Where do You Live aboard, and Why?

[DeeN]

This question is for year round, not seasonal liveaboards.

If you've made a year round home somewhere, Ron & I, truly want to know, where? And ... Why you you homed in on your spot.

No matter where in the world it is!
All replies are very much appreciated!!!

Ron & Dee Nusser

[zeehag]

i used to live year round in californikatia... i now live in a less fascist area and move a bit, unless i am undergoing repairs , at which time, like now, i am in mazatlan. after repairs i will again be moving around a bit. full time permanent liveaboard cruiser.
why here?? is less danger here than in usa and less money to repair items folks are fleeced on in usa. oopsy did i say that out loud..hahahahahaha

[sailorchic34]

Myself I liveaboard 3/4 time at anchor in the SF Bay and Delta area Winters I tend to take a slip somewhere, for weeks or months at the time.

It gives me options for hot weather and swimming in the delta in summer and if it gets too hot, I move to the central bay where I am now. I don't have a single home just an area I hang out in.

Why. Partly lack of money. While the SF BAY area and California in general can be spendy I find that the low humidity and mild temperatures and $15/day guest docks are pretty nice. Food prices if shopped carefully are doable. I hit land once every 2 -3 weeks for shopping, laundry, dump trash, and a really long shower.

[Kenomac]

Like Zee wrote, repairs, services and taxes are extremely expensive in the US compared to other countries. In Italy I pay €30-35 euros per hour for highly trained craftsman/journeymen who do the job right the first time, when needed. In the US, I find myself paying $100/hour for some novice working by trial and error to learn his job at my expense. Then he'd expect to get paid again to fix his mistakes.

Food is also way overpriced and basically lousy in the US compared to other places like Europe. For example here in Montenegro, Croatia and Italy, we can enjoy a fantastic multi course meal out for around €40-60 euros for the two of us including a drink, dessert and coffee... and not have to go home afterwards and drink two gallons of water to offset the massive dose of salt supplied with US food. A very nice lunch can be had for less than €20 for two people including a drink.

In Massachusetts a single beer at a restaurant will set you back $6-$8, so we never order one. Here in Croatia, a 1/2 liter beer served at a nice restaurant will cost €2-3 euros.

[DeeN]

I am surprised to hear of only $15. A day guest slips in San Francisco.
That's just a wee bit over a pack of cigarettes now in So. California.
QUOTE=sailorchic34;2439543]Myself I liveaboard 3/4 time at anchor in the SF Bay and Delta area Winters I tend to take a slip somewhere, for weeks or months at the time.

It gives me options for hot weather and swimming in the delta in summer and if it gets too hot, I move to the central bay where I am now. I don't have a single home just an area I hang out in.

Why. Partly lack of money. While the SF BAY area and California in general can be spendy I find that the low humidity and mild temperatures and $15/day guest docks are pretty nice. Food prices if shopped carefully are doable. I hit land once every 2 -3 weeks for shopping, laundry, dump trash, and a really long shower.[/QUOTE]

[DeeN]

Definately understand this. Thank you

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Like Zee wrote, repairs, services and taxes are extremely expensive in the US compared to other countries. In Italy I pay €30-35 euros per hour for highly trained craftsman/journeymen who do the job right the first time, when needed. In the US, I find myself paying $100/hour for some novice working by trial and error to learn his job at my expense. Then he'd expect to get paid again to fix his mistakes.

Food is also way overpriced and basically lousy in the US compared to other places like Europe. For example here in Montenegro, Croatia and Italy, we can enjoy a fantastic multi course meal out for around €40-60 euros for the two of us including a drink, dessert and coffee... and not have to go home afterwards and drink two gallons of water to offset the massive dose of salt supplied with US food. A very nice lunch can be had for less than €20 for two people including a drink.

In Massachusetts a single beer at a restaurant will set you back $6-$8, so we never order one. Here in Croatia, a 1/2 liter beer served at a nice restaurant will cost €2-3 euros.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by DeeN

I am surprised to hear of only $15. A day guest slips in San Francisco.

Oh I rarely go to SF and it's more there. SF is way too busy/noisy for my tastes. Gee more then 3-4 boats in an anchorage and I get a bit itchy.

But Marina Bay is $15 a day as are several marina's in the delta. A few are $17, Others are $20 to $30 a day, which is still a pretty good deal compared to the east coast or even south of the border. Monthly slip costs vary from $200 to $400 (for $34' boat) , plus anywhere from $125 to $350 / month for live aboard fee. The prudent person sometimes find marina's that don't charge a live aboard fees.

I've found that food prices are not too bad if one is careful where they shop.

The SF BAY is very expensive to live on land much less so living on a boat, though costs are rising there too..

