I am in need of a life change. I have been a home owner for 2 years. I want to sell it (along with most of my worldly belongings, aside from tools) and purchase a boat. I know little or nothing about sailing. I am a land surveyor so I have good physics/math and navigation skills (for whatever that is worth). My question is this: What is your recommendation(s) for a good live-aboard sail boat, for a price less than 35k. Also what kind of standard (yearly?) maintanance is required and what is the ball-park figure for that? This is going to be a fun and rewarding(and no doubt frustrating) learning experience. Putting a line out there for any info, please go easy on me. I assume that a 30+ foot boat would be minimum. I am sure that some of you have had this experience, any insight into what I am in for is much appreciated. Can you refer me to useful internet links or articles? Is there a kind of standard checklist to get me pointed in the right direction? I like the prospect of sailing and look forward to becoming a good knowlegable sailor. Best regards, Cullen
Looking to acquire my first sail boat
- Thread starter Cullen
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Has mucho people relating their own experiences with boats, talking which & what, and is loaded with used boats. The bonus is they are from private partys, so you see what kind of folks owned it. Unless you have a deed, you are not a 'homeowner'. This is a weasel-word expression that was pushed onto the general public for obvious reasons, just miss a few payments, you'll find which banker really ownes it, unless you are one of the very smart; very happy few. For that kind of money you could buy a fixer Westsail 32. Not elegant, but a real cruiser nonetheless. My favorite has been a Hans Christian for many years, but I'm like you.... cannot afford what I want, so need to go out and find one that 'fit' me. Walk round marinas, talk to folks, they will enjoy showing off their yachts. Look into yachtworld.com many boats and good information there. Good luck, and stay at it a great life and sailors last longer than landlubbers do...;-)
Has mucho people relating their own experiences with boats, talking which & what, and is loaded with used boats. The bonus is they are from private partys, so you see what kind of folks owned it. Unless you have a deed, you are not a 'homeowner'. This is a weasel-word expression that was pushed onto the general public for obvious reasons, just miss a few payments, you'll find which banker really ownes it, unless you are one of the very smart; very happy few. For that kind of money you could buy a fixer Westsail 32. Not elegant, but a real cruiser nonetheless. My favorite has been a Hans Christian for many years, but I'm like you.... cannot afford what I want, so need to go out and find one that 'fit' me. Walk round marinas, talk to folks, they will enjoy showing off their yachts. Look into yachtworld.com many boats and good information there. Good luck, and stay at it a great life and sailors last longer than landlubbers do...;-)
Don't know your age, don't know your plans....
...but if you are young and can afford your home keep it and don't sell it. Five or ten years from now the boat you buy will be worth less and despite all the horrible bursting housing bubble news...your house will either be worth about the same or more (I do reserve the right to be ignorant about the housing situation in Portland, you know your area better). I would suggest that you first take sailing lessons and charter a boat through a club in your local waters. Get a feel as to what living in the marina is like, the expenses, and as previously suggested hang around and talk to people. I am probably older than you. My house will be paid off in 2 years in a very desirable area and also own real state rental property in other states that soon will be paid off. I don't think I could have done that if I place my money on boats, cars, and women (you can choose the order). Then, again I didn't get my first real boat till 4 years ago and do have some regrets of not doing it sooner. Wife, kid, and business were my priorities. Many will advice to "go for it"....but keep in mind where you want to be financialy in 5-10 years. Only you can decide what is best. Finally, if you decide to "go for it"...please, know what you are getting yourself into. Once you sell your home and you find out that living in a boat was not as romantic as you thought...you may end up without neither a home nor a boat and paying rent making someone else rich. That said, there are times I have threatened my wife with selling everything and living in a boat too....she thinks I am crazy and I never have the balls to do it. My sincere apologies if this sounds like a negative view...you can call me a wimp for not being so adventuresome. good luck with your decision, abe
...but if you are young and can afford your home keep it and don't sell it. Five or ten years from now the boat you buy will be worth less and despite all the horrible bursting housing bubble news...your house will either be worth about the same or more (I do reserve the right to be ignorant about the housing situation in Portland, you know your area better). I would suggest that you first take sailing lessons and charter a boat through a club in your local waters. Get a feel as to what living in the marina is like, the expenses, and as previously suggested hang around and talk to people. I am probably older than you. My house will be paid off in 2 years in a very desirable area and also own real state rental property in other states that soon will be paid off. I don't think I could have done that if I place my money on boats, cars, and women (you can choose the order). Then, again I didn't get my first real boat till 4 years ago and do have some regrets of not doing it sooner. Wife, kid, and business were my priorities. Many will advice to "go for it"....but keep in mind where you want to be financialy in 5-10 years. Only you can decide what is best. Finally, if you decide to "go for it"...please, know what you are getting yourself into. Once you sell your home and you find out that living in a boat was not as romantic as you thought...you may end up without neither a home nor a boat and paying rent making someone else rich. That said, there are times I have threatened my wife with selling everything and living in a boat too....she thinks I am crazy and I never have the balls to do it. My sincere apologies if this sounds like a negative view...you can call me a wimp for not being so adventuresome. good luck with your decision, abe
Hi Cullen, our first boat was an H28 that we...
