Frustrated

[mqbenedict]

Dear Frustrated,
Boating naturally attracts dreamers; a rich history, adventure, challenge and romance. All of that is good so don't give it up.

As many readers here have pointed out, the specifics of how to achieve that dream will differ depending on the specific boat, where it's located, comforts you expect etc.

My limited experience has been that several expenses in addition to routine repairs can be significant: the slip fee; diver to scrape the bottom; insurance, hurricane bailouts etc. Utilities for me have always been pretty small.

So don't give up your dream just because it might be more demanding to realize than you expected. Realizing a dream is often not neat, but the mess might be worth the struggle in the end.

Best wishes,
Mark

[JDBlackwell]

Originally Posted by Rockinar

Living on a boat is cheap. $260 slip fee is dirt dirt cheap. Owning a boat is really expensive. If you dont have $260 a month for a slip and a $10 bill for electricity, you literally cant afford a boat. You still need a couple thousand laying around for insurance, a pile of $125 bills laying around for the hourly labor fees you WILL be paying someone to do repairs and maintenance at the boat yard or come work on your boat.

You live on a boat cause you love boats and sailing, not to save money.

I so hate when people do this...

If you actually LIVE on your boat, with NO land based rent or mortgage, and if you don't own a car or have kids in school (or worse, college)... if you DO NOT have all those costs... then YES is can be "affordable" to live on a boat. And if you do actually liveaboard... then why are you paying for "labor"? if you LIVE on the boat, then you should be doing ALL the labor (that you can do) yourself... then YES, it can be "affordable".

But... if you own or rent a home, have cars & kids and a all the costs of a landside life... then no, any boat is a pure luxury and every penny you spend on it, will be spent on a luxury.

NOTE: "affordable" is also a very VERY personal and subjective number for each person... I'm talking 20K to 40K a year as affordable based on personal experience and more than a few sailing blogs/vlogs I have follow.

Context is everything, and... Manage your expectations.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by JDBlackwell

I so hate when people do this...

If you actually LIVE on your boat, with NO land based rent or mortgage, and if you don't own a car or have kids in school (or worse, college)... if you DO NOT have all those costs... then YES is can be "affordable" to live on a boat. And if you do actually liveaboard... then why are you paying for "labor"? if you LIVE on the boat, then you should be doing ALL the labor (that you can do) yourself... then YES, it can be "affordable".

But... if you own or rent a home, have cars & kids and a all the costs of a landside life... then no, any boat is a pure luxury and every penny you spend on it, will be spent on a luxury.

NOTE: "affordable" is also a very VERY personal and subjective number for each person... I'm talking 20K to 40K a year as affordable based on personal experience and more than a few sailing blogs/vlogs I have follow.

Context is everything, and... Manage your expectations.

For some of us, a boat is a necessity.

I'm from Virginia also but the Eastern Shore.

There was very little do do there back in the day if you didn't have a boat for fishing, hunting, and skiing so you learned to get by with less.

My first boat, motor, and trailer I bought for $300 which was all I could afford at age 16 because I also had a car payment and only worked part time after school.

I've owned about 12 boat since with only two being new and they were beach cats that I raced.

The "cruising" boat I have now I paid $2,000 for in 2011.. I found it at Deep Creek Marina (ESVA). Some cruiser left in there in 2006 or so and it sat on the hard 5 years before a found it.

That marina is out in the boonies ....boat had no for sale sign on it.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/De...!4d-75.7507708

[Giro]

First, you have to get past the “NO LIVEABOARDS” issue that now exist at most desirable marinas located in acceptable locations. Then, ask yourself if you managed a marina located in a desirable part of a coast of a civilized nation of the world would you give such a location away at a dirt cheap price? Probably not. Marinas operate to make a profit and that is a fact of life. They usually charge by the foot of the vessel, so every inch larger your boat is, is going to cost you more to live. If you are lucky enough to rent at a marina that is willing to allow you to “live” there can you expect them to offer waterfront living for practically nothing?

[dan104]

I am just south of Annapolis Maryland and Fee here is $110/ft/year includes water and power, I think they throw in an extra $50 a year for live boards. That is $265/mt for my ~ 29ft.


I am a weekender so maybe I sleep 2 night on boat, there are a few live a boards here, so few workers, a couple of waitress during COVID lock down there were a bunch who lived on theirs.


But the bottom line is if you want to live on a boat cheaply, anchor out, use solar for power, use rain catcher or jugs for water and solar water heater for shower. Real good old boats are out there and close inspection will find the well maintained ones.


Now as for storm season, well that either move out of the Texas band or look out!

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Scott Stallings

B - Bring

O - On

A - Another

T - Thousand

Due to recent global issues , the G20 have refined “ B O A T”

Break out another ten thousand !

[mcon12000]

I’m from Clear Lake/Kemaha area there in Texas and now on the NJ Coast.

