‘We feel truly alive’ - Observer article about the newest crop of liveaboards.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by thesaltytar

I agree. Preventative maintenance makes up a sizable portion of my day-to-day work. Cost is amortized whether we choose to factor it in or not. $5 daily, all expenses? At best this is a "glossing" of the truth but in actuality is either a mistake or outright deceit. The term, I believe, is "click bait."

I also believe everyone agrees on this point. The primary dissention I see is if the point is relevant or not, and this has sparked some insightful conversations as to the nature of frugality, especially as it relates to different incomes, and the benefit and detractions of frugality vs. excess.

Personally I enjoy moderation. Not mean moderation; median moderation. It's fun to rough it for a bit and then indulge in luxury, the appreciation for me is the contrast. If everything is the same all the time (even the luxury) then it becomes an expected baseline instead of a treat. Frugality can be part of such a habit. But it's all relative what that frugality or luxury represents.

Who here hasn't considered a hot shower to be an absolute luxury at some point in time?

I definitely agree with that sentence about roughing for a while then going home to the apartment or house and enjoying the "luxury" of heat/AC, shower/bath, chairs, decent internet, shore based activities like cycling and running, fresh food, a good sleep, etc........

[thesaltytar]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I definitely agree with that sentence about roughing for a while then going home to the apartment or house and enjoying the "luxury" of heat/AC, shower/bath, chairs, decent internet, shore based activities like cycling and running, fresh food, a good sleep, etc........

Hope you don't mind if I bounce this one back (it's absolutely an open question to everyone). I realize too the answer will be different for each person.

What experience do people really want on their boat? Are people largely trying to make them a house when they live aboard full time vs. part time? Are we consciously thinking, okay, yes I could add this device that (arguably) can make my life more convenient, but I choose not to?

I'm wondering how conscious people are with their live aboard experience. I feel this springboards off of our frugality topic not necessarily as a financial limitation, but beyond simply money as a limiting resource. Maybe it's time, or space, or frugality of effort (what systems would you rather do without than work on)?

[wingssail]

"I'm wondering how conscious people are with their live aboard experience."

Originally Posted by thesaltytar

Hope you don't mind if I bounce this one back (it's absolutely an open question to everyone). I realize too the answer will be different for each person.

What experience do people really want on their boat? Are people largely trying to make them a house when they live aboard full time vs. part time? Are we consciously thinking, okay, yes I could add this device that (arguably) can make my life more convenient, but I choose not to?

We chose to live aboard, why I cannot truly say, but we did. We loved boats and sailing, long before we decided to live aboard. It was like, one day, down below on someone else's boat, cooking a meal, and we thought, we'd love to do this full time, forever. We decided that it would not be an experiment, but a way of life for us. We would be "Boat People". We did not wish to be short time wonders who would be back into our houses ashore. So bought a boat and we chose enough comforts aboard to not feel deprived. We tried to make the boat as good at anchor as it was at the dock. We added things like running hot water, and a nice, comfortable interior. But we also knew that we chose the boat life because we loved to sail. Really sail. So nothing was added which would detract from the sailing. We said, "Why live aboard if we don't sail?"

And we sailed, up to 100 times a year.

But frugality, What does it mean? We had some income, from good jobs, but no money, really. So choices were also based on what we could afford. For us, frugality meant we had a budget and we stayed within it. We did not go into debt. We watched our spending, and still do. It's all based on how much money we had, but also, back to the original justification, what do we want from the boat.

That was simple: A boat which we love to sail and which we can afford. We keep our life simple, but we don't have to endure hardships. We don't do extravagant things, but we are not hurting. It costs us, an an annual basis, about $3400/month. To us that is frugality.


I'm wondering how conscious people are with their live aboard experience. I feel this springboards off of our frugality topic not necessarily as a financial limitation, but beyond simply money as a limiting resource. Maybe it's time, or space, or frugality of effort (what systems would you rather do without than work on)?

