Live aboard powerboat?

What you're looking at are called "aft-cabins". There are several manufacturers of the style. I'd recommend looking at Carver. They're a bit more roomy and less expensive.
As for expenses, what you're not considering is maintenance (about $40K a year) and fuel (about 20-35 gph). You're also going to want to haul it for a few weeks every couple of years at least, to bottom paint and let the hull dry. You'll need another place to live while that's going on.

I suggest you go to our SEARCH feature and key in the worlds 'live aboard' or any other such words. You're not the first one with this idea, and it often works out, bu there's a lot to consider, from freezing water lines to municapalities who don't like people living on boats to dealing with a 30 gallon holding tank instead of a 5,000 gallon cesspool.

On average figure 10% of original purchase price. That's about 400K to 600K for the boats you're looking at. Start with an engine rebuild, that's about 30K each. If you're lucky that'll be years away, but one boat I run needed it 13 hours after purchase and someone here wrote about blowing an engine on the way home from the purchase. There's leaking windows, air conditioning repairs, plumbing problems, zincs, oil changes, and the list is endless. Also understand that as soon as you put the word "marine" before anything the price goes up. Boats are like mistresses. They'll give you the best days of your life. They'll also give you the worst days. And they'll both definitely drill a hole in your wallet. Boating is an expensive sport.

Truly boating or just living aboard?

At the risk of offending some, there are some marinas that are known a "floating trailer parks", with boats that never really leave the dock (and which should not given their condition!). That phrase may be a bit harsh... but it brings into perspective the realities of living aboard if you are not someone that has had salt water in your veins since birth. Owning a 3 bed, 2 bath vessel that is seaworthy is a major undertaking, basically a lifestyle decision that goes far beyond simply liking a boat layout and being able to afford the entry price.

That said... there are beautiful boats that make great liveaboards... and which you can approach with a mindset of keeping it afloat... but not cruising. I look at the glut of megayachts out there and expect some of them will eventually become floating condos, and handsome ones at that. One doesn't need to go cruising to still have the pleasures of dinner on the deck, the lap of waves against the hull at night, and the knowledge that you're living in a special environment most never get to experience.

So... I'd first try to identify where you expect to keep a boat, if purchased. Liveaboard marinas are getting rarer... and some are wonderful communities, others you might need to lock up everything 24/7 due to the quality of neighbors. Can you buy a boat with a lease in place? Or is there a 3 year waiting list? If you can have power and water at the dock then you don't need a generator or desal system, big savings but also quirks with their own learning curves. You'll still need bottom paint and maintenance to keep the rain out. The list is endless, but keeping on top of it all is also a great pastime!

I think its a great idea worth pursuing, just be realistic about what you're really getting yourself into!

Being handy is of paramount importance unless you're rich. You will literally save yourself tens of thousands of dollars, depending on how much you can do yourself. If you're hands-on there is a wealth of free help available on the internet and at the marinas. Boaters love to help each other. I recently saved my employer probably about $5,000 and got a good education though a discusion right here on YF.

I have been reading on here for a bit, but this post was interesting enough that I decided to register so I could comment.

First off, living aboard in California can be a very economical way of life. We do not have freezing temperatures or extreme weather, so about half the trouble some other area boaters have to deal with, we just don't. There is no need to winterize your boat, run a heater in the bilge etc etc. Yet we don't have the damaging humidity or strength of sun of Florida either, so our boats tend to age/weather very well compared to some other parts of the country.

While I have never lived aboard my 35 foot Sundancer except for a few nights, a friend of mine did for about 7 years on his 39 foot sportfisher. Slip fees are relatively inexpensive for these size boats, and you can pick up decent enough 80s and 90s aft cabins for under $100k all day long especially if you widen your shopping area to Stockton and the delta. Compared to the cost of living on shore in SF, you could potentially live aboard a boat for 1/3rd of the cost of an apartment ashore. The Sea Ray motoryacht you linked is a spacious if more expensive option and the best comparison I can make for non boat people is that it is a "Lexus". Its not really a true boat guys boat, but its well built, luxurious, and Sea Ray has a proven track record building decent quality mid range boats.

As for maintenance, If you do not take your boat out much, (and liveaboards tend not to, once you realize all your worldly possessions are aboard, you tend not to leave the dock much from what I have seen) you will minimize your expenses. Gas is almost always the biggest expense for a typical frequent use boater. You would be surprised how much fun you can have even if you never leave the dock, or how a kayak can help you out in that department.

Join some boat boards, read up and it will help you make an educated decision.


Good luck!

