hopefully soon

[Laurie58]

New person here..I have been reading a lot of info here. Thank you so much.Planning to buy a trawler as soon as I sell my house. My children have left the nest, Soooo...time for Mom to get crazy..I am from South Florida but have been land locked in Ft. Worth to long. I have been looking to liveaboard in the Keys love it there. I have so many questions and hope you all can help me with.. like for example the whole process..lol planning on paying cash for boat and have seen a few I like in my $$$ range. I am widowed so I am learning to do everything on my own. Like is it best to get a broker or wing it on my own. Is there someone out there that can teach me how things work etc. what about hurricanes where do you go? When marinas say liveaboards welcome can you stay for years? Any info would be so helpful..Sorry tried not to sound to needy to you all. Thanks Laurie

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Ms. 58. Welcome aboard. Needy? NOT at all. Inquisitive? Most certainly. Ask away. I would recommend "hiring" a broker to work on your behalf.

[Crusty Chief]

Laurie-

Welcome aboard and don't be afraid to ask, lots of good folks to help you through it all.

You might want to contact Janice, her link is below. She is a great inspiration on how to be frugal on the water.

Janice aboard Seaweed, trawler cruising on a nickel budget...

Good luck, John

[DavidM]

Laurie:

Welcome aboard. Let me take a shot at your questions:

Absolutely use a broker.

Marinas in the keys are expensive. Marathon is one of the cheaper areas. There are decently priced marinas and you can rent a monthly mooring in Boot Key Harbor. Hundreds of liveaboards do that each winter. There are lots of activities in Marathon and you can get all the advice you can stand just by hanging out under the tree at the dinghy dock.

I presume that you also want to cruise. From Marathon, Key West is a nice stop for a week or so. Then after the winter is over, maybe head up along the east coast and hang out in Stuart or Vero Beach. Or go up the SW coast to Marco Island, Ft Pierce, Charlotte Harbor and beyond. The limits are endless.

Reading is fine and there are a number of good books. The ones by Tom Neale are what got me started.

To make your first plunge into cruising, why not charter for a week or so. Maybe with a captain first to get you started. SW Florida Yacht Charters is one.

David

[Lollygag]

Welcome aboard. We all had lots to learn when we started. Most of us still have lots to learn. Use a broker, pay cash and buy what you can afford and handle. Then you can start learning about all the other stuff.

[CPseudonym]

Welcome to the forum and chartering is excellent advice. You can learn more about your likes and dislikes living on a boat for one week than in a year of reading.

[Capt. Jon]

Originally Posted by Laurie58

New person here..I have been reading a lot of info here. Thank you so much.Planning to buy a trawler as soon as I sell my house. My children have left the nest, Soooo...time for Mom to get crazy..I am from South Florida but have been land locked in Ft. Worth to long. I have been looking to liveaboard in the Keys love it there. I have so many questions and hope you all can help me with.. like for example the whole process..lol planning on paying cash for boat and have seen a few I like in my $$$ range. I am widowed so I am learning to do everything on my own. Like is it best to get a broker or wing it on my own. Is there someone out there that can teach me how things work etc. what about hurricanes where do you go? When marinas say liveaboards welcome can you stay for years? Any info would be so helpful..Sorry tried not to sound to needy to you all. Thanks Laurie

Don't wing it. Speak to several brokers. Find one you feel you can trust. I am sure if you ask there are several on this forum who can recommend someone to you that they trust and have used.

There are several companies and private Captians you can hire to help you out. As someone else already mentioned you might want to try a charter for some experience.

As for Hurricanes, every area is different and so are what your insurance company expects. Some require a written plan with proof of your ability to carry out the plan. Shopping for insurance is something a broker can also help you out with.

Living abroad in a marina should not be an issue. Even for long periods of time. Hard part will be finding one you really want to stay at for a long time. I for one cannot set still long enough to stay somewhere more than 6 months to a year. Just too much out there to see.

Once you find a broker take your time. Look at a lot of boats. The more you look and the more you read the more comfortable you will be making your decision.

Good luck and keep us posted on your journey.

[Off Duty]

Welcome.
There's so much information here, as you've already seen, that you're in good hands.


The Florida Keys.....excellent choice


OD