I want to be a liveaboard

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

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

Even that is variable because what you and I consider necessities, others may consider unneeded luxuries.
For budget living aboard I believe SailorChic would be the go to expert as I think she has done so for quite a few years.
I may be wrong but I don’t think she gets into the fishing thing heavily, I’ve fished for fun most of my life, and think it may be an excellent way to starve to death, but have always had luck with crab traps, but that was as a bored kid having something to do.

[philaw]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

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

Encouraging point. In my case I’d be sailing, but would only be coastal sailing and island hopping at the beginning, so there would probably still be savings over having a boat ready to go offshore.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by philaw

Encouraging point. In my case I’d be sailing, but would only be coastal sailing and island hopping at the beginning, so there would probably still be savings over having a boat ready to go offshore.

not much as a lot of cost difference between those 2 comes down to choices

good luck

[MikeRyan]

My wife and I have lived aboard many years. We bought our boat in 1979, and lived aboard for quite a few years, but sometimes lived ashore building up money. Since we retired, we are living aboard again (same boat) since 2011.

I think $15,000 for a trawler is very unlikely unless you are a great mechanic, woodworker, etc.

$2,000 a month might just cut it if you live at a mooring or at anchor and don't eat out. You will need a dingy to get back and forth from land to the boat. Get a used one - much cheaper. Our marina fees are $600 a month. We spend about $1,000 monthly at the supermarket, but we eat out often, spending another $600 a month on that. Supermarket costs would probably be more like $1,200 if we never ate out.

You will need insurance. Ours is $500 a year just for liability. There will be more for boat insurance. But without the liability you are not going to get into a marina.

Remember that power boats only get a very few miles to the gallon. Sailboats (like ours, a Freedom 40) go for free with the wind, and use much less fuel under power. We went about 25 miles on about gallon of diesel at about 6 knots. You'll probably be lucky to get 5 miles a gallon, but ask the trawler folks about that.

I think that you will be right on the edge with $2,000 a month, and you will definitely need a kitty of several thousand dollars for emergency expenses.

And, if as you say, you are not mechanical, you had better become mechanical.

Additionally, you will have to learn how to navigate. GPS systems don't really navigate - they just tell you where you are. They track you. They will track you right onto the rocks with great precision. Bouyage in the Great Loop will be an enormous help, but you really should learn to navigate. If you say you are not mathematical, well, then become so. And learn the colregs.

Good luck. Try to get a bit more money somehow at the start.

Michael Ryan
1st Mate aboard s/v Here There Be Dragons
lying Palm Coast Marina, Palm Coast Florida

[33trippindaisy]

Lately I have seen several nice Pearson 30's on the local market here in the Carolina's for between 6-10 thousand in really nice shape. Now is this big enough? No, not for most cruisers with a fat kitty, no it's not! BUT can you do it, why yes you can.

looky here: https://wilmington.craigslist.org/bo...931102939.html

A Bristol 35 with a fresh rebuild on the Yanmar, looks pretty darn nice for a boat that might be had for 10k if you stick the cash money out there!

On grocery bills, well I have spent the last three years doing 100% of my wife's and my shopping due to her situation. The big "C" it is for her right now, which is why we are not on a boat and in the water full time. I realize the fact that she is a chef, and after 42 years of marriage I cook a thing or two, but really I don't spend $150.00 a week on groceries and we eat like royalty. We do have a garden for some fresh veggies but look we again must ask why is it that some can live on little spent and some can not. I eat a steak once a month, and I love it, but mostly we cook out of a wok, and use much less meat, mostly chicken and pork for these dishes. We make one real meal a day. The rest of our eats are simple, a couple of poached eggs and toast, cereal hot and cold, and lunch is usually a sandwich and chips or something from last night heated up. Why do we do this.....so our money does not end up in our guts and further downstream. We don't drink, her at all, but I'll sneak a toddy once a week, or maybe a beer with a friend on occasion.

We are both retired. I'm 63 and retired poorly as I describe it at 50 years of age. Why? Because I promised myself I would, and I meant it. Our pensions bring in a bit under a thousand a week clear, and we don't plan on ever working again, not even one day. We have zero financed items, yet we have two houses, three cars, two Harley's and the boat. Our insurance costs for everything are one of the bills we can never get away from as a property owner, but you can shed them if you must. If you don't have a home to go home to, you won't need a car in the drive way either. Once again, its all relative to you and your life choices. Health insurance is a must for most of us, then again I have met folks who only use the ER when absolutely needed.

