Liveaboard Marina in the NH or MA area? Please help!

[Atcowboy]

Hello!

I'm looking at buying a boat soon and it will need some work, and eventually I want to move aboard the thing when I can.

Right now the boat I am looking at buying is in a small marina in MA near RI and not 5 minutes ago did I find out that it does not allow live aboards! For shame. I imagine my life for a while will be working on the boat every weekend, and given the travel I will not want to have to drive home but will prefer to sleep on the boat (be it on the hard, or on the water).

Does anyone have any recommendations for liveaboard marinas that allow work also? I live in southern NH so from Boston UP, NH, and even southern Maine DOWN and anywhere in-between is doable. Slip or mooring!

Thanks!

-AT

[Island Time O25]

https://www.bhsmarina.com/services/dockage

Dockage Rates | Charlestown Marina

https://www.mybostonmarina.com/marina-boat-slip-sign-up

[Shrew]

I also live in Southern NH and have kept my boats in either CT or RI (Northeast region of the US for those following along) for many years.

We've slept on our boat on the hard at every marina we've ever wintered at. Granted, it is only on weekends and only for a few weeks while getting the boat laid up for the winter or commissioned in the spring.

Nobody wants someone permanently living in a boat in the parking lot.

There are seasonal snowbirds who launch their boat in the spring and stay on it all summer, then haul it in the fall and go home. I've seen these at every marina I've ever been in as well.
The concept of a "Live Aboard" is not the same here because people do go home 7 months out of the year.

There are very few places that have year-round in water storage. In the winter the water is turned off. If you're billing yourself as living in the parking lot for long periods of time, or attempting to stay tied to the dock 12 months of the year, you're going to get a lot of rejections.

Shaming the marinas for not wanting the hassle or liability for one person seems a little silly.

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by Shrew

I also live in Southern NH and have kept my boats in either CT or RI (Northeast region of the US for those following along) for many years.

We've slept on our boat on the hard at every marina we've ever wintered at. Granted, it is only on weekends and only for a few weeks while getting the boat laid up for the winter or commissioned in the spring.

Nobody wants someone permanently living in a boat in the parking lot.

There are seasonal snowbirds who launch their boat in the spring and stay on it all summer, then haul it in the fall and go home. I've seen these at every marina I've ever been in as well.
The concept of a "Live Aboard" is not the same here because people do go home 7 months out of the year.

There are very few places that have year-round in water storage. In the winter the water is turned off. If you're billing yourself as living in the parking lot for long periods of time, or attempting to stay tied to the dock 12 months of the year, you're going to get a lot of rejections.

Shaming the marinas for not wanting the hassle or liability for one person seems a little silly.

Besides not finding the shame being in jest as such; you've just described what I want/need to do. My hope is that this last winter is my last new England winter also, so all I really need is to be able to work on it for long periods of time while I get it ready to leave.

- AT

[CaptTom]

For weekend work, a lot of marinas are OK with spending a Saturday night aboard so you don't have to drive home and back again the next day. They may have a no-live-aboard policy but will let a small infraction slide if you're discreet about it and don't abuse the privilege.

What season makes a difference, too. Living aboard in winter on the hard is not likely to be acceptable at many places. During spring outfitting, they might be persuaded to look the other way for a while. If work on the hard is going to extend into summer, that's a totally different animal. Offhand, in Southern NH I'd ask at George's Marina in Dover. I have no clue if they'd allow it, but I'm pretty sure the rest I know about would say no.

[guyrj33]

Try Port Marine in Beverly

[The Perfessor]

Originally Posted by Atcowboy

Hello!

I'm looking at buying a boat soon and it will need some work, and eventually I want to move aboard the thing when I can.

Right now the boat I am looking at buying is in a small marina in MA near RI and not 5 minutes ago did I find out that it does not allow live aboards! For shame. I imagine my life for a while will be working on the boat every weekend, and given the travel I will not want to have to drive home but will prefer to sleep on the boat (be it on the hard, or on the water).

Does anyone have any recommendations for liveaboard marinas that allow work also? I live in southern NH so from Boston UP, NH, and even southern Maine DOWN and anywhere in-between is doable. Slip or mooring!

Thanks!

-AT

Constitution Marina in Charlestown, MA has a very large liveaboard community, year-round. I have a seasonal slip there and the people and staff are outstanding. I am going on my second season; it is walking distance to Boston's North End, so the location is great as well. Includes parking. They are not a boatyard, though, so this would be for after the boat is in the water. Plenty of people work on their boat at their slip.

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Atcowboy

Hello!

I'm looking at buying a boat soon and it will need some work, and eventually I want to move aboard the thing when I can.

Right now the boat I am looking at buying is in a small marina in MA near RI and not 5 minutes ago did I find out that it does not allow live aboards! For shame. I imagine my life for a while will be working on the boat every weekend, and given the travel I will not want to have to drive home but will prefer to sleep on the boat (be it on the hard, or on the water).

Does anyone have any recommendations for liveaboard marinas that allow work also? I live in southern NH so from Boston UP, NH, and even southern Maine DOWN and anywhere in-between is doable. Slip or mooring!

Thanks!

-AT

You need to define exactly what you're planing on doing to this boat. If it's a
complete bottom job, you'll need to be on the hard and this could take awhile as you won't really know how much of a job it is until you get it out of the water and take a couple layers of paint off. If it's a moderate job and you do it all yourself, it'll take at least a couple of weeks (a long time to be camping on the hard). All sanding and fiberglass work should be done on the hard in a yard that allows DIY.

Once you have this done, then you're ready for a live aboard location. Beware that the very nature of a live aboard marina means you'll have neighbors and you need to be very careful about how much noise and disruption you're causing. Basic things like changing engine hoses or maintaining winches are usually no problem but if your jobs get too extensive you may get booted.