bought shortly after I retired. Sailed her for three years to see whether this was something of interest. We figured if we did not like it we could sell the boat and recoup our money...no big loss. Nice family cruiser. But then the cruising bug bit us so we decided to go bigger and ended up with our current boat, which we've been cruising now for seven years. Just love it. We've been all over the PNW waters and really enjoy being out on the water. We usually spend two months each season up in the various island groups (San Juan, Gulf, Discovery, Broughton) with lots of shorter cruises throughout the year. We found our first boat just walking the local marina one day. Love at first sight. Our current boat was pure luck and what a deal. All the comforts of home. As far as annual costs go that depends upon whether you moor the boat at a local marina or in your back yard. Figure about $2K a year for moorage plus electricity. Annual upkeep figure another $1K. Al this can vary with boat size, age, condition, etc. Terry
bought shortly after I retired. Sailed her for three years to see whether this was something of interest. We figured if we did not like it we could sell the boat and recoup our money...no big loss. Nice family cruiser. But then the cruising bug bit us so we decided to go bigger and ended up with our current boat, which we've been cruising now for seven years. Just love it. We've been all over the PNW waters and really enjoy being out on the water. We usually spend two months each season up in the various island groups (San Juan, Gulf, Discovery, Broughton) with lots of shorter cruises throughout the year. We found our first boat just walking the local marina one day. Love at first sight. Our current boat was pure luck and what a deal. All the comforts of home. As far as annual costs go that depends upon whether you moor the boat at a local marina or in your back yard. Figure about $2K a year for moorage plus electricity. Annual upkeep figure another $1K. Al this can vary with boat size, age, condition, etc. Terry
my experience
I had a 40 year dream of getting a sailboat and finally did so about a year and a half ago. (I'd sailed little sailing dinghies in my youth when I worked at a summer camp up in Maine.) I was finally able to because some things in my life changed which allowed me the time that is required for maintenance and enjoyment. We bought a 1982 Catalina 30 for $14,000. I loved it and had a great time on it and after a year moved up to a newer 36. Although the 30 was really nice, I don't think I'd want to live on a boat of that size. Cruising on a 30 could be different, but I'd imagine that living on it would be the worst of both worlds. Moving onto a larger boat (38-45) might be more comfortable, but then I think it would be more difficult for a novice sailor to handle it. I don't know about the Portland area, but here in the SF Bay, there are all sorts of sailing schools. Also, there are sailing clubs which you can join and, after passing their classes, you can rent their boats. It would seem to me that for someone who's never been sailing, this might be the way to go rather than selling their house and moving onto a boat. (In our case, we had a couple of friends with a lot of sailing experience who helped us a lot, in addition to my taking classes.) Maybe another option: Keep the house for now and buy a smaller boat to get some experience on. Maybe a 20 or 25. I also think it's better to learn sailing on a smaller boat; their response is clearer and more immediate I think, so you get a better feel for it. Of course, everybody is different, and most of what has been written on this thread could be completely wrong for the individual involved. Maybe he'll end up doing what he said and feeling it was the perfect thing for him. Incidentally, another good place to find less expensive sailboats for sale is craigslist.
