Want To Buy: Looking to live aboard

[dbrooksatc]

I am currently looking to buy a boat to live aboard in the southern Chesapeake Bay area. I have found many listings on boattrader but since I have never even been on a sailboat I thought I would seek out recommendations. Any guidance would be appreciated.

[Calif.Ted]

Powerboats are more comfortable liveaboards, people only live aboard a sailboat because they're addicted to sailing.

[dbrooksatc]

All my life I have wanted to sail which is why I am wanting a sail boat. I am currently in a position that I can chase my dream of living on a boat and sailing whenever I want. If I end up deciding the life is not for me I will not be losing much.

[kharchevskyi]

Originally Posted by dbrooksatc

All my life I have wanted to sail which is why I am wanting a sail boat. I am currently in a position that I can chase my dream of living on a boat and sailing whenever I want. If I end up deciding the life is not for me I will not be losing much.

Dear Sir!

What do you think about Dufour 38 Classic (2001)? As a livespase boats of Great Dufour is very comfortable. The boat which I am offering located in Greece, in dry dock now, but already painted, maintained and ready to sail.

Please let me know if you ready to consider this model.

[dougweibel]

Originally Posted by dbrooksatc

All my life I have wanted to sail which is why I am wanting a sail boat. I am currently in a position that I can chase my dream of living on a boat and sailing whenever I want. If I end up deciding the life is not for me I will not be losing much.

Welcome to CF!

We get a lot of questions like this and it is a complicated question to answer. A lot depends on what you actually want to do, which is something that you may or may not actually know the answer to at this point. You say you have wanted to sail all your life. Does that mean that you don't actually have any experience sailing? If so you may want to consider keeping your housing and your sailing separate till you get some experience. I think the best boat advice I have gotten/given is to buy the boat you need today, not the boat you think you will want in 2, 3, or 5 years. I'd actually recommend, depending on your situation, you buy two boats. First, buy a modest keelboat. In your location you should have lots of choices and if you buy an inexpensive older boat in reasonably good condition you will likely be able to sell it in a few years for about the same amount of money. With the current situation there may be a price reduction in the market so don't be in a hurry. You will be able to gain experience not only with sailing but with boat ownership, but as boat ownership costs scale with size you can learn with lower costs than with a larger boat you might like to live on. The second boat I'd recommend is a 12-16' sailing dingy. Something like a Laser, Sunfish, etc., etc. You will learn a lot more about actually sailing in a lesser amount of time sailing a small boat.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by dbrooksatc

I am currently looking to buy a boat to live aboard in the southern Chesapeake Bay area. I have found many listings on boattrader but since I have never even been on a sailboat I thought I would seek out recommendations. Any guidance would be appreciated.

A couple of questions to better provide help.

First is to a lift what you mean by “live aboard”?

1-To live at a dock with all the amenities of a condo?
2-To live aboard a motor boat you can take out fishing and partying once in a while?
3-To live on a sailboat you can use to sail around the bay once in a while?
4- To depart the rat race and diss appear into the wild, swinging on a hook?
5- To prepare to depart and sail car places in the future?

Or some variation of the above?

Then some indication of budget.

These all have implications between power, sail, draft, accommodations, sense of adventure, solitude.