Liveaboard - Realistic View

[DrDan]

drew23 ... where do you keep your boat in Vancouver?

[farotherside]

Originally Posted by DrDan

drew23 ... where do you keep your boat in Vancouver?

I bounce between False Creek, Kitsilano Beach, Jericho Beach, Bowen Island and other small anchorages around the province. Mostly (90% or more) I'm in either False Creek or Kits.

[stuborndancer]

Thanks drew23, I am trying to temper my want to jump on a boat right now and sail off towards the blue with logic and reasoning. And I feel like its to easy to get disalusioned with what you think a life might be like without actually bouncing ideas off of others who have lived it. So again, thanks for the input . Really like your blog btw.

Ok another question. Does it make more sense to buy a boat early that needs repairing and learn how to do it myself over the next year or two? Or do as much sailing as I can in places like seattle but when it comes time to actually purchase a boat go for one that is completely sea worthy. Both options seem to have pros and cons. Pro for buying a boat that I need to repair myself is actually learning how MY boat works, and feeling confident in its upkeep. Con to that is... well I live in Montana. I would have to buy a boat somewhere else, move it here, and then hall it to a port when I was finally ready. Other con is there is always the possibility of doing a sup par job, but I hope with enough effort and studying I could avoid that possibility.

Haha this is my backyard right now. SOOO ready to be done with this for a while.

http://img141.imageshack.us/f/dsc02125h.jpg/

[foamcore]

Don't buy a beater, not for your first one. Get something you can use out of the box. You can learn about how a boat works on a good one just as well as a beat down one and have a lot more fun.

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by stuborndancer

Ok another question. Does it make more sense to buy a boat early that needs repairing and learn how to do it myself over the next year or two?

Right now you are pretty much where I was about 4 years ago.

Here's the route I took, and it worked out very well for me. Maybe you could do something similar.

I joined a sailing club: Island Sailing Club. Island Sailing Club - Home. They have three stations: Kirkland (near Seattle), Olympia, and Portland. They offer discounted ASA classes and have a fleet of boats you can use once you pass the ASA-101 (Basic Keelboat) test, which is very straight forward.

Club dues were $180 a month, which is far, far cheaper than owning and maintaining a sailboat and renting a slip.

I used the club's boats on a very regular basis, often several times a week (They told me I was their most active member for a year). I started going on overnight trips and longer day sails and still loved it just as much.

Being in the club gave me time to learn the ropes on smaller boats (Santana 20, Catalina Capri 22, San Juan 24), gain confidence, decide what kind of boat I want, meet lots of other sailors, and most importantly, decide that it was something I really wanted to pursue, instead of just a romantic fantasy.

After two years of that I knew I wanted my own boat, so I set out to find the best cared for boat that I could find. Ended up finding a really nice San Juan 28 for just over 13K.

I've had the SJ28 since July of last year and I'm still thrilled about it. Leaving on a 4 month trip to the Queen Charlottes in May.

So my suggestions are:

1) There are lots of ways to learn and explore sailing without buying a boat.

and

2) If / when you decide to buy, get the best condition boat you can afford, even if it's a little smaller, and spend your time sailing instead of fixing.

[stuborndancer]

Well thats pretty much what I'm planning. I'm all signed up for ASA classes at the end of next month. The only problem for me is my work currently is Missoula montana. Closest body of water is flathead lake, and the sailing club is on the other side of the lake so its about a 4 hour drive. I'm doing my ASA classes in seattle which is about a 9 hour drive. I opted for the less expensive membership with them which is only $40 a month but it still costs me money whenever I want to take there boats out, I think about $220 or so. I would like to get as much sailing in on there yachts as I can and would of payed the more expensive monthly for free use of there boats but I dont know how often while I'm working I'll be able to drive 9 hours both ways for a weekend of sailing.

[Liam Wald]

Originally Posted by stuborndancer

Ok another question. Does it make more sense to buy a boat early that needs repairing and learn how to do it myself over the next year or two? Or do as much sailing as I can in places like seattle but when it comes time to actually purchase a boat go for one that is completely sea worthy. Both options seem to have pros and cons. Pro for buying a boat that I need to repair myself is actually learning how MY boat works, and feeling confident in its upkeep. Con to that is... well I live in Montana. I would have to buy a boat somewhere else, move it here, and then hall it to a port when I was finally ready. Other con is there is always the possibility of doing a sup par job, but I hope with enough effort and studying I could avoid that possibility.