I had a 40 year dream of getting a sailboat and finally did so about a year and a half ago. (I'd sailed little sailing dinghies in my youth when I worked at a summer camp up in Maine.) I was finally able to because some things in my life changed which allowed me the time that is required for maintenance and enjoyment. We bought a 1982 Catalina 30 for $14,000. I loved it and had a great time on it and after a year moved up to a newer 36. Although the 30 was really nice, I don't think I'd want to live on a boat of that size. Cruising on a 30 could be different, but I'd imagine that living on it would be the worst of both worlds. Moving onto a larger boat (38-45) might be more comfortable, but then I think it would be more difficult for a novice sailor to handle it. I don't know about the Portland area, but here in the SF Bay, there are all sorts of sailing schools. Also, there are sailing clubs which you can join and, after passing their classes, you can rent their boats. It would seem to me that for someone who's never been sailing, this might be the way to go rather than selling their house and moving onto a boat. (In our case, we had a couple of friends with a lot of sailing experience who helped us a lot, in addition to my taking classes.) Maybe another option: Keep the house for now and buy a smaller boat to get some experience on. Maybe a 20 or 25. I also think it's better to learn sailing on a smaller boat; their response is clearer and more immediate I think, so you get a better feel for it. Of course, everybody is different, and most of what has been written on this thread could be completely wrong for the individual involved. Maybe he'll end up doing what he said and feeling it was the perfect thing for him. Incidentally, another good place to find less expensive sailboats for sale is craigslist.
You are biting
... off too much at once. Don't sell the house... rent it! A house will appreciate in value... a boat you just throw money at. Put your wordly possessions in storage. Get a 16' Hobie cat or something along that nature. Doesn't tack without back winding the jib; pitch-poling is always fun; getting thrown around the forestay while on the wire always gets the heart pounding. 1 summer on that and you will be able to sail anything. If you do get a small boat... it would be great if there was a local 1-class fleet (like the boat you just purchased). Great way to pick up sailing pointers and new friends. Now that we have a season of sailing under your belt... yes 30' would be the absolute minimum. You can figure about $5,000 a year for MINOR maintenance. Pressure wash; bottom paint; sails cleaned; hull waxed; commisioning and de-comissioning; mooring or slip; travel lift or transport fees... you can do some of the maintenance yourself, however it all adds up quickly. B.O.A.T. is an acronym for Bring Out Another Thousand. You can get a good seaworthy boat for $1,000 a foot. Get it surveyed by Hathaway in the Portland area. Now that you have that 30' boat... you will have to scramble around for insurance. You will have a hard time acquiring insurance... as know one will want to underwrite your policy as you don't have any other boating experience. While we are on that subject... take a basic seamanship class from the Coast Guard Auxillary... then the navigation class... the cost in minimal and you can network in the class with other sailors. Seeing that you are from Maine... you will need to sail down south for the winter months. That will be a life journey in itself! My advice to you is take it slow... you will know when it is time to leave the dock. Best of Luck, Rich
... off too much at once. Don't sell the house... rent it! A house will appreciate in value... a boat you just throw money at. Put your wordly possessions in storage. Get a 16' Hobie cat or something along that nature. Doesn't tack without back winding the jib; pitch-poling is always fun; getting thrown around the forestay while on the wire always gets the heart pounding. 1 summer on that and you will be able to sail anything. If you do get a small boat... it would be great if there was a local 1-class fleet (like the boat you just purchased). Great way to pick up sailing pointers and new friends. Now that we have a season of sailing under your belt... yes 30' would be the absolute minimum. You can figure about $5,000 a year for MINOR maintenance. Pressure wash; bottom paint; sails cleaned; hull waxed; commisioning and de-comissioning; mooring or slip; travel lift or transport fees... you can do some of the maintenance yourself, however it all adds up quickly. B.O.A.T. is an acronym for Bring Out Another Thousand. You can get a good seaworthy boat for $1,000 a foot. Get it surveyed by Hathaway in the Portland area. Now that you have that 30' boat... you will have to scramble around for insurance. You will have a hard time acquiring insurance... as know one will want to underwrite your policy as you don't have any other boating experience. While we are on that subject... take a basic seamanship class from the Coast Guard Auxillary... then the navigation class... the cost in minimal and you can network in the class with other sailors. Seeing that you are from Maine... you will need to sail down south for the winter months. That will be a life journey in itself! My advice to you is take it slow... you will know when it is time to leave the dock. Best of Luck, Rich
Don't sell your house now ...
You couldn't pick a worse time to try. If you are confident that you will always have work, just buy a small pocket cruiser for less than $10,000 and learn the ropes first. Buy something in the 27' to 30' range with a real keel (not a trailer sailer) and a diesel engine. Do a lot of shopping ... you will have to buy an older boat, but there are plenty that are in good condition and the maintenance and upkeep will teach you valuable lessons even if you prefer a new boat in the future. Are you Portland, Me or Portland Or? Either way, find something that will make you feel secure in any coastal water (others beg to differ - but I would prefer a boat with a keel). In one to three years you will learn so much boat systems and about what you prefer in a boat that you will be glad that you gained the knowledge before trying to find a boat to live on. In three years we are bound to have a better climate in the housing industry and you might be able to sell your house at a worthwhile price. In the meantime, you will learn how to sail, you may find somebody that wants to live on a boat with you, and you may find that you don't really enjoy it unless you have a partner that enjoys it with you. But don't be afraid to buy that first boat. I don't think you can go wrong in that regard!
