SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Just beginning to shop around... would love feedback/ideas...

43K views 128 replies 51 participants last post by  Pendrith 
#1 ·
K, I'm gonna put this out here, though I still have a ton to research...

I've been wanting to live on a boat for years. At this point however, I haven't decided what size/model would make sense. I do realize that decision is largely dependent upon lifestyle, etc.

I'm aiming for a fix-me-upper bc I like to fix things. At the same time, I don't want something that needs serious overhauling just to live on. My goal is to be settled aboard in time to take sailing lessons by next summer. I would fall into the very very novice sailor category, btw. As all I've done is to crew during sail boat races here in the SF Bay area. And that was actually some time ago. So, yeah, I'd need sailing lessons.

But anyway...

I've had 35 footer in the back of my mind but that's likely bc the boat I crewed on was a 35 Santana. Very nice, very roomy (to me). At the same time, after reading this forum, I'm noticing a lot of people seem to be going for 27 to 30 footers. So, I'm beginning to think that might be a better size. For a number of reasons, the least of which, it would cost less to buy/upkeep, and would be easier to for a single, small, female, to sail.

Um, will add more as I think of it. And thanks in advance for ideas, advice, etcetera!
 
See less See more
#99 ·
I don't know anything about the delta. However, California Canoe & Kayak, located in Jack London Square, rents SUPs. And, on nice days, there are quite a few folks SUP'ing around the Estuary. Also, Oakland has just begun work to connect the estuary to Lake Merritt.


They just opened up the channel


as well as announcing the Estuary Waterfront Project.


While both projects will take time to complete, these changes will really add to exploring via SUP, canoes, kayaks, etcetera. Or, otherwise put, very kewl stuff ahead.

In the meantime, most of your exploring would be in the estuary proper. And, depending upon tides/winds, you could even paddle down to San Leandro bay, where there are lots of aquatic life (i.e., sea lions, bat rays, and even a stray dolphin, etc.). However, that is a very long paddle. As in several miles.
 
#100 ·
"Miles" of SUP waters are the best, provided there is time. I'm trying to talk my boyfriend into THIS trip... (edited)

"was supposed to be a really cool YouTube link to a SUP trip in the Boundary Waters on the American/Canadian border but Sailnet apparently thinks I'm a bot and won't let me post a harmless link which I find annoying"

Anyway, yes, several miles on an SUP is totally doable...provided you have water, obliging weather, and distractions. I really want to do the Boundary Waters. My boyfriend agreed to canoe with all the camping gear, and I could SUP, as it's not really his thing. Thanks for the info! Hopefully we'll know about our plans soon. We plan to LAB but not immediately. We're in Sacramento so it requires job changes, etc.
 
#101 ·
K, just checked. You're looking at 5 miles from Jack London Square to San Leandro bay. Two miles of that, however, is a bottle neck.

So, if you did something like that, you'd want to leave Jack London square towards San Leandro bay as the tide is coming in, and leave San Leandro bay to JLS as the tide is going out. Though, if worse came to worse, there are private docks you can prolly "temporarily" hang out on, if you get in a bind. Also, staying at the water's edge, as opposed to the center of the channel may allow you to still paddle "up-current" so to speak. That time I got stuck in the current in my inflatable, there were a couple of SUP'ers who seemed to be doing okay.

That being said, it sounds like you are interested in camping, etcetera. Which you would not find in the estuary, as that is pretty much sandwiched between two cities and the airport. Am not sure there are places to camp in Sausalito, either.

In fact, from a camping pov, I expect Tahoe has more places that are conducive to camping via SUP/canoe. But that is just a guess.
 
#102 ·
Just finished reading this thread , and thought I'd pop an idea for those that are struggling w/ hardware computing needs that exceed your (even mondo) laptop.

I've just finished setting up a computing environ, in the cloud using google compute engine. Very easy to setup, and you only pay for what you use.

it addresses some of the issues posted here:
1. Need for large storage & backup.
2. Need for multiple development environments ie. Windoze, Mac, Linux, etc.
3. Performance (machine instances available from 2 - 16 way processors, and ridiculous Ram & hard drive space associated w/ same).
4. Cheap!

I have no affiliation w/ google compute engine. There are also other players, amazon, and rackspace to name a few.

you can still utilize your ipad or laptop and vnc (remote desktop) to a more powerful machine in the cloud.

anyway check it out.

for those that need just different environments and not the horse power, I would strongly recommend VM ware or Parallels as a solution pt.

Happy Sailing!
 
#103 ·
Hi.
I just finished a similar process that took me 9 months, a move from Atlanta to SoCal, from a 2250sq. ft house to a 42' Catalina, from a marriage to being single, etc. I just moved aboard this week in Cabrillo Marina.

