Which inevitably felt like a pillow top last time I slept on it... but then I was just glad to be sleeping on a bed at that point.
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Living on a Sailboat
- Thread starter navy_or_bust
- Start date
Which inevitably felt like a pillow top last time I slept on it... but then I was just glad to be sleeping on a bed at that point.
Wow this article popped on my radar all of a sudden...
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080308/LIVING08/980941792/1031/LIVING08
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080308/LIVING08/980941792/1031/LIVING08
edited
Maaaaaaaaaaannnnnn, what'd I miss?????
When did you get back in town?
Reviving this thread, I'm wondering if anything has changed in the past 4 or 5 years regarding these marinas and their policies about live-aboards. From what I've been seeing online, Waterside and NS Norfolk Marina don't seem to forbid or even charge extra for live-aboards, but whether they're still full up is something I wasn't able to find. Meanwhile, Everett in Washington seems to charge twice as much on a monthly basis.
I ask because I'm starting to consider purchasing a houseboat myself somewhere down the line. Here's one I've been looking at in particular: http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1988-Harbor-Master-47ft-Standard-346572
Some people have mentioned earlier in this thread that buying a house would be a better financial move because a boat depreciates and a house appreciates. To which I say, if you can buy a boat for $70k with minimal debt as opposed to taking out a 15-30 year fixed mortgage at $200k, you can avoid paying the tens of thousands of dollars of interest on the mortgage. And the monthly costs for a houseboat, as far as I've been seeing so far, are quite a bit lower than that of a house if you add in the mortgage payments. Unless you're moored in Washington.
Just something I've been kicking around for the past month or two. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I ask because I'm starting to consider purchasing a houseboat myself somewhere down the line. Here's one I've been looking at in particular: http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1988-Harbor-Master-47ft-Standard-346572
Some people have mentioned earlier in this thread that buying a house would be a better financial move because a boat depreciates and a house appreciates. To which I say, if you can buy a boat for $70k with minimal debt as opposed to taking out a 15-30 year fixed mortgage at $200k, you can avoid paying the tens of thousands of dollars of interest on the mortgage. And the monthly costs for a houseboat, as far as I've been seeing so far, are quite a bit lower than that of a house if you add in the mortgage payments. Unless you're moored in Washington.
Just something I've been kicking around for the past month or two. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
A few things to keep in mind, especially with a boat like that...
-it's coming from TN, which is a fresh water location. Putting it in a salt water environment (somewhat salty in the Bay, much saltier in the Pacific), corrosion, and therefore work and cost will increase. Will it be more than lawn care in Florida? Probably not at first, but it will depend on how good a condition you start out with.
-be wary of "inexpensive" fiberglass houseboats (or other platform type boats like a pontoon boat). The glass work will be thin and there's lots of plywood everywhere. I've seen less than ideal glass work turn into some small leaks, which turns into some structural damage of the wood. And the problem will keep growing if it isn't nipped in the bud right away.
-twin motors and a genny? Can you guess where a good portion of your money is going to go? Also keep in mind how you're going to heat the place in the winter (electric, kerosene, forced air running off your diesel tanks, etc).
Just food for thought to build into your cost analysis. At the end of the day, it may still be a good deal.
-it's coming from TN, which is a fresh water location. Putting it in a salt water environment (somewhat salty in the Bay, much saltier in the Pacific), corrosion, and therefore work and cost will increase. Will it be more than lawn care in Florida? Probably not at first, but it will depend on how good a condition you start out with.
-be wary of "inexpensive" fiberglass houseboats (or other platform type boats like a pontoon boat). The glass work will be thin and there's lots of plywood everywhere. I've seen less than ideal glass work turn into some small leaks, which turns into some structural damage of the wood. And the problem will keep growing if it isn't nipped in the bud right away.
-twin motors and a genny? Can you guess where a good portion of your money is going to go? Also keep in mind how you're going to heat the place in the winter (electric, kerosene, forced air running off your diesel tanks, etc).
Just food for thought to build into your cost analysis. At the end of the day, it may still be a good deal.
See my first post in this thread. That info (other than my employment) is still current and valid. 47' is huge.
Shit breaks on boats all the time. Unless you are going to be traveling and utilizing the fact that it moves on a regular basis you're better off renting.
NS Norfolk doesn't allow anyone to live aboard their boat. There are a few people who are grandfathered in, but I think they left a couple years ago. Also, if you draft much more than 6 feet you may find yourself resting on the bottom at some lower low tide cycles.
The Marine across the water on the north side of Willoughby bay does though.
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
My parents have a 40+ foot boat and they are constantly updating or repairing something on it.
You bring up several good points. It's funny you mention the fiberglass, one of the reasons I singled out that boat is because it was one of the few that said fiberglass, and I didn't want to worry about wood rotting or aluminum corroding. It'd be pretty ironic if I bought the fiberglass to avoid wood rotting and then a crack in the fiberglass let water in and rotted the wood. An irony I'm sure I wouldn't appreciate after the fact.
As far as the fuel goes, I don't anticipate moving around too much. I might take 'er out from time to time, maybe once or twice a month, but for the most part I imagine it'll stay at the dock. But still worth considering the fuel costs for that, plus the generator like you mentioned.
I did see that earlier post, that's the info I was asking about, whether waiting lists are still that long. Maybe if I plan far enough in advance, I can get on that list at such a time that when I expect to wind up at Norfolk/Oceana, I'll be next in line for a spot at the marina.
And I was considering moving around on it from time to time. I was thinking I also might go down the coast to Florida for some vacation time at some point.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
That hull shape will be absolutely miserable in Hampton Roads on all but the calmest days.
Sent from a van down by the river via Tapatalk
Sent from a van down by the river via Tapatalk
Financially, it's a bad risk (I don't even want to imagine what a pain the PCS will be). But at the same time, when else are you going to get the opportunity to do something like this? I lost more than the value of that boat after buying a home in 2005 (and expecting appreciation). I'd say that if it's something you really want to do, find a way to make it work. Once you start accumulating things like a family, as was pointed out upthread, you're not going to be able to do it. And any financial loss will be mitigated by a) the relatively low buy-in cost of the boat relative to a house, and b) all the potential of your future career earnings.
You mean the size, or the actual shape? Swanee mentioned it's pretty big, so now I'm looking for closer to 30 ft. if that makes any difference. Draft is closer to 3 ft as opposed to the 6-ft that the boat I posted has. But if it's the shape, what would be better, something like a pontoon or a catamaran?