What do I do?? Looking to move to a boat!

[cranberryboss]

Hello! I have been living in shared housing since I was 20, I am now 37 and changing careers and would really like to live alone. Ive always wanted to live on a sailboat and learn how to sail it. My question is where do I even begin? My budget is low so I will have to take out a loan I would assume. Do I buy or rent a slip than a boat? Insurance? General costs? Can I finnance a used boat? size for 1 person? Things of that nature, I would probably like to use the boat mostly as a home untill its warms up and have someone teach me how to sail it? Or is that the best way to go about it? I have sailed a couple times before, once lived on a boat for a week in Bahamas.

Think of me as someone who has about zero knowledge about living on a boat. I am also in Maryland and will probably need to be commuting to DC or the DMV area for work etc...

[Kettlewell]

There are a huge number of variables in how to do this. I would suggest starting out by going to some boatyards and looking at used boats to get an idea of what they are like. Some single people are comfortable on a 26-footer, while others want a 45-foot catamaran. Boat shows can be both fun to peruse and discouraging because everything new is vastly more expensive. Do not buy a boat slip! Typically, most of us rent slips on a monthly or yearly basis, while some of us rent a mooring ball or anchor out. Figure out which harbors you could possibly commute from. That will make a huge difference in where you want to keep the boat. In my experience you are looking at long commutes from most harbors on the Chesapeake itself, but some find places up the Potomac or even in DC itself. Prices for docks will vary a lot from place to place. Yes, you can finance used boats, yes you can insure them. Costs will vary greatly depending on the size of the boat. Slip rentals are often priced by so much per foot of overall length, plus smaller boats can find slips in smaller marinas with less water, etc. The bigger boat the bigger the cost.

[Stingo]

What Kettlewell says, then read this thread
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ng-280533.html

[Kettlewell]

One big thing to think about is your level of comfort with fixing things. Most liveaboard boaters become jacks-of-all-trades and fix everything they possibly can themselves. Boats are not like cars where you can take one into a dealer and they will have all the parts, the expertise, and a set price schedule. Boatyard work is by the hour, and most boats are very low production runs meaning no two boats are alike. Frequently, the broken part or system is no longer available and something new and different must be sourced and installed, or else a workaround must be discovered. For example, someone in my boatyard had a gorgeous custom catamaran built to a top design. After a few years they discovered the engine beds were not built strong enough. Everything about those beds was custom made, so the owner was in the process of lifting the engines, removing the old beds, and designing and building new beds. There is no or next to no warranty on lots of boat stuff. I've spoken to several people who purchased brand new boats and spent the first year of ownership fixing stuff that either broke or was installed incorrectly at the factory. Fixing things yourself will save you tons of money and heartache.

[psk125]

Living on a boat for a week in the Bahamas has not prepared you for cold. Cold on a boat is pervasive and damp. It takes more energy to heat moist things, so heat is expensive. Heat on a boat is also dangerous, with deteriorated wiring, short circuits, and open flames or sparks leading to fires. It can be done -- people do live on boats -- but it isn't always fun, or cheap.

[leecea]

Some things to consider:

- Marina slips in some areas are hard to find and expensive (Annapolis for example). You need to be sure you have a place to put the boat before you buy it. Not all marinas are OK with people living aboard so you'll need to be sure of their policies.

- In the mid/upper Chesapeake Bay area most people store their boats for winter. Living on a boat in the winter will be hard. You'd also need a marina that allows that and keeps at least some water, electric, heads, etc available. Plus your boat will need reliable heating.

- With no experience there are some extra challenges: 1) you will need help looking at boats because you won't know what to look for, 2) if you buy a boat you'll need help moving it to the marina you've chosen, 3) insurance with no experience will be a challenge (and the marina will require insurance). Make sure you can get insurance before buying the boat.

- Costs are anyone's guess so this is just my opinion and should not be taken too seriously: $50K for a 30' boat built in 2000 or newer and in average condition for its age. $500/month for the marina. $80/month for insurance. Keep $5K available as emergency fund for boat issues.

[Cpt Mark]

Originally Posted by psk125

Living on a boat for a week in the Bahamas has not prepared you for cold. Cold on a boat is pervasive and damp. It takes more energy to heat moist things, so heat is expensive. Heat on a boat is also dangerous, with deteriorated wiring, short circuits, and open flames or sparks leading to fires. It can be done -- people do live on boats -- but it isn't always fun, or cheap.

I've lived on my boats on/off for over 20 years. Cheaper than living on land however, not as comfortable or easy as living on land. Buying a plastic boat will be your 1st start. A plastic boat that is not leaking goes a long way to happiness. I love traditional boats but the maintenance is a killer. Fixing those boats was part of my business for a long time.

Finding a marina with legal liveaboard availability will probably be a challenge. I'd start scoping out that 1st. In my area, some marinas only allow liveaboards if the boat has a value of 100k or is 50 foot or greater .`or??? This is to reduce the undesirable elements from moving in.

Buying a boat from a broker who is also the manager of the marina and therefore in control of liveaboards is a way to go.

Heat. No big deal. A cheap chinese diesel heater is amazing. Just know that you need to throw away most everything in the box except the heater to install it in a marine environment.

Check all the fees for the marina. In mine, they charge a connection fee for the electricity, a metered usage fee and an adjustment fee. I called them out on that last winter. My bill was around the same as always except I wasn't on the boat for 5 weeks and had nothing running. I'm now magically on a flat rate which is cheap. My neighbor called the owners and said it wasn't fair. He's on the supposed metered rate and others are on flat rate. owners said "there's nothing fair about this marina" and hung up.