I got some great advice from this board and the many, many, many people all around I asked. Everyone has an opinion, and unless you know their personality, boating experience, hundreds of personality preferences, etc., then the advice has to be taken with a grain of salt (that's my advice, and you know none of that with me, so here's also your grain of salt...).

At the end of the day it is all about your preferences and the trade-offs you're willing to make. AND, knowing your limitations; the difference in cost to do something yourself and have someone else do it is MASSIVE. Be cautious with your opinion of what you'll really like doing and your ability to figure out how to do it. Assume that if you haven't done it, you'll need some help. And that costs.

Mostly, don't forget that you're doing this for fun and love of being on the water. Anything that gets in the way of those two things isn't worth it.

I can't wait to follow your adventure. Good luck!!

T
 
#104 ·
Hi Tom L, tried to read your blog via the link in your signature; got a 404 "not found" error?
 
#106 ·
Another mini update. Yes, I am still living aboard. Woo-hoo!

Okay, so, I've been aboard for a little over 2½ years.

Now that the newness has worn off? Still love living aboard. Even so, I have changed some views since I first moved aboard. So, onward into the fray!

Back when I first moved aboard, I planned to sail my Catalina C27. As it stands, outside of moving her to her new home, she's pretty much turned into a boat-a-minium. My excuses are pretty lame. But the primary excuse is that I did not feel comfortable trying to sail her alone, and don't really know anyone here in the bay area (outside of people who already have and sail their boats). So, I pretty much settled on learning to sail my walker bay. Because *I* wanted to be out on the water.

Since I wasn't sailing her, I decided to store the mainsail inside. Even with the sail cover, I figure it's better to keep it stored out of the elements, since I'm not using it.

Speaking of inside. Yes, my cozy little abode keeps filling up with *way* too much stuff. I've (sort of) returned to my weekend warrior coding projects. I've been playing around with Raspbery PI, face recognition, and AI. I have also been exploring 3D printing (yes, I have a 3D printer, too).

So... my present pie in the sky (i.e., when I win a lottery) plans are to eventually save up enough to go to the dark side. That is, to pick up a power boat, and keep my dinghy for sailing and putting around the estuary. Otoh, better the devil you know than the one you don't. And, after living on my cat for the past 2½ years? Well, she's treated me well. Who knows what I might face picking up another boat? Oh well, like I said, "pie in the sky."

Oh and. Some other things. I've pretty much settled into marina life, too. Finally getting to know my (awesome) dock mates. Though, I must admit, I find myself feeling towards newcomers, the way some may have felt toward me when I first arrived... that is, wondering if they were going to be good, responsible neighbors, or the kind who do the nasty stuff... you know, such as pumping out overboard. And, I will admit, I much prefer the company of those who live here bc they *love* the life, as opposed to those who are here bc they see it as a "cheap" place to live. There really is a mindset difference.

Hmmm... well, that's about it for now. Now that summer is *finally* here, I will be spending more time out on the water than in front of my puter. :)
 
#108 ·
Working on my one-year aboard my Balboa 27. It has a head (and will shortly have a functional shower as well), so I'm a little better off on creature comforts. Sorry to hear you're thinking about a trawler, but that's great that you're still into life aboard. The more time I spend on board, the more time I want to spend. Still going through a thorough refitting on my old girl, but so far she's proven remarkably well built for a production boat. Just finishing up the prelim stages of a complete rewiring and LEDs. Great thread, good to know others are of like minds... ;)
 
#109 ·
Hey all. I am a newby (gray headed). I am a solo act looking for live aboard and cruising. Not afraid to fix things but don't have time to deal with a project boat. Don't have lots of money either (like I'm alone there!). Have a very realistic idea of single handing and living aboard. I may do some blue water crossing if everything works out. Long and short, I need a good boat about 37 ft. Someone warned me off Endeavor and C&C as being poorly built for blue water. $30-40K would have done it with left over for modernizing and refit. Don't need real pretty. Don't need expensive complex suicide either. Do your best, please to warn me off bad boats in the high 30s (price and LOA)
 
#110 · (Edited)
Time flies when you're having fun... or is that, when you don't know what you're doing? lol

Okay, latest and greatest. I've been doing a lot of dinghy stuff. Mostly running around in my dinghies. Yes, that's plural. The summer before last (that would be 2013), I had an inflatable, which I eventually replaced with an 8' walker bay with a sail kit. I jury rigged a boom (it had a boomless gaff rig) and learned how to spot wind on "windless days."

