Encouraging live aboards

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by RedneckRedcoat

It saddens to see posts like this, comes across as grumpy old men winging about everything under the sun.



Is living on a boat cheaper than living on land. Most definitely. We are full time live aboards and for 9 months lived on a budget of $3000 a month. If your making minimum wage and house rent is half of your income liveaboard lifestyle becomes very attractive.



But here is what most counties failed to enforce. If you own a house on land there are certain things you have to do by local codes to keep that house up to a reasonable standard and that should be the same as with any boat anchored, moored or in a marina.



I agree also that boats should be able to move under there own power. But there is also a social issue . Most of the derelict boats are lo income and pitching a tent in some wood is pretty much no differnt.



Do I think wynns and zataras should be more transparent, absolutely. But they are selling a dream and that’s how they make their money. Is that dream sustainable for most probably not. The zataras are who gave us the idea of selling everything and living on a boat. My wife and 3 kids haven’t looked back . We lived in a reasonable neighborhood earning 6 plus figures and were miserable now we love traveling and moving about. Best decision we ever made. So for that I’m great full to the wynns the zataras and every other YouTube channel that pointed us down this life.

Well at 3000 a month that’s not mainstream and presumably most of that is discretionary spending which has nothing to do with house versus boat.

Secondly very few countries have any standards associated with maintaining a house other then of it becomes structurally dangerous and could be condemned. Hence there is little “ enforced maintenance “

Boats on the other hand sit a corrosive turbulent environment , at a minimal there is considerable basic annual maintenance and to keep it in usable condition there are significant regular maintenance costs

* rigging standing and running
* anti fouling
* saildrive diaphragm etc
* sail repair replacement
* faulty boat system especially pumped systems.
* Leaks, Seals etc

Many of these require expensive haul out costs , yard costs and are much more expensive if you can’t do them yourself.

Houses built well have very little “ required “ maintenance , the basic structure can easily survive 50 years without ANY significant maintenance

In many countries there a zero or very low property taxes , free utilities like public water , sewerage etc. usually grid supplied electricity is cheap. Various options including solid fuel are available to heat it.

Hence to suggest living on a boat is cheaper then land is a untrue generalisation.

Equally I accept for some , the converse is true too.

[billdomb]

We're inveterate long term cruisers, primarily for scuba diving out in the Bahamas. But, as we age, ARE starting to think a little about what it would be like to simply live on our boat right in the ICW near the Peanut Island crunch point where everyone in the world sails by.

sure, lotsa things are always going wrong and need attention, but how many of them have more bearing on cruising and moving the boat.

Like our gennies. With shore power access, they'd not be necessary if we were simply parked. Same for the watermaker. Would also be able shed captain and first mate, too.

How much could you simply 'let go' and still be able to safely live on the dock?

[rsementi]

Originally Posted by Jammer

That depends where you are.


The recent anti-cruising legislation in Georgia and Florida is a far more burdensome reaction to what, in those places, is a very real, substantial, and serious problem.

I respectfully disagree. In Florida at least, the gov would rather opt to regulate and prohibit liveaboards because they don’t want to do their primary job of enforcing laws that already exist. If liveabaoard boaters are too loud or violate any other quality of life laws, they should be prosecuted accordingly so that the other 99% of good, lawful liveaboard boaters can enjoy public property with their boats.

[chicagocpo]

[QUOTE=Phyrcooler;3697157]...with this one video already being viewed 100,000 times as of this morning (in less than 24 hours).

Well, nobody to blame but yourself on that one! I am one of this morning's clicks, but I found myself skipping ahead a lot and couldn't take more than 5 minutes.

Previously friendly anchorages are changing thanks to the phenomenon you observed. A favorite that I've been visiting for decades on Martha's Vineyard, MA, (never more than a couple days, but compare anchoring to the cost of weekly summer rentals) has taken steps to curtail the squatters. No inspections, they just monitor the anchorage and kick out ANYONE who stays more than three days. They've also closed the bathrooms on shore and eliminated the daily cruise-through of the pumpout boat (it's now by appointment, and good luck getting one). I think they are shooting themselves in the foot on that last one, but the message from the locals is clear.

