After 10 years of owning a cottage in the upper thumb of Michigan , we went out and purchased a Good Old Boat and got a slip nearby. We enjoy the folks at the marina. They are close knit and friendly but our land-lubber beach house buds are even closer. Any one else out their who has a sandal in one side and a deck shoe on the other?
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Cottage
I suppose some might call our land place with five bedrooms and three baths a cottage, but we like it. I prefer slippers to sandals and I hate wet sand. We did a ten day 50 mile backpacking trip in the Olympic National Forest, which consisted mostly of beach, headland hiking and rock jumping. Tent poles, cooking gear, sleeping bag, clothes, etc. all gritty with sand. Uk!
Same with our water place, with two baths and two bedrooms displacing 30,000 pounds, some might call it a day sailer, but we like it. Very comfy, fast stiff and great for extended cruises.
Terry Cox
I suppose some might call our land place with five bedrooms and three baths a cottage, but we like it. I prefer slippers to sandals and I hate wet sand. We did a ten day 50 mile backpacking trip in the Olympic National Forest, which consisted mostly of beach, headland hiking and rock jumping. Tent poles, cooking gear, sleeping bag, clothes, etc. all gritty with sand. Uk!
Same with our water place, with two baths and two bedrooms displacing 30,000 pounds, some might call it a day sailer, but we like it. Very comfy, fast stiff and great for extended cruises.
Terry Cox
Some might call the place where I live a one bedroom shack that I built myself that has no insulation....and they would be completely acurate.
I'm with Higgs, my h23 is my "cottage" on the lake, or wherever I happen to be sailing it at the time. But to address your real question, there's nothing wrong with having friends in more than one activity. There's also nothing wrong with inviting your shore based friends out sailing, or inviting your boating friends to join you, and possibly your shore based friends, for a bbq or other activity at your cottage. As the saying goes, the more the merrier.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
We do both and thoroughly enjoy them both. Our 2 week cruise usually ends with the last weekend at the cottage to do some lake sailing and just unwinding. All spring, summer and fall we will split weekends between the two although the boat usually gets more weekends.
Where to begin. We began serious sailing on Carlyle Lake Il. We have made great lifelong friends in that sailing community. In 2001 my wife and I downsized from a 5 bedroom home with lawn and all that stuff to a 3 bedroom condo in Punta Gorda FL on a canal. The best part is that 14 of our friends from Carlyle, moved here in the last 5 years. We sail at least once a week and the influx of fresh blood into our sail club has raised the level of racing to among the best on the west coast.
I retire again in 26 days after 8 years of teaching high school. This is truly the best of both worlds. We can push off when ever we want and sail to the Keys, Bahama’s, or the coast of Florida. Life is good.
So we really don't deal with both we just get to live both.
I retire again in 26 days after 8 years of teaching high school. This is truly the best of both worlds. We can push off when ever we want and sail to the Keys, Bahama’s, or the coast of Florida. Life is good.
So we really don't deal with both we just get to live both.
Both
I live in the cottage and sail the boat when there is wind. If you have the financial resourses there is no better way to go. My neighbors are great but I make them jelous when I sail past their house on my way to the islands that they can only look at from their dock.
I live in the cottage and sail the boat when there is wind. If you have the financial resourses there is no better way to go. My neighbors are great but I make them jelous when I sail past their house on my way to the islands that they can only look at from their dock.
I have both, advantage being that boat parts and tools can be stored in the garage. The down side is the cost. If the economy was better I'd sell the place and get a bigger boat. Less taxes that way, probably offset by mooring and storage costs.
I like having the boat right outside the door. Makes it easy if you want to go for a short trip.
I like having the boat right outside the door. Makes it easy if you want to go for a short trip.
Who's doing your maintenance?
The problem that I would have with a home, a cottage and a boat is that there would be so much maintenace that I would never get to sail.
