Marina living - what are we missing in this budget list?

[tiltrider1]

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So, overall, if one is gonna have a boat anyway, it's way cheaper to live on it than have a house and a boat. And one could rent their house out and pay for the boating costs pretty much.



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PS, I don't know where some of you are getting these awful high boat maintenance costs. That's a REALLY small overall cost, unless you just don't use the boat at all. This is assuming the boat is in good shape and not counting remodeling or improvements.

I totally agree with the top statement.

We will need to agree to just disagree with the bottom statement. Everyone has different expectations on what boat maintenance means.

 

[GMandGW]

@Seevee - thanks! Insightful post. And what you’re listing matches up with my marina $ research. We actually live in Gulfport Fl, and the marina here is $800 for liveaboards. We own our house and our total monthly +utilities will actually be about the same as marina life (on average). So it’s a tradeoff for freedom and water living. Since Gulfport is a vacation spot, we’d Airbnb or rent out our house.

After talking with a few trawler owners, a trawler may not be the best “starter boat” for us. Since our plan is to take the first 2 years to explore the entire coast of Florida, we won’t be cruising, as much as short hops and living at marinas for a few months at a time. Of course, we’ll try mooring, but best to budget for marina living and end up saving, rather than the other way around. I’m wondering if a cheaper brand of motor yacht might be better for us until we can break free form Florida (jobs). And yes, 45 ft is about right.

 

[backinblue]

Black water pump-out costs. Many marinas offer free pump out if one moves the boat to a designated pump out location. However, you’ll have to hire a pump-out service should you decide not to move the boat to the station when needed.

Edit: Oops, Alaskaflyer beat me to it!

Depends on the location. At my home slip in CT, free pump-out boat will come to me if desired.

 

[rslifkin]

Depends on the location. At my home slip in CT, free pump-out boat will come to me if desired.

Same story where we used to be in CT. Where I am now, you have to go for a pumpout (no pump out boats or carts) and at least at my marina, it's $10 even if you have a slip there.

 

[Sofa King Fishy]

Pump outs unless you’re going to do it yourself all the time. If the marina winterizes, then you’ll have no choice but to use a pump out boat. This adds a few $100 a year. Also, Electric Service is often billed to the slip occupants for shore power.

 

[garychurch]

1. Slip fee

Weekly, monthly, semi annual and annual rates may apply. Long term rates can be considerably cheaper than daily rates.

2. Additional marina liveaboard fee (if applicable)

Some charge, many do not. Are you onboard crew versus full time live aboard? Are you permanent or transient to the Marina?

3. Electric

Some charge a fixed rate (30, 50 or 100 amps) others charge by kilowatt hours used.

4. Boat insurance

Get a broker. Many different policy coverages and costs.

5. Generator

At a marina with shore power. Why this category?

6. Internet (this is specific to us as we won’t be able to work our jobs with only marina wifi)

Do not depend on “free” Marina Wi-Fi service. Generally poor speeds and erratic reliability. Get cellular broadband service instead.

7. Fresh water? I’m ignorant about this.

Most marinas in the US have free water services.

8. Boat maintenance

This category is not unique to staying at a marina and can vary wildly from routine maintenance to unexpected repairs big and small.

9. Add Blackwater pumpout at $10 per pumpout 2 to 4 times per month depending on tank capacity and use. Many use onshore facilities at a marina.

10. Some marinas charge for trash or some an assessment on a weekly or monthly basis.

11. Boat maintenance at dock for cleaning, waxing and buffing hull every 3 to 6 months and hull bottom cleaning every 3 months. These are generally Marina based services and not done underway.

12. Automotive parking fees for some marina stays.

13. There are many categories of budget items from clothing, groceries, etc. There are not however unique to staging in a marina and therefore not enumerated.

 

[CarlF]

Your timing is perfect for Starlink. In another six months it should be readily available and reliable throughout the US. You can get it today in Beta in Florida. $500 for the antenna and then $100/month for truly unlimited internet that's as fast as home cable internet. Share with as many devices as you want just like home cable internet. You currently have to stay within a few miles of your registered address. This will eventually change and you'll be able to cruise with it (this may then mean a new dish - too early to know).

Add to your list - laundry. The little washer/dryer you might have on the trawler can only do very small loads. Usually easier to use the marina machines which vary from free to quite expensive.

Insurance is MUCH more expensive in Florida than north of Florida because of hurricane risk. About double. Marinas will insist that you have substantial liability insurance (the amount varies). But you have many more marina choices in Florida and less winter - so it may be worth it.

If you decide to get a slip in Florida, assume you'll be paying the 6% sales tax on your boat purchase (it caps at $18,000 on a boat but presumably that won't help you).

Put some real effort into finding a marina with a great live-aboard community. Before signing on the dotted line, get to know your future neighbors. Look for one that has occasional pot-lucks get togethers. You are much closer to your neighbors in a marina than in a house. Ask them what's good and bad. Check it out on weekdays and weekends. Is there a marina bar that plays music to 1AM every weekend night? Does it feel safe late at night? Barking dogs? A nice pool? How good is the laundry? Huge amounts of bird poop on decks? Smell from local industry? Truck noise on the nearby road? Condo owners ashore control the board and hate liveaboards? Is the electric power reliable? (a lot of marinas have very old wiring)? How far to a grocery store? A good restaurant?

