Long Island Liveaboard

[SailingEsq]

Born and raised on LI, grew up on the water, have owned motor boats, but never a sailboat. Like so many in their thirties, I'm getting off the island. I'm in the market for a 30' to 36' monohull, sailing lessons/instruction, and all the advice I can get my hands on. I'm getting off the island, but I'm doing it my way, on a boat where I can live, cruise and vacation. I'm well aware of the costs and maintenance requirements regarding boats, and luckily I can easily do most of the work myself. I will be a full time cruiser, I will not need to work, however I may choose to continue practicing law part-time, mostly from the boat. It will be me, my longtime girlfriend, and one cat. Surprisingly, resources online are sparse, so I'm glad I found this forum.

So, with the considerations mentioned above, may we start a dialogue? Anybody else cruising or living aboard on LI? Good anchorages? Best slips, best moorings? Best boats/considerations? Anybody else in a similar situations or doing the same thing?

I'm happy to hear from all. I understand these questions are largely opinion based and are broad at that, but this is a good place to start I think.

[Hudson Force]

We are fulltime liveaboard cruisers and I think your plans have great potential for success. My wife and I lived aboard a 30' sailboat for a few years and then a 33'. Those three feet made a huge difference as well as the design of the boat. Of course, there's more space on a power boat of the same length. Most that due well on the sailboats have a passion for sailing. Without considering the cat, I think it would be wise for you and your lady to participate in some sailing if you haven't already done this. Even the small dinghy sailing clubs have a lot to offer, but the season is not right now. Maybe a charter holiday down in the Bahamas to test the waters. We've known some people living aboard in the Port Washington area. It might be a good experience to meander through some of the marinas with liveaboards there or over on City Island to share some experiences and gain some insights. We usually cruise through Long Island Sound in the summers, but we are in Florida or further south for the winters. Living aboard in the northern winters would be a hardship for me.

[SailingEsq]

Thank you, It's refreshing to know that living aboard is as I expected, perfectly doable and being done by many.

As for us, this idea hatched after we did some sailing together. We love it. I grew up as a motor boat guy and never had the chance, or the thought, to sail. However, my GF and I charted out of of Bar Harbor and loved sailing. I was upset that, up to that point, my whole life on the water went by and I never tried sailing. After that we went out a few times with my Uncle out of Sag Harbor on a 30 footer, and of course had an amazing time.

Aside from the obvious pleasure and autonomy benefits of living aboard, there is something about the moment the motor turns off and the boat is underway, silently, just the soothing sound of the water running across the hull. As a power boat guy, the silence of it all got my attention. I explored down below and saw the space offered by a 30 footer immediately as a living space. (Of course the bigger the boat, the more comfortable the space, to a degree). My GF and I spend a great deal of time camping, have done some back country camping and extended camping, and we love it. But once we saw that same potential in a boat plus the travel and adventure potential, the idea to live aboard hatched.

Now, as I do with everything else, I'm going to make it happen.

[wingNwing]

If you can camp, and enjoy the new perspective it gives you more than you miss the creature comforts of your leather recliner and big flat-screen TV, then you can live aboard and live richly. We've been on a 33-footer for 10 years now, and although our home waters in Annapolis, MD are warmer than Long Island, we have some winter in common. Here's my thoughts on downsizing and moving aboard: Life Afloat Archives: Small-Space Living ... Afloat

[hellosailor]

I'm confused, how can you say you will be cruising full time, and then say you will be looking for a liveaboard location in Long Island? That's one place, not cruising.

And of course, there's possibly a conflict with practicing law and cruising. You're required to have passed a bar exam, and be licensed to practice, in each and every venue (state, country) that you intend to practice in, aren't you? Unless you're just doing remote work for your clients back in NY?

[Sandero]

I've been at it in this area for 27 years with a 3 yr stint in the Carib. I don't live aboard but I can help you with info. PM me and we can exchange phone #s and perhaps meet. Local knowledge is very handy. There are several sailing schools but you'll need lots of time sailing your boat... nothing can replace that sort of experience.

[SailingEsq]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I'm confused, how can you say you will be cruising full time, and then say you will be looking for a liveaboard location in Long Island? That's one place, not cruising.

And of course, there's possibly a conflict with practicing law and cruising. You're required to have passed a bar exam, and be licensed to practice, in each and every venue (state, country) that you intend to practice in, aren't you? Unless you're just doing remote work for your clients back in NY?

My home base will be Long Island, especially in the beginning as I learn the new boat. Cruising full time, to me anyway, doesn't mean that I don't have a home port. Thus, I'll need a liveaboard location on LI, where I pay my mooring or slip, and depart on cruising from there.

As for practicing law, most states permit admission to their bar pro hoc vice, or on a reciprocity basis with NY, but that is not an issue because I'm not interested in practicing in another state, or country. I could think of a myriad of ways I could practice and cruise, or not. It's up to me, that's the beauty of it.

[SailingEsq]

Originally Posted by defjef

I've been at it in this area for 27 years with a 3 yr stint in the Carib. I don't live aboard but I can help you with info. PM me and we can exchange phone #s and perhaps meet. Local knowledge is very handy. There are several sailing schools but you'll need lots of time sailing your boat... nothing can replace that sort of experience.

Thank you. I'll keep you in mind. The fist thing ahead of me is to locate and purchase a boat. Once that happens, then everything will pick up, with locating Marinas, repairs, learning to sail the boat etc.

At this point, since the cold is upon us, I'm focusing on getting into the community, seeing what others have done and do, and locating the right boat. I expect finding the right boat to be the most timely process, so it works out.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by SailingEsq

My home base will be Long Island, especially in the beginning as I learn the new boat. Cruising full time, to me anyway, doesn't mean that I don't have a home port. Thus, I'll need a liveaboard location on LI, where I pay my mooring or slip, and depart on cruising from there........................

I understand your response to Hellosailor's valid question, "How can you say you will be cruising fulltime, and then say you will be looking for a liveaboard location on Long Island?" We keep a Homeport, though we don't keep a slip rented while we are away. We usually remain in the Jacksonville area from Thanksgiving through the new year for holidays with family, doctor's visit, dentist, veterinarian for the dog, and time to complete some boat projects that are not done well or easily as a transient. Often, in the spring, we stop again while northbound to take a side trip land adventure for a couple of weeks. Fulltime cruisers may not return to the same port, but it is very typical for them to spend a month or two at a port. The beauty is to manage not being under a commitment to be anywhere at a certain time.

[SailingEsq]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

...The beauty is to manage not being under a commitment to be anywhere at a certain time.

That is exactly my plan. I imagine there to be infinite ways someone might go about this, each in their own situation will develop what works for them.

I suspect that calling it "full-time" cruising may offend the concept for those who do it differently and consider their way to be "full-time" cruising.

In any event, whatever I do, the end result is I'm living on my sailboat as there will be no land residence. At times that may be at moor, at slip, underway, on the hook, or hauled for repairs (which means I'll be at a hotel most likely). I'll spend warmer months further North an colder months further South, which is typical I'm sure.

And in the end, the beauty of it all is that there will be no commitment to be any where, or to not be anywhere, at any given time.