Living Aboard a Boat

[matty133]

I am going to be graduting college soon and would like to buy a boat that I can live on comfortably. It would only be durring the summer months. My question is what should I look for in a boat and what size do you think will be adequet. I have owned 2 other boats both under 20 feet, open cockpit style. I would have the boat docked in the ocean. thanks guys<br />Matt

 

[JB]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

I haven't lived on a boat but I have visited many friends who lived aboard.<br /><br />My impression is that the ones who lived aboard sailing vessels were more comfortable than those who lived on power boats. The power boats were 30' and up and the sailing vessels were 35' and up.<br /><br />The nicest live aboard boat I was on was a 65' schooner. I thought it was nicer than the one megayacht (100') I visited. I think the cruising sailboats I have been on are far better designed and better constructed than motoryachts.<br /><br />Of course, I have prejudices about what is truly efficient and elegant and what is just cheap bling. You need to feed my opinions through that filter.<br /><br />Houseboats? Travel trailers that float.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

I (and my wife) live on a boat for up to 6 weeks a year, it's a 40ft houseboat. It has all the comforts of home (flushing loo etc) but is JUST adequate.<br /><br />Believe me, anything smaller and you'll get over the notion of 'living on a boat' real quick.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

had a friend who bought, what i call a barge. it was 12x26 barge with a box on it. 4' front deck, 4' rear deck 12x18 room w/ corner potty room. powered by a 25hp rude. she thought she was set to see the world, until it took 3hours to move it 1/2 mile from one marina to another. it lasted 6 months and she lost her a--.

 

[blouderback]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

From which college are your graduting? It seem that they are not adequet in teaching you how to spell. <br /><br />Docking in the ocean? Might be pretty rough sleeping at night.

 

[magster65]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

Everyone's different. If it were me, I'd prefer something over 32' having at least a 11' beam. It'd have to be moored where there's shore power, cable, good parking nearby, showers, etc. This would only work short term, if it were for any length of time I'd want 50'+. I don't sail but from staying on my boat at the marina I find sailboats make too much noise when it's at all windy. The rigging 'howls'.

 

[matty133]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

Hey Bob,<br />Ill be graduating from Stonehill, just south of Boston. My spelling shows how much my generation relies on spell checker. Kinda sad I know.

 

[blouderback]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

Good Luck, Matty! I was just busting balls...

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

I hope it works out for you to live aboard a boat. That has always been a dream of mine but will probably never happen. I have had friends that have done it and the above posts saying sailboats seem to work better for this is what they experienced also. One couple lived quite comfortably in a large (I would guess 40") sailboat for several years.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

its all what your willing to deal with.<br /><br />when i was 25 , i lived on a 34' 1970 chris craft AQUA HOME. it was 34' long and had a 10' beam. the kitchen doubled as my 1 year old sons bedroom, and the living room/diningroom/familyroom/etc doubled as my bedroom.<br /><br />it was fun.<br /><br />there was people in our marina that lived on 20' sailboats. had a small colleg fridge on the dock in place of his dock box. he slept on the deck under a tarp in a sleeping bag.<br /><br />its all what your willing to handle!

 

[roadhog]

Re: Living Aboard a Boat

Originally posted by Bob Louderback:<br /> From which college are your graduting? It seem that they are not adequet in teaching you how to spell. <br /><br />Docking in the ocean? Might be pretty rough sleeping at night.