Questions from a future liveaboard

[lucia1964]

I am planning on living on a boat (so far I keep coming back to Chris Craft) but this won't happen until 7-10 years from now (at that point the youngest will be off to college). What I need to know is 1) Is there a certain type of boat that should or shouldn't be put in salt water (I'm focused on Florida)? I know this sounds stupid but in some used ads it is stated that the boat shown is a fresh water boat. Should I think of boats like cars, in that a car from the west coast is desirable to someone in the midwest because there's no rust from salt, and is that the reason for them clarifying that? 2) I have fallen in love with the older models (1940's to 1970's) and would like to know if there is anything to keep in mind regarding these beautiful boats, especially the ones with a lot of wood trim, etc. Which brings me to another question, 3) what should I keep in mind when considering living "on the sea"? I love the look of the teak and other types of wood that I see used (for inside the living quarters)
I really want to do this right and am open to any and all info. you all have. Ya, I know this opens Pandora's Box but remember what was left in Pandora's Box - Hope. This dream that I will make a reality is what's going to pull me thru the next ten years and get me the hell outa Northern Wisconsin.
I welcome the banter . . .

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Honest opinion...

Forget a wood or steel hulled boat. These are really not set it and forget it boats, and will need regular maintenance to stay afloat.

Fresh water, usually means fresh water cooled (or the owner indicating its only been used in freshwater). If your looking for an older larger inboard boat, try and get one with closed cooling (fresh water cooled).

Wood on a boats cabin is very nice and not too much upkeep. Wood on the exterior is a lot more work. Keep in mind a lot of the old boats (Chris Craft included) used Formica fake wood which is much different then a real wood ply with solid trim.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

If you do have your heart set on a wood boat, a boat used in salt water would probably be in better shape structurally than a fresh water boat. Fresh water causes rot much faster than salt water. Most salt water boats with rot tend to rot from rain water, not the water they float in.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

I would use the time from now and then to get over having a wooden boat. I know a few people that have large wooden boats (30-50foot) that live in salt water and you will be spending most of your money on keeping it up. They really are a passion of love if you can get over the wood and go fiberglass I would do that. As for the boat its self I don't think one from CA vs NJ would really matter. I guess the ones that are up north can have damage from stuff freezing but a survey should uncover those issues. I would say away from boats with gas motors, thre are all kinds of issues with fumes and what not when you live on them. Everyone I know that lives on a boat das a Disel motor. they will last way longer than gas anyways. Do you plan on just living on it or seeing the sights?

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

On living aboard, I had a friend that used to acquire larger inland boats (40 ft. +) and would drive from Dallas up to Lake Texoma where he restored them as a pastime/way to pay for upgrading to a larger boat, and spent the weekends on another boat he had at the marina (Texoma marinas are huge). He did this for years and one day I overheard him make the comment: "I'm not going to spend the night on the boat again".

Read into it what you choose. I have my own idea as to the why! Food for thought.

Mark

 

[JoLin]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Lucia, what is your boating experience, and what kind of boat do you own now? I ask only because some of your questions are of the 'newbie' variety. If you're planning to jump from a 16' bowrider on a lake, or no boat at all, to a 40' liveaboard on the coast, well... there're about a gazillion things you need to learn and experience before you get from here to there.

My .02

 

[TyeeMan]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

My suggestion is befor you get tunel vision on living full time on a boat I would do some research. I've followed anothere thread on another site on a guy that wanted to live full time on a boat. Like Texasmark said, it didn't last too long and he was done.
Go to Johndee.com, jump onto the discussion board and scroll downt to boating chat or whatever they call it. Don't be alarmed, it's a snowmobiling website based out of the UP of Michigan, but they have a boating section you can jump on for the summer months. If you want to join the site it doesn't cost anything, just sign up like here. If you have questions you will find everybody most cordial.

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Honest opinion...

Forget a wood or steel hulled boat. These are really not set it and forget it boats, and will need regular maintenance to stay afloat.

Fresh water, usually means fresh water cooled (or the owner indicating its only been used in freshwater). If your looking for an older larger inboard boat, try and get one with closed cooling (fresh water cooled).

Wood on a boats cabin is very nice and not too much upkeep. Wood on the exterior is a lot more work. Keep in mind a lot of the old boats (Chris Craft included) used Formica fake wood which is much different then a real wood ply with solid trim.

