New to Living Aboard - Need advice

[Shipps]

Ok so let me start off by saying I’m a single guy living in Hawaii, I really don’t own a lot of stuff so one day I woke up and said why not buy a boat and live on that. So right now I am in the buying process I’ve already gone and negotiated the price with this guy down to 43k from 55k it’s a 1979 36’ Islander Freeport

yachtworld.com/core/listing/boatFullDetails.jsp?boat_id=1831329&ybw=&units=Feet&currency=USD&access=Public

(I cant insert links because I just joined)

Right now I’m waiting on the bank to approve me, and then of course it’s the sea trial. Then I’m stuck.

I have looked around and found that 43k is about what other Islander Freeports cost. I am just getting a little cold feet on this. This is my first boat and I don’t necessarily know what I’m getting into considering that I’ve never lived abord for long periods and I have little boating experience. I’ve gotten a lot of information from sleepingwithoars.com as well as other sites and what is posted on here. I know that I can expect about 50-100 bucks a month on maintenance, as well as hidden costs with insurance, slips in Hawaii have about a 2-7yr waiting list so ill be in transient for the next 3 yrs until I move, and I just have to wait for the surveyor to come back with info on what’s messed up on the boat, I guess what I’m asking is, what do you guys think about this being a liveabord?

[sailingdog]

Just a few thoughts about the idea.

Being a transient boat for three years is going to be mighty expensive IMHO... unless you plan on spending quite a bit of time on the hook. Transient slip rates are usually significantly higher than seasonal rates.

A slip at my marina, up in New England, is $85 per foot for the six-month season. That works out to about $3000 for the season for a 36' boat. A transient slip is about $3 per foot, per night... or almost $20,000 for the same 36' boat. Even if you could get a monthly transient rate, it would still be at least double or triple what a seasonal rate would be.

$50-100 per month is actually pretty low for maintenance of a 36' boat IMHO, especially an older boat. The boat you're looking at is almost 30 years old. It is probably about due for new standing rigging, may require an engine rebuild or replacement, and may need other upgrades or refitting as well. Given the age of the boat, unless it is in pretty good condition, I don't know if it would make sense to purchase it for liveaboard use.

Did you have a survey done?? If not, you probably really need to. Also, what is your sailing/boating experience like?

You say you have little boating experience. If you're a really that much a novice, this is probably a really, really bad idea. If you have decent amount of experience on boats, preferably as a sailor on sailboats, this would make far more sense.

First, do you even know if you get seasick, and under what conditions? If you get easily seasick, then living aboard a boat may be a pretty hellish experience for you.

Second, what do you know about maintaining/repairing a boat? If you're going to rely on the marina to do most of your maintenance and repairs, you're going to be looking at a really, really expensive proposition.

Third, if you're going to be keeping your day job, living aboard as a transient can be pretty hellish. The commute will vary depending on where your boat is being kept. The quality of the facilities you have available to you will also vary similarly.

Fourth, what are your contingency plans if your boat gets damaged and you have to haul the boat for an extended period of time to get it fixed? Most yards won't let you live aboard a boat that is on the hard. Where would you go, and could you afford to pay for temporary housing as well as storing the boat on the hard and getting it repaired??

I'd also highly recommend you read the post in my signature...since it will help you get the most out of your time here on sailnet.

[Stillraining]

Dog would you quit telling us to read your signature post...I must have read that thing a thousand time now...

[Shipps]

Buying a liveabord

Okdokey let’s see here

Just a few thoughts about the idea.

Being a transient boat for three years is going to be mighty expensive IMHO... unless you plan on spending quite a bit of time on the hook. Transient slip rates are usually significantly higher than seasonal rates.

A slip at my marina, up in New England, is $85 per foot for the six-month season. That works out to about $3000 for the season for a 36' boat. A transient slip is about $3 per foot, per night... or almost $20,000 for the same 36' boat. Even if you could get a monthly transient rate, it would still be at least double or triple what a seasonal rate would be.

Well I called a few marinas and I believe they said that instead of being $9 a foot per month it was $13 or so, or instead of $7 it would be $9. I will have to check back on that because that is def scary.

$50-100 per month is actually pretty low for maintenance of a 36' boat IMHO, especially an older boat. The boat you're looking at is almost 30 years old. It is probably about due for new standing rigging, may require an engine rebuild or replacement, and may need other upgrades or refitting as well. Given the age of the boat, unless it is in pretty good condition, I don't know if it would make sense to purchase it for liveaboard use.

When I went through with the broker, he told me just from looking at the boat it would be about 3k and I took that into account when we were negotiating the price. And the lines do need to be replaced. I plan on spending alot of money straght off the bat to get it the way I want it.

Did you have a survey done?? If not, you probably really need to. Also, what is your sailing/boating experience like?

Have not had the survey done yet, they are waiting on the letter from the bank saying that I have been approved. As for the sailing ... I have sailed for a week straight with my dad when I was a kid but that was a long time ago, I will need to go through some sailing lessons. I don’t plan on taking the boat out anytime soon.

You say you have little boating experience. If you're a really that much a novice, this is probably a really, really bad idea. If you have decent amount of experience on boats, preferably as a sailor on sailboats, this would make far more sense.



