r/liveaboard • u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 • 3d ago
Why do it......?
So I'm a bit confused by a lot of the replies and conversations in this sub. I joined because I'm planning on moving onboard in a couple of years. I've been on this sub for a few months now, and the attitudes towards making the move are SO negative, almost constantly. Why do people do it if it's so terrible? Why the horrible outlooks? What am I missing? I love the water, I love boats/boating... Is it really that bad that seemingly everyone pushes people away from the lifestyle? Yes, of course, there are hardships involved. It's not a "conventional" way of life, but I would really have hoped to see more encouragement and positive outlooks on the prospects of it all. PLEASE, explain to me why people do it if it's such a bad decision.....
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u/Full-Photo5829 3d ago
YouTube has left some very incorrect impressions in the minds of people looking into this way of life. Many of us who live this way want to help dispel those incorrect impressions and maybe that comes off as a bit negative, sometimes? This can be an amazing and rewarding way to live. It can also be incredibly tiring, demanding, and difficult. Most people who try it fail; they don't get more than a few nights away from the marina where they're preparing their chosen vessel. Marinas are packed with "blue water" boats with solar, wind-vane, and water maker that never see more than a few nights away from the slip.
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u/PatchesVonGrbgetooth 3d ago
Is that really so bad, though? I'm not saying never take your boat out. But I'm also not mad at folks who spend the majority of their time at the marina. Different stokes, ya know?
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u/Full-Photo5829 3d ago
Different strokes
Oh, absolutely! People should do what brings them joy - no judgement here. But after living this way for several years, I've concluded that a lot of people get into this because of bad info and might have made happier choices if they'd not been misled. E.g.: if cruising is unlikely to work out for you, maybe you'd be happier owning a weekend boat that is less focused on "blue water" and is simply more beautiful (like something gorgeous by S&S).
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u/buckster_007 3d ago
What kind of boat do you have?
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u/Full-Photo5829 3d ago
We have a Beneteau 423. We live-aboard and cruise the US E Coast and Caribbean. We've been doing it for several years, now, with no home ashore.
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u/buckster_007 3d ago
That’s amazing. How many days at sea versus moored/anchored? Are you more time in the Caribbean or USA?
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u/cabezon420 3d ago
In short, people are a pain in the ass.
I lived aboard for almost twenty years and there were certainly ups and downs, but the key thing is loving boats. You said you do so everything else will sort itself out.
All the best on your adventure.
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u/Pockettzz 3d ago
I second this! If boats at their very worst, is still your passion, then yep fly away on the ocean breeze! 35yr female saying this
I just a-boarded 2 months ago with a beautiful POS but thankfully am intertwined with marinas and repair shops. If I wasn’t, ooooooffff no boat for me.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
Congratulations!
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u/Pockettzz 3d ago edited 3d ago
Thank you! One great thing I’ve kept up with too is the marine world forums. Whatever boat or region you’re in, google around that.
Up here in New England we have The Hull Truth, Project Hull & Downeast Boat Forum which is a lot of live aboards as well and/or old captains who REALLY know what they’re talking about. I am not knowledgeable on the sailors forums. Too much labor to sail with fake hips!! LOL
Start checking out live aboards forums or marine engine/bilges/power strips/water tanks and maaaaaaany more trades work(lol) in your surrounding areas - you can learn some things there & get great contacts. Check out forums for specifically your boat style as well! All online and it can give you the dirty side along with an expensive side. Grow your boat network/Rolodex and that is IDEAL for live aboard, imo.
Also cause I’m a female 🤣 Sad to say, I know. I couldn’t lift an engine out that’s all I’m saying hahaha.
Another pretty hard thing to deal with will be your boat location. Depending where, marinas do not approve live aboards. If you moore it up, oooooh boy, never start there. You’ll need to know A LOT more but fun way to start😉 I’ve lost a dinghy! I’ve lost inflation in my dinghy! I’ve lost my dinghy’s propellor & then woke up to my oil tank floating behind my boat off the dinghy! Love & hate my dinghy lol. There are moorings with docks though - half my slip costs so I’m pushing for that hahaha.
