Owning and keeping 2 boats at different location

[David B]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

I've heard of people keeping a boat near where they stay and another in their vacation location, or they use one boat dedicated to racing.


I wondered if anyone here keep more than one boat, especially at different location?
If such arrangement works out well for you?

Works well for us. We have one here in South Australia, and another in the Med. The one in the Med is looked after well, by whatever yard we leave it in at the end of the season.

[meirriba]

I do have two very different boats.
Ine is Lagoon400 condomaran, serving as floating home to cruise around the Med. Family and friends join from time to time the basic crew which is my wife and me.
The other is Nacra 6.0NA crazy racing beach cat for adrenaline flying, kept in Tel Aviv near home. This is sailed with a partner who loves being in the air trapezing, and we change roles as helm and crew.

[Vasco]

I have a boat here in Toronto (CS36M) and for the past 16 years had a B393 in Florida which I sailed to the Bahamas every winter. Worked out very well. Usually 2 weeks in the fall getting the winter boat ready for 6 months of living aboard.

Travel restrictions made it impossible to head south last fall and the future doesn't look any better. I sold the B393 as the covid crisis started. Owning a boat in Florida and not being able to see and maintain it for a period of over a year is not very good for a boat so the sale was propitious. I have wandered through many Florida boatyards and have seen how boats deteriorate drastically when left in the Florida weather for more than six months without constant care.

Looking for another boat to take the place of the B393 but all the travel restrictions making it difficult. All the covid protocols and uncertainty make it un-appealing. Just have to wait and see what happens later in the year but as it stands now 21/22 looks to be a no sailing winter as was 20/21.

[kimoj529]

We currently have boats in Michigan and Florida. We have a 48' CPMY in Michigan in a heated building and a 28' Wellcraft Martinique in Fl. It's easy because they are in storage when not in use. The Fl boat sits on a trailer during the summer. We remove all fabrics, cushions, etc.. The previous owner had a whole-boat cover made that works perfect- vents for air flow and we add a few large tubs of damp rid. So far no problems.
Prior to our current situation the boat locations were reversed. From 2011 to 2018 we had large motor yachts in the water in Florida year round. The only problem (which our marina took care of) was when a hurricane hit. The marina stored her in the building at a cost of $3 000. But she survived!! We kept fans going in all areas to circulate the air, turned off most systems except the bildges. We didn't keep the air going due to the possibility of a strainer/pump failure. We never had a problem with mold or mildew. We also had a diver clean the bottom, change zincs when needed and walk the inside every 3 weeks. Our northern boat at the time was an older 34' Sea Ray- she stayed on the hard.
We love boating and love warm weather!! It is a lot work but also a lot of fun. After 10 years we are selling the big boat and are going to try trailering the 28' Wellcraft back and forth. It's a lot of work 2x per year opening and closing down 2 boats, but the time on the water was worth the work.

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by kimoj529

We currently have boats in Michigan and Florida. We have a 48' CPMY in Michigan in a heated building and a 28' Wellcraft Martinique in Fl. It's easy because they are in storage when not in use. The Fl boat sits on a trailer during the summer. We remove all fabrics, cushions, etc.. The previous owner had a whole-boat cover made that works perfect- vents for air flow and we add a few large tubs of damp rid. So far no problems.
Prior to our current situation the boat locations were reversed. From 2011 to 2018 we had large motor yachts in the water in Florida year round. The only problem (which our marina took care of) was when a hurricane hit. The marina stored her in the building at a cost of $3 000. But she survived!! We kept fans going in all areas to circulate the air, turned off most systems except the bildges. We didn't keep the air going due to the possibility of a strainer/pump failure. We never had a problem with mold or mildew. We also had a diver clean the bottom, change zincs when needed and walk the inside every 3 weeks. Our northern boat at the time was an older 34' Sea Ray- she stayed on the hard.
We love boating and love warm weather!! It is a lot work but also a lot of fun. After 10 years we are selling the big boat and are going to try trailering the 28' Wellcraft back and forth. It's a lot of work 2x per year opening and closing down 2 boats, but the time on the water was worth the work.

I see, ventilation is very important in warmer weather for boats.
I'll keep that in mind.

[Slovak]

Originally Posted by warren5421

I have a 40' ketch in Florida that is in a climate controlled building the 3 months I'm north.

Can you share more details on this FL storage arrangement?

[Steve Mason]

We have two boats. Hans Christian 43 in the Santa Barbara harbor and a Kady Krogen 42 in Puget Sound. Two boats no house. Split the seasons between the two.
A good inventory list and organized to do lists for each boat is the only way to stay sane. I still think two boats in the water year around is easier than a boat and a house, but I like working in boats.
Someone to keep an eye on each when we are away and a good solar charge system to keep our battery system health takes a lot of the daily worry way from the boat we are not on or when traveling away from both.

[boatingisbetter]

I keep a 46 sailboat heated indoors in the Winter in Wisconsin and a 34 power cat on the hard in Florida for the Summers. Having them out of the water greatly simplifies.

The insurance companies are satisfied with them out of the water also.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

I've heard of people keeping a boat near where they stay and another in their vacation location, or they use one boat dedicated to racing.

I wondered if anyone here keep more than one boat, especially at different location? If such arrangement works out well for you?

That's like having two women...cost you twice as much and you would be lucky to have half the fun.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[walt41]

Have a 30' tug/trawler in FL and a 31' sail in CT. Live on the CT boat July and August and haul it otherwise. I have not seen it for 2 years due to Covid and am concerned about mold, and having it professionally cleaned before we go up in late June.
Boat boats are 1983, as I can't afford anything newer, and require maintenance and occasional repair. Have the yard paint the bottom when hauled every few years, and have a diver clean the FL boat monthly. As a retired engineer, mainenance is no big problem other than time.

[GL-WindPower]

Originally Posted by Hardhead

Good God man. That would make my wallet jump in fear... You have balls of steel my friend.

I think it’s more pockets of gold than it is balls of steel

[sailblues]

We keep a 42’ sailboat in the Caribbean to sail from November to April and put it on the hard for the summer months. From May through October we sail another sailboat in NY and put it on the hard for the winter. The best of both worlds! Loving it!

[timb7734]

We keep a boat in Northern Lake Huron, and one in Ft Myers FL. Used to live in Michigan and winter in FL; now, reversed that program and live in Florida while summering in MI. Live on the boat a few months up north, have a house and boat in FL, and this works well. Both boats are in inside storage for their “off-season”.

[PhilipL]

I have two. One in Greece (11m) and one near home (9m). The smaller boat is on a very cheap half tide mooring. I am retired. Plenty of time for both. I think I am lucky to have the second one available this year - with Covid travel to Greece is not really feasible. The Greece based boat is currently ashore, so no worries.

[grantmc]

I've a small keel boat in New Zealand where my home is, and a blue water cruiser in Fiji. Before Covid I'd many plans to use the Fiji boat as an Island apartment and base, whilst cruising the South Pacific in the season (April to November). I have a good boat watcher and she's moored in a wonderful marina.

Travel between NZ and Fiji was very cheap and the logistics were very simple. Now the borders are mostly closed, and the two week quarantine at each end makes travel very expensive. Covid has really buggered up my plans. Who would have seen that coming? But I feel all I can do is be patient.