# Relocating to SoCal to liveaboard - have a catch 22...



## waterandwine (Nov 1, 2012)

Hi.

I'm just joining SailNet and am posting this thread because I'm selling my house in Atlanta (14 years landlocked!!!), moving back to SoCal (lived in Long Beach for a long time), and moving aboard a sailboat (sailed since I was a kid in Biloxi and lived on a 26' boat for a while when I was much younger).

I'm moving out there as soon as the house here sells, which will likely be March-June 2013. Here is the catch-22 I am having so far - you need to apply for a slip and LAB much in advance of getting said slip, but you need a boat (pics and insurance, etc.) before you can apply, which I obviously don't have.

My daughter just started attending Chapman Univ studying film, and I'm out to see her every 60 days or so. I've got friends there, and the business I own requires me to be there regularly also. I have plenty of reasons to be there, and am thinking I just plan a day or two every month to be there and visit dockmasters in person to try to get something arranged. It will be a pain, but it is possible for me to do (and I can show pretty well when I choose to shave and stay in business clothes, and I understand good impressions can make a difference).

Is this the best approach? Is it worth even trying to start with a phone call? Are there any particular marinas you can suggest that are likely to be most receptive? I'm open to living anywhere from San Diego to Ventura (though I'd prefer not to go any further than north than MdR.

BTW, I'm looking at buying either a Hunter 42 or Gulfstar 44 center cockpit (depending on how nostalgic I feel toward the Gulfstars, which I sailed on in the Gulf a long time ago), so I likely need a 45' slip...

Thanks for any insights.


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## Bradhamlet (Nov 8, 2002)

Start with the phone call to the marinias of interest and go from there. A slip in that size range is going to be $750+ a month . Should be fun the sailing. Is great down here.

Brad
Lancer 36


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## xymotic (Mar 4, 2005)

We were sneakaboard for a few months at shoreline marina. It's not recommended, but I think if you get on the list and are not 'in their face' living aboard it's somewhat tolerated.

Be really nice to the dock neighbors


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## windward54 (Apr 12, 2000)

Check with the marinas, as that range of slip most likely has a waiting list. Most marinas only require pictures and insurance once you actually have a slip. Most marinas only allow a set number of liveaboards and will tack on a liveaboard fee to the regular slip fee. And to complicate things even more, some marinas like Long Beach, require you to be in the marina first before you go on the liveaboard waiting list.

San Pedro has a new marina (Cabrillo Way Marina) that should be fully open by the time you are planning to move, and there are a couple more marinas in the area. And Wilmington offers some availability.


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## mikel1 (Oct 19, 2008)

Speaking of Wilmington . . . San Pedro ...look up a marina called Newmarks . . . not 4 stars but more of a "liberal" attitude . . .


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## sww914 (Oct 25, 2008)

We stopped in nearly every harbor in SoCal on our way south. My favorites were Catalina, no slips and impractical to live there, and Ensenada. I realize it's Mexico but everything except availability of boat parts is better here and about 1/2 the price for slips and food and diesel is only about 2/3 the price.
We're paying $381.00 for a 39 footer, no utilities and no liveaboard fees added. It goes down even lower if you stay for a year. I takes a couple hours to get to San Diego.
AAAAND there are tons of beautiful women here. Tons.


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## Philzy3985 (Oct 20, 2012)

I think your first step should be phone calls to every marina you can find a number for, and see if they have a slip that size, or what the waiting list is, maybe don't even bring up the LAB topic. Finding a big enough slip is probably your first hoop to jump through. I doubt you'll find one in MDR, more likely in San Diego bay somewhere, or Long Beach. Once you've narrowed it down to availability, those should be the ones you go visit, show them pictures (for sale ads) of the boat(s) you would buy, if they consider you. This let's them know you're doing your homework and they can rely on you to commit.

The other option is buy the 40'+ sailboat you want where the for sale ad mentions that the slip is transferable, so it takes care of all the hard work of finding a slip. These are rare, but if you create a good relationship with the current owner of the boat, and go see it when you're in town, and speak to the dock master, then you'd probably be welcomed to take it over. The nice thing is sailboats that size stay on the market a long time these days, so you can be patient. 

When I was going inside, face-to-face with marina managers/dock masters, in my 10 minute conversations alone, there would be 2 or 3 phone calls interupting the manager, all asking about liveaboard slips in a big size. The manager just says "no" to get them off the phone. Truth is, some can be flexible IF they want to. Privately owned marina's can allow more LABs, but the general rule is to at least keep every LAB with one 'empty' boat between them, so the bigger or in some cases "less popular" (for various reasons) the marina, the better chance you may have.

Good luck! There's been a gulfstar 44 in MDR on the market for almost a year now, FYI


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## waterandwine (Nov 1, 2012)

This is all very helpful. Thank you very much!


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## azguy (Jul 17, 2012)

Many of the ads I see for boats of that size in SoCal say that the slip is transferable. I would heavily lean that way; then you can take your time to find the right marina based on a variety of factors that you may only be aware of after spending some time in SoCal.

I lived in Huntington Beach for many years, so Long Beach would be high on my list.


