Welcome to the board! Love your plan. I would do exactly that, if I could do it over. No regrets here, however.

First, be sure there are marinas that permit live aboards. Many are turning them away these days. You may also want to get some local knowledge on trend, so you don't find that everyone makes that call eventually. Some communities get up in arms about live aboards. Unfortunately, that's often because some live on a barely floating hunk of junk, with their decks littered with stuff they couldn't fit below, simply because it was cheaper than living ashore.

As for the boat, I always say to buy the boat for what you'll do with it 90% of the time. In your case, that's living aboard. Therefore, priorities become storage, berth size, comfortable shower, a second head, heating, air conditioning, hot water supply, refrigeration, etc. If I were you, I would want a large comfortable cockpit, since it's actually your outdoor deck. You'll also want a clean, dry bilge or all your clothes will smell like a boat.

Sounds like you will sail too, when you have time off, but if that means your accommodations cause you to have a slower boat, or perhaps one that isn't designed to cross oceans, then so be it.

Good luck.

 

As suggested above, first thing to research is marinas. Most aren't allowing liveaboards any more, as a few bums on derelict garbage scows are ruining it for everyone. After a breakup with a significant other a few years back I wound up staying on my boat for most of a year in a marina that doesn't allow liveaboards in what wound up being an unspoken *wink* *wink* sort of arrangement where I kept it stealth and they didn't say anything because they knew I was alright. And some marinas, such as around San Francisco and Seattle, are fanatically diligent in chasing out anyone whom they even vaguely suspect of spending time aboard their boat in the horizontal, eyes closed configuration. Because sleeping on boat is apparently insane, antisocial behavior.

Its getting quite ugly a lot of places, so ask around, read reviews of marinas.

 

Thanks a lot for the helpful responses folks! Sounds like step 1 is find a marina (while perusing boats because it's too much fun not to).

Follow up, have either of you ever considered purchasing a slip? Most marinas in charleston don't allow liveaboards and the ones that do often require purchase of a slip. It wouldn't seem terrible but adding 3k fees/maintenance per year to the cost of owning the sleep is rough! Especially when you could just rent a slip for 5-6k per year.

Tyler

 

Charleston City Marina is a fantastic liveaboard marina. Clean, well run and pretty laid back regarding stupid rules like hanging laundry on the boat or which way one might wish to enter their slip. The marina personnel are friendly, helpful and mind their own business.
Liveaboards are spread throughout the marina so there isn't much of a community (unless you are a drinker), but helps with security in the marina. It's a pretty cheap marina considering the services available, the great facilities and it's close to town.
They have golf carts for helping one move heavy items to and from the boat and if you tip the dock guys/gals you will have exceptional service. Showers and toilets are clean and well tended. Wifi wasn't good, but that was some years back.
It's a HUGE marina, my slip being about a quarter mile from the parking lot, but that was OK too, as it kept the 'tourists' from wandering by and bothering you, which as a doctor could be a big plus.
There is a great seawall on the SW side which I felt would be of benefit should a hurricane come to visit and I'd try to get a slip inside it.
I'm not sure which hospital you are thinking of, but the main one is just across the street! You are definitely going to need air conditioning in the summer, so keep that in mind when looking at boats.
Good luck and enjoy Chuktown as it's become a real cosmopolitan enclave in the deep south. Do remember though, the Civil War never happened in Charleston South Carolina. If you want to get along with the natives you must call it "the war of northern aggression" with the proper amount of solemnity in your voice!

 

Do you still have any contacts there? You're completely right that it'd be amazingly convenient to work at MUSC. I'm looking into the wait list for live aboard slips as we speak!

Thanks!

 

Do you still have any contacts there? You're completely right that it'd be amazingly convenient to work at MUSC. I'm looking into the wait list for live aboard slips as we speak! Thanks!

To the best of my knowledge there is no 'wait list' @ CCM. You usually get assigned a slip way out in the boonies and as a more convenient slip becomes available (and you've cultivated a friendship with the office people) you can move.
David Rogers is the marina manager; a really nice guy.
Been a few years since I was last there though, so perhaps things have changed.

 

Only issue is there's quite a current in there at times. Assuming you're by yourself docking can be thrilling .
Just curious, as a ER doc assume you make a good penny. You could dramatically improve your lifestyle going a notch up on budget.

 

Copy that! Thanks a ton

 

If you are financing the boat (which can also be a challenge versus openly living aboard) check with the lender and the IRS. At least it used to be that you needed a special form from the lender (for the "boat" loan as a home loan) and then of course the primary home, floating or not, gets the home mortgage tax deduction. But the paperwork has to be right from the start. And, many lenders don't want to hear "liveaboard".

Depending on how they schedule you and whether you're already carrying loans...you may want to stretch the budget to find a boat that needs less work and less of your time. Expect a 20-year old boat needs new standing rigging. A ten year old needs sails and maybe rigging. And a 30-year old may to qualify for a lot of lenders or insurers (who may be problematic if you don't have many hours logged on a similar size boat anyway, but the marina will just require liability coverage, probably.)
A USCGAux or USPS boating safety course, or joining the USCGAux, may also get you a nice insurance discount. Or at least help get you coverage.

Boats and models...a spacious floating home can be a pig offshore in heavy weather. So a lot depends on what's most important to you.