Liveaboard boat guys, what’s it really cost?

[Vipergrün]

Here you go, took this earlier today while on a walk. Getting an end-tie berth would almost be required. Follow your dreams!

[LWJ]

The quote above that is spot on is "things are always breaking."

A couple from my marina started (not sure if they finished due to COVID) a circumnavigation. They had a blog. The takeaway: constant breaking and maintenance.

I LOVED my sailboat. Loved it. Warm summer evening with the wind. That just lights up my pleasure center.

But the damn maintenance...

I even liked working on the boat. But it never stopped. Didn't really mourn it when I sold it.

[pwd72s]

Here's a great yachtie sailing movie starring only Robert Redford as a solo sailor. Perhaps you and the Mrs. would enjoy it together?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEO8PkJMwCQ&list=PL1PDncK426u9fm58QFxr2sdjoRtKvRmCa&ab_channel=YaserA.Y.K

(edit) Here's the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no1rl9Gvx-s&ab_channel=UniversalPicturesUK

[911_Dude]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Here's a great yachtie sailing movie starring only Robert Redford as a solo sailor. Perhaps you and the Mrs. would enjoy it together?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEO8PkJMwCQ&list=PL1PDncK426u9fm58QFxr2sdjoRtKvRmCa&ab_channel=YaserA.Y.K

Thats just mean

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by 908/930

How far are you to any Yacht clubs near Chicago? People who race always need crew, most clubs have lists. If you have the time great way to get hrs on the water, try to get on a 27-35' boat, hopefully with somebody who can finish near the front. Possibly do the Chicago Mackinac race later in the year. The great lakes are pretty much small oceans, will get you trained for what to do when the wind picks up.

I just looked on Chicago Corinthian YC site and they have about 88 boats listed looking for crew.

Great idea. I’m 45 minutes from most of the major harbors. Would they take a relative noob?

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by einreb

There are a few different sailboat season membership/rental companies that operate out of Chicago on lake Michigan. All sorts of options, but lets just toss out $8k-10k range for a 5 month season of several days a week access and a few multi-day trips. They all typically offer/require some sort of training course for a nominal fee before they let you loose.

Edit: Example - https://www.pinnacleyachts.com/pricing-availability/

My suggestion is that we both take the training course and then you get the membership and I tag along a few times over the summer.

-Bernie

PS I tried to get this past the CFO last summer and she declined the request.

You’re all heart buddy. Nixed the entire thing or did you fly too close to the sun?

[908/930]

Likely most will take you, some of the hard core race boats might not just because, most of the racer cruiser boats are a little easier to learn on, things happen a little slower and they usually have refrigeration as a bonus. Nice if you are able to commit to a season but many will take you on as a drop in. Don't expect a key job, better to just get accustom to what everybody has to do and when.

A season on the race coarse any you will learn lots, I think it is way better then most of the instruction you would have to pay for. When I picked up my 27' boat there was an instructor at the bar after the race who was saying that I should take the sailing courses he offered, my second season we could usually finish ahead of him so he stopped asking. Only sailed twice prior to purchasing, one way to learn.

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

One suggestion for before you make that final leap...volunteer as crew for a length of time. A passage of a week or so without leaving the boat. Crewing for Stan on aa long passage cured my romantic thoughts about that. Days on end of seeing nothing but blue salt water can take a toll on you. The biggest high was watching land grow up out of the horizon...right where it was supposed to. That was pure joy!

Exactly the right idea. Crew on a race boat in the 35 to 45 foot range that participates in multi-day offshore races.

Re. avoiding weather. Don't worry the weather will find you.

[911 Rod]

How old are you and in what shape?
I feel twice as old as the year before sometimes.

[porsche tech]

Don’t forget hurricane season if your heading south. Picture is from Palmetto Bay Marina after Matthew 2016. We have two marinas here that have locks so they’re pretty safe from tidal surge. Lots of catamarans in the marina in my hood and they all get spaces around the edges. Anyway have a plan for hurricane season. My 2 cents.

[einreb]

Originally Posted by cstreit

Nixed the entire thing or did you fly too close to the sun?

Nixed the whole thing. I used to do a good bit of small boat sailing and really enjoyed it. She had a bad boating experience (large sailboat/bad weather/lake Michigan) that seems to have stuck with her so its not something we'd do together and the investment in time/$ that would entail.

