I'm not going to try and talk you out of living aboard, although I believe
that liveaboard should be an equal part with cruising.
Even under the best of climate conditions, living aboard is a test of your
ability to live in a very confined space. While living aboard in the Pac. NW
has the added problem of dealing with the rain and the dampness.
I lived aboard in San Diego for a year and albeit damp in the winter, it
was mild compared to the Puget Sound area. I moved ashore since my primary
objective of having a sail boat was to cruise and explore. I was still
working at the time and it was not easy maintaining a dry wardrobe of
un-wrinkled clothing. Then there is the problem of storing stuff onboard,
that I needed in my daily work. Computer, printer (dry paper), answering
machine. Not to mention finding a hi spd internet connection.
Now that I'm retired, I am attempting to liveaboard and now have a larger
boat (Ingrid 38). I have plenty of storage space and no concern about
wardrobe appearance. I still can't find an hi spd internet connection and
rely on a very slow cellphone dial up to check and send email. The public
library has the facility to surf the net, but on their computers (no WiFi ).
I select all the gear I bring aboard, with cruising in mind. Can I secure
it or store it within 30 min before getting underway??
One additional problem remains that I suspect you will encounter in
Portland. Humidity!!! When the fall rain started this month. The humidity
inside the cabin went up to about 70-80% with the cabin temp. at a constant
60 deg.. This didn't bother me until I reached into an uninsulated locker
for a box of breakfast cereal... Every carboard box in these lockers were so
wet that I couldn't lift them without using both hands. I managed to save
everything that had a plastic bag inside.) I have since installed a
dehumidifier and it takes a half gallon of water a day, out of the cabin air
(this is while I leave the boat closed up). I also keep a electric heater
going to maintain a 50-60 deg. temp. (dehumidifiers don't work well at lower
temp.). I'm now able to keep the humidity down to below 40% with the
heater/dehumidifier combination.
A better solution would be to complete the insulation of all the lockers and
other exposed hull area.
I hope you are able to deal with these problems and don't become discouraged
since the liveaboard life style is great for some and misery for others.
The one major problem that is common in almost all west coast marinas, is
the ability to liveaboard at all. More and more port authorities and city
governments are limiting the total number of liveaboards at marinas. (many
of these marinas are leasing public waterfront/land and have to comply with
these restrictions or risk loosing their lease.) Other marinas just don't
want to deal with "some" of the liveaboards (small percent that live like
bums with no consideration for the remaining boating community. Just a cheap
place to live.).
Good luck.
Steve
s/v Good Intentions
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