Liveaboard retention rate and duration

[Simi 60]

On the other hand, if you're smart enough to buy a big boat instead of the new, cutest, socially in demand boats, you can take most or all your personal possessions with you. The only things that don't fit are large furniture items and things you no longer need like lawnmowers, rakes, hedge trimmers, etc. With a big boat you also get more safety and comfort in the ocean, room for regular appliances, storage, apartment sized or larger galley, and the room for house like climate control, laundry on board, a dishwasher and a place for your tools. I have all of that, a triple roll around tool box, about 20 power tools, 5 ton air compressor, laundry, double door reefer, dishwasher 2 couches, 2 freezers and so on. I thought of a hot tub. What I don't have is the latest yuppy/millennial boat or any payments.

This.
Best move we ever made was getting something bigger than we originally thought we needed, the increase in comfort level makes living aboard a breeze.

 

[denverd0n]

The highest failure rate in living aboard comes from those who come down to the boat one summer and have so much fun that they decide the live aboard life is for them. Come December 31, those live aboard are gone. A few make it thru the winter and are gone before the next winter hits.

Interesting comment, because much the same thing happens with people who move to Florida. They come down in February or March, fall in love, and move down here. Then comes August and September. They hate the heat, the humidity, the bugs, and they move away again.


I read some time back that almost 2/3rds of the people who move to Florida move away again within less than two years. Of course, that doesn't stop thousands more from moving in every year. Our population keeps growing, but the rate of turnover -- most especially within the first year -- is extraordinarily high.


I guess it doesn't surprise me that it would be very similar with liveaboards.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Forget model railroading

Say it ain't so Oh, you must mean on the boat Just bought the vacant lot next door to us (house burned about 13 yrs ago). Plan is to have a formal English garden on the front - to appease neighbors, then behind that a railroad layout - my deceased father-in-law, an oral surgeon, built scale model steam engines. One is in a museum in OK, the other is in my garage - Along with the hand car that my wife and her sister have fond memories of pushing/pulling around the track that their father built on their 7 acre homesite on Grand Lake in OK. We have lots of 16mm home movies of the action. We just sold that OK property - a bit sad.

But all are excited about my plans - I think it's 1/8 scale. Engine is about 4 ft long and tracks are 7 1/4" apart.

Of course this will have to wait til we complete the Loop in 2020. Fun time ahead

 

[All-at-sea]

I lived aboard my sailboat for five years in the UK. Tough winters but only a job change stopped us continuing. All our possessions from house living sold off - gotta be ready to move on! Can't wait to retire and do it again. Love being minimal, no baggage....
Now have trawler which is more comfortable

 

[m1021]

Became a Liveboard 10 Years Ago

Some of this advice is wonderful!

I became a liveaboard 10 yrs ago as a single woman 29 yrs old. I haven't looked back and am now in my late 30's. The mere idea of returning to land is depressing to me, and I will only move to dirt when I can't get on the boat due to old age or disability.

I was inspired to this lifestyle by hardcore sailors who lived simply and posted beautiful blog and photos online. Those sailors ended up only living aboard several years, and felt their small sailboat was very dungeonlike in the winter. They also used sleeping bags. As I came to become an experienced liveaboard, I now realize their mistake was in maintaining the camping mindset. Don't do be so strict and puritan. Live plusher than that and allow yourself some comforts. Don't judge yourself or others for having creature comforts.

I met a man on the dock and its worked out well. Advice to couples - there's no prohibition against marrying or partnering but living on two boats. It can be a wonderful thing! You can still sleep in the same boat each night, but have seperate quarters. Or sometimes a 9-5 job can help relieve the pressure, as you'll be leaving for land during the day and getting some space. Just buck tradition, and do whatever works for you.

 

[foreverunderway]

I can't speak for others, but I bought my first liveaboard boat in 1969 and have not been a dirt dweller since.
After a circumnavigation under sail, it became my profession, operating just about any sort of vessel including one contract as the master of a small cruise ship.

Visiting friends or family for a week or so, I'm dumbfounded by the amount of wasted space in their homes.
To me, a dirt dwelling is just a poorly built boat that can't go anywhere.

