Say no to marinas?

[Lepke]

I'm 70 and I live aboard and have a private dock where I winter. Except stopping at fuel docks, I anchor the rest of the time. I carry a boat for going ashore for supplies I can't get at a fuel dock. If I'm going to be in an area for awhile I rent a 16' space for my shore boat, but the big boat hasn't touched a marina in 7 years. In the tropics, you'll need to go somewhere to get the bottom cleaned or dive and do it yourself. If there's a river mouth you can anchor in, fresh water kills the salt water marine growth. But doesn't remove it.
For me, the key is a good inverter system. Mine will run anything on board. I only run a generator when making water (50 gallons/hr). My high pressure pump is belt driven on one of the generators. That generator runs less than 1 hour a day and not every day. Unless I have people on board or supply water or power to others.
I've never had a security problem I couldn't handle. I prefer very remote places with few people that also has dangerous wildlife. But I'm a combat vet and former hunter and apparently not afraid of my own shadow.

 

[FlyWright]

Yes you can, it`s called "glamping".

If that's glamping, I'm Gloating!

Cheers!

 

[Bigsfish]

I think Al is hitting the alcohol again. ��

 

[catalinajack]

If you're going to be living aboard full time, a few things come to mind....

3. Wastewater. Both gray water (sink and shower, possibly laundry) and black water (toilet). Most areas nowadays are zero discharge areas, meaning you need a tank for your gray water.

Ah, no, you will not need a separate tank for gray water even in no discharge zones. Furthermore, there are very few no discharge zones, hardly any at all on a relative basis. If this were true, that gray water discharge is prohibited in virtually all waterways as asserted, then there are tens of thousands of non-complying vessels plying our waterways. Perhaps I am incorrect on a detail but I don't think so. I invite others to provide more clarity if needed.

 

[catalinajack]

We don't camp either but have lived on the hook for a couple of years
You do know that other people also anchor out and you are allowed to talk to them right?


Fantastic.
People pay thousands of dollars a night for that experience and we get it for free.

I couldn't imagine living in a marina.
Would be like living in suburbia but worse.
Probably more like living in a caravan park.

Oh and never had an issue with security, but I'm guessing its different here (-;

We live aboard full time in a large marina in a rural area. It is not at all like living in suburbia which we had when we had a dirt house. On the whole, even with about 150 boats in the marina, very few folks are encountered from day to day. Plus, consider that some folks like suburban living.

 

[Simi 60]

I'm 70 and I live aboard and have a private dock where I winter. Except stopping at fuel docks, I anchor the rest of the time. I carry a boat for going ashore for supplies I can't get at a fuel dock. If I'm going to be in an area for awhile I rent a 16' space for my shore boat, but the big boat hasn't touched a marina in 7 years. In the tropics, you'll need to go somewhere to get the bottom cleaned or dive and do it yourself. If there's a river mouth you can anchor in, fresh water kills the salt water marine growth. But doesn't remove it.
For me, the key is a good inverter system. Mine will run anything on board. I only run a generator when making water (50 gallons/hr). My high pressure pump is belt driven on one of the generators. That generator runs less than 1 hour a day and not every day. Unless I have people on board or supply water or power to others.

Easy peasy if your setup right and quality of living improves dramatically.

Money spent on good kit at the start is far cheaper than paying for a berth.
Our big victron inverter charger, solar array, battery bank, 14ft tender and 30hp motor cost less than a year of marina fees here.
Year two was money in the bank

I've never had a security problem I couldn't handle. I prefer very remote places with few people that also has dangerous wildlife. But I'm a combat vet and former hunter and apparently not afraid of my own shadow.

Never had a problem either and I couldn't fight my way out of a paper bag.

 

[OldDan1943]

A pump shot gun has an amazing laxative effect in the dark.

 

[OldDan1943]

A big inverter allows for running many 120vt stuff but at the expense of draining the house batteries faster.
Gotta learn to limit the drain on the house batteries to extend the batteries.

 

[Simi 60]

A big inverter allows for running many 120vt stuff

Which here (240v) is considerably cheaper and easier to get than 12v/24v

but at the expense of draining the house batteries faster.
Gotta learn to limit the drain on the house batteries to extend the batteries.

Or get a decent battery bank

 

[OldDan1943]

Which here (240v) is considerably cheaper and easier to get than 12v/24v




Or get a decent battery bank

I have 3x200 4 D house batteries. figure 1/2 have is useable, so I have to be careful. Augmented with 2x130 amp solar panels. If careful I can last about 3 days on the hook then time to start the generator or main engine.

 

[ssobol]

.... One thing I have not seen mentioned is socialization. Think of living on the hook like living on a deserted island.

That would be the best **c*i** part!

 

[High Wire]

Other thoughts:
Snail Mail coming or going. There will be some occasionally. Where are you going to have people send it?
Address for ID's, taxes, etc?
Land access for the dinghy for food, grocery's, etc. Be prepared to do a lot of walking from public boat ramps and parks to the nearest market.
Laundry nearby?
Doctors, dentist, healthcare?
Do you expect to keep a car somewhere? Parking, Insurance.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Other thoughts:
Snail Mail coming or going. There will be some occasionally. Where are you going to have people send it?
Address for ID's, taxes, etc?
Land access for the dinghy for food, grocery's, etc. Be prepared to do a lot of walking from public boat ramps and parks to the nearest market.
Laundry nearby?
Doctors, dentist, healthcare?
Do you expect to keep a car somewhere? Parking, Insurance.

A mail service like St Brendan's Isle will handle snail mail, residency etc and Lyft or Uber will deal with the car situation. Also a folding bicycle will get you around as well.

 

[FF]

Living aboard on the hook is like camping,

ONLY if the boat was not outfitted for the task.

With a properly set up boat that cruises, water, waste water dump and garbage disposal are all included in the next 10 gallons of fuel you purchase.

A mooring for a month is harder as the waste must be taken off , or a better toilet system is required.An incinolet is expensive so never a first choice.

A dream would be a slip with a 13ft Whaler that has fresh water and waste water bladders , but Whalers are big and heavy to carry .

A mooring is to me the finest style of living , especially compared to marina living.

 

[FlyWright]

Living aboard on the hook is like camping,

ONLY if the boat was not outfitted for the task.

With a properly set up boat that cruises, water, waste water dump and garbage disposal are all included in the next 10 gallons of fuel you purchase.

A mooring for a month is harder as the waste must be taken off , or a better toilet system is required.An incinolet is expensive so never a first choice.

A dream would be a slip with a 13ft Whaler that has fresh water and waste water bladders , but Whalers are big and heavy to carry .

A mooring is to me the finest style of living , especially compared to marina living.

Agreed. If you can handle the drinking water and waste products adequately, it is quite doable on an extended mooring. I enjoyed a 2 week trip while solo aboard my 34 footer without any hookups, pumpouts or added provisions. I never once felt like I was camping as I had all the comforts of home including cellphone, internet, TV and plenty of power.

If I have to relocate every 10-14 days to pump out and refill water, that's fine by me. But then again, I'm not living aboard....just vacationing.

 

[psneeld]

pumpout boat throughout the keys is free...they come to you once a week if you stay in one anchorage, but their schedule for anchorages is online or available via phone.

 

[FF]

IF you have a mail forwarding service , you can instruct the sender to mark their envelope ,,,

"General Delivery , Hold For Arrival of yacht Bla Bla, , and have it sent to the town you will be to in a few days.

Beware in a large town the Main PO may require a taxi ride "downtown" to pick up the mail,so a small easy to walk town might work better.

A marina may also offer this service , call to find out, but Marinas are frequently less secure than the PO folks.