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Old 04-20-2012, 09:00 PM   #1
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Debating selling my trawler and moving to FL

Hi Guys...
I've been doing alot of thinking lately (dangerous, I know).
I currently live in Boston, but have been thinking of moving to Tampa to be close to my elderly parents, who may not have long left on this earth (I'm an only child and would like to be close to them).
I was going to take my Marine Trader 43' south from Boston to Tampa - but started thinking it would cost too much in fuel, etc. So I'm thinking I could sell the boat here in Boston, where there is a slightly stronger boat market, and then move Tampa and either buy a house or a large trawler and live aboard for a while...

Opinions?
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Old 04-20-2012, 10:15 PM   #2
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It may take awhile to sell the boat. What do you do in the meantime?
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Old 04-21-2012, 12:14 AM   #3
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Tough decision to make.
If you really like your boat and have, like many of us, put a lot of effort into keeping it up it may be worth keeping it and mothballing it, at least for the time being.
That might give you some time to figure out if moving the boat is worthwhile and how much it will cost. Maybe move it in stages if you can;t afford the full time in one shot.
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Old 04-21-2012, 04:52 AM   #4
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1500 miles at 3 gp and 5 k , surely a worst case , would be 500 hours and 1500G of fuel. at $4. per gallon that's 6 grand.

The cost of slip space , brokers fees and sales tax to swop boats, will surely be more than $6K.

By anchoring out , easy for all but some of the FL waterway , fuel and oil should be the only added living expense.

To do a lower cost trip simply do an illegal "trip learning experience" "learn on board a trawler " deal , with some paying passengers.

Been done before,,,,

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Old 04-21-2012, 06:50 AM   #5
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Take the boat to Tampa and live on it there. You have a nice live-aboard as it is. You might have to add AC for the FL summers. It would be a great trip.
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Old 04-21-2012, 07:13 AM   #6
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I'd say bring the boat down esp. if its livable. You could always post up on here for crew to help with the trip down. A/C is not an "option" down here in the summertime if you are going to live-aboard in any relative comfort. If you are going to sell your house and belongings up there (and I've only known of older people to move back north to share their death with friends and loved-ones) and remain down here once your family obligations are attended to, the boat would allow you to move around the state to find an area you'd like to stay in yourself without rental contracts, utility deposits, moving furniture and household goods, etc.
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Old 04-21-2012, 09:16 AM   #7
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If you like your boat and it's suitable for FL (has airconditioning), then taking the boat to FL makes the most sense.

Aside from the costs involved in selling and buying boats, think of all the things you've done to your boat to make it "yours". You want to have to do that all over again?

Many people take their boats south for the winter and back north for the summer every year. They are called "snowbirds".
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Old 04-21-2012, 09:17 AM   #8
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Have it trucked down. we truck equipment bigger than your boat.
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Old 04-21-2012, 10:28 AM   #9
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No comparison!!! Keep the boat if you like it and take the trip (or move it if pressed for time). The costs to sell your boat, buy another and bring it up to your liking would be tremendous.

I'm not sure about Tampa liveaboard marinas but there are two on the Manatee River. We enjoyed Twin Dolphin in Bradenton.
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Old 04-21-2012, 07:14 PM   #10
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I sell boats and I'm saying take her down there and live on her. There is no cheaper more present way to live that I know of.
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Old 04-21-2012, 08:09 PM   #11
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If you can find the time to make the trip--go for it. The fuel cost will be less than selling and buying another. Take it from experience, as your parents get older your ability to get away on a trip like this may escape you. When you live close they expect to see you a lot, and getting away for more than a day or two becomes a challenge!

Best of luck. I hope you get to go.

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Old 04-21-2012, 08:26 PM   #12
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Come on down! Bring the boat. Welcome to Florida. You've got a great opportunity for a fun cruise. Don't let the opportunity get away. I had my boat built in Maine and trucked down. To this day I regret not running her down on her own bottom.
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Old 04-21-2012, 09:48 PM   #13
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Without knowing any personal details, the only way selling the boat makes sense financially is if you have found you do not like it. FF has posted directly what others have alluded to indirectly, "Florida is where boats go to die", or words like that.

To test his hypothesis I searched Yachtworld using the following criteria. Used, Power, Year 1970 to 1999 Length 35 to 46 feet. Very broad by anyone's definition. Massachusetts has 361 listings, California 820, Florida 1,455.

I'm certain geography and other factors play key roles in this but I've heard and seen on this and other forums similar advice similar in sentiment to FF's. "If you want to sell it get it outta Florida" seems to be a fairly common sentiment.

Bottom line. If you like it, keep it. If not, sell it where it sits. Either way you are money ahead in my line of thinking.
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Old 04-22-2012, 04:55 AM   #14
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If swolowing the anchor is in the plan , YES YES YES , to eventually see any money the boat will need to go back , out of Florida's Hotel California , sales area.

In theory , if you are looking to have a full time job for a couple of years , and have all the skill sets , knowledge and tools, you could sell out in the North.

Then by a std FL boat "fixer upper"and have a hobby.

Much of the price of repairs is labor , and FL has many marine used equipment stores , where items like ranges can be had for 1/10 the new price.

Another hobby? The goal, "Paint Sells the Boat".

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Old 04-22-2012, 12:08 PM   #15
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Hi Guys,
thanks for all the great input. I'll have to do some serious thinking about this... but part of the reason I'd sell her is to use the money to buy a house down in FL.
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Old 04-22-2012, 01:16 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 7tiger7 View Post
Hi Guys,
thanks for all the great input. I'll have to do some serious thinking about this... but part of the reason I'd sell her is to use the money to buy a house down in FL.
If you own a house in or near Boston, my bet is, what you get from selling it will more than buy a house in FL.

Only you know your circumstances and only you know what's best for you. I'm surprised you would ask strangers for advice.
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Old 04-22-2012, 08:14 PM   #17
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Hi,
I don't consider you guys here "strangers" - just friends who live far away but whom I haven't visited yet
I do have a condo in Boston, but doesn't make financial sense to sell it. I'd loose money on it now, and I can rent it to friends to break even on the mortgage.
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Old 04-22-2012, 08:38 PM   #18
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Sell a boat to buy a house in Florida and be without a boat? Doesn't sound like a great idea, imagine being here in SWFlorida without a boat. All that you would have is a house with no resale value and no boat. Bring your boat on down here and enjoy the liveaboard lifestyle.

Just my 2 cents. ;-)
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Old 04-23-2012, 04:43 AM   #19
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Fl areas vary , in many terms.

I would rent for a year and visit the variety of towns , the huge variety in pricing , the distance to shopping , the hospital etc.

Of course with a $5000 motor home you can do the same looking by spending a month (cheapest camping rate) in different areas to decide where to go.

Same rental cost , you just get greater mobility as FL is a huge state..

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Old 04-24-2012, 02:02 PM   #20
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I'd be very careful buying a house in Florida right now. The market still hasn't really recovered at all, another drop could happen. It seems like you can buy a condo for the cost of the maintenance fees, almost.

St. Pete downtown area has lots of nice marinas, I'm pretty sure some are liveaboard.
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