[Alberg30Shill]

Anchorage Marina in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Big city living and everything you need across the street (Safeway, Ace Hardware and West Marine!), great employment in DC metro area, great restaurants and the Chesapeake Bay to sail on :-) You can buy a 35 ft slip for under $10,000 with quarterly coop fees of $150!!! The British Royal Navy declared it the best deep water harbor in the world when they found it and never found one better. It's a hurricane hole too, useful on the East Coast.

[skipmac]

We lived on our boat in Ft Lauderdale for a couple of years but I was working there and tied to the area. If I had my druthers I would have spent winters in FL, summers in New England. Both areas can be quite expensive unless you anchor out and watch your expenses.

$15/night for a transient slip???? Marinas in eastern CT wanted almost 10 times that much but it was a 42' boat. Nantucket is $75/night just for a mooring, regardless of boat size.

[sailorchic34]

Just spent a night at clipper yacht harbor in Sausalito, one of the "spendy" places and it was $37 a night but that included $3 for electric.

It's just one reason I love the bay. Right now it's mid 90's in the delta but 60-70 miles west it's 75 degrees F. It's not the best, but it ain't half bad.

I've read about east coast slip rates, and no think you. I get 4-5 months a year of sunshine and no rain. Alas 4 months of the year it rains cat's and dogs.

[iSaint]

Soon to be liveaboard on Coastal Mississippi. Moved here 8 years ago with this in mind. My mother moved down and is in a retirement home so I'll stay close to her.

[toddster8]

Our podunk little marina in BFE had a $12 a night guest dock. Result: 60 - 70 footers from the city moved in permanently and took up the whole dock. Just saying...

[JstaRebel]

Originally Posted by DeeN

This question is for year round, not seasonal liveaboards.

If you've made a year round home somewhere, Ron & I, truly want to know, where? And ... Why you you homed in on your spot.

No matter where in the world it is!
All replies are very much appreciated!!!

Ron & Dee Nusser

We have made our year round home in the Caribbean living on the hook. Currently in Anguilla with a mooring ball in St, Martin (French side) in the lagoon. We have also lived aboard in St.Thomas, St.Croix, Dominican Republic, Turks &Caicos (Provo), Curacao, Culebra and St.John.

Why? First is my wife is Dominican so I will be speaking from my own personal reasons. I'd already lived all over the US. Born and raised in Montana, and College in Southern California. Worked all over Ca and loved the Delta. I got tired of the grind living in the states. Traffic jams with 2hrs a day or more just getting to work and back home. I disliked neighbors always sticking their nose in my business too. Married twice with two divorces and got cleaned out twice although I raised my only two children from my first marriage alone in South Carolina. After the second divorce and my kids going off doing their thing, I decided it was time for me to do what I wanted and that included getting out of corporate America for good. Best choice I ever made in my life and that was 21 years ago. Been married to a Dominicana for the last eight years and it's a wonderful difference from my American marriages. Life is sweet in the Caribbean and have no plans to leave.

[CaptsWife]

Originally Posted by DeeN

This question is for year round, not seasonal liveaboards.

If you've made a year round home somewhere, Ron & I, truly want to know, where? And ... Why you you homed in on your spot.

No matter where in the world it is!
All replies are very much appreciated!!!

Ron & Dee Nusser

We are not liveaboards yet, but we will be come November. Selling everything. Husband is retired and we're looking to save those retirement funds. There's a lot there, but living in the US, we're going through them too rapidly. That answers the WHY of your questions

Our plan? Sailing to the Bahamas for most of the season and explore and enjoy all we can. End up in the Rio Dulce before the next hurricane season (2018). Visit Turks & Caicos (?), Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, who knows? Will sail either the south coast or north coast of Cuba 'til we hop over to Mexico and then south.

Plans change, so who knows.

[sapient sue]

We liveaboard on the eastern seaboard of Australia. Why because Australia was/is our home and medical expenses etc are covered and it is one of the safest western world countries. We travel south in Summer to the wonderful cruising grounds around Tasmania and north in the winter to the Great Barrier Reef. We have easy jumping off spots to visit the Pacific islands and can choose to cruise around cities such as Sydney, Brisbane or Cairns or get away from it all in some very remote and secluded anchorages such as in the Swains or west coast of Tasmania.

Cost of living is rising but pretty much the case everywhere. We shop in fresh produce markets wherever possible and support local endeavours. There are plenty of chandleries and boat maintenance yards and if prices are too high then there is always sourcing parts on-line.

We have the best of cool temperate and tropical waters and can dock the boat and be snow skiing during winter - great variety and diversity with friendly natives - what more could a cruiser ask for?