[anotherT34C]

I'm wondering if it's actually apples and oranges to consider live aboard a $1MM+ yacht vs live aboard an older <$50K yacht. I don't imagine the multi-millionaire has much problem with the local authorities, and any appropriate marina might well be accommodating to yachts with full time crew.

[twrdocktor]

There are very few YouTube channels pertaining to Sailing Adventures that I like or watch. Most use it as a form of income, which I don’t disagree with, but soon run out of ‘adventure’ and start to exaggerate the problems. ‘Our water pump is broke and we are sinking.’ They also seem to think that most of us sail around with a half dressed women that can clean the bilge or rebuild the toilet in a bikini. I generally ignore what they do and hope that the audience understands that these videos are just entertainment.
Rick Moore to me was an original and still provides a decent channel for viewing.

[svadagiomaine]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Hence to suggest living on a boat is cheaper then land is an untrue generalisation.

Many of these YouTubers switched from travel blogging about sailing to selling a “lifestyle” because they realized that a lot of their viewers don’t really care about sailing: They just want any fantasy story about a way out of a rat race where they can no longer afford housing, healthcare, childcare, retirement etc and work multiple dead end jobs.

It’s not just sailors: #vanlife fantasy videos are even bigger. And the ones about move to Mexico or Portugal as an expat. So, the Wynns and others push this “boat life is cheap” fantasy because it gets them clicks. Some of these YouTubers like Ryan and Sophie and others sell #boatlife coaching services and books.

It’s hard to find a pure sailing video these days that isn’t selling the #boatlife fantasy or the #bikinigirls fantasy.

[TPG]

I have a funny story from about a year ago.

I was out at my boat working on it on a nice sunny day. She was tied up at her usual spot at our small marina in the San Sebastian river here in St. Augustine. I'm down below and I hear a woman screaming at the top of her lungs, so I bolt up the companionway to see this couple with a dog caught in a "dingy" that is quickly sinking, caught in the swift current, and headed for my dock.

Quickly I grab a boat hook, jump down to the dock and shout "GRAB THE END!" before the current takes them past the point where they will be swept further out into the channel. With some effort I'm able to get the couple, their dog, and the "dingy" up onto the dock. The dink was one of those blow up rafts you'd find at Wal-Mart for use in a pool, and both plastic "oars" snapped in half as soon as they tried to paddle against the current.

Turned out the couple had come in a few days earlier and bought a $5000 sailboat, sight unseen from a local broker. They were from Iowa and had never been to the ocean, much less sailed before. (Well this boat did not have any sails or even a mast for that matter, but let's not get picky.)

I quietly listened to their story about how they had been watching sailors on YouTube take cheap boats, fix them up, and set off to see the world, albeit on a budget. "Hey, we're not getting any younger, so let's move to Florida and buy a boat." They were really nice people, and well-meaning, but after we chatted for a while I realized their expectations were very far off from the reality of owning a sailboat much less living on one.

So, are the YouTube sailors to blame? (I now call them all J.A.Y.S. or Just Another YouTube Sailor) Honestly, I'm not sure, as there are some good channels out there as well as some really bad ones. But most of them seem to be in it to generate $$$ so there's that factor to consider.

That's my take, now it's time for some rum.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Happ

For what it’s worth they are SELLING their lifestyle! They don’t sit in a marina and have a job. These are wealthy people. Nautistyles recently announced they are purchasing a new 62’ yacht! Is that your typical live aboard? Both have larger new boats. These are wealthy people already. I would imagine their channel was created for a tax break. Who on this forum has ordered a brand new 62’ motor yacht that is expedition quality? I heard the Wynn’s just ordered or took delivery of a larger sailboat. I’m sure over 50’.

So I ask the forum who here is in that world? I doubt very many.

If I had as many subscribers as they do I would expect to get paid to buy a boat!

[P3sailor]

Tried viewing it, I lasted about 2 minutes, 2 minutes too long.

