mostly moored live aboard

[MisterMichaelB]

Hello,
I'm brand new to the forum, and even with respect to boats, canoes and kayaks are the only thing on my resume right now. It may in fact be more a home that I'm after, than a boat. I stayed on a trawler in the Baja, and I absolutely love the lifestyle. Now I'm looking at a craft for sale that has moorage. How the marina views live aboards, I'm not sure as of yet. My intention would be to buy the craft, but remain moored 90% of the time. I house-sit professionally, teach English online, and will be going back and forth from Vancouver to Toronto to be with aging parents. I'll be away from the boat for up to two months at a time. A friend lives in the immediate town to care for it while I'm gone. The marina is one of the most beautiful marina's around, so the location is very stunning. The craft has been updated. It's a 34' CHB with a rebuilt transmission, new hydraulic steering installed, new aluminum fuel tanks, new stainless steel water tanks. Resale in about 4-5 years should hold up well, all things considered. I'm not concerned about fuel because I don't want to use the boat until I become knowledgable of it and get my licence.
My query is: given that I will not be moving the craft very much - I wonder what I can expect to be putting $$$ into the boat $$$ for general maintenance and upkeep, moored 90% of the time? Is that too wide spread of a general question. I guess it's my first query upon many. Any input is certainly appreciated.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. Check the decks for soft core. It is a feature, unfortunately, of the breed.

 

[Swfla]

Lack of use will drive up repair and maintenance costs eventually. Resale will not hold up well. You will most certainly spend more and take a loss when done compared to buying a small cottage/home.

 

[Simi 60]

For us marina fees would have been a large part of the expense and was big part of the reason the previous owner was selling her.
Apart from the initial couple of weeks getting her sorted we've been 4 years and haven't used a marina yet.

The monies saved on not using a marina covers our yearly fuel and paid maintenance costs.

 

[MisterMichaelB]

You know, I feel as a newby, I have to ask the obvious questions. Any thing built to move, that doesn't move...it's not right. You're correct. Thereby affecting resale. My focus needs to be on land, as you say. I spent 6 months recently in the UK, and the allure of living in a canal boat was very appealing. I wanted to see about replicating that here. I really appreciate the quick input from some knowledgable folks out there willing to chime in. Thank you.

 

[sbman]

With disuse, the systems on the boat will slowly but surely stop working. Seacocks holding seawater out of the boat will freeze up, engines will rust, heat exchangers will corrode. Batteries will die and paint will oxidize and fade.

Regular use also encourages regular cleaning, engines heat up and boil off moisture internally. Batteries stay charged. Being on the boat, you notice when things are needing some attention, and hopefully tend to it. Regular cleaning and waxing helps prevent paint or gel coat from oxidizing.

Fuel costs would not be a major consideration even if you used the boat regularly. Haul outs for bottom maintenance, top side cleaning/waxing/repairs, electrical system maintenance/repairs, replacement of worn/corroded fittings and plumbing, moorage fees, insurance cost, engine maintenance, prop maintenance, stuffing box maintenance, pumps to maintain/replace/service, these are the things that will cost. Occasionally you'll need to replace a major component (a head becomes beyond repair, an important pump stops working, a main battery charger goes bad, etc...)

Fuel for a day trip at 6 gallons per hour ($18/hour at $3/gallon) isn't really a large consideration of cost compared to all the other stuff. If you are doing all the maintenance and the boat is ready to use, using it a few times a month will help you know that the boat is being maintained properly as you'll notice what does or does not work and what additional work it needs.

You know, I feel as a newby, I have to ask the obvious questions. Any thing built to move, that doesn't move...it's not right. You're correct. Thereby affecting resale. My focus needs to be on land, as you say. I spent 6 months recently in the UK, and the allure of living in a canal boat was very appealing. I wanted to see about replicating that here. I really appreciate the quick input from some knowledgable folks out there willing to chime in. Thank you.

