Morgan OI 413 1973 - Aythya
Posts: 8,455
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
My Nephew lied on a Catalina 22 for a few years, but now he's moved up to a Sovereign 24.
__________________
Take care and joy, Aythya crew
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09-05-2017, 04:42
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Toronto area when not travelling
Boat: Nonsuch 30
Posts: 1,664
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
Big difference between the Nonsuch and Catalina. You cannot stand up on the Catalina. That would be a deal breaker for me.
__________________
Have taken on the restoration of the first Nonsuch, which was launched in 1978. Needs some deck work, hull compounding, and a bit of new gear.
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09-05-2017, 06:43
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 5,009
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
I lived on a San Juan 23 for a few months. That was enough for me. While the lack of a "real" head, shower, and galley was an issue, the biggest pain was the lack of full standing head-room. Getting dressed every morning while squatting, lying down, or bending over gets very old, very quickly.
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09-05-2017, 07:56
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: East of the river CT
Boat: Oday Mariner 19 , Four Winns Marquis 16 OB, Kingfisher III
Posts: 657
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
A friend in trade school lived in a old 22' with a swing keel from the 70's (don't remember the exact model maybe a venture). There was a women a few years ago who came to a Oday Mariner get together that lived on a Mariner for a while that's 19'.
__________________
mysite: Colinism.com
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09-05-2017, 08:00
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: East of the river CT
Boat: Oday Mariner 19 , Four Winns Marquis 16 OB, Kingfisher III
Posts: 657
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
Thought of couple more. When I worked at a marina we had a couple of women that lived aboard a little 24' express cruiser, but those have a fair bit more room in them.
__________________
mysite: Colinism.com
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09-05-2017, 08:02
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Panama City, Fl
Boat: Morgan Out Island 33
Posts: 38
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
When I was stationed in Hawaii in the 90's I met a young lady who was living aboard a 16' sailboat. I went on board. It was neat and clean but reminded me of camping out. She said she was living aboard for economic reasons.
She was nice looking and had a decent job.
I have has some pretty primitive living conditions but that was work related.
I wouldn't want to live on a boat that small. For me, a 25' would be as small as I would consider.
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09-05-2017, 08:18
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 186
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
I'd say this: you could totally do it on the boat I own now: a Chrysler 22, only production boat made by a car manufacturer. When the (poptop) is up, you have 6'2" headroom. Sleeps well, has table and good stowage. Designed by Halsey Herreshoff for bluewater coastal sailing. Built like a tank, way more stable than a Cal 22, with its 800 lb retractable keel: draft with keel up is about (16").... sail it right onto the beach. Probably one of the only monohulls that can do that.
You could totally do it on this boat.
Bill
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09-05-2017, 08:31
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#11
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
You can. but with so many really inexpensive 30ish boats out there, why would you?
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09-05-2017, 09:01
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Ontario
Posts: 62
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Papasail
I'd say this: you could totally do it on the boat I own now: a Chrysler 22, only production boat made by a car manufacturer. When the (poptop) is up, you have 6'2" headroom. Sleeps well, has table and good stowage. Designed by Halsey Herreshoff for bluewater coastal sailing. Built like a tank, way more stable than a Cal 22, with its 800 lb retractable keel: draft with keel up is about (16").... sail it right onto the beach. Probably one of the only monohulls that can do that.
You could totally do it on this boat.
Bill
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Thanks for reminding me of the Chrysler 22; I remember seeing a fair number of those on lakes Erie and Ontario back in the day.
If you really want to sail right onto the beach, though, I'd recommend this:
I always wanted one of those as a kid. Actually, I still do. If I had stupid money, I wouldn't buy a sports car, I'd buy an Amphibicar.
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09-05-2017, 09:28
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Long Beach, CA
Boat: C&L Sea Ranger 36, Columbia Payne 9.6
Posts: 362
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
Considering I only occasionally use the forward berth on my Vega to sleep, I see no reason why a boat with that length removed from the LOA would not suffice nearly equally as a liveaboard.
I feel like it's not the sleeping room added by the extra LOA, but other factors that generally coincide with it (such as additional beam, reasonable headroom and storage). The extra length is important for me because I enjoy hosting friends (on two occasions we've had 5 adults on multi-day trips to Catalina). If not for that, I'd be fine with less.
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09-05-2017, 09:40
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast of Florida
Boat: Schucker mini-trawler
Posts: 353
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
I have been living on my Schucker23 for nine years so far. She is practically perfect, except for the stuff that needs fixing, repair or upgrades. I love my home.
__________________
Janice aboard Seaweed, trawler life on a nickel budget...
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09-05-2017, 10:21
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 5,009
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Re: Smallest Liveaboard?
Quote:
Originally Posted by a64pilot
You can. but with so many really inexpensive 30ish boats out there, why would you?
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I think this is the BEST answer!
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