My 2nd life

[Scottb4u]

I really appreciate the hard truth. I have thought of these things. I'm hoping people like you will be there when I fall to help me.

[Drake]

Which Huntsville are you from, Texas or Alabama?

[FOG]

I have always felt that if you have a dream, you should go for it.
If it doesn't work out, you'll have another dream.
To me that is truly living.
Good luck.

[JLD]

One piece of advice, if you haven't already thought of it, is that I think that all live-aboards (full-timers in the RV world) need to have an exit plan.

What happens when you either no longer want to live on the boat (or RV) or may not be able to live on the boat (or RV). You need to have a plan (including financial) in place for when this might occur.

One more thought is that you need a big enough boat, for your daughter to have her own space.

In the meantime, enjoy the live-aboard life!

I think that it could be a great bonding experience and offer your daughter a chance for some experiences that she otherwise might not be exposed to.

Jim

[Scottb4u]

Originally Posted by Drake

Which Huntsville are you from, Texas or Alabama?

I'm currently in Huntsville, TX.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Scottb4u

Very cool! Thanks for the encouragement.
How big is your boat? Are you living on it?

Take a weekend and drive down to the Clear Lake area south of Houston. There are thousands of boats around the lake. Walk docks, talk to people and look at boats. Go to Jay Bettis Yacht Sales and talk to Darrell Cottle. He's a great guy and very knowledgeable. You'll learn a lot about what size boat is likely to fit your needs.

[Delta Dog]

Welcome! Don't let all of the negative people get you down, they are just trying to make sure you really want to do this. Maintaining a boat is a lot of hard work, but it's worth it if you really love being on the water.

My wife and I are slowly working into full time live aboards, we plan to be fully divested of brick and mortar sometime next year. We've been sailors for many years, but look forward to living on our trawler, the room compared to our sail boat is amazing! Best of luck to you!

[Seevee]

Originally Posted by Scottb4u

I'm currently in Huntsville, TX.

Texas, ah! You may want to disregard my note about Trawlerfest, it's over by Huntsville, AL, a bit of a hike. Take up Drake's advise.... but you'll want to spend some time at marinas that cater to trawlers and live a boards.

[cardude01]

If it was me, I would get a modest house/apartment in Florida, then get a fast, trailerable boat you can explore with, go to the Bahamas if you want, etc. Then put it on a trailer when you are done cruising. Less maintenance, less worry.

A big issue for me, if I was a live aboard, would be the threat of hurricanes. It was stressful enough trying to get my boat out of harms way the past few weeks, but if the boat was also my house that would have been double stressful.

[Seevee]

Originally Posted by cardude01

If it was me, I would get a modest house/apartment in Florida, then get a fast, trailerable boat you can explore with, go to the Bahamas if you want, etc. Then put it on a trailer when you are done cruising. Less maintenance, less worry.

A big issue for me, if I was a live aboard, would be the threat of hurricanes. It was stressful enough trying to get my boat out of harms way the past few weeks, but if the boat was also my house that would have been double stressful.

Cardude,

Yes, the hurricane was stressful and glad it's behind and most of us are cleaning up.

However, I'd bet if most of us had to trailer, we would not be in boating, myself included. Trailering is a HUGE pita. It's really nice to just untie the boat and go... and easy to go out for as little as 30 min... or go out for a month.

I could argue, if one wants to "taste" living aboard, is to get a boat big enough to have some creature comforts, and that would preclude trailering.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Delta Dog

Welcome! Don't let all of the negative people get you down, they are just trying to make sure you really want to do this. Maintaining a boat is a lot of hard work, but it's worth it if you really love being on the water.

Absolutely why we play devil's advocate. I think we all have an obligation to make sure the OP is fully aware of everything he's getting in to, since he doesn't have experience. Then once he does something, we'll support his effort anyway we can, even if we think he made a mistake.

I always had a business philosophy that the only wrong decisions were those made without gathering all the information. As long as you looked at it all, I was fine with it, even if not what I might have done. However, if there were several factors you just didn't consider, then I would have a problem. So, those presenting ideas to me already had answers to most any question I asked them.

With the OP there's not a right answer, to live on a boat or not. Neither is inherently right. But to decide without considering all relevant issues, that's a way to get into trouble.

[Seevee]

Originally Posted by BandB

Absolutely why we play devil's advocate. I think we all have an obligation to make sure the OP is fully aware of everything he's getting in to, since he doesn't have experience. Then once he does something, we'll support his effort anyway we can, even if we think he made a mistake.

I always had a business philosophy that the only wrong decisions were those made without gathering all the information. As long as you looked at it all, I was fine with it, even if not what I might have done. However, if there were several factors you just didn't consider, then I would have a problem. So, those presenting ideas to me already had answers to most any question I asked them.

With the OP there's not a right answer, to live on a boat or not. Neither is inherently right. But to decide without considering all relevant issues, that's a way to get into trouble.

That's a good plan. We can also add, that there are escape routes and a plan B also. I think your original post with some of the things to think about was spot on. I'd bet a month on a boat with the daughter would give a whole new perspective to his goal.

And, I'll give him him the benefit of the doubt which ever way it goes. Perhaps live aboard is not the thing, and he gets a dirt home and down sizes to a boat for short trips. That works too... but can add some costs.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Seevee

That's a good plan. We can also add, that there are escape routes and a plan B also. I think your original post with some of the things to think about was spot on. I'd bet a month on a boat with the daughter would give a whole new perspective to his goal.

And, I'll give him him the benefit of the doubt which ever way it goes. Perhaps live aboard is not the thing, and he gets a dirt home and down sizes to a boat for short trips. That works too... but can add some costs.

Wifey B: Sometimes you have no idea. We didn't. How much time? How long trips? How much time at home. What boats? We were coming from tons of lake boating but no cruising, no spending the night except one short trip we took. So we chartered and worked on it. We now know. We spend around 120 nights a year in our land home, have a boat more than big enough, but we'd never give up our land home. It remains our home to come home to. Perhaps illogical. We don't care because it's what feels right to us. 6 to 8 weeks away from home and on a boat is our limit. 3 to 4 back home is our limit now although that b... named Irma has screwed that up for a while.

We were worried initially about spending night after night on a boat for more than a week with no break, so we made a deal with ourselves. A nice, resort type, hotel once a week. First time came and we decided we were too comfortable on the boat and too lazy to move up the hill. Five years later we haven't stayed in a single hotel while cruising. We just imagined feeling some claustrophobia sleeping on a boat and it never has happened. It's like people with foreward berths. Some can't stand them, can't sleep for the noise and rocking. Others are so used to them, they have trouble sleeping on a normal bed with no wave slap. So guess we had a cruising plan B but never used it.

As to living on a boat at 12, compared to where I lived it would have been incredible. For my hubby though, as much as he loves boats, it would have had to have been quite a big boat with great internet. Well, he would have liked it if it meant being away from his parents.

[Sparks5501]

Originally Posted by Scottb4u

Very cool! Thanks for the encouragement.
How big is your boat? Are you living on it?

It is a 28ft Donzi z275. We decided to start small to see. We have gone on the lakes near by and learned to operate the boat, park it, etc. The longest has been 4 days on it. So far I like It. Getting ready to go south on the Tennessee River. My brother Doug lives in Puerto Rico with his sailboat. He has never owned a house. My sister Georgia just sold their house, will sell their sailboat and trade up for a trawler, so it runs in the family .