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Guess its kinda like a mobile home with the chance of drowning.

Doesn't seem like a bad place to retire tho, at least in concept.

Here's one that costs the same as my last car and already in Florida. I'd have to redecorate of course 'cept for the mermaid (and maybe the pink bedroom )

Thoughts?



http://yachtbroker.escapeartist.com/boa ... index.html

I've actually begun to research this. Although I want something that can be used more on the open water then typical houseboats.

It'd scare me some with a little keet..... only takes a second to get out of your sight....

I lived on my dad's cabin cruiser in SC for almost a year in college. It isn't for everybody, but I thought it was great. I learned that that you can get by with a lot less stuff than you think.

Planning on moving, John?

My friend lived on one...she had to put up with a hell of a lot of crud at the marina she was docked at...lots of noise from boats, partiers, no parking etc. Plus no laundry, minimal storage etc. She got pretty sick of it and finally gave it up.

The_Polly_Roger wrote:Guess its kinda like a mobile home with the chance of drowning.

That has got to be the best line I've heard in a while!

Does being in the Navy for 9 years count?

I am soooo not Organized enough to live on a boat

If you decide to buy a boat and live on it:
Take a Coast Guard Auxillary Safe Boating Course...it will save you on insurance. Get a Chapman's "Blue Book" on Seamanship and safe boating AND READ IT! It will pretty much, answer everything you need to know.

1. LEARN ALL YOU CAN ABOUT MARINE HEADS AND PLUMBING! MAKE SURE ALL GUEST(S) KNOW WHAT CAN BE DISPOSED OF IN THE HEAD AND WHAT CANNOT! ( sounds dumb, but it will save you ALOT of headaches and pains and sense of smell!)
2.LEARN TO CONSERVE WATER! WHAT YOU HAVE ON BOARD IS ALL THE FRESH WATER,THAT YOU HAVE! A LONG SHOWER LAST FAR LESS THAN TWO MINUTES! ( ACTUALLY LESS THAN ONE MINUTE )AND YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A HOT WATER HEATER!)
3. SEE NUMBER 1 AND 2!
4.EVERYTHING YOU BRING ON BOARD MUST BE ABLE TO BE USED FOR MORE THAN ONE PURPOSE! YOUR SPACE AND STORAGE IS DEFINITELY VERY FINITE AND VERY LIMITED!
5.SEE NUMBER 1 AND NUMBER 2!
6.SEE NUMBER 4.
7.WHAT HAPPENS AT THE MARINA .....STAYS AT THE MARINA!
8.SALTWATER AND ROUGHWATER WILL DESTROY MOST THINGS! KEEP THEM SECURE!!! ( BE CAREFUL WITH ANYTHING MADE OF GLASS!)
9.SEE NUMBERS 1,2,4,7, AND 8!
10. USE CANNED BEER AND PLASTIC GLASSES OR CUPS! ( ONE BROKEN BOTTLE OR GLASS AND YOU WILL LEARN WHY!)
11."FRIENDS" WILL DROP BY UNEXPECTED!
12.LEARN HOW TO DO BRIGHT WORK!
HELP ANYONE IN THE MARINA THAT YOU CAN....YOU MAY NEED THE HELP RETURNED ONE DAY, NOT TO MENTION WHAT YOU MAY LEARN AND SAVE YOU MONEY!!!

(WHEN/ IF VENTURING OUT)
***A PREDEPARTURE BRIEFING SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE ALL SAFETY GEAR, FIRE EXTINQUISHERS, LIFE JACKETS, FIRST AID KIT, FLARES,ETC) ARE LOCATED.*****
13. KEEP CHARTS OF THE AREA ONBOARD IN A DRY PLACE! ( You may know the waters like the back of your hand, but if something happens to you, your guest or friends aboard maynot)
14. GET AND LEARN HOW TO USE A VHF RADIO!!! ( IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE OR KNOW HOW, GIVE THE GUESTS IF THEY DON'T KNOW A QUICK "LESSON". )

I think every thing else has been pretty much covered....
Okies hmmm other than that get to know the people at the marina as best you can...usually in a marina everyone watches everyone's Six (among other things ) and are generally friendly and helpful.


Have a dock party from time to time. People can BYOB.... bring a dish, or whatever.......

Best of luck

Let me know....

My step fathers parents lived on their 41' ketch kat sailboat for 3 years in Bahia Mar Basin in Ft Lauderdale. I stayed with them several times on vacations for a week or 2 at a time.

I was just a little girl at the time but I remember that everything had a place and many thngs had double and triple uses. Grandma Rae also cooked everything homemade. Flour to make several loaves of bread takes up less room than the actual loaf!

I have always thought of the idea, but I only had a 22' Catalina and it was certainly not big enough.

the times it has crossed my mind was going to be buying one the cost of a HOUSE not a car. I was thinking in the $350k - 500k range

12vmanRick wrote:the times it has crossed my mind was going to be buying one the cost of a HOUSE not a car. I was thinking in the $350k - 500k range

One that size is liveable!!! LOL

I just want to thank you because I probably wasted about an hour last night looking at boats I have no chance in affording.

ToplessRideFL wrote:

12vmanRick wrote:the times it has crossed my mind was going to be buying one the cost of a HOUSE not a car. I was thinking in the $350k - 500k range

One that size is liveable!!! LOL

that was my thought and if I could afford it, I'd go BIGGER!

I lived and worked on a longline boat for a while. I only read through this quickly, but someone mentioned keets??? There was a single mom who lived in our marine with two kids and did just fine. We had more problems with dogs going in the drink then kids! If youlive at a marina, then you will have a shower and head facilities off the boat which makes it a whole lot easier then using the boat facilities. We didn't have a head on our boat, just a bucket...but the guys who did have them only used them when they were fishing or when they were too drunk to walk to the marina head...it just saves $$$ on having that crap removed! It looks like a comfy little boat there! Good Luck!

I lived on my sailboat for 5 years, in Puerto Rico, Pensacola Beach and Ft Myers Beach. Loved it. Hope to do it again someday.

I'm not planning on it any time soon just sort of a "Plan B" or early retirement planning.

I thought this particular houseboat had character. I see houseboats that are just floating houses but I'd like something that can go from place to place under it's own power, maybe not Cuba but perhaps hop from key to key to Key West or up and down the InterCoastal waterways. I've read a lot of non-fiction books lately about people sailing off to the Islands and living on their boats for a year plus. Sounded kinda appealing (especially during these 3 a.m. feedings of late )

My sister has a pretty good size sail boat, I forgot about all the water/toilet issues and zinc so your boat doesn't rust, etc. A sailboat would be too small for me to enjoying living on I think.

Someone was selling a houseboat in San Francisco after the '89 Earthquake. The tagline was "Earthquake Proof House!" I imagine this doesn't take tsunamis into consideration.

I'd like living on a boat....

*sigh*

SchoolGirlHeart wrote:I'd like living on a boat....

*sigh*

In Maui

I visitied a web site once where liveabords posted their budgets. There was one woman who posted from Hawaii. Hers was definitely the highest budget. I believe the total was around 1100. per month. But she was quick to point out that this was still much much less then living anywhere in Ha. on land.