Sorry about that. While I do see that there are wood hulls, I'm more smitten with the wood interiors. I apologize for not clarifying that. I agree with the fiberglass hulls being more sound and less upkeep. Wood and water definitely can have it's problems.
Thanks for your thoughts. Very much appreciated.

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Ditto what I replied to 25th Mustang. The interiors are beautiful and give a warmer feel. The hull would be better as fiberglass.
Thanks for replying.

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Interesting about the gas vs diesel issue. Never thought of that, but then again I'm just beginning the serious considerations of owning and living aboard. I would like to put in some cruising hours but I'd say this future boat will be 80-90 % dockside. Then again, I've surprised myself with other assumptions I've made about things so I'm not counting out long cruises. I'll have to keep an open mind about the whole experience because I love and crave travel and change.

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Thanks, Texasmark. Your comments and the imbedded quote (about having a friend show you the ropes) are important. Question is how do you "try this out" to know if it is the right decision? If you don't know anyone who is doing what you are curious about, you kinda have to dive right in. I'll reply more at the end of these wonderful posts.

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Ha ! Guilty as charged. I am a newbie. I have been on others boats but don't own one (YET). 7-10 years gives me a lot of room to ask questions, research and save. I have been thinking about it for years but didn't give it serious thought until now. Now, I know no one is born knowing how to captain a vessel and we all begin somewhere. usually there's an uncle's boat or the family boat that comes into the vacation picture every summer, but I never had those opportunities. So that's why all the questions. I'm feeling the waters. (Always been a late bloomer). I'll post more after replying.
Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[tomn916]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Go read a few Travis McGee novels by John D. MacDonald. Then figure that your live aboard experience will be nothing like that.

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Thanks, TyeeMan. I will check the site out. UP, huh? They are right down the road. Nice. Yes, that's why all of the questions. Much research to do. Thanks for the info.

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Thank you so much for all of the thoughts, comments and info. As stated on a reply, I am a newbie but isn't everyone at some point. When you were 15 or 16, you didn't have your eye on a Geo Prism, did ya? Hell no, it was (if your from my era) a Trans Am, Camaro, Corvette or Chevelle SS (my fav) with mag wheels in the back, Midnight Metallic Blue, etc. (you see where I'm going). I have to start somewhere and miss the ocean desperately (13 + years in Califronia). I go to bed at night with a CD of Ocean sounds playing (sounds pretty desperate, right?) and have bought and read (and rereading) The Essentials of Living Aboard A Boat by Mark Nicholas, pure over the used boat ads on line just to see what's out there and dream.
So now I know I need to learn everything I can about boats, boating (rules, laws, and etiquette) and start with a small purchase to work my way up to my target. 10 years will afford me the chance to do this. We have marinas here on Lake Superior and Sailing Schools to teach. Like I said, I don't know anyone who has a boat so I don't know who to ask other than a school.
Ok, I'm ready for your thoughts.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Thanks, Texasmark. Your comments and the imbedded quote (about having a friend show you the ropes) are important. Question is how do you "try this out" to know if it is the right decision? If you don't know anyone who is doing what you are curious about, you kinda have to dive right in. I'll reply more at the end of these wonderful posts.

There are two trains of thought that could come out of my comment as I see it.

1. What kind of personal security can you have or expect when there are 100 boats there that cost up to $1M for a number and the owners are out there when all the day traffic has gone home. Common sense says to me that it presents an opportunity that can be exploited by an undesirable person.

2. Take where you live and what amenities that you have and imagine that you are in a new house that now consists of not 1000 sq. ft. or 3000, but more like a couple hundred. Everything has to be brought aboard and obtained from where? How are you going to get it to the boat? If you are in a remote area and distance is a factor, besides having limited opportunities for your desires, the cost can be many times that to which you are accustomed. What about daily chores of eating, personal hygiene, clothing availability, and things of the sort.

These are the things that come to my mind. When young, I thought it would be cool to have a big boat and live on it as my GF lived in Rockport, TX. and I spent many summers there where they had live aboards in the turning basin/marina. I'd walk out on the piers and mentally go over what it would be like to live aboard the boats moored at each pier. Later in life reality set in and the glitter disappeared from my childhood aspirations.

What if you rented a boat similar to what you think you would like and live aboard for whatever time it takes to decide if it's right for you, or what changes you need to make. Would save you a lot of things in the long run.

