Liveaboard Nowhere?

[dwedeking2]

1) The world isn't on fire. This isn't an extinction event, not even close. Things are temporarily in limbo as we learn about the situation and at some point we'll have a grasp on the real science behind the issue and come to a workable system.

2) Even in the Great Depression people lived. We look back at it from a historical view point, with a focus on the numbers and the bad news. I've read my grandfather's write up on his life, he moved his family, opened a business, etc etc. Basically his life continued even through the challenges.

3)If you buy now you'll be spending a good portion of a year learning your boat, doing day/weekend sails to find out how you want to set things up, and then doing the work on setting things up. By the end of that period things maybe more stable on what international travel will look like.

4)Being able to go out to my boat at the end of each work day and get away from the news, people etc is what has saved my sanity through this. I just spent the most peaceful weekend anchored out, no Covid to deal with, nobody saying do this or do that or you'll die. The sunsets and the fish don't care about Covid.


5)If it gets sooo bad that the social safety nets go away (ie social security) then a lot of the work rules are going to go away as well. They (the .gov) will have a lot less control and a lot of social unrest issues to deal with. There will be less oversight on work rules (such as in foreign countries) that a person that can adapt will be able to find work.

[gonesail]

58 is very close to retirement age .. but 65 is a long way off too. you will need to address medical coverage after october. I get your being burned out. I was too but it will improve. Takes a while to get your energy back. there should be some good deals on used boats at the end of this summer. check them all out and find one you like. good luck.

[smacksman]

It is the top/middle market that is exposed to economic crashes. In the market you appear to be in, a 'crash' from $20k to $15k is hardly a crash. $20k to $1 might be handy though!

[CaptnBry]

Having lived aboard for decades in California, i am sailing out. Every year more legislation festers against us. Costs are skyrocketing. Im considering Fl and the ICW during huracaine season, or even Mexico (again) for freedom's sake. For livaboard, a waiting list can be years, here, and the net cost more than an apartment.

[Subtandard]

Bill,


Consider buying a boat outside the US. I bought my current boat in Turkey. Lots to choose from now and it is a cheap place to live with fantastic cruising.


If you are good at fixing things, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands may have opportunities for work.

[Poche]

Good luck finding a liveaboard slip without a couple year waiting list in a decent marina. As usual, prior knuckleheads ruined it for the masses and gave living aboard a bad reputation.

[MicHughV]

I don't get the point of this thread.

If you want to buy a boat to go sailing, just do it, there is no need to ask another's opinion. There are as many opinions here as is sand on the beach.

Coming here to waffle about your life, etc, is just chatter.

You won't learn anything here. You will only learn by your own experience, not the experience of others, so pull out the check book and let life take you where it wants.

There will be ups and downs, moments of glory and moments of fear, it's called life !

[Dave9111]

You will find a variety of opinions on how this pandemic is going to play out.
I own a small business that deals with industry.
I'm operating at about 50% at the moment but the future does not look good. Other companies I deal with are at about the same level. In good times I am backlogged up to 4 months. I have no backlog at all right now.

The economy is seriously damaged and many businesses are barely hanging on, losing money daily. It appears that things will get worse, possibly much worse before they get better. Many companies will fold and put more people out of work.

Some people think we have hit the bottom, I don't think so.

Printed money is keeping all of this afloat at the moment.

How long will that last?

I think we are at the edge of a worldwide depression that could go on for years.

That said, my parents and my grandparents lived through the Great Depression and did ok. They even have good memories of that time. But, no doubt it changed them.

Some people are buying boats and RVs right now (most are trailer boats). But many people are incredibly short sighted.

At the bottom end of the boat market (30 ft plus) prices are dipping pretty hard. Mid priced boats seem to be sitting on the market now for a very long time. I'm at a higher end marina and they aren't doing well. (Midwest - Lake Erie) They will survive, but many boats were never launched this season. Weekends at the marina used to be very busy. Not now.

Shopping for a boat: I'd look later this summer and try and buy a boat this fall. Boat prices drop significantly in the fall. Don't rush it. If things get worse, prices will drop over the winter even further.

From what I gather you are in the northwest?

I doubt that living aboard is really an option in CA as CA seems extremely restrictive. Mexico is probably doable in better times, but they are getting hammered with the virus there and it will likely get a lot worse.
I wouldn't want to get Covid in Mexico.

So... things are NOT normal. And I believe it will get worse.

With Brazil and Mexico and South America on fire with Covid, I think that is going to restrict where you can go.

I am suppose to be in Mexico right now doing some work. But my health insurance company refused to insure me there - for ANY PRICE. So I did not go. More lost business.

A bit of a rant... can you blame me?

How is the liveaboard life panning-out effective 06/12/2020?
Are folks feeling trapped in their boats?