 

[backinblue]

Same story where we used to be in CT. Where I am now, you have to go for a pumpout (no pump out boats or carts) and at least at my marina, it's $10 even if you have a slip there.

And here I was thinking I got nothing for the tens of thousands I pay to state and local taxes each year! I never knew I had it so good!

 

[Gaylord Ballard]

You may want to check on haul out contract costs. If you moor in some places you have to have haul out contract in case of bad weather. It is required in Morehead City and Beaufort and hard to get.

 

[Bryant]

Marina living

Hello! The hubs and I are in the budgeting phase before we buy a trawler. We will pay cash for the boat and live aboard full-time. However, the first few years will not be on the hook, it will be in different marinas (southeastern US). It’s just how it has to be. I’m trying to budget comparing a utilities list for house fees vs boat fees. I understand there are great variables with each, but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing a whole category.

1. Slip fee
2. Additional marina liveaboard fee (if applicable)
3. Electric
4. Boat insurance
5. Generator
6. Internet (this is specific to us as we won’t be able to work our jobs with only marina wifi)
7. Fresh water? I’m ignorant about this.
8. Boat maintenance

Any major utilities we’re missing? This isn’t having to do with personal living budget (food, etc.). Thank you in advance for your insight!

Are you talking about staying in one marina long term then going to another for long term or are you talking about living aboard and Marina hopping while you cruise? Transient fees Can be extremely high. On the other hand, finding marinas that even allow live aboard is getting quite difficult. Once locating a marina that allows live aboard, it's difficult to find availability. This will require a great deal of research and planning. Slip fees are higher for live aboard. Typically, marinas have a minimum charge for electric and water. After the minimum, you pay for what you use, just like at home. Internet, cable etc is included in monthly slip fees quite often, if it's available, but marinas that offer these amenities are generally quite expensive. Not all do. You shouldn't need your generator in a live aboard marina and running yours at night in a marina won't buy you many friends. Marinas provide fresh water at the slip. Insurance is such a variable that it's difficult to say. Contact GEICO/Boat's US and ask them this question. Maintenance is available at larger marinas, not so much at smaller ones For example, in Pensacola, Finding anyone to work on your boat is extremely difficult. There are very few technicians in the first place and the few that are there are booked months in advance. Tampa/St Pete is another situation entirely. Again, research and planning is important here.

 

[psneeld]

From OP's post #24...


"For the next 2 years, we plan to spend 3 to 6 months at a given marina. From the looks of it, this will not be much cheaper than house living (for us). However, life is too short to stay put."

 

[Parro]

9. Boat maintenance
10. Boat maintenance
11. Boat maintenance
12......

Number 12. Other boat maintenance not included in 9, 10 and 11.
Possibly totaling the sum of 9, 10, and 11.

 

[High Wire]

Dock near the coast? Diver fees if you are going to travel but not do routine haul for bottom paint.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

OK, I own a boat that I pretty much live on in the summer (Midwest). I own a home in Northern Wisconsin where I live when I am not on my boat. I am retired, travel some, have old cars, all the toys I want. I see my grandkids regularly, fix up the shack and the boat when they need it. I have good supplemental insurance, a nice savings account for the grandkids and a few thousand in cash stashed around for emergencies. I wear old clothes but can look nice when the Admiral wants to take me out. We eat out once in a while. If I ever see something I want to buy, I buy it. ( a new tool, maybe jewelry for mama or an electronic doodad)

In short, I am living the good life, living the dream.

Around here, It really isn't any cheaper living on a boat than in a dirt home. Several friends and relatives have lake homes, ski homes in Canada, condos in Florida or Texas or a place in the mountains. They all cost the same!

pete

 

[psneeld]

Living on a boat CAN be cheaper than living on land.


Living on land CAN be cheaper than on a boat.


OR...it can be just about the same.


There are so many controllable AND uncontrollable factors....the list of /calculating/controlling ALL the variables is mind boggling.


Unless you pick a point in time, define what boat or house in particular, designate style of boat usage and what you do or spend on the house, whether you would boat or charter for vacation living ashore....you only begin to touch on what the difference can be.


There are already example discussing one side or the other... plenty more out there.

 

[tiltrider1]

Here in the PNW it costs the same to live on a boat as it costs to live on land. The false economy comes when you fail to measure comparable amenities. It’s cheaper to live on a 30’ boat where you walk to shared showers and drag your laundry to the laundry mat than to live in an apartment with a shower and w/d in the facility.

 

[Circumnavigator]

"If you're docked somewhere it freezes, plan on losing dock water a few days or more a year."


In Boston, we go on winter water in November and off in May. Winter water is a hose on the bottom of the harbor, with a line to pull it up at each finger as needed. Much less capacity than in the summer.


Electric is flat rate ($500 for 125/250 50) in the summer and metered in winter at $0.31 per kWh plus $15 fee. $600 liveaboard fee in winter. And this is the low rent district in Boston -- other marinas are 2-3 times as much.


In Annapolis, live-aboards had a watering party most Saturdays. We'd put our hoses together to a faucet on shore and water each boat in turn. When done, we'd middle the hoses and hoist them on a halyard to ensure they were empty.


I've paid for water at Baddeck and at many places around the world, but never in the USA.


As noted above, don't underestimate maintenance. Most boat equipment is designed for use a few days a month, a few months a year. You'll put more hours on the boat's systems in a year than most boats get in a lifetime.


Jim