Small Budget-Small Boat Liveaboard

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by SURV69

I tried a search for posts about living aboard on smaller boats ... what, say 32 feet or smaller.

The considerations and costs are totally different than boats(sail or power), in the 35+ feet range and even moreso in the 40+feet range.
20-30 feet is generally a one-person habitat ... sometimes two ... rarely more.

I would imagine that almost anyone living on a smaller boat, has a smaller budget to work with and is much more cognizant of how quickly money disappears.

I'm on Social Security, PERS(very small pension), and VA non-service disability pension ... not quite dirt poor.

Discussions of liveaboard with a few posters, here and there, on smaller boats, intermingled with the seemingly vast majority of posters in 35-45 feet range.

It would be nice to have a thread, about small budget, small boat liveaboards without the larger budget, larger boat, posters populating the thread with postings that are not very useful to us cheap(out of necessity) boaters.

It's hard and discouraging to read 5 posts to read one post that can be related to.

SURV69, It seems that you have been diverted from your original goal of inquiring about living aboard small boats with a limited income. Maybe it would be best for us to focus this thread on your interest. Although you had little success with your search, we know that threads about inexpensive small boat living aboard are fairly common. You should not be discouraged by finding interest in only one of five post. Many of us focus on just 20% or less of the content available here.

If you're interested in valuable responses, then it would be best to put forth some questions or describe your project concerns or challenges. Where are you cruising? What are the improvements that you desire in your boat? What are the best and worst outcomes of your life aboard?

Also don't discount all those on larger boats. Most of us began with smaller boats and most of us have had times to be frugal.

[JPA Cate]

SURV69, you wrote, "I'm on Social Security, PERS(very small pension), and VA non-service disability pension ... not quite dirt poor," and for me, that gave a different impression of your whole post.

fwiw, i think it's very hard for people to relate to not having enough money to do things "their way" or "the ideal way."

One of our mods, SailorChic34, lives on her social security pension, has a boat, and does some cruising. She has written about some of her "low bucks" workarounds. She is an engineer, and one of her threads was about her engine rebuild.

zeehag is also a low bucks cruiser, with a lot of good info to share.

I feel bad that SV Third Day lit into you like that, because I think he did not respond to your central issue, and was responding partly from general aggravation relating to the deck job he's been struggling with, as if angry feelings had overwhelmed his desire to help. Sometimes peoples' feelings get in the way of their empathy; I see this a lot on this forum (the only one in which I participate at this time).

Maybe, a different Google Custom Search will find you more of the threads that will be relevant for you, and maybe not, but you might give it another go.

Really, if you ask specific questions, folks will try and help you. And i think it would be all right to have another low bucks living thread, not everybody who has a boat has lots of money to devote to it.

Ann

[barnakiel]

I think you are in the right size brackets as boats similar to say W32 are "cheap" and easily liveabord'able. Me and my mate we have been living in a 26'er with only 9' beam and no standing height for me. ... We took off in 2003 ...

If the budget is an additional constraint, I think you want a simple boat that is easy to fit out, easy to fix and, maybe above all, you want to find a place where living aboard at the given budget is possible and pleasant (to you). We have seen VAST price differences from place to place. And this relates to all items: dockage, haulouts, grocery, medicine, transport, wifi, potable water and plain human solidarity (still free at places, but shrinking fast).

To turn the table round: with budget X you can live fine say on a 32'er anchored in place A but the same X budget will be a week's worth (or way less) tied to a neat dock in place B. Avoid the Palma de Maiorcas of the world! ;-)

BTW note: you learn as you go, so expect your first year budget to be at least some amount higher than your 2nd year and consecutive budgets.

Start in the right place, with the right boat. Preferably surrounded by the right people. The rest is dumb easy.

Cheers,
b.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by SURV69

hmmm ... no offense taken ... not much ...

But your remark, toward me appears stupid, somewhat nonsensical and in regard to the content of the OP, disjointed ... why would someone in a 50' sailboat, likely with a much larger budget, even make a posting to this thread? Unless you're "trolling".

Well ... thank you ... I've learned two new words(?) today ... "clickbait", and "troll" ... these words will certainly greatly aid me in any endeavors I may have. I am forever thankful to you for my learning two more totally insignificant internet words.

To think, that somehow, a simple posting about living aboard on some sort of smaller boat is ... on a smaller budget ... "Click Baiting" ... how in the %^*$%&^%$%&* does a posting about living on a smaller boat becomes "clickbaiting". Do you even know what "clickbaiting" is? I do, cause I had to look it up, and what I found makes no sense regarding the OP.

Sometimes, only "special people", understand things in such a certain special way.

I'd like to know the purpose for your stupid remark ... but I doubt there really is one ... or at the least ... a good one ...

Maybe ask him how that tearing up of the teak deck is going

As for your statement as to the cost of outlay of a boat 30, 35, and 40...it depends. I use to think bigger is better but cost wise...not always. My Ingrid 38 ketch 38 with 44 wires and a new roller furl was 10 grand to replace. My 3 footer sloop I have now was around 3 grand and only 3 feet shorter. Yet a forty foot sloop would be about the same.
I think your thread is very useful to anyone wanting to know the facts about the liveaboard lifestyle.

[sailorchic34]

Just to clarify something Ann said a few posts back. I am NOT on SS yet, being still quite young ish. That largeness which is SS, does not kick in for me, till another 1.5 years from now. Even though I feel old as dirt some days. I look forward to that time when SS is available as life will for me will get SO much easier.

