Is Living on a 20' Boat Possible ?

[Stillraining]

At 20 I could have lived on the San Juan 24 and been quite content the Mac 21 would have been a stretch at 20 even... I would not do either now....I could if I had to.

[KillerBoo]

Originally Posted by im1ru12

An 18 foot Hobie ?????? Well, I ain't a youngster anymore, but I'll bet I can make it through the winter on a 20 footer then. Thanks for the input!

Well.. If I´ve survived (and stayed safe, sound and happy) for a year and a half in a 26ft Maxi in the rather cold Sweden, I would say you got more than a decent chance to make it through what you think is winter too

[im1ru12]

Sounds like I better look this Charlie guy up and find out how to duplicate what he's doing, except without the cats. lol

[smo]

i saw some photos of a retired guy on a 22 footer for the winter in the keys
he found a dirt cheap marina and had a ball
his next door neighbor was a liveaboard on a macgregor 26

they even had room to have the macgregor 26 owner's college coed grandaughter and 3 of her friends for a week in which they sailed to the marguesas off key west

[9to1on]

Hi

Maybe you know this guy already but if not you will find him at Keep Turning Left

He makes a pretty good go of living on a 19 footer while ditch crawling. Winter or Summer, no odds to him. Mind you, he is just a young feller of 55. He does not do it all of the time, goes home once in a while to the wife.

He has been at it off and on now for the last thirty months or so and has plans to continue for the forseeable future (as long as his luck keeps up while passing under low slung HT electricity cables)

Cheers
Gerry

[SurferShane]

It really depends on the individual. If you have ever been into a bit of backpacking/trekking like me you might initially even find the interior of a decent 20’ boat “indulgent”. Let’s face it; if you are out for a bit of R&R at least you have just minimized cleaning and maintenance?

[boatman61]

Yeah... its feasible.. do-able... I lived on 20-23ftrs for a coupla three years in the UK.. including winters (occasionally grim) but the summers were great with a boom tent giving extra space.
Its all a case of mind over matter.. if you don't mind it don't matter...
Currently have a 21 in Portugal which I sailed down from the UK... n I'm 62.

[kumgang]

Of course it's possible. I'm 49 y.o. and I live aboard a 25 footer. It's not a modern one, so cabin is very short, but I got used and I really can't imagine myself living again in an apartment as living aboard is Paradise to me. Waking up with the birds, sleeping in a deep silence, nice people around, all of them happy because all of them come here to enjoy.
I have to confess that the first month was really hard to me. I had to get used to the small space as I'm tall, and I moved here in winter so it was kind of difficult to stand, but after that first month I really began to enjoy. Now is better as I go sailing many times a week, with other people from here, either in my boat or else in theirs.
So go ahead! and enjoy

[dana-tenacity]

Back in the 80's there was a guy living in Mexico on a Montgomery 17?? las I heard he had gone down the west coast of Centro America and was on his way back up the other side.

Even better read this

Duckworks - The Voyage of Miss Cindy - Part One

[tager]

I was a sneak-aboard living in the water on a Balboa 22' exactly like this during one of the worst winters of the last decade in Seattle. So yes, it can be done. Definitely.

Currently I live aboard a 26' and feel the 2 foot itis. I think a 28' would be very comfortable for one person. However, with the right boat and the right amenities a 26' is pretty dang comfortable.

Once you have standing headroom, a one burner stove, a reasonably big sink, and a dedicated berth where you don't have to shuffle anything around to crash out, you are pretty set for easy living.

[kumgang]

Originally Posted by tager

I was a sneak-aboard living in the water on a Balboa 22' exactly like this during one of the worst winters of the last decade in Seattle. So yes, it can be done. Definitely.

Currently I live aboard a 26' and feel the 2 foot itis. I think a 28' would be very comfortable for one person. However, with the right boat and the right amenities a 26' is pretty dang comfortable.

Once you have standing headroom, a one burner stove, a reasonably big sink, and a dedicated berth where you don't have to shuffle anything around to crash out, you are pretty set for easy living.

I agree with you. If my boat had some space that allowed me to be stand it would be better but I am used to everything already so I can't complain.
best wishes

[s/v 'Faith']

I have a Flicka parked in my back yard right now that is for sale. I certainly would not want to live aboard some 20' boats, but would have no problem living on the Flicka.

Nice thing about boats in this range, if you want to relocate you can trailer them and relocate several degrees of latitude in day or so.

[bljones]

We summer aboard our 23'er, and a previous owner had cruised the Bahamas in her. Part of the equation is attitude, another part is the boat- there are small big boats, and big small boats. For example, I could not live aboard a Macgregor 25, although it is longer than our Georgian 23.

[kumgang]

You are right bljones, and I guess mine is a small big boat...I really love her, since I moved, last July 8th (winter here in the Southern part of South America!), I learnt a lot about her and about living aboard.

[First Mate]

the spouse and I spent a winter in Long Key Florida living on a 22' catalina sailboat and used a marina as a base. we had electricity and cold water available to us, but not hot water and a shower. we had a porta potty that we emptied legally at the marina. for a shower, we rigged up an opaque tarp over the boom and hosed down with a garden hose - cold water. we were about 28 years old.

noone could get me to rough it again like that at this age - 57. but it was fun then.

piece of advice: it ain't all that warm all winter long down there. they have this thing called cold snaps when it can actually approach freezing temps and the wind howls like a banshee - even half way down in the keys. most of the time it is very warm and pleasant there in the winter, but not all the time.

keep a little stash of cash aside for spending some time in a nice warm hotel, or buy yourself a really warm sleeping bag. you're gonna need it.