You couldn't pick a worse time to try. If you are confident that you will always have work, just buy a small pocket cruiser for less than $10,000 and learn the ropes first. Buy something in the 27' to 30' range with a real keel (not a trailer sailer) and a diesel engine. Do a lot of shopping ... you will have to buy an older boat, but there are plenty that are in good condition and the maintenance and upkeep will teach you valuable lessons even if you prefer a new boat in the future. Are you Portland, Me or Portland Or? Either way, find something that will make you feel secure in any coastal water (others beg to differ - but I would prefer a boat with a keel). In one to three years you will learn so much boat systems and about what you prefer in a boat that you will be glad that you gained the knowledge before trying to find a boat to live on. In three years we are bound to have a better climate in the housing industry and you might be able to sell your house at a worthwhile price. In the meantime, you will learn how to sail, you may find somebody that wants to live on a boat with you, and you may find that you don't really enjoy it unless you have a partner that enjoys it with you. But don't be afraid to buy that first boat. I don't think you can go wrong in that regard!
Same Advice
Cullen, I have to give the same advice as everyone else. Don't sell the house quite yet. Keep it and get a small, say 20-25 foot, boat with some type of ballasted keel. Even a swing up iron keel like they have on many small trailer sailors. You can get this for less than 10k easy, keeps maintenance costs down since you can launch and haul yourself. Will give you a real good idea if you even like sailing and going places by boat. If you can get a slip or mooring for your boat to keep it ready to go through the sailing season. Having to rig the boat to sail off a trailer is a real pain. You will enjoy it much more if you can just hop on the boat and go. Makes it feel like a bigger boat too. If you still love it then either move up to a bigger boat, 30-35 feet, and go farther. I have been sailing for 6 years now, taken ASA courses, learned a lot and still feel like I have a ton to learn. I plan on taking a year to cruise the Carib in about 8 years. Will rent the house while we are gone. Good luck and keep going. I share your dream!
Cullen, I have to give the same advice as everyone else. Don't sell the house quite yet. Keep it and get a small, say 20-25 foot, boat with some type of ballasted keel. Even a swing up iron keel like they have on many small trailer sailors. You can get this for less than 10k easy, keeps maintenance costs down since you can launch and haul yourself. Will give you a real good idea if you even like sailing and going places by boat. If you can get a slip or mooring for your boat to keep it ready to go through the sailing season. Having to rig the boat to sail off a trailer is a real pain. You will enjoy it much more if you can just hop on the boat and go. Makes it feel like a bigger boat too. If you still love it then either move up to a bigger boat, 30-35 feet, and go farther. I have been sailing for 6 years now, taken ASA courses, learned a lot and still feel like I have a ton to learn. I plan on taking a year to cruise the Carib in about 8 years. Will rent the house while we are gone. Good luck and keep going. I share your dream!
Test the water first
Ya know, not everybody enjoys sailing after they've tried it. I know it's hard to believe but wouldn't it suck if you sold everything, bought a great boat (OK Good boat for $35k) and then found out you really can't live in less that 200 square feet and really can't stand going 5 - 7 knots on a good day leaning 10-20 degrees. Bob Bitchin (in Lats & Atts)said it best when he wrote about living the dream. I paraphrase here -- make SURE it's YOUR dream
Ya know, not everybody enjoys sailing after they've tried it. I know it's hard to believe but wouldn't it suck if you sold everything, bought a great boat (OK Good boat for $35k) and then found out you really can't live in less that 200 square feet and really can't stand going 5 - 7 knots on a good day leaning 10-20 degrees. Bob Bitchin (in Lats & Atts)said it best when he wrote about living the dream. I paraphrase here -- make SURE it's YOUR dream
You know the old saying
if you have to ask you can't afford it. Here is my advice: 1. The boat should be AT LEAST 34' long. 2. Look in www.yachtworld.com for boats 34 to 42 built from 1980 under $35,000 in your area. 3. If you can't find anything you like go down to 1970. 4. Start calling marinas in your area and ask them what they charge live aboards to stay for the year. 5. You don't have to sail the boat or fix it up so you can leave this out of the calculation. You can spend as much or as little as you want fixing a boat up. I spend about $500 for general maintenance and up to $2000 for system updates per year. I had a friend that made this big spreadsheet to calculate cost. Next thing he is spending on all kinds of stuff including car gas. I keeep asking, "was that in your spreadsheet". The answer was always NO!
if you have to ask you can't afford it. Here is my advice: 1. The boat should be AT LEAST 34' long. 2. Look in www.yachtworld.com for boats 34 to 42 built from 1980 under $35,000 in your area. 3. If you can't find anything you like go down to 1970. 4. Start calling marinas in your area and ask them what they charge live aboards to stay for the year. 5. You don't have to sail the boat or fix it up so you can leave this out of the calculation. You can spend as much or as little as you want fixing a boat up. I spend about $500 for general maintenance and up to $2000 for system updates per year. I had a friend that made this big spreadsheet to calculate cost. Next thing he is spending on all kinds of stuff including car gas. I keeep asking, "was that in your spreadsheet". The answer was always NO!
worst nightmare
The worst nightmare, for most liveaboards, is having a new neighbor who: 1. is attempting to live on a boat that cost less than $35k; and, 2. doesn't know diddly about sailing. At the risk of sounding harsh, I advise you not to expect to be a welcome addition to any marina with a strong liveaboard community.
The worst nightmare, for most liveaboards, is having a new neighbor who: 1. is attempting to live on a boat that cost less than $35k; and, 2. doesn't know diddly about sailing. At the risk of sounding harsh, I advise you not to expect to be a welcome addition to any marina with a strong liveaboard community.
What manner of snobbery puts a price tag
on a boat and uses that to determine the worthiness of a person? My boat complete cost less than 40 thousand and for all you know I am a curmudgeon of the first order. Allow my halyards to slap endlessly, tie my boat up with 1/4 inch yellow poly rope and ask to borrow tools and stuff and never return anything until you ask for it back. Or I may be a saint who will give you the shirt off my back if I think you need it.
on a boat and uses that to determine the worthiness of a person? My boat complete cost less than 40 thousand and for all you know I am a curmudgeon of the first order. Allow my halyards to slap endlessly, tie my boat up with 1/4 inch yellow poly rope and ask to borrow tools and stuff and never return anything until you ask for it back. Or I may be a saint who will give you the shirt off my back if I think you need it.
might throw in my 2 cents
When I turned 50 (six years ago) I bought a 37' Irwin for $18,500 having just missed on a 34' something or other (sailboat) for $12,000. My daughter and her husband moved in to my house and I moved on to the boat, docked in Cleveland. That meant I had storage at home and did not need to actually MOVE everything on board. If I did, I know I would have most likely given up as I just have too much junk. Do I need the room of a house? Not really. Did I enjoy the two years I lived on the boat? Heck yes. Will I do it again? Shortly. The 37 has a lot of room if you know where to store everything, at least according to my neighbor on his 30' Catalina. And as for cheapies like me, am I a good neighbor to my marina mates? I've tied up other boats during storms, chased off robbers, always keep many many extra dock lines for all kind of things, mostly other boaters who tie their boats with bikini strings, dragged logs out of the marina (and they were no where near my boat), washed the bathrooms completely on occasion, and on and on. I even washed my neighbors 38' stinkpot twice this summer because it was dirty and needed it. Never saw the guy all summer either! He put his boat in, and took it out. Thats it for the summer. And I took many groups out sailing because I had the biggest boat that could easily handle large to us waves on Lake Erie. And I lose a lot at Backgammon on purpose to make the others feel good. If I were to do it again, I'd do it again!!!...Buy an Irwin 37. 37'Irwins are inexpensive and hold up. Not the best boats out there, but it serves my purposes. Of course I did do a lot of things to it to make it keep going that the average guy probably couldn't do. That translates into buy a better boat if you can't do the work yourself.
