My latest bad idea(boat content)

I want to transfer with work to the DC area. My idea for housing is to live on this in a marina. $5500 for the boat then the cost of the marina...

What could possibly go wrong?

Have you ever lived on a boat?
It really is small.

Have you priced Marinas?
They are not cheap and not all marinas will allow you to do the "live aboard" thing.

Here is an internet tip:
http://marinas.com/
This link will take you to aerial photos of many marinas in the world.

I was expecting something like this

Challenge car?

But it has Trim Tabs.. What could possibly go wrong!

someone needs to hotlink a picture of Dennis Hopper in Waterworld "he's like a turd that won't flush"

The cabin on a 25' Baja is TINY!! You will bail in a week, max. A friend of mine has one with twin blown 454 big block Chevys. He doesn't go out in it much.

I did the live aboard thing for almost two years. You learn to live in a very compact way. It was cool when I was single and young.

I did it for a while too. It is not necessarily a bad idea, particularly in big cities where apartment rent can be absurd. If I were to do it again, I'd go LARGE - the biggest old cabin cruiser I could find. In non-running condition, these can be had for a song. I'd consider pulling the motor(s) and putting in a small washing machine instead.

EDIT - you probably can't get away with the washing machine these days...

How much are slip fees in a year-round marina?

How much extra will dockside electrical and water supply access cost?

How well can you stand temperature extremes and constant humidity?

Where can you stand-up straight?

Where does the GF put her "stuff"?

There are SO many other things to think about..........

oldsaw wrote: Where can you stand-up straight? Where does the GF put her "stuff"?

Well documented nautical true-ism...
"Girls will not lay down in a boat they can not stand up in."

I love that boat in bludroptops photo, well the outside, very classy looking.

Way too small to live in, and why suffer when houseboats are so cheap?

48' houseboat for $30K

38' houseboat for $17K

36' houseboat for $23K

35' houseboat for $7K

I mean, $7K for a house AND a boat? Plus you get a front porch and a deck!

Bluedroptop: What kind/year of boat? Is that an Owens?
What part of the world?

Wayslow: Where and what did you live aboard?

Neon 4891:
You may think so, but you will rarely (if ever) take your boat away from the dock. Most everything you own is in that boat. A bit of organizing needs to happen before hitting the high seas.

Live-a-board-ing walks a fine line from being one step away from homelessness. Guys on big boats more than 40 ft make it look classy-ish. Anything smaller and it looks like living in a tent.

Thanks for giving me an idea for another thing to strap a jet engine/ rocket engine to...

Never try to live full time in something you can tow. Jus' sayin'

ultraclyde wrote: Never try to live full time in something you can tow. Jus' sayin'

A very quick Craigslist search in the DC area turned up this gem - asking price less than $10k and could probably be bought for well less.

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/boa/1690648059.html

jrw1621: 1948 J.J. Taylor & Sons 36' aft cabin cruiser. I have no connection to the boat - just found a picture via Google image search for "old cabin cruiser".

May not be in yor budget right now, but there's a whole world of these things out there. Entire communities have been built up.

http://www.bowcrest.com/dutch-barge-specialists/index.php/floating-homes/

jrw1621 wrote:

oldsaw wrote: Where can you stand-up straight? Where does the GF put her "stuff"?

Well documented nautical true-ism... "Girls will not lay down in a boat they can not stand up in."

I saw a vid taken from a helicopter with a couple on a waverunner that says otherwise

914Driver wrote: May not be in yor budget right now, but there's a whole world of these things out there. Entire communities have been built up. http://www.bowcrest.com/dutch-barge-specialists/index.php/floating-homes/

You don't have to go to Europe to have a houseboat like those. You can go to Seattle.

Hot linked for your viewing pleasure.

My great aunt & uncle lived on a houseboat for years, in the Netherlands naturally. Nothing as swanky as those ones though.

I would, if I could have a garage on land nearby.

See, mtn, that's exactly what I'm saying. No way I could co-hab with the wife in that little house for very long.

Besides, I meant that "You" could tow - as in one of our typical forum members who doesn't actually have access to heavy equip and a CDL...of course, on THIS forum, that might not be true...

OTOH, I think living on a decent sized houseboat would be ubercool, but like Jay I'd have to have a garage nearby.

I almost did this, back when I was working for the yacht maintenance company. If you're gong to live on a boat, choose a wide one. And get a good heater.

And, look here:

http://www.charityboatsales.org/

Me, I'd opt for the 37' Egg Harbor. That's a quality boat. Plus, it sleeps five, so you don't have to worry about things getting too crowded on that night that you bring four drunken college girls home.

...or the $200 Jag.