Liveaboard's

[Group9]

Originally Posted by redhead

Dear Obessessed: (God, I feel like Ann Landers)
"Am I just going through a mid-life crisis and all will be well as soon as I get a cruiser?"

Time will tell. If it's a phase you will grow out of it and something new will interest you. If it's something you're meant to do, the thought won't leave you.
I never saw the ocean till I was 11. I knew then I had to live near it and as time went on I knew I had to live on it.

Learn about boats. Wander marinas and boat shows. If someone invites you aboard, go. Follow these forums. It's not going to happen tomorrow so give yourself a break. I had to wait more than a decade after deciding to live aboard and go cruising - very frustrating, but I passed the time learning skills.

We're on the boat now, fixing her up to move on. But the day we cast off is not the first day of the adventure - that was the day 12 years ago we decided to do it. Good luck and welcome.

I think I got the bug about the same age as you. I know I already had it when I signed up for sailing lessons at 14 years old. One of the ways I motivated myself to get through college was a large poster of Jim Kilroy's Kialoa II under full sail (not the one under here, but close) that I mounted over my study desk in undergraduate and law school. I subscribed to Cruising World and several other sailing/cruising magazines and read them constantly in my time off.



I graduated and was offered a job on February 2, 1985. I bought my first sailboat, a Cape Dory 25 D, on February 3, 1985. A couple of years later, I made my first (just two week long) cruise to the Bahamas. It was everything I dreamed it could be, but by then, I was firmly hitched to land life, with a job, mortgage, car payments, etc.

I sailed weekends and took cruises whenever I could get a week or two off until I was 52 in 2010. At that point I decided I had enough put away, and enough deferred compensation and annuities set up, to retire. I bought a bigger boat, (42 Catalina) and sold my 32 footer and six months later, was heading out on a cruise.

Family issues caused me to come back early, after only a year, and I went back to work. We are now in the process of getting ready to leave again, on another extended cruise in a couple of months. I don't know how long this one will last. We shall see!

I, too, am amazed at how many people I run into who also have had a very early yearning to cruise and sail. (Sometimes it makes me wonder if there isn't something to the whole re-incarnation thing and we were all sailors in a past life). There is no place, and no time, where I feel as stress free and peaceful, as when I am on my boat, and sailing to some destination. Nothing I have experienced in my life even comes close.

You either feel like that, and think like that, or you don't.

[meandmyhunny]

Wow should I be offended, I live aboard I have a blue tarp, I don’t much like dirt or houses as houses are ridiculously overpriced and they sit on dirt and although you can own the house the dirt you never get to own. I would rather be tied to a dock than tied to a government, am I homeless well I don’t think so after all my boat is my home. I also make a living; own my boat out right as a matter of fact bought it cash, because I make a good living. I also own a business, so again should I be offended I don’t think so love my lifestyle, kind of like my blue tarp as well.

[Crosis]

I grew up with liveaboards in Miami. Yes, the often look like bums even though they were doctors, airline pilots and famous people. Yes their boats had a lived in look instead of looking like they were in the expo hall of a boat show. But those people were genuine. They were friendly, honest and awesome. We were on Pier 3 of Dinner Key Marina and we would throw dock parties several times a year and all the liveaboards would bring some food up on the dock and we would all enjoy the festivities. It was true community, something I have never experienced living on the hard.

My childhood growing up with them was the greatest childhood one could ask for.

[Mirage Gecko]

Originally Posted by meandmyhunny

Wow should I be offended, I live aboard I have a blue tarp, I don’t much like dirt or houses as houses are ridiculously overpriced and they sit on dirt and although you can own the house the dirt you never get to own. I would rather be tied to a dock than tied to a government, am I homeless well I don’t think so after all my boat is my home. I also make a living; own my boat out right as a matter of fact bought it cash, because I make a good living. I also own a business, so again should I be offended I don’t think so love my lifestyle, kind of like my blue tarp as well.

Can you explain the bit about not owning the dirt please.
I know in China the land is sort of yours for about 70 years and then???? In OZ it's yours when you pay for it .
Chris

[dwedeking2]

Originally Posted by Mirage Gecko

Can you explain the bit about not owning the dirt please.
I know in China the land is sort of yours for about 70 years and then???? In OZ it's yours when you pay for it .
Chris

Property taxes. Your just renting the property from .gov

[meandmyhunny]

That's right if you pay property tax, or if the government can expropriate your property (which your house just happens to be on) than you really don't own it.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Rhapsody-NS27]

same thing kinda happens if you live in a place that has some sort of association fees.

[Hudson Force]

Keep in mind that all those that are renting slips or moorings are no more removed from paying property taxes than all those that lease or rent. This represents a huge portion of the population and means that those living on boats are most often not paying less than others in taxes that support local government needs for things such as schools, police and fire protection. I often hear people suggest that live aboards are some how evading taxes, but that is not actually the case. Just as anyone renting an apartment has a portion of their rent paying for the property taxes of their apartment complex,the same is true for a marina.