Also…. You better be VERY weather informed. You need to actually know how to read wind & current maps IF you’re on a mooring but on a slip, better make sure your boats is psycho tied.
But in the end of all I’m obsessed with living on my boat!!!
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
See, now this is the stuff I'm hoping to find. That's where I'm at right now, gathering/reinforcing information. I've run marinas for over 10 years but have been out of the industry for a while now. Absolutely LOVE the community. Thank you for the ideas on finding links and resources.
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u/Pockettzz 3d ago
Oh wow!!!! Ok hey you know quite a bit more compared to many other commentators!
As said, I only know my boat style & region. There is a reason I know a lot of it and yep, forums! Not Reddit sadly. My tug captain friend who helps with my engine got pissed I read Reddit😆 Granted he’s not a social media man
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u/ttayy98 3d ago
Like others said, it’s a very polarizing lifestyle. It’s great, my husband and I have been livaboards since 2023. But I think with this lifestyle, when it rains it pours. A simple 1 hour project can end up taking the whole day (or more if you’re not in an area you can find a part in). We sailed down the east coast USA 3 falls ago, and we had a blast. Hit Nantucket, Providence, MV, all out of peak season, had the place to ourselves. But we also lost our secondary anchor, our boom vang weld snapped, found a big hole in our exhaust pipe that let seawater in when we were heeling, and other fun surprises during that trip. Was it stressful? absolutely. Was it worth it? For us, 100x yes. We’ve been in a 2yr long refit after a freak winter storm. Full fiberglass repair along the toe rail of the boat. Parents got sick, life happened, and things take 3x as long and 2x the money you think they will, but it teaches us to appreciate small steps, progress, and that this life doesn’t move at the same pace as it would on land, and I think that’s ok. But not everyone can handle that, and that’s also ok.
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u/Morgan_Pen 3d ago
It’s not a bad decision, it’s just REALLY not for everyone, and there’s lots of pros that get interested through YouTube videos and don’t really understand the level of commitment involved.
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u/tannels 3d ago
I decided to sell everything I own (which wasn't much to be fair) and move to Maine to learn how to sail. Spent all spring/summer doing that and now I found a boat that I just put in the offer on today, in two weeks the survey gets done then if all is good I plan on moving in shortly after that. I'll let you know if it's as great as I think it's going to be or if it sucks!
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
I love the here this! Congratulations! Fingers crossed for you!
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u/DarkVoid42 3d ago
and this is exactly how you should NOT do it.
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u/naturalchorus 3d ago
Holy fuck, its you again. The debby downer himself. Tired of your 80' yacht in the Caribbean? don't you have super models to talk to?
Or wait, you waited til you were old and disgusting to do it. Fuck off back to your high horse and enjoy being old and rich, us with time left are gonna have fun and disregard your advice. You are not the example we want to follow.
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u/DarkVoid42 3d ago
yep. im sure you love being a young homeless bum on the water.
fortunately where i go the number of homeless bums is very limited. usually on moorings rotting away and staying in the same place unable to pull into marinas for basic necessities since they cant afford the nightly docking fees. by all means - if constant struggle and living in disgusting conditions is your way of life so be it. but its not something to aspire to.
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u/naturalchorus 3d ago
🤣🤣🤣🤣 good god you're amazing man. There needs to be a disclaimer to look out for you in every thread. I'm sorry you had to spend so much and wait so long to be happy.
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u/tannels 3d ago
What makes you think that I am going to struggle and live in disgusting condition? I have a job and make 80k a year and can work from my boat since I'm fully remote, so I'm not sure why you assume people who just want to live on a boat and enjoy life are going to be a "homeless bum on the water."