When I turned 50 (six years ago) I bought a 37' Irwin for $18,500 having just missed on a 34' something or other (sailboat) for $12,000. My daughter and her husband moved in to my house and I moved on to the boat, docked in Cleveland. That meant I had storage at home and did not need to actually MOVE everything on board. If I did, I know I would have most likely given up as I just have too much junk. Do I need the room of a house? Not really. Did I enjoy the two years I lived on the boat? Heck yes. Will I do it again? Shortly. The 37 has a lot of room if you know where to store everything, at least according to my neighbor on his 30' Catalina. And as for cheapies like me, am I a good neighbor to my marina mates? I've tied up other boats during storms, chased off robbers, always keep many many extra dock lines for all kind of things, mostly other boaters who tie their boats with bikini strings, dragged logs out of the marina (and they were no where near my boat), washed the bathrooms completely on occasion, and on and on. I even washed my neighbors 38' stinkpot twice this summer because it was dirty and needed it. Never saw the guy all summer either! He put his boat in, and took it out. Thats it for the summer. And I took many groups out sailing because I had the biggest boat that could easily handle large to us waves on Lake Erie. And I lose a lot at Backgammon on purpose to make the others feel good. If I were to do it again, I'd do it again!!!...Buy an Irwin 37. 37'Irwins are inexpensive and hold up. Not the best boats out there, but it serves my purposes. Of course I did do a lot of things to it to make it keep going that the average guy probably couldn't do. That translates into buy a better boat if you can't do the work yourself.
But you still have your house, Letterman....
..would you give your house up completely like Cullen? I would not. Well, put me in the M. Falcon, without any debt and I might reconsider it. My son is not old enough yet..but when the time comes I might consider getting a bigger boat to live in and have my son live in our house and pay me some rent. Now to convince the Mrs. abe
..would you give your house up completely like Cullen? I would not. Well, put me in the M. Falcon, without any debt and I might reconsider it. My son is not old enough yet..but when the time comes I might consider getting a bigger boat to live in and have my son live in our house and pay me some rent. Now to convince the Mrs. abe
Ross, you seem to have missed the conjunction there...
...between the first item and the second. I have no doubt that there are any number of people who live on inexpensive boats who would make for good neighbors. Equally, however, I have no doubt that the non-sailor moving aboard an inexpensive boat will rarely make for a good neighbor. When it begins to rain and the boat begins to leak, rather than re-bed the hatches the non-sailor will inevitably purchase a blue plastic tarp and attempt to create a $5 cocoon for the boat. When it comes time to do preventative maintenance to keep the boat from sinking/stinking or becoming an eyesore, the non-sailor on the cheap boat often won't know what to do and won't have the financial wherewithal to hire someone who does. Bottom line, it tends to be the non-sailors attempting to live in marinas on the cheap who give liveaboards a bad name. Suddenly, the lifelong sailor living in a well-kept yacht finds himself not welcomed in most marinas because the harbormasters have had such bad experiences with the non-sailor attempting to make a home of a near-derelict. My advice to Cullen was not to expect a warm welcome in most marinas. I did not condemn him for being a worthless person. The fact is, on the West Coast he's going to have a difficult time finding a quality marina in which he might make a home on a <$35,000 boat. The fact that--by his own self admission--he knows almost nothing about boats clearly adds to the difficulties he will face.
...between the first item and the second. I have no doubt that there are any number of people who live on inexpensive boats who would make for good neighbors. Equally, however, I have no doubt that the non-sailor moving aboard an inexpensive boat will rarely make for a good neighbor. When it begins to rain and the boat begins to leak, rather than re-bed the hatches the non-sailor will inevitably purchase a blue plastic tarp and attempt to create a $5 cocoon for the boat. When it comes time to do preventative maintenance to keep the boat from sinking/stinking or becoming an eyesore, the non-sailor on the cheap boat often won't know what to do and won't have the financial wherewithal to hire someone who does. Bottom line, it tends to be the non-sailors attempting to live in marinas on the cheap who give liveaboards a bad name. Suddenly, the lifelong sailor living in a well-kept yacht finds himself not welcomed in most marinas because the harbormasters have had such bad experiences with the non-sailor attempting to make a home of a near-derelict. My advice to Cullen was not to expect a warm welcome in most marinas. I did not condemn him for being a worthless person. The fact is, on the West Coast he's going to have a difficult time finding a quality marina in which he might make a home on a <$35,000 boat. The fact that--by his own self admission--he knows almost nothing about boats clearly adds to the difficulties he will face.
John, I am not trying to add fuel to the fire...
..but you might want to change the paragragh "I did not condemn him for being a worthless person". I know you probably did not mean it,and I know what you meant.... but you called Cullen a worthless person. abe
..but you might want to change the paragragh "I did not condemn him for being a worthless person". I know you probably did not mean it,and I know what you meant.... but you called Cullen a worthless person. abe
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