Too Hot to Liveaboard Year-'Round in Florida?

[D_e_n_n_i_s]

One other note - It is getting very difficult to find marinas that welcome liveaboards with the extra cost of insurance for the marina. I happen to live at one that does welcome liveaboards, but it is one of the few in Jacksonville. In asking around last year, I found that some marinas that did have liveaboards are actively working to get rid of the few remaining vessels. It makes going on the hook more and more attractive. I just have to figure out where I can park a car nearby to get to work every day and stow that dinghy

[Cherise]

Originally Posted by Tropic Cat

I'm on the east coast of Florida and concur that A/C will be a necessity. If you decide a boat is the way to go, this will mean, access to shore power. Live aboards in my marina have been fairly ingenious in adapting Walmart A/C home window units for this purpose during summer months.

It looks 'tacky' as hell, as there's no way to blend them into the lines of the boat or hide them. Also, they wear out fairly quickly, but then again they're cheap A/C units to begin with.

Hey Tropic Cat,

So, I am now really considering a Cat. Now I have NEVER, yet, sailed on a cat, other than a hobie. Of course all my fellow mono-hull sailing friends don't suggest Cat's because, well it's different, but they say mainly for sailing issues, such as in light winds when it is hard to tack or jibe in light winds and that can be dangerous.
What is your comment to that?
Also, what kind of cat do you have?
It seems cat's are made to in teh 14'-15' beam and then jump to 18'-22'.
Why is that?
And with the beam differences what will you feel when it comes to sailing?
Also, with the economy not doing so hot, do you think one can find berths for the wider beamed cats now than say a few years ago?
Obviously I would prefer a beamier Cat if I were to liveaboard.

Love all the responses and really appreciate it. Any of you guys wanna know about SF bay area sailing/marinas, YC's feel free to ask!

[Downtothesea]

I don't have time to read all of the responses you received since I am retired and living on our sailboat in Florida! :-) But I am going to assume people told you it is too hot in Florida to live without AC on a boat. BS!!!

We have lived aboard and cruised for four years on our sailboat in Florida (both coasts) without AC. We can't wait for summer to return as that is our cruising season and we have been freezing our asses off here in the Keys all winter!!

If you insist on living in a marina tied to a dock (we spend less than 10 days a year tied to a dock and only then because we are away from the boat on a trip to visit the grandkids!) then you will need AC. If you anchor or use a mooring, AC is not needed, just fans and good ventilation and awnings. If you need AC, get a condo and just go daysailing.

[Cherise]

hi downtothesea
thanks for your post.
Do you have a mono or multi and what year/model etc?
I do have a dog, as you read, I don't mind anchoring/mooring living, but any opinions or suggestions on living this way with a dog? she only needs to go potty twice a day.
Crazy to buy a liveaboard with a dog? I can't part with her, she is my baby?
Also, if you have a cat, do you feel there is BIG difference between the cats with narrow beams (14'-15') vs. the wide ones 18'-22'?
If the narrow ones are OK for living, I would maybe live part time on land (say live with a family member a couple days a week to break it up).

Thanks

[Downtothesea]

Cherise,

As you could probably derive from my posting I have VERY strong opinions! LOL

Linda and I live on a "real" sailboat, not a catamaran!! <GRIN>
We have lived aboard our 27 foot Catalina for more than four years and love it!! Only serious illness, physical infirmity, or death will force us to move ashore again.

Now, EVERYONE will tell you that you MUST have a much bigger boat than we have, AC, a watermaker, an inboard "infernal combustion" engine, lots more electrical and electronic devices than we have (hmmm..we have a GPS, VHF radio, TV/DVD player, iPhone with a chartplotter app, laptop with Wifi, etc.) in order to be "comfortable" and have fun. Again, BS!! We have as much or MORE fun cruising and living aboard and are just as comfortable as anyone we have met while cruising. We spend our time sailing and having fun instead of fixing broken complex boat systems. :-). We would not trade our simple, small, relatively shallow draft, old, extrordinarily great sailing boat for their $200,000 bigger boat even if they wanted to! I am serious, I could buy a 45 foot sailboat with cash, no payments, tomorrow but I'm not that crazy and don't want one! I told you that I had strong opinions! :-)

Of course, everyone is entitled to their own strong opinions and I respect the fact that others have very different ideas about what you HAVE to have to go cruising. Follow you own heart and disregard the opinions of others (even mine, though lord knows they are right! LOL) if they don't mesh with yours.

Good luck. Don't dream your life, live your dreams as Bob Bitchin of Lats and Atts says.



We both love dogs but don't have one and will avoid the temptation to get one! We see lots of people with dogs aboard because the had the dog and certainly were not going to give up the dog to go cruising. No question it causes them some problems and limits where they can go. Too much for us so we just get to pet and hug their dogs and they get to take the dog ashore in the rain or high winds while we watch from the comfort of our boat! <BIG GRIN>

[D_e_n_n_i_s]

It does make a difference where you anchor. If you anchor along the Intracoastal Waterway near the beach, then you'll have onshore breezes that make a huge difference in comfort. Being retired and not having to get dressed in work clothes and hurrying off in the morning to work also helps with the comfort factor.

If you’re inland in Florida in August ... well, I don't know of too many folks that have fully acclimated to that kind of heat. I include myself in that group and I was born and raised here in Jacksonville, Florida. I was, however, spoiled by air conditioning growing up ... You can acclimate, but if you're working in corporate America it may not be an idea situation.

[ksmith]

DowntotheSea is giving very good advice.

