# Question. To live aboard or not? Am I in over my head?



## holly1621 (Dec 31, 2013)

Hey. I have a huge question for y'all. I was recently offered a position at BPHC, and one of the requirements is to live in Boston and NOT one of the surrounding neighborhoods. The problem with this is, well, frankly, I cant afford to live in Boston with my large Dog. I do not believe in the disposable dog theory, so if he cant come, it looks like i cant take the job. Ideally, I would like to spend less than 1250 a month, but understand there can be some hidden expenses that can pop up. I tried looking for a roommate, but havent found anyone willing to accept my 75lbs lab... So, now I am seriously considering buying a used live aboard boat. Can anyone give a rough estimate on how much it would cost to live in a Boston Marina? (any hidden fees and expenses) I would ideally like to have a functional kitchen and at least a full size bed. Since it is Boston, I would def prefer one that has heat, but can live without AC. Could I find a decent one for around 25,000? I lived on a yacht before with a previous job for a few weeks (the bunks there i think didnt even qualify as a twin), but work picked up the tab. I dont know much about boats, but am willing to learn. Is this a fools idea?


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

Keeping a large, high energy dog locked up on a boat all day, is about as cruel as "disposing" of it.

My opinion, is that it's not a good idea, but don't worry, I'm sure a liveaboard with a large dog will be along shortly to tell you that it's perfectly fine.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

I kind of agree with Bubble about keeping a large dog like that, although lots of people do it. I also think that docks are treacherous enough when covered with snow and ice. You'll have to worry about both you and your dog.

The marina fees and expenses are a small part of your budget. Don't forget the upkeep and maintenance of the boat. 

If it was me, as much as I love boats and I had Mastiffs most of my life (so I know about the needs of a large -even if not high energy- dog), I wouldn't do it.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

They require you to live in Boston, but they don't pay you enough to live in Boston. Doesn't sound like an employer that I would want to work for.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

DRFerron said:


> I kind of agree with Bubble about keeping a large dog like that, although lots of people do it. I also think that docks are treacherous enough when covered with snow and ice. You'll have to worry about both you and your dog.
> 
> The marina fees and expenses are a small part of your budget. Don't forget the upkeep and maintenance of the boat.
> 
> If it was me, as much as I love boats and I had Mastiffs most of my life (so I know about the needs of a large -even if not high energy- dog), I wouldn't do it.


Donna,

I wouldn't factor in much money for maintenance and upkeep. This boat isn't going anywhere. This is another "help-me-beat-the-cost-of-rent" thread.


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## holly1621 (Dec 31, 2013)

Actually, labs are quite adaptable. Mine is rather low energy for a lab, and we have lived in some rather unique circumstances thus far. If you exercise you dog properly, larger dogs are capable of living in smaller places. Its not like Im living him in a crate all day while Im at work.. Its a public health position, and well, people who work in the public health field aren't exactly paid very well. What are the typical up keep costs one would expect to pay? Thanks again for all your advice, I really do appreciate it.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

The boat maintenance costs will depend on the boat that you buy. If the previous owner(s) did what they should have, it won't be as much as if they let basic maintenance slide. There's no way of giving a rough figure without knowing in what condition the boat is.

You will more than likely have normal recurring costs plus whatever amount you'll need to bring it to a standard with which you can live. It will be less if you never intend to actually sail it but neglecting that part of it means when you go to sell it, you'll have to lower the asking price accordingly. 

The better maintained the boat by previous owners, the more you'll pay upfront.


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## holly1621 (Dec 31, 2013)

BubbleheadMd said:


> Donna,
> 
> I wouldn't factor in much money for maintenance and upkeep. This boat isn't going anywhere. This is another "help-me-beat-the-cost-of-rent" thread.


Do you have the link to this thread? Im new to this site, and tried to paste that thread name into the search, and it did not come up, even when i limited it to just the title. Sry to be a pain. Thanks again


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

Almost any of these threads will give you an idea of what you'd deal with.

Living Aboard - SailNet Community

Here's one:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/living-aboard/104504-real-cost.html


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## Delta-T (Oct 8, 2013)

What are they considering Boston? Brighton, Alston, and many others are parts of Boston and have many cheaper rentals. And if you can afford $25K and 1K a month rent, then buying a house would be your best bet. Lots of cheap houses to be had. If you buy a multi family house, the income from the other apartments in calculated as income when buying.