Fast forward to this last summer (2014). I broke down and picked up a 30lb thrust trolling motor which I eventually sold to a neighbor and traded up to a 55lber. I added sacrificial zincs to both props, as well as greasing the shafts, and regularly rinsing them with fresh water after use. Both have held up well. Additionally, since I inherited a 10' zodiac RIB, I decided to pull my 8HP 4-stroke Mercury off my main rig and put it on the RIB. Which, weight-wise was a real challenge. That sucker weighs 90lbs. The first time I lifted the thing by attaching the boom vang to my main halyard to give me the leverage I needed within reaching distance (since I was lifting the thing by myself). After that oh-so-fun experience, I decided to invest in a forspar nova lift. What a difference that thing makes!

Moving right along.

So, I was talking with a neighbor about my outboard, wondering if the thing even ran, since I had not been meticulous about firing it up. Yes, I know, bad bad bad. In any event, the guy tells me that he has an 8HP that I can have. He didn't know what it was. That is, whether it was a 2 or 4 stroke, what brand it was, or if it even ran. It turned out to be a 2-stroke Nissan.

So, now I have 2 8HP outboards, that may (or not) run. In the mean time, the guy I gave the 30lber to, ended up having problems with the muffler on his main boat (the one he sails/and I regularly crew on). So, I gave him the 8HP Nissan to use as an auxiliary until he gets his muffler done (which I'll be helping with, btw). He decides he wants to try it out on his dink. But he wants to tune it up, first. You know, change the plugs, clean the carb, etcetera. So, we open up the motor, to take a look see. The thing is bright shiny clean. I've never seen a motor that clean! Oh, and it runs great, though, the compression is a tad on the light side. As for the Mercury? Purrs like a kitten.

Now, on to my latest/greatest project. Yes, I always have a project going. Whether it's boat stuff, computer stuff, or 3d printing stuff. lol But, I digress...

Dinghy chaps! Though, that bit got side-tracked, as I ended up redoing my cabin. Again. The up side is, this latest re-do, is def less jury rigged.



I've also been doing mini-jobs for other folk around the marina. Which has kept me busy.

On a side note: I've temporarily inherited a cat, who has long worn out her welcome, at least, to my mind. In that her "stuff" takes up way too freakin much room. But that's another story for another day.

But, back to the dinghy chaps. While I have made the patterns, I haven't completely decided how I'll implement them but am hoping to finish them sooner than later. Then again, with the upcoming holidays, we'll see.

Oh, and. Am coming up on my 3 year anniversary, and I can say without a doubt, I still love living aboard. ^_~
 
#111 ·
Very mini update.

Found a home for the cat, so pet free again. Now that spring is attempting to sprung, I am itching to get out in my sailing dinghy but really need to do some serious spring cleaning. You know, like, get the fugly crates off the top of my cabin, for example!

Other "not" sailing stuff? I finally got around to deploying an iPhone app. It's free, and uh, very very niche... that is, it's a serial killer crime mapping app. You can check it out my landing page here. I have two other apps in the pipe but probably won't get to those till next winter, as longer days == out sailing and/or putting around on one of my dinghies and/or playing photographer. Also picked up a sodastream, and, since c02 refills seem to be far and few between, and somewhat expensive, I am refilling the c02 canisters myself. Easy peasy. What's great is, no more soda bottles! Go green!

Alas, my geeky addiction did take over. I currently have 3 puters... a windoze machine, macbook pro, and a raspberry pi. The latter for various wild-hair projects. And, of course a bunch of iOS devices. Though, I have no interest, for now, in spending money on the imho, over-priced apple watch.

Let's see, what else? Not much. Though, I have moved beyond the honeymoon phase of living aboard. Finally. I feel totally and comfortably settled in. That is, I no longer think, oh wow, I finally have my dream. I simply feel "at home."

And finally, I am still keeping an eye out to move up to, yes, a power boat. Though, that won't happen until I can pay cash (read, probably, never!). Having lived here for going on 3½ years, I at least now know what I'd be looking for in a power boat-a-minium, should the chance arise. Spacey main cabin, running hot/cold water, real head, shower, enclosed deck (for the winter), swim platform, and a flying bridge.

Hmmm, that's about it for now.
 
#112 ·
.......You know, like, get the fugly crates off the top of my cabin, for example!
Crates stacked outside often give liveaboards a bad name, which can then contribute to limitation on the number of liveaboard slips available, or worse, anchoring restrictions. :eek: maybe your location is different

And finally, I am still keeping an eye out to move up to, yes, a power boat.......
Make that move down.
 
#118 ·
Yet another mini update.

