considering live aboard
 

Brien Alkire wrote:

My wife and I took up sailing just last June. We started with dinghies and
then took the usual sequence of ASA classes. We don't own a boat, but we've
been sailing consistantly ever since. To make a long story short, the
sailing bug has bitten us hard.

We're now considering a dramatic step. We're considering selling our
townhome, buying a boat and living on it. We have no children and don't
need much space. We work near the marina (the townhouse is an awful
commute). I'd say we are about 60% serious about it.

Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish you
had considered before you made the move?

I'm sure I'll have many detailed questions as we work through this decision.

Some basics: we sail in So Cal. We enjoy coastal cruising at the local
islands. We're not interested in any bluewater stuff in the near term,
though we both earn lots of vacation and that could be interesting later. I
enjoy racing but the boat would be strictly for a home and for local
cruising. I don't know what kind of boat yet, but my preliminary thoughts
are on a 10-20 year old boat in the 38' to 45' range, and something that
holds value (as boats go).

I'd say you're in a perfect place to try it. Dockmate a decade ago had a
low-level job, but sunk the "rent" into a 45+' quality cruiser -- far
more than he could have afforded if he had lived on shore and kept a
boat. The Chesapeake is CHILLY in the winter, but 3 heaters kept him
toasty those winters he didn't have a girlfriend onshore.

South CA is far more benevolent, and the housing costs CONSIDERABLY
higher than the MD eastern shore, so I'd go for it in a NY second. (boy,
am I mixing a bunch of things!)

When our dockmate was laid off, he sunk the 6 months of unemployment
into the kitty and final commissioning and then headed south with his
current girlfriend. We didn't see them for a few years. Saw him and his
boat last season (when we visited our old marina), both well worn, but
haven't debriefed him on the experience.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

considering live aboard
 

However, don't expect it to be easy to find a liveaboard slip in So. Calif.
It is not impossible, but difficult.

--Alan Gomes

"Jere Lull" wrote in message
...
Brien Alkire wrote:

My wife and I took up sailing just last June. We started with dinghies
and
then took the usual sequence of ASA classes. We don't own a boat, but
we've
been sailing consistantly ever since. To make a long story short, the
sailing bug has bitten us hard.

We're now considering a dramatic step. We're considering selling our
townhome, buying a boat and living on it. We have no children and don't
need much space. We work near the marina (the townhouse is an awful
commute). I'd say we are about 60% serious about it.

Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard
a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish
you
had considered before you made the move?

I'm sure I'll have many detailed questions as we work through this
decision.

Some basics: we sail in So Cal. We enjoy coastal cruising at the local
islands. We're not interested in any bluewater stuff in the near term,
though we both earn lots of vacation and that could be interesting later.
I
enjoy racing but the boat would be strictly for a home and for local
cruising. I don't know what kind of boat yet, but my preliminary
thoughts
are on a 10-20 year old boat in the 38' to 45' range, and something that
holds value (as boats go).

I'd say you're in a perfect place to try it. Dockmate a decade ago had a
low-level job, but sunk the "rent" into a 45+' quality cruiser -- far
more than he could have afforded if he had lived on shore and kept a
boat. The Chesapeake is CHILLY in the winter, but 3 heaters kept him
toasty those winters he didn't have a girlfriend onshore.

South CA is far more benevolent, and the housing costs CONSIDERABLY
higher than the MD eastern shore, so I'd go for it in a NY second. (boy,
am I mixing a bunch of things!)

When our dockmate was laid off, he sunk the 6 months of unemployment
into the kitty and final commissioning and then headed south with his
current girlfriend. We didn't see them for a few years. Saw him and his
boat last season (when we visited our old marina), both well worn, but
haven't debriefed him on the experience.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

considering live aboard
 

However, don't expect it to be easy to find a liveaboard slip in So. Calif.
It is not impossible, but difficult.

--Alan Gomes

"Jere Lull" wrote in message
...
Brien Alkire wrote:

My wife and I took up sailing just last June. We started with dinghies
and
then took the usual sequence of ASA classes. We don't own a boat, but
we've
been sailing consistantly ever since. To make a long story short, the
sailing bug has bitten us hard.