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## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

Holly, my wife and I live aboard in Portland, Maine with our 70lb lab mix. He is very low energy. He loves to sleep all day and the boat is like a big den for him. Although we are very active outdoors he does not require us to exhaust him daily. Our boat is 40' and is very comfortable. 

Do not discount AC though. Our pup would melt if we did not run the AC in the summer. Being in a slip you do not always have the wind direction to get air into the boat to help cool it.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

You sound like a realistic guy with realistic expectations. It has been done, it can be done again. Go down to the harbour and talk to the local liveabords. Most will be quite happy to discuss the ins & outs. We lived aboard near Toronto for 20years (with dogs) and while its not for everybody, I can't think of a better way to live.


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## holly1621 (Dec 31, 2013)

I wouldnt qualify for a house. For one thing, I have a crap ton of student loans. The other issue is that I dont have 25k for a down payment. Talking with my bank, I would only have put between a 5-8% down payment on the 25K, but would prob put at least 12% if not more depending on the final cost of the boat. I want to keep some spare cash to fix anything that needs attention immediately. And if I could a decent boat for even less, that would be wonderful.

What type of boat would be best? I looked at house boats, but would like the option to actually use my boat to sail...but first and foremost it would have to be liveable. Im not anal about how things looks, rather than for things that are functional. Would a cruiser be better? Or is it really just about preference? Is either one of them more durable and capable of handling potential rough NE weather?


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## holly1621 (Dec 31, 2013)

Thats a good point. Thanks Tim. Thanks boat poker too. There isnt a better way to get real feedback than that.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

holly1621 said:


> I wouldnt qualify for a house. For one thing, I have a crap ton of student loans. The other issue is that I dont have 25k for a down payment. Talking with my bank, I would only have put between a 5-8% down payment on the 25K, but would prob put at least 12% if not more depending on the final cost of the boat. I want to keep some spare cash to fix anything that needs attention immediately. And if I could a decent boat for even less, that would be wonderful.
> 
> What type of boat would be best? I looked at house boats, but would like the option to actually use my boat to sail...but first and foremost it would have to be liveable. Im not anal about how things looks, rather than for things that are functional. Would a cruiser be better? Or is it really just about preference? Is either one of them more durable and capable of handling potential rough NE weather?


It seemed at first you were talking about a floating apartment, now you are talking about actually sailing/cruising and you are into a completely different world. Suggest you look at Marine Survey 101 to see what you might be getting into.


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## holly1621 (Dec 31, 2013)

i was thinking floating apartment at first, but then it kinda seems like a missed opportunity if i didnt try to take it out a few time a year...


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

There is a Yahoo group called Boston Liveaboards. Tell Ahmet that Auspicious sent you.


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## Brewgyver (Dec 31, 2011)

holly1621 said:


> i was thinking floating apartment at first, but then it kinda seems like a missed opportunity if i didnt try to take it out a few time a year...


As Boatpoker said, two completely different kettles of fish. In any large marina, you're likely to find at least a few boats for sale that are ONLY really viable as liveaboard boats. That is, like Bubble said, they're not going _*anywhere*_. The guy across the dock from me is a trucker and heavy equipment operator, and sometimes out of town for weeks at a time. He has a 50+ year old Grand Banks to liveaboard. He keeps it painted, and the brightwork varnished, but trust me, that thing aint leaving the slip anytime soon, and would probably require an investment of 50% of its current value (or more) to get it into reliable running condition.

Not sure how deep your convo with your bank was, but most banks will not loan on a boat over 10 years old. That would rule out most of your likely prospects. To get a loan on an older boat, you may have to go with a finance company, with a largish down payment and comparatively high interest.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

BPHC? What's that, a hospital corporation?

And you're potentially moving there from...Chatham? Peoria? San Diego?

Just trying to see the bigger picture, and thinking that if the employer is big enough to have an HR department, someone there should be able to give you some advice on affordable housing. Either a broker they've worked with, or some hints as to where to look, because in any major metro area there are places that are way cheaper than others, overlooked spots, places that are hard to commute from, or served by rail....Since the salary is obviously not enough to make everything else insignificant, I'd want to know the employer is at least going to be a great place to work, and able to at least say they can help you find a place to live, or some advice from existing employees about what might work.

