I want to be a liveaboard

[theBigKahuna]

sailorboy1 had a really good point... really w/ a boat, depending on size, type, you do pick your poison. Like an old house vs new... typically an older house will have lower initial cost and higher ongoing maintenance/repairs... The MAIN difference is boat maintenance/repairs are way more entertaining and tend to happen at the most inopportune times!

Anywho... as several folks stated, read other peoples tails and budgets. you'd get realistic ideas on food/entertainment/medical etc and then gauge where you fit in the boat expenses end.

Good luck!

[sailorladd]

It is different for everyone my dear, but I will say that for me, those were the best days of my life, sailing, cruising and living aboard...

you must have confidence in the boat you buy, it must be strong and sea worthy, you must have confidence in your ability to sail and navigate, and you must be prepared to take the sometimes rough with the mostly smooth and don't be put off with these other negative comments from other people...read books about how other people did this and you will find that they were just people like you and I Good luck. Follow your heart.

[rick bertram]

So for that money you will not have a reliable working boat. Yes you may get a live aboard but nothing seaworthy. If you and your husband are mechanically inclined and have lots of spare time and money to make her a live aboard cruiser you might pull it off. Two of the most important tasks to complete before you take a leap and purchase a boat is a “survey” of the hull and one of the engine. You must also do a sea trial and I’d have the mechanic there on that too. This is going to cost some but it gives you a foundation to which you can make an informed decision on a purchase. Good luck

[Carl-T705]

I'm always skeptical when someone is interested in boating and claims that land is a prison and wants a boat. It just sounds well.... dumb!!! ( to me).

[Rive]

I have been living aboard and cruising for twenty years.Have met cruisers living on every budget range, some much less them your budget.
It will depend on what you intend to do, anchor out stay in marinas have a car
eat out, or cook on board. There are lots of ways to spend money.
The one part of your plan that bothers me is a trawler in your price range, that will be a money pit. I live on a sailboat so I am partial to sailboats, for one thing you have the option of sailing or motoring at about the same speed, give or take a couple of knots. And you most likely have a better chance to find a fairly
decent sailboat in your budget. Good luck whatever you decide.

[fairwxsailor]

Your only in the Amusement Park One Day if You Don't Get On All The Rides...........You Ain't Commin Back!!!!!
Your not investing alot, If its not for You or Too Expensive, Sell the Boat and Move On!!

[pbmaise]

A change of venue to match your budget?

Philippines
Monthly mooring use and access to yacht club... About $100/month

Visa extensions about $200 a month for two
Food budget $300 per month

Self insured medical budget? A recent big fall on a bike including emergency room, four stitches, meds, trip to city to see orthopedic surgeon, xrays, and hotel expenses came in at whopping $250 total

A full time crew member to haul water food and fuel and help stand watch is about $350 a month

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, fairwxsailor.

[Wittig]

Just a few comments:

The price for your dream boat is Very low. It is possible with an extensive search that you may find a 34 - 36' boat that is "safe" but it will not be easy.

Sailboats with a small diesel engine are MUCH cheaper to run than a trawler.

If you have a house, don't sell it but rent it out just to make sure that live-aboard is for you.

My wife and I are NOT the most experienced cruisers. We have cruised for 3 years and had a 3 year break to earn money and then off again for 2 years. Most of our time was on the Hook. (today even that is getting expensive as many harbors charge you or insist you take a mooring for $$).

It is possible to live on 2K a month in central or South America but NOT easy in the Bahamas, Turks, DR, or Puerto Rico.

Take as many courses as you can: Power Squardron and some Universities offer great "book" learning. Electronics are wonderful today but NOT foolproof. Than can crap out, lighting hits, etc. Try to learn how to go from here to there without GPS if possible.

If you want to talk on the telephone, give me a call. Be happy to talk to you for an hour or so. 850-492-5654 (pensacola, Fl)

Captain Rich Wittig Sr.
36 K at sea, Navigator,
Sailmaster, Licensed Master.(my wife also)

Good luck!

[Kintala]

I would like to strongly recommend that you read a book my husband and I wrote before you do anything. It's called How NOT to Buy a Cruising Boat and it's available on Amazon. We bought a boat with no prior experience to go cruising and in the book we pass along all the mistakes we made in the hopes of helping others not make the same mistakes. We did end up cruising successfully on her for almost six years, but it cost exponentially more than we thought. I promise you it will be worth much more to you than the cost of the book.

[valrichardson]

I've been living aboard for almost a year in a New England city. I found my 1975 33' Egg Harbor on Craig's List for $5,000. I have a close friend who is an experienced boater, and he was my guide.



My dock fees are about $4,000 a year plus electricity. Even with maintenance (bottom paint, etc.) and insurance, I'm paying about 25% of the cost of a local apartment.


I am staying put and not cruising, so the latter would be a whole different level of expenses.


Go for it! Valerie

[philaw]

Originally Posted by 33trippindaisy

Trust me it can be done on very little, if you have the will to do it.

That post was pretty inspiring. There’s a possibility that a nice old guy is going to sell me a quality 36’ cruising sailboat in good condition for $5000, and I’m frankly scared that I won’t be able to afford to run the thing. Based on some of the numbers people throw around for maintenance costs, a free boat seems like it could ruin me, or I’d pour money into it for a while before needing to walk away. Maybe I should start another thread.

[33trippindaisy]

It is always going to depend on your own personal factors.......I remember when I was young (I'm 63 now) when we bought our first cars.....like mine was 1970 Dodge Dart with a 6 cylinder 3 speed manual, purchased for $100.00 from our neighbor. The next day I put new rims, new tires, jacked up the back with shackles, and added a cherry bomb muffler! It ran perfect, but now I had a $1000.00 car, and my Dad just shook his head and said son, drive train first always, and it does not need it right now......nah, gotta have them visuals. Any way same story now, an old boat can be washed and waxed, given the required Coast Guard stuff, and then make sure the entire drive train is in good operating condition, and you have quality anchoring gear. After that you have a live-able, move-able, and legal vessel. Even a sailboat that size has a capability of operation under power alone at a very minimum cost. There are still many places to anchor out for free, and thats where you need to go. Dingy and motor or kayak? Or two kayaks if needed, are way less expensive and can still be bought used for a few hundred at most. A nice new one at Academy Sports can be had for under $400.00 each. Fish daily, cast net your own bait, set out a few crab traps, and dig a few clams.....all that turns into crab omelets, clam sketty, grilled fish of the day, etc etc.......if you like a toddy or two, buy your own bottle, and don't fall into the 9-15 dollar a drink habits at the local tiki bar, that many do (which is fun but kills the budget). There are ways to this cheaply, while still having a load of fun every day of your life. Move with the weather like a lot of folks do to stay in the climate of your choice, and leave your cruising miles to that. Move every 30 days and most cities and areas will never say anything to you, ever. When I say move you might only move a mile or two as required by law, or you might move 100 miles a month. Remember, a boat can be clean, orderly, legal, and reliable for a lot less than folks think. Then again, if you got a million bucks in the bank, heck live like it! The main thing is have fun, and enjoy your environment. You know the thing most people NEVER do!

[philaw]

Wise words. I have a feeling my adventure will start next summer.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by philaw

and I’m frankly scared that I won’t be able to afford to run the thing. Based on some of the numbers people throw around for maintenance costs, a free boat seems like it could ruin me

costs to maintain a boat to live on are a lot different than the costs to maintain a boat in cruise condition