Corpus Christi v. San Diego

[bruce v]

Hi Crab,
I lived in Cali for about 50 years and have boated in almost every spot up and down the coast. I have lived in San Diego for many years too, especially in my RV for the past 5 years. As an avid boater and fisherman, I have visited nearly every Marina in both SD bay and Misson Bay too. If you want to live aboard your boat there, the opportunity is small and "pricy" compared to most other places. That being said, comparatively speaking, living aboard is cheaper if that is your home (really hard to find any housing of any quality, especially near the water, at less than $1000 a month). If you own your boat, marinas that allow live aboards start at $800. You can do the math.
I have also spent ample time in Texas (Corpus Christi, Rockport, Houston, Clear Lake, Bay City and Galveston to name just few). Prices are definitely lower there and the opportunities are plentiful. Then there is the weather - humidity, rain occasional hail and possibilities of tornadoes (no Bueno). San Diego is noted for having the world best mean climate. So.... Oh I almost forgot another Prime boat living location that is second only to SD and it is about 1/2 the cost. Did I mention it too is in Texas? It is also very near the border, quaint and bountiful at the same time. Can you say Brownsville?

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by bruce v

Hi Crab,
I lived in Cali for about 50 years and have boated in almost every spot up and down the coast. I have lived in San Diego for many years too, especially in my RV for the past 5 years. As an avid boater and fisherman, I have visited nearly every Marina in both SD bay and Misson Bay too. If you want to live aboard your boat there, the opportunity is small and "pricy" compared to most other places. That being said, comparatively speaking, living aboard is cheaper if that is your home (really hard to find any housing of any quality, especially near the water, at less than $1000 a month). If you own your boat, marinas that allow live aboards start at $800. You can do the math.
I have also spent ample time in Texas (Corpus Christi, Rockport, Houston, Clear Lake, Bay City and Galveston to name just few). Prices are definitely lower there and the opportunities are plentiful. Then there is the weather - humidity, rain occasional hail and possibilities of tornadoes (no Bueno).
San Diego is noted for having the world best mean climate. So.... Oh I almost forgot another Prime boat living location that is second only to SD and it is about 1/2 the cost. Did I mention it too is in Texas? It is also very near the border, quaint and bountiful at the same time. Can you say Brownsville?

Yes Brownsville, but better yet, South Padre Island about 25 miles away. I spent last winter there, around 75 degrees everyday. Very good food and entertainment also.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Great info guys. I'm curious as to how mandatory AC is in Texas? And regarding SD, I think that recently it was Tacoma Sailor who recently tallyed up the fees for living aboard there. And it came out to $30+/ft. So not inexpensive. But when I was there, in the 90's, it was a nice place to hang your hat. Albeit, like the comment on SF; don't leave anything of value in your car, or rather, anything period.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Great info guys. I'm curious as to how mandatory AC is in Texas? ...

AC is not a luxury in Texas in the summer...its life support.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

AC is not a luxury in Texas in the summer...its life support.

Oh yeah.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

AC is not a luxury in Texas in the summer...its life support.

We spent last summer in Rockport on our boat without A/C. It's not that bad with the constant breeze off the Gulf. But....I'm a native Texan. When we were in the Kemah/Clear Lake area, we did have a portable room A/C unit, because there was not that cooling breeze off the Gulf. Currently in Brunswick, Georgia. It is plenty hot here at the moment. Really no better than Texas.

Ralph

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

AC is not a luxury in Texas in the summer...its life support.

Especially when in most marinas!! At anchor it's tolerable......but just barely.


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[bstreep]

We are also in Port Aransas. Lots of pluses in SD. Cost is a huge negative. And the water is too cold. Our 50' floating slip is $400 a month. We also spent some time in C C.

The food comment above should be taken with a grain of salt. My wife hates cilantro, and has no problem avoiding it. Even little ol' Port A has some wonderful restaurants.

Ac is mandatory. Summers are warm, but the wind blows ALL of the time around CC. We are anchored out in Ingleside Cove at the moment. Fantastic anchorage, probably the best on the Texas Coast. We are sitting in the cockpit, very comfortably. And if it gets too hot, we dive in and drink beer behind the boat. You can swim until November.


