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Living on a Yacht?

Discussion in 'Popular Yacht Topics' started by DragonRyu, May 11, 2006.

  1. patriot9878

    patriot9878 Guest

    I have a brother who has a dock with three places to tie up a boat. I have seen many yachts that I can get for free. Some are restored and they are giving them away. So no house could beat that. No taxes, no grass cutting, and I don't think they are giving away houses. So if you get a cheap boat that is what would determine the savings. Buying a million dollar yacht not so much. I have seen a 57' Chris craft for free. If you just live on this yacht I wouldn't really need motors. There is a ramp right next to the docks. I don't think you could beat this.
  2. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    No grass cutting

    No grass to cut?????? Have you ever seen what grows under a boat?
    DocCuzi likes this.
  3. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    I'd go for it...at least for awhile. It just might open your mind to even newer possibilities. I lived on and off several boats over the years, and if I wasn't planning something else at the moment, I definitely consider it again.

    BTW where is this location you speak of...what part of the country??

    Here is a great livaboard I considered at one time just before a big hurricane was headed for that part of the country.
    TURN on you sound when you access the site:
    "Le Bon Temps Roule"
  4. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    Brian,

    Cannot find the noisy bit of the website.

    Living on an elegant old Mathews is a bit different to squatting on an abandoned Roamer IMO.
    Last edited: May 15, 2010
  5. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    If you don't need motors go for a housebarge. Much more space and less rocking.;) About that ramp, not sure how that relate to a 57' Chris. You'll need a really BIG truck & trailer.:D
  6. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    Thoughts on this scenario in regarding costs (on the comments to live aboard is more expensive)....Have a home with all the normal expenses IE.taxes ins,utilities,maintenance,yard.Also have a boat those expenses IE. ins,elect,slip fee,maintenance and so on....Both with mortgages.
  7. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    One is also generally an appreciating asset.
  8. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    Not in these times.....And not in the near future......
  9. waterlover

    waterlover New Member

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    Living on Yacht/Boat

    Wow. I really wish I would have known about some of the boats that were up for grabs. Maybe when I am done with this one. I will get another boat and redo again. I will make sure that I get it done somewhere near the coast. It has been terrible finding welders etc. in my area that know what they are doing. I think what scares them is the aluminum. I have found a good welder that is doing the work after his job, which means I have to wait on getting the job done, but he has worked on other boats, and is certified. I really enjoy fixing things, and refitting things so these boats can live on. I really think we throw away way too many things before their time. I have been studying and reading up on living aboard, and traveling along the ICW, and realize that a new perspective on life would be good for all. I think what I am looking forward most is the simpleness. There isn't much room for extras. There is only room for just what you need. As I am refitting this boat I am having to get the priorities right, light safety, hull strength, power station, motor, protection for the hull, etc. I found the living quarters or cabin is coming second, not that its not important, but the cabin isn't going to save my life, where as a good battery or safety device will. I am beginning to realize what is important, and then what just weights a person down. I'm liking that. You are all right there is maintenance with everything, and yes grass does grow on the bottom of all the boats. I live on 25 acres with out buildings and an older home. I no longer raise large animals like I used to, and am retired from the veterinary field. So for me this is a new chapter in my life. One or two things that I need to maintain sounds great instead of 50 or 60 things I need to maintain. I'm a maintainer too. Probably too much. If the instructions say 100 hrs I will change things at 75 hrs. So simple really sounds good to me at least for alittle while. Maybe I will like it so much I will want to stay on a boat the rest of my life. I know this is an experience that I am not to miss out on. It just interests me too much.
  10. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    To me, it sounds like you've found Nervana. The military tries to teach it to us (K.I.S.S.). Unfortunately most of us forget (or the wife and kids drive it out of us). Good luck.
  11. waterlover

    waterlover New Member

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    Kiss

    Keep it simple stupid. You are probably right, family does tend to make life more complicated. Now that my children are out of the house, I now yearn to get back to KISS as my Father taught me. I was taught that simple is the essence of perfection. Self protection is my God given right, and No matter how much I learn I will never know it all. Experiences and memories will be what I take with me when I leave this world. Not all the stuff. I think my Father just raised me right. My girls can have all the stuff. HA HA
  12. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Nah, spend it all before you go. It'll save a fight.:D
    DocCuzi likes this.
  13. travler

    travler Senior Member

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    NYCAP

    YOU ARE SOO RIGHT

    travler
  14. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    Thats great.....Ill have to remember that one for my girls...:D
  15. JB1150