We solved the problem when we retired by selling the house in town and building a cottage size house on a canal. The house has only one bedroom but the guest rooms are tied up to the dock.
The problem that I would have with a home, a cottage and a boat is that there would be so much maintenace that I would never get to sail.
We solved the problem when we retired by selling the house in town and building a cottage size house on a canal. The house has only one bedroom but the guest rooms are tied up to the dock.
Island or Slip
Well, not exactly an island, but a place in the islands. My wife and I managed to get a place in Dominica, BWI. Of course the irony is it keeps me tied to my day job, otherwise we'd sure spend a lot more time on the island. Who knows, maybe someday we'll be able to sail there. We'd have to give up our slip for a mooring though, since Dominica has no marinas. For fun, I made a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEQ5Ya8DHM4
Dan
S/V Fiji Girl
Catalina 30
Well, not exactly an island, but a place in the islands. My wife and I managed to get a place in Dominica, BWI. Of course the irony is it keeps me tied to my day job, otherwise we'd sure spend a lot more time on the island. Who knows, maybe someday we'll be able to sail there. We'd have to give up our slip for a mooring though, since Dominica has no marinas. For fun, I made a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEQ5Ya8DHM4
Dan
S/V Fiji Girl
Catalina 30
My first home was a cottage. So was the second, which the Judge gave to my ex. And I got the first one back. Been there since 1980...in the middle of Cleveland. My boat is almost as big. When I call it quits, I will be broke. No retirement. I plan to live on the boat where ever that may be. I will probably downsize that to a 27' or so, or God forbid, a houseboat or barge.
Any place for me ci\onsists of a sleeping area, cooking area, computer area and TV room. Never did need much.
Now if I had the money, I'd buy a repo house NOW in the Ft Myers area, and buy a boat to fit the location. In the meantime, a friend bought property on San Salvador! He and his wife are building a home there AND it has a creek behind the development that holds boats up to 6' depth. So I can visit, if my health holds out.
Any place for me ci\onsists of a sleeping area, cooking area, computer area and TV room. Never did need much.
Now if I had the money, I'd buy a repo house NOW in the Ft Myers area, and buy a boat to fit the location. In the meantime, a friend bought property on San Salvador! He and his wife are building a home there AND it has a creek behind the development that holds boats up to 6' depth. So I can visit, if my health holds out.
Variation on a theme..
The boat will be going to the San Juan Islands this coming spring & we will be taking our 'cottage' with us. The 5th wheel. For us it's the best of both worlds, I'm not ready to give up my dirt so this is our compromise (for now) while he's still working. The dogs have a place to stay for shorter trips around the islands & if we don't feel like staying on the boat we'll have our cottage, as it were.
Sounds good to me! Can't wait!!
The boat will be going to the San Juan Islands this coming spring & we will be taking our 'cottage' with us. The 5th wheel. For us it's the best of both worlds, I'm not ready to give up my dirt so this is our compromise (for now) while he's still working. The dogs have a place to stay for shorter trips around the islands & if we don't feel like staying on the boat we'll have our cottage, as it were.
Sounds good to me! Can't wait!!
I love to sail too much to use my boat as a condo. I know most of the people in the marina I dock at do just that.
Last year it seemed most people did nothing but sit at dock because of the extreme gas price. Thank God ... having a sailboat meant NOT being held hostage in the slip. I still spent most of the time out on the water sailing.
At the same time, we also enjoyed our down-time just enjoying a breeze and dinner on the back deck. Nothing wrong with either reasons for owning a boat, it just seems a shame to not get the full enjoyment a boat can offer.
Last year it seemed most people did nothing but sit at dock because of the extreme gas price. Thank God ... having a sailboat meant NOT being held hostage in the slip. I still spent most of the time out on the water sailing.
At the same time, we also enjoyed our down-time just enjoying a breeze and dinner on the back deck. Nothing wrong with either reasons for owning a boat, it just seems a shame to not get the full enjoyment a boat can offer.