 

[Juggerknot]

Buy a travel trailer to approximate the cabin size of your ideal (and realistic) boat, see how you like it. Many will balk however the lifestyle is very similar and the initial outlay far less.
I started working out of and living in trailers as a contractor for a large engineering firm and found it to be an excellent weaning process in regards to what "crap" was truly life critical. Granted, I still maintain a small warehouse but it is slowly shrinking as I find my priorities more clearly defined.
YMMV

 

[Okiediver]

I have lived on the same dock for 20+ years. It is a dock of 50-60’ boats. My experience would cover the higher end of the liveaboard experience.

The highest failure rate in living aboard comes from those who come down to the boat one summer and have so much fun that they decide the live aboard life is for them. Come December 31, those live aboard are gone. A few make it thru the winter and are gone before the next winter hits.

The recently divorced man live aboard. Usually takes him 3 years to find a new wife and it usually takes her one year to move him off the boat.

The empty nester live aboard. They are boaters, last kid has left the house, house is to big so they sell it and move aboard. Find that they can now retire early, would cruise to Mexico but need to stay because of grand kids. They usually live aboard until health drives them off the boat. When I say health I mean they can’t make the walk from the boat to the car anymore.

The alternative living crowd. This group seems to be a 5 year and gone group. Boat never leaves the dock. Either the arrival of a child or a job change happens and they are gone. Often the boat stays with a new alternative on board.

The last group is made up of experienced boaters who typically have a 5 year plan. They may have sold a house to start a business, or the boat is an in town condo. What ever the reason they have a 5 year plan.

Out of each of these groups there are a few that just never leave.

Obviously, I am on my 5th, 5 year plan.

Dont forget about my "type" with 5 kids that want them to learn the ocean and its ways. Call me an end timer, but if i dont teach them who will?

 

[All-at-sea]

Sleeping bags? Good grief! We have queen sized bed, duvets, heating, washing machine, coffee maker....... Bliss

 

[BandB]

They also used sleeping bags. As I came to become an experienced liveaboard, I now realize their mistake was in maintaining the camping mindset. Don't do be so strict and puritan. Live plusher than that and allow yourself some comforts. Don't judge yourself or others for having creature comforts.

I met a man on the dock and its worked out well. Advice to couples - there's no prohibition against marrying or partnering but living on two boats. It can be a wonderful thing! You can still sleep in the same boat each night, but have seperate quarters. Or sometimes a 9-5 job can help relieve the pressure, as you'll be leaving for land during the day and getting some space. Just buck tradition, and do whatever works for you.

Wifey B: Love love love your post. It's all about finding your own way but if you feel deprived, you won't be happy long term. Each of us have different things we can't be happy without. With me, a warm shower every day is a must have. Not many people going to buy a tent and go camping for decades, but a lot of people in motor homes and amazing that just like boats they have 5' itis. There is no prize for who can live in the least comfortable situation.

And as to relationships or anything else in life, I believe in living by your own rules, not those of others in society. I'm sure it surprises no one that I don't follow convention. May surprise some that neither does my hubby but I corrupted him he says. However, we're happy and those around us are happy and who gives a flying .... you know what, what others think. As a result some of our extended family is also a bit out there, but so wonderful and we love them so.

Mama Cass said it well....

 

[foreverunderway]

Sleeping bags? Good grief! We have queen sized bed, duvets, heating, washing machine, coffee maker....... Bliss

Goodness gracious no! I'm with you! I do not camp out on a boat! If I'm living aboard it is a comfortable place to live. Homey is the word I would use, even on the hardest working tugboat, never mind one's retirement home on the water.
I know it's a matter of choice, but come on folks, this is a trawler forum, not some sailboat forum. One doesn't usually buy a trawler to "rough it" on the water, does one?

