Newbie need advice about living on boat

[GordMay]

Sometimes, a lease may be in your best interests.

In some jurisdictions (ie: Florida*), if you don’t have a lease, you are subject to hotel/tourist and sales taxes.

* The Florida Tourist Development Tax is a 4% charge on the revenue from rentals of six months or less. This tax is in addition to the state sales tax.
Anyone who has entered into a bona fide written lease for greater than 6 months is exempt from sales tax and tourist development tax on the lease payments. If there is no written agreement, the owner is required to collect and remit the state sales tax and tourist tax for the first six months. The seventh month and every month thereafter will be exempt provided the same renter continues to reside at the same location.

Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes :->Ch0212->Section 03 : flsenate.gov

[bearphish]

I'm no "seasoned sailor" by any means of the phrase, but I can handle my own on a good cruise, single-handed. This with VERY limited experience on deck(I'm an Airborne veteran) but I watch carefully and closely pay attention to every detail. I don't feel like I needed to pay thousands of dollars in lessons before I graduated to the exalted position of "newbie". I'm intelligent enough to learn about weather, currents, boat design, rigging, hardware, blah. Anyone can, if they value their future in sailing.
So, in my opinion, I feel that one who dives right in with the proper attitude and willingness to approach their new lifestyle with a careful demeanor, research and asking questions of knowledgable people will probably do just fine, if not "overdo" some things.
I bought my first boat and dove right in, moving her by sail 320mi. in the Atlantic, but I did my homework first, and to tell you the truth, it was a "breeze" (pun intentended). I just ran through my checklist, pushed the butterflies down as far as I could and started life for once.
In conclusion, polaatx, I think you should do your homework, sign a six-month lease somewhere, get your money up, buy a (small)project that needs little, invest in alternative energy systems(solar, wind generator) so that you can be autonomous and not have to dock as much, reduce your baggage to near nothing, repair and outfit your vessel, say your good byes and prepare for a new life.
Check craigslist for boats, I have seen quite alot of great deals on keelboats in the 23-30ft range that would be a good start for you.
Most important, polaatx, do what YOU think is right in your heart, not what some faceless entity online like myself tells you. hehehe... These guys here have AWESOME advice, I suggest you listen well, and never stop asking questions, bro. WELCOME ABOARD!!! And good luck.