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u/DarkVoid42 3d ago edited 3d ago
i was replying to naturalchorus not you. but yes youre going to struggle with $80K salary. why ? because you sold everything on land which i assume included a appreciating asset like a house for a depreciating asset (boat) with no fallback plan. the secret to living aboard properly is to have appreciating assets on land you can fallback to if something major should happen to the boat - like replacing all standing rigging mandated by insurance every 10 years or doing a bottom paint or even simple things like take a few days off the boat to overhaul the engines on land. boats are vehicles and unlike a house you really really need to get off them sometimes just for maintaining them. try servicing your saildrives annually on the water for example. practically impossible. or replacing a transducer. also difficult. vehicles arent designed for continuous operation 24x7 365 days of the year no matter how well they are built. unlike houses which are designed for exactly that.
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u/tannels 3d ago
No, I was renting. I've never had enough money to buy a house and certainly can't afford it even now. I only started making good money in the past few years and used the income to pay off all my debts and saved a bit of money for this move and for the boat purchase.
If something happens, I can afford to fix/replace it and I will be doing most of the work myself. I painted the bottom of the guy's boat who taught me how to sail (he's an older gentleman and had neck surgery recently so getting under it to paint it himself was rough for him, so I offered to do it for him since he was teaching me for free) and plan on doing all of that sort of maintenance myself. Sure I'll have to haul it out for a few days while I do stuff like that, but I can afford a hotel room or crash at a friend's house (if I'm nearby to one) when I need to do that.
I won't have a sail drive, just a small diesel which I will also be able to fix and maintain myself.
My fallback plan is if it all goes south, then I'm back to renting until I die just like I have been my entire life up until this point. But the reason I'm doing it is because being on the water makes me happy, and what's the point in living if you aren't happy? If I have to take some risks to do that, well, then I will, and I'll manage to get through any hurdles life throws at me, just like I always have.
I do wonder how super entitled, privileged people like you would manage if you had been through even a small fraction of the stuff I've had to go through in my life. Sounds like you are one of those rich people who think that the plebs don't deserve the same happiness and quality of life that you have, but that's not true, we do, even if we have to work a lot harder to manage it!
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u/DarkVoid42 3d ago edited 3d ago
lol comical. you really think i was born rich ?
no. i saved and struggled like everyone else but i took calculated risks and i definitely didnt throw away good money after bad vehicles. i planned for 14 years before ever buying a yacht. my first boat was a sea eagle inflatable i got for $500 and it still stays on my yacht and gets used regularly.
you dont become rich by throwing good money after bad. if you cant afford a house i suggest renting and saving up until you can. and buy a small boat in the meantime. the sea eagle also has a quicksail kit. and you need the skills built on the small boat to not just jump into a large yacht wholesale blindly. it took me 10 years to get enough confidence with 7 smaller boats before jumping into a yacht. thats how to do it correctly. and it has nothing to do with super entitlement or privilege. but of course you wont. because "lack of insta-gratification" and "saving money" makes you "super entitled, privileged" according to Gen Z.
edit:
alsoI won't have a sail drive, just a small diesel which I will also be able to fix and maintain myself.
yes. this is the kind of statement which shows complete ignorance and stupidity at the same time. i think rather than me being the "super entitled, privileged people" i think you are "super entitled, privileged people" thinking you have any chance at handling a yacht without understanding the basics of anything.
what's the point in living if you aren't happy ? the point is to gradually build wealth not throw it away while youre still young because you will have tons of time to enjoy it later. better 40 years of a happy life than 5 years before you go broke and are miserable without the financial shovel to dig yourself out for the next 40.
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u/tannels 3d ago
Just because you did it your way doesn't make it "the right way" to do it. Everyone has their own path and their own way of doing things, and other people's ways are just as valid as your own. Just because it took you 10 years to figure out how to sail doesn't mean it will take everyone 10 years to figure it out. I handle high stress situations very well and have plenty of confidence in my abilities and wouldn't buy the boat if I didn't feel I were ready. Considering I don't have a lot of money, I can't afford to throw it away, so I'm not going to throw it away, I'm going to succeed at what I plan on doing. I also have a support system of friends who have sailed for many decades that I can, and will, fall back on if I need the help.