But moving to a new city AND making a radical lifestyle shift...unless you're a very flexible gypsy you might find moving to a small boat in the dead of winter with a large dog is a bit of a distraction. And a very inconvenient place to be, if the new job doesn't work out. Kinda like "Hey, I'm bored, let's get a couple of beers and learn how to skydive!"

I wouldn't suggest to anyone that they move onto a boat, unless they're primary goal was to LIVE ON A BOAT. Much less in a new city, in a cold winter, with a medium sized dog. (It isn't "large" unless you can saddle it up & ride it.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Holly, 
Do you like camping?
When travelling, are you okay with really cheap mom and pop motels with no room service, lousy mattresses and anemic water pressure?
Do you own less than 5 pairs of shoes?
Do all of your clothes fit into one piece of luggage?
Socially, do you like to have less than 3 people around at any given time
Do you enjoy winter camping?
Are you handy?
Do you own any tools?
Can your dog clamber down a ladder-steep five step staircase?
Do you put everything back where it belongs when you are done with it?


If the answer to any of the above questions is "No," keep looking for an affordable apartment.


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

sounds like a horrible idea


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## azguy (Jul 17, 2012)

I grew up in Boston, quite frankly your idea is silly. To finance a boat, you need a survey, insurance, marina fee's, taxes, etc, etc, etc... 

It'll cost you more in the end and if you leave the dog on the boat one 95 degree, 90% humidity day in July someone will report you and you'll be in jail.

Look on Craigslist, you'll find someone that loves labs and will rent you a room. It's not like you have a pit bull or rottie


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

Now I don't think it sounds like a horrible idea, but if you can get a boat loan for $25,000 I would think you would qualify for mortgage for a starter home in Boston. They are easier to get than a boat loan. Also many boat loans specify that you have to maintain a land address. House might not be in the best neighborhood, but the boat won't likely be in the best one either. I just got a mortgage for a modest house in New York, and I am sure I would have never been able to get a boat loan. Multifamily is not a bad idea either, as it can set you up for income after you move out.

I think having a large dog may limit you on what kind of boats you can get. Perhaps a house boat would be best, as they frequently have limited steps or even a power boat. I can't see a lab making it up and down a typical companionway on a sailboat, especially when they get old. If it is a big one, that is a lot of weight to lift up and down. 25,000 in today's market will get you a nice little boat but it may well need some work. Are you handy? Boat work is very expensive if you don't do it yourself. If you can do work yourself it can be manageable. Often numbers are given of about 10% of a boats value a year in maintenance. This can very and often the first year it may be more in the range of 20% to 500% depending on the boat and it's condition. You will need insurance as well, and comprehensive if you have a loan on the boat. On a $25,000 boat you are likely talking 30 to 34 foot. 

Constitution Marina is a marina that is open year round in Boston, you might find someplace cheaper in the summer, but they are the only game in town in the winter as far as I know. (I have done a bit of research as I was looking at a job up there, I am in New York now) Here are the basic costs for a 34 foot boat:

$48 a foot for the winter = $1632
$183 a foot for the summer = $6222
$120 a month live aboard fee = $1440


This averages out to 774.5 a month plus your electricity for the winter. (included in summer fees) Plus your boat payment, plus insurance plus figure 210 a month for basic maintenance(10% of 25,000). So you are well over a thousand a month plus boat payment just to start. Also figure 20% of boat purchase for basic upgrades to get the boat up to standard. Many boats I have looked at (in a similar price range) will need new wiring(couple grand in materials + labor), perhaps new hot water heater($800 + labor, add refrigeration($1500 + labor), ports are leaking(at least $200 each + labor), and what not, mostly not hard to do yourself but not cheap. Remember Boat stands for Bring Out Another Thousand (what they call a boat buck).


Then in your equation, you have to remember this is basically a boat is a depreciating asset. Boats loose value every year especially after maintaince, not gain like real estate. I am working on getting a live aboard boat not because it will be cheaper than an apartment, but because I can afford an apartment or a boat, and I want the boat, and not just as a place to live but to use, and use often. So for me it is not hard to justify and I am willing to make the sacrifices. I in fact look forward to the simplification of my life.