My impression of the 'scene' for boating/racing locally is that there is a huge variation of crew skillsets/personalities assembled. Buddy of mine does Mackinac, etc and they seem pretty low key. I suspect even a slight effort in reaching out to the local sailing community would result in crew opportunities and good guidance (better than what I can provide).

[KFC911]

^^^^ This! Plenty of folks out there looking for crew or just "rail meat" from my experiences down in FL that will be more than willing to share their boats and a great time sailing. And of course there are the "other types" too ....

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by KC911

^^^^ This! Plenty of folks out their looking for crew or just "rail meat" from my experiences down in FL that will be more than willing to share their boats and a great time sailing. And of course there are the "other types" too ....

True, someone always needs ballast for beer can races at the yacht club. One of my mentors had a good size cat, he liked to room that offer of tunnel boats. He lived with his wife on the boat while building his house, the plan was, build the house and a shop, then they could rent out the house, put their belongings in the shop and sale around the world. It was a beautiful house, on the water, but sadly, he was a Vietnam veteran, who served until medical discharge because of cancer, most likely from Agent Orange. Sadly, they never got to make that around the world trip, but did plenty of sailing before the cancer.

[dsfnctn]

…if you’ve lived on a boat, what are the REAL costs? I’d estimate being on the boat about 4-5 months with half of that docked and half anchored. My intended craft will likely be in the 10-15 year old range and investing about 20% of the purchase cost up front for any refit and reliability work. Looking at 35-42’ catamaran)

- What percent of the purchase price would you estimate is required for annual maintence? (Assuming this guy does almost all small things himself.)
- What would you expect for 2-3 months in a marina and then prepping and 6 months hauled out storage?
- Would our land food/electric/insurance basic living expenses transfer over?
- what else?[/QUOTE]

I got busy with our move to our new house. I did have premimum slip in aprivate marina at the gate way to the Saun Jaun islands about 1.5 hrs north of Seattle.
I decided to put the boat on the hard for two reasons. 1 to save money. 2. So that I would not have to worry about it all winter moored. Problem is I gave up my slip and now back on a waiting list. So now im going to launch the boat and keep it moving anchor and pay guest moorage then return and haul out. The monthly moorage is a set price where the guest moorage is expensive compared
The point is that if your going to store your boat in the off season its going to be harder to find a perminate moorage for the peak season

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by KC911

^^^^ This! Plenty of folks out there looking for crew or just "rail meat" from my experiences down in FL that will be more than willing to share their boats and a great time sailing. And of course there are the "other types" too ....

I'm not sure what "rail meat" is...

...if it means "eye candy" I'm probably out.

...if it means "movable and occasionally handy ballast" Im well suited.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by cstreit

...if it means "movable and occasionally handy ballast" Im well suited.

^^^ This ! By "other types", I meant the folks who think they are gonna be the next Dennis Conner... I'm sure you met some of those types racing too .

[dsfnctn]

As far as real costs look at it as if this pelican parts was for boats. First of all you can look up my history of selling cars on the for sale section and see that the cars I have had since 2004 have become very expensive. If I didnt know how to work on them I would not be able to afford any of these cars. I cant imagine having to take my 3.6 aircooled to someone if one cylinder had low compression. I think the used boat prices have not had the same leval of price increase. I have seen you on this forum for years and I would say that you have more insite to the systems on a sailboat than 80% of most owners that I deal with. Boats alough they now cost more to build than the GT3 for the same price thats not true with used boats and used GT3’s If you look at a base sailboat without the comfort features the maintanance is totally in line with car servicing. Its all the comfort features like the refredgerstion, A/C computers etc that get timmed out every 5 years. Also with a boat it actuall doesnt cost mote if you actually use it. Sitting around doesnt do much good for a boat.

[dsfnctn]

https://www.marinapuertoescondido.com/index.php?utm_source=mpenewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sept_2021


I had my sailboat in this marina for two years when the marina was new.
Loved it Now I have an old airstream on the beach at La Ventanna..
The airstream is awsome I can let my friends use it and rent it out. No so with the sailboat

[908/930]

So Chris, now you know you are rail meat and not deck fluff. Yes movable ballast is very important on a boat that is racing, even useful in light air to get the boat at the correct heel angle to minimize wetted surface.

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by 908/930

So Chris, now you know you are rail meat and not deck fluff. Yes movable ballast is very important on a boat that is racing, even useful in light air to get the boat at the correct heel angle to minimize wetted surface.

Looking forward to changing my signature.

...now how to explain this to my wife...