Live aboard powerboat?

Made a mistake on that link, here is the one in San Diego:

1989 Pilgrim North Castle Marine Pilgrim 40 Power Boat For Sale -

It sounds to me as though his primary mission is live aboard, and take the boat out for a few hours with friends every once in awhile. This vessel would accomplish that in fine fashion,...even with the addition of a girlfriend/wife.

BTW, you might have a look thru this rather witty book about a Canadian couple who kind of backed into buying their first 'big' boat, and the learning processes they experienced:

Seven Miles an Hour: Retiring on a Trawler, With Cats
Seven Miles an Hour: Retiring on a Trawler, With Cats: Don Wallace: 9780972750165: Amazon.com: Books

You might find this interesting, not as a purchase, but to rent for a couple of nights just to get the feel: https://boatbound.co/boats/6215.

there are alot of marinas in SF bay..Sausolito has a huge water community... and many without waiting list.. owning a Carver.. after a long look at boats and for my needs the 4207 aft was the best boat for my needs and wallet.. there is alot of cabin space and huge state rooms for a boat.. there are several different models.. i dont have the lower helm or eating area which makes the salon alot bigger...

I think if the style of the Sea Ray motor yacht you posted is what you are after, you should probably confine your search to post 2000 boats. The style of 80s and 90s boats with very few exceptions is going to look VERY dated if you are in love with the mid 2000s Sea Ray look.

Some boat builders never changed, like Grand Banks for example, they pretty much look the same as they always did, but most of the mainstream builders had a sea change around the late 90s away from pastel colored floral fabrics and white wood / formica interiors to what you saw in that Sea Ray.

I still think a mid 2000s Carver would be worth a look. Check out recent vintage Meridians too, they are getting rather nice, remind me a lot of the 2000s Sea Ray Sedan Bridges. If they have any boat shows up by you, that is something to consider, or if you are in Los Angeles regularly, consider the Lido boat show in Newport Beach coming up towards the end of Sept as an opportunity to see a whole lot of boats potentially in your desired demographic in one place at one time.

I think functionally a sedan bridge and fly bridge are more or less the same. Sedan style boats have a large salon/main deck area which may or may not have a helm station, a flybridge might only have the helm on the upper deck and no helm station on the lower deck, and a sedan bridge may have helm stations on both decks or only the upper depending on the builder. Sea Ray happened to call their mid 2000s Sedan Bridges.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the terminology, you will also run into "convertibles" "opens" etc. There are endless terms for these things. Focus on whether the layout works for you

Yes there are, but finding one that accepts full time live aboards, especially those who do not have another address is the issue. Many people pursue this because of the extremely high housing costs in the Bay Area and get very frustrated. I would be sure you read the lease and rules very very carefully before assuming anything.

A couple of comments....

First, I would take advantage of the year to at least do a little coastal cruising. I fell in love with the water years ago, being on it, moving on it, boating. You may find it's the greatest feeling ever or that it just doesn't do that much for you. That can influence your choice of boat greatly.

Second, I would suggest considering boats with flybridges. This gives you the outdoors space without taking away the inside space. I just did a quick search. I didn't aim it at your area as I was just looking for ideas. I found several 50 foot Carvers with flybridges, 1996-2000, under $200,000. (Also, I would lower my desired purchase price a bit so I knew I could enjoy using it). I found older Sea Ray convertibles. I know you say not your style, but some great Grand Banks in that range. 2000-2001 Sea Ray 45' Express Bridges. Some really nice Ocean Alexander's. Older Hatteras yachts but the way Hatteras often holds up, they can be great buys. Beautiful 2002 Sea Ray 40' Sedan Bridge. 2000 model Sea Ray 420 Aft Cabin.

Oh and I do love researching boats. I swear my wife and I have researched nearly every brand on the market in making our selections.

Living Aboard in SF Bay Area

Not sure if you made the move or not yet...

