# New to sailnet, liveaboard hopeful!!



## mjmilford (Dec 1, 2009)

Hello all! 

Name is Matt, currently living in Chicago with my girlfriend. We plan on making the transition to liveaboard life sometime in the summer! I'm working in Chicago but we plan on trying to move to the Tampa area and pick up our first boat. In the seemingly never-ending process of research at the moment. Looking forward to meeting some people for advice and encouragement!


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Hey mjm - welcome to SN dude. You'll like it here.


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## mjmilford (Dec 1, 2009)

Guess I should put a little more about us. Graduated in Feb with a degree in Construction Management, as did the lady. Trying to figure out the best way to go from apartment living to a boat in roughly 7 months (goal is June of '10). Has anyone else moved somewhere, got a job, and bought a boat all in one swoop? <?


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## mjmilford (Dec 1, 2009)

Thanks smackdaddy, looking forward to picking a lot of your brains. We spent the other day in Sailboat Sales Co. at their yard here in chicago and looked at the O'day 28, Catalina 27 and Sabre 28. Just got us more excited!


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

mjmilford said:


> Thanks smackdaddy, looking forward to picking a lot of your brains....


Heh-heh. As many around here will tell you - that won't take long in my case.

As for my very inexperienced take, I sail a C27, and I personally wouldn't want to live on it (or any other sub-35' for that matter). But that's me. I might have done it when I was 20, but not now.

You should probably poke around the "Living Aboard..." thread. You'll get some good answers there. There is LOTS to learn. And SN's a great place to do it.


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## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

mjmilford said:


> ........... Has anyone else moved somewhere, got a job, and bought a boat all in one swoop? <?


Yeah, my wife and I did that back in '71 when we were fresh out of college and all we owned would still fit in our car, 'got the boat, sailed to Florida & we've been living aboard and cruising since then. I don't think there's another easier time to make the move unless you wait until you retire and sell a house, downsize and try to adapt.....No, that can't be easy! I'd go young and make it terminal! 'take care and joy, Aythya crew


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## Garffin (Oct 22, 2009)

*Go for it!*

I was out of work! Bought a 24' boat. Sailed from LI to MD. Hooked up with a guy on here who gave me a job and is now my friend. I live onboard and work etc..I stay nice a warm with a little ole heater but its only gotten down to 33 so I say go for and have fun.


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## davester (Aug 8, 2007)

I recently moved aboard and highly recomend it. For me it was much slower... about 3 years since I started thinking about it. But in that time I learned to sail (I only knew very basic stuff before that), and learned how to work on various boat systems while not being completely dependent on them. Looking back, I think it would have been difficult, but not impossible, to jump into it all at once.

My actual move was not easy. I moved out of my appartment on the last day of the month, rented a car, picked up my delivery crew, and headed to Maryland to deliver my new boat to New York. I had owned the boat for about a month and spent 4 weekends working to get her ready for the delivery. That only left weeknights after work to clean out my appartment which was not easy. 

So start getting rid of you stuff now! With 2 people on a 28 footer, you really wont be able to bring anything, but thats part of the beauty of it. Still, I would consider bigger boats, say 30-33' and wide beam, if possible. 
dave


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## marujosortudo (Oct 21, 2009)

Lots of folks are going to tell you to get a bigger boat, but you don't have to listen to them!  Many have been happy living and cruising on 25-30 footers. The smaller the boat, the less it costs you, the less time you spend fixing things, and the more time you spend sailing! Also, as you're just starting out this doesn't have to be your "forever boat", just your first boat. You can always do what so many do and get one 5 feet longer years later.


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