BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Cruisers vs liveaboards and sailboat ghettos

wrote:

Yesterday when I was visiting my boat in Bradenton, FL, I realized
that most of the boats there were occupied by liveaboards. However, I
also noticed that none of the boats had been moved since I left a month
ago. It seems there is a large number of people who liveaboard but
really do not go anywhere. This is probably obvious to everybody else
but it had never occurred to me.

Is mostly obvious to people that are in marinas where people live
aboard. It is MUCH harder to get out and sail if you are living
aboard, especially if you work ashore. Unless you are actively
cruising, of course. If you move every couple of days, the boat is
still set up for it. If not - there's all kinds of stuff to be put
away and other stuff to be gotten out.

Later, I was looking around Bradenton for other possible less
expensive places to put my boat and noticed many boats anchored on the
west side of the ICW near the Bradenton Municipal pier. I asked around
and found that many people anchor ther for free for months. However,
looking closer, I saw that most of these boats really looked trashed
out so decided that $289/month in the marina may not be too bad for a
few months. What are other peoples feelings about such sailboat
ghettos?

That's a really good price esp. for FL. I think the boats that are
anchored or moored, unless people are living aboard they do tend to
get grungy looking. Especially if there is difficulty in getting
materials from shore. I know people who anchor out all the time and
almost never come into a marina, and their boats are perfectly nice.

But a boat that is vacant, whether it is in a marina or anchored or
moored, can go downhill pretty quickly.

grandma Rosalie