To live aboard, or not to live aboard, that is the question

[zengirl]

Buying it a year ahead will give you time to get to know your boat inside and out and practice docking and sailing. IMHO five year gap is too much.

[Davy J]

I'll just add this for the Original Poster. I'm not sure why many here think you need to be "all in", as a liveaboard or full time cruiser.

You don't need to be....... We already live in one of the best boating destinations in the country. You can leave almost any marina in the St Pete area, daysail to Egmont Key, grill some shrimp, then go snorkeling and sail back that same evening.

We've been doing this for 23 years. We don't liveaboard, nor are we full time cruisers. What we do, is usually, about twice a year, take off for a month or so, sail down to the Keys. Hang out for a few weeks and then sail back home.

The rest of the year we daysail, or spend the weekend on the boat, either in the marina or anchor out. We've been in, almost, every nook and cranny cove, marina and mooring field from Tarpon springs to Key West.

And yet, in all that time there are still places we have not been.........

[Sailshabby]

You’re looking at a 47’? That’s easily a two person boat (for living aboard) but also handling. Do you have the other three hands available? 😉

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

- I've lived on boats an awful long time - but I can tell you from experience it makes very little sense financially. .

I disagree.
Financially, we are far better off living aboard
The boat was considerably more affordable to buy than a house and large enough to comfortably live at anchor so no marina fees.
Zero rent or house repayments, no rates, electricity or water bills
No car to buy and maintain with associated expense
No shops, restaurants, bars to easily drain funds

But spending less is not why we did it, but it is an added benefit.

[AKA-None]

I think the comment was about a boat as an appreciating investment.

[dakno]

You have a slip coming available, take it. You have a boat in mind that is large and new enough for you to enjoy. You won't have land lubbers expense , rent, taxes, insc, etc. You will have a get acquainted period on your new boat( it took me 2 years to find out where every wire and water line came from on my new boat). You will take lessons on your boat, cheeper than lessons on a rented boat. Living in a marina is fun, great environment, people, plus you will meet every sort of trades people working on neighbors boats. Enjoy, do it.

[Sojourner]

No. Fiberglass lasts forever. Find an older boat that's been kept out of charter by a decent owner and age becomes irrelevant. All systems should be upgraded every decade or so.. Electronics, sails, engine overhaul, rigging.... So a ten year old boat coming out of charter might very well be much worse off than a 20 or 30 year old cruising boat owned by a decent owner.

For us, once we decided to liveaboard and cruise the world, every month on land was a painful expense. Now living onboard full time for 10 months, we wish we could have swung it sooner...