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Old 26-10-2013, 10:34   #16
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

Fortunately, I can work remote at least 2 days a week so being able to live on the boat 3x a week would solve the issue with the slip residence limits. I did a cost analysis and it is cheaper to buy a large boat, a plane, and two cars and a nice house outside of the bay area THAN to buy a crappy condo in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Mountain View or San Jose! Crazy prices for real estate plus my passion for adventure have driven me to consider this with no regrets.
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Old 26-10-2013, 10:47   #17
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

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Fortunately, I can work remote at least 2 days a week so being able to live on the boat 3x a week would solve the issue with the slip residence limits. I did a cost analysis and it is cheaper to buy a large boat, a plane, and two cars and a nice house outside of the bay area THAN to buy a crappy condo in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Mountain View or San Jose! Crazy prices for real estate plus my passion for adventure have driven me to consider this with no regrets.
Yes, but note that people who bought homes for crazy stupid 1 million dollars
can sell them for crazy stupid 2 million 10 years later,
and then they can afford to buy a 1 million cat when they retire.
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Old 26-10-2013, 10:53   #18
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

True but unfortunately I missed the days of cheap bay area real estate.
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Old 26-10-2013, 12:41   #19
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I'm not sure of your experience with boats. There are a lot of time share boats in your area. Some of them are real cheap. At the least it would get you out of your apartment and out on the water on "your days" while waiting for a slip.
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Old 26-10-2013, 13:50   #20
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

My rule of thumb is that long term costs for a boat run to about 25%pa of it's good condition value, so your $250k cat is going to cost $50k pa or about $1,000 per week. Add on marina fees for a (apparently very rare) live aboard cat slip and you're looking at at least another $10k pa or a total of at least $1,200 each week.

I'd be guessing that your "crappy 1bedroom apartment" is both secure and close to where you work so you'd need to add commuting time and car expenses to the above.

My experience is that you should consider the opposite of what you are planning. That is buy a small apartment as close to where you work as possible. Work as hard as possible, pay off your apartment, and then when you can't stand it any more buy a boat and go cruising.

Boats are great as liveaboards if you're not working. I know people do liveaboard and work but my opinion is that for most occupations it's not practicable.
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Old 26-10-2013, 21:46   #21
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

How do I find time share on a boat? Are these posted at the marinas on bulletin boards? Sounds like boat ownership is more expensive than even aircraft ownership.
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Old 26-10-2013, 22:56   #22
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I would check craigslist.

From reading another post of yours I would suggest first taking sailing lessons. This would allow you to get a feel for what a sailboat is really like. Learning how to sail is easy, but learning how to dock can be stressful.

99% or more of the time share boats will be listed by private individuals. They are just looking to keep there overall costs down. They aren't going to be listed by companies looking to make a profit like most real estate time share is. That being said the owners of the boat are more than likely going to want to know of your experience, however, some may be willing to give free lessons in exhange for buying a portion of the boat.

I'll state it again, gain some experience before you make any significant purchase. Boats are hard to buy and harder to sell. You may decide sailing is too rocky, wet, expensive, etc. Buying a boat to save money on rent would turn into a regret.. Buying one because you love sailing is a good idea though.
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Old 26-10-2013, 23:11   #23
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My rule of thumb is that long term costs for a boat run to about 25%pa of it's good condition value, so your $250k cat is going to cost $50k pa or about $1,000 per week. Add on marina fees for a (apparently very rare) live aboard cat slip and you're looking at at least another $10k pa or a total of at least $1,200 each week. I'd be guessing that your "crappy 1bedroom apartment" is both secure and close to where you work so you'd need to add commuting time and car expenses to the above. My experience is that you should consider the opposite of what you are planning. That is buy a small apartment as close to where you work as possible. Work as hard as possible, pay off your apartment, and then when you can't stand it any more buy a boat and go cruising. Boats are great as liveaboards if you're not working. I know people do liveaboard and work but my opinion is that for most occupations it's not practicable.
1200$ a week seems largely over rated to me
We dońt even spend that per month including docking.
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Old 27-10-2013, 01:17   #24
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

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My rule of thumb is that long term costs for a boat run to about 25%pa of it's good condition value, so your $250k cat is going to cost $50k pa or about $1,000 per week. Add on marina fees for a (apparently very rare) live aboard cat slip and you're looking at at least another $10k pa or a total of at least $1,200 each week.

I'd be guessing that your "crappy 1bedroom apartment" is both secure and close to where you work so you'd need to add commuting time and car expenses to the above.

