Prospective Live-Aboard Seeking Advice:

[Lepke]

A relationship end cleaning out your bank account is a rite of passage for most men.



A boat isn't the best way to recover finances, but better sometime later. It's more work, more time spent hauling groceries, laundry and so on. Usually a long walk in the rain/snow. In a cold climate, heating can be expensive. A better plan would be an RV or a trailer park for low cost living. I did it after my divorce. So did most of my friends. Since you're only 40, you might think about a vasectomy before you find yourself in a trap.

With no boat experience, you'll buy things you don't need, the wrong things, and be at the mercy of boatyards and mechanics.
I've lived on the water most of 60 years. A small sailboat is like living in a cave. As a liveaboard, I'd buy a bigger, older powerboat than the Sea Ray. Something with laundry, a decent shower and more comfort. If you find a dock in fresh water, cleaning the bottom isn't much of a problem. I winter in fresh water for that reason. It also flushes salt water out of pumps and heat exchangers.

[Goosebumps]

The reality is that we are all as different as the landlobbers in our wants and needs. I believe it would be very helpfull for different liveaboarders of different religin, philosophy, politics, finances, sexual orientation, yacht management skill levels to share their real story.

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by SoCalCruiser

Just as the title says, I am seeking advice as I am a prospective live aboard.

Before I jump into my questions, I should point out a few things about myself first:

1.) I am looking at being homeless within the next few weeks. The boat and living aboard thing is in part my solution for the time being. Or maybe this is the life I've always dreamed of and didn't realize it until now. Incidentally, I am going to be 40 in a couple of weeks, so happy birthday to me!

2.) I AM working - I have a job, but as life has a tendency of doing, I had a few curve balls thrown my way. Among others, I got into a relationship that cost me everything. If that isn't enough, there's the fact that I tried to change careers without any real safety net and sure enough, I got wiped out due to lack of guidance from peers and management. I wasn't rich or anything prior, but I had some savings that, had I lost a job or something happened, I would have been able to at least stay afloat for a couple of months. Also, the jobs that I have been getting lately don't pay as much as the career field I used to be in.

3.) I have no prior experience with boats. I DO know name brands and have, to the best of my abilities in this situation, done some research.

4.) To my previous point about money, I don't have a lot currently, but the boats I have been looking at are within my price range. The marina is within my budget as well - at least slip rental seems to be within my budget. The boats are located in the marina that I am considering living at and, in fact, the marina owns the boats through repossession/abandonment of some kind.

5.) The marina has facilities to do laundry and take showers. Parking appears to be included in the slip fees, as well.

6.) There are two boats that I am considering: the first is a 26' Columbia sail boat - it's in rather excellent condition considering its age However, I am rather on the tall side and that particular boat is a bit cramped. The other is what I think is a 30' + Sea Ray. The Sea Ray interior happens to be rather nicely kept; however, it does appear to have been a live aboard previously. Also, one of the engines apparently doesn't turn on. Since I would primarily be using the boat as a residence, do I necessarily have a problem by not fixing or replacing the engine right away?

Now to my questions:

1.) As far as live aboard in general, as I pointed out above, I am working a full-time job and it would be a distance from the marina. Assuming all the systems on the prospective boat work, would I be able to keep a fridge (either if the boat came equipped with it or if I brought one aboard) and have food in it so I can eat and so on? Or, would I be looking at a lifestyle of having to eat out 3 meals a day? I tend to get rather hot during the night when I sleep and tend to use a fan while sleeping: would I be able to do this living aboard? This mostly applies to the warmer months.

2.) In the case of a live-aboard, does the marina supply electrical so that you can run appliances and lighting, etc... or is that done strictly off of whatever power is made available by the boat? I see a lot of boats with the yellow cords that seem to attach somewhere on the dock or the slip. Are those connected to the marina electrical supply? (They're the large gauge cables with the three large prongs.)

3.) Is there a preference in the vessel type itself? I.E. sailboat vs. powered boat?

4.) Other than slip fees, are there any other costs I should be aware of? I have looked at the marina website and don't see anything other than slip fees. There's nothing about taxes, there's no yacht club so club membership dues wouldn't apply here. I don't know if they would apply in any other situation, either. What about renter's insurance? I don't see it as being a requirement for the marina. Is that because it's assumed or am I free to elect to, or not to have it?

5.) How frequently do I do bottom cleaning and maintenance to the boat itself?

I have a few more questions, but for now, these are my main questions.

If you stay at a marina, water and electric are generally provided, at a cost. The devil is in the details of the particular marina you choose. Shop wisely to set your fixed and variable costs. Most marinas require that you have liability insurance. Bottom cleaning needs vary depending on your locale. Once there, run a hand over the bottom after two weeks, and then decide about bottom cleaning intervals. The best advice I can give you is to go over the marina's contract, and search for better near-by alternatives. I wish you success more than I can say. Keep in touch.

[SoCalCruiser]

Originally Posted by akprb

Very sorry to hear about your situation, in particular the relationship that stung.

Have you considered the RV option?

[COLOR="Blue"][COLOR]Yeah, I've considered the RV option, but the acquisition cost where I live is so much higher. I can't go across state lines for example (due to not only budget constraints, but also because of scheduling conflicts with work, etc...) to get one where it would be cheaper, so I would be forced to try and get one around here. And they're not cheap.

That or renting and roommates?

[COLOR="Blue"][COLOR]I would do the roommate thing, but after this relationship and everything I've experienced in other parts of my life, being alone for the moment is the best option and this seems to be the best fit to suit that option.

Boats can be expensive and some of those expenses pop up QUICK and have to be addressed. The reside in a hostile and corrosive environment.

[COLOR="Blue"][COLOR]True and that is something that I will be forced to deal with as it comes.

If your goal is “cheap living” while you build up your nest egg again then there may be better ways to achieve this.

[COLOR="Blue"][COLOR]I think there could be other ways, it just happened that I stumbled upon this not too long ago, before things really went downhill for me financially. I had actually looked into getting a boat for recreational purposes. After being somewhat exposed to it during the course of that, I found I was really interested. That isn't to say that it would be a dream come true every minute of every day - especially given the fact that I am, at first, looking to this more as a necessity rather than recreation.

Best of luck and if you have to choose from the two of consider the Sea Ray ;-)

[COLOR="Blue"][COLOR]I appreciate that!

[SoCalCruiser]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

The local boating newspaper "The Log" published an article on this subject last week, start here, it will answer many of your questions.
Search Results for “Living Aboard” – The Log

Ted, outstanding article!!! It pretty much confirms what I've either thought of or have been told from other folks when looking into this recently.

Also, that article speaks directly to the area where I'd be trying to live (Los Angeles Harbor area.)

California is the biggest pain in the ass politically and it's a shame no one stands up to it. If someone wants to live aboard a boat, THEIR boat, that's entirely their choice. The coastal commission and other regulatory agencies that have put all these regulations and burdens on living aboard boats have effectively created an even bigger problem for folks trying to avoid homelessness. But I digress.

In any case, great article!