Any Regrets?

No regrets here. I've been living aboard for the last two years. In that time I've cruised to Alaska twice, spent countless weekends in the San Juans, and enjoyed time on the water with friends and family.

I moved aboard soon after I finished college, so I hadn't gotten used to a big house or accumulated lots of stuff. That definitely made it easier.

My girlfriend (who doesn't live on the boat) asked me the other day if I'll ever buy a house. At this point I honestly don't have any desire to own a house. Maybe someday, but not today.

Mainetrawler said:

Any one out there who moved aboard full time that regretted their decision?
I am nervous now that we are close to buying a boat and living aboard.
Any thoughts? I wake up at night wondering should we just buy a waterfront condo instead and travel?
I hope these doubts are normal...

Click to expand...

They are normal. When I retired, in 1995, my wife and I bought a 39-foot sailboat, moved aboard, rented our house out, and proceeded to cruise for the next four years on the East coast and in the Western Caribbean.

Looking back on it now, I consider those four years absolutely and without any doubt the high point of my entire life.

Not all gravy, of course, and there will be times when you look at each other in amazement and ask "What in the world were we thinking?" But there will also be moments of pure joy.

So go for it.

You are at a wonderful stage of life! Many great adventures ahead for you.
For me, with a newly empty nest, I knew from this forum about the burdens of divesting etc. What I did not expect was the emotional toll it would take saying goodbye to loved things and little reminders of the kids now grown.
But that is the step that must be taken before going aboard. So, wine glass in hand, I press ahead. Thanks for the support. It comes at a key time for us. I need to focus not only on what is now behind, but the great times at sea ahead and all the wonderful people we will meet.

Dear jwnall, if you don't mind sharing, what prompted you to come ashore. But if its too personal, I respect your privacy.

n36511 said:

Regarding the "investment" question around home ownership and that a home is an investment and a boat is not...one needs to consider historical data. True costs of home ownership (taxes, insurance, repairs, interest, etc) drastically reduces any real appreciation. There are many studies out there that show that home ownership does not keep pace with the S&P. Granted there are a few exceptions to this, but for the most of us, we are not keeping up with other investment opportunities. The big benefit of home ownership is forced savings. Granted we need a place to live...but personally I would not choose to not take the plunge of living aboard due to investment potential in a dirt based home..... Once the kiddos are out of school we intend to give the lifestyle a try! Cheers!!

Click to expand...

For the record, I am all for being a livaboard if it fits your lifestyle.

But , property ownership is a far better financial investment than a boat. If you own any sort of decent piece of real estate such as a home or commercial parcel, you can rent it out, use the income to pay for all the costs related to owning property you described while it appreciates in value. Even better, you can use the leftover income to support your live-aboard costs. So, while a boat 'always' depreciates in value, an adequately maintained rental property property generally appreciates in value and produces income during your ownership.

I think your advice is very sound. For us personally, its one or the other I am afraid!

Mainetrawler said:

You are at a wonderful stage of life! Many great adventures ahead for you.
For me, with a newly empty nest, I knew from this forum about the burdens of divesting etc. What I did not expect was the emotional toll it would take saying goodbye to loved things and little reminders of the kids now grown.
But that is the step that must be taken before going aboard. So, wine glass in hand, I press ahead. Thanks for the support. It comes at a key time for us. I need to focus not only on what is now behind, but the great times at sea ahead and all the wonderful people we will meet.

Click to expand...

You make some great points- here are some counterpoints to consider:

• Things catch the eye- experiences capture the soul.
• Your kids will be envious of your new lifestyle, and when they come to visit, it's all the more sweet, because they are there to see you, and not fix the house/car/lawn/basement/etc.
• You'll have newfound friends wherever you go, be it on the hook or dockside. Folks will always come out to lend a hand and ensure a safe landing, because they understand.
• You will know your dockmates better than your current neighbors (true in 95% of situations).

Wine is better on a boat.

Dear Pau Hana:
Thank you for reminding me about what attracted us to do this in the first place! I think I have been so bogged down by the "trauma" of saying goodbye to so many things I have taken my eye off the prize.
Thanks to all of you for returning my focus.

Getting rid of "stuff" is liberating.

Enjoy the journey!

