Gonna live on a sailboat.

[RollWave]

Did he get a lot of booty?


HA!

LOL, lock the thread now mods. Its officially over. Came in for a booty joke and it took the last post in the thread to get there.

 

[Markbnj]

More than just living on a docked sail boat, I've had one of those recurring fantasies of actually sailing, and being a sailing hobo, in a matter of speaking. Go into this port, stay a few to several months, set sail for another destination, stay for a few to several months.

It sounds very romantic, and for some people it can be a really great lifestyle. Living on a boat is one thing. The going to sea part you'll either love or hate, and I'd guess a high percentage of people will hate it. I know a guy who built a small company and sold it, driven entirely by exactly your dream. Bought a sailboat, packed his family aboard, and headed for the islands. When they got there they sold her and flew home . Told me later it just wasn't as fun as he'd dreamed.

For a counter example: years ago I was delivering a 38' Catalina home from Ensenada to Newport Beach after a race. We left in the evening after dinner, in the company of seven or eight other yachts. The owner had asked me to take his nephew and two of his friends as crew. I was the only experienced seaman. It blew like stink that night and we ended up slogging our way up the inside channel against 8' head seas. Two of the greenhorns spent most of the trip hanging over the rail, but this one red-haired kid who's day job was as a Dinseyland character took to it like he'd been born on the water. Stood a two hour wheel watch with the spray hitting him the face every twenty seconds, and when I went to relieve him at 4 AM he asked if he could stay at the helm.

 

[JulesMaximus]

My Mom and her husband lived on a 43' sailboat for almost 2 decades, the first 7-8 years of which was spent on the Hudson river in New York about an hour north of Manhattan. 32' is about the smallest boat I think you could live on but certainly doable.

My sister and her husband recently bought a 43' sailboat and are living on it but they are in Florida.

 

[manimal]

its one of my dreams to have a retirement 40 + footer. I wonder how much it would cost me to put enough solar panels on it to power the elctronics.

 

[jagec]

its one of my dreams to have a retirement 40 + footer. I wonder how much it would cost me to put enough solar panels on it to power the elctronics.

If all you want is lights, not much. If you want a fridge, TV, and stereo, somewhat more. If you want AC, you won't be able to fit that many panels on your boat.

 

[OlafSicky]

If you want cheap living accommodations why not buy a trailer it would be safer and less maintenance.

 

[Printer Bandit]

isn't living in a docked boat just like living in a trailer park? so classy.

 

[SillyOReilly]

http://www.amazon.com/Live-RV--And-T...words=live+van

 

[Markbnj]

isn't living in a docked boat just like living in a trailer park? so classy.

Um, no. And what's wrong with living in a trailer park? I've been in some really nice ones.

 

[tboo]

Boats N Hoes!

 

[Fern]

Many years ago when I lived in Miami I badly wanted to live on a sailboat. I could afford the boat (I was looking at Hunter sailboats in the mid-30 ft range) but was never able to find an affordable slip. Way too expensive then.

Where to leave your car parked was another concern.

There are many good suggestions here. I think one of the best is that you actually get some experience living aboard a boat/ship for a while before purchasing one.

While being in Miami I was never much concerned with heat trying this in Boston would concern me. I'm afraid it would be too cold and too damp for too long to be truly enjoyable.

Fern

 

[JulesMaximus]

isn't living in a docked boat just like living in a trailer park? so classy.

Most trailer parks are in shithole areas. Many marinas are in nice areas.

A lot of boat owners are people with money so they don't want to be in a low rent district.

 

[manlymatt83]

Thanks for the reply martech. Best first post ever!

I pay a lot in Rent each month living in downtown Boston.... which is why I just keep thinking it would be cheaper to live on a sailboat. Is that not true?

Either way I'm taking sailing lessons this Spring... that's a good start I figure.

 

[sonambulo]

Not many people if any that responded to your post seem to have any experience keeping a vessel as their home.

Fuckin amazing first post.

Welcome to ATOT!

Um, no. And what's wrong with living in a trailer park? I've been in some really nice ones.

The nice ones are few and far between. Nothing wrong with living in a trailer parked on it's own parcel of land; it basically becomes much like any other structure but with wheels.

Problem with the parks? In the non-retirement parks it's mostly the other residents. The stereotype is there for a reason. Oh and you're basically stuck with the trailer forever as they're mercilessly tough to unload.

 

[ViviTheMage]

These guys did it for like 4-5 years :

http://www.bumfuzzle.com/2003/09/01/septemberoctober-2003/

They also includ costs/maint/fuel/mooring, but they also sailed the world at the same time.

 

[sourn]

The cost of a 30-foot sailboat, in good condition, that won't need thousands of dollars in immediate repairs is not cheap. Add in docking/mooring fees, etc and it's really not cheap.

If you don't want the expense or upkeep a house requires, just rent an apartment. Stay away from "mobile homes." Even the nicest double-wide with a patio and such is still just a trailer. Besides, when all the sailboats are full, the murderers dump the bodies where? In the trailer park. In your trailer. Then you've got Rockford on your ass all over again.

In fact...just stay where you are.

As a person who has built stick houses and mobile homes I will say right now the quality depends on who builds it.

Mobile homes can be just as nice as a typical house.