Living On A Boat

[Little_Sticks]

Has anyone else thought about living on a boat and sailing around the world? You could eat everything you fish up. You wouldn't need much money, except for clothes and stuff like that.

I'm serious. Life is really shit. People spend all their time working up the social ladder so they can spend their 'free time trying to unwind'. I know I'm a bit of a loon, but is this really such a bad idea?

 

[Lux]

Not necessarily. You definitely need to know what you're doing and how to handle a boat, if you don't already. It is really hard work.

Weather can be somewhat unpredictable. But if you watch it and heed it, it's fine.

With eating all the fish you want, some are poisonous, some need to be bled in order to be tasty, and some, you just really don't want to eat at all. Although, I'd assume soy sauce could mask many unpleasant flavors.

 

[Bamboo]

When I first saw the title, I thought you were referring to a house boat, not so much on the sailing around the world part.

I live in Maryland. There are lots of people on the eastern shore who live in house boats. You buy (own) the boat, then pay the dock fee (at special 'house boat communities'). You basically sail up to the dock, and your "rent" is low cost - cost includes your 'parking spot' (and perhaps a terra firma car parking spot as well), and the hook up for electricity, cable, internet, etc.

You're free to sail around wherever you want, or if you don't like you neighbors, you move to another spot.

Past the initial cost of the boat, it's rather inexpensive.

 

[Little_Sticks]

Not necessarily. You definitely need to know what you're doing and how to handle a boat, if you don't already. It is really hard work.

Weather can be somewhat unpredictable. But if you watch it and heed it, it's fine.

With eating all the fish you want, some are poisonous, some need to be bled in order to be tasty, and some, you just really don't want to eat at all. Although, I'd assume soy sauce could mask many unpleasant flavors.

Ah, yes! Of course some knowledge is required beforehand, but that can all be researched and learned.

When I first saw the title, I thought you were referring to a house boat, not so much on the sailing around the world part.

I live in Maryland. There are lots of people on the eastern shore who live in house boats. You buy (own) the boat, then pay the dock fee (at special 'house boat communities'). You basically sail up to the dock, and your "rent" is low cost - cost includes your 'parking spot' (and perhaps a terra firma car parking spot as well), and the hook up for electricity, cable, internet, etc.

You're free to sail around wherever you want, or if you don't like you neighbors, you move to another spot.

Past the initial cost of the boat, it's rather inexpensive.

That's pretty cool, but aren't house boats a bit expensive? I remember reading a book that talked about all the different types of house boats around the world; they were pretty expensive. I remember reading about one though that was really interesting. It was in Amsterdam and is used just for stray cats. Do you think these places would allow a boat that isn't a house boat to dock?

 

[Bamboo]

Bottom dollar: 1969 Drift R Cruise 32 Hb For Sale In Chesapeake City, Maryland - BoatTrader.com

"...but other than than she floats"

 

[Bamboo]

New And Used Houseboats For Sale In Maryland On BoatTrader.com

A variety of options.

The house boats, which are really more like boats than houses, should not be confused with the new "house barges" - which are essentially residential homes built to float. They go very slowly. They are not meant to actually be taken anywhere, just for avoiding property taxes really.

But the more boat like house boats, I suppose, they might be legit in Amsterdam.

Some marinas allow or disallow "live-ins."

 

[Katsuni]

I absolutely hate boats. And am irrationally scared of submarines. It'd probably be a phobia but I've never been on one to test just how bad it really would be. I cringe from seeing people on them though even on tv however.

That being said however... I still like this song.

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7yfISlGLNU&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=ED9441CFC963F147"]I'm on a boat![/YOUTUBE]

Warning: inappropriate content, and muchly swearing.

 

[Little_Sticks]

^ Lol. Sometimes I wonder if these rappers ever realize how silly they are when sometimes does a parody like this. Although I guess it doesn't matter much because they have tons of money.

Bottom dollar: 1969 Drift R Cruise 32 Hb For Sale In Chesapeake City, Maryland - BoatTrader.com

"...but other than than she floats"

That's a good deal. I bet it could be fixed up pretty easily and have the engine replaced.

 

[Gish]

Your best bet is getting to know some marinas in your area, they often have boats they are looking to toss for free or next to it because the renters aren't paying fees. They usually need some work from sitting a while, obviously, but it's a good place to start.

 

[Phantonym]

Has anyone else thought about living on a boat and sailing around the world? You could eat everything you fish up. You wouldn't need much money, except for clothes and stuff like that.

I'm serious. Life is really shit. People spend all their time working up the social ladder so they can spend their 'free time trying to unwind'. I know I'm a bit of a loon, but is this really such a bad idea?

I think it's a great idea. I toy with similar ideas all the time. However, living on a boat wouldn't be on the top of my list because I have close to zero experience with boats, so doing it all on my own would be out of the question. I would consider it if I had some really close and trustworthy friends to sail with, though. Ahh...sweet freedom.