 

[Swfla]

You said that you're a professional house sitter and spend time with aging parents. Sounds like Vancouver is your current residence, 2600 miles from Toronto. Have you considered renting a room in a house along with several other? The cost would be low and it sounds like you would be busy visiting parents away as well as the occasional house sitting job. Assuming they are OK with you living in their home while sitting, you don't really need your own place right now. Is your house sitting all across Canada or one city only? Why not move the operation to Toronto for a few years? You could put all the saved money into an account for when you need your own place.You can still be a member here, learning a lot as you read posts. Anyway, good luck with your decisions. Being flexible offers a lot of advantages over putting down roots.

 

[Zoar]

Why not get a pontoon houseboat? You could even get one with no engines. Moor it full time as you state yiu wish to do, thus avoiding all those scary naeyy tettoble aeful things sighted in prior posts. When you move it, tow it.

 

[tiltrider1]

Why not get a pontoon houseboat? You could even get one with no engines. Moor it full time as you state yiu wish to do, thus avoiding all those scary naeyy tettoble aeful things sighted in prior posts. When you move it, tow it.

There are boats, there are floating homes and there are barge homes. Different rules and zoning issues apply to each. I can’t speak for Vancouver but in Seattle Barge homes are now illegal. floating homes come under strict installation rules and must be located only specific locations zoned for floating homes. Boats have had no rules regarding living aboard in the past but we see that changing. For now the changes appear to be limited to the % of liveaboards allowed and the definition of a boat. You can put an engine on a barge and get it licensees by the state as a boat but you won’t be allowed to live on it as it won’t pass the definition of boat.

 

[Zoar]

A pontoon house boat even sans the engines would be designated as a boat.

 

[tiltrider1]

A pontoon house boat even sans the engines would be designated as a boat.

Not in the state of Washington. With out an engine it would be deemed a barge. It would then be required to only be moored in a commercial moorage. People have hung outboards off of pontoon barges, registered them as boats and still the state used shore line zoning to force them out.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I hate to be the first to bash your plans but there will probably be more to follow.

Your plan is not sound. You can not live aboard on a boat at a mooring. Especially if you need to work from home and at the same time do some maintenance and upgrades. There is no 120 volt power at a mooring, therefore no reliable computer internet, television or power tools.

Secondly, being away for two months at a time will likely have you returning one day to find your boat sunk, rescued/impounded or full of water. Your food will be spoiled and the boat will smell bad. No matter how good of a friend you have and how reliable he/she has been, it is too much to ask them to make a dinghy ride out to your boat literally every day to inspect it. It just will not happen.

Sorry, you need to make some changes to your plan.

pete

 

[smitty477]

I hate to be the first to bash your plans but there will probably be more to follow.

Your plan is not sound. You can not live aboard on a boat at a mooring. Especially if you need to work from home and at the same time do some maintenance and upgrades. There is no 120 volt power at a mooring, therefore no reliable computer internet, television or power tools.

Secondly, being away for two months at a time will likely have you returning one day to find your boat sunk, rescued/impounded or full of water. Your food will be spoiled and the boat will smell bad. No matter how good of a friend you have and how reliable he/she has been, it is too much to ask them to make a dinghy ride out to your boat literally every day to inspect it. It just will not happen.

Sorry, you need to make some changes to your plan.

pete

"No matter how good of a friend you have and how reliable he/she has been, it is too much to ask them to make a dinghy ride out to your boat literally every day to inspect it"
Interesting - We have left boats on moorings for weeks at a time.
Have you always been docked at a marina?

 

[Zoar]

Hello,
I'm brand new to the forum, and even with respect to boats, canoes and kayaks are the only thing on my resume right now. It may in fact be more a home that I'm after, than a boat. I stayed on a trawler in the Baja, and I absolutely love the lifestyle. Now I'm looking at a craft for sale that has moorage. How the marina views live aboards, I'm not sure as of yet. My intention would be to buy the craft, but remain moored 90% of the time. I house-sit professionally, teach English online, and will be going back and forth from Vancouver to Toronto to be with aging parents. I'll be away from the boat for up to two months at a time. A friend lives in the immediate town to care for it while I'm gone. The marina is one of the most beautiful marina's around, so the location is very stunning. The craft has been updated. It's a 34' CHB with a rebuilt transmission, new hydraulic steering installed, new aluminum fuel tanks, new stainless steel water tanks. Resale in about 4-5 years should hold up well, all things considered. I'm not concerned about fuel because I don't want to use the boat until I become knowledgable of it and get my licence.
My query is: given that I will not be moving the craft very much - I wonder what I can expect to be putting $$$ into the boat $$$ for general maintenance and upkeep, moored 90% of the time? Is that too wide spread of a general question. I guess it's my first query upon many. Any input is certainly appreciated.

