You have received good rational advice above. It’s an emotional decision, and buying a recreational boat is usually not a good economic choice. Run with your heart.
Long distance boat ownership
- Thread starter Allowishish
- Start date
I don't think you will have a very good handle on what repairs and changes you might want to do to a new to you boat, until you have lived on it awhile. Obviously, there will be the surveyor's recommendations to address, but if this boat is to become your full time home, there may be some non-essential changes necessary to make it more comfortable and liveaboard friendly.
Also the costs of storing and maintaining a boat that isn't used regularly are going to become a serious problem. Ask any snowbird boat people who have to recommission their boats every fall. So, unless you find a boat at a deal you just can't pass up, I'd wait.
Also the costs of storing and maintaining a boat that isn't used regularly are going to become a serious problem. Ask any snowbird boat people who have to recommission their boats every fall. So, unless you find a boat at a deal you just can't pass up, I'd wait.
The last thing one should do when purchasing a liveaboard boat is "Run with your heart". In my opinion purchasing a boat to live on is much like buying a home, and though we would all love the ego boost of having a beautiful boat, most often in boats and homes many other considerations need to be taken into account.
[QUOTE="Don S/V ILLusion, post: 1780081, member: 78355"
my advice is - don’t! boat in long-term storage awaiting occasional use is a costly liability considering storage fees, insurance, etc… compared with how much use you may enjoy. add the cost of money, depreciation during non-use and funky things happening to a boat in storage and you might find the reality differs from the plan.
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Couldn't agree more.
There is a boat of two tales, of long distance owners, that is berthed next to mine. First owner lived approximately seven hours away and owned the boat for many years. He was quite handy as he owned a machine / fabrication shop, so he did all of the maintenance & repairs himself. He had the luxury of being able to take a couple weeks off a few times a year to spend time on the boat doing maintenance & cruise 5-7 days on each trip to the boat. He maintained the boat in better than average condition. Several of us on the dock kept an eye on things while he was away; fortunately, there were never any emergencies. He sold the boat four years ago to someone who lives five hours away. The present owner has neither time nor experience in maintaining a cruising boat. He never uses it. The boat is in a state of decline and continues to deteriorate...so sad. His best intentions have not come to fruition.
So, you have a boat at present, you've taken appropriate courses; stay the course for another year or so. A year before retirement, start your search. It took me over a year to travel & inspect several prospective boats prior to purchasing my present boat. By not rushing, I was able to find the exact boat that I wanted at a reasonable price. Once retired, you will have more time to travel to the boat to learn all of the systems, perform maintenance, and upgrade as well as sail. Life has a way of limiting leisure time, especially while working. Last thing that you want is to purchase a boat a long way from home and not be able to utilize & maintain it because you don't have time.
Best of luck on your search!
my advice is - don’t! boat in long-term storage awaiting occasional use is a costly liability considering storage fees, insurance, etc… compared with how much use you may enjoy. add the cost of money, depreciation during non-use and funky things happening to a boat in storage and you might find the reality differs from the plan.
[/QUOTE]
Couldn't agree more.
There is a boat of two tales, of long distance owners, that is berthed next to mine. First owner lived approximately seven hours away and owned the boat for many years. He was quite handy as he owned a machine / fabrication shop, so he did all of the maintenance & repairs himself. He had the luxury of being able to take a couple weeks off a few times a year to spend time on the boat doing maintenance & cruise 5-7 days on each trip to the boat. He maintained the boat in better than average condition. Several of us on the dock kept an eye on things while he was away; fortunately, there were never any emergencies. He sold the boat four years ago to someone who lives five hours away. The present owner has neither time nor experience in maintaining a cruising boat. He never uses it. The boat is in a state of decline and continues to deteriorate...so sad. His best intentions have not come to fruition.
So, you have a boat at present, you've taken appropriate courses; stay the course for another year or so. A year before retirement, start your search. It took me over a year to travel & inspect several prospective boats prior to purchasing my present boat. By not rushing, I was able to find the exact boat that I wanted at a reasonable price. Once retired, you will have more time to travel to the boat to learn all of the systems, perform maintenance, and upgrade as well as sail. Life has a way of limiting leisure time, especially while working. Last thing that you want is to purchase a boat a long way from home and not be able to utilize & maintain it because you don't have time.
Best of luck on your search!
Yes. Colorado has a few Great Lakes.
we already have a Catalina 27 on one of them.
we typically sail 50-70 days a year. (Boat stays in year round)
we also charter about once a year.
there have been many appreciated comments made. Some are arguments the wife and I have discussed. (Some new thoughts as well)
All have been appreciated.
sometimes it’s nice to hear the same ideas being repeated by others.
Pedant!!.....Wrong. Colorado may have a few great lakes, but they have no Great Lakes.
