How Long Could You Live In Your Mac?

[MacNCheese]

If the economy gets even worse and I lose my house, my backup plan is to live in my MacGregor 26.

I bought for it a .11 acre piece of land in the woods of New Hampshire in order to save on Marina fees. I built for it a driveway and put in a 9x11 shed next to it that has electrical power so an extension cord can be run to the boat. I have a place in the woods to urinate but other body movements would have to be done at the 24 hour gas station a mile away (with the exception of emergencies where a place can be found to do that).

How long could you realistically live in your own MacGregors and would that ever be your backup plan if you lost your house?

 

[Sumner]

First hope you don't have to resort to that.

If the boat was on land probably not very long. On land the boat seems small and confining. In a northern climate the boat would be exposed to elements (cold/hot) over its whole hull. I think condensation would also quickly become a problem in winter, we had some when we went out in 30-40 deg. weather for a few days.

In the water and underway you kind of just get use to the boat being your whole world. We have gone days without ever even going to shore for a walk and it didn't seem confining. In fact the longer we were in the boat the larger the boat seemed to get. We have always actually regretted ending a trip with the boat, even the 7+ week long one.

We lived on the 37 foot Endeavour for 3 months earlier in the year and it was kind of a mess since we were also working inside of her at the same time. Still it wasn't that bad. We could not of lived on the Mac up on stands in a similar situation for 3 months. If I had to give the house up and live on land I'd look for a camp trailer. You can get those pretty cheap and standup and walk in them. We have one I paid $400 for that I'd much rather live in and did once than the Mac on land.

Check out the Double Doodie bags for the body waste situation. We had 2 months worth inside of bags in 2 5 gallon sealed buckets. That would be a lot better and cheaper than driving to the gas station.

Good luck and hope you don't have to do this,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

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[justsomeguy]

I think you'd be surprised what one could get used to, if necessary.

 

[RonRock]

I like Sumners thinking on a RV. I lived in one while I built my house. Moved into the RV after the house was burglarized and I lost all my tools. Cops told me to expect them to return a few weeks later after my tools were replaced with new. They never returned.

I'd look into doing a Cargo Trailer into an RV conversion. There are some websites were some guys are doing some pretty cool stuff that way.

 

[MacNCheese]

I'd look for a camp trailer. You can get those pretty cheap and standup and walk in them. We have one I paid $400 for that I'd much rather live in and did once than the Mac on land.

Thanks Sum! Appreciate the advice. I would agree that an RV/Camper would be better but my small town has a rule that I can use one for only the warm seasons (Spring, Summer, early Fall). I would be stuck in the winter. If you have a house you live in, you can of course leave a camper in your driveway. There is no such rule against boats that can remain year round.

Perhaps i should look into one of those Tiny Houses because it think I could get away with that if I didn't build it on wheels. http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

Or maybe I should build a bigger "Shed" and upgrade it on the inside.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

old large boats are dirt cheap. especially now. if you don't need it to float again.

I've seen reports of people that dug pits and lowered a sailboat in them, and back filled the keel/ hull. mostly out west in the sand, but at least one up north.

getting the boat moved might be the most expensive part.

can you run a crane? ;D

 

[Phyrexii]

I would agree that an RV/Camper would be better but my small town has a rule that I can use one for only the warm seasons (Spring, Summer, early Fall).

That's what you get for living in an uptight town . Just move one town over, and you could live in a cardboard box!

Speaking of which, homeless folk 'survive' in a cardboard box, so I think it comes down to what you're willing to tolerate. I have often contemplated the same situation (like, if the house burned down, or something). I think it would be doable, but I wouldn't be happy with it. If you have water and electricity, then the hardest part would be taking a shower (but, if you're alone in the woods of NH, then who would know? ). I think trash disposal may be an issue. But, all the basics would be covered, and you could survive indefinitely - as long as your sanity held out!

 

[Sumner]

old large boats are dirt cheap. especially now. if you don't need it to float again.

I've seen reports of people that dug pits and lowered a sailboat in them, and back filled the keel/ hull. mostly out west in the sand, but at least one up north.

getting the boat moved might be the most expensive part.

can you run a crane? ;D

Ruth's plan for the guest house is doing that with the Endeavour ....don't think it is going to happen though ,

Sum

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Mac-Venture Links

 

[MacNCheese]

old large boats are dirt cheap. especially now. if you don't need it to float again.

I've seen reports of people that dug pits and lowered a sailboat in them, and back filled the keel/ hull. mostly out west in the sand, but at least one up north.
getting the boat moved might be the most expensive part.
can you run a crane? ;D

That's both creative and hilarious

Our water table is so high where I am that putting anything in the ground is not an option. My first work on the land was in building a sizable ditch to divert water to the front of the property and safely to my neighbor's lot (He requested that). It has worked flawlessly and during the days prior to and following the storm, Sandy, it has been an always full creek.

Otherwise I'd dig down and use tires to build an earthship and be done with it http://earthship.com/

 

[Piotr]

My wife, kid, and I have a 2-night maximum. After that we'd likely kill each other...

 

[doehunter]

I did 5 days early in October.
At the end, I had mixed feelings about going back to the world.
Staying on the boat for fun is one thing. Living on it because I had no choice? Another.
But, you do what you have to do. I think the campers might be insulated better, and as Sumner said, you can stand up in them.

 

[Cruiser1]

I've seen people living in cardboard boxes and in 6 x 6 shelters made of fertilizer bags down in the tomato fields of Mexico. Have seen others living in even less in parts of Asia. I guess 'home' is 'home'. As a child I rmember seeing guys living in caves on the side of rivers in big cities.

In my 20's I lived on a 20' trailer sailer for over 3 months. However, I usually got to go ashore at least every few days. Not sure how you would go 'ashore' when already on the land but I think you would adjust - after all going 'ashore' is really only a change of mindset - same mind, same heart, same body, just a different GPS location.

I can really relate to what the guy from Tumbleweed houses says when he talks about life being a whole lot less complicated in a really small house.

 

[monkeybars]

living on a 25 foot sailboat on land is the equivalent of living in a mansion for 50percent of the worlds population

 

[MacNCheese]

living on a 25 foot sailboat on land is the equivalent of living in a mansion for 50percent of the worlds population

That's a great perspective and one where we won't take our blessings for granted!

Here's my Camp WindJammer that is my backup home I was telling you about. It was semi-swampy until I laid down a 3/4 crushed stone driveway over a drainpipe and dug a creek along the front to let the water flow across to the neighbor's swamp.

.11 acres of heaven with no running water or septic. It's 700 yards back from the Lake and shares deeded access (an association) to the beach, dock, and a 3rd piece of waterfront.










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[Phyrexii]

There are worse places to be homeless, I suppose

 

[Piotr]

What's in the shed/cabin?

 

[MacNCheese]

What's in the shed/cabin?

Fridge, tools, outboard, wheelbarrow, archery equipment.

On the bright side, I will soon have electricity hooked up

 

[Piotr]

so, the shed is a garage/livingroom kinda thing. i suggest putting insulation in, so you can stay there when it's really cold. Otherwise, you stay on the boat. Of course, if you have electricity, you can always put an electric heater on the boat.

 

[MacNCheese]

so, the shed is a garage/livingroom kinda thing. i suggest putting insulation in, so you can stay there when it's really cold. Otherwise, you stay on the boat. Of course, if you have electricity, you can always put an electric heater on the boat.

Insulating the shed is a good idea. It's just 9x11 so pretty small.

Just to make clear, this is only a backup plan, I do not need to live in the shed at this time. Only if I lost my job.

 

[Piotr]

Understood.