Now if you were talking about someplace like Florida where it might cost a couple of hundred dollars a month, or even live on an anchor for free it may be cheaper.


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## Lou452 (Mar 2, 2012)

Happy New Year. You already know the answer. You just need to listen to your gut feeling. 
No one is trying say you can or can not. Just be sure you go in with your eyes wide open. Look at and visit someone at a marina. Spend the day walking the dock and meet someone.
I think you are over your head but I am not you. Everyone here wants to see a new person join in the happy life of sailing. You need success of some form to be happy. A failure is a learning experience. Set your course. 
Kind Regards, Lou


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

I think if you can own the boat outright it can be cheaper than an apartment, but not nearly as comfortable. But if you have to make a payment then it becomes more expensive. Here is some other info:

first watch these videos as Mark started out in Constitution Marina (literally wrote the book "Essentials of Living Aboard a Boat"):






Then read below:

Happy boaters living aboard in Boston's Constitution Marina - Boston Boating | Examiner.com

Aboard Madrigal: Top Ten: questions we get asked about living aboard

Life Advice From the Little Known Community of Boston Harbor ?Liveaboards? | Proper Procrastination

Tidal Life The Living Aboard Project: Living Aboard in the Winter in Boston

http://www.constitutionmarina.com/LiveaboardGuidelines.pdf

Home « The Essentials of Living Aboard a Boat The Essentials of Living Aboard a Boat

Oh and Constitution Marina has a bed and breakfast there so you could try it out for a few nights.


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## misfits (Dec 9, 2011)

Not trying to bust your bubble but Boston is a very expensive place to live. 
You'd spend close to 10K on just year round dockage let alone boat expenses. If you own an automobile & need to park in a garage for work, that's another 5K a year. The housing market although still depressed isn't cheap either. You won't be buying a place there w/ 25K down & have $1000 a month payment.


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## Lou452 (Mar 2, 2012)

Is Holly1621, the op still with this ? It is nice to know Otherwise it is like posting in the beach sand moments before the tide comes .
Good day, Lou


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## holly1621 (Dec 31, 2013)

No, im still here. Been doing a lot of research and ordered that book yesterday. i still think this will prob be the best option. I think a lot will come down to settling. I might not be able to buy a boat that I can take out the first year, but if I tackle projects and spread them out over a year or two or even three plus, it still seems viable. In that price range I saw several online that appear to have solid hulls and the electrical was recently redone (in past 3-4 yrs) with a solid generator, but there were issues with the engine. This might be a way I can negotiate a slightly lower price and this is the right season to be buying a boat. Even with docking fees averaging out to around 800 a month, thats still not that bad considering it is Boston. Even with payments and insurance, its still under my budget. im not too considered about making it pretty as much as functional. I heard back from one agent today saying he found me an apt that would allow dogs....but it was 1750 (including "pet rent"...which is a pet peeve of mine considering I could have a roommate and the price wouldnt change, but yet a dog where I pay an almost double deposit plus a monthly increase is absurd....its not like he using excessive amounts or water or electricity...just an excessive portion of my bed) for a tiny one bedroom (600sqft) in dorchester, which is over budget and only includes hot water. It just seems to make more sense to put money into a boat which will be mine, vs paying for rent and not really getting anything but a sad empty wallet. I understand that boats depreciate like cars....but throwing away 15,000 a year in rent, to me, is worse than buying an older used boat. it can go down 5-10,000 (possibly more) over the lifetime I have it (assuming I make no upgrades/improvements/maintenance) on it and let mother nature test its limitations. It I do happen to get one that needs improvements and I make major repairs, wouldnt that increase the value from when I bought it (eg needs engine repairs, make the interior more liveable and "pretty" for resale, improving/upgrading systems, adding gps or other navigation systems, etc)? Is that illogical? Plus, I look at it this way, if I take a 7k hit when I sell the boat and I put 15k in repairs/upgrades to the boat, as long as I keep the boat for 4 yrs, I would be saving money 
15k/year in rent x 4 years = 60,000 (no utilities included)
15k/repairs +7k/depreciation + (775/dock frees x 4 yrs = 37,200) = 59,200 (no utilities included)
Of course this could swing in either direction depending on what the future brings (bad weather, good weather, rebound in economy, finding a solid boat with minimal complications, finding a boat which seems sound but has one hidden surprise after another (yay..), having awesome neighbors who are willing to help out a newbie liveaboard figure out the ropes, etc. Plus maintenance is a variable...so I may end up losing. But even if I do run into major issues, hopefully, it will be less than a yr or 2 or rent...which, to me, would still be a success b/c I should have a hell of a lot of good stories to share (cant imagine living in a cramp apt in boston or living with 3+ roomies packing the same punch)