 

[Haetwen]

Living Aboard

My wife and I lived aboard and cruised full-time on a 43' sloop for 14 years. We sailed to three continents and lived in more than two dozen countries. To make that journey possible we sold our large house and disposed of our cars, furniture and all of our other possessions except what we could stuff in a suitcase. We put nothing in storage. It was the most liberating experience in our lives. We cut our expenses in half. We loved living on the water and never looked back. After 14 years we still loved living aboard but decided that it was time for a change, so we bought a small apartment and have had several small boats to stay connected to the water. You will never know in advance if the live aboard lifestyle is the best choice for you, but the easiest way to find out is to dispose of everything that ties you to life ashore and move aboard.

 

[foreverunderway]

the easiest way to find out is to dispose of everything that ties you to life ashore and move aboard.

[FONT=&quot]This is hardly the easiest way to find out if the cruising lifestyle is right for someone, in my opinion. In fact, it can be completely devastating![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We meet about half a dozen couples each year, here in the Caribbean, who, in 6 months or so, realize they have made a horrible mistake! They return home and sell their boat, for much less than they have invested in it and must make their new life with much less cash than they left the old one with. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Perhaps a smaller home in a less favorable neighborhood? Certainly a used car not quite as nice as the one they sold when they left, etc.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In my opinion, the only reasonable way to see if the lifestyle suits you is to rent a few bareboats similar to the boat you intend to buy. A couple of weeks in one venue and a couple in another, really cruising, should give you a good idea. The fridge breaks, don’t call the charter company. Instead, deal with it yourself. Don’t use moorings or marinas, unless you think you will have the budget to do so when cruising. Actually, work the boat and plan your routes as if you were cruising, instead of on vacation. Do some hard sails; don’t just wait for the weather windows. Sure it would be expensive, but much less so than going all in and divesting yourselves of your old life and having to begin again with much less money than you had when you got your boat!
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]When we began chartering, we offered “The Cruising Experience”, where folks would come down and become part of a cruising boat’s crew, under our supervision. I thought it would be immensely popular, but we had no interest at all in two years, so we no longer offer it. Go figure? [/FONT]

 

[Boat]

When I say health I mean they can’t make the walk from the boat to the car anymore.

This is the one that concerns me the most.

I live with cattle and walk pastures, mend fences, grow my own food and such. The change in physical activity concerns me. I'm ready for another change, done ninety-plus percent of what this setup offers.

Spent plenty time on boats, RVs, hiking, etc. I could enjoy the lifestyle but not sure of the toll it would take on my health. Maybe I could do the modified loop, YMCA tour of North America.

I guess it's like everything, just what you make of it?

 

[ninelivezzz]

Anyone have any data on how many people that choose to live aboard, actually stick with it for more than a a couple of years? Also, anyone know what the typical duration is for living aboard (I realize it's almost the same question...)?



I'm trying to make realistic plans for my hard to replace possessions for when we take the plunge... I have no intention of selling my tools or heirlooms, but not sure about other stuff. I hate the thought of having to buy a bunch of stuff all over again if this does not work out.

OMG best home and way of life I have and will ever have,,,,,, Im on my 25th year, I dont know how to live or would want to live any different Iam 67 and 7 yrs on a 1972 55 foot Grand Banks Alaskan for which its going to break my heart ot move from the Patriot but I took a parttime job at Fisheries supply in sailboat area to be able to keep her just a little longer I love her so,sold 3 x but just could not complete, the sale for several reasons, one is how can I possibly find a better home,, and she is so easy to solo,, any where, locks, North,, wind/current, just doesnt matter they dance and do what the are asked of them,,,,in such a graceful way no less,,,I have taken care and kept the winter weather off the wood. Except for to me, winters are for taking off from the slip night or day when I hear a storm is on its way,,Andrews cove even gets white caps but the best is the fast swing with 280 feet chain stretched out,,, love swinging in the 30/40 knot winds,, love anchoring,, in 7 years? never a slip,,but an oversized Bruce,,,and,,I anchor hard so I can sleep harder,, )) getting ready to get back on retirement again and devote the rest of my life to, running up the inside pass, once to the Charlottes then I want ot settle down where winters are warm,, So there is "Fine" 55x18 45ton Grand Banks Alaskan is up for sale,, Vessels as these, I look at the owners as caretakers as if each one of us does our job if taking care,,, 40 years from now, like now,the fasteners and bottom will still look newish, with no speeps, the beams below will still grow pinecones , lol, I just got back from a 4 week trip and was toyed with 6 to 10+ foot short rollers 45 gusts, coming from 2 and 3 directions,, these Alaskans do very well at what they were made ot do,, I had a blast!!!!!,, they can, with the right moves of the controls, spin 45deg to set up for a surf down into that deep on coming hole ,, Get me started talking about living aboard and I can tell you hours and 100,s of stories and reasons, ,,, However,, Iam convinced that one must love the fell of motion, sounds of weather, adventure, the ride up and down while sitting on the anchor in auto pilot,, all the animal interactions,, and one must have a love of adventure life free, muvering a love must, anchoring,,, if you have these features,,, like me youll never come off,, Right now I sit here looking out at a black river rolling past lights in all colors streaking past and thisis just from Diamond marina rt now,, night makes my veiws look like it is a 5 knot current passing by,,,,, As long as I can crawl aboard I will liveaboard

