Life Aboard for a Parrot and Moving to Nashville

[BigRalph]

Good Morning:

I've been aboard for 3 months. It's been a big year and I still have a ton to learn and do. I'm on a 1990 F32 Trojan. No, I still am not comfortable driving it.

Genesis for my move aboard was a separation. It's permanent now and plan to sign papers really soon. My ex is evicting my small pet parrot (blue crown conure). My bird and I have been together 22 years and he has some behavior problems that others may not appreciate. I'm stressing because if my shore power of AC failed during the day at work, my boat gets very hot and I'm sure I'd kill him. In 3 months aboard, I haven't lost shore power, but I've never left the AC running while away. My latest idea is a bigger house battery (needed, but not ready financially for investiment), new charger with inverter (don't need inverter and not ready for financial investment) and a house portable 8K BTU AC that is set at like 78 or 80, so if the primary ac kicks during the day, he's protected. My problem with this approach is that I think a house battery and inverter for the AC unit I spotted at target would be a +$1K investment and I just don't want to spend that much money right now. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Next question: I love the water and it's a big part of my life. I'm also a mid-career professional. I have no reason to remain in Hampton Roads, VA. I want to reset a few things about my life and I'm aiming at Nashville, TN. I've only found one marina during google searches that allows Live Aboards and just a glance at the website, all the boats look like house-boats. My life on the water centers me and I'd like to keep this for some time to come. Any thoughts or assistance on this matter?

Question three (bonus question): contents insurance. Does anyone know about getting an insurance policy on boat contents. IE I have some furniture, clothes and electornics that would suck to leave at the bottom of the harbor somewhere without insurance. I've been very vague with boatus about being a liveaboard for my regular boat insurance and USAA told me when I got my loan for the boat that they don't lend for liveaboards.

Thank you.

[GaryMayo]

AC is no big boon to avian friends. They can stand heat and cold, but an oven or cold drafts would be bad.

Can you set up a area in the cockpit, under some insulated cover for shade? That would give your feathered friend much more stimulation.

[Thin Line]

Living aboard in Nashville is more of a don't ask don't tell type situation. The Corp of Engineers pretty much says you can't, however most marinas do have liveaboards. Old Hickory Lake is going to be your best bet, there are several marinas there where you would find people living. Give Creekwood a try, they have showers.

On a side note, we lived on Percy Priest and there were multiple liveaboards at every marina, we were at the one with a waterpark attached to it ;-)

[sailnguy]

I live in Nashville and can tell you that "according to Army Corps of Engineers" there are NO marina's that allow live aboards. The real truth is that every marina on Percy Priest and Old Hickory allow live aboards except for two marina's. Hamilton Creek on Percy Priest (it is a city owned/operated marina for sailboats) and Harbor Island Yacht Club on Old Hickory (private owned yacht club) All the other marina's on either lake have no problem with live aboards. I have several friends that live aboard 365. Most of the marina's even have weekly pump out service. When you cant find a parking space at a marina at 0700 in the morning in Jan/Feb, you know they live aboard!