Imageshack - dsc02125h.jpg

Depends on how mechanical you are and how much time you have.
Working on boats can really be fun and interesting. There is a lot to learn, but it is not super hard and there are usually lots of other boaters who are willing to coach.
When I was about your age I spent a couple of years buying boats that needed attention, making them right and then selling them. I didn't get rich, but I made more money doing that than working for wages and I was my own boss.
It was also a great way to learn about boats and rigging. I have been boating for 40 years and have never had to pay anyone to do work on my boats.

[zeehag]

omg.you live in a beautiful hell. no sea. ouch i would die. run away from home. sail for a while. go back tend your stuff. run away again. repeat until feeling good inside. sell whatever in sheepsville, become one with sea. dolphin are prettier than sheep any way and any day. flying fish are awesome. sailing cobalt blue water is soooooooooooo cool... dancing with the dolphins.......no words
sail other peoples boats a while to see what you really like. name brand be damned--is your passion to be concerned with. i own formosa and ericson--lol
have fun and smoooth sailing.

[barnakiel]

If you are the type that can go for a month with 100 bucks in their pocket (which I believe) then you are less likely to be the type that can earn the 10k necessary to get the boat.

I consider myself and my first mate very minimalistic cruisers and we found it cheaper to sail rather than to liveaboard. Living aborad is like living in an apartment, only less comfortable, too.

I believe our minimum of minimums would be (EU prices, but in a 'cheap' EU state) about 500 USD per month (per two) and this would include the minimum minimum of boat maintenance (provided the boat was good condition and ready for cruising in the first place). But if I were alone I would probably need well over half of the amt., probably well over 300 USD a month, as a minimum minimum. I would probably have to give up on living aboard and start sailing again.

Now living and sailing on the minimum minimum is a very very bad idea. But it can be done. It is a bit more bright though if the bare minimum comes in monthly (say a s a pension or any other sort of reliable source).

You will meet people who live and sail with much less than us (a few) and countless numbers of those who sail with much much more.

Try to avoid sailing or living aboard on a minimum budget. You can always 'downgrade' later ;-)

The sun and the wind treat everyone equally. Make sure this is a fact of your life if you ever plan to retire into living aboard.

b.

[boatman61]

Go for it mate... just remember if you cruise the West Coast stop off at Bash's marina and go over with a 6pack....

[wildshore]

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

I comletely agree. Wooden boats a quite simply wonderful. I owned an Al Mason designed 33 foot cutter in the 80's. It was beautiful, warm, and sailed like a dream. Built of two inch African Mahogany on oak frames and fastened with silcone bronze... a real sweetheart. No major issues, just the usual maintinence. But she was in great shape when I bought her.
That is really kind of the key issue... if a wooden boat is in good shape when you buy her it isn't too hard to keep her tight. But if she is rough, it may be hard to get caught up and bring her back.
The problem now-a-days is that really good lumber is getting scarce. I can't even image how much it would cost to build a 33 footer today using African Mahogany.

I ABSOLUTELY agree. Most of my boats have been build out of crappy lumber, but then, I never expected them to make it beyond about 5 years, and have usually sold em at 3. But lordie, i would love to get my hands on a good, well-built oak hull.........

[wildshore]

Originally Posted by stuborndancer

Ok another question. Does it make more sense to buy a boat early that needs repairing and learn how to do it myself over the next year or two? Or do as much sailing as I can in places like seattle but when it comes time to actually purchase a boat go for one that is completely sea worthy. Both options seem to have pros and cons.

I think you can certainly do both: Buy a boat with the idea of doing repairs and upgrades yourself over the next year or two, but sail her as often as you can. Any time on the water, even really locally, even daysails, is experience in the hamper on which you can draw.

[wildshore]

Originally Posted by zeehag

dolphin are prettier than sheep any way and any day. flying fish are awesome. sailing cobalt blue water is soooooooooooo cool... dancing with the dolphins.......no words.

you know, I've always wanted a pet sheep for the boat..........in a crisis you could always use them as a large sponge.

[wildshore]

BTW you owe us ALL a drink for all this wonderful advice, which is even further impetus to sail away to somewhere anonymous and lovely

[daddle]

OPB - Join a cheap race oriented yacht club. Be eager and available. You will learn more about boating faster than any other way short of buying and sailing away. There are always many opportunities to help repair the OPB.

OPB = Other Persons Boat