First, do you even know if you get seasick, and under what conditions? If you get easily seasick, then living aboard a boat may be a pretty hellish experience for you.

Yea I don’t get seasick. That would suck.

Second, what do you know about maintaining/repairing a boat? If you're going to rely on the marina to do most of your maintenance and repairs, you're going to be looking at a really, really expensive proposition.

Yea I don’t know much but I’m a quick learner, thing is you need a teacher. So the marina will be one of the places I will go. But valid point.

Third, if you're going to be keeping your day job, living aboard as a transient can be pretty hellish. The commute will vary depending on where your boat is being kept. The quality of the facilities you have available to you will also vary similarly.

Well I’m military, I’m gone 6mo+ out of the year but not at the same time, and being on Hawaii the drive won’t be too crazy plus I have a lot of facilities on base. I talked with the brokerage about me being gone and they said that they would look after the boat when I’m gone.

Fourth, what are your contingency plans if your boat gets damaged and you have to haul the boat for an extended period of time to get it fixed? Most yards won't let you live aboard a boat that is on the hard. Where would you go, and could you afford to pay for temporary housing as well as storing the boat on the hard and getting it repaired??

Being in the military and at my location, people deploy a lot and there are a lot of places to crash, as is I spend quite a lot of time at other people’s houses.

I'd also highly recommend you read the post in my signature...since it will help you get the most out of your time here on sailnet.

Thanks for everything, you brought up a lot of good points that nobody else has brought up. Thanks again-Shipps

[poopdeckpappy]

Originally Posted by Shipps

I guess what I’m asking is, what do you guys think about this being a liveabord?

I have a 30 yr old 37' sailboat that my wife and I live aboard, and we absolutely enjoy the hell out of it.

Don't be fooled into thinking that living aboard is not expensive, because it will be, almost as much, if not more that living on land

Your 50- 100 bucks a month is way low, I've averaged 450-500 over the last 14 months just in upgrading and replacing things and our boat surveyed very well.

Our fixed cost on the boat alone ( fees, insurance, pumpout, bottom cleaning ) is about 2100 a month, then add the average spent and then on top of that put aside money for haulouts, bottom work & major drive train repairs

Don't mean to discourage you, I wouldn't change a thing, the sailing, the lifestyle, the sailing, the wildlife ( both marine and human ) and the sailing is awsome.

My only regret is that I/we didn't do this sooner, although, my wife was ready long before I was.

[Wannafish]

"Well I called a few marinas and I believe they said that instead of being $9 a foot per month it was $13 or so, or instead of $7 it would be $9. I will have to check back on that because that is def scary. "

Don't forget to ask if that rate is "per day" -vs "per month".

[sailingdog]

Not my fault you keep reading it over and over and over again... not too bright are ya... Must be old age... they say the memory is the first thing to go... But, since you're a good guy, I'll help you out.. Check out my new sig.

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Dog would you quit telling us to read your signature post...I must have read that thing a thousand time now...

[NautiG]

Marina rate schedules vary by region. When I was in NE this summer, I tried to find a marina to leave the boat for a month. The rates were exorbitant. I couldn't find anywhere which would quote me a monthly discounted rate.

However, last winter I easily found a reasonably priced marina in South Carolina to dock the boat for a month. It seems that a lot of marinas from the Chesapeake down to Northern Florida have a monthly rate which is 10-20% higher than their seasonal or annual rate.

I pay monthly at my current marina in the Chesapeake. I don't know how long I will keep the boat there, and the monthly rate is not much more than the annual rate. But I have no idea what the rate schedules in Hawaii are like.

Scott
Gemini Catamaran Split Decision
Captain's Blog

[oceangirl]

Well, just your choice of sailboat shows sound judgment, the freeports are great live aboards, good quality, and fairly easy to single-hand.
I lived aboard for 12 years on everything from a 23ft-30ft and compare it to civilized camping. I've been on land for 8 long years and am counting the days I close on my Cape dory 30(almost same scenario single gal not big on accumulating stuff), also I have decided that land totally bores me and the ocean is where I can really breath.
Anyways I digress, it will be twice as expensive as you think-overestimate the cost, double it and you will have fewer surprises.
There are good surveyors and bad surveyors! ask the haul out yard or someone unrelated to the brokerage houses for a good surveyor. I have found that yacht brokers (no matter how nice) tend to recommend the surveyor that shades the report in favor of the sale, that way they get good repeat brokerage business.
As far as experience, I moved onto a boat at 19, I made mistakes and learned from them. I got caught in a tree-try that for blunders. Thats how we gain experience. We don't have to be experts, you will make blunders. Hopefully it will not include a tree but if it does, After getting the mast untangled, just sweep off the limbs and branches from your deck and with as much dignity as you can muster- head out again.
Hope this helped,
Erika

Never a ship sails out of the bay, but carries my heart as a stowaway.
--Roselle Mercier Montgomery

[GeorgeB]

Don’t want to be a downer, but get that marina nailed down before you buy. There are more boats than slips in Hawaii so don’t count on being a transient and moving from place to place. Also expect to pay through the nose for anything marine. We had a 44 footer hauled at Ali Wai this past August - rudder dropped and inspected by a surveyor then re-installed and splashed. No repairs made. Process took about a week and the price tag was a whopping SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS.