Thinking about selling everything and buying a yacht?

Yeah, it's doable, especially if you're a "hands dirty" mech engineer.

You can live on something as small as 25 feet.

Are you serious

I have been about to post a response twice now and each time, bailed out. I have gleaned a great deal of knowledge (some remebered), entertainment and even a few laughs on this forum. This post has me STUMPED!
There are a thousand good answers on here for you, But its about BOATING Mate!
You sound like you need a long trip with a good buddy, hire a few boats, spin your wheels and take it a day at a time until something strikes you.
I am no counselor, expert, captain or rich businessman.

But what I read on your post is pretty **** close to home for many of the people I know on many occassions. Some even HAPPILY MARRIED!!!!!

Who would NOT like to shut the door on our office/ business etc on a Friday, toss the key to the nieghbour and say "see ya when I see ya!"
In fact maybe it should be a part of lifes journey, like the 50 th birthday, Kids Graduation, a divorce? or even a wedding anniversary (sorry) etc.

If you have a chance to do it...... DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't buy a boat. Sail on a few first. Think of it as "dating". Then when you find the one that can take you deeper, warmer yada yada yada, buy it.
YOU LUCKY B A S T A R D
Let us know how you go and if you are for real, remember, there a a few dozen very good people here to help out with the boat side of it!
ENJOY

might i ask you why you think you shouldn't be on here!? i'm a 23 year old student with an income of maybe 300 bucks a month - i can't even afford a lifejacket

Welcome Smitrock. You're in exactly the right place. Use the search button above, type in: live aboard, hit: search now, and let the education begin. This question has been posed many times in many ways. The short answer is yes, but your lifestyle will change more than you could ever imagine. For starters, I suspect you income will change drastically and your living quarters may get a bit tight around spring break time. Since you've got kids and a divorce you're no stranger to watching your money fly out the window so this (probably the 2nd or 3rd fastest way to get rid of money) shouldn't be all that traumatic. You're having one of the most common mid-life crisis dreams. Most people don't follow through on it, but it's a great dream. So read on and get educated. Ask questions if you don't find a particular answer posted. Take your time so you don't jump into a black hole. You might find that you're one of the lucky/unlucky ones who does it. Even if you do it just for a year or two I can promise you an adventure. Just keep a little nest egg put aside to escape with if or when you decide to jump ship. Good luck.

Go for it!!

I did it 10 years ago and have no regrets. Unfortunately I have reverted back to land life over the past few years, and now I am ready to do it all over again. Find yourself a good yacht broker, then steal a suitable boat. If you decide the live aboard life isn't for you, you won't lose too much dough. If you are willing to put money and elbow grease into a fixer upper, that's the way to go. S. Fl is chock full of repo boats that are in need of work and can be swiped well below market value. Just be aware of the additional costs of yacht ownership: dockage, insurance, annual haul out, unexpected repairs, etc. Make a feasible hurricane plan, where do you put the boat, where are you going to go, etc. If you are the type of guy that would rather troubleshoot a plumbing or electrical problem than mow the lawn, then it's the right lifestyle for ya. Good Luck. P.M. me and I'll recommend a yacht broker that specializes in repo's.

As a person who has been the repo man, I'd recommend against going for a repo boat. People who can't make their payments can't maintain the boat either and most repos are repos because the owner is so upside down that they can't sell it for the pay off. The bank will hold the boat for quite a while trying to get what is owed for it and during that time they spend the absolute minimum necessary to the custodial company to keep it floating. By the time the price gets "attracvtive, typically the boat has been neglected for several years. Quite often I would have to do a couple days worth of work just to get the boat in condition to limp to the dock and get divers in to scrape half a foot of growth off the bottom. I never saw a real "Deal" in repos or Marshals auctions either. The auctions I have seen boats in poor condition auction for more than you can buy a good one for at its fully advertised price.

I don't disagree with your characterization as I purchased a repo in December and that is basically what I got ... A boat that had at one time been beautifully maintained and then ... not anymore ... and a solid year of bank ownership with very little mx.

The exception ... I liked the boat ... and the repo bank financed it for me at 95% financing ... so I had the cash to fix it up ... which will cost close to what I paid for it. You are also correct that the bank's initial desire was to get the "$400k" that was close to what the previous owner owed on it. It took that solid year (and this fantastic buyers market) for the bank to realize that the boat was not going to move without being realistic about price.

Even the "perfect" boats out there were not exactly what I wanted and would have required major interior work or had potential mechanical surprises after spending a relative premium for "near perfect". I don't mind something that needs a little work because it's done to the new owners wishes ... but having the cash is the hard part.

And ... to reply to the OP, sure it can be done. Look around ... I'm partial to an older high quality power boat. But, I like sail boats too and you might find find that your money goes further with a sail boat. You might want to look on the Hatteras owners forum where there are lots of folks who live on 40'-53' plus Hatteras Motor Yachts without going broke. Many of these boats are powered by the 12V71 normally aspirated or 12V71TI twin turbo engines like mine. A bummer if one goes bad because it's $40k for the rebuild but the chances of that happening prematurely are relatively low if properly maintained.

You should go watch "Captain Ron"

I lived aboard for 6yrs and it was quite nice.
The winters wore me out though so I moved back on land.
Bare minimum for comfortable live-aboard from my experience is a 40ft aft cabin type powerboat.
Marinas all over the place are full of "divorced guy liveaboards"
I was one too.
You will certainly want to be somewhere that is warm year round.
Living on a boat in the winter it awful.

for 100k you can get something that will work
of course for 200K you can get something that will work better ;-)

WELCOME

yes you are at the right place and you will gain a lot of wisdome here

just a couple of thoughts , you get out of life what you put in too it
you only live once so make the best of it , if your not happy no one around you will be either . and you have the ability to do any thing in life you want .
adapt and over come

best of luck travler

So why is it that women love free spirited guys that live on boats or ride Harleys, etc.; then set abouttrying to settling them down and taking away their toys? Ladies?

Isn't there an old saying that goes something like: "Men marry women hoping they will never change. Women marry men knowing they will change them."

Uhhh... this is the wrong place to ask a lady a question, haven't heard from any except one asking job advice.

We have quite a few female members, actually a couple of female captains too, but these days they let the male captains here run the show...

Kind of reminds me of what I always say: "I'm the boss in my house...every time my wife let's me".

The Harley and boat represent some desirable intrinsic qualities, and taking them away opens up access to that deeper desirable layer for said ladies.

i know how it works ( being married 40 years to the same wife) i wear the pant's in the family , she just tell's me witch pair to put on LOL

TRAVLER