I have a question, what is the advantage of having 4 batteries compared to 3 or 2 besides just "more power"? Also, I saw a few yachts with a washer and drier on them. How difficult/expensive would it be to swap out a spare head to use as a laundry room? Is that possible? (Not a necessity, but if possible, that would def go on my bucket list of things to do).


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## JoeLena (May 14, 2012)

You have gotten a lot of good advice here for sure, plenty of experienced sailors with tons of knowledge. I dare say most of them a good bit older than you, with different opinions of what is needed and what is not. It was a long time ago, but I do remember that my ideas of comfort and what I HAD to have are much different than today. 

I think the deal breaker for me would be financing the boat. I think you just wouldn't find something affordable that the bank would loan you money on. A 10 year old liveaboard would be 6 figures, and then, even if you could get it, be unsustainable for what you want.

An older boat you can pay cash for is a better option.

If you are mostly at the dock you need not worry about a generator. Same for a huge bank of batteries. Those items would be for cruising, not living at the marina.

Also, as pointed out earlier, you can't think of it as an investment. You most likely would not make a return on the money and time fixing it up, but you could. I would not count on it.

I would say try it. So you spend a couple grand, live for a few months til summer and sell. You may not be out more than renting- but you could be. You are young and can learn and adapt. Who knows, it could be a great positive experience.


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

holly1621 said:


> No, im still here. Been doing a lot of research and ordered that book yesterday. i still think this will prob be the best option. I think a lot will come down to settling. I might not be able to buy a boat that I can take out the first year, but if I tackle projects and spread them out over a year or two or even three plus, it still seems viable. In that price range I saw several online that appear to have solid hulls and the electrical was recently redone (in past 3-4 yrs) with a solid generator, but there were issues with the engine. This might be a way I can negotiate a slightly lower price and this is the right season to be buying a boat. Even with docking fees averaging out to around 800 a month, thats still not that bad considering it is Boston. Even with payments and insurance, its still under my budget. im not too considered about making it pretty as much as functional. I heard back from one agent today saying he found me an apt that would allow dogs....but it was 1750 (including "pet rent"...which is a pet peeve of mine considering I could have a roommate and the price wouldnt change, but yet a dog where I pay an almost double deposit plus a monthly increase is absurd....its not like he using excessive amounts or water or electricity...just an excessive portion of my bed) for a tiny one bedroom (600sqft) in dorchester, which is over budget and only includes hot water. It just seems to make more sense to put money into a boat which will be mine, vs paying for rent and not really getting anything but a sad empty wallet. I understand that boats depreciate like cars....but throwing away 15,000 a year in rent, to me, is worse than buying an older used boat. it can go down 5-10,000 (possibly more) over the lifetime I have it (assuming I make no upgrades/improvements/maintenance) on it and let mother nature test its limitations. It I do happen to get one that needs improvements and I make major repairs, wouldnt that increase the value from when I bought it (eg needs engine repairs, make the interior more liveable and "pretty" for resale, improving/upgrading systems, adding gps or other navigation systems, etc)? Is that illogical? Plus, I look at it this way, if I take a 7k hit when I sell the boat and I put 15k in repairs/upgrades to the boat, as long as I keep the boat for 4 yrs, I would be saving money
> 15k/year in rent x 4 years = 60,000 (no utilities included)
> 15k/repairs +7k/depreciation + (775/dock frees x 4 yrs = 37,200) = 59,200 (no utilities included)
> Of course this could swing in either direction depending on what the future brings (bad weather, good weather, rebound in economy, finding a solid boat with minimal complications, finding a boat which seems sound but has one hidden surprise after another (yay..), having awesome neighbors who are willing to help out a newbie liveaboard figure out the ropes, etc. Plus maintenance is a variable...so I may end up losing. But even if I do run into major issues, hopefully, it will be less than a yr or 2 or rent...which, to me, would still be a success b/c I should have a hell of a lot of good stories to share (cant imagine living in a cramp apt in boston or living with 3+ roomies packing the same punch)
> ...


