Take time off your boat and live for free in a golf and tennis community

[slice of life]

Take time off your boat and live for free in a golf and tennis community. Myself (age 60) and my wife ( same age) own a winter home in Estero Florida. It is in an upscale gated community. Eight tennis courts, eight pickle ball courts, 27 hole par 71 golf course. Clubhouse, putting green, driving range and short game practice facility. Free beach shuttle. The community is on the Estero River which has direct access to the Gulf of Mexico. I own a 15 foot Mako fishing boat. I launch my boat within my community. In 15 minutes I can be in the gulf of Mexico fishing or in 5 minutes backwater fishing. Myself and my wife have owned boats for 25 years and have travelled the great lakes extensively for extended periods of time. If you own a comfortable live aboard cruising boat, I would consider letting you use our coach home with all its facilities and I use your boat for a month. I have consulted with a lawyer regarding this. There is some inexpensive paperwork we can fill out to protect each others interests. If you have interest in discussing this please contact me. Thanks Bill and Janet.

[tennis4789]

Sounds like a cool swap. Hope someone takes you up on it.

[slice of life]

No luck so far. Did I post in proper spot?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by slice of life

No luck so far. Did I post in proper spot?

Have you researched the boat insurance issue. You’d need to be able to take out your own insurance etc. This has to be acceptable to the owner ( he would be the primary listed beneficiary etc )

Swapping a house is easy , swapping a boat isn’t

Have you sailing competency certifications ?

[slice of life]

I would be looking for a powerboat, not a sailboat. I will look into boat insurance, good idea. I will let you know how it goes.

[slice of life]

I would be looking for a powerboat, not a sailboat. I will look into boat insurance, good idea. I will let you know how it goes.

[goboatingnow]

Doesn’t make a difference. ( hows your powerboat competency certs )

There are several issues that stand in your way

1. Insurance , and any claims , subsequent depreciation and future costs to the owner for insurance

2. Charter status. Is this in-effect a charter that maybe illegal in many jurisdictions , and has serious implications for 1. above

[slice of life]

1) All my powerboating certificates are up-to-date. I have boated for 25 years and have a healthy respect for navigation and weather. Currently I own three boats, two up north and one down south. I have also chartered boats, power cats, in the British Virgin Islands. As soon as bad weather Or high seas come, I am in the marina to wait it out patiently.
2) I have spoken with an insurance agent and insurance is not a problem. He suggested to pay it monthly and when you do not need it anymore cancel it. The owner of the boat would own the policy and be the beneficiary. I would just pay for the policy.
3) since there is no income changing hands, this is not a charter. It is two people coming to a mutually beneficial arrangement. I have a lawyer friend who said he would prepare some paperwork very inexpensively, to protect each individual‘s interests.
Good points you brought up though, are you interested in considering this? Thanks

[slice of life]

It surprises me that there is not more interest in my offer. I’m thinking it is the “trust” issue. This should be remedied by spending a little time with somebody and getting to know them. Can anybody else give me some insight as to why I am getting such poor response to my offer?

[Joh.Ghurt]

Originally Posted by slice of life

It surprises me that there is not more interest in my offer. I’m thinking it is the “trust” issue.
[...]
Can anybody else give me some insight as to why I am getting such poor response to my offer?

It also could be, that you market it to the wrong crowd. For one, here are a lot more sailors than motorboat guys and a majority either works on getting a boat (in a very broad sense) or just started to live their dream. At the same time, quite a lot of people are in rather smallish or elder boats. The crowd owning a new 48' catamaran is rather rather thin and I doubt an O'Day 28 fits your idea of a cruiser.

As the second thing I'd be unsure whether I'd want to take up anyone on such an offer when it's made on the internet. If an acquaintance comes up with such a proposal, I might consider it, made in a forum it just raises too many red flags for me, not the least being why would someone trust me, a random internet guy with his house.

[slice of life]

Thanks for the info

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by slice of life

Thanks for the info

Another factor:

Without meaning to offend, there are some of us who would view living in your circumstances as approximating purgatory. We are on our boats to escape gated communities, private golf courses and the associated populations.

The cruising community, as a group, has values differing from landlubbers and perhaps are not the best target for your offer. Different strokes and all that...

Jim

[slice of life]

Backed on my responses so far, you are sounding correct

[tennis4789]

Maybe post in classifieds on here? Although not sure how big CF readership is.

[MicHughV]

Have you thought of just "chartering" a boat for a week or two. No hassles, nobody living in your house, etc.
You can charter a boat most anywhere there is water. You can charter...with..or without a captain...power or sail..charter company will take care of all the details.
From reading thru' this thread, this might be a more attainable option for you.