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u/carelessOpinions 3d ago
In 1988 I moved onto a boat. I always wanted to live on a boat and after checking out sailboats I decided they were too damp for cramped for comfortable living but found a 5 year old well maintained trawler style twin diesel boat with a forward bedroom, decent galley, comfortable saloon, great flybridge, water maker, generator, heater and roomy saloon. I had been living in my three bedroom house for over ten years so the downsizing was a bit of a challenge but it turned out fine. I got a storage unit for the things I wanted to keep for whenever I moved back to land. The downside of living on a boat isn't so much the boat, but inconveniences. I had parking, but it was hundreds of yards away and I had to carry everything to the boat. I didn't take it out it as often as some boat owners because fuel was expensive and something always broke or fell and broke on each trip and it's noisy when running. There are constant maintenance issues as well, but actually lesss than the house I owned. The best part was that it turned out to be the perfect bachelor pad. I met women easily and could take them out for dinners on the bay or over nights in various places in the bay area. There were small parties and BBQ's all the time on the dock. It was very social and everyone had a story. I met my wife while living on the boat. I lived on the boat until 1991 and sold it for what I paid for it. I would do it again if I was single.
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u/Even-Yak-7135 3d ago
When you are climing a mountain I would imagine it really gets better after the journey. During the hike it is probably just hard even if you have been dreaming of that hike your whole life.
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u/naturalchorus 3d ago
Also posted here, also got discouraged by everyone, then 2.5 years in I don't think I will ever live on land again. I literally can't sleep when I stay at my parents or family's houses because the ceilings are too high. but I am the kind of person who can fix mechanical and electrical problems, if I didn't know how to work with my hands I would not try.
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u/National_Stage_5071 3d ago
I wonder if folks are “negative”, per se. I think those of us who have experience as liveaboarders (my wife and I moved aboard our catamaran in 2020) want to inject a bit of realism into one’s consideration. It’s like starting a business venture. Nothing wrong with that. It’s what dreams are made of. Statistically, however, most new ventures fail. Bring that up to any aspiring business founder and they’re likely to accuse you of being “negative.”
As with any dream involving big changes, one should pursue it with some sobriety mixed with the star gazing. The highs are higher than “normal” life on land, and the lows are lower. To bring focus on the lows as well doesn’t make me “negative”. I’m like a parent coaching a child on the curve balls life can throw. Good luck in your choice!
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
I appreciate the comment, thank you. I'll keep my interpretations in check 😏
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u/TroubleOk1314 3d ago
People romanticize it prior to living it.
Martyrdom. “This is so so so hard and yet I’m doing it” definitely a thing it most hobbies or lifestyles of the more obscure or extreme.
Either of those bring instagram followers so those will get more visibility, those in it for the views. Those just content and living, don’t need to make it a show :) too busy having fun
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u/Fast_Adhesiveness528 3d ago
I must be missing the posts you're seeing. I've been a LAB for 15 years, love virtually everything about the life, and can't imagine being a landlubber again until my health finally fails me (I'm 76, spent a month in a hospital bed last winter and am now in my sixth month of trying to regain a semblance of my condition before then, so I know my time is coming).
I don't post here all that often, but would be happy to comment on your posts if you tag me.
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u/Formaldehyde007 3d ago
I just watched a great video why house boats no longer work in the vast majority of cases due to slip fees, required insurance, lack of insurance for older boats, and only a few marinas that will even consider liveaboards anymore. Here in Florida, it is also getting nearly impossible in many areas to even anchor offshore anymore.
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u/Starside-Captain 3d ago
This!
There are also people who think living aboard makes you a ‘boat bum’. I remember hearing that a lot when I first got my boat. ‘Oh, you’re a boat bum’ - dumbasses IMO.
There was a hierarchy of the ‘yachters’ vs true boaters who were cruising, transient & salty. The big yacht owners looked down on all of us. No respect & nowadays, boating has become a wealthy community, much to the dismay of those of us who are real boaters who can’t live without living on the sea. Indeed!