https://www.facebook.com/ThomasGwhipple/videos/10213992460471896/v

She is up for sale again to the right kind of owner, however I need a replacement and am looking,

 

[ninelivezzz]

https://www.facebook.com/ThomasGwhipple

all friend request accepted,, Full of artwork and boat rides

 

[Captain Ron D]

Live Aboard Percentages

There was some question as to how many folks live aboard, as a percentage of a marina or yacht club. I served as Port Captain of Southwestern Yacht Club two years ago. We have 385 wet slips in our marina. The Port of San Diego allows us to have 10% of our slips as 'Live Aboard'. The limitation is placed because of the discharge of NON-SEWAGE waste water and some other environmental concerns. To the best of my recollection, we always had a waiting list for those desiring to live aboard, and were waiting for a vacancy.


We encouraged those living aboard to be 'Dock Masters' which included CPR, AED, Fire Fighting, and pumping out leaking boats until they could be extracted. In addition to their 'emergency' services training, they also serve as the 'eyes and ears' of the marina and ward off trespassers. Through the years this 'team' has saved several lives, prevented the sinking of many boats, and maintained the integrity of boats during inclemate weather storms. They have proven to be a valuable asset.


'Captain Ron' D

 

[psneeld]

Too bad more places don't feel the same.

 

[Tractorking]

Me and my better half have been living aboard for the last 8 years.

I had lived aboard several times in boats from 36 to 24ft on land off with 5 years being the longest previous stint. Most of the time I moved away to Europe or across the country of to a land locked location was the cause of leaving the boat life behind.

This current chapter started out on a 27ft Islander Sail boat then a 32ft Tollycraft and now a CHB36, all here in the SF Bay Area. We take our boat out regularly, we are both pilots and so are away from home for days or weeks but when we have a good stretch of off time we will go anchor, Moore and visit other Marinas around the bay for days at a time until work calls again. Having said that, given the nature of our jobs it would be easy to just leave it in whatever marina slip you happen to be in but there is something to be said about having your home tied up nice and safe in it's proper place.

We have a small Wharehouse space we share with other live a board neighbors and that is where motorcycles, bicycles, and various things most people would keep in a garage hang out. I would venture to assume that every live a board probably has some type of storage for such things, ours has a work bench and a bevy of tools and supplies that help maintain the boat and other projects (Like dinghy's, kayaks, etc) and is a nice place to go hang out and work on stuff when winter rains give you cabin fever...cafe's are also nice for this too.

We used to live in a pretty much all liveaboard marina with floating homes as well but it is in the process of being dismantled at the hands of local government and developers. In California it is not easy to find a place to live on your boat and the words Live-A-Board are horror to most harbor masters ears and will get you thrown out the door and marina quick as a flash. There are exceptions though but certain environmental groups and regulators consider marinas and boats "bay-fill" (ie:landfill) and fight pretty hard to limit and eliminate marinas through out California, at least in the SF Bay Are, other parts of California might be a bit different.

None the less, me and my old lady have absolutely no intention of ever moving off the water unless we were to relocate to land locked locations at some future time. I cannot express enough how pleasurable it is to live in a nice boating community with the water lapping at you hull, birds and seals abound and the stratification of maintaining and then sailing your home to wherever you choose.

