houseboat Live Aboard in Texas

[edki]

My wife and I have retired and are planning to sell our lake house in Fort worth, Texas. We no longer need nor want to live close to the metroplex. We are studying the feasibility of buying a 40-70ft house boat to liveaboard in Texas.

[Teknav]

Check out Kemah - TX (South-East of Houston)! It might meet what you're looking for. Enjoy your retirement! Mauritz

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by edki

We no longer need nor want to live close to the metroplex.

Kemah may not be your thing, as traffic-wise its slowly becoming a 'burb of Houston. I hear that Port Aransas comes highly recommended as a quieter/handy place to settle..

[Nicholson58]

How abut a Nordic Tug? Nice on fuel and it can go anywhere. The 26 (pictures) can be trailered. Enclosed pilot house, AC, fridge etc. Good reputation. Way more space inside than you might think. The 32 is huge.

Used Nordic Tugs For Sale - Nordic Tugs MLS | Denison Yacht Sales

[ERJpilot]

Kemah is definitely the busiest part of Clear Lake, and as much as I love the area Houston wouldn't be getting out of a metroplex. But I've heard good things about Port Aransas and the Corpus Christi area seems nice from the times I've been there.

[Driftwoods]

We're in Kemah now. All the nearby stuff is great but it is most definitely in the metroplex now. We're heading to Port A as soon as the decks are redone (goes to the yards this week!). Although lately Rockport has been popping up on my radar as a place to go.

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by Driftwoods

We're in Kemah now. All the nearby stuff is great but it is most definitely in the metroplex now. We're heading to Port A as soon as the decks are redone (goes to the yards this week!). Although lately Rockport has been popping up on my radar as a place to go.

You may want to contact OceanGirl and/or RainDog, they have previously lived in most of the marinas in the Kemah/Seabrook area at one time or another and have since relocated to Port A - their perspective and reasonings may resonate with your wishes/plans.

[Ocean Girl]

Howdy, we really like Island Moorings in Port A. I can ride my bike to the beach( 2 minutes), and the gulf is 10 minutes by boat, and seems a good hurricane hole. But it isn't a sleepy town per say, kinda busy on the weekends, not nearly as crazy as kemah. Port A is definitely worth trying out. The great thing about boats is you can move if you don't like the neighborhood .

Palacios is a sleepy town and has a little marina with RV sites too, but NOT a hurricane friendly marina. Rockport is great but never kept our boat there for more than a day or two. We are really interested in Corpus Christie but never had the gumption to sail there. They have an active and friendly boating community.

Kemah and a houseboat
For some reason a lot of marinas around Clear Lake do not allow them, and especially don't like liveaboard houseboats. I "babysat" a houseboat in Lakewood Yacht Club many years ago, and had a neighbor in Marina Del Sol that lived ( and died) aboard a houseboat. That is really the only two I know of. I would definitely, before buying a houseboat, call around and get a feel for who will take you. South Shore harbor does not allow liveaboards.

Palacios may be no problem but I'd call first. A trawler( or powerboat) as suggested by Nicholon58, maybe a good compromise, but be sure to ask the marinas for minimum footage for liveaboards, I think the average is 30 feet now(?).

That is all I can think of to add, hope that made sense and helps you. Not trying to be a negative nelly.

Hope you find your new home and get going on your adventure soon.
Erika

[Sunnyside]

Well you have a lot of big lakes up in Fort Worth-Dallas-north TX area what about living on one of those in a houseboat. Did you want to live on the coast? Think about hurricanes if you are planning on your only home is the boat.

[ElGatoGordo]

There's quite a few here in Marina Del Sol. I think Kemah is the best place to live aboard if you work...but if I was retired I'd head south for sure. Port Lavaca is nice, as well as Matagorda. Both are small towns with nice little marinas. CC has a few marinas close to the Down Town area, but that's certainly not small town TX, and those marinas have no protection from a hurricane. If you want REALLY remote, Port Mansfield has some slips...though idk how liveaboard would work there.

I have no idea what your needs are, but if I was retired I'd want an economical boat I could actually move around all the time on a budget...sure less than 70ft.