Gulf Coast Livaboard - NEED ADVICE!

[johnpaul7005]

Hi all.

John here. 26. From St. Louis. Moving to Pensacola for work and planning on buying a sailboat or trawler to liveaboard starting in January 2023. I have been researching this lifestyle for about a year now and still find myself lacking important information. I'm hoping these forums will change that.

Here's some information that I know you'll all ask for before you can begin assisting me:

1) My prospective boat is around 27-30' in length.
2) I will be living aboard completely solo for 1 year.
3) I plan to work remotely from the boat while anchored or docked at a marina (will be needing onboard WiFi).
4) I plan to use the weekends to sail down the coast of Florida and - time and weather permitting - trace the islands and coastline of the Caribbean.

Here are my questions:

1) On average, how much does it cost to dock at a marina for 1 day in Florida?
2) On average, how much does it cost to dock at a marina for 30 days in Florida? (including WiFi, shower facilities, etc.)
3) Is there a website that lists marinas in the Gulf Coast that are liveaboard friendly? (I'm having remarkable trouble with this.)
4) Is there a website for basic equipment that you recommened? (dinghy's, lifejackets, navigation equipment, etc.)
5) Is there a trustworthy website for learning about Caribbean countries' docking laws and policies? (e.g. What should I know about visiting the Bahamas as a liveaboard?)

 

[johnpaul7005]

MORE INFORMATION:

1) I live a very minimalist lifestyle. I can count how many shirts I own and I have roughly the same grocery list every week.
2) I used to live in a hotel, so I am not worried about cramped spaces.
3) I plan to fish for meals from time to time.

 

[O C Diver]

Welcome to the forum!

https://dockwa.com/

https://www.waterwayguide.com/

https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-US/

Dockwa does bookings, Active Captain and Waterway Guide have interactive maps that locate marinas with crowd source data reviews.

Ted

 

[rgano]

Does your minimalist life style extend down to the level of sleeping in very moist and warm air without air conditioning? Your options are limited if you need the AC because you will need a generator if anchoring and a dependable marina power supply if not.

Joint Active Captain and use that to display marinas in your area of concern. Get their phone number and call to definitively answer your marina-related questions. Be advised that recent hurricane activity has left areas like Pensacola and Panama City (where I live) with NO spare marina slips and a long wait to get one.

 

[ranger58sb]

3) I plan to work remotely from the boat while anchored or docked at a marina (will be needing onboard WiFi).

1) On average, how much does it cost to dock at a marina for 1 day in Florida?
2) On average, how much does it cost to dock at a marina for 30 days in Florida? (including WiFi, shower facilities, etc.)

4) Is there a website for basic equipment that you recommened? (dinghy's, lifejackets, navigation equipment, etc.)

Marina WiFi can be hit or miss... for various technical and non-technical reasons. If you need boatloads of throughput, you'll want to research which marinas offer useable service (as opposed to a simple "Free WiFi" statement on their advertising blurbs. You'll also want to compare that to cellular access, acceptable data plans, etc.

Note also that anchoring out, or perhaps using a ball in a marina's mooring field... brings a boatload of issues related to water, waste, electricity, heat and/or AC, and personal hygiene... as well as transportation from mooring to almost anywhere (groceries, etc.).

Transient (daily) rates are often most expensive and figured by "per-foot plus electricity" and not at all representative for what you're after. Monthly rates are calculated by the same "per foot + E" thing but it may be dependent on length of boat, or length of slip, either way. Semi-annual or annual rates are generally least expensive in the long run.

This should get you started on equipment:
https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF
Just be aware this is the minimum requirement. What it takes to make you safe and comfortable will likely exceed the minimum.

Nav equipment is a whole category by itself, and you'd do well to read several of the existing related forum threads to get a feel for that. The current "Furuno vs Garmin" thread, while focused on only two of the several viable brands, touches on many of the options. Some folks like a whole bunch of equipment/capability, whereas others prefer a more minimalist approach. Only you can eventually decide your minimum baseline.

-Chris

 

[kokopelliTim]

I would like to further this thread about living aboard and advice.


I am soon to be living aboard again (after 7 years). This time I will be cruising versus just staying in the same marina.


I know there has been much advice about mail forwarding services, and many recommend St. Brandans in Florida.


Comparing costs; St Brandans is about $270 per year. Whereas, others (seemingly the same type and great service) for $100 per year (iPost1), or $144 (at RVMail)?


