Am I ready to live on a 55ft yacht yet?

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Shanachie

How are you ever going to get fuel if you don't know how to dock? Singlehanded, no less.
.

We have a boat come out to us
Big boats often carry enough fuel to last a year of cruising, ours does

In the price range you seem to be talking about -- insurance and dockage is too expensive, etc. -- a 55-foot boat would be an absolute nightmare of delayed maintenance and worn-out gear.
Hell, one on great shape costs a fortune to maintain.

A guess at best

A friend bought a 44-foot trawler a few years back in good condition and immediately dropped 40K on various items

One example does not a fact make.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by aqualife

.

Finally, i would be running the generator for Ac when onboard/night. im not sure what the cost is of that. or maybe i can get an additional smaller system to air condition the bedroom only and use less power?


thoughts?

thanks
-Phil

Fwiw we cruise the same lats as Florida
Similar temps and humidity levels
No air con and low generator usage

But, we have large roof space for solar
Large overhangs shading the boat
Tinted opening windows for plenty of ventilation
And roll down shade cloth for an added level of sun protection

Think about these things before making a choice on vessel.

[team karst]

FL. Mosquitoes and no-see/ums. [emoji30]

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by team karst

FL. Mosquitoes and no-see/ums. [emoji30]

You think Florida is the only place on the planet with these?

[aqualife]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

55ft is about the right size
We wouldn't go any smaller than our 60 ft
Our accommodation on 65 ft would be perfect for us

Life's to short to compromise on comforts.

Congrats on your success! 60ft is the goal!

However, i do realized from the advice on the forum that i need to take incremental steps towards that goal.


Start out with a 40 and slip, learn everything.
then move to a 55 and slip
then start transitioning between living at anchor and slip
then move to living at anchor.
once i learn everything, think about a 60.

[Amapola]

My only addition to what others have said is that Florida is not an anchored live-aboard friendly state.

[peghall]

You may not realize that while everything in a dwelling on land is just an "appliance," everything on a boat is a component in a system that will require maintenance and sometimes repair/replacement. On land, electricity, water and sewer supplied by a utility company...on a boat water is held in a tank that must be refilled from a faucet on land as needed and supplied to faucets by a pump. Toilet waste must be also be held in a tank that must be maintained and has to be pumped out by a service or equipment on a dock....marine toilets have NOTHING in common with a household toilet except the bowl--and also require maintenance and occasional repair. Unless you keep the boat in a slip where 115v AC power can be supplied by the marina via power cord to the boat, a generator is needed. Some systems need DC (battery) power.

I've only hit the bare basics....I haven't even touched on engines and HVAC systems.

So when you own a boat big enough to have living quarters, you become the "city manager of a small town, in charge of operating and maintaining every system.

It's also very true that when you own any boat too big to keep on a trailer in your garage you will never again be able to say you have nothing to do.


--Peggie

[Shanachie]

Peggie Hall makes some excellent points. Living on the hook in South Florida is not easy or convenient.



I lived in South Florida for nearly 40 years, and I'm not aware of any free-anchorage cove where you can safely keep a 55-foot boat and have regular access to pump-outs, water, dinghy storage, fuel, etc.


It's a point I've made before when people start thinking of South Florida as a leisurely subtropical paradise, but it's worth repeating: It has nearly 10 million people crammed into a strip of land 15 by 100 miles plus a small string of islands.


That means any free anchorages are crammed with boats, many of them in suspect condition. Neighbors are hostile because you dump sewage into their water and try to store dinghies on their property, etc.


Simi 60, Florida ain't anything like Australia, so your experience doesn't apply. Our state has nearly as many people as your continent, and tens of millions who come to visit every year. On a peninsula about 400 by 150 miles.



Then there are hurricanes ...


Anyone who has lived in South Florida will tell you that it gets hit with a lot of hurricanes. I went through half a dozen in 2005-6 and lost a sailboat. A large parking lot near my Fort Lauderdale home was filled with wrecked boats from every type of situation imaginable.


And anyone can tell you that there are tropical storms and winter storms that can be just as bad and deadly to boats.


Florida is a great place to live, but you have to know how to do it right.


The OP should do himself a favor and use some of that 10K a month to find himself a well-protected marina. It would shelter him from a number of hard-earned lessons.

[jordanbigel]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Small diesel generators are mostly POS. Mine lasted about 500 hours before I got tired of fixing it!

I just replaced mine. It lasted only 2700hrs, which I thought was not that much. However it was 23 years old and I maintained it poorly during the first few years and the last few years. (I bought the same one - Phasor 3.5kw).

500 hours is a crazy short lifespan. What was it?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Shanachie

I lived in South Florida for nearly 40 years, and I'm not aware of any free-anchorage cove where you can safely keep a 55-foot boat and have regular access to pump-outs, water, dinghy storage, fuel, etc.

I know of them!

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Shanachie

Simi 60, Florida ain't anything like Australia, so your experience doesn't apply.

Australia is the whole country
I was only talking about the several hundred miles of coastline we cruise

Our state has nearly as many people as your continent, and tens of millions who come to visit every year. On a peninsula about 400 by 150 miles.

Small and overpopulated - Roger that

Then there are hurricanes ...

Anyone who has lived in South Florida will tell you that it gets hit with a lot of hurricanes. I went through half a dozen in 2005-6 and lost a sailboat. A large parking lot near my Fort Lauderdale home was filled with wrecked boats from every type of situation imaginable.

We get tropical cyclones in Australia - same same with different name.
The same applies but on a smaller scale due to lower population

And anyone can tell you that there are tropical storms and winter storms that can be just as bad and deadly to boats

.
And we get those as well with plenty of carnage but on a smaller scale due to lower population.

So the only difference seems to be that Florida is overpopulated

[jalmberg]

Why? Seriously, why do you want to live on a boat? An apartment is much cheaper, vastly less work, and infinitely more comfortable. And why such a large impractical boat? People used to buy houseboats for good reasons ! I don’t know why wannabe lives boards never ask questions about nice, sensible, practical houseboats! Just asking the obvious questions !

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

So the only difference seems to be that Florida is overpopulated

I bet Florida is a lot like Aussie in that it overpopulated in spots! But once out of those .......................

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by jalmberg

Seriously, why do you want to live on a boat? An apartment is much cheaper, vastly less work, and infinitely more comfortable. And why such a large impractical boat?

I disagree. I am currently paying $440/mo for a slip/electric/water for 41' boat. In my marina a 55' (if you could get a spot on the facedock) would be $564 and you never could find a sh*thole of an apartment for that. If living aboard a BIG boat can be very practical if location is wisely chosen.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by jalmberg

Why? Seriously, why do you want to live on a boat? An apartment is much cheaper, vastly less work, and infinitely more comfortable. !

A 2 bedroom apartment without water views in La Rochelle seems to be around 300,000 euro so around $600,000 AUD

So let's say $750,000 to 1 million for water views?

That's a hell of a lot more than what our 2 bedroom waterfront apartment with ever changing water view cost.
And no rates, land taxes, utilities or neighbours

And why such a large impractical boat?

For comfort
And there is nothing impractical about a large boat if used for its intended purpose.