Not for everyone though, Ive seen them come and go, but if you have simple needs and can adapt to certain character traits it is the best thing you can do for your own sanity in an insane world.

 

[Gouchergal]

We know a couple who have it both ways and it seems to work for them. Five months of the year they are New England live aboards. The rest of the year they have a condo in Florida.
For those in-between times , they go to their daughter and SIL's home nearby in New England so they seem quite comfortable and content.
Why not try a part time basis?

 

[Mischief Managed]

We know a couple who have it both ways and it seems to work for them. Five months of the year they are New England live aboards. The rest of the year they have a condo in Florida.
For those in-between times , they go to their daughter and SIL's home nearby in New England so they seem quite comfortable and content.
Why not try a part time basis?

Funny you mention that. It’s quite close to our current plan because my wife wants to keep working for another 2 years or more and does not have the “work from home” option, but we still want to downsize. We found a really simple and frugal solution to that.


Our plan for now:


1. Acquire mooring within commuting distance of my wife’s job. This process has already been started and we are #3 on the wait list at a marina with 72 moorings and decent annual turnover, fingers are crossed…


2. Acquire boat and get it to mooring by late Spring. We found a boat we love that’s priced within our budget and can make the voyage to our area without having to be hauled over land. We are making an offer on it next week.


3. Spring 2019 to Spring 2020:
A. Get boat prepped to our standards for life aboard while using the boat.
B. Prep the house for sale
C. Liquidate all the stuff we don’t plan to keep except the house.


4. Spring 2020:
A. Move aboard boat
B. Put keepsakes in storage
C. Sell house and bank enough cash from the sale to execute step 8A
D. Keep two cars (both are long since paid for, older, cheap to register, cheap to insure, and reliable (Toyotas)).


5. Late Autumn 2020:
A. Move from boat to inexpensive, furnished, Winter rental studio apartment at Hampton Beach, NH.
B. Put boat into Winter storage.
C. Use all the extra free time to maintain/improve boat, ski, travel, and visit friends and family.


6. Early Spring 2021: Move back to boat.


7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until we decided to live on boat full-time and follow the good weather up and down the east US coast. My wife will quit her job and we’ll keep the mooring and one car so that we can stay in New Hampshire and have a car to use in Summer.


8. If/when we tire of living aboard and are still ambulatory:
A. Build modest, low-maintenance, energy-efficient house on our lake-access property in the lakes region/ski region of Maine.
B. Sell live aboard boat.
C. Use proceeds from 8B to buy a used trailerable cruiser and a used truck to tow it, if we still want to do some cruising.


The beauty of this plan is that once we execute step 4, my wife’s entire net pay, and a decent chunk of mine will be extra money that we won’t need for anything. Since we will already be living on a boat for a little more than half the year, we can use vacation time (that we currently use for boating) to do some traveling, something we also love. Even after we live on the boat full-time, we still may store it for a month or two every year and travel. Any extra money saved would just allow me to retire earlier.

 

[Gouchergal]

Mischief Managed, sounds like a really well thought out plan! And the best part is your "for now" comment! Things may change so it's great to be flexible.
I notice you are not far from me. We are in Narragansett Bay so keep me posted!!

Gouchergal

 

[Sea Word]

I just bought my liveaboard boat for 8$k. It’s not too fancy as you can imagine, but it doesn’t require total asset liquidation to acquire either. I’ll fix it up while dabbling in the lifestyle and see if I like it in the various seasons. I’m normally the guy that jumps in with both feet, and indeed this feels to me like doing just that, but stories of selling it all to gamble on water life seems crazy even to me!