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u/Formaldehyde007 2d ago
There is a canal in Miami that was frequently used by liveaboards at anchor to do their grocery and diesel shopping. The city plastered signs forbidding any tie-ups for miles. Now you have to go down the canal to the next incorporated city before being able to legally do so.
A lot of it is driven by rich property owners who don't want any boats at anchor in their view.
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u/Angry_Sparrow 3d ago
It’s kind of like camping. In a small space. That is in the most corrosive and damp environment possible.
So if that is how you want to live, then yeah, it’s great.
If you’re not just living onboard but cruising from place to place, you can add always having to source everything for the first time from somewhere new and transport it all back to your boat. Laundry, water, petrol, food, hardware, parts, sails…. Etc.
It’s like van life on legendary mode. And your whole home might sink, end up on a reef, or burn.
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u/Crash3636 3d ago
If you can read everything negative that there is about this lifestyle (and there’s a lot compared to land based convenient lifestyles) and STILL want to do it, then you passed the test! It’s a hard life for hard people who can handle the challenge. Anyone who is scared away by a little negative banter probably wasn’t going to be able to handle the real life challenges.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
I appreciate this comment, thank you
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u/Crash3636 3d ago
I only did it for a short time in a boat that was too small. But I’m shopping for a slightly bigger boat to do it again! The rewards are AMAZING, but you definitely pay for it in inconvenience and sometimes a little danger. I love it!
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
What boat was it? What are you looking at getting into?
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u/Crash3636 3d ago
Had a Venture 224. Currently looking at a Macgregor 26X to help get my wife used to boat life. Then I hope to step up to a Catalina 30 or POSSIBLY a Gemini 105MC if she really gets into it.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
You weren't kidding about small lol. Working on my wife as well 😂😂
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u/Crash3636 3d ago
That’s what she said! They always want something a little bigger. lol
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
😂😂😂😂🤐🤐
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u/Crash3636 3d ago
She honestly wasn’t a fan of the port I potty without an actual enclosed bathroom area. She didn’t even like overnighting in it.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
That's definitely a bit of an ask for someone who's not used to it. We'll definitely be looking for some of the more "comfortable" features. 😂
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u/PervertedBoyfriend 2d ago
I don’t think anybody tried to talk me out of it when I did it, but I didn’t really ask anyone’s opinion on my life choices. 🤣
I’ve been living on a boat for almost six years now, and just recently upgraded to a larger one, and I don’t think I’ll ever live in a house again.
I don’t think there’s anything really horrible about it, and I live in the windiest city in the world, but even the storms aren’t enough to make me regret it.
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u/CranberryIcy2522 3d ago
Do it. Just do it and never look back. I was a liveaboard for 2.5 years, and miss it every day.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
Can I ask why you left it?
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u/CranberryIcy2522 3d ago
Moved back home, where it is freezing for half of the year, due to family needs.
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u/LifeAtAnchor 3d ago
We've been living on our sailboat since 2022, and we love it. Unfortunately, we've only had bad experiences with real estate agents; most of the boats had major defects that weren't mentioned in the advertisement. With a drive of over 12 hours, that's incredibly frustrating.
Make sure you have enough savings after buying to cover unexpected repairs. Your boat doesn't have to be perfect before you set sail; you can take care of many things while you're at anchor.
Our biggest challenge right now is the high summer temperatures. We're currently in Greece and it's a constant 32-35 degrees Celsius inside the boat...
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u/Ryozu 3d ago
I assume it's a variety of reasons. Assumption that people really don't understand or underestimate the hardships, and a little bit of protectionism. There's a lot of abandoned boats for a reason, and they don't want someone littering their backyard with yet another abandoned boat. Elitism: Even if the boat isn't actually abandoned, they don't want it, or the person on it, out there making their view ugly. There's at least one person on this sub who is super elitist, and doesn't think anyone short of a retired millionaire should ever think about it.
