Looking for a liveaboard Alameda / Oakland / SF Area

[kspaulding20]

I'm moving out to the SF bay area in the middle of June. I planned to stay with a friend on their boat, but the plan fell through and I won't be able to stay there.

If anyone knows anyone/anywhere I can rent to live on a boat or someone's boat, please let me know! I've always wanted to live on a boat and it is much cheaper.

Thanks so much.

P.S.
I have no intention of sailing this boat

[JPA Cate]

Some people Air BNB their boats, maybe that could work for you?

What you're up against is that most people want to be able to use their boat whenever they want, so I don't really think that your're going to be able to do this. However, you could get lucky. Meantime, I'd plan to rent a tiny apartment.

Ann

[kspaulding20]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Some people Air BNB their boats, maybe that could work for you?

What you're up against is that most people want to be able to use their boat whenever they want, so I don't really think that your're going to be able to do this. However, you could get lucky. Meantime, I'd plan to rent a tiny apartment.

Ann

Hi Ann,

Thanks for the response.
Do you think I would be able to Air BNB for 6+ months?

[JPA Cate]

No idea, kspaulding, sorry.

Another contributing factor to the difficulty is that among the marinas which allow liveaboards, BCDC has regulations in place limiting them to 10% liveaboards, so you're really looking for something scarce.

Ann

[jrbogie]

Originally Posted by kspaulding20

Hi Ann,

Thanks for the response.
Do you think I would be able to Air BNB for 6+ months?

wouldn't be cheap.

[softdown]

Think I read the Sausalito area is the friendliest to liveaboards. You are looking at an area that is dominated by liberals. Liberals love big government and controlling the lives of others. It is harder to control the lives of boat people. They can usually pull up anchor and leave. Same with Washington and the Northeast.

[roverhi]

With the skyrocketing cost of housing, both rent and purchase, a lot of people have tried to go the liveaboard route. With the 10% rule live aboard slips are nearly impossible to find unless you bribe someone. Recently bought a boat in SF Bay and moved it to my old marina which had plenty of slips in the under 30' range. They gave me the third degree about even staying aboard for a month while I got the boat ready for a delivery to SoCal. When I was there 7 years ago they could have cared less if you snuck aboard as long as you kept it quiet. Now they want a utility billl to prove you've got a land based residence and they have snitches to rout out anyone not legally living aboard.

Good luck in finding a live aboard slip and a boat to go with it. As softdown says, the powers that be would rather have you living, pissing, and dumping on the streets. Major effort in Sausalito to clear the anchor outs out of Richardson Bay. There is some justification for doing it but you know that once the government gets there nose under the tent, they only do what's beneficial for their bureaucracy.

[rmesfo]

The 10 percent rule and the costs have made liveaboards in the SF Bay almost impossible to find. Try the Martinez Marina but you have to own the boat and it has to be 35 ft or more.

Good luck.

[sailorchic34]

Craigslist might have something. I've know of one or two guys living on other peoples boats, but they may have been friends.

It's really tough to find a vacancy anywhere in the central bay, let alone finding someone to rent from. Pretty sure Alameda will not work out. Nor will Sausalito as they are skyhigh on liveaboard and dock fees and minumum liveaboard size is 40 feet there.

[salonView]

Did you find something yet? Someone forwarded your posting to me.

[minimalism]

Former sneakaboard in the bay area here (+/- 2 years):

I have been a sneakaboard in the bay area (withholding my marinas name) for roughly two years now and have learned quite a bit about whats kosher and what isnt. As others have pointed out, there is an abundance of folks who live further out (Tracy, Fresno, etc) and work in the city and think living on a boat +/- 5 days a week while not being a legal liveaboard will fly. You may get away with it for a short time, but in the long run, youll be caught.

I joined a liveaboard wait list the month i bought my boat (3 years ago) KNOWING there was a hell of a wait. Being a sneakaboard gets tiring: leaving before the harbormaster arrives in the morning, coming home after hes gone, not being seen by other LEGAL liveaboards, etc. I did it, mind you, but its a headache. My opinion is this: Get on a legal liveaboard list NOW (even if you arent here) and just wait it out. I am now no longer on my boat (got an apartment until my name is called) and wasting away money until I am up on the list. Also note, go through the marina's liveaboard requirements BEFORE you apply to make sure your boat qualifies. It would suck to finally get called only to not qualify.

Good luck, the bay area is the worst place to liveaboard but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I checked my status a few months ago and now im on the single digits on the list.

[Flyingriki]

Good luck on that waiting list. Some play fair, others play games. I had a legal sublet at Grand Marina. Got to know the office and was put on the list. Checked in a few times and had moved up a bit. Sublet ended and moved the boat. Checked back a few months later. Office staff was changed and so had the list. My name was gone....
Their excuses were pathetic.
Also did the sort of sneak aboard with an illegal sublet at Gashouse Cove where I bought my boat. The slip owners had inherited from a grandfather who had owned it for a very long time. But no parking or other normal attributes and finally got tired of walking a half mile to park. Great neighborhood though!!
Now days with card access it's hard to do anything under the radar and not worth it. Looking forward to living aboard again and not in the Bay Area. Sailed the heck out of it and it lost it's thrill.

[minimalism]

Originally Posted by Flyingriki

Good luck on that waiting list. Some play fair, others play games. I had a legal sublet at Grand Marina. Got to know the office and was put on the list. Checked in a few times and had moved up a bit. Sublet ended and moved the boat. Checked back a few months later. Office staff was changed and so had the list. My name was gone....
Their excuses were pathetic.
Also did the sort of sneak aboard with an illegal sublet at Gashouse Cove where I bought my boat. The slip owners had inherited from a grandfather who had owned it for a very long time. But no parking or other normal attributes and finally got tired of walking a half mile to park. Great neighborhood though!!
Now days with card access it's hard to do anything under the radar and not worth it. Looking forward to living aboard again and not in the Bay Area. Sailed the heck out of it and it lost it's thrill.

Agreed on all points. Most marinas ive seen dont allow sublets (albiet Air B&B or just renting the boat out) because they view this as "commercial use". I do see a handful on AirBNB but if they dont get caught, good for them. Ive gotten lucky that the marina i am on the waitlist for is one of the larger, more organized marinas. I check in often and moving right along.... but that said, I have heard horror stories re management putting friends (or even people who slide money under the rug) higher on the list. Hence why I check in often. Marinas are cracking down on sneakaboards via key entry so its def a sign of the times.