Living on a mooring

[southerncross31]

Like so many things in life...choose your mooring wisely. Some of my best nights asleep were spent on my mooring in lake Champlain! As long as the wind is coming from the right direction there can't be any more peaceful place. The sun sets and you are all alone with only the sound of frogs, fish jumping and the water slapping against the hull. It sounds corny but it really is great! Slipping into the dark cold water for a swim is awesome and one more way to eliminate fear from our boring lives. As for all of the other concerns...i am a minimalist at heart. When the wind blew from the west though, lots of pillows in the v-berth worked wonders

[tjaldur]

I live in the ship the whole year. From 1. april - 1. november I am at a mooring. The rest of the year I am slipped at the local diesel distributor that is closed in the winter.

Electricity is a challenges, so I use a generator (2,5 KW) that works around three hours a day. Usually during the evening when I am looking at TV or using the computer any way. That takes care of charging the batteries (440 amp/h) and heating of the water for shower and dish washing/clothes-washing. If I need to use power-tools during daytime the generator takes care of that as well.

The generator is an inexpensive one, so the current is "filtered" through a 1500 watt pure sinus inverter for delivering power to the applications that demand (clean) 220 volts, like portable computer, TV and some of the power tools.

Rowing the dinghy ashore for shopping takes care of the surplus weight.

[sailingdog]

Running a diesel under a very low load for extended periods of time, like charging the batteries can cause, can lead to the cylinder walls glazing and carbon deposits building up in the engine. Both are bad.

Originally Posted by merttan

About the charging the battery with engine... Aren't diesels supposed to be ran as often as possible like daily basis unless they are winterized? That's what I know from my previous power boat... I had a automatic starter and shut off for the days I couldn't get to the boat back then...

[Sailpilot]

Recommend that if you charge with main engine, put it in reverse. Just out of idle. Don't use much power, but let it pull on the mooring or anchor. The light work load is better then just "dieseling".

[cpa2]

Lived aboard 4 summers in RI on a mooring/anchor. I prefer it to the dock. I would struggle with it in FL during the summer. It is nice to have the dockside Air/fridge/unlimited power ,but the isolation/view/ dinghy ride was worth it. I lived abourd 4 years after that at a dock in FL and did not enjoy it as much. I am almost done with my 1st year in an apartment after 10 years on a boat. I am moving back on the boat in May. And back up to New England

[zaliasvejas]

How does this work?
I am all paid up 'till next spring (wow), but that was a big check, for me at least...
I am trying to figure out if it would be possible to live on a mooring in the summer. A few winter livaborders are moving to the ball and chain life style, but I am apprehensive. My boat does not have the holding capacity or the water tonnage as the bigger cruisers. I used to have a mooring near one of the islands in Casco Bay, but it was too shallow....
Do marinas usually allow people on the mooring to dock the dinghy and park the car? How about showers and laundry? Pump outs? Water?
What is the usual payment arrangement? Monthly, seasonal? Per week?
I could just get a personal mooring from the city and pay the $50 seasonal fee, but I would be on my own, no place to tie up the dink or secure parking...
I have seen people do it... but...
Any one's personal experience would be helpful...

The Seeker

[tjaldur]

I believe that the most important issue to consider when mooring is the watersupply. Somehow, once a month if I am alone in the ship, once a week if I have female company, the water tank needs to be refilled. In Norway it is allowed to dispose of the wastes into the waters at a distance of 300 meters from the shore.

The second important issue to consider is deciding whether you are going to have female company or not. Female company is very demanding on the resources like water and electricity, particularly hot water. Not to mention the heating system. The mood of the female, at least those I have met, seem to be proportional to the output of the dieselheater.

Further, mooring with female company entails mooring within acceptable distance, that is acceptable to the person rowing the dinghy, to a shoppingfacility. I have never met a woman who have regarded rowing 30 minutes in rain and wind as romantic.

So, the selection of mooring place, with or without female company, are two entirely different procedures.

[sailingdog]

A lot of this depends on the mooring contract. IF the marina owns the mooring, and you pay the marina the mooring fees, then you probably have some rights to use their dinghy dock, showers, and parking lot... but it will be spelled out in the contract more likely than not. If the mooring isn't owned by the marina, chances are pretty good that you don't have any rights to use any of their facilities.

Most moorings are rented seasonally, at least in New England. Getting a mooring from the city might save you some money on the front end, but it would cost you more in the long run, in terms of convenience. A seasonal mooring is probably $800 or so from a marina, but generally would have amenities like a launch service or use of a dinghy dock, water, showers, laundry and such.

Originally Posted by zaliasvejas

How does this work?
I am all paid up 'till next spring (wow), but that was a big check, for me at least...
I am trying to figure out if it would be possible to live on a mooring in the summer. A few winter livaborders are moving to the ball and chain life style, but I am apprehensive. My boat does not have the holding capacity or the water tonnage as the bigger cruisers. I used to have a mooring near one of the islands in Casco Bay, but it was too shallow....
Do marinas usually allow people on the mooring to dock the dinghy and park the car? How about showers and laundry? Pump outs? Water?
What is the usual payment arrangement? Monthly, seasonal? Per week?
I could just get a personal mooring from the city and pay the $50 seasonal fee, but I would be on my own, no place to tie up the dink or secure parking...
I have seen people do it... but...
Any one's personal experience would be helpful...

The Seeker

[CaptainForce]

For most of the 37 years my wife and I have lived aboard we have been in a slip, but after retiring in 2002 we have been away from the dock for about ten months of the year. We don't tend to stay at any one place for more than a month and prefer being on our own anchor than a mooring, but we don't hesitate using a mooring when little else is available, i.e. Annapolis, Vero Beach, Portland Me., Ft. Myers Beach,...Most all the mooring fields we use offer amenities,-showers, dinghy dock, water, internet wireless, pump out... 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

[sailing320]

If I am traveling, what is the easiest way to find mooring locations?