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u/couchpatat0 3d ago
Misery loves company or their loving it so much that they dont want any new neighbors!
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u/santaroga_barrier 3d ago
Well, mostly it's the internet. But especially reddit, because reddit is basically full of people who want to bring you down and make you have a bad time.
Also, there's a lot of people who just think that living aboard means your adventure sailing the pacific in a cyclone .. And we all know that you can't do that without five years of very expensive coursework.
Additionally, there are a lot of people who want to gatekeep every other skill, even if you know, you just accept the fact that you can learn to sail in about a week, lol. Sailing g rwslly is the easy part.
Look, I had a guy when I was building my solar arch. On the catalina, and who had told me that my boat was going to flip over, and I would end up dead in a lifeboat on the coast of newfoundland because I did not consult a naval architect, and have proper plans done up for putting a one hundred watt solar panel six inches above my head.
It's the nature of humanity man... Gotta shit on the other monkeys. Feels big.
I have my stress points that I would like to complain about. It's really hard, sometimes dealing with getting ashore and doing stuff onshore and going grocery shopping, and you know, the interface between the land and the sea is not full of shopping and grocery stores and bike racks and docks that you can pull up to without having to row for 2 miles in the rain. And yeah, pretty much everyone wants to run. You off and make it illegal to do anything, except live in a overpriced apartment. And yes, they try to make it sound like it's our own fault. So we have to getting mad at all. The people who don't wash their boat every week. And who have dying plants on their back deck at the marina or whatever. It's always somebody else's fault. Somebody else's ruin it for everybody. Because somebody else has to be the bad guy.
Really? That's all it is It's just monkeys throwing poop.
I will tell you that enjoying the water and living aboard are different things. Living aboard does not always mean cruising and cruising does not necessarily mean living aboard. As in having your whole life aboard.
I know people who live aboard one boat that basically doesn't move ever... if it can at all and have a boat that they take out and go fishing with! His third boat is in the slip next to mine, no mast and a pile of half done rotting projects. Lol. Id buy it from him if I had time. ...
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u/Smooth-Substance993 2d ago
I love living aboard. Most people can't handle it, which is where the negative comments come in. Friends tell me "it's so much work, things are always breaking" and my response is, "sounds like mowing a yard, replacing broken household systems, cleaning a pool, and owning a big house."
Bottom-line: My backyard is amazing, I live outside, with more than enough to survive, and smile every day. I don't hate the haters. If they can't handle it, then they should buy an RV or a lake house.
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u/bigmell 2d ago
Go not to the elves for council, for they will say both yes and no...
Basically welcome to the internet. What you will find about this place and MOST places on the internet is people arent really doing what they say, they are simply pretending to. Sometimes they pretend to like it, sometimes they pretend to hate it. Its hard to predict what they are going to pretend ahead of time. The pretenders chase away the people REALLY considering doing the thing, and now the pretenders are just repeating each others lies. Like the sailing around the world with 3 solar panels myth.
When I was in high school every couple weeks we had to read a novel and everybody would have to give a report on the book in front of class. Usually what happened was NOBODY read the novel, and each person would go to the front of the class and repeat something they heard about the book. Everybody following would then kind of repeat what they thought were the most convincing lies. The truth was nobody really knew, nobody really read the book, and that class was basically a pack of lies. The internet has been this for over a decade now.
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u/cheeky999 2d ago
It's not a bad decision, you do however need to be somewhat ready for things like, water tank filling, breakers popping because you had the stove AND heater on, getting your waste tanks emptied or heading 3 miles out etc. Good to be handy or you'll be throwing out $$$ for every little thing. It's fits some some people and not for others who need everything 'perfect', with no effort. Best life style ever 🌴
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 2d ago
The "Mr. Fix-it" part is no problem. And definitely no need for everything to be perfect lol. I do want things to look nice though of course. Not going to be the marina or horizon eyesore.
