I own a house and I own a boat. Take out the mortgage, as I don't have on on the boat, and still the
maintenance fees on the boat are less than on the house. Of course, I am one that enjoys doing much of the
work myself
....on both. Is an
engine replace/rebuild that much different that a
HVAC replace/rebuild? Is the cost of painting a boat that much different than painting a house? A
marine paint will usually cost more by volume, but I have found that it take a whole lot less of it!
Marinas.....like housing developments....some are more expensive than others.
Stuff (aka...upgrades) are the same. Can you handle the plain white Kenworth
stove that will cook your
food just as well as the
stainless steel one that 'looks' better? Everything from sailing gloves to winches can be put into this category. If you go
blue water, like using your home for a catering business, then things will start to change and then you will have to pay more for better
equipment.
And don't worry about being a 'noob'. Everyone on this forum was once a 'noob'. Either it was at 6 years old when they started
family sailing...or it was anytime later in life during an 'adult' life. As sort of a 'noob' myself, I can say that I have enjoyed the
learning curve of owning a boat much more than that of a house!
If you are planning to
live aboard while you do the repairs/upgrades. I think you will find that it will cost you less than living in a house/apartment. Even more so if you are in the SF area!