My experience is that you should consider the opposite of what you are planning. That is buy a small apartment as close to where you work as possible. Work as hard as possible, pay off your apartment, and then when you can't stand it any more buy a boat and go cruising.

Boats are great as liveaboards if you're not working. I know people do liveaboard and work but my opinion is that for most occupations it's not practicable.
Unless you just bought a steaming pile of..., no way it should be running $50k/yr in maintenance. Especially if you are just living on it in a slip, it's probably more like $5-10k/yr plus slip fees.

That said, is your goal to get into cruising or just a cheap place to live. If it's just about a cheap place to live, I would suggest other options as the hassles that go with liveaboard will get old real quick if they aren't balanced with the benefits of cruising.
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Old 27-10-2013, 07:23   #25
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My rule of thumb is that long term costs for a boat run to about 25%pa of it's good condition value, so your $250k cat is going to cost $50k pa or about $1,000 per week. Add on marina fees for a (apparently very rare) live aboard cat slip and you're looking at at least another $10k pa or a total of at least $1,200 each week.
These numbers are so wildly off base they border on wacky at best and irresponsible at worst.

You honestly think it costs $8,800 a MONTH to keep a cat as a liveaboard? Seriously?

$105,000 a year and not even getting into food, transportation, fun, or actual freaking sailing? Do you honestly think that every liveaboard is a Hollywood plastic surgeon or Wall Street CEO?

That is just absurd.

Embarrassingly bad advice.

There is a wide median of cruisers who are circumnavigating the entire planet on $1,500 a month.

And the simple fact is, many of not most liveaboards liveaboard because it's drastically cheaper than an on-land equivalent.

If you are spending that much money per week on your boat it's time to sell your boat to someone who knows that they are doing or it's time learn how to do some maintenance yourself. Or quit pissing your fortune away and donate to a charity besides your local chandlery.
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Old 27-10-2013, 07:53   #26
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These numbers are so wildly off base they border on wacky at best and irresponsible at worst. You honestly think it costs $8,800 a MONTH to keep a cat as a liveaboard? Seriously? $105,000 a year and not even getting into food, transportation, fun, or actual freaking sailing? Do you honestly think that every liveaboard is a Hollywood plastic surgeon or Wall Street CEO? That is just absurd. Embarrassingly bad advice. There is a wide median of cruisers who are circumnavigating the entire planet on $1,500 a month. And the simple fact is, many of not most liveaboards liveaboard because it's drastically cheaper than an on-land equivalent. If you are spending that much money per week on your boat it's time to sell your boat to someone who knows that they are doing or it's time learn how to do some maintenance yourself. Or quit pissing your fortune away and donate to a charity besides your local chandlery.
And to put it in perspective, to pay $1,200 a WEEK at Yacht Haven Grand here in the US Virgin Islands (one of the most expensive in the Caribbean) you'd need a 68' yacht.
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Old 27-10-2013, 09:16   #27
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

I will first take classes and see whether or not long term it will be for me. I loved sailing the few times I've gone in the past and with learning I can get a better feel before spending the cash on a boat. I may rent for a while since its cheaper than buying a boat.
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Old 27-10-2013, 10:21   #28
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I will first take classes and see whether or not long term it will be for me. I loved sailing the few times I've gone in the past and with learning I can get a better feel before spending the cash on a boat. I may rent for a while since its cheaper than buying a boat.
What you want to do is being done by many people who are very happy.

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Old 27-10-2013, 10:59   #29
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

I've found that not asking for a liveaboard slip and just taking a regular slip is easier. If you call around for a liveaboard slip, the answer is always no. Ask for a regular slip and your in. That give the harbour master time to get to know you and offer a liveaboard slip. Least wise I hear that's how some folks do it.

A mono hull will be less expensive to purchase and less to dock. Cats generally pay twice as much as they are twice as wide.. Plus liveaboard fee. So a 40' mono might be $600-650 ish plus elec. A cat could be $900 ish and an end tie, which are HARD to get.

Marina Bay almost always has a few liveaboards open, but that's Richmond which is a LONG drive to MV. BART is near by though.

Coyote Point in san mateo, might have slips.
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Old 27-10-2013, 12:46   #30
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Re: Live on catamaran cheaper than rent apartment?

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These numbpeoe so wildly off base they border on wacky at best and irresponsible at worst.

You honestly think it costs $8,800 a MONTH to keep a cat as a liveaboard? Seriously?.
Actually, there probably are some yotties out there that do spend that sort of money on their effluent lifestyle.

Not me though! Pass the champagne over will you sweetie.!
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