Good you are actually thinking this through. It really depends on your personal lifestyle. If you are happy living small and simple it is very doable on a budget, but if you think it will be a life of luxury living on a yacht (think Goldie Hawn in "Overboard") it will be very expensive.

I would not worry about a generator, as you will have shore power. A working motor is much more important. They are extremely expensive to replace. Factor in about $10,000 to start on replacing a motor with you doing most of the work. A rebuild will likely be about a third of that. If you want a generator for back up, you can add a Honda for about a grand.

As far as batteries go, it is all about amp hours. You can end up with the same amount even with more batteries. But this is one of the things you can make a project later on if you find they do not meet your needs. They will only really be used when out sailing. If you are not going to be out for extended trips it is not an issue. I would not worry much about it at this point. If you find a boat you really like with a small battery bank, don't worry about it.

This thread will give some hints as to what to look for:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-review-purchase-forum/48177-boat-inspection-trip-tips.html

Don't get to caught up in "features" such as chart plotters and radar. They become obsolete quickly anyway. They generally don't ad much value, especially if you don't think you are going to be going out much in the first few years. It is more important to find a boat that will work for you in your budget. Don't hesitate to look at boats quite a bit more than you want to spend as it is not uncommon for them to sell for 30 to 50% less than asking. (but not always) Worst they can do about a low offer is say no. One feature worth looking for would be a heating system, such as Webasto, or Espar type forced air or hydronic system. It really beats trying to use portable electric heaters. (still will need that as back up) Bulkhead heaters are not bad but not as good as a complete system.

600 square feet will seem palatial even to a large boat!


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

paul- Given the cost of anything on land, even a condo or co-op apartment, and remembering that could easily be 1/4 million versus 50,000 for a boat, and then factoring in the size of the down payment now required with a mortgage after the last crash...Someone could easily have the money to buy a boat, or finance it, and not be able to touch "land" ownership in an urban market like Boston. 

holly-
There are small washer/drier combos, you can see more of them in the "RV" market, but do you want to do your wash in cold water? Or, now start plumbing and planning for a larger hot water supply on the boat? And really, consider the floor space you will lose, the storage space you will lose, versus going to a Laundromat for two hours once a week? Also bear in mind that in northern winters your water tank and piping may freeze and anything with water in it be damaged, if you have a heat problem during a cold spell.
Washer-drier, convenient, but more of an intrusion on a smaller economical boat.

Maybe there's a Laundromat with a pub or pool tables or something else to distract the customers, in your area?


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## scottie55 (Sep 25, 2013)

Well lets see it would be cheaper in the short term just to rent an apartment. So its $1250 a month rent. To be a liveaboard it might cost $500 a month at a marina. But you also have to consider you'll have to buy a liveaboard boat beforehand and that will cost at least $5K-10K. That's the biggest hurdle there, the initial cost of the boat.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

In many jobs you are formally or informally on probation for the first 90 days. In any case, unless you are coming in on a signed contract, there's also the question of "WFT do I do with this boat?" if it doesn't work out. Selling one off-season can be hard. And the marina & insurance fees keep coming, even if the boat is waiting empty to be sold.

FWIW.


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## Lou452 (Mar 2, 2012)

Could this be explored in an unconventional way ? Lay out the story line in some local media that some of the boat owners of the area might read. The media and reaching the owner is key to any hope of success.
Holly1621, maybe you can be live aboard crew with an option to buy? Present an offer to take joint sailing lessons. Make it your offer to pay yours and the skippers. you could work out options to rent or buy the boat. A hard sell but it could work.
Your dog is your security and alarm not just a pet, a valuable tool. You may need a good money deposit. Even offer a little legal work to protect you and the boat owner. Use care the word legal might scare as well as help but if you have that word and some leg work ready just before someone turns you down it might rekindle a loss. You need some excellent professional references. Mom and the night manager that started last week will not cut it. I would look for a person in the social, economical, age. peer group you are looking to deal with. 
Lets hear it crowd ! What are your thoughts ?
Kind Regards, Lou


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