Frustrated

[Rumrace]

Damn OP that’s a whole new story.
Yes owning you’re own space is less expensive.
$900.00 in this world is not going to work long time.
We should rethink the conversation and discuss a Go Fund Me. Not for a boat but to change your future. Lots of businesses more than ever need people working from home.
Ive always considered boating a rich mans sport. Sailors by a long shot are the most condescending. Half the power boaters are not boaters just folks with boats. Half the boats worth 500K never move , they are a status symbol.
The group has lots of folks living on boats but in actual numbers in my city it’s less than 50 boats in an area of 6 million.
Can we help you create a future?
I gather you are in the US cause Canadian would be considerably more. Do you have any medical or medicine coverage?
Boat, like I said Free Boats everywhere but no one spend $16,000.00 to ship it across the country.
So given the area would be how to start finding you boat. All of us have boat lockers full of stuff. Some of its nuts. I bet them members in this group could assemble all the hardware to build three boats. I have a new 25 year old VHF in the box a windlass , an anchor windlass. Two long oars no idea where they came from. Some teac of my fathers 1938 sloop the boat long rotted gas cans a motor ( Johnston junk)
My one regret from my past corporate is not specifically assuring we had positions for the handicapped. There is a TV show called employable me and I kick my ass everytime I watch it. There is no excuse just the dog eat dog reality of the able bodied in the corporate world.
Yes let’s find you a boat..
I got really badly wounded in 1971, should not have lived. I’m legally handicapped but didn’t believe them. I hardly limp and I can’t turn my neck. Folks ask me how long it took to recover I tell them I didn’t, this is my 80% best, now my personal 100.
Don’t settle my friend.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by malbert73

Thomm- you bought a new gen anchor??!!! Thought you would stay with the CQR forever [emoji6]

Which one?

Well, they have used 35# CQR's for sale at our local consignment shop for $225 which I almost bought one of then about that time I believe it was you that posted I could get a Mantus for around $300 with free shipping.

Also my CQR was worn 11 years ago so when I'm anchored with 20-50 yards to spare before I'm pushed aground if I drag it gives you things to consider when you are laying there in your bunk and the wind is howling at 1 am.

The CQR has been great but it is old and quite worn.

The Mantus M2 25 lb anchor I bought is still in the box though. It's this huge monstrosity and since I keep my CQR on the foredeck switching to this thing will be different as it is near 19" wide rather than the 7" -9" or so of my good old 20 lb CQR

It's pretty easy to see though that once that Mantus digs in the boat should be pretty secure.

I have one more project to complete on the boat then I'll put this thing together and maybe go ahead and hook it up.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by jordanbigel

I've known some low-cost, low-income cruisers who manage on US$500-1000/month,

In the 68 months I have been full time I have met 0 "cruisers" that are doing it on that. I have met some that say they are, till you ask them a few questions and they start with the "not counting this or that".

Now I have seen lots of people who "live" on a boat on anchor that manage on that budget. And unfortunately these are the "boaters" that cause most of the issues that effect the rest of us. Not all of them, but ......

[garyfdl]

Originally Posted by 2935

Can I really live on a boat and sail.
Can a person realistically live on a boat for less than a 900 dollars a month?
I am disabled and 900 is all I get a month.

Short answer: no.

Originally Posted by 2935

I chasing the wrong dream?

Again short answer: yes.

Let's be realistic (and there are a lot of assumptions based on extremely limited information). Sailing is a physical 'sport'. If you are physically limited, it's probably not for you.

But the biggest issue is economic. Boats are really expensive, to buy and to maintain. I can't see anyone living aboard, if all they have to rely on is $900/mo income.

Your annual income is only $10,800/yr (= $900/mo) you are way below the poverty line for individuals @ $13,590 (source: Healthcare.gov) You need to get yourself hooked into some sort of social program... to survive!

I'm sorry if I've 'burst a bubble' but reality is a b*tch.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by 2935

Thank u for your answer. I phrased it wrong. I was talking about dock slip costs, when I shouldn't have. I want to get a boat and sail it to see things and places and meet folks. The thing is I am disabled and 900 is all I get a month. Can I really live on a boat and sail. I am selling truck, camper, and everything I own. Dont own a house. Didn't mean to appear an idiot. Thank you to all people who helped.

