Live On A Boat?

Discussion in 'Retirement & Leisure' started by Cody Fousnaugh, Aug 23, 2018.

  1. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    Believe it or not, there are quite a few people, including Seniors, that live on a boat. We see these boats moored in an intracoastal waterway in St Augustine and there is a marina, not to far from us, that have boats in slips with people living on them. Both sailboats and somewhat large cabin cruisers. We were invited on one cabin cruiser, that was in a rented slip, and it was pretty big inside. It was fully contained, meaning bathroom, small living room and fairly large bedroom. Most of these boats have a small boat, with an outboard engine, to take the owners to land for grocery shopping, laundry, etc. Some "live aboard boats" only stay in their slips or moorings, while others do go from one area to another, including onto the ocean.

    I was told that boaters that are moored, don't have to pay anything to stay there, while those that are in slips, have to pay monthly for slips, because electricity is provided with the slip.

    Could you live on a boat? I did in the Navy, but that was called a ship and, obviously, it was totally contained with everything.
     
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  2. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I have a friend who is buying this boat, and they plan on living on it at least for long periods of time. It's a Jack Robert tug. I'm sure there are a lot of hidden costs though, such as slip costs, maintenance, fuel, etc.

    tug.jpg
     
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  3. Martin Alonzo

    Martin Alonzo Supreme Member
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    I lived on my sail boat for six years and enjoyed most every minuet. Like they say about cruising is hours and hours of total bliss interspersed with moments of shear terror. Loved being able to jump off the bow of the boat checking the anchor then being handed a spear to look for dinner. This is what a day in the Bahamas was like and we either had fresh lobster or fish for dinner. Those memories I will never forget our freezer on the boat was filled with lobster and fish. I had more than I could use ending up giving away lots to other boaters. I still miss it a little but now I have a land life which I enjoy.
     
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  4. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    I have been watching couples doing just that for years now, and all seem pretty happy with their decision.

    Here are some of them who did so, have watched this family for a couple years,



    6 years later,

     
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  5. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    This couple for over 10 years since they were living in a RV, then boat.



    Several years ago, swimming with whales,

     
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  6. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    You can do that in Florida or a non-winter state. We seen a number of folks living on boats at a marina in Doctors Lake by the St Johns River. However, definitely isn't for us!
     
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  7. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    We've known some in Jax who lived at docks too. Also some in St. Augustine who lived on Intercoastal near The Lions Bridge.
    Some were quite old but your right Cody its not for everyone.
     
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  8. Mary Robi

    Mary Robi Veteran Member
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    My late sister and her husband lived on a 65-foot trawler on the ship canal in Seattle for years. Three cabins, two heads, five levels, full kitchen, washer and dryer, large living room, decks galore outside and up top. They were the last boat on the dock, so there was a panoramic view of every kind of ship imaginable coming and going down the ship canal.

    I was out there as much as was humanly possible. There was nothing like going to sleep in my cabin listening to the slap-slap-slap of the small waves just inches from my head. I could sit for hours just watching the boats go by. One day I was lazing out on the back deck, half asleep, when I opened my eyes and all I could see was a huge black "wall" coming straight at us.

    I screamed for my brother-in-law. It was a gigantic black Russian trawling fleet "mother ship" (cannery ship) that was being tugged in for repairs and had to be turned around there at the widest part of the canal before it could be pushed backward by tugs into a berth farther down the canal. There was literally only feet of clearance as it swung around. I remember reading that it was one of the largest ships ever to enter the canal. How they got it through the docks is beyond me. I would have loved to see that.

    Yes, I could live on a ship. They had previously lived on a houseboat on the St. John's River in Florida and then, after moving to Seattle, had a smaller live-aboard boat for their weekends before they gave up land-living and moved onto the big boat. Seattle has quite a few live-aboard marinas, as well as the famous "floating houses".
     
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  9. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    Oh my goodness I bet you were afraid! Not as though you can get out of the way in a hurry.
    I could live on a boat too but not Jake ,he likes living rural.
     
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  10. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    One thing for sure, if a person likes fresh fish, and they are caught from the boat they live on, those fish will definitely be fresh!
     
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  11. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    Got that right.:cool:
     
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  12. Thomas Windom

    Thomas Windom Very Well-Known Member
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    RVs, live on boats, sound nice but I suspect it requires a lot more energetic type person who enjoys being active. I’m all used up.
     
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  13. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    Me too for that kind of lifestyle.
     
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  14. Thomas Windom

    Thomas Windom Very Well-Known Member
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  15. Mary Robi

    Mary Robi Veteran Member
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    Well, you need strong legs. The stairs on multi-deck boats are necessarily steep. I can't tell you how many times I fell down the stairs on their boats. It didn't help that they had two dogs who just HAD to get down or up the steps ahead of you.
     
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