We're now considering a dramatic step. We're considering selling our
townhome, buying a boat and living on it. We have no children and don't
need much space. We work near the marina (the townhouse is an awful
commute). I'd say we are about 60% serious about it.

Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard
a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish
you
had considered before you made the move?

I'm sure I'll have many detailed questions as we work through this
decision.

Some basics: we sail in So Cal. We enjoy coastal cruising at the local
islands. We're not interested in any bluewater stuff in the near term,
though we both earn lots of vacation and that could be interesting later.
I
enjoy racing but the boat would be strictly for a home and for local
cruising. I don't know what kind of boat yet, but my preliminary
thoughts
are on a 10-20 year old boat in the 38' to 45' range, and something that
holds value (as boats go).

I'd say you're in a perfect place to try it. Dockmate a decade ago had a
low-level job, but sunk the "rent" into a 45+' quality cruiser -- far
more than he could have afforded if he had lived on shore and kept a
boat. The Chesapeake is CHILLY in the winter, but 3 heaters kept him
toasty those winters he didn't have a girlfriend onshore.

South CA is far more benevolent, and the housing costs CONSIDERABLY
higher than the MD eastern shore, so I'd go for it in a NY second. (boy,
am I mixing a bunch of things!)

When our dockmate was laid off, he sunk the 6 months of unemployment
into the kitty and final commissioning and then headed south with his
current girlfriend. We didn't see them for a few years. Saw him and his
boat last season (when we visited our old marina), both well worn, but
haven't debriefed him on the experience.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

considering live aboard
 

x-no-archive:yes


"Brien Alkire" wrote:


Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish you
had considered before you made the move?

I won't address the SoCal part of this because we are on the East
Coast. We live aboard about 6 months of the year because we still
have a house. That also means that we haven't had to get rid of all
our 'land stuff'.

We are also both retired, and all our children are grown and married.
I have no regrets about making the move, nor do I have anything to
offer as to what we didn't consider. I think we considered almost
everything.

One thing I considered was that my husband not only loves sailing, but
really LOVES to work on stuff. (When we are home in the summer he's
always doing something to the house - this year he put a tin ceiling
in the family room, last year he rebuilt the whole porch which wraps
around two sides of the house.) He complains a bit because I don't
like to work on stuff and so I don't, but the boat keeps him busy and
happy.

He's also willing to tackle almost anything (this year he installed a
larger holding tank), and do the maintenance required. For instance
we were offshore between Charleston and the St. Mary's River and the
water pressure pump started to leak and spray water all over the
engine room. He was pretty quick to diagnose the problem, and he
fixed it while we were in Fernandina Beach.

If you aren't the kind of DIY person that he is, you need to have a
bunch more money - it's always more expensive to have someone else do
it and they may not do it as well as you would like. A live-aboard
boat has more SYSTEMS to learn about than a boat that's simply for
racing or daysailing.

If you are going to be in a marina full time, ESPECIALLY if you are
still working, the things you will miss will be different than the
ones you will miss if you are cruising full time. I have never lived
in one marina for any length of time. Usually when we are on the
boat, we are moving around. For instance, we left home (on the
Potomac) at the end of October and are now in Miami. We are going to
try living at a marina down here in FL this winter instead of going to
the Bahamas.

Living aboard while you are still working will mean that you will have
to have a working wardrobe. This will take more space than if you
just want boat clothes. Also once you live aboard, you have more work
to get the boat ready to sail, and you may not do it as often as you
now think you will.

We also love being able to live in the center of small villages and
towns where we can walk or bike to things. We do belong to the
live-aboard list, and we get email while underway via pocketmail. I
also like being outdoors where I can observe nature. I love
photography, painting, snorkeling and scuba diving.

I'm not terribly enthusiastic about wild weather (high winds,
thunderstorms etc), and I'd happily motor across a glassy sea when we
have to do a passage offshore while Bob would much rather sail, but I
know the boat is much tougher than I am so I'm not worried exactly,
and I don't usually get seasick, but it does increase my anxiety
level.




grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id2.html

considering live aboard
 

x-no-archive:yes


"Brien Alkire" wrote:


Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish you
had considered before you made the move?

I won't address the SoCal part of this because we are on the East
Coast. We live aboard about 6 months of the year because we still
have a house. That also means that we haven't had to get rid of all
our 'land stuff'.

