Liveaboard question- Onshore storage

[BubbleheadMd]

Originally Posted by CaptainForce

If livingaboard has a component of freedom to move and cruise, doesn't shore storage represent a burdensome teather that works against the purpose of living on a boat?

Eh.. yes and no. You are what I consider to be an "extreme liveaboard". Since 1972? Been all over the globe? That's you. My impression (although I could be totally wrong) is that you also enjoy being a "man without a country".

My situation and motivations are a bit different than yours. My cruising range would be limited to the Eastern seaboard and the Carribbean. Paying a small, monthly fee to maintain a small storage unit of critical posessions like a tool shop and seasonal clothing is not a "burdensome tether" to me. I'm not planning on giving up my job or casting off all ties to society. I am interested in cruising, racing, perhaps living aboard, but still maintaining a base of operations on shore. That base will be whatever marina I decide to live in, and a small storage unit to hold a motorcycle, tool shop, work clothing and seasonal clothing since I live in the Mid-Atlantic and we get both extremes of weather here.

[veprjack]

I'm just in the very beginning stages of moving aboard. Will I like it? Well, can that really be answered until I DO it? My guess is that, based on other experiences and what I know about myself, I'd be VERY surprised if I didn't become a permanent liveaboard kinda guy.

I know all about (excuse the example) burning ships so you CANNOT GO BACK, and it has some merit - but I don't think I need to FORCE myself to make a life-altering decision like moving out of a house to a small boat. Keeping a 9X12 storage facility for stuff 200 yards from my slip/mooring for $110/month just seems wise to me. It's not so much about being able to GO BACK to being a landlubber - it's just the convenience of transitioning over 6-12 mos and getting rid of stuff on my terms. I may find that I want to keep the storage for some things, downsize to a smaller unit, or do away with it altogether. I"m living alone, so I don't have to worry about other people.

My five year plan (er - fantasy) is to learn to sail well, learn the boat systems and repair/maintenance, possibly move up to a more "blue water" boat, and if I haven't gotten rid of everything that won't fit on the boat by then, THAT will be when I do it. Over the next five years, I'll save $1,000 per month vs. living on land (which repair/upgrade/maintenance/toys will eat away at), learn what I need to feel confident/safe, and then do the ICW, over to the Bahamas and then probably start doing longer stuff (thorny path)???

OK, I'm probably leaving out stuff simply because I don't know about them YET. I have a huge learning curve, but 5 years behind the wheel, reading/learning/asking for help/winters READING and taking boating courses, etc. etc. From oil lamps to fixing the head to more "exotic" things like celestial navigation and GULP, coming into the mooring in a crowded harbor under sail???? We'll see. It's an adventure - but for the first few months or so, I will probably keep a tether to shore in the form of a convenient/relatively inexpensive storage unit! YMMV, but this is MY way of doing it!

Thanks for all the input - even if I read something I don't agree with, I try to question MY beliefs and learn from those who have a LOT more experience than I do. Open mind like parachute Grasshopper - work better when open! lol...

[CaptainForce]

Originally Posted by BubbleheadMd

Eh.. yes and no. You are what I consider to be an "extreme liveaboard". Since 1972? Been all over the globe? That's you. My impression (although I could be totally wrong) is that you also enjoy being a "man without a country".

My situation and motivations are a bit different than yours. My cruising range would be limited to the Eastern seaboard and the Carribbean. Paying a small, monthly fee to maintain a small storage unit of critical posessions like a tool shop and seasonal clothing is not a "burdensome tether" to me. I'm not planning on giving up my job or casting off all ties to society. I am interested in cruising, racing, perhaps living aboard, but still maintaining a base of operations on shore. That base will be whatever marina I decide to live in, and a small storage unit to hold a motorcycle, tool shop, work clothing and seasonal clothing since I live in the Mid-Atlantic and we get both extremes of weather here.

Actually, we might not be "extreme liveaboards" except in duration. We don't consume our ports and we enjoy community in about thirty east coast US and Bahamian ports all with strong ties to society,- most definitely a "man with a country". We do some "world cruising" by 747 and we've sailed on other peoples boats in far away places, but we stay between Maine and the Bahamas on board our own home. I see nothing undesirable about your "base of operations" on shore. Storage ashore and car or motorcycle ownership would be a burden to us by the nature of our cruising. We do have a "home port". We spend time from Thanksgiving to the new year with family on the St. Johns River. This location includes our extended family, doctor, dentist, veterinarian, bank, voting precinct and mail service. Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[Yofy]

We have been living aboard for over twenty years in a variety of boats and in different countries. We started out living aboard a 27 foot sailboat in Canada and believe me there is no way you can store everything you need to survive in that climate on a 27 foot boat. We were lucky because our marina allowed us to put up a tool shed for storage on their grounds. We paid them a small fee yearly fee and it worked out well.

When we set off cruising (still on the 27 foot boat) we never missed anything in that shed... but then we didn't need all our winter gear , Manny wasn't working and we didn't need to do any big repairs on the boat.

Now we are living on a 30 foot boat in a small marina on the Red Sea. We have two dock boxes and we have a few boxes stored in town. Most of our storage is for Manny as he works off our boat. He does marine refrigeration and air conditioning and electrical work and needs space for tanks of gas, welder, spare parts etc. If we had a bigger boat, we probably could store his tools on board. We also have an old car that is packed with his tools too. One day soon we'll go cruising again and we'll have to find a better solution.

Other than Manny's tools maybe 4 boxes are for important papers (which unfortunately we are required to keep), and a few small memories from our childhoods. The thing about storage is that no matter what size of a storage unit you get, you always seem to fill it up...well that's our experience anyhow.

Manny and Robyn

[sea_hunter]

Bought a 16' NPR Cube van converted to a portable shop and to store extra boat stuff.

[LauderBoy]

Originally Posted by veprjack

Keeping a 9X12 storage facility for stuff 200 yards from my slip/mooring for $110/month just seems wise to me.

Yeah to me though that 110/month is an extra $1320 which could pay for another month down in the Bahamas. But I "waste" $80 a month myself for Verizon 3G, so each to his own.

Right now I use my car for storage. My hatchback "trunk" is packed full just high enough to not get me pulled over for it blocking my rear vision. When life spills over into the passenger seat it's time to throw things out.

The up side to car/SUV storage is it's somewhat air tight. Your stuff won't mold/rust from the salt in the air from being near the ocean. The downside is I worry about someone seeing all that stuff in there and breaking in to get at it. I cover it all with a blanket and there's nothing really valuable there, but still.

It's hard not to own a car in the US so you'll likely be arranging to ferry that around with you anyway. Might as well use that land anchor for storage too.

[RonRelyea]

Here's an idea that has worked for me and others may get some ideas from it. I belong to a fraternal organization (i.e. Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows etc.) The Lodge owns its own building with a LARGE meeting hall and another unused floor above the meeting hall. I am able to store my sails and cushions there for free over the winter months (or any time ... and there's plenty of room for other stuff if I was so inclined) and ... the meeting hall is large enough for me to completely open up my main sail and do sewing on it ....
my own personal sail loft!!!

Maybe we'll see a resurgence in the members of the Improved Order of Red Men and Degree of Pocahontas in coastal communities!?!?!?!