What U.S. city is best for liveaboard boats?

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by bstreep

Corpus Christi, TX. Here's why:

1) you are right downtown
2) inexpensive floating slips
3) good security
4) 2 yacht clubs (one very exclusive, one very reasonable - your choice)
5) Low unemployment - you can probably find a job you can walk to
6) Great sailing (CC is the windiest city in the country), and several good places to cruise to
7) No state income tax
8) No harassment from local law enforcement.
9) Great fall/spring/winter weather (same latitude as Tampa), and with the typical windy summer, it's not oppressive.

But how deep is the water on a low tide?

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

But how deep is the water on a low tide?

How much do you draw? There was a NZ boat down the pier from us that drew 9.5. He rarely had any problems. We never got close in the 3 years we were there, and we draw 6.5.

The bay has 12-15 feet except on the spoil islands.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by bstreep

How much do you draw? There was a NZ boat down the pier from us that drew 9.5. He rarely had any problems. We never got close in the 3 years we were there, and we draw 6.5.

The bay has 12-15 feet except on the spoil islands.

My draft is at 7' but I really don't like going into waters under 20'. My boat seems to find a lot of submerged stuff, especially logs. Maybe it's different down there. Not so many water-logged trees in the winter runoff.

[bobconnie]

If Yall draw 5 1/2 or less and don't mind a 45 min to an hour run to the open gulf, Then the Bayou Country In Louisiana is great! a little hot and humid in the summer mos, and fine the rest of the yr! Many private docks with water and power for rent or lease, some for 150 dollars a Mo. electricity extra, water and garbage under 25 dollars a mo. great food and music, low food costs, many marine stores and many boat lifts and paint and repair places for a lot less then big citys prices(costs me 800 bucks for a 51 ft bottom job) Just try looking for Houma Louisiana, or New Iberia Louisiana, for some pics and the places available !! Justa thought! We have been most everywhere, and this is a fine place to live and cruise !

[Captain Jeffry]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Well the nice think about the SF bay area is there are small towns further up the bay with easy walking to stores from the marina. Actually Berkeley is not bad for that, though its a mile walk to get to the other side of I-80.

Pittsburg, Benicia, Petaluma, Rio Vista and Antioch all are small towns with easy or mostly easy access to stores from the marina's there. A few have free city docks to pull up for a few hours to provision.

Newt: Actually I didn't pay anywhere near $500 a month to live aboard. There are a few places that are way less, but not well know. Though most marina's are in the $500-600 range for a 35' live aboard.

I'm ignoring BC btw
No 6" pump's or even 1" on this girls boat.

Doot!

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by bstreep

Corpus Christi, TX. Here's why:

1) you are right downtown
2) inexpensive floating slips
3) good security
4) 2 yacht clubs (one very exclusive, one very reasonable - your choice)
5) Low unemployment - you can probably find a job you can walk to
6) Great sailing (CC is the windiest city in the country), and several good places to cruise to
7) No state income tax
8) No harassment from local law enforcement.
9) Great fall/spring/winter weather (same latitude as Tampa), and with the typical windy summer, it's not oppressive.

Is Spanish a popular language on the street being so far south? I am a one language fella, to old to learn new tricks.

Crime rate?

Do you slip at one of the marinas?

Place looks large enough, there must be hundreds of marinas within minutes of you.

What are the marina names?

I have cousins there I have never met.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Most towns that are far smaller than those on the list have much more to offer for the liveaboard cruiser. Smaller towns often have amenities important for a liveaboard cruiser without a car and with good bicycling opportunities for all needs. For me, as a US East Coast cruiser, I've had home and good community in Portland(Me), Portsmouth(NH), Gloucester, Provencetown, Onset, Newport, Port Washington, Atlantic Highlands, Cape May, Havre d'Grace, Chestertown, Annapolis, Portsmouth(Va), Elizabeth City, Oriental, New Bern, Georgetown, Charleston, Beaufort(SC), Fernandina, Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, St. Augustine, Daytona, New Smyrna, Titusville, Vero Beach, Stuart, Fort Lauderdale, Key Largo, Marathon, Key West, Fort Myers, Gulfport(FL), Tarpon Springs........... For me, these choices would offer much more than the big cities for easy liveaboard/cruising.

Gulfport, FL not so good for live aboards. Go just a little west to S. Pasadena. I hate to say that but it's true.

I voted for Tampa because it's fairly close to really good live-aboarding.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Gulfport, FL not so good for live aboards. Go just a little west to S. Pasadena. I hate to say that but it's true.

I voted for Tampa because it's fairly close to really good live-aboarding.

Thanks for the update, Rakuflames. My time in Gulfport was about eight years ago. I had attended a town council meeting with hopes to defend the opportunities for liveaboards. At that time there was a conflict developing with the town and liveaboards mainly due to a couple of people living on the derelict raft-like remnant of an old Piver trimaran. Our stay there was good,- great public transport to shopping & sweet little town that was proposing a mooring field that could support liveaboards and discourage low income housing on "rafts". 'sorry to hear that things didn't work out for Gulfport.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by bstreep

Corpus Christi, TX. Here's why:

1) you are right downtown
2) inexpensive floating slips
3) good security
4) 2 yacht clubs (one very exclusive, one very reasonable - your choice)
5) Low unemployment - you can probably find a job you can walk to
6) Great sailing (CC is the windiest city in the country), and several good places to cruise to
7) No state income tax
8) No harassment from local law enforcement.
9) Great fall/spring/winter weather (same latitude as Tampa), and with the typical windy summer, it's not oppressive.

Sounds like liveaboard paradise!!

[LauderBoy]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

If Yall draw 5 1/2 or less and don't mind a 45 min to an hour run to the open gulf, Then the Bayou Country In Louisiana is great! a little hot and humid in the summer mos, and fine the rest of the yr! Many private docks with water and power for rent or lease, some for 150 dollars a Mo. electricity extra, water and garbage under 25 dollars a mo. great food and music, low food costs, many marine stores and many boat lifts and paint and repair places for a lot less then big citys prices(costs me 800 bucks for a 51 ft bottom job) Just try looking for Houma Louisiana, or New Iberia Louisiana, for some pics and the places available !! Justa thought! We have been most everywhere, and this is a fine place to live and cruise !

I've really thought about the gulf states. It's a lot closer to the midwest, so driving to visit family in St Louis would be a day trip and from what I've heard all around is that it's a cheap area to live in.

My only concern for the out of the way areas(which I prefer myself, I'm a country boy at heart) is IT job availability.

It's a real split dilemma for me. Jacksonville/Tampa/Houston/other big cities have good job availability but more rat race, or find something cheaper, friendlier, out in the middle of nowhere but harder to get work.

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

Is Spanish a popular language on the street being so far south? I am a one language fella, to old to learn new tricks.

Crime rate?

Do you slip at one of the marinas?

Place looks large enough, there must be hundreds of marinas within minutes of you.

What are the marina names?

I have cousins there I have never met.

What one finds about the language is that regardless of ethnicity, justl like everywhere else, Americans everywhere are monolingual.

There are just a few marinas in the area. CC City Marina, Port Aransas City Marina, Bahia Marina and Island Moorings Marina (also in Port Aransas). CC City Marina is about 90% sailboats.

We spent several years in Corpus Christi City Marina - a very nice facility, and pretty reasonably priced. We are now in Port Aransas, which is very different: sleepy little fishing town on the Gulf.

Oh - crime. CC is a "big city" - but not so big. The marina is well guarded - some think too well. Cameras everywhere. For that reason, not a lot of crime. However, I have a concealed carry license, and I do carry when walking downtown. But I really don't need to. There ARE areas of the city where you don't want to be after dark, but not within a realistic walk of the marina.

[tomfl]

I have no live aboard experience on the West coast but on the last trip to Death Valley I would drive to Beaty, NV for gas since it was around a dollar a gallon cheaper. There have been several threads about fees, taxes, whatever CA expects from those who eve have boats passing through.

What you are paying to dock your boat may not be the full bill for a live aboard.

[sailorchic34]

In SF a lot of places have waiting lists. Though Marina Bay in Richmond normally has a few open live aboard slips available. Ok its Richmond (famous for its knife and gun clubs ), but the marina is in the good part of Richmond, More part like. I was there 3 years and felt safe enough. E Dock to me is the better dock though guys like D as there are more showers there. E I hear gets backed up on the guy side. Avoid F&G docks as the parking is less safe or too me it was the short time I was there.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by tomfl

I have no live aboard experience on the West coast but on the last trip to Death Valley I would drive to Beaty, NV for gas since it was around a dollar a gallon cheaper. There have been several threads about fees, taxes, whatever CA expects from those who eve have boats passing through.

What you are paying to dock your boat may not be the full bill for a live aboard.

Boat property tax is 1% of value a year. Gas/diesel is a little high, but that's why I have sails. Bottom jobs in the bay area run $1600-$1800 for 35' boot. More with 2+ coats,etc. DMV sticker is $20 every two years. Sales tax is right near 10% (Ouch).

Though compared to SOCAL the SF bay area Boat wise is not so bad. Housing on the hand is pricey or it is too me anyway...

On the plus side, you can sail 365 days a year. Though some of that will be wet. PLus beaches to forests to mountains all in the same area. OH and a whole lota cars on the roads too.... (why I sail again ;-)

[bstreep]

No boat (personal property) taxes in Texas. Registration is good for 2 years, and runs about $60 +/-. Dinghy or superyacht. Same price.