[Mike OReilly]

Tuber cruiser are the modern version of the glossy sailing magazine. They mostly sell the sizzle. They aren't aimed at people actually living the life. They are mostly aimed at dreamers, because that's where the biggest market (and hence the money) is at.

I've got nothing against folks who can turn a buck making cruising videos. It's hard work that takes a lot of skill and equipment. But no one should be fooled into thinking these Tuber cruiser are presenting reality. In fact, it's very much like so-called "reality TV," which is a complete oxymoron most of the time.

[SailingSami]

I have long thought and wondered about this issue having contemplated at times helping employees that work for me to live on a boat to save money for school or other life events they’re planning.
I have looked around at places for employees to keep boats, and found a huge shortage of marinas at any price that have available slips.
This then forces some people (Allison almost refugees in life that have very few options for affordable) to go out to marginal anchorages when you often get floating slums. I visited many of these “Anchorages “and admire the people living there, but also feel for the people who live on the shorelines, and regional governments that need to manage the normal shenanigans that happens with any community of people.
I think a solution might be for developers to develop low cost housing slips as an alternative to low cost housing. Maybe even a little cost anchorages served by a common landing with appropriate support services like bathrooms, showers, and laundry. Maybe this could even come with a form of “social services“ that helps teach new liveaboards, how to responsibly manage their boats.
I think this would be a much more affordable option in a well regulated context than the current laissez-faire attitude or local hostility towards ‘pirate, anchorages’ or not-so-low cost housing options available elsewhere.

Less fortunate people need someplace to go and live with dignity. If we don’t create the options for them, they will just make them for themselves, and that generally is a bigger mess than if it’s managed in a constructive way.

[SailingSami]

I have long thought and wondered about this issue having contemplated at times helping employees that work for me to live on a boat to save money for school or other life events they’re planning.
I have looked around at places for employees to keep boats, and found a huge shortage of marinas at any price that have available slips.
This then forces some people (almost refugees in life that have very few options for affordable housing) to go out to marginal anchorages when you often get floating slums. I visited many of these “Anchorages “and admire the people living there, but also feel for the people who live on the shorelines, and regional governments that need to manage the normal shenanigans that happens with any community of people.
I think a solution might be for developers to develop low cost housing slips as an alternative to low cost housing. Maybe even a low cost anchorages served by a common landing with appropriate support services like bathrooms, showers, and laundry. Maybe this could even come with a form of “social services“ that helps teach new liveaboards, how to responsibly manage their boats.
I think this would be a much more affordable option in a well regulated context than the current laissez-faire attitude or local hostility towards ‘pirate, anchorages’ or not-so-low cost housing options available elsewhere.

Less fortunate people need someplace to go and live with dignity. If we don’t create the options for them, they will just make them for themselves, and that generally is a bigger mess than if it’s managed in a constructive way.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by anotherT34C

I'm wondering if it's actually apples and oranges to consider live aboard a $1MM+ yacht vs live aboard an older <$50K yacht. I don't imagine the multi-millionaire has much problem with the local authorities, and any appropriate marina might well be accommodating to yachts with full time crew.

Hold on a second. I have no issues with any guest marina slips . my older than Noah boat. 1963 defender is kept in ship shape with clean decks and I'm a member of a small yacht club . 65 bucks a year to fly their burger . anyone can join them regardless of where you are in the USA
The South sound sailing society. I personally have never been to any meetings . comes with reciprocal moorage. 2 nights and myv29 just paid for the years dues .

[anotherT34C]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Hold on a second. I have no issues with any guest marina slips . my older than Noah boat. 1963 defender is kept in ship shape with clean decks and I'm a member of a small yacht club . 65 bucks a year to fly their burger . anyone can join them regardless of where you are in the USA
The South sound sailing society. I personally have never been to any meetings . comes with reciprocal moorage. 2 nights and myv29 just paid for the years dues .

Don't get me wrong... I don't have a problem with liveaboards, and like having them around for color and security. Marinas tend to see things differently.