Yes, still living aboard and still loving it. Having spent time visiting friends with power boats and all the problems that appear to come with them, I am having second thoughts about moving up. While my sailboat is tiny, it is actually pretty spacious for "just me." And importantly, it's nearly maintenance free. That is, no inboard engine to worry about, or other things that could break.

At times, I get the urge to redo my galley. Again. And I may, still do so. But for now, all is fine. I inherited an induction stove top, which, atm, fits perfectly in the icebox cutout, so no counter space is lost when I'm not cooking. I also inherited more canvas, so my boat is now almost completely under cover. Which means a cooler cabin/v-berth now and a warmer cabin/v-berth in the winter.

Speaking of... with winter approaching... slowly, I might add (it was 99 yesterday)... I've been toying with yet a few geeky-type projects. We'll see.

So, that's my mini-update for now. Hope all have been having a great summer! I have!
 
#119 ·
Okay, I did not "redo" my galley. However, since I cleared out the hanging locker, I decided to convert it to a pantry using the left over wood from my galley/table projects from last summer.

Here is the final result.


Next up? Considering what it would take to insulate her... or not.

P.s., no more crates in the cockpit or on the deck.

P.s.s. oh and. I learned how to repair a head (not mine, I don't have one). lol
 
#122 ·
Thanks for posting the video, found it interesting as I am currently preparing to switch from "home-land" to permanent liveaboard,
and
I have a question for Shadowraiths (couldn't send a PM, not enough posts), or to anybody living in California, as I am in the SF bay area, I am wondering how you handle the "official" address in California, for the DMV for example? Do you use a mail forwarding company with a street address like mailnetwork.com, mailmoreca.com, etc. ?
 
#124 ·
I would suggest not falling in love with one manufacturer's product. I lived aboard my Pacific Seacraft 31 for two years. I had hot and cold pressure water. The shower water drained to a tub in the shower area and pumped overboard, not into the bilge. I have a two burner propane store/oven, two deep sinks. I added an outlet for cable tv, but discovered that I never watched TV. It was more fun to go to the bar and watch the weather channel with the other liveaboards. I had a heat pump installed, so I had heat and A/C while at the dock. And I had a boat I could sail anywhere. I did end up taking the boat south in the winter, and north in the summer.

Lesson: think about the systems you need. Hot and cold pressure water are really nice to have. You probably don't need A/C if you plan on living aboard in San Francisco.

I have the traditional vee berth layout, but an considering replacing the cushions with custom mattresses that will fold and be easily removable.

My boat payment is $500/mo, my slip fee here in Florida is $350/mo, my insurance is $3,000/year. I pay a diver each month to clean the bottom of the boat, and I have the boat hauled out every other year for bottom paint, waxing the hull. I do most of the engine maintenance myself, but am coming up for the 1,000 hour job, which will set me back another $1,500. I could live more cheaply on land, but I don't live in San Francisco.
 
#125 · (Edited)
Ok, totally off topic, but... I came across this little 'beauty' while doing a photoshoot for a friend who is selling their boat.


Okay, not really a beauty but would make for a great painting. That, and it gives a whole new meaning to "aqua storage"!

eta ~ yes, I'm still living aboard (going on 5 years, now). No, I do not live at the above marina! lol
 
#127 ·
Shadowraiths; I've read through this discussion but I didn't catch your follow up story of what type of boat you finally settled on. I would love to hear an update on how things have gone for you and would love to hear about all of the things you have learned since becoming a little bored. I'm hoping to transition in that direction as I move from semi-retired to retired.

I'd also love to hear about the progression of your sailing experience and how often you were able to get your boat out sailing. Do you sell mostly with in San Francisco Bay are you make it out past the gate from time to time.
 
#128 ·
Hi there, I ended up settling for a 1972 Catalina C27. I do go out sailing every now and then but not on my boat, which has pretty much turned into a boat-a-minium. It's really amazing how much "carp" I managed to squeeze into my little boat, now that I don't sail her.

Then again, with neighbors who need crew, it's still very easy to get out on the bay. Every so often, I think about moving up to a bigger boat for the living bit, but then hear about the nightmares my dock mates face, and end up being happy with what I have.

I have learned a great deal about boat maintenance. Oh, and. somewhere up thread, a poster recommended having one boat to live on and one to sail. I absolutely agree with them! That is actually an eventual goal of mine.

As for life aboard? As of new years day, I will have lived aboard for 5 years. w00t! ^_~

Seriously, though, I'm usually out and about during the summers, almost always on the water... usually doing marine stuff... working on docks, washing boats, towing stuff... and just pretty much enjoying the sun and fresh air. And during the winter... or basically when the days are short? I'm hibernating in my little 'cocoon' boat. Oh well. lol
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top