You know you are right! Most of the stuff we have not used in ages and were happy to donate. The precious things we will store. I am very cheered. Looking forward to wine on the boat, with new friends and new places.

Moved aboard at my wife's desire to make a trip from CT to FL. She loves boating and wanted to make that trip. 5-years later and we are still aboard. And yes, you will meet and develop more friendships living aboard than you ever thought possible. The secret ingredient is that all we full time cruisers have a common interest. Bet you don't have that with your land neighbors. Go for at and have a ball. Good luck.

Mainetrawler said:

Dear jwnall, if you don't mind sharing, what prompted you to come ashore. But if its too personal, I respect your privacy.

Click to expand...

Not too personal at all. We had children and grandchildren, and my wife wanted more time with them. I could have cruised forever, and been happy as a clam, but I had to respect her wishes, since she was a loyal companion when we were doing what I wanted to do.

Have you ever spent any extended time (days and nights) on a Nordhavn 47? What's your cruising background?

There is an issue between "boat as a cruising vessel" and "boat as house". It ends up being a very personal choice and inevitably a compromise. There is a big difference in having the boat as your only residence, vs one used for vacations with a real house that one retreats to with some regularity.

If you feel uneasy about your decision when you wake up at 3 a.m. and all sorts of goblins lurk -- no problem, you'll be fine. If you're having serious doubts at 6 p.m. after a cocktail or two . . . well, that's a more serious matter.
Best of luck and I'll bet you'll not only be fine but love it!
Jim H.

Welcome aboard.
My wife came on all hot, sweaty and humid, just like a hurricane, when she left she took the roof of the house with her just like that damn hurricane.
I decided to buy a boat and live on board 'temporary', that was in 1985 !
If I'd a choice I would have bought the boat first and rented the house to give you an income while you lived aboard for a while to see if it was to your expectations, simply because you would be able to choose your boat at leisure rather than be rushed into it and buy with the heart not the wallet.
Don't worry, you have the greatest understanding support network right here on TF right behind you because we've all done more or less what your doing right now.
Good Luck to you and enjoy your new freedom.

Thank you everyone for all the great support and sharing of your experiences. I am highly gratified and greatly comforted. I think I let the liveaboard dream my husband and I have had such a long time get lost in the emotions and stress of all the changes we are going through.
My husband has a great deal of cruising experience; less for me but I am happiest when I am on the water, in the water or under the water (used to dive a lot).
Now that you have all helped to refocus me, the excitement is returning unmarred by doubts!
We chose the N47 after a lot of research and going on a lot of boats. Fortunately there are a lot on the market and more coming on soon from what we have heard.
We will be very careful in our eventual choice.
We are particularly looking forward to joining all of you out there. Like HMason said, we do not live in an area with a close community like the one we are about to join
Thanks to all; its help I really needed. The excitement is back.

My wife and I just realized that this April will be 2 years since we became a "liveaboard!" We still love it, I retire in 8 weeks and then in May off to the Inside Passage! Can't wait and love this life style. We also believe in not becoming "dock queens" meaning never leaving the dock. We have a boat for a reason! It allows us to relocate the water front condo when even we feel a need to.

We have a nice view from our house but it never changes. We can't wait to enjoy Alaskan Sea-Duction's lifestyle. Thanks to all you have posted encouragment. As my daughter likes to say "the happy feeling is back". My husband had a brutal bunch of flights yesterday on his last business trip. He is retired as of today and ready to go boat shopping soon!

Mainetrawler said:

We have a nice view from our house but it never changes. We can't wait to enjoy Alaskan Sea-Duction's lifestyle. Thanks to all you have posted encouragment. As my daughter likes to say "the happy feeling is back". My husband had a brutal bunch of flights yesterday on his last business trip. He is retired as of today and ready to go boat shopping soon!

Click to expand...

Congratulations on the retirement. Life begins today !

Still on the Dirt!

It is great to read all the comments here. When my wife and I initially started this thread we got some great answers from all of you. Thank you. At this point I think that you guys Mainetrawler are doing it right. We have been looking at live aboard boats and have not yet found the right boat. Also and I need to be honest about this inertia is also holding us back at the moment. But we are still considering this move and learn from all the post and questions. We decided that next summer (if the right boat does not grab us in the short term) that we will spend some serious quality time aboard Autumn Dream as we just retired early and figure it is a good stepping stone. Best of luck in your quest!