Again, my Pirate friend has probably not been shopping in years, for a dozen years has lived on a private island in a tent. He has a Carolina Skiff, with a small shrimp trawl rig, fishes a bunch, crabs and clams daily and does not work other than that, which is quite back breaking work actually. He makes his life work for him, and is fun to hang out with. I doubt he spends more than a few hundred bucks a month to survive on and yet he lives quite well, considering.

So again, I say living a boat full time, on anchor, can be done by anyone with ten grand in their pocket today, and access to another thousand a month thereafter. You won't ever be rich, though each morning you'll wake up to the beauty of nature at its finest, and you'll experience the greatest light shows every evening while you listen to the music that soothes ones soul. You "Can" do what ever you want in this life, just don't try living up to someone elses standards.....create your own, and then go do it!

[liquidice]

Originally Posted by 33trippindaisy

So again, I say living a boat full time, on anchor, can be done by anyone with ten grand in their pocket today, and access to another thousand a month thereafter. You won't ever be rich, though each morning you'll wake up to the beauty of nature at its finest, and you'll experience the greatest light shows every evening while you listen to the music that soothes ones soul. You "Can" do what ever you want in this life, just don't try living up to someone elses standards.....create your own, and then go do it!

I find this inspiring and true. Thanks for taking the time to write.

[swordds]

Check out smacksman1 on YouTube, it may give you some hope.

[sailorboy1]

all this depends on what someone defines and hopes to get out of the term "living", it doesn't take a lot of money to just "be alive"

[jmh2002]

Different strokes for different folks.

[philaw]

Originally Posted by swordds

Check out smacksman1 on YouTube, it may give you some hope.

I just had a couple of videos and see what you mean. There seems to be a predominant way of doing things that's overly cautious and very expensive, and a counter-culture of people who are foolhardy. People like this guy are interesting, because he just focuses on what needs to be done. The fuel tank is unreliable, so rather than ripping the boat apart to replace it, here uses plastic tanks. Meanwhile, others are pulling their hair out doing ten year refits.

[tammylbass]

This is my goal for retirement also. I am a single female but plan on finding a like minded person to share the experience and lifestlye when the time comes. I have lived out in the woods with nothing for 6 months and lived in a 12x16 motel for 3 years and loved it. My dream has been a tiny house off grid but finding affordable land and dealing with zoning issues is daunting. Recently i have discovered water living and totally love the idea as my biggest downfall and stress factor of land living is grass. I totally despise mowing grass Love all the input here

[Arthurwg]

Originally Posted by barbienana

I appreciate your honesty. We currently have 4 boats in that budget to view this weekend....we have more income we just don't want to touch it except for boat repairs as needed and maintenance. For us this won't be about eating out at fancy restaurants been there done that. It's a off grid eat off the land life style and more so freedom.

Are you sure you can afford the fuel?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, tammy.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by tammylbass

This is my goal for retirement also. I am a single female but plan on finding a like minded person to share the experience and lifestlye when the time comes. I have lived out in the woods with nothing for 6 months and lived in a 12x16 motel for 3 years and loved it. My dream has been a tiny house off grid but finding affordable land and dealing with zoning issues is daunting. Recently i have discovered water living and totally love the idea as my biggest downfall and stress factor of land living is grass. I totally despise mowing grass Love all the input here

Please be careful what you post here, or the marriage proposals may start accumulating in your in-box. You are a unicorn in the sailing world. Know that, and own it.

[Dignity too]

Originally Posted by barbienana

Hi everyone, so my husband and I are wanting to take the leap however we have been told so many different things we are so confused. Like we here you must be reach to make this work "we are not" then I hear you need strong desire and a make it match your budget....pl someone that is actually doing it and "not rich" please give us some honest advice.
We have not purchased our boat and not sure what we want besides not wanting a sale boat.
I have been looking at Trawlers? Our boat budget is around $10-$15k
We desire to do the Great Loop and eventually cruise over to the Bahamas as well. I'm looking at 50 and hubby is under 45...lol
We have around $2k a month disposable income coming in to play with each month....and all the time life has to offer.
So what do you all think?

you don't have to be rich, yes you can do it on a budget, your finances dictate your spend. buy a boat that suits your needs, it doesn't have to be big or costly and in todays market you can find a good safe, ready to go boat, cheap. Just shop around its a buyers market.
once purchased move aboard task completed you're a liveaboard.
Costs depend on where you are in the world and what you want to do as a liveaboard. Is it just a houseboat, or are you travelling, is it sail or motor boat. sailboat can be cheaper than motor boat but depends if you want to travel at speed or slowly by wind power.
I've been living aboard over 10 years now and find it very cheap compared to a house or apartment, and if I don't like the neighbours I just untie and move. I work six months of the year in or near where ever I land in a country and live off that money usually for 18 months, then as money runs out I do it all over again.