Living Aboard in Vancouver ?

[gabrielcote]

There's a definite possibility that perhaps my girl friend and I might be " staying aboard" Now and then for undefined weekly amount of time at a North van marina. I too would love to get together
With like minded peps.


Hope this was vague enough not to alert the marina on our
Living situation. : -)

[Capt Phil]

Had a great liveaboard slip on the north side of False Creek just past Sweeney's Cooperage... $5/ month, free power, a little noisey from the sawmills and industrial plants ashore but great access to the city... oops! Wrong Century! As I recall there were many derelicts anchored or run aground at the head of the inlet. In those days there was a vibrant live aboard community not only in False Creek but also across from Deadman's Island in Stanley Park before RVYC expanded their facilities. No one bothered you and livin' was easy... miss those days (and nights)... cheers, Capt Phil

[SS Little-Devil]

Hey guys. Good to see some of you here. I'm also in Vancouver. I'd be interested in meeting you a few of you before I leave to LA on the 5th to buy my boat if you're game.

Jon

[SS Little-Devil]

Originally Posted by Nomdaica

Done. 7pm wed night at the Wicklow bar beside monks. We can row and tie up there. Claire is already in..... Who else ?

Dang. Missed it I guess. I leave on the 5th of January to buy my boat in MDR and sail off, so I probably won't get the chance to meet any of you. Perhaps when I come back...

[serah]

We are off visiting family until the 27th, but we could maybe get together between then and New Years if anyone else is interested. We might be out sailing for New Years...

[Nomdaica]

It sounds like lots of interest in another meet up. We should also put a post in the own group.... And a meet up mid jan in order to break up that miserable month. I'm so interested in seeing other peoples set ups down below!

[terminalcitygrl]

Just wondering if the get together happened and if any future ones are planned?

[bobofthenorth]

I'm interested in hearing too. We're on the Island but we might come over if the timing worked. We were in False Creek during the boat show but I forgot all about this thread until now.

[danitravassos]

Hey all,

I found this old forum about living on a boat in vancouver. Me and my boyfriend are really interested in learning more. Are you guys still meeting?

Danielle

[Capt Phil]

Personally, I lived aboard my Ingrid 38 sailboat in Port Moody for several years having moved there when the marina opened from Steveston on the Fraser River. I recall that we were the 4th boat in the marina which is probably why we were successful in getting a live aboard slip.
Living in the Vancouver area is difficult now, I hear, particularly in False Creek which was a dump when I left the north coast. False Creek used to be old sawmills, cooperages and creosote plants that stunk and the water in the inlet stunk as well!
We returned many years later after it had been cleaned up and could not believe the improvements, paricularly the Granville Island area.
About the only place I would choose to liveaboard now would be up towards Johnson Straits or the northern end of the Island.
Perhaps someone with more recent knowledge could give you better advice.
Good luck! Phil

[danitravassos]

Hey Phil,

Thank you so much for replying. The thing is that we are going to UBC as full-time students. The island seems a great option for us, however, for the next two years, we will be stuck there. He has more knowledge of boating then I do, I'm actually a newbie. He mentioned about not actually anchor on a marina but somewhere else I'm not sure if that's possible. Just trying to connect with people and see what are the options.

Thanks again

Danielle

[serah]

Originally Posted by danitravassos

Hey Phil,

Thank you so much for replying. The thing is that we are going to UBC as full-time students. The island seems a great option for us, however, for the next two years, we will be stuck there. He has more knowledge of boating then I do, I'm actually a newbie. He mentioned about not actually anchor on a marina but somewhere else I'm not sure if that's possible. Just trying to connect with people and see what are the options.

Thanks again

Danielle

Just got an email ping on this. We liveaboard in Vancouver, at Mosquito Creek (apologies again to all who have heard my spiel before!) it's a great life, albeit with it's particular challenges. I've lived aboard for about 8 years now.

We are actually having a dock party tomorrow evening with a bunch of young folks who liveaboard here, at Mill Town, Spruce Harbour and general boaters. Send me a PM if you're interested in popping by.

[Capt Phil]

One possibility close to UBC might be on the north arm of the Fraser River north of the airport but reasonably close to the mainland side.
I used to tow logs into that area where we would tie up the booms from up coast and river tow boats would pull them up river to a bunch of gypo mills to be cut up into lumber. This was back in the fifties and early sixties, however, so I imagine much has changed since then. I recall there being several liveaboards in that area then between the Fraser Arms Hotel (which used to be an old Indian midden) and the mouth of the river. There used to be some pretty shallow water in that area as well. They stopped construction of the old hotel when the construction workers found evidence of old Indian dwellings were uncovered. It was one of the first sites that Dr Borden from UBC excavated and confirmed what it was by the sea shells pitched outside the doors of the old settlement. I remember working there as a kid quite well because he insisted Harvey, his son, and I to do grunt work for him on that dig.
As you can gather, I grew up in Vancouver and still have grandkids who live there.
Good luck with your search for a liveaboard spot. One idea is to try and find a waterfront home that has a pier or dock. In return for yard work or caretaking, you might be able to work a deal to use their dock as a medium term solution.
I graduated from UBC back in the sixties or seventies, I think.
Cheers, Phil

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by serah

Just got an email ping on this. We liveaboard in Vancouver, at Mosquito Creek (apologies again to all who have heard my spiel before!) it's a great life, albeit with it's particular challenges. I've lived aboard for about 8 years now.

We are actually having a dock party tomorrow evening with a bunch of young folks who liveaboard here, at Mill Town, Spruce Harbour and general boaters. Send me a PM if you're interested in popping by.

How was the process of finding a liveaboard slip in Mosquito Creek? Did they have spots readily available when you went there? Were you open with being a liveaboard or did you avoid the topic? I've heard don't ask don't tell can work well.

I'm just curious as to what to expect when I go visit a few Marina's in North Van and Richmond to find a slip as I'm currently looking to buy my first sailboat.