Past the initial cost of the boat, it's rather inexpensive.

What about maintenance? Unless you can afford to buy a shiny new ship, being mechanically savvy either yourself or relying on one of your friends who sail along with you seems to be a prerequisite. And things that move tend to break and they need money to get fixed. Lots of it, if the boat is one step away from a scrapyard. And once something gets fixed, something else will break. All the time.

 

[Mole]

Has anyone else thought about living on a boat and sailing around the world? You could eat everything you fish up. You wouldn't need much money, except for clothes and stuff like that.

I'm serious. Life is really shit. People spend all their time working up the social ladder so they can spend their 'free time trying to unwind'. I know I'm a bit of a loon, but is this really such a bad idea?

A boat is a hole in the water in which you pour money.

And if that weren't bad enough the sea is constantly moving. It is as though the earth were constantly quaking.

And if the greatest luxury is space, a boat represents the utmost poverty.

A boat offers the dream of freedom, but is only a rich man's toy.

It's called the cruel sea.

 

[Ivy]

What are the two happiest days in any boat owners life?

1. the day they buy their boat
2. the day they sell their boat

 

[miss fortune]

it would sound appealing if I didn't have to worry about keeping a constant supply of dramamine

 

[Gish]

There is a large difference between owning a boat and living on a boat. You'd say a home was a money sink as well if you were only in it several weeks out of the year.

 

[Lady_X]

^^ and look at your avatar! haha love it!

i think it's a fantastic idea...maybe not for forever but you should do it for a bit...sounds fun!

actually at some point i totally have to move to the pnw and get a floating home...so cool!

 

[wolfy]

I thought of living on a boat when Miami Vice was big, but it wasn't really me. It sounds cool, like a lot of fun. I don't know how much better than land life it would be though. Life has a funny way of being the same whatever you do.

 

[lilikoi]

I'd definitely like to do this in the Carribbean one day, and perhaps Indonesia and the South Pacific. I have met people that do this. Some have made their wealth in the dot com boom or other means and are on permanent vacation in fancy yachts, mooring at expensive yacht clubs. Some have lost most of their teeth, are on crack, and don't have much of a choice anymore (living on a boat is really the cheapest way to live in Hawaii, short of being homeless on a street somewhere). It looks like a tough life for the "budget traveler". You need to know how to sail, navigate, and be willing to tough it out in rough seas....over the open ocean, the weather can get BAD. I wouldn't want to do it alone, or with anyone that I'd have to save one day. Maintaining a boat can be pricey. People say that they are money pits, and they are.

 

[Fecal McAngry]

aren't house boats a bit expensive? I remember reading a book that talked about all the different types of house boats around the world; they were pretty expensive.

An ENTP I work with lives on a fairly small boat he sails on weekends; costs roughly $3000/month although he tells me if he wants to defer maintenance and not go anywhere he can get costs down to under half of that...

 

[Mole]

An ENTP I work with lives on a fairly small boat he sails on weekends; costs roughly $3000/month although he tells me if he wants to defer maintenance and not go anywhere he can get costs down to under half of that...

At one time I had enough money to consider buying a large and comfortable boat and living on it in Sydney.

Sydney has not one harbour but four and a large navigable river system that encircles Sydney. And to boot my father was a ship's captain. So I thought I was set, until I found it was against the regulations to live on a boat in Sydney. And that the logistics of supply were prohibitive. So I settled on a trailer sail boat that I sailed on the weekend on Sydney harbour.

And when I moved to Canberra I joined the University Sailing club and sometimes take a Laser out on Lake Burley Griffin and have adventures.

Sometimes I take a friend with me and have dinner afterwards at the Yacht Club, but my favourite is taking my neighbour's dog out on the lake. He is a large black labrador and at first he panicked as we moved away from the shore, but now he is the ship's dog but insists that I don't even think of a ship's cat.

But I pine for a ship's cat but so far I have not persuaded any cat at all to join us, and my black labrador remains adamant.

 

[Fecal McAngry]

At one time I had enough money to consider buying a large and comfortable boat and living on it in Sydney.

Sydney has not one harbour but four and a large navigable river system that encircles Sydney. And to boot my father was a ship's captain. So I thought I was set, until I found it was against the regulations to live on a boat in Sydney. And that the logistics of supply were prohibitive. So I settled on a trailer sail boat that I sailed on the weekend on Sydney harbour.

And when I moved to Canberra I joined the University Sailing club and sometimes take a Laser out on Lake Burley Griffin and have adventures.

Sometimes I take a friend with me and have dinner afterwards at the Yacht Club, but my favourite is taking my neighbour's dog out on the lake. He is a large black labrador and at first he panicked as we moved away from the shore, but now he is the ship's dog but insists that I don't even think of a ship's cat.

But I pine for a ship's cat but so far I have not persuaded any cat at all to join us, and my black labrador remains adamant.

Victor--this post is intelligible. You sure you're okay?