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## zeehag (Nov 16, 2008)

good luck--i have found that transerrable slips in so cal are truly not that--the seller will post that to get you to buy the boat--the slips are not transferrable anywhere except newport beach , with the owned slips and moorings. some of them. not all. looks great in an ad, tho. beware of that. 

as far as slips in so cal--good luck--loong wait--go to ensenada. they also have boats fro sale there--and sans cali tax from hell, if you keep it there for a year....arnie signd away the last 90 day deal as h needed money in coffers andt hought that was a great way to do it. 
good luck in your adventure---


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## windward54 (Apr 12, 2000)

Zeehag has it right, especially regarding Long Beach. Long Beach will allow you to transfer a slip, but only for six months. You get to go on a waiting list and you have to hope your name comes up within that six month window. If it doesn't, you are expected to move your vessel out. During that time you can't do a liveaboard either. With Long Beach, you have to be in the slip, and then you can go on the liveaboard waiting list.


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## sww914 (Oct 25, 2008)

Most of you won't believe this, but Ensenada feels a LOT safer than most of socal.


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## sww914 (Oct 25, 2008)

Has anybody ever tried bribing a marina manager? I wonder if $500.00 or so might make him accidentally drop the stack of applications and accidentally pile yours on top accidentally...


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## Wcoast sailor (Jun 18, 2012)

There are lots of slips available in San Diego for over 34'. I have a 30' Catalina and it is in a 34' slip as there a lot of 34 and over available. Live aboard ones aren't as plentiful. Like others are advising call the marinas and get on a list. I don't have the web sit available in front of me but there is one that lists ALL the marinas in the San Diego area, including Mission Bay. Good luck in your endeavor.


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## tomperanteau (Jun 4, 2009)

mikel1 said:


> Speaking of Wilmington . . . San Pedro ...look up a marina called Newmarks . . . not 4 stars but more of a "liberal" attitude . . .


Mike,

You know of Newmark's? That's where we have our slip, and I agree that they tend to tolerate more than others might. We've been there for over a year now, and we really enjoy the rustic atmosphere. If I were a betting man, I would bet that there are at least a few down there that keep a low profile because they might stay a bit more than the three days a week they are allotted. I'll never tell. What I can tell, is that we have not met anyone that is not really nice. Most everyone watches out for you and your boat. If you're working on something, someone will always stop by for a chat and to offer help/advice.

This is our third marina. We started at Dana Point and liked it there, but when they did not have a slip for our latest boat, we had to look elsewhere. We're glad we did and would not go back to marinas where the people frown on a sailor working on his own boat.


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## Brewgyver (Dec 31, 2011)

You mentioned that your range included Ventura. Check Ventura West Marina, it's pretty fair sized (~250 slips) and has a 50% liveaboard cap. I have no idea if they currently have slips big enough. The drive time from their to Chapman wouldn't be any worse than the San Diego option (depending on traffic, as ALWAYS in SoCal). I've been in VWM for 6 months, it's VERY nice!


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## larrybme (Nov 2, 2011)

Quite possibly a slip for a boat over 40ft does have a bit of a waiting list. I am looking for a boat in the 36ft range. With the exception of Shoreline Marina in Long Beach, Dana Point and Oceanside, there are seems to be slips readily available everywhere with no waiting for liveaboard status. Plenty in the Wilmington/San Pedro area. Let us know how your search for a slip in the over 40' range is working out for you.


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## xymotic (Mar 4, 2005)

My only advice is that if you are looking for a slip in California avoid any marina run by Almar. They are genuinely horrible people.


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## Philzy3985 (Oct 20, 2012)

There is a ton of posts on craigslist by marinas in the san pedro / long beach area for 50ft-100ft slips available. When they rely on craigslist is when they show how desperate they are. I think time is on your side, being winter now and poor economy still.


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## Juliennecoyle (Dec 5, 2012)

California is full of hoops to jump through at every turn. Boat has to be the right size (usually at least 35ft), there are wait lists, arbitrary decisions by marina masters, most say no pets, 2 person max. This has made living aboard legitimately very difficult for us on a 30 foot boat with two little ones. Good luck to you. Well worth it once you jump through all the hoops and find your place.


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## waterandwine (Nov 1, 2012)

Hi folks.
Thanks for your feedback when I initially posted this.
This week I moved aboard a Catalina 42 and am sailing her from San Diego to San Pedro this weekend to settle into our port of call. I'm thrilled to be back at the ocean, back in California, and living aboard.

I started a blog at sea trial, about a month ago. Search for WaterAndWine on Sailblogs to check it out (if you're having trouble sleeping).

Tom


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## tomperanteau (Jun 4, 2009)

waterandwine said:


> Hi folks.
> Thanks for your feedback when I initially posted this.
> This week I moved aboard a Catalina 42 and am sailing her from San Diego to San Pedro this weekend to settle into our port of call. I'm thrilled to be back at the ocean, back in California, and living aboard.
> 
> ...


Hey, Tom.

We're located in the Wilmington area. Which marina did you end up in?


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

xymotic said:


> My only advice is that if you are looking for a slip in California avoid any marina run by Almar. They are genuinely horrible people.


I'll second that. My boat was at the "Marina Del Rey Marina" (that's not a typo) when I bought it. Almar had recently taken over management of that marina and the new office staff was full of nothing by condescending BS, outright lies, and price hikes. I moved to King Harbor ASAP, and never looked back.


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## waterandwine (Nov 1, 2012)

I'm at Cabrillo Marina, beginning August 4. In San Diego, dry dock now (purchased boat from San Diego).


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