HTH. Good Luck,
Mark

 

[Don S]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

I (We, wife and I) lived aboard a couple of different boats and a number of areas. SF Bay area, Puget sound, WA area, and Ketchikan AK.

Some things to think about, boats leak, if living aboard that is not good. Repairs are constant. Wood boats are the worst.
A yearly haul out and bottom paint and other bottom maintenance is a must do. (It will be 1 to 2 weeks of hell when your home is on land and on stands.)

Not all days are sunshine and calm winds. When you live aboard, you are there in storms as well as sunny days. Days of rain on end get old fast, if you go where there is cold and snow.......... think about it.

I lived aboard over 10 years ago, things were getting tough for liveaboards then. Sewage systems, gray water systems all have some really tight rules you will have to deal with. Check out the liveaboards situation in the area you want to move to BEFORE you buy a boat. Many marinas just don't allow liveaboards anymore. Some also say that on paper, but if you look into it they may have some, but keep a closed eye to them, and they treat the liveaboards nicely. Built in security.

Security, boats aren't houses, but you also don't keep all the stuff you would have in a house on a boat. There just isn't room.
Locked storage is a way of life.

I learned early, you need heat when in cold areas, diesel heat works, gasoline ............. not so much. Electric heat is almost out of the question. Docks typically have 30A service, or less. 1 electric heater you can plug into a wall is 15A, and your walls and roof are not insulated. Propane heaters cause condensation.

All the food and everything else you buy while being a liveaboard has to be carried from your car in the parking lot to the boat. When I lived in Anacortes WA, that trip was 1/8 mile. Try that in a pouring rain carrying groceries.

Sorry if my comments broke your rose colored glasses on living aboard. But with all the bad there is good.

We took a summer off and went from WA state and spent 3 months sailing around the Gulf Islands, and Desolation Sound. Spent a month making the trip from WA state to Ketchikan Alaska. Wouldn't trade those memories for anything I have done living in a house.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

I've seen multiple adds from people who own a big boat in a slip and are willing to rent it monthly to someone to live aboard... generally with the stipulation that it never leaves the dock... a year of renting would give you a pretty good idea of whether to move forward or landward

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Hi Mark,
Security, huh. Well, my 38 should take care of the problem, if there is a problem. Seriously, I understand your concern and do have plan of action. No worries.

As far as the downsizing goes, it's funny but I loved life when I was a firefighter because I was really good at taking only what I needed and really didn't miss the rest. I'm used to traveling also, so taking everything with you is not an option. I guess I'm more TomBoy than anything. All the junk that a typical girl needs drives me nuts. (My mom, like most ladies of her era, practically took a suit case with her every time we went to the store. Why?) I have given downsizing a lot of thought and I really welcome it. Less to keep track of and deal with. My antiques I'll have to deal with and have 10 years to decide what I want to do.
Hauling stuff in the rain? I don't melt and have great rain jackets for that wet stuff. (I grew up in Cleveland). Rain never bothered me.

I want just enough room for me. 30-41 footer should be great. Just me, myself and I. I'm really looking forward to it. (you have no idea)

Good idea on the whole renting subject. I am going to look into that. I have some time yet but that's a great idea if the boats halfway decent and the rent isn't crazy.

Thanks so much, Mark. I welcome all these "devil's advocate" questions and situations. Keep 'em coming. Then, when I get myself settled in, I'll invite you over for a beer.

Lu

 

[lucia1964]

Re: Questions from a future liveaboard

Don,
There's NO WAY I'm living any where it get's cold or snows after this boy graduates high school and is off on his own. I'm so sick of these winters and this is going to be a looooong 10 years but it gives me time to get everything straight.
I do agree (as stated before) that the wood will be interior not exterior. I love the look of wood, the warmth. I can only imagine what would happen to a wood hull in salt water.
I plan to buy a used RV so if I need to have the boat worked on, I'll have a place to stay. I've priced them and the ones I'm looking at are about the same price as the boats I've been eyeing. Sweet !
The marinas I've been looking at welcome liveaboards and sound nice. I've also been comparing costs and locations. (yes, I dove right in and went wild researching and bookmarking)
I already figure I'm going to have to have some storage. No problem there.

Well, the rose colored glasses weren't knocked off and are still sitting pretty on my little nose. I really appreciate all of your comments and concerns. I really do. If anything, it gets me all the more excited because it hasn't scared me off.

Thanks again,
Lu