I am at a Marina on the east side of Tampa Bay. At a Marina you need A/C. I have a CruiseAir that fits in the forward hatch and cools my Columbia 8.7 just fine. The boat next door is a 34 PSC and he has a midship hatch and puts his A/C there. My observation is the bigger the boat the less it leaves the dock, which is ok. The 42 Gulfstar hasn't left the slip in 2 years, the 25 O'Day goes out every weekend and longer at spring break with the kids. If daysails and weekends are in your future smaller and simpler is more better.

As for multi hulls of the three marinas I know of doing Live Aboard none have slips wide enough for a multi hull.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by ksmith

As for multi hulls of the three marinas I know of doing Live Aboard none have slips wide enough for a multi hull.

That really depends on which multihull you're talking about.

[Ram]

I say forget the A/C but then I grew up in S. Fl with out A/C and never used it much- On real boats I have both A Mono & A Cat I charter both of them and the cat is the only way to go if you can afford them

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by Ram

I say forget the A/C but then I grew up in S. Fl with out A/C and never used it much- On real boats I have both A Mono & A Cat I charter both of them and the cat is the only way to go if you can afford them

There is a world of difference between living in a climate since birth, and coming from a climate that is a lot colder.

In january this year I travelled to Aus. The climate when I left home was -14 , whereas it was 42 in Australia (degrees centigrade).

Believe me - I needed that AC.

[jackiepitts]

For those of you who use AC during the summer in a marina I was wondering if you pay for electricity by the kilowatt? If so what is the rate per KW and what is your average usage during the summer months? I would like to figure the cost of AC into the budget but not sure what is the typical cost.
Thanks,
Jackie

[Cherise]

Hey Everyone, thanks so much...what a great forum!

If the next year goes pretty well with my investments I will be looking to buy say a Gemini 105, a few yrs old, and I would have two options.
1) rent a place part time on siesta key or Sarasota intracoastal and berth my Cat there (Gemini's are 14' beam).
2) keep her in a local marina and liveaboard about 4-5 months a year (hopefully not in the height of the summer).
Anyone know of any Sarasota or surrounding marinas that say allow short term liveaboards? Meaning say 3-4 months a year? A month I would take off down to the Keys or whatever.

I have work where I need to be in Toronto part time and should be able to do the rest from a internet enabled laptop....I am in gold and silver mining stocks, and work a little in their mergers and & acquisitions....I am 29 so I am still building my way up but for my age ahead of the game. I am not a fashion queen, do not have a corp job anymore (AMEN!) but hey I am a gal with long hair so the whole humidity and water factor gets annoying, so electrical at dock and out to sea is essential (thank goodness for hair straighteners!

Ram- It just seems right to can a cat in FL, with the fact that you can beach (I am new so is it the Gemini 105s that are the only beachable Cat's?) and getting in or on top of a reef or something to do some snorkeling is what I am looking for and being a current monohull owner I would be quite frightened with playing with that.

Downthesea & Ksmith - thank you. I totally agree, that the bigger the boat usually the less often she goes out. At least that is my observation at the marinas/YC's I have been a member of.

Dennis- great advice-thanx! Do you know Sarasota at all??? If so I was wondering what side of the intracoastal you are referring to? Meaning intra on the east side of siesta key or do you mean west side intra of Sarasota mainland?
Agin amazing info and facts thank you! Any idea what makes one fall into the liveabaord category? Here in SFO bay it varies per marina and yc marinas/
Obviously if I can afford to rent a place with a dock (one of course that can accommodate getting out to the gulf without low bridges) then I see the liveaboard bit as a non issue. BUT money may not allow both.

Thanks people you are really helping me out here!
Cherise

[D_e_n_n_i_s]

Cherise - I was just referring to the Intracoastal waterway here in Jax being on the other side of the dunes from the ocean. You get a wonderful breeze that close to the beach. I'm actually not familiar with Sarasota.

From the 2008 Florida Statutes, Chapter 327 (The old definition):
327.02 Definitions of terms used in this chapter and in chapter 328.--As used in this chapter and in chapter 328, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning, the term:
(17) "Live-aboard vessel" means:
(a) Any vessel used solely as a residence; or
(b) Any vessel represented as a place of business, a professional or other commercial enterprise, or a legal residence.
A commercial fishing boat is expressly excluded from the term "live-aboard vessel."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 2009-86 (The new definition)
Council Substitute for Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 1423
...amending s. 327.02, F.S.; revising the definition of the
term “live-aboard vessel”;

(17) “Live-aboard vessel” means:
(a) Any vessel used solely as a residence and not for navigation; or
(b) Any vessel represented as a place of business, or a professional or
other commercial enterprise;, or
(c) Any vessel for which a declaration of domicile has been filed pursuant
to s. 222.17 a legal residence.

A commercial fishing boat is expressly excluded from the term “live-aboard
vessel.”

[imagine2frolic]

downtothesea,

I am puzzled by the term real sailboat? Polynesian craft were sailing the vast pacific long before monos ventured across the atlantic.

Cherise,

If you are going to sail the bottom paint off your boat. Making the window units fit your boat may pose a small problem. First the heeling may cause them to come loose. Although my boxes withstood 90 mph winds while tied to the dock. Also they may become entangled with lines while sailing. These two can probably be avoided with some thought.

Between the 2 units we have 13,000BTUs, and we are very comfortable. Shading some of the deck, cockpit, and all of the windows allow for it to stay cool all summer near Jax....shade, shade, shade........i2f

[D_e_n_n_i_s]

"A legal residence" in part C is actually written with strikethrough font, essentially removing it from the statute. Sorry, but the strikethrough font didn't show up in my post.