We are also both retired, and all our children are grown and married.
I have no regrets about making the move, nor do I have anything to
offer as to what we didn't consider. I think we considered almost
everything.

One thing I considered was that my husband not only loves sailing, but
really LOVES to work on stuff. (When we are home in the summer he's
always doing something to the house - this year he put a tin ceiling
in the family room, last year he rebuilt the whole porch which wraps
around two sides of the house.) He complains a bit because I don't
like to work on stuff and so I don't, but the boat keeps him busy and
happy.

He's also willing to tackle almost anything (this year he installed a
larger holding tank), and do the maintenance required. For instance
we were offshore between Charleston and the St. Mary's River and the
water pressure pump started to leak and spray water all over the
engine room. He was pretty quick to diagnose the problem, and he
fixed it while we were in Fernandina Beach.

If you aren't the kind of DIY person that he is, you need to have a
bunch more money - it's always more expensive to have someone else do
it and they may not do it as well as you would like. A live-aboard
boat has more SYSTEMS to learn about than a boat that's simply for
racing or daysailing.

If you are going to be in a marina full time, ESPECIALLY if you are
still working, the things you will miss will be different than the
ones you will miss if you are cruising full time. I have never lived
in one marina for any length of time. Usually when we are on the
boat, we are moving around. For instance, we left home (on the
Potomac) at the end of October and are now in Miami. We are going to
try living at a marina down here in FL this winter instead of going to
the Bahamas.

Living aboard while you are still working will mean that you will have
to have a working wardrobe. This will take more space than if you
just want boat clothes. Also once you live aboard, you have more work
to get the boat ready to sail, and you may not do it as often as you
now think you will.

We also love being able to live in the center of small villages and
towns where we can walk or bike to things. We do belong to the
live-aboard list, and we get email while underway via pocketmail. I
also like being outdoors where I can observe nature. I love
photography, painting, snorkeling and scuba diving.

I'm not terribly enthusiastic about wild weather (high winds,
thunderstorms etc), and I'd happily motor across a glassy sea when we
have to do a passage offshore while Bob would much rather sail, but I
know the boat is much tougher than I am so I'm not worried exactly,
and I don't usually get seasick, but it does increase my anxiety
level.




grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id2.html

considering live aboard
 

Suggest the book "All in One Boat" (Tom Neal, I think). Very practical
and to the point from a guy who has raised a family that way. I'd even
go so far as to say it's a "must read". Could give you a jump-start
and/or avoid a lot of grief.

Rufus

considering live aboard
 

Suggest the book "All in One Boat" (Tom Neal, I think). Very practical
and to the point from a guy who has raised a family that way. I'd even
go so far as to say it's a "must read". Could give you a jump-start
and/or avoid a lot of grief.

Rufus

considering live aboard - yardbirds
 

"Rosalie B." wrote
If you aren't the kind of DIY person that he is, you need to have a
bunch more money ....

IMHO having money won't help. I've been trying to get lazy jacks and a
roller foresail furler installed for months. I finally installed the jacks
myself then told the local yard to forget the furler cuz I planned to find
someone else to install it. The head yardbird called my wife the next week
sniveling about how he'd already bought the expensive furler and promising
to install it before the weekend if she'd agree. She did and sure enough
they removed our headstay the very next day. That was before Thanksgiving.
They were going to finish up this week but the bird that climbs masts went
to jail so ..... Merry Xmas. I'd say being a DIY person is essential, money
or not.

considering live aboard - yardbirds
 

"Rosalie B." wrote
If you aren't the kind of DIY person that he is, you need to have a
bunch more money ....

IMHO having money won't help. I've been trying to get lazy jacks and a
roller foresail furler installed for months. I finally installed the jacks
myself then told the local yard to forget the furler cuz I planned to find
someone else to install it. The head yardbird called my wife the next week
sniveling about how he'd already bought the expensive furler and promising
to install it before the weekend if she'd agree. She did and sure enough
they removed our headstay the very next day. That was before Thanksgiving.
They were going to finish up this week but the bird that climbs masts went
to jail so ..... Merry Xmas. I'd say being a DIY person is essential, money
or not.