You will not find anything in the price range you’re mentioning in Texas without being really creative. Unlike the east coast Texas Marinas are concentrated in populated areas so you’ll need to avoid Clear Lake, Galveston and Kemaha for sure. They all have minimum charges and typically don’t promote “live aboard”. That said all us cruisers do live aboard and are welcomed at all of these facilities but we never use that term. We might stay for an extended period but we will leave eventually and the boat we arrived on is capable of leaving under its own power.

It’s possible to live cheaper on a boat but not on a functional well maintained vessel in a Marina. You’ll need to be on the hook the majority of the time and have a reliable dinghy. It’s a great lifestyle if you truly enjoy it but it’s the wrong lifestyle if the goal is saving money.

For the record my cruising budget is around $50-$70k per year inclusive of maintenance but not including major repair items. It varies that much because of the time spent in a Marina. Last season I was in the Keys almost the entire year on a mooring or at anchor. So I skipped winter haul out and most of the upper east coast slip fees. For reference a Slip for a 40’ sailboat up here May-Nov1 is $5-6k.

Also larger repairs can add over 20% to that budget every few years.

[Sailing Hanse37]

Originally Posted by 2935

Wanting to get into sailing. One reason is thought living on a boat was cheaper. Then researched marina slips. Roughly 260 dollars for a slip on top of the 100 dollars just to live on your own boat plus water a d electric fees. Can a person realistically live on a boat for less than a 900 dollars a month? Am I chasing the wrong dream? Thank you in advance.

Just realise that 260 dollar a day for a slip is a rip-off. We went sailing for one year and are leaving again in a 2 months. The maximum we ever paid was 45€ and in this harbour we stayed for 1 night and gave it a bad review (expensive without working wifi, no good and dirty showers and so on)

[ron17571]

As a regular lurker here I have noticed a class thing here. Many talk like they live the life of the rich and famous. My first thought is that the man wanted to make it on social security/disability. I think it's doable if thought out. Moving to a place where 900.00 goes farther would be a good start. Renting a room in someone's house or living on an old boat anchored somewhere off the beaten path is an idea also. I don't see this being very easy to do in the U.S. In many places 900.00, a month is beyond what the locals make. It's all a matter of perspective.

[Goodxcharly]

Living on a boat is cheaper by quite a bit. I sold my house 5 years ago for the livaboard life style.
I guess the other factor is if you love boats. If you do you will find away to make it work. If not, I wouldn’t bother.

[thomm225]

Sure you can do it for $900/month, you just have to plan it out.

Some experience with boats would also be very helpful.

A friend of mine just took possession of a Cape Dory 25. (I also saw the ad on Craigslist: Free Boat)

He has just completed repainting the bottom, and hull. He sailed the boat about 12 -15 miles to the boatyard

I believe the PO had already replaced the rigging.

The boat has a well for an outboard and since the guy that got the boat is working he bought an Epropulsion outboard for it, but could have gotten an inexpensive gas outboard and would have a nice sailing/cruising boat for under $5,000/$6,000.

He has new sails on order.

His last two boats were an Alberg 30 and a Westsail 32

[wordsmithereen]

I have lived on and off a boat a large part of my adult life. I am getting old now and losing balance so it's just not as easy, but I love it and it is worth the money, at least in my view. I truly love it so much.

When I was in the military one rule stood. I may not like you, maybe even despise you, but if you were in trouble I would be there for you. The same stands for the marina crowd and boaters in general.

I live in Florida and I don't think there is a better boating community.

I was paying roughly $850 a month but it was on a month to month. Under contract it drops dramatically.

At least try it. I might not be fo you but it might be the best thing ever for you. In my opinion it's a wonderful life. Good luck.

[Lionshooter]

“Location, Location, Location!”
Inland lake. $185/mo., water and electricity included, 30' slip. Rates are based on size of slip, not size of boat. 40' slip is $250/mo.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Goodxcharly

Living on a boat is cheaper by quite a bit. I sold my house 5 years ago for the livaboard life style.

I guess the other factor is if you love boats. If you do you will find away to make it work. If not, I wouldn’t bother.

Living on a boat is not the same as living in a house. Most do it because they love the lifestyle.

Doing it to save money is a fallacy especially as the OP states he wants to sail around ,ie not a derelict boat.

A boat is not the place to live way below the poverty line. Some people do it because they found themselves without choices. But that’s not a justification for voluntarily going there.

[capnorv]

I know cheap live aboard is gone here in Washington State. You have to keep moving, five miles minimum, no more than three times a year, etc. We are diestroying our maritime history for the people in the McMansions. To live in a marina on a 40' will cost you $1000- $1800 per month, if you can wait until your name comes up to the top of the wait list. Even boat maintenance is getting harder, I was in a local yard for a week in mid April, and it was fuller than I've seen it, even in high season. I'm kinda glad I'm reaching the end of life since my lifestyle is going the way of the dinosaurs.