Houses, are but badly built boats so firmly aground that you cannot think of moving them. They are definitely inferior things, belonging to the vegetable not the animal world, rooted and stationary, incapable of transition. I admit, doubtfully, as exceptions, snail-shells and caravans. The desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thenceforward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting-place.

Mainetrawler said:

We have a nice view from our house but it never changes. We can't wait to enjoy Alaskan Sea-Duction's lifestyle. Thanks to all you have posted encouragment. As my daughter likes to say "the happy feeling is back". My husband had a brutal bunch of flights yesterday on his last business trip. He is retired as of today and ready to go boat shopping soon!

Click to expand...

If you can the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami Boat shows are coming up. Seattle boat show is in January.

Dear Autumn Dream. I am very grateful you started this thread (and allowing me to jump in). It has been a treasure trove of information and support, including the recent posts, most helpful to us. Best luck in your quest as well!

Agree with Autumn Dream (also love the boat).

Over the last three years, I've probably lived aboard half of that time, working on many projects both in and out of the water, at marinas, yards, and in our slip in back of our main residence. Most of the reason I want to be aboard is to be rid of the material that one tends to collect on land. I got rid of everything I owned in '97 and then married to a woman who is now going through the same process with an overwhelming collection of stuff. She doesn't know what it's like to be free of all that stuff, and there's no way to tell her about it. When you're aboard and you wake up one morning....maybe six months later and you just had a dream about saving, protecting, insuring, storing, displaying, polishing, mowing, trimming, giving, receiving, scratching, denting, repairing, collecting, calling somebody about or getting a call about, or the plethora of other concerns that come up when possessing "stuff", you will shake your head to clear it before saying, "Oh yeah, I don't have to worry about that anymore". Surrounded by the tranquility of the world you chose only a short time before, you'll smile and lie back to enjoy this strangest of moments,,,,one filled with absence and gratification.

Baker said:

Houses, are but badly built boats so firmly aground that you cannot think of moving them. They are definitely inferior things, belonging to the vegetable not the animal world, rooted and stationary, incapable of transition. I admit, doubtfully, as exceptions, snail-shells and caravans. The desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thenceforward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting-place.

Click to expand...

Damn, John! You wax poetic!

Retriever said:

My girlfriend (who doesn't live on the boat) asked me the other day if I'll ever buy a house.

Click to expand...

I would have said, "You mean a different house?" After all, you have a very cool "house"!

Wine is better on a boat.

Houses, are but badly built boats so firmly aground that you cannot think of moving them. They are definitely inferior things, belonging to the vegetable not the animal world, rooted and stationary, incapable of transition. I admit, doubtfully, as exceptions, snail-shells and caravans. The desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thenceforward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting-place.

Reasons enough!

healhustler said:

Agree with Autumn Dream (also love the boat).
When you're aboard and you wake up one morning....maybe six months later and you just had a dream about saving, protecting, insuring, storing, displaying, polishing, mowing, trimming, giving, receiving, scratching, denting, repairing, collecting, calling somebody about or getting a call about, or the plethora of other concerns that come up when possessing "stuff", you will shake your head to clear it before saying, "Oh yeah, I don't have to worry about that anymore".

Click to expand...

I do not possess "stuff"...I have learned that stuff possess me. When going through a divorce 5 years back I realized how true this was. I am amazed how all those 'assets' proved to be liabilities in many ways. I never felt more free once I rid myself of 'stuff' I thought I could never part with. Love is the only 'stuff' worth possessing....the rest is all on loan to me.

rardoin said:

I do not possess "stuff"...I have learned that stuff possess me. When going through a divorce 5 years back I realized how true this was. I am amazed how all those 'assets' proved to be liabilities in many ways. I never felt more free once I rid myself of 'stuff' I thought I could never part with. Love is the only 'stuff' worth possessing....the rest is all on loan to me.

Click to expand...

Yup.

You are all right about the burdens of "stuff". I have a wonderful person helping me with the work of the move and she keeps saying "where did all this stuff come from?". I have developed a fear of closets! ha ha With every trip to the Goodwill I feel lighter and better. I even found a box unopened from the last move 20 years ago...