Planning a life change in Key West

[EnSTYnE]

Hello everyone!

So I have been following a sailing blog for little over a year now and it just so happens that I have a job opportunity in Key West which will be paying me $49k per year with a $5000 relocation package plus I have about $7500 saved up which would give me about $13k but I can save a little more by staying at the hotel I will be transferring too, I would like to ask everyone's opinions and recommendations about what boat I should buy! I want no less than a 30' sailboat and it would be for me my dog (Bull Terrier, cat (Siamese) and girlfriend to live aboard, My question is this.. I'm 6'3 180 lbs I have no history or experience with boating although I am Florida born and raised so I'm very comfortable with the ocean for what its worth! Any advice and opinions would be greatly appreciated! positive or negative Thank you!

[BeachbumKW]

I will defer on the sailboat advice but I will tell you slips are might pricey here. Not many live aboard slips left as a big marina just fell into the hands of a developer who booted many of the live aboard's. Also living on the hook or mooring can be cheap the problem is your run into the dinghy dock can be an adventure especially when you have to go to work back and forth daily. We are living here so feel free to send me a private message if you have any specific questions. With that said Go FOR it. It is a magical place regardless of what you will start hearing on this forum


Also start your search early most sailboats in this area of the Keys I found to be trashed, and over priced. We had been searching for 4 months and found a 37 in Delray beach. But we took countless trips to the east coast and west coast of Florida. Your better off finding one there and bringing her down Best of Luck

[Dulcesuenos]

My 2c if you can find a liveaboards slip it will be probably 1k month or more. Living there on a mooring can suck as you will have to dingy in thru some horrific weather and how will your gf like being in a small confined space duri g that type of weather? The other challenge is finding a comfortable boat for under 10k. A cheap boat may not have or need AC, refrigeration, hot water, eng etc . and a 30' has very limited storage space for a couple and 2 pets. There are / were some floating houseboats for rent there at one time, I know you could easily burn half your salary paying rent. Lots of liveaboard marinas in stock island kW, but cheapest slip is still 1k month. Plus utilities etc. And you need I suran e which means your boat might need a survey, more expenses to deal with. Not trying to put you off its a great very rewarding life style but much harder and more expensive lifestyle to do it comfortably, or much much harder lifestyle to do it cheap though if your the "live out of a suitcase camping kinda couple that doesn't mind bad weather and doesn't get motion sick" then you can do it fairly cheap. And love it

Sent from my PLT1077G using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, EnSTYnE.

[bfiegener]

Welcome aboard. You might also consider looking up north. New England area. boats up here tend to be in better shape as we have to haul out for 6 months of the year. Also, there is more on the market. If you can swing it. Just a thought.

[twinboat]

This may sound strange, but you don't want to buy a liveaboard boat to liveaboard.

Get a seasonal boat. They will have less wear & tear then full time used ones.

If the boat you find is distant from the Keys and your not up to moving it, it can be transported by land or sea.

Living in the hook in Key West can be tough. We live 6 months a year, in Boot Key moorings, about an hour easy of Key West.

If driving an hour to work is OK with you, it is probably half the cost of KW.

[a64pilot]

Drive down there, stay in the Motel and save money.
Forget about a boat for awhile, develop contacts, learn what your doing, sail some boats on your time off, learn your likes and dis-likes, search for a slip, remember develop contacts?
I'd say find a slip before you find a boat so you have a place to go, then maybe later when you and the GF and pets become accustomed to boat living, then move to a mooring if you need to, but starting there would be tougher than starting in a slip with all the luxuries that come with a slip.

[dansitarz]

There are still some live aboard slips available at City Marina at Garrison Bight. For less than $800/month. Also City Marina at Key West Bight also have slips available, but are more expensive, though still not too bad. (maybe $1400/month for a 30 foot sailboat).
Living on a boat at a slip will be much cheaper than any other form of living arrangement in Key West. And much much more funa and interesting (and far cheaper) than living in a motel in Key West. Enjoy paradise!

[SV.Maverick]

Given your budget forget Yacht World and start looking at Craigslist. However I 2nd just going down ther and spending a few months checking things out. Key West is a very different kinda place many who visit there refer to it as Key Wired.

[dansitarz]

If you visit first, check out both the city marinas (Garrison Bight and Key West Bight). both have large amounts of liveaboards, though more at Garrison bight, which also has lots of houseboat liveaboards. You will find a very welcoming and friendly group of people. Check with the sailboat liveaboards on "D" dock at Key West Bight City Marina and ask some questions. Many have lived on the dock for many many years very happily and very cheaply for Key West. Most work in town and ride bikes to work everyday, some have kids attending local schools, and many have dogs or cats living on board. Your dream is very much a reality for many other people in Key West and please don't let others tell you that it is too difficult or not possible. It is and I wish you the best of luck. We have lived on our various boats in Key West for over 10 years (though just in the winters--rest of the year elsewhere).

[EnSTYnE]

Thank you for all the great feedback! I am going to the resort for 2 days this weekend and take a look at the keys in general and will be visiting the marinas mentioned to take a look and see and what the costs would be, Question if I was to find and purchase a boat from elsewhere how much is it to transport a boat roughly from somewhere on the east coast to FL?

Thank you!

[EnSTYnE]

Also regarding the boat size.. What would be the ideal size for 2 adults and 2 pets in everyone's opinion?

Thank you!

[Dave22q]

Can be done but not cheaply. My best guess is that you need at least a thirty footer and a slip with power. Slip rent, maintenance and paying off an extra $5 to 10k purchase price may well take half your gross income but an apartment might be even worse. You could save a lot by anchoring but that tends to be a bad idea for a newby even if the inconveniences are tolerable. Vacation towns are expensive but fun which is why so many want to move here.

[Scott N.]

Suggestion would be for you and your girlfriend to go look inside several boats and think about.... Cat and litter box, dog and need for exercise and doing business, storage needs. Mooring vs. Dock... Think about working, laundry, showering, trash, grocery shopping, taking dog to shore rain or shine. Lots to consider....talk to those people already living this lifestyle as previously suggested.

[Bulawayo]

Originally Posted by EnSTYnE

Also regarding the boat size.. What would be the ideal size for 2 adults and 2 pets in everyone's opinion?

Thank you!

No easy answer to that - some 30ft boats are very spacious given their length (e.g. a Nonsuch) whilst some 40ft boats are very cramped. Also, depends if its a floating caravan or a vessel you want to go to sea in. Good luck.