Conference vicki::boats

    ...Oh dear....
    
    
    Back in my salad days, I made a noble but doomed attempt to convice my
    wife to live aboard a sailboat.  This was before the waterfront
    was buffed and polished and when you could buy a condo in Boston for 40-60k.
    At the time, the cost of a good sized boat seemed cheap in comparison.
    To placate me, she agreed to come to the boat show - I think it was
    held on some dismal February weekend at the Hinds.  I knew the arguement 
    was lost when she asked to see the closets and started talking about 
    dampness.  
    
    I thought it was a good idea, but in retrospect Boston isnt the best
    climate for this sort of thing. 

    
    If your son has cruised the Annisquam river? I'm sure he has seen some
    of the floating houses out there. If fact my brother in law and myself
    are considering building one for next summer. It depends on what else
    we have going. I know I'll be building a sun porch/deck on my house and
    a garden shed also. I may not get around to it this year.
    
    In comparison to buying a summer cdottage in Rockport for $150 to $300
    Thousand, the floating cottage seems like a bargain. Part of my design
    concept includes blackwater storage tanks that I can pump from the
    cottage onto my boats tanks for transport outside of the 3 mile limit.
    Other alternitives may be an incinerator system (read Big $$$).
    
    The reason I'm looking into this Idea is that I can dock my boat on the
    floating cottage and save slip fees. Access will be by dingy from
    shore. It would make a real nice summer place not far from the beach.
    
    I really dont think year round use in New England would be fesible. If
    I myself was a single guy I would purchace something like an ALBIN 43
    trawler. It has lots of space & can be run south to the warm tropical
    waters when the cold winds blow. St. Martin, St.Croix, St. Barth???????
    It would be much more practical than a houseboat, more seaworthy, and
    cost is not much more than a Condo.
    
                                       Walt
    

    reply to .1
    Do I detect a bit of regret for "the road not traveled"..or is it
    thankfulness that someone stopped you from your "folly?"
    
    reply to .1 and .2   Yes the New England climate should discourage
    anyone from making a houseboat a year round living area... 
    
    but.. son Steve, who is 29 and single...may be amenable to moving
    further south...NC or Florida area if the major drawback turns out to
    be climate.  In fact, a move to the south may accelerate his plan to
    transition into a related line of work...(servicing Yacht diesel
    engines)...(hope I stated that correctly..
    
    Since he is very much a "planner" this spring will be spent in
    gathering as much info and experience on what it would really take to
    live year round on a boat...whether in Boston area or, as I say further
    south...
    
    I really admire your solution of "building a houseboat"...what get up
    and go you have...!
    
    thanks, and if you have anymore ideas I can pass on, they are most
    welcome..Joan

    At my marina in Danversport there are a couple of live aboards.
    The folks are hardy types and winter over down river at berverly
    (which does not freeze). These boats are both about 32ft and the
    couples have no kids. You can certainly by a boat you can live on
    for less
    $$$ than a condo. If I were single (ect) I would give it a try
    for a year.
    
    Capt. Codfish

    There is something missing here. A "houseboat" is a specific kind
    of boat, it isn't any boat in which you make a home. House boats
    can be thought of as barges with a travel trailer mounted on them,
    minus the wheels. Over simplification I know, but it gives you the
    picture. As boats they are hard to use except in calm waters and
    low winds. The flat bottom and tall flat sides of a house boat make
    for a tricky boat to handle in anything but the calmest conditions.
    Most people never move their boats anyways so doesn't matter. Many
    are sold without engines. But you've got to be hooked up to a pump
    out facility for that.
    
    So the accomodations on a "houseboat" are a little more accomodating
    than what we typically see in the boats mentioned previously because
    we are talking about a boxshaped superstructure on top of a shallow
    hull rather than what will fit inside a displacement of planing
    hull, but still it like living in a mobile home. Only damper. And
    depending on the location, bouncier. 
    
    I would think that ice would be a major consideration in any area
    where below freezing conditions are normal. Like New England.
    
    jlg

Back in the old day's (summer of 79-fall of 82) I lived aboard in Boston.

I was recently divorced, and was looking for a slightly different life style.
During that time period, there were between 25 and 40 liveaboards in the 
Marina where I was.

I didn't have a house boat (to ugly), I lived on a 37' Chris Craft Tri cabin,
and was able to manage with the amenities a typical cruiser comes with, 
IE: 2 heads, 2 state rooms (baths and bedrooms) living area galley, and 
bridge deck (served as a three season sun room). To the standard package, I
added or modified the following, shore power, water system, phone, heat, and
multiple minor things. What I ended up with was a floating two bedroom apt 
with phone, three tv's, two refrig's, microwave, and a host of other features
located on the Boston waterfront.

Now, to pose some of the questions that should be considered.

The boat: Sail (like living in a basement with no windows)
	  House boat (ugly, don't take kindly cruising in anything but flat
	  water, but they are roomy)
	  Power (chose a style, and check out the pro's and con's)

The Marina: how do they feel about liveaboards.
	    Services (running water in the winter, showers, laundry, parking
	    for your car, proximity to shopping ect.)

The decision to liveaboard should not be made lightly, but for those who do 
there homework, and go into it with open eyes and realistic expectations, it
can be a great life style. Never before or since have I lived in a neighborhood
where every one of my neighbors owned a yacht.

 

    thank you all for your advice.....
    
    I talked to my son over the weekend and relayed your messages....
    
    He did clarify that he is interested in living aboard a large power
    boat...somewhat as described in note from Libby...  he had also checked 
    out Danversport...and found it very interesting...
    
    He will be going to the next boat show in Boston in the next few weeks
    to more details (what's out there, cost, and also how he can work the
    financing...) afterwhich he will more than likely have more focused
    issues to ask questions about....thanks again...Joan

    Danversport! Hey I've been there!
    
    Acctually thats where I keep my  boat "Rainbow Chaser" at the
    Danversport Yacht Club. The prices have not changed for this year. It
    is still $55 per foot.with $300 membership fee.
    Includes water,pool & tennis courts. They have showers, toilets &
    laundry at the club. Nice bar & good resturant. Fuel dock, Ice, etc...
    Nice docks , Elect & phone hookups and friendly fellow boaters. There
    are some year round liveaboards also.
    
    If he ends up there? Tell him to stop by for a beer.
    
                                           Walt