Our boat is our cottage, condo or whatever in downtown Chicago. As someone else said, it's a champaign mooring on a beer can budget..near millenium park and not far from Soldier Field, musuems, etc. Lots to do every weekend during the summer downtown, but while on the mooring you still feel like you're away from the rest of the world.
When you think about what people are paying for just an apartment or townhome with a lake view we're probably paying less if you added both our house and boat payments. Does mean I'll have to keep working till I'm 65 though..but going to the boat every weekend reduces the stress level considerably. We also make 4 and 5 day trips to other marinas-possibly a 2 week cruise this summer.
When you think about what people are paying for just an apartment or townhome with a lake view we're probably paying less if you added both our house and boat payments. Does mean I'll have to keep working till I'm 65 though..but going to the boat every weekend reduces the stress level considerably. We also make 4 and 5 day trips to other marinas-possibly a 2 week cruise this summer.
Having
Having grown up in family with both boats and second homes (read royal PITA) I decided to do it differently than my parents. Our goal was to make our primary residence our second home. This means it is just steps from the ocean and sand beach and has deeded mooring rights for our boat.
We may someday buy a hunting camp or ski camp but for now I don't know where I'd find the time to keep up with two properties, a boat, work and family. My parents never stopped it seemed, and the houses took a considerable amount of time to maintain and care for. Both of my parents have since down sized and now each only own one house which is good at this point in their lives..
My brother and sister have also done similar. My sister has her primary residence on the water and my brother lives in the same cove side neighborhood as we do. It's kind of neat when the summer residents in the "hood" arrive and we've been there enjoying it year round with the ability to both work and play from our primary residence which feels like a camp or second home in atmosphere..
Having grown up in family with both boats and second homes (read royal PITA) I decided to do it differently than my parents. Our goal was to make our primary residence our second home. This means it is just steps from the ocean and sand beach and has deeded mooring rights for our boat.
We may someday buy a hunting camp or ski camp but for now I don't know where I'd find the time to keep up with two properties, a boat, work and family. My parents never stopped it seemed, and the houses took a considerable amount of time to maintain and care for. Both of my parents have since down sized and now each only own one house which is good at this point in their lives..
My brother and sister have also done similar. My sister has her primary residence on the water and my brother lives in the same cove side neighborhood as we do. It's kind of neat when the summer residents in the "hood" arrive and we've been there enjoying it year round with the ability to both work and play from our primary residence which feels like a camp or second home in atmosphere..
This is the situation my wife and I are looking for. We have lived aboard a Formosa 51 for 3 years. My wife finds it restrictive with regards to her projects. I on the other hand love living and working on the boat. We plan to list the boat this year / sell and purchase something smaller. We will live aboard / cruise / and also have a small cottage or condo. Any one want to work a deal ?
slum district
I live in a 2 bedroom with an addition,hurricane ike tore the side of my garage off,tore my front porch up took a lot of my roof with it,
afraid to call the insurance because they might fix it and dump me,or not fix it with the old saying it was not very good any way.
my patch job is shabby,i put metal siding on the garage and on the front porch patched the roof,
and on talking to a friend I told him even my bird house is a dump,the metal pole its on is bent,leaving it leaning to the side,with bird feathers and trash hanging out the side.
I am gonna name my O'Day Slum district glider.
(U wanna trade houses?)
you think you got it bad,??
I live in a 2 bedroom with an addition,hurricane ike tore the side of my garage off,tore my front porch up took a lot of my roof with it,
afraid to call the insurance because they might fix it and dump me,or not fix it with the old saying it was not very good any way.
my patch job is shabby,i put metal siding on the garage and on the front porch patched the roof,
and on talking to a friend I told him even my bird house is a dump,the metal pole its on is bent,leaving it leaning to the side,with bird feathers and trash hanging out the side.
I am gonna name my O'Day Slum district glider.
(U wanna trade houses?)
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