full time liveaboard in nyc?

StormBay · #1 (**permalink**) 11-29-2010

Are any of you living aboard year round in the NYC area? If so, whats your experience been like so far and how hard was it to find a marina that is OK with it?
My Wife and I are considering the move from apt to a 35' to 40' boat some time within the next year and would greatly appreciate any info we could get!

HUGOSALT · #2 (**permalink**) 11-29-2010

Not live aboard, but have heard good things from live aboards about Haven Marina in Manhasset Bay (western LISound). not sure about # 516 439 5098 or
516 883 0937

CrazyRu · #3 (**permalink**) 11-29-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by StormBay

Are any of you living aboard year round in the NYC area? If so, whats your experience been like so far and how hard was it to find a marina that is OK with it?
My Wife and I are considering the move from apt to a 35' to 40' boat some time within the next year and would greatly appreciate any info we could get!

I don't know any marinas in the area welcoming live aboards. At least officially. I stayed aboard throughout one winter in Jersey City. Just go walk in Liberty park and talk to crowd coming from NYC ferry to their boats.
There are people leaving on mooring fields throughout NYC. It is tough life.
I'd recommend take it easy and not rush into live-aboard scheme. Keep your apartment, try weekends on board in October and November. You may not like it.

tommays · #4 (**permalink**) 11-30-2010

I think people have gotten a bit to use to the mild winters of the past 10 years as there trending back to much more long peroids of COLD

I have lived in a waterfront home and even that sucks in a harsh winter

hellosailor · #5 (**permalink**) 11-30-2010

Capri or some others in Port Washington might allow it, but they're not going to be cheap.

tommays · #6 (**permalink**) 11-30-2010

On Long Island

I have to say 30 years ago liveabord was common and then we went through the housebarge phase which caused a BIG ruggus as there was a big school tax dodge going on with the housebarges

The above along with the grief the marinas get from the Enviro Wacks realy killed it off and with the increased costs all marinas have here there looking to have the deepest pockets fill there slips as i cant even afford a slip for the summer

Minnewaska · #7 (**permalink**) 12-02-2010

I understand that the 79st Boat Basin still has a limited number of live aboard slips, but there is a huge waiting list. I agree with the post above that cautions the live aboard idea in the northeast in the winter, but many do it. Ice on docks, condensation in your boat, etc, are problematic, or worse, deadly.

I've mentioned here before that I find having to leave the boat to go to work to be a real downer and substantially harder than living land based. Not sure if that is your plan. Some don't agree. Try waking up with a shore power problem or diesel in the bilge and run off to work. Some of this can happen on land too, but from personal experience, they are much more critical, random and frequent in the harsh marine environment.

If there were a good place in Manhattan to live aboard for six months, it would be among my top 5 places in retirement.

miatapaul · #8 (**permalink**) 12-02-2010

I think the best spot as far as affordability, amenities and protection will be in New Jersey, some of the marinas there say they allow live aboards. (Liberty Landing for one) It is just a ferry ride across the Hudson to get you to Manhattan and you get to look at the city, not away from it! If I wind up with a job in the city that is where I plan to head, but otherwise I am upstate a bit.

luv4sailin · #9 (**permalink**) 12-05-2010

is a place that in the past has welcomed year round live aboards. And it is on the best line of the LIRR if you are commuting to Manhattan.

labatt · #10 (**permalink**) 12-10-2010

We lived aboard last Winter on the Hudson a bit north of NYC. As they really weren't supposed to have liveaboards but let a few of us stay, I can't share the name. HOWEVER, we know a number of people that live aboard at Liberty Landing in Jersey City (as mentioned above). The nice thing about this facility is that they keep the water running on one or two of their docks over the Winter. Our biggest issue at the marina we were at was the complexity of getting water to our boat. We used a webasto forced air heating system during the Winter as the reverse cycle ac/heating systems can be damaged if the water temp is below 40 or 43 or so. We also shrinkwrapped our boat which gave us extra storage and living space up top, even when snowing, and also helped retain heat. We also ran a dehumidifier inside the boat and put insulation against the hull to minimize moisture levels. We loved living aboard, even during the Winter, but your boat has to be set up to support it.