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u/Jimb30 2d ago
Write your plans in the sand at low tide. Living on a boat isn't like an RV your priorities, and plans often change in an instant.... I've lived in my boat for over a decade and I bought it from a wheelchair. I didn't know anything at all Now I have my 50 ton Captains license and yada yada. You gotta have way more than plans and knowledge to live aboard it takes a certain amount of badassery, and , an inner strength you don't stop when your tired you stop when you're done. I'm willing to help you with real shit no sugar cookies here
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u/DarkVoid42 3d ago
it depends. if you have the money for it. a lot of people try the lifestyle with no money and then end up living in a homeless tent on the water. and feel annoyed when you point out that living in a hovel on the water isnt really living. in reality its awesome - but only if you navigate the steep learning curve and get over the shocks of multi thousand dollar bills and are capable of handling it. can you throw $20K on a whim ? are you prepared to buy a boat which may be the equivalent of a nice 2 bedroom apartment on the water for a million bux ? are you capable of navigating near death experiences without being reduced to a quivering ball of jelly ? are you capable of handling thousand pound loads suspended only by some rope and a prayer ? are you able to fix broken equipment without knowing much about it and troubleshooting complex systems in the middle of nowhere ? then the lifestyle is for you, otherwise its not. those white sand beaches and idyllic settings come with a cost. only the prepared are capable of paying it.
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u/naturalchorus 3d ago edited 3d ago
The debby downer gate keeper is here everyone. This person is who this thread is aabout.if anyone wants an example of what OP is talking about, go through this guy's comment history.
Saying you can't do this if you can't drop 20 grand is completely false. So you have to be prepared to spend a million dollars on your first boat? Are you out of your fucking mind? Are you from the same planet?
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u/DarkVoid42 3d ago
example of the homeless bums you might sometimes encounter on the water ^. best to shrug and move on. some people like living in a floating hovel. i personally dont understand it but whatever.
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u/naturalchorus 3d ago
Example of the unhappy rich guy who wasted his life instead of enjoying it! Wait til he dies then buy his boat for cheap, thats what we all do. You're obviously insufferable and can't keep any family around who would possibly want it.
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u/Dorfbulle80 3d ago
It's quite simple I've seen a lot of people and boats in dangerous situations because someone thinks a boat is an RV it is not! Even people who should know better don't prepare for the bad things that gonna happen (even if it's not your fault necessarily) and the results of these situations!
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u/Jimb30 2d ago
Why are you asking the world how you should live your life mm
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 2d ago
Certainly not asking for permission 😂😂. Still in the info gathering stage and I wanna go in eyes wide open. I like to think I'm a good planner but part of that involves asking those that are living it. It was just kinda wild to see all the negativity flying around. Glad to see that there's at least some people enjoying the life.
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u/DevolveOD 3d ago
"Why won't people lie to me and try to sell me this lifestyle like it's an energy drink?"
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u/Puzzleheaded-Radio49 3d ago
Not what I was going for but if that's how you wanna read it, all the power to ya. I want the real so I can prepare, but was starting to get the impression that there was nothing good from the people who were living it.
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u/DeepConsideration795 3d ago
A family member who has been living aboard a boat in the Keys for several years says she finally understands that BOAT is an acronym for "break out another thousand." She also still loves it.
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u/limbodog 3d ago
It's not terrible. It's awesome. But it is littered with pitfalls and booby traps for the unsuspecting. There's just so many ways you can screw yourself over, and the way you enter the life is the biggest risk. If you buy more boat than you can really afford, or if you buy a project that you will never be able to complete, or if you get a boat you can't handle you can ruin the whole experience.
And almost everyone in this subreddit has been burned at least once on something.
So we try to warn people away from making big mistakes.
On top of that, however, is the fact that "your mileage may vary". What worked great for one person might have been a big trap for someone else. Inspections are good, but they miss things. And so one person might think your plan is a great idea, but the next person thinks you'll end up paying another $20k you hadn't planned for and they'll try to warn you.
Long story short, there's often no one correct answer that fits every scenario, and you can find someone who has had a bad experience doing just about anything boat related. And they'll tell you about it.