    JB1150 New Member

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    I've read most of the thread but if I am repeating something please excuse me. I've looked at everyones calculations and everyone is missing one big calculation. If you live on a boat then you don't have the cost of a non live-aboard boat and a home. I currently have a Sea Ray 340 Express (would not live on) and was considering moving onto a larger (mid 50's) Hatteras motor yacht in the same Marina. My docking costs would have gone up about 20 feet per year (I'm already paying 35') additional and then the additional cost of owning a larger boat but I gain about 1000-1100 square foot condo on the water in Boston (with parking!) A typical condo that size on the water is going to run about $600K to $800K. I can pick up a very nice older Hat for half that price. For those of you who speak about depreciation. Look at the cost of the monthly mortgage on the boat and the cost of the more expensive condo. Bank/invest the difference between the two. In twenty years you will have put a nice dent in any depreciation and as well as match the equity you would have in the Condo. I realize that my perspective is based on a limited area. However, my first point of deducting the cost of any non live-aboard boat is universal. Assuming that you are already boating, that is.
  16. waterlover

    waterlover New Member

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    You know what Nycap you are right, I think I will spend it all. I am a firm believer of adult children taking care of themselves. I spent 25 years taking care of them, and sending them to school. Its my turn to play.
    The last reply was concerning slip rental and boat mortgage. I really don't know about other boat owners out there, but I do not have a boat mortgage. I have made sure that I pay cash to all repairs, and new refitting for the boat. That is probably why it has taken so long to do. I'm not sure I understand paying slip rent for a larger boat? If your boat is 20' then why aren't you paying slip rent for the 20'? If it's 32' then you should be paying for a 32' rental fee. Do you need extra room to something? I have done quite a bit of price research in the south not in the north, and if I get a perm. slip, the prices range from 250.00 to 400.00 a month. Even traveling as I am planning to do I can get transient slip rentals considerably cheaper. The whole idea here is to simplify. No mortgages, no lawns or residential rules, what is in the boat is only what we use, or have to have for safety. Yes I am going to have insurance I must pay, yes I am going to need to maintain this boat which will take some money. I also will be taking a scooter for transportation that will be tagged per my home state. I think what we are all talking about is simplifying our living expenses. I call it freedom to explore for as little or as long as I want to. Yes, if I had all the expenses you have described I would not be able to live aboard either.
  17. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Paying Slip Rent For A Larger Boat

    Most marinas will charge for the boat that will fit a slip. If you have a 46 footer, but the slip you want or is available will fit a 60 footer you'll often have to pay for a 60 footer or find yourself moving if a 60 wants to come in. That may not be such a problem in today's ecconomy, but a couple of years back a lot of marinas had waiting list. For the past 2 years most marinas have been begging for boats, but that won't last too much longer.
  18. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    You will quickly find that some marinas dictatorship rules make any residential ones you have been subject to pale into insignificance faster than the tide recedes in the Bay of Fundy.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Fundy
  19. JB1150

    JB1150 New Member

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    Waterlover, in my comparison to living on a boat in Boston to buying the Condo, I went on my own financial picture and comopared buying a late 1980's Hatteras motoryacht to a condo in the city. I neither have $350,000.00 to pay cash for a boat that size or $700,000.00 to buy a waterfront condo. That would be where the discussion of mortagages came from. As far as my point on slip fees, In my example I would go from my current 35 foot boat to a 55 foot boat, thus I would assume that my slip fees would go up by 20 feet (which in my current marina is $200.00 per foot for the year.) I'm not sure what is confusing about that.
  20. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    "Even traveling as I am planning to do I can get transient slip rentals considerably cheaper."

    Not sure how you figure that. Transient rates are normally more than long term rates.