Thanks for the followup, and sorry to hear of your plight.

Some people have managed to cruise for months at a time at low cost, but they control costs by avoiding marinas and anchoring out, and by buying beater boats that they do all the maintenance on.

We've heard frequently that private marinas are sometimes setting a boat age limit, or simply not renewing leases to old boats, in order to free up slips for more expensive boats that will consume more services. Derelict liveaboard boats are being targeted and confiscated.

So low-cost living aboard may be an endangered species around the US. As I mentioned before, the reason to own a boat is because you love boating; it's not a great long-term option for low-cost housing.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by 2935

Thank u for your answer. I phrased it wrong. I was talking about dock slip costs, when I shouldn't have. I want to get a boat and sail it to see things and places and meet folks. The thing is I am disabled and 900 is all I get a month. Can I really live on a boat and sail. I am selling truck, camper, and everything I own. Dont own a house. Didn't mean to appear an idiot. Thank you to all people who helped.

People have done it for that amount but it will depend on your disability and how good you are at repairs, setting up solar power, and handling jobs like painting the bottom.

Also maybe setting up up your own electronics like with a Chart Plotter using OpenCPN

Sailing can be hard physically if you actually go cruising as in sailing from place to place.

If you can get a decent boat already loaded with equipment like anchors, rode, electronics at a good price $900/month would probably work.

I lucked out and found one like that for $2,000 in 2011. It was an estate sale and the son lived on the opposite side of the country. I had to buy a replacement for the diesel (new outboard) and replace the mainsail but did start sailing it immediately after a bottom job. It had been on the hard 5 years

PO left it near here on his way back North after a 2 year cruise from Massachusetts to Florida and the Bahamas

I have slowly put about $10,000 into the boat over 11 years

I pay over $9/ft for my slip in the city but just 10-12 miles away (by boat) I/you can get a slip for about $150/month

[Rumrace]

I suggest start a go fund me to create a business as going forward in this modern world 900$ is not enough.
Yes owning your own residence is cheaper than a rental. Upkeep the burden
I semi retired and as a hobby artist sculptor I bought a really well made 3D printer.
My new retirement practice has picked up too much and darned if I’m not suddenly in the 3D printing business. I’m making a model train for train nuts boat parts and boat accessories I’ve designed on fusion 360. Key floats water fills etc. The printer which cost me 1200 has made and sold 5,000 with no effort more fun. I’m on the wait list for a new printer under development which will allow me to print 4 key floats at once vs one and 5 colours at once.
Insurance companies are looking for more people to work from home.
We don’t know your limitations.
I for one regret not hiring or making slots for more handicapped employees when I had 500. The thought never entered my mind with all my long list of excuses.

[Rumrace]

Two of my favourite go fund me related to boating are Sea Bin and Rand Boats. Both started as visions of a better place to live.

Sea Bin was two pissed off Aussie Surfers fed up surfing through floating plastic.
Their quiet recycled plastic drum remove floating plastic by the bus load to protect wildlife and boats

Rand Boats were called the Water Tesla with the 18’ Picnic prototype. At first they used the crappy BMW i3 battery . Now they have electric boats up to 36 feet. The Picnic range 140nm 40 minute fast charge and 22n cruise.
Both guys with no money but valuable ideas.

[garyfdl]

Originally Posted by thomm225

If you can get a decent boat already loaded with equipment like anchors, rode, electronics at a good price $900/month would probably work.

I pay over $9/ft for my slip in the city but just 10-12 miles away (by boat) I/you can get a slip for about $150/month

No... just NO.

Don't know who said it but just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done.

The OP is not even at 80% of the mean poverty level income level for an individual.