What am i Missing? I am not interested in all the FL registry and residency.


Advice is much appreciated.


Thanks.


Tim

 

[guy with a boat]

[STRIKE][/STRIKE]

I would like to further this thread about living aboard and advice.

I am soon to be living aboard again (after 7 years). This time I will be cruising versus just staying in the same marina.

I know there has been much advice about mail forwarding services, and many recommend St. Brandans in Florida.

Comparing costs; St Brandans is about $270 per year. Whereas, others (seemingly the same type and great service) for $100 per year (iPost1), or $144 (at RVMail)?

What am i Missing? I am not interested in all the FL registry and residency.

Advice is much appreciated.

Thanks.

Tim

I don’t have your answer, but let me suggest that you will get more responses if you start a new thread with your question.

 

[Comodave]

I would like to further this thread about living aboard and advice.


I am soon to be living aboard again (after 7 years). This time I will be cruising versus just staying in the same marina.


I know there has been much advice about mail forwarding services, and many recommend St. Brandans in Florida.


Comparing costs; St Brandans is about $270 per year. Whereas, others (seemingly the same type and great service) for $100 per year (iPost1), or $144 (at RVMail)?


What am i Missing? I am not interested in all the FL registry and residency.


Advice is much appreciated.


Thanks.


Tim

Agree that you should start a new thread with the specific title. You will likely get way more response.

 

[FF]

"I plan to work remotely from the boat while anchored or docked at a marina (will be needing onboard WiFi)"

Marina wi fi is very variable , some are OK too many are really poor.

Some companies offer internet over your cellphone that talks to your computer.

$85 to about $125 per month , but it works just fine, almost anywhere.

 

[Constellation1]

Food for thought:

Living aboard a boat can be fantastic, but it is rarely easy. Think of the basics, shelter, water, food and because you're working - internet.

Florida has oppressive humidity levels, I know, I live here. Even if you're thinking - I can handle that ... How will you control the mold that comes with a very wet environment. Fast forward to fall and winter and it is COLD on a boat. There is no insulation and it sits in cool water. Water capacity and food you can work out with planning and count on free marina internet being unworkable for throughput for work purposes.

My intent is not to kill your dream. We are moving aboard our boat for three months in January - I have dual failover cellular internet solutions, 400 gallons of water and three heat pumps, and it still won't be cheap, especially during high season in Florida.

Again, your plan is doable with plenty of planning and probably more expensive than you may have initially thought.

 

[HypnoBob]

Boat size and type. For a small liveaboard find a 36 foot Motor Yacht style trawler. There are a handful of older Grand Banks for sale as well as other brands. Make sure you have diesel engine(s) not gas. Motor yachts have a large aft deck (some enclosed), full beam master stateroom with plenty of storage, etc. They will most likely have AC. Don't even consider living on the Gulf-Coast without it. Night time it cools appreciably and you may not need AC as much then. Just make sure you have screens on all the portlights you open to get a breeze.

A trawler will enable you to live above in the daylight with large windows and not in the belly of the boat.

WiFi booster will solve the weak signal issue. We use the bullet style popular today and took virtually spotty no-service situations to five bars all around the Great Loop and the Bahamas. We did the same with a cell phone booster. We ran our web-based training company from the boat.

Marina costs are high, especially during the winter months when people flock to Florida. If you can find a live aboard slip, you'll pay anywhere from $400 to $800 month plus electric. There are very few long-term slips available. Why? People went crazy buying boats during the pandemic. 45% of all boats purchased were from first time boat buyers. Take care when you buy one to make damn sure you get a thorough survey. There are a lot of damaged boats (run agrounds to lack of proper maintenance) coming back on the market. Mostly they're the sleek looking fast powerboats (as opposed to trawler style boats).

Next, insurance may be a painful expensive experience. Can't get a boat or a slip without it. Our insurance on our 49 foot trawler doubled when we were south of Coffeeville Lock on the TennTom or south of Brunswick, GA.

We used St. Brendan's Isle forwarding service because they specialize in boater's mail and package delivery. They become your mail agent (different than just a forwarding service). They can open your first class mail at your request online

They know the time critical issues related to getting the mail to the marina before you leave. They can scan just the envelope, or open and scan the contents so you can view it online, before having it sent to you.

And, they know how to get those critical boat parts through customs in the Bahamas, Canada, and around the loop. Need to ship a prop?