If the world is on fire, and Great Depression 2.0 is just around the corner....
at 58, why not do it anyway? WTF? I don't want to "survive" a Great Depression, just to die without ever having lived.

Thanks for being patient with the broken hearted. Your opinions are valued, and thanks in advance. Sorry for ranting.
Bill

[Tom and Maje]

I would never put off buying the boat. Don't count on boat prices going down. They didn't drop in the last recession. Not everyone is out of a job. Is it possible to rent your house/apartment? What do you do for work? Is it something you can freelance? Are you interested in another profession where you can work remotely? I was a lawyer, and decided to become an author shortly before we bought out boat.

Maintenance is an ongoing project on a boat. Things you could defer on a house, can't be put off on a boat. If you learn how to do things yourself, maintenance will be much less expensive.

Maje

[capnorv]

We cashed in for a few years at 50, until life changed. The liveaboard life was very good to me and my wife for five years, until priorities changed. I cannot recommend anyplace higher for a cruising ground than the PNW. Sure the weather never really gets hot, but it doesn't get that cold either. There are 2500 nautical miles of uninterrupted sheltered inland waterways with hundreds of inlets and side channels, which would take a lifetime to explore. There are many many anchorages, abundant water and restock facilities, water temperatures approaching eighty in places in the height of Summer, and accepting people/law enforcement and long as you follow the rules. This year, you would need to choose North or South, Canada being a little more difficult for tourists, but that's temporary. There are many boats for sale, at reasonable prices, not always advertised. To me it's the best of all world's. I can't believe I've said this, but seems you need a little good encouragement.

[Giro]

I my humble opinion if your health is in check and provided you do not need to be hooked up to some sort of a machine you should stop feeling sorry for the cards you’ve been dealt. At 58 your still young. Go enjoy life.

[surf_km55]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I don't get the point of this thread.

If you want to buy a boat to go sailing, just do it, there is no need to ask another's opinion. There are as many opinions here as is sand on the beach.

Coming here to waffle about your life, etc, is just chatter.

You won't learn anything here. You will only learn by your own experience, not the experience of others, so pull out the check book and let life take you where it wants.

There will be ups and downs, moments of glory and moments of fear, it's called life !

This.

[barnakiel]

Well. Not much more doomed than anybody else.


My attitude for now is: sit on your arse, take NO action. Wait for the mess to clarify.


If in job: stick to the job, build up kitty. Chop off all extra costs.



If off job, hunker down, study, build another skill, read a good book, drink beer and smile a lot. HELP OTHERS, who may be worse off. FIX SOMETHING. Love somebody. LIVE.


Protect your energy, do not wave your hands aimlessly. Max out your here and now. And wait.


I bet 2021 things will look much neater. The only challenge being to be still around and afloat then.



b.

[FerrariSailing]

Try watching Parlay Revival on YouTube and be inspired by what a young Kiwi chap, Colin Mcrea, has achieved with his own hands and sheer optimism.
There’s lots of ways of reaching your dream.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Papasail

MY LIFE HAS BEEN SO HARD!!!


I need (something) good in my life. Like... >anything<.


I worked hard, I sucked it up, was patient, did all the right things in a terribly harsh environment, but have almost no sense of belonging.

I want to share some first hand experience. From a person that was on the border. I hope it will maybe help you or maybe help somebody else reading this.


Except for the lucky few, human life tends to be hard:
At times, because we cannot control where we were born, nor control our future.
At other times, because we will make our lives too complicated.
At times, because we are chasing somebody else's dreams.


Almost everybody wants something good in their lives.
And somehow all the good things come free.
And when you are no longer happy with
love, coll air, sleep, clean water, simple food


Then you need to decide what you want
Then you need to go and get it
For nobody will bring or gift it to you
For everybody else is busy trying to be happy too.


Working hard is a concept useful to religious, business and political leaders,
This is one of the strings they are pulling
But working hard is too often mistaken for working effectively,
And working hard is too often used to distract us from the deep
pronounced, essential, inescapable questions of life
Who am I, where do I belong to, where am I going.



So when you find you have no sense of belonging
Sit down and ponder, what sense of belonging is
Just another distractor,
For how do you know that finding a sense of belonging

Will change anything in how you feel?


As we grow old, some of us get depressive
You will never again feel what you felt when you were 15
Swallow this. Hey.



If you want your anything good.
If you want your sense of belonging.
Then sit down and dot what you exactly want to have or feel.
Then go out AND GET IT.


Some people are always happy.
Some people are always unhappy.
Some people change over time.


You cannot change what you are.
But you can go get what you want.


The above is not any kind of stupid slam poetry or something. Only some observations I made watching myself and others.


Take care, stay healthy,
b.