Although, just like those renting apartments, those without the ownership of property pay less property tax,- 'seems reasonable!

[Mirage Gecko]

Most states and councils within countries I would imagine impose taxes and rates for services supplied to your land.But surely it's still yours in 1 st world countries.
In Aus we do pay a land tax but it is only on land property over I think over $600K
most residential land would be far less than that so most do not pay.We all pay rates for sewer,water connections etc but who cares that life.
Or are you guys sort of revolting or complaining about the big brother thing?
Chris

[dwedeking2]

Originally Posted by Mirage Gecko

Most states and councils within countries I would imagine impose taxes and rates for services supplied to your land.But surely it's still yours in 1 st world countries.
In Aus we do pay a land tax but it is only on land property over I think over $600K
most residential land would be far less than that so most do not pay.We all pay rates for sewer,water connections etc but who cares that life.
Or are you guys sort of revolting or complaining about the big brother thing?
Chris

It's still yours as long as you continue to pay. Stop paying and you lose the use of that property. I consider this the same as renting. In the US there is also the ability for the .gov to take your land under the rules of eminent domain (currently they have to give you compensation for taking it).

At least with a boat you have the ability to move to a more favorable environment (anchor out, cheaper mooring or marina, etc) without giving up what you've built.

No use revolting, I just choose to minimize the effect and also don't bury my head in the sand calling it ownership when it's not really.

[RTB]

I was walking down the sidewalk in Brunswick, Georgia when I spot this kinda rough looking guy walking toward me. I look at him as we pass each other, and he asks...."you homeless too?" I was wearing the typical cargo shorts, T-shirt, and flip flops, but I had that green insulated grocery bag they give you in Boot Key slung over my shoulder. And I was walking, not driving a car. Also, my hair is usually on the long side (never grew out of the 60's).

The only thing on my deck is 4 fuel jugs, and the dink unless it's tied to the stern in the water.

Ralph

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Group9

CLIP….
I, too, am amazed at how many people I run into who also have had a very early yearning to cruise and sail. (Sometimes it makes me wonder if there isn't something to the whole re-incarnation thing and we were all sailors in a past life). There is no place, and no time, where I feel as stress free and peaceful, as when I am on my boat, and sailing to some destination. Nothing I have experienced in my life even comes close.

You either feel like that, and think like that, or you don't.

I know that feeling.

I enjoyed your story of how you put that photo of Kialoa II on the wall too.

It is good to be inspired in life.

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by Obsessed1

Lennie, I am new to the board and the idea of being regarded by some as homeless is a little spooky. I am concerned because suddenly I feel the need to dump a majority of my belongings and wear nothing but flip flops all the time. I am 45 and I've never been on a sailboat, but for the passed week I've been unable to think about anything else. I have been married to my Maria for 19 yrs and we have a 10 year-old son. I've spent a good part of my life on the big hamster wheel and I have done well. Recently, I told my wife that I wanted us to become liveaboards for our retirement and she casually said it was a good idea
Now I find myself spending hours of my time researching boat specs, looking up sailing videos on youtube, and checking out sailing books from the library. Is this some sort of fever that causes normal people to become borderline, hippie-like transients?
Am I just going through a mid-life crisis and all will be well as soon as I get a cruiser?
Did you experience this too or should I seek therapy?
(Please disregard if it feels like I am hijacking thread. My son says I am obsessed and doesn't want us to get a boat.)

In the past Century some Doctors thought of those with a strong desire to go to sail as having a mental illness. I can't say if you need therapy or not but I do know a lot of people have your affliction. Mid life crisis maybe. Desire to be free, more likely. To instill some adventure into your life another possibility. Who knows what at motivated us all but to be motivated with a foal that doesn't corse harm is not bad. After all many have a passion to buy a house on a golf course and follow a ball around all day. Others have the dream to sit in a log cabin in the mountains and hang a fishing line in a stream. So you have a growing motivation to be at sea. Nothing wrong with that in my mind. Only thing is not let your new direction put off other important and I would hope more important things in your life. Namely your boy and your wife. You must balance and even temper your desires for the happiness and welfare of those close to you. In other words in all things be responsible. IMHO

[SV THIRD DAY]

Just some words of advice....

Your friends, family, co-workers, and about anyone else you know will either call you crazy or think you are crazy. We got that treatment 7 years ago when we moved aboard and we still get it today. I get emails all the time from friends and family asking if we have "grown out of the crazy phase yet" or "when are we going to join the rest of normal society and move back ahore". Our kids teachers look at us strange and you should have seen the other mothers at my daughters water polo game when I was there watching at noon on a Tuesday....I was getting the looks like I was a pervert watching the high school girls! My wife texted me to send her a photo of the girls game...but I knew better than to snap a photo...ha ha ha.

[Greenhand]

Most people seem to think that we are "living the dream." I try to remember that when hanging upside down with my head in the bilge trying to replace a wonky float switch.