If it's just you and your space needs are not excessive I'd go look at some older production boats by companies still in business. An older Catalina 30 could provide a nice home, can be bought cheap and probably sold for close to what you paid for it. Hunter's have a ton of headroom if you're tall.

Lastly. You need to think of living on a boat more of camping out than living in a dwelling. A lot of liveaboards do not shower aboard and many never use their own head. So that's a trip to the bathroom every need. How far away from where you park your car is the boat? Think groceries, trash, moving stuff back and forth. Also boat's don't have a ton of room. Think about what happens to all your stuff that won't fit. Lastly, sailing a boat you live on is challenging. On my monohull I'd spend the better part of a day getting ready to go sail and the same upon returning.

[cranberryboss]

I have also grown in an out doorsie family, well my Dad. We camped in the snow, knew how to prepare and gear up for the weather / climate. I also live simply, I have about 2 weeks of clothes, a guitar, bike and a laptop. That is all I really own, no furniture or anything like that. I have backpacked, cannoed and cycled for weeks at a time so I am familiar with living light!
I am extreemly mechanicly inclined and insist on fixing my own stuff to save money.

[NorthCoastJoe]

We have a problem around here with people living on boats like they do on the street. The marinas don't want to be housing the homeless. That makes it hard for everyone with a boat if you want to be a liveaboard.

I would say to check with marinas first and maybe do some work with places you want to be located. This means even actually getting a job working for a marina. Just part time so you are a known person and that will give you an edge. If you are known you have better odds of getting a liveaboard slip.

In one bay area marina there were 3 adults and a baby living on a 30 foot sailboat with no means of propelling itself. As in no sails or functioning engine. Who knows how they handled the waste. They left the boat after an electrical fire, overloaded the power feed. They did not make other people on that dock finger happy.

Most marinas now want to inspect your boat and you must prove it can move under engine power alone. Have a functioning head with the waste only going into a holding tank. No burnt electrical connectors, ect.

The wait list for liveaboards here is years long, and that is for people that have boats in very good condition. I don't think I could get a liveaboard slip at my marina in any short time and they know me and my boats.

[Kettlewell]

By the way, you don't have to live in a marina to live aboard. We lived aboard for 12 years straight at one point and maybe 2 of those years were in a marina. Of course the marina is nice in the winter being able to plug in, but maybe you can find a mooring ball for the summer and be out on the water where a boat should be. We lived aboard in New England that way--winters at a dock, summers on a mooring.

[mvweebles]

When I was your age, I moved aboard a 30 foot boat in SF Bay and commuted into SF via bus each morning. Was a suit and tie type job. Definitely tight, but I loved living aboard. The learning curve is steep, but not insurmountable. I think 30 feet is a bit small. 36 feet is probably minimum, especially if you have anything resembling a social life.

There are a lot of unexpected costs. Maintenance isn't cheap. Heck. A set of dock lines for a 36 footer costs over $500. Hull diver isn't cheap. Insurance. Liveaboard fees (if you can even find a marina who will accept you). But overall. It's a nice life. Cheaper than living on land, but far from cheap.

Good luck with whatever path you chose

[Kettlewell]

I think 30 feet is a bit small. 36 feet is probably minimum, especially if you have anything resembling a social life.

Ha! My wife and I moved aboard a small, classic fiberglass 26-footer, than a 28-footer, than a 30-footer for our first 7-8 years of living aboard. For a single person I would recommend trying out a small, cheap, older fiberglass boat around 30 feet to learn the ropes and see how you like it first. By the way, you can do an awful lot on a 30-footer. We went from New England to the Bahamas and back twice on ours, learning along the way one of my mantras: you go to the same places and enjoy the same sunrises and sunsets as those on the big boats, but at a fraction of the cost. IMHO those on the smaller boats are usually the happiest cruisers.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by cranberryboss

Ive always wanted to live on a sailboat and learn how to sail it. My question is where do I even begin? My budget is low so I will have to take out a loan I would assume. Do I buy or rent a slip than a boat? Insurance? General costs? Can I finnance a used boat? size for 1 person?

Think of me as someone who has about zero knowledge about living on a boat. I am also in Maryland and will probably need to be commuting to DC or the DMV area for work etc...

You can do it around here, but it takes work.

Need to solve issues like fresh water, hot water, heat, waste (sanitation system, and trash/garbage), resupply (possibly including fuel)... maybe dockage... et cetera. Read through the several bazillion threads in this section on the topic... maybe include Annapolis as part of your keyword search.

Note that sanitation requirements means periodic holding tank pump-out --- if you use the head on the boat over winter -- or frequent trips to shore facilities.

You could begin assessing possible marinas (see Waterway Guide and/or ActiveCaptain) for allowable liveaboard potential, then maybe go to those places, walk the docks a bit, talk to folks... and at the same time, BOLO for likely boats with "for sale" signs.

The DC/DMV commute is doable, including commuter bus options, but being able to do it also means you need to align a boatload of other things too. Much depends on your actual starting and destination points.

-Chris

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by cranberryboss

I have also grown in an out doorsie family, well my Dad. We camped in the snow, knew how to prepare and gear up for the weather / climate. I also live simply, I have about 2 weeks of clothes, a guitar, bike and a laptop. That is all I really own, no furniture or anything like that. I have backpacked, cannoed and cycled for weeks at a time so I am familiar with living light!
I am extreemly mechanicly inclined and insist on fixing my own stuff to save money.

you are way, way, way ahead of everyone else that is trying to do the same thing. This is a lot of good background.

You’re a natural.

based on your level of experience with what most people would consider hardship, at least you will not be put off by the lifestyle once you achieve it

[collinn]

rent maybe will be better ?