[Pegu Club]

On the eastern seaboard of America and in the Bahamas, five pounds a day won’t get you very far, let alone feed two people daily. The reality of refitting a “wreak of a boat” ( as alluded to in the article) even if one does all there own labor, is a serious hit on the finances as it were. I’m guessing they did not count all the refit costs in the “five pounds a day” lol…,

Here in the states there are a lot of new boaters since the Covid happened, although the prevailing thought is that there will be a lot of boats hitting the used market over the next few years, trends always come and go.

Fair winds,

[AKA-None]

There was a guy here a few years back that claimed he lived in themed on 5 a day

No maintenance costs needed

But then he did just refit his entire oyster top to bottom before he started counting

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by thesaltytar

Hope you don't mind if I bounce this one back (it's absolutely an open question to everyone). I realize too the answer will be different for each person.

What experience do people really want on their boat? Are people largely trying to make them a house when they live aboard full time vs. part time? Are we consciously thinking, okay, yes I could add this device that (arguably) can make my life more convenient, but I choose not to?

I'm wondering how conscious people are with their live aboard experience. I feel this springboards off of our frugality topic not necessarily as a financial limitation, but beyond simply money as a limiting resource. Maybe it's time, or space, or frugality of effort (what systems would you rather do without than work on)?

Good way of phrasing the question Salty.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

There was a guy here a few years back that claimed he lived in themed on 5 a day

No maintenance costs needed

But then he did just refit his entire oyster top to bottom before he started counting

I am skeptical of this. In the first place living on $5 one has to be pretty strict (more that simply frugal). Oysters are expensive boats, and a "refit top to bottom" would also require some money. If he had that much money it's a bit hard to imagine he'd be that tight after he got afloat.

Then there is the concept that a total refit would be enough to stave off all future maintenance costs. No matter how much you do, there will still be maintenance costs.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I am skeptical of this. In the first place living on $5 one has to be pretty strict (more that simply frugal). Oysters are expensive boats, and a "refit top to bottom" would also require some money. If he had that much money it's a bit hard to imagine he'd be that tight after he got afloat.

Then there is the concept that a total refit would be enough to stave off all future maintenance costs. No matter how much you do, there will still be maintenance costs.

If you’re referring to Ken, he told a lot of tall tales.

Regardless, the exact $/day thing isn’t the point. I think Salty’s post gets us closer to the real question.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

If you’re referring to Ken, he told a lot of tall tales.

Regardless, the exact $/day thing isn’t the point. I think Salty’s post gets us closer to the real question.

What happened to Ken btw?

Is he still sailing just not on CF?

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I am skeptical of this. In the first place living on $5 one has to be pretty strict (more that simply frugal). Oysters are expensive boats, and a "refit top to bottom" would also require some money. If he had that much money it's a bit hard to imagine he'd be that tight after he got afloat.



Then there is the concept that a total refit would be enough to stave off all future maintenance costs. No matter how much you do, there will still be maintenance costs.

He actually owed 2 oysters not just 1

[Mariefred]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Simply saving money in itself is increasingly pointless as you get older. Money is there to be spent and enjoyed.

The problem is, you never know when you're going to peg it.


Both my dad and grandad popped their clogs in their late seventies. So I figure party on and blow the coin by the time I'm around eighty. What's the betting I'll be short of cash for diapers at 95?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Mariefred

The problem is, you never know when you're going to peg it.


Both my dad and grandad popped their clogs in their late seventies. So I figure party on and blow the coin by the time I'm around eighty. What's the betting I'll be short of cash for diapers at 95?

Will you remember if you've got any..

[Fore and Aft]

The whole live aboard experience has changed big time. There's a whole new generation of sailors who don't know what it's like to cruise without washing machines, air con and unlimited water.
I regularly survey boats that are better equipped and way flasher than our house.
Cheers

[boatpoker]

Liveaboard cruiser between the Great Lakes and Antigua (bahamas as we get older) since 94'. Our motivations and costs are irrelevant to all but us.

[sailorboy1]

Frugal is cruising on only a 90’ boat with 6 crew instead of a 150’ boat with 12 crew.