Substandard Housing

[S/V Adeline]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

Regarding tiny houses: why not just buy a 2nd hand fifth wheel trailer? Cheaper, more amenities, more space with slide out walls. They also have air conditioning and hot water heaters. Never could figure that one out. Neither one is zoned for full time occupancy in most jurisdictions and both will need a septic hookup to be even marginally legal for part time occupation.

Living in a tiny or an RV is not too different from living full time on a boat. You need to find a way to legally deal with black water, you need to find a place to legally park/anchor and not every campground/marina allows liveaboards/permanent full timers.

We have been living full time in RV's for over 10 years, multiple states and locations in each state. I have yet to find a single jurisdiction that doesn't have permanent RV "homes".

[roam]

If I can plug my bass amplifier into an outlet, I'm not camping. I've never even considered taking my bass amplifier on a camping trip.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'd love to find one in good shape (and not too expensive ). I've been looking long and hard at all sorts of camper vans, including build-outs of standard cargo vans and trailers. They look like a great way to travel, and to live.

What's unfortunate is that they still manufacture these new, but you can't get them in North America.

Volkswagen even trolled us by calling it the Volkwagen California, though it's not available in California.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Many of our friends, on the cusp of, or just into retirement, have bought little trailers - eg the cute teardrop ones - for doing some travelling. But they're like CDN$ 30k new... above our pay grade.

Yeah, I've looked at those tear-drop trailers. Some look really good, and smart. But they price ... sheesh!

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

I too have been thinking a lot about doing a van conversion. Something we can be self-sufficient in, but also tow the little boat with. I have this idyllic vision of travelling to many decent-sized inland lakes, and splitting our time between sleeping ashore and on mini-cruises in new areas.

So far I've been considering something like a used Sienna van with just the minimal additions for sleeping, or a (used) std commercial van and put in a more elaborate interior.

Sounds like we're thinking along the same lines, except for me (us) it would be another way of managing our winter 'off the boat' time. Currently we live about 1/2 the year on our boat, and the other 1/2 doing other things. One year we motorcycled around Canada and the USA. The last few have been spent house sitting.

I can see a camper (of some sort) fitting in really well with our current house sitting.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

What's unfortunate is that they still manufacture these new, but you can't get them in North America.

Volkswagen even trolled us by calling it the Volkwagen California, though it's not available in California.

Hmm, I didn't know that. So some must still be making their way over here. Worth keeping an eye out for. Thanks.

[Woodland Hills]

If you like teardrop campers, build your own from a Chesapeake Light Craft kit: https://www.clcboats.com/teardrop?gc...BoCbmcQAvD_BwE

Kits start at $2199. I built one of their boat kits and enjoyed the process thoroughly.

[bensolomon]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

You missed the point entirely. No one asked if one size of boat was better than another and no one answered that unasked question. The OP proposed that boats were substandard housing, not that one boat was “better” than another and people replied to that proposal. IMHO, the “best” size boat is the one you can afford since it gets you onto the water now and not later.

Perhaps we must strive to understand the true nature of this thread, then contentment will follow?

That WAS the point.......the use of the term "substandard" sets up a comparison, which by its very nature requires judgment as to what is "better (i.e. standard) and what is worse (i.e. substandard) based upon an arbitrary and artificially developed human construct. This leads towards grasping, and ultimately suffering.

Look at your own post, "I just wish we could find slips at places where we are the biggest, not the smallest boat". Or, "since we don't have paid crew, we essentially are in a different neighborhood". Your several posts are about comparisons of your boat to other, larger boats, and the comparison of your financial situation to the others financial situations (coach flight vs. taking helicopters).

Much of life today is based on fear, pride and competition. The good news is that all experiences of pleasure and pain are not from the outside, but are the interpretations of our own mind. To that, please, and sincerely, continue to enjoy life afloat, or otherwise. The real point of this reply is to illuminate that "substandard" is arbitrary, and how we feel about ourselves, standard or substandard, is completely within our control.

Ben

[bensolomon]

Originally Posted by carlosproa

Good opportunity to read ‘Sapiens’, but be aware that it may introduce uncomfortable information that will not easily go away. Nevertheless, is a good reading
Attachment 208382

Loved this book! I have Part Deux!!

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

living aboard is fundamentally camping on the water regardless of size. It can be fun for a while but it’s still camping

Living aboard is living. Your standard of living is what you decide it will be. You can choose your neighbours, your neighbourhood, the climate you live in.

Dwelling in a house is existing. Your neighbours, neighbourhood and the climate where the house is all dictate your standard of living.

[smj]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Living aboard is living. Your standard of living is what you decide it will be. You can choose your neighbours, your neighbourhood, the climate you live in.



Dwelling in a house is existing. Your neighbours, neighbourhood and the climate where the house is all dictate your standard of living.

Oh so true.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Living aboard is living. Your standard of living is what you decide it will be. You can choose your neighbours, your neighbourhood, the climate you live in.

Dwelling in a house is existing. Your neighbours, neighbourhood and the climate where the house is all dictate your standard of living.

Something that dirt dwellers just don't get. I'm sure glad that I've had the opportunity to live in sub standard housing for all these years, when and where I desired to be, with the folks with whom I liked sharing anchorages.

Makes the lack of a dishwasher and air conditioning seem pretty small potatoes!

Jim

[sailorboy1]

Took a dinghy ride to get gas yesterday and after went wandering around the anchorage and mooring field for an hour.

Yes there are some nice boats here. But there definitely is a large percent of boats that are substandard housing. Hell they are substance boats and i cringe at the thought of what the inside looks like.

[GordMay]

VW is promising that their new electric bus, the “ID Buzz” will hit US dealers in 2022.
➥ https://www.adventure-journal.com/20...eginning-2022/

[Franziska]

Better substandard housing than no housing at all.

There are many homeless people out there which became homeless out of misfortune...

Maybe someone should really try to help them to get back up on their feet. Not sure though if this will happen in the US any time soon.

Apart from that, substandard, is a very personal point of view as we have seen. Some folks truly believe that a house without A/C is substandard for example.
To them 90% of the world population lives sub standart.

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Took a dinghy ride to get gas yesterday and after went wandering around the anchorage and mooring field for an hour.

Yes there are some nice boats here. But there definitely is a large percent of boats that are substandard housing. Hell they are substance boats and i cringe at the thought of what the inside looks like.

[sailorboy1]

I always get a kick when someone posts or says "someone" should ......