I have more carefully read your first post and see YOU HAVE a boat picked out. Well. That changes everything.

If it is the CHB listed for $64,900 I think that is way over priced for what you are seeking. Unless you were expecting to pay that much for a floating condo essentially.

Regardless if that is the boat or it is another:
Obviously making sure it has TWO (a main and a back up) thoroughly checked out BILGE pumps, and as long as you have SOLAR Panels with inverter/charger to charge the battery bank---I do not see why you cannot do what you seek to do. So, it appears I am in the minority here. a 34 foot CHB moored 90% of the time could certainly be doable. As you state you will be gone maybe (UP TO) 2 months at a time yet will have someone check on it regularly. They mainly need to understand how these work and how to fix the BILGE PUMP and be able to restart and have basic toruble shooting undersatdning of the solar charging/battery system.

I had a small flexible solar panel on my boat and left it for 2 months and yes of course checking on it regularly. The solar panel kept the batteries charged and the bilge pumps functioned well. Obviously if your boat does NOT take on any or much water that will make a difference. For what you intend to do having a tight boat is essential.

The thing that seems to be omitted in most of the discussion thus far is the fact you will be on the boat for MANY months a year. Again this is where your solar/ inverter/charging/battery system will be vital. You will be living on the boat and you will be moored MOST of the time, is how I read your initial post. And you will NOT be moving the boat / travelling anywhere with the boat by far MOST of the time. With a good solar system and decent sized battery bank(s) and conservative energy lifestyle yes it is do-able.

So I think what you want to do is do-able.

 

[Woodland Hills]

This is a language issue: when we read “mooring” we think attached to a mooring ball in an anchorage. Reading your post I see that you are talking about being tied to a dock in a marina. In that case what you want is very doable, just arrange with the marina manager to keep an eye on your boat to make sure that you have power and that you are not taking on water.

 

[Zoar]

"Your plan is not sound. You can not live aboard on a boat at a mooring. Especially if you need to work from home and at the same time do some maintenance and upgrades. There is no 120 volt power at a mooring, therefore no reliable computer internet, television or power tools."

I have met dozens and have seen maybe hundreds that are doing this along the Atlantic Seaboard....there are more along the Gulf and West Coast too.

I am sure around the world the number skyrockets.

To say a boat has no access to 110V power at a mooring seems to have missed boating advancements since the 90s.

Life can be difficult living on a mooring/ full time anchoring....but many do it anyhow.

You will get the best info from those who do it/ have done it...not speculated about it.

Yes indeed! And it is actually straightforward and easy with solar/inverter/charger/battery bank!!! I am outfitting my boat now with 2,000 WATTS of solar and a much larger and sophisticated OUTBACK charger (like what I have at my house and on my food truck). amd I know I can live on my boat full time or 10 months of the year... It is the same fundamental system I have at my OFF THE GRID home which I have lived in for the past 15 years successfully.

 

[Woodland Hills]

It’s interesting how few responders actually read the first post beyond the title and the first few sentences! If they had there wouldn’t have been so many words wasted about inverters and other anchoring related topics for a boat that was going to be tied to a dock 90% of the time.

 

[psneeld]

That's why I quickly deleted my post...fortunately it got quoted within a minute of my posting.


But it didn't really matter as what I posted was still applicable to someone who might be thinking of living aboard at a mooring versus what was posted about it.



Not every (actually few) threads stay on track for long so I am sure you will stay busy correcting us wayward types.