 

[TMobile]

This discussion been interesting as I am excited about probably buying a Californian 42/45 in the next week or so to use as a live aboard. I just retired today and the plan was to start traveling in my Promaster campervan that I’ve been converting. However, I lost my home and all my possessions in the Paradise Camp Fire and also need to be more available to my aged parents in the Bay Area. I’m single and I’ve been living in a trailer in the parking lot of my business which survived the fire. Paradise is destroyed so I won’t be rebuilding. It’s so expensive to get a home anywhere in the Bay Area, that I hit on getting a live aboard. I found one and it’s outfitted so I won’t have to buy much stuff, which I didn’t want to do. This will be an alternative housing arrangement for me, but I know my friends and family will enjoy visiting and doing some bay cruising, sleepovers, and dinners on the covered deck. I’ll wish I had access to the Great Loop, so maybe I get another boat back east at some point. I’m meeting the current owner of the boat this weekend to see the boat for the first time, and it just feels like things are falling into place in a great way. Today will be a very memorable first day of my retirement! Wish me luck!

 

[Comodave]

Congrats on your retirement, we retired 6years ago, love it. Hope the boat works out for you and welcome aboard.

 

[JohnEasley]

This discussion been interesting as I am excited about probably buying a Californian 42/45 in the next week or so to use as a live aboard. I just retired today and the plan was to start traveling in my Promaster campervan that I’ve been converting. However, I lost my home and all my possessions in the Paradise Camp Fire and also need to be more available to my aged parents in the Bay Area. I’m single and I’ve been living in a trailer in the parking lot of my business which survived the fire. Paradise is destroyed so I won’t be rebuilding. It’s so expensive to get a home anywhere in the Bay Area, that I hit on getting a live aboard. I found one and it’s outfitted so I won’t have to buy much stuff, which I didn’t want to do. This will be an alternative housing arrangement for me, but I know my friends and family will enjoy visiting and doing some bay cruising, sleepovers, and dinners on the covered deck. I’ll wish I had access to the Great Loop, so maybe I get another boat back east at some point. I’m meeting the current owner of the boat this weekend to see the boat for the first time, and it just feels like things are falling into place in a great way. Today will be a very memorable first day of my retirement! Wish me luck!

Congratulations on your retirement!! That sucks about losing everything in the Paradise fire but it sounds like you have a great plan to move forward. Keep us posted on how that goes.

 

[TMobile]

Thanks for your comments and good wishes. I’m off to a bookstore to see if I can find a copy of Dave Pascoe’s guide on mid size power boats. I need some grasp on the reality of what I might be getting myself into.

 

[dhays]

This discussion been interesting as I am excited about probably buying a Californian 42/45 in the next week or so to use as a live aboard. I just retired today and the plan was to start traveling in my Promaster campervan that I’ve been converting. However, I lost my home and all my possessions in the Paradise Camp Fire and also need to be more available to my aged parents in the Bay Area. I’m single and I’ve been living in a trailer in the parking lot of my business which survived the fire. Paradise is destroyed so I won’t be rebuilding. It’s so expensive to get a home anywhere in the Bay Area, that I hit on getting a live aboard. I found one and it’s outfitted so I won’t have to buy much stuff, which I didn’t want to do. This will be an alternative housing arrangement for me, but I know my friends and family will enjoy visiting and doing some bay cruising, sleepovers, and dinners on the covered deck. I’ll wish I had access to the Great Loop, so maybe I get another boat back east at some point. I’m meeting the current owner of the boat this weekend to see the boat for the first time, and it just feels like things are falling into place in a great way. Today will be a very memorable first day of my retirement! Wish me luck!

Congratulations on the retirement!


I'm really sorry about all the losses from the Camp Fire.


I don't live aboard a boat and likely never will so I really can't offer much informed advice. I will say, that my impression is that the folks that seem to do the best are those that chose to live aboard because they absolutely love boating. Those that seem do have more difficulties are those that are doing it with the thought of living cheap and/or have had little experience with boating.


I wish you well in your searching and enjoy the day!

 

[boatpoker]

Thanks for your comments and good wishes. I’m off to a bookstore to see if I can find a copy of Dave Pascoe’s guide on mid size power boats. I need some grasp on the reality of what I might be getting myself into.

Until you can find Pascoe's book.
Marine Survey 101

 

[Mstrawler]

I think there is a difference too between living aboard while not yet cruising full time and living aboard while cruising. my wife and I sold house, bought retirement boat and live aboard so we can devote time to refit her. (Boat not my wife!) we plan to build new smaller retirement home and move off boat until retirement in 5 years.