Well I agree with one of the others, Carvers are a nice option as well. I am not sure you can get the really nice 450 Voyager for your price, and its larger than you are looking for, but they have an under 40 foot Voyager that might be worth a look.

If topside entertainment space is your focus and you don't mind less living accommodations below, you can also look at fast express style boats like my Sundancer or something from Cruisers Inc. I don't feel these boats are the right setup for living aboard, but people do it, it depends on your needs/tastes.

One thing you can do , and you probably have, is go to yacht world and just type in advanced search for powerboats 35-45 feet with all the features you are looking for, and it will spit out quite a few options for you.

As for engines, diesels are more common, more efficient and economical on larger boats, the cutoff for diesels is about 35 to 40 feet. Most boats smaller than this will have gas engines most larger will have diesels.

I definitely recommend that you spend some time wandering the docks and talking with people. You might even want to charter a boat dockside for a weekend.
You also have to determine how much and what kind of cruising, and how much time you want to spend at the dock with friends. The maximum interior and exterior space you'll find is on a houseboat, and they run the gammet from garbage to some really nice custom jobs. However most are designed for calm water cruising. Three Buoys has interesting houseboats. A step more towards cruising will find the house-yachts like the Harbor Masters and Holiday Mansions. Next up the cruising capable scale with maximum space is the aft-cabin with raised bridge (Carver, Sea Ray, Silverton). With all of these keep in mind that they all draw about 3' to 40" of water. The more weight and area you put above the water line, the harder she'll be to handle in heavy winds or rough seas.

Boats like the S.R. Sundancer mentioned earlier are "express cruisers". Easy to handle, but not much entertaining or living area. "cave type dwelling" as you put it.

One other thing to consider when looking at deck space is that most people close in their exterior spaces with canvas and isinglass to give them more all-weather living space. Most of that can come down with not too much work when the sun comes out.

keep up the search and the attitude. But check the standard marina rules, you may not like some. Most will not let you BBQ at the docks.

BTW, my wife and I (and the kids until they got older and on their own) live aboard from Fridays til Monday mornings from May until November. We all have made life long friends in the NE cruising corridor as well as on the dock. It's not full time but we love it. We are fortunate to having the boat located central to our home and office. In the Winter's I come down to check the shrink wrap, yearning for April to arrive when we open her up. We started out on a 28 foot Silverton with a single 318 chrysler in the mid 1970's and thought that was a manse! We still read our old log books at Christmas....

Make sure when you look at a marina's rules you understand what they mean too, for example, you can't fish off the docks or BBQ on the docks at my marina, but you can fish off and BBQ on your boat. Really a minor issue for the most part. Most marina's discourage liveaboards as much as they can, they use more resources and cost more money, and general the surcharge they get doesn't always cover the costs. In my marina live aboards pay a $125 a month surcharge over the normal slip fee.

Typically a marina that has live aboards in our area will be no more than 30% of the slips, they try and stick to whatever ratio they came up with, and there could be a much longer waiting list for live aboard slips versus just a regular slip.

One of the key issues in the SF Bay Area is finding a marina that allows full time live aboards. As for "try before you buy", go talk with Club Nautique in Alameda. They have a fantastic training school, and some power boats in your size range you can rent at great rates if you are a member.

40' Liveaboard

I can't believe some of those scary figures that some were quoting,...enough to put you off the idea of living on a boat forever.

Back long ago while I was still in college I started thinking about living aboard a boat as well, ...here on the Chesapeake Bay, near Annapolis MD or right up in Washington DC. I was real attracted to these old classics like the ACF's, Elco, Trumpy-Mathis houseboats, etc....most all wood vessels. Well I would not recommend wood for a beginner, nor in this current day.

But I would recommend something like this 40 footer, a Pilgrim 40. Here is one for sale out in Calif
1987 Pilgrim 40 by North Castle Marine Pilgrim 40 Power Boat For

I'd be willing to bet you could buy it at a decent price, but first get a good competent survey to let you know right up front any particular problems. And I bet if you keep it in reasonable condition you could likely resell it for very little lost, and very likely right along with your live-aboard slip, if you are lucky enough to get one.

This is a real 'livable' design. take a look at some pics over HERE,
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/general-trawler-discussion/19252-trawler-houseboat.html

or send me a private message and I'll send you some I've collected up.

It says : Located in Sag Harbor,NY. Or am I reading it wrong ?

You're not. She catches my eye every time I go to the marina (way more than the Rivas and Azimuts there). I think Brian was pointing it out as a type more so than the one, although it could possibly be trucked. (On its own bottom it would take about a year if you got there at all.) This type boat is better suited for a couple cruising the ICW at 7 kts. than a single guy cruising SF Bay with a bunch or friends though.