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[wostenberg]

We have our boat in the Chula Vista Marina and have plenty of space. The staff are great and the weather is 72°F average year round. Lot to see and do. We have a 30' sailboat we live/camp, but have been upgrading for comfort and class. We also volunteer on the Schooner Bill of Rights. The Marina has free classes going on for residents, all the time, and range from Celestial navigation, water pump repair, anchoring, and host of others. Chula Vista is at the South end of the Bay.
Good luck and have fun

[SV MAKAI]

Originally Posted by wostenberg

We have our boat in the Chula Vista Marina and have plenty of space. The staff are great and the weather is 72°F average year round. Lot to see and do. We have a 30' sailboat we live/camp, but have been upgrading for comfort and class. We also volunteer on the Schooner Bill of Rights. The Marina has free classes going on for residents, all the time, and range from Celestial navigation, water pump repair, anchoring, and host of others. Chula Vista is at the South end of the Bay.
Good luck and have fun

Shhhhhhhh. I'm at cym cv...it's nice here. Don't want to be over run with kooks moving in.

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[AmericanVagrant]

I put a high value on enjoying where I live, much higher than the extra cost of living in California vs Texas. I love San Diego and went to school there. Both of my sailboat purchases were in San Diego. Excellent weather, beautiful seas, great city.

Have you considered going further north? I love my home port of Long Beach Shoreline Marina (Los Angeles). It's nearby to Catalina and the Channel Islands, plus Long Beach is another great city in itself. The sail up took a bit over 24 hours, should be quicker going downhill.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by bruce v

Hi Crab,
I lived in Cali for about 50 years and have boated in almost every spot up and down the coast. I have lived in San Diego for many years too, especially in my RV for the past 5 years. As an avid boater and fisherman, I have visited nearly every Marina in both SD bay and Misson Bay too. If you want to live aboard your boat there, the opportunity is small and "pricy" compared to most other places. That being said, comparatively speaking, living aboard is cheaper if that is your home (really hard to find any housing of any quality, especially near the water, at less than $1000 a month). If you own your boat, marinas that allow live aboards start at $800. You can do the math.
I have also spent ample time in Texas (Corpus Christi, Rockport, Houston, Clear Lake, Bay City and Galveston to name just few). Prices are definitely lower there and the opportunities are plentiful. Then there is the weather - humidity, rain occasional hail and possibilities of tornadoes (no Bueno). San Diego is noted for having the world best mean climate. So.... Oh I almost forgot another Prime boat living location that is second only to SD and it is about 1/2 the cost. Did I mention it too is in Texas? It is also very near the border, quaint and bountiful at the same time. Can you say Brownsville?

That area of Texas may get hurricanes, not tornado's. Neither is good. But at least with hurricanes you get a warning.

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

That area of Texas may get hurricanes, not tornado's. Neither is good. But at least with hurricanes you get a warning.

Not so fast.
Things may have changed lately, there have been quite a few severe WX events just in this area of S. Texas the last few decades (Coastal Bend, CC area; WFO=CRP ).
I've lived around here most of my life (+-150 miles), been a WX observer almost the whole time, and the weather is getting downright strange lately.

Check out this (factual) NOAA CRP WFO webpage listing not only the many tornado events, but severe storms, squall lines, northers, hail, wind, rain and floods, plagues of chiltepin peppers (oh wait...), etc., etc., that have been increasing in tempo and strength (hmmmm...).
Even a "Wake Low Wind" event (which I remember slightly, weird stuff). And, oh yeah, some hurricanes.
And hurricanes often spawn many subsidiary tornadoes, sometimes severe, in their bands, particularly on the Gulf Coast.

Czech it out--, verifiable facts--
Major South Texas Weather Events:
Major South Texas Storm Events
(brought to us by our great taxpayer funded NOAA, none better )

As far as a comparison for y'all, the Corpus Christi area is just a very bad terrible place, totally unlivable, a soggy hellhole, nobody in their right mind would live here, dang wind blows all the time, sun is out almost 365 days a year fryin' your brains, the freakin' average temperature of 72°F is just unbearable, yearly rainfall of 32" will drown ya, the dangerous scary bluewaters of the Gulf just a few miles away...y'all payin' attention?
Good...no way you want to move here and drive up the slip rents (pens for you upsidedowners).
/snark

[sailjumanji]

OK, I stand corrected. But I have lived either in Houston, Corpus Christi or Port Aransas 53 of the past 57 years and never been in a tornado event. Hurricanes a few times, yes. So it's not like we are even close to tornado frequency like Oklahoma or Kansas, etc. And the tornado's don't compare to the damage from hurricanes. Roof damage vs entire neighborhoods (ie, Bolivar) being wiped away.

[bstreep]

While we get them on occasion, South Texas is outside of what most consider "tornado alley". For instance, no one builds storm cellars here, like they do in North Texas and Oklahoma.


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