Is liveaboard lifestyle a dying lifestyle

[chavodelocho]

By the way, you think stupid to bring over there a salvage sailcat,live in and repair it at the same time?...sounds crazy,may be...any, again,suggestions...HIGHLY WELCOMED!.

Best.

Chavo

[Exile]

Originally Posted by akprb

I was there last weekend and have friends who live aboard at anchor there.

Crowded and again the problem in the outside anchorage is not the liveaboard but the liveaboard that quits and leaves the boat to rot or stays and rots with the boat.

The other thing I noticed was the state of the dinghys at the dinghy dock. Just an absolute mess, looked like a homeless camp.

There was a time you would pull up and see rows of tidy little vessels properly tied off and ready for service. Those days, at least at the grove, are long gone and that is why I think so called liveaboards are getting a bad name.

“Full time cruisers”, now that I like :-)

Yea, me too.

Not a long-term solution obviously, but are the (relatively) new moorings owned by Dinner Key looking filled up? I used to have a slip at Dinner Key and before that my father kept his boat at Monty's. Haven't been down there since they put the moorings in but thought I heard they were limited to 40' vessels.

[Bentwings]

Here in Minnesota it seems to be growing, slowly. Weather is a big factor. It was -10 f last night. Many marinas just don’t have space and most near the big city can’t expand so it’s getting harder for the new people to find slips. It’s a nice winter income for those marinas that support the live aboards. Most have either a club house or tavern and sponsor various event through the winter.

Minnesota has a huge number of boats but most are trailer boats. Our marina is full of the larger trailer boats in the summer. I see many on the hard but a lot have summer slips. It a bit pricy as these have to paid up front for the season or higher rates per month. The marinas have a majority of slips for under 30 feet. The bigger boats have less available and cost more. I was lucky and got the last 40 foot slip. There are two house boats on the pier, one a scow with a small outboard motor the other is a 40’ houseboat that stays in the water but not a full timer.

There are a couple of live aboard communities that are “outlaws” or other anti whatever’s that I stay away from. They do give a bit of black eye to the rest of us.

The “tiny house” thing is getting pretty strong here but communities don’t really like these for fear of the “trailer park” syndrome. Zoning can be difficult for them.
Nevertheless I see new ones almost weekly on the highway going to their new home.

[theBigKahuna]

For S Fl. Tomfl pretty much hit it, whatever the increase or decrease in liveaboards or boaters for that matter, S Fl and the Keys are suffering from 'coastal gentrification'. As marinas are replaced by Condos most slips (if built) are private in the first place so now it's the marina's turn to suffer from over-development.

[Trailer Sailor]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Exactly.

I’m sure there are areas that are unfriendly to liveaboards. They seem to be fairly concentrated in areas of high population. But if you live aboard, and especially if you actually cruise, then why would you stay where you are unwanted? Move somewhere else.

My sentiments exactly!

[andybaldwins]

Just greed ... a weekend slip renter is only there 8 days a month, not 30. That's 22 days less trash, parking and pooh pumping. The full service gas stations and helpful hardware stores are going away, so are the accommodating marinas.



Don't like it? Move to the Caribbean, they let you anchor, moor and rent a slip most everywhere and the appreciate you.

[Bentwings]

I went down to the marina this morning to check on slip ice.
The pictures aren’t real good but I’ll post them up later. It’s pretty bleak. It was -10 the last two nights. Forecast to -25 by Wed. I’ll go down again next week.
I have to take my dog out...it’s -1 with wind ....bbbrrr.
Later.