Onboard Living

Several of us probably have no more of our own money... because we bought a boat... so helping somebody else spend theirs is our only option.

-Chris

I didn’t click the links until I saw the comments..

Yes, teak decks especially in Florida or further South is a bad idea, been there done that:
I purchased a 44’ sailboat in the Virgin Islands with teak decks and a double planked mahogany hull back in 1985, didn’t know any better because there was no internet and no YachtForums, but a few guys at a Tiki Bar in the islands tried to talk me out of it. (We were all drinking rum so I didn’t trust them)
Being 28 years old and full of my self I didn’t listen, and I paid the price.
Worked my arse of for the next 3 years keeping this wooden wonder floating and pristine. (Then there was such things as the masts, the rigging, the engine and fuel system, the centerboard and everything else that could go wrong on a 30 year old high end custom Bermuda racer)
I learned fast that I screwed up big time, but got away with it; Paid $30k for the boat, put $30k into it and sold it for $30k..
Note to self: Do NOT buy an old boat with external teak decks, unless your name is Bill Gates.

Dallas: There is not shortcut to a good/safe boat you can live on full time and sail/motor at your leisure.
Go small and pristine, or go big and pay a lot more than you think.
Any external wood, including teak decks, varnished coamings and cabin tops are a no-no except in a nice big shed in Maine or Alaska.

It's a good example... but I can think back about all the stuff I had no clue about when I decided we needed a boat. And I can think of stuff I still have no clue about, even after all these years. None of that is unlearnable (?) for most folks who are willing to do the work.

Of course "willing" is key. "Do the work" is key.

FWIW, I personally think it's more expensive to live on a (decent) boat than on land, but that's partly because I also consider my time as part of that equation... and I'm expensive so I charge myself a lot.

(Currently faced with upcoming water heater replacement, rudder angle sensor/gauge replacement, replacement of an underwater light bulb (can't reach it), syncing the remote for our hydraulic swim platform (can't reach the receiver), sanding/painting the master head after having removed the vinyl wallpaper, replacing a porthole because two of the dog screws have sheared off, reconnecting the AP control head if it ever returns from the repair shop, removing the KVH dish, sending one of the MAN display units out for a new battery (I hope that's all it is), still having to pay for the galley fridge control panel replacement that happened just this last Thursday, some engine room touch-up painting, replacement of at least three and possibly four lights in the engine room... etc etc etc.)

Other folks with more flexibility about time management -- maybe Dallas -- can sometimes work the equation differently.

-Chris

Before making the plunge, have you researched marina costs? There has been lots of discussion about the actual liveaboard boat, but where will you dock? Are dockage rates stable? Does the marina allow liveaboards? Will the marina be re-developed?
You wouldn’t want to be in this situation:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mosquito-creek-marina-residents-update-1.7053795

I spent a few months living on the same model boat (coincidentally, during a divorce). Its too small to comfortably live on. I made it work because I was under a shed, so could use the aft deck openly in any weather. I recommend looking for something with Diesel engines as well- much more robust and reliable. Plus diesel fuel is MUCH safer than gasoline.

Nice boats, but.... for a liveaboard situation it'd probably drive me crazy (crazier) in about a month. Or maybe even two weeks.

Imagine living in a cave. The upper deck -- helm station and some minor seating -- is only really useful when you're underway or when you're laying still and weather is good... and in that situation, pretty much all you can do there is watch the weather go by. Or read a book or whatever. Sort of like a "rancher" and most of it is down below. Limited (no) visibility out, stare at the walls...

(We had a similar boat, once, two boats ago. Nice boat, well made, good tank... don't have that boat anymore.)

Look up a Sea Ray 480 Sedan Bridge -- just a quick example, not a recommendation -- and compare the two (without much regard to the length difference). Note three enclosed decks in the 480: sleeping level, leisure/cooking/eating level, flybridge with decent visibility over whatever sights might be available wherever you happen to be. MUCH better. Planing hulls.

Another might be comparing to an older Hatteras motor yacht, maybe a 53 or whatever, another quick example, not a recommendation. Note how much more covered living space there is in the Hatt compared to any of the Sundancers or clones from Cruisers, etc. Another MUCH better. Planing or semi-displacement hulls in their line.

Hatteras, Cruisers, Formula, Carver, Silverton, Sea Ray and others all make (or made) "motor yachts" of some sort in various lengths. (FWIW, I'd only be partial to a "cockpit" version, for better direct access to water level.) Sea Ray, Silverton, some others all make (or made) some version of a "sedan bridge" or "sport bridge" in various lengths. Planing hulls.

And then there are the "trawlers" from offshore, or Mainship, or some other makers. These tend to be focused on decent living space relative to length, and also tend to be slow-to-slower (which is not necessarily a bad thing). Displacement or semi-displacement hulls.

What Ken said, about diesels. There's a use case for gas, though, usually built around mostly short cruise distances.

Good you've started looking at that, early on. There's usually a reason for the price differences. Location, dock structures and stability, overall upkeep and cleanliness, weather implications, onsite amenities, etc.

-Chris

My friend lived on a 39 ft Cruisers Vila Vee for about 2 years.
He did it with two large dogs with him.
This was in the upper Chesapeake Bay, summer and winter.
That boat has a large back deck and a small cabin.

We all thought he lost his mind but that was what he wanted.

Point is, if you want it bad enough and you can tolerate really close quarters, you can probably make it work.

As already stated here, look for minimal maintenance type boat,no teak.
There is enough work to do on any boat w/o the bright work.
( Said the man with teak toe rails and covering boards )

Good access to all mechanical stuff will make your learning curve on systems a better experience for sure.

Buy good tools and keep them lubed and dry

Good luck,

I'm not sure of your age or agility but I did some repairs on a 38' Sea Ray a few years ago and it was not a good situation.

Probably meant can't.

-Chris