I am not a full time live aboard since I travel a bit. But I do stay on my boat when I am in the Bay Area and discovered this a couple years ago. Haven't regretted it at all and saved a ton of money. I already owned the boat so it was a no brainer. And, it can be a better experience than renting a generic, overpriced apartment in the Bay Area. Purchasing a boat that has been well maintained will be key to limiting your maintenance expenses. My boat is a Sea Ray 370 Aft Cabin and was very well maintained; so, I haven't had any major issues. It's the perfect size for me; but, I am a fairly petite person. Would recommend a 42'+ boat for anyone more normal sized.

Also, there are a few marinas where you don't have to wait to liveaboard not too far from SF. Oyster Point in SSF is one option although the wind can be pick up out there. Fisherman's Wharf is rough from what I hear from other liveaboards... the waters rip through there and make it pretty rough. I stayed at South Beach Harbor this weekend and can attest that that area is much worse than where I am (in Half Moon Bay which also allows livaboards without a wait). Had a bunch of folks help me out when I was making my decision and happy to do the same for others. Feel free to e-mail with additional questions.

Sounds cool, Boatgalz. I see the sign now, "No Tall People Allowed." When I was single I wasn't near the water and didn't know how great it was but I am totally onboard with the live aboard idea now. Affordable way to own a boat. Unfortunately, it's getting a bit harder to do in many places.

living aboard

Take a hard look at a hatteras 43 aft cabin motor yacht, circa 1970-80. These boats are virtually indestructable, have about 600+ sq. ft living space (2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, living room, kitchen) 6ft 3" headroom, usually come with Detroit Diesel engines, and are very easy to maintain. The back deck is in the 150 sq. ft. range. You can pick up a good one: cosmetics done, engines rebuilt, $1000's of upgrades, for around $100K.

I'm sorry but this is a total crock! As for not leaving the dock will cut down on maintenance costs is completely not true! Belts, fittings, seals, Engine parts, shaft seals, stuffing boxes, all need to be lubricated, including transmissions. Buying a boat to live aboard and not use her is a fatal mistake! If that's the case, just stay where you are and donate all your money to charity. Boats REQUIRE to be taken out, and put through their paces in order to keep all lubricants, engine, transmissions, power steering, and any hydraulics on board in working order.

And as for the new guy in San Francisco, do not factor in a mortgage payment into the equation! Take a deep breath, and start stashing your money until you can pay cash for the boat. And preferably buy a new boat. That way you have warranties on your side, and you've given yourself two or three years of no costs, except for oil changes and other "must do" items. I have been pondering the same thing for years. But I'm going a different route. I'm having a 105 built (actually a 95 with a 10' cockpit.) Buying a used boat, without being a certified mechanic, is asking for bills that would choke a horse! My boat is not only going to be my home, but an entertainment platform, for our Clients, and Investor's. O.K I'm off my soapbox for now, but don't take Dsybok's opinions as gospel...it just ain't so.

Welcome to YF NEO56.

You're absolutely on target that boats need to be run. They sit, they rot; not to mention what grows on the bottom. But I have to disagree with your view on new vs pre-owned. I would always recommend against buying new from a financial standpoint. The only reasons for going new is if you're one of those people who needs new everything or financing. The resale value you'll lose in the first 3-5 years should be way more than you'd spend on what might otherwise be covered repairs under a warranty. Add to that the "new boat bugs". Even if they're covered under a warranty you'll lay out thousands just bringing the boat into the authorized yard. Once a boat is out of warranty you can bring the it to the mechanics, etc. of your choice. I had one client who traveled his boat 60+ miles maybe a dozen times the first 3 years going to the authorized yard, and the boat was laid up for most of each of those seasons. On top of that the first owner pays for all the extras from electronics to cutlery. When buying a pre-owned boat you always consider all electronics to be obsolete (you don't consider it in the price), yet you may well get 5 years or more out of it.

It makes me laugh when people think you can let a boat sit in a slip in the water for 10 years, then it will fire up and work perfectly when they try to sell it. If you want a floating house, buy a barge and build a house on it. If you want to tour the world without leaving your house, buy a yacht/ship/boat.