Currently I get by on roughly $600 ish a month living in northern california. SS for me will be like Manna from Heaven as it will be quite a bit more. As the average liveaboard slip is $600, needless to say I don't ever stay in pricey marina's and have not paid a liveaboard fee for quite a few years not..

A small budget means one does not buy AIS or radar or the latest chartplotter. For me it was buy a used tablet on ebay for $70 to use as a chartplotter. Sails, OK when I was working I splurged on a New $700 Jib, After the great recession, my new main sail was a used but still good enough $300 sail. New sails at the $600 entry level is not going to happen.

So you can live at $600 or $1000 dollars though $1500 is probably much easier. I'll know that luxury, in alas less then 2 years. Joy... Mind you living at the $600 level is not as easy or even possible in many locations.

[Pendragon35]

Originally Posted by pickpaul

I hear you. I liveaboard alone on my 30 footer but my partner stays overnight regularly without issue. I have standing head room despite being 6ft tall and couldn't be happier with my choice. If I won the lottery or bitcoin keeps increasing in value the way it has, I wouldn't get a bigger newer boat, I'd keep my Alberg but I would blow it on lots of equipment and a lavish cruising budget :-D

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I take it you have an Alberg 30. I have an Alberg 35 and feel the same way. these boats have less space than similarly sized Catalinas and Hunters but there is something about them that just makes them your permanent boat.

[model 10]

[QUOTE=sailorchic34;2173012]
Currently I get by on roughly $600 ish a month living in northern california. SS for me will be like Manna from Heaven as it will be quite a bit more. appen.

Well remember that they are going to take another $150 off the top for health care. Hope it's not worth it for you.

[sailorchic34]

[QUOTE=Guy;2173022]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Currently I get by on roughly $600 ish a month living in northern california. SS for me will be like Manna from Heaven as it will be quite a bit more. appen.

Well remember that they are going to take another $150 off the top for health care. Hope it's not worth it for you.

Something a poor sailor does not worry about. That only counts if you pay income tax, which I have not for 5 years now.

[akprb]

Back to the point, now I've forgotten the original question and am all the way down here at the bottom of the thread! 😂

In the 80s I lived on a J24 of all things for a year then moved up to a Catalina 30. Paid 6k for the J, sold for 10k, 17k for the Catalina (Repo), sold for 30k.

That whole time enjoyed a backyard full of water, evening sails, peaceful sleep to the sound of krill.

This was at Adventure Yacht Harbor in Daytona and anchored in the North end of Lake Worth with Jack Nicholas as a neighbor :-) (actually went to his house once, very nice family but that's another story)

So go for it! Doesn't matter the size, the memories are all the same if not more vibrant!

[zeehag]

i do live on ssdi and have a 40 ft formosa--but before i had that, i lived on board everything from 25 ft to 45 ft. sometimes with huge income, sometimes, years in sequence, long story, without income. so...... what do you really want to know.

found my formosa for what worked out to being 4650 usd, and cruised 3000 miles before it decided to shut down for repairs, here in mazatlan.
low budget?? whatsa budget? plans are best made in wet sand or liquid jello

[SilentOption]

SURV69, Next you should ask if its ok to keep your gun collection onboard while cruising from state to state enroute to points south.
Post that then go find something to do for a few days.

I think a fine boat for a liveaboard on a budget would be a Catalina 25, older (70s-80s) or newer. They have a lot of headroom, sail great, have crossed the Atlantic, and they are not expensive to keep in good condition. Just my opinion of course which many will happily discredit or crush..But such is life.
I have gotten of great information on this forum you jut have to be patient and thick skinned at times.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

No offense at all to the Original poster at all here...but sometimes I wounder if these "Living aboard for Cheap on a small boat" threads are not clickbait. We seem to have 1-2 of them a week.

Wouldn't you be disappointed if someone who should rent an apartment didn't ask one a week?

[jackheape]

Interesting thread, lol. I don't think the best size boat can be determined until how you are going to use it (not meaning liveaboard). Are you planning on just staying in marinas? Any particular marina? Where located? There is a world of difference in where you stay in terms of the cost. Certainly if you want o be tied up at a marina all the time, then the smaller boat is cheaper (cost per foot, etc). Sometimes not though because some marinas just have a flat rate. But if you plan on traveling, and anchoring out a lot, then a larger boat might be better. You will have enough room for a generator, more water tanks, maintenance is easier (things are easier to get to), you can carry more stores. And in my experience, ther eisn't a lot of difference in maintiang a 20-30 year old 28 footer vs. a 38 footer. In fact as far as living aboard I would say it was cheaper (not counting marina costs) living on the bigger boat taking everything, including the living costs, into account.

[barnakiel]

A bait?

And how about more and more people not being able to make ends meet in the Babylon and looking for ways to escape the pressures they themselves created, huh?

"I want to live off the grid, close to nature, with a nearly teen Thai strip teaser. Is this at all possible?" (PS Budget USD 500).

Yes, it is.

Some pleas to the good savage life come from those who messed the whole thing up working 9-to-5 for 20 years only to find their company does not give a damn, they children are not growing up and want iPhone7 for Xmas and so now Mr Jones wants a new life, off the grid they built and supported in their 'old life'. They were good Christians before, now they believe the are Jesus/Buddha/Tim Ferris.

I think some posters are like this.

But I too think others are genuine.

I cannot yet tell them apart ;-)

Cheers,
b.

[Reefmagnet]

A bigger boat doesn't cost anymore than a smaller boat after purchase. Unless you plan to use it and maintain it, of course.

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