The comments about the effect of "money" are right on. When we were docked at the posh marina at Sidney BC for several days, there were rows of large power boats (and some sail) with small tidy signs on a lifeline stating that the boat was maintained by the "XYZ Fancy Yacht company" and when I asked the harbor master about it, he pointed to their transoms with (mostly) the hailing port of Edmonton..... "Oil Money" he said. Those skippers and families fly out to vacation once or twice a year and their boat is always maintained and shiny-perfect for their enjoyment.
So, there you go. Problem Solved! Just bring money...
So, there you go. Problem Solved! Just bring money...
Fair enough. (And true enough)Wrong. Colorado may have a few great lakes, but they have no Great Lakes.
we are looking to keep her below 40’
It’s just the two of us… (and a dog)
We don’t expect visitors for more than a week or two and if/when they do come they will be family or really good friends. So tight for a bit is doable for us.
front runners are the Catalina 380 and the morgalina 38 cc
it will be mostly coast cruising/island hopping with an occasional passage.
looked at a beneteau 36 cc, but it’s just not heavy enough for our taste.
the moody 38 cc was looked at but the dog is not small so a walk through/swim platform is a big plus.
I did this for a summer. The boat was 1.5-4 hours away depending on traffic. I put 20k miles on my car that year. The cost of forgetting an item at home was often a huge blow to my time and/or wallet. The harder I pushed to get things done, the more mistakes were made. Overall I would not recommend this method. It's exhausting, expensive and time consuming. Put your money towards a better boat and don't be in a rush. The right one will come along
I bought Tosca 4.5 years ago and (mostly) retired at the end January this year. The longest stretch between visits was about 4 months. In the PNW that means your boat is covered in green slime on your return. Just part of the joy of boat ownership.
I moved up from a Catalina 22. I wasn't into lake sailing any longer so this was the next logical step. I have cursed, moaned and turned the air blue at times but have rarely regretted it. As I write this we are at anchor on the north side of Hope Island, just inside Deception Pass. Weather has been "variable". We hit 12 knots over the ground coming through the Pass. My river running skills came into play!
I would not be here if I hadn't invested the time. That's the one thing we have no control over so use it wisely.
I moved up from a Catalina 22. I wasn't into lake sailing any longer so this was the next logical step. I have cursed, moaned and turned the air blue at times but have rarely regretted it. As I write this we are at anchor on the north side of Hope Island, just inside Deception Pass. Weather has been "variable". We hit 12 knots over the ground coming through the Pass.
My river running skills came into play!I would not be here if I hadn't invested the time. That's the one thing we have no control over so use it wisely.
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The key to successful (satisfying) boat ownership is actually using it; thus, accessibility. In my early days of ownership four decades ago I focused on minimizing “the hassle factor.” Anything that interfered with simply going down to the boat and departing the dock. Hours-long travel to the boat, fixing it, loading it, launching it, recovering it, and hours-long travel home push up “the hassle factor.” You will soon tire of it so the boat gets used increasing less to the point where the only reason to own one is because you bought one, etc. The best situation: Live near (less than 2 hr of travel), keep it in a slip, prepare it for the next departure b/f going home after use, then go for an amount of time that justifies the “hassle factor.” It’s virtually the same amount of hassle to make a 4-day cruise as it is a 4-week cruise! The “live aboard dream” is sought by many; realized by few.
If you already have a Catalina 27 you know what goes into upkeep, winterizing, commissioning, etc. Try to think about how you would do all of those things if you couldn't just drive down to do / oversee it, and how much time you would spend orchestrating it from afar. How often do you rely on local friends for 2-person jobs? My opinion is don't rush, but also don't hold back: if the perfect boat comes along at the perfect price, go ahead and buy early, just keep on the hard until you're ready to use it (factoring the storage costs into your purchase price). Planning to sail it in the interim, however, sounds like a big undertaking.
My boat is moored / stored 200 miles from home AND I have two young kids. Definitely doable (and worth it), but many DIY projects are just not realistic. Even launch and haul-out require careful planning. It helps a LOT if you have someone local who can check on the boat and help oversee things (my dad).
My boat is moored / stored 200 miles from home AND I have two young kids. Definitely doable (and worth it), but many DIY projects are just not realistic. Even launch and haul-out require careful planning. It helps a LOT if you have someone local who can check on the boat and help oversee things (my dad).
I see your situation much differently now that you have told us you are experienced boat owners. I honestly believe you should listen to no one. You know what you want and how you're going to get it... what the heck can we know? It's you're life... and it's your plan...and if working on your dream these next two years gives purpose and meaning to your life.. then you are in a very, very cool place. No matter what happens, no matter the challenges or frustrations you may experience, the end will justify it all. I wouldn't wait one minute. You might find the boat tomorrow or two years from now... but you'll be in action mode, not just sitting around dreaming, getting ready to get ready.... Go for it.
We are going on 13 years of long distance boat ownership, it’s a 7 hour drive. We use our boat more than some (maybe most) locals. If you find the right boat get it. 2 years will fly by and it may take you that long to figure out what improvements/changes you want to make.