Even using your numbers $150/mo for a slip is 17% of the OP's monthly income. And I will go out on a limb and say that is an exceptionally low number; I would have to question why it is so low. I'm reasonably familiar with that area of VA (assuming you are in/around Hampton Roads). There must be a reason it is so cheap and I'm betting its not a good one. Then there's other minor things like, oh, I don't know... food perhaps? Is there a Kroger next door to that marina with the $150 slip? Probably not. So now you (presumably) need a vehicle, that means fuel and insurance. What about insurance for the boat? Probably going to have to budget something for utilities... and on, and on, and on.

At $10,800 annual income, the OP should be looking for stability and security. They're not going to find it at $900/mo, living on a boat.

[goboatingnow]

Certainly around me the person on the equivalent of $900 a month , would be fully plugged into the social welfare system, with housing support systems upto and including a complete house, fuel /heating allowances and emergency income support payments.

Bring on land this is all accessible on a boat it’s not.

[Dogscout]

There are lots of folks on YouTube telling lots of folks how cheap it is to live on a boat. Hahahabahaha

It's entertainment not real life.

[Rockinar]

Whats your disability that you cant work? Sailing is a physical activity.

[Shrew]

$900/mo. and you could live on a dock queen as long as it never moves. However, on a cruising boat, you are one major repair away from financial catastrophe.

New Sails; engine rebuild; new shaft, strut, prop; will be a show stopper.

$1,000 for a typical (completed) upgrade or repair (even when done by myself) is not out of the ordinary. At $900/mo. income, taking the hit on a $1,000 repair will be significant.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by garyfdl

No... just NO.

Don't know who said it but just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done.

The OP is not even at 80% of the mean poverty level income level for an individual.

Even using your numbers $150/mo for a slip is 17% of the OP's monthly income. And I will go out on a limb and say that is an exceptionally low number; I would have to question why it is so low. I'm reasonably familiar with that area of VA (assuming you are in/around Hampton Roads). There must be a reason it is so cheap and I'm betting its not a good one. Then there's other minor things like, oh, I don't know... food perhaps? Is there a Kroger next door to that marina with the $150 slip? Probably not. So now you (presumably) need a vehicle, that means fuel and insurance. What about insurance for the boat? Probably going to have to budget something for utilities... and on, and on, and on.

At $10,800 annual income, the OP should be looking for stability and security. They're not going to find it at $900/mo, living on a boat.

Well, Sean D' did it "cruised" crossing three oceans in the process for a minimal amount on a $1,000 Bristol 27 for maybe less than $900/month.

He probably needs to write a book on how he did it.

He's quite resourceful though and a born engineer/tech. Being so young probably helped him also plus his engineering skills. (and maybe his software skills as he has built his own autopilot the Pypilot)

Here's that old article about him when he stopped in Oriental, NC after he crossed the Atlantic I believe.

https://towndock.net/shippingnews/se...-and-alexandra

https://svcrystalblues.blogspot.com/...ne-around.html

Also, $150 slip the marina is Belle Isle just in Back River. Water and power included

https://www.bellislemarina.com/page/marina

[PushingThePen]

Living on a boat can be affordable, but it's like all real estate investments. Location, quality of life and reality.

Perfect example: Long Beach, California is around $1K live-aboard. Wilmington on the other hand is around $200-400 cheaper, but you'll spend more on cleaning and protecting your equipment from damage and theft. Even cheaper if you're on a floating dock, rather than a walk-up.

However, renting in the area starts at around $1.2K for a crap box in someone's closet and can go up from there.

Personally, I had my 36' Uniflight at a walk-up in Wilmington, used it as my crash pad for my business trips to LA, when I didn't want to drive all the way back to South Orange County, or to relax on and as an office. I was paying around $500 per month.

In Newport I was paying $750 to be on a can that was a pain to get to and would have been paying $1.2K for a walk-up (at the least) if I could have even found one.

The reality is that I could have lived comfortably on my boat for around $2.5K a month, including all expenses and fun money. With a better quality of life, than in a condo in most parts of Southern California.

I'm actually getting ready to move onto a sailboat and travel the world for a year to have a better quality of life and enjoy what there is to offer. Without all the stress and drama that I deal with on a daily basis. A year long sabbatical.

The simple fact is: What do you want from your boating life and what's it worth to you to get it?

Hope this helps you figure things out.