Plus after rereading....I don't think a slip was ever mentioned...he could have been discussing a mooring at a marina.

 

[koliver]

That's why I quickly deleted my post...fortunately it got quoted within a minute of my posting.


But it didn't really matter as what I posted was still applicable to someone who might be thinking of living aboard at a mooring versus what was posted about it.



Not every (actually few) threads stay on track for long so I am sure you will stay busy correcting us wayward types.


Plus after rereading....I don't think a slip was ever mentioned...he could have been discussing a mooring at a marina.

The OP is talking about Vancouver. There are no marinas with Mooring balls in Greater Vcr. All are slips. All have basic electric connections. Some permit liveabourds, some simply turn a blind eye to liveaboards, some are Nazis about enforcing a "No Liveaboard" policy. He needs to be sure he knows which he is in.

 

[psneeld]

That good info...not available to a lot of us till someone points it out....

Thank you...

 

[Zoar]

Mooring is a specific term that has a specific meaning. It is what was used in the original post. It is what it is.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Mooring is a specific term that has a specific meaning. It is what was used in the original post. It is what it is.

The OP also stated that he was a complete novice: he simply misspoke. Why else would he comment that he did not know how the marina would take to living aboard.

 

[koliver]

The OP also stated that he was a complete novice: he simply misspoke. Why else would he comment that he did not know how the marina would take to living aboard.

No, he did not misspeak.
He spoke the language of where he is located, Vancouver, BC, CANADA. Here, the noun "Mooring" means a place where one can secure the boat, either for overnight or for months at a time. It can include tying to a mooring ball, (which in Vancouver would be called a mooring bouy), but generally will not mean that, as there are few, if any mooring bouys in the Greater Vancouver area.
What is meant in this OP's first post is clear from the context, where he mentioned a marina. Marinas here are, without exception, floating docks, most frequently with slips capable of housing a pair of similar sized boats between two finger docks roughly the length of those boats.

 

[Woodland Hills]

It would be helpful if the OP returned to clarify what he meant.

 

[Zoar]

Okay if moored means on a dock in this case then the answer is yes. Still yes. Do able. Even easier.

 

[Swfla]

Covid is making us OCD.

 

[FF]

For use as a house boat , nothing beats a real factory built house boat.


They are refined for the purpose and frequently are quite inexpensive.

 

[Maryboo]

Make a spreadsheet of costs

I know you are anxious to just do this but before you buy anything, make a spreadsheet of the true and reasonable costs of what you’re going to do. Mooring fee, electricity- in the hot weather ours was several hundred dollars a month just to avoid mildew inside - insurance- a must have for marinas and docks- repairs, engine maintenance and oil changes, haul outs to redo the bottom paint, cost of bottom paint - ours was several hundred dollars a gallon- diver costs to clean the bottom and replace zincs. More importantly, does that marina allow live aboards? Lots of marinas here do not, but even the ones who turned a blind eye before have tightened up with the Covid virus. How will you shower or do laundry? Most marinas won’t allow laundry strewn around the outside to dry. What about using the toilet? If you do, you will need to move the boat to pump out. What about your water and cooking needs? Propane or electricity! Heat or air conditioning?
Write this down so you won’t be rudely surprised at how much a boat costs to keep up, even if you don’t move it. And regarding insurance, most policies exclude live aboards, or severely restrict the time you can stay aboard, like 2 weeks for ours.
I very much agree that a land based place to live is your most economical thing right now, until you have the time and resources to be there and keep up with an older boat. Friends cannot be relied on to “ check” the boat, and what do they do if there is a problem? Do you really think they will shop for prices and parts and be there when the repair people show up. If they show up. In our marina we can only use their repair people, so shopping to save money isn’t an option. Not to throw cold water on your plan, but you really need to make that spreadsheet and then double the costs and time. And what if your parents need you and you can’t return as you planned? Please rethink this whole thing realistically.

 

[Swfla]

Post #5 on Sept 8, he says he's keeping is focus on land. He's done considering boats for now.

 

[Knot Thirsty]

http://kingstonyachtsales.com/boat_listing.php?id=1589