I will live-aboard. The clock is ticking

[Zanziba]

Visited Glasson Dock yesterday. I was really surprised by it's size and the number of sail yachts there, given that it is so out of the way and the roads to it are small lanes.

It's too far away from work to be a realistic home for me but would be a nice weekend / half term destination.

Talking of half terms... I hope the weather improves for next week so that I can get out (albeit on Windermere) and practice my skills!

Still dreaming of yachts, still progressing with my plans.

 

[Zanziba]

Half term is over... managed to get 3 nice days out sailing on Windermere which was really good! Slept overnight on the GibSea27 and I realised that it was bigger than I first felt and that it would be liveable at a push.

Still looking at boats and continue to try and make up my mind what I want. Went to see a lovely 1984 Jeaneau 36 at Fleetwood last week... offer already accepted on it by someone else for only £29k... such a shame that I am not in a position to buy just yet.

I'm still in continual flux as to what size I will eventually buy but I know that when I am ready the right yacht will reveal herself.

 

[Beakster]

Hi, Zanziba. I'm new here and will be following your thread.

I'm in a similar position to you minus the kids. I've just sold my business and I'm now (hopefully) buying a Fairey Fisherman (30' motor sailor) as my liveaboard. It's going to be a quite a change and I'm slightly nervous, but also really excited.

 

[Zanziba]

Excellent! Keep me posted on how you get on and don't forget to invite me to the launch!

 

[elioti]

Hi zanzi, am new here too, like your dreams! My girlfriend and i have been building our boat for some years now and has come to the time to move in! Plan to take it to France and travel and look for work, bit scary but exciting too! Sounds great living aboard! Hope you find something suitable, personally think a motorsailer would be a good bet as another said, more space. Cheers

 

[Zanziba]

Yes, I am still considering a motor sailor... I just know so little about them that until I can get on a few for a looksie I can't be swayed.

Only a week left until the summer holidays and I am hoping to then go and look at a few aroound the UK.

The day may still be far away but everyday it gets closer... tick tock tick tock...

 

[Beakster]

It's much easier once you've stepped aboard a few. I've now gone from looking at the Fisherman, considered a few others and now I'm about a week away from purchasing a Fjord motor sailor. I think it's the sort of boat you'll either love or hate, but for me the important thing is to have room inside to be comfortable, and being 6' tall, being able to stand up inside. Also, most motor sailors are generally much lighter inside, another consideration when spending lots of time on board.

Now I've got to go through everything I own and decide what stays and what goes. Difficult, but I keep focusing on my goal, which is (with a year off work) being able to potter around with my friends and hopefully enjoy a few trips up and down the south coast once I've got more more experience with the boat.

 

[Zanziba]

Do you have a link online to your motor sailor, just interested in seeing the design.

I look on chandlery sites but it's always normal sail yachts that seem to come up in my seraches.

What effect would looking at a motor sailor have on my budget do you think? I need something with 3 cabins minimum really.

 

[Beakster]

I've changed my avatar to the boat I'm looking at so you can see, and here is a link to the original brochure, click on Fjord 28CS to download it:

http://fjordboatclub.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=48&Itemid=74&lang=en

There is less of a choice when looking at motor sailors, but they're out there.

This one has room to sleep 6, quite amazing for 28', especially considering the room there is on the rest of the boat for that size.

What's your budget? I've picked this one up for under £18,000, more than I was going to spend, but a lot less than a lot of boats on the market.

 

[Zanziba]

Now, that is nice ! (Do the plethora of half naked women in brochure come with it? Ha Ha)

My budget? Well, that's all a bit up in the air with the divorce etc.

Worst case scenario - 2 years saving = £15k

Best case scenario - 1 year save deposit + mortgage on yacht - £60k

 

[Beakster]

No naked women, just the sailor in the oilskins! Although I've already had requests for a pink lifejacket and another with sequins on from 2 female friends!

I started looking at £7000, but then soon realised that once I'd had a few repairs done, bought heating, chartplotter, tender, outboard, all the bits that would enable me to not only live on the boat, but actually take it somewhere I was looking at nearly £15000 minimum.

The Fjord I'm buying comes with all that apart from the heating and it's in pretty much as good condition as you could ask for, the guy's really cared for the boat.

I would suggest choosing your budget now if possible and then look at as many boats as possible with in that budget. Obviously there are mooring fees and upkeep to consider too. At £60k you'll get a lovely boat, but it's likely to be bigger and will therefore cost more for a mooring and when repairs are needed they are possibly going to be more expensive.

A good friend that is helping my along the way used to build boats on Bryher in the Scillies and has warned me that owning a boat is like ripping up £10 notes in the shower! I had my fingers in my ears...

 

[timmygobang]

Sorry if someones mentioned this before but 10-20k will get you something liveable.

Check out a moody or a rival, starting price around 20k (Moody are much more spacious than the rival but they do look great imo)

I'm on a 28ft for 9.5k, but you need to be a bit hardy, i get cabin fever if i spend too long in here

 

[Zanziba]

Yes, that is one thing that is a bit worrying (the cost of ownership).

The only upside is that I am not going to be a typical liveaboard as I will still be working full time in the UK and be moored there.

Marina fees for a 42' in Fleetwood are under £3k (plus £500 liveaboard but all electric is free) - Even if I spent £200/month on repairs it's still cheaper than renting a flat and has no other bills (Gas, diesel but not a lot).

In reality, if I had to put a budget in place that I could achieve I'd say £30k. Regardless of the bank's love for me I can save half of that in 18 months and get the other half on a small loan / VISA cards and shift to 0% for a couple of years until cleared.

I'm wittering now... dreaming again... but dreaming a reality.

 

[Beakster]

I created a spreadsheet with all the costs etc so I know where I am. I've learn't little tricks like planning my meals in advance and shopping with a shopping list and sticking to it, it's amazing how much money you save this way but not falling for those 'bargains', my food bill is probably half what it was!

Mooring is more expensive on the south coast, I'm paying that for 28'! All in, once I've bought the boat, I'm looking at living costs of about £11k a year if I'm good and there are no nasty surprises, down from about £18k at the moment. This also means that when I do go back to work I can get away with a lower wage if I need to or work hard over the winter and have the summer off.... in theory anyway!

 

[Zanziba]

I always thought Moody's were expensive (when compared to Bav's Jen's and Ben's?)

Great hearing from people who have done the leap into the blue and are enjoying it... gives me the steady frame of mind to keep plugging away to join them!

 

[Zanziba]

Just a brief update, more for my benefit than the avid reader I am afraid.

Summer is here so the long holidays have arrived. I am planning on doing a bit of sailing but at the same time saving as much as I can so trying to do things on the cheap... I am slowly contineuing to save for the deposit on something. Divorce continues slowly BUT there is light at the end of the tunnel... I am starting to see things clicking into place.

I am still undecided as to what to actually set my sights on, which is frustrating but also shows that I am giving serious and sensible thought to what I want / need.

If I look at the cheaper end of the market, under say £15k, but still want over 30' then Westerlys jump out, but 1970's yachts have no hot water or shore power... not really ideal for live-aboard!

If I then extend the price upwards you end up about £30k before they start looking like a comfortable and clean environment with the main essential ingredients that I want for nice living as a working person in the UK.

Hopefully another month will pass and I will be able to see a few more, visit some more marina's and even better, chat to a few folks.

 

[timmygobang]

Just a quicky, shorepower in my boat is just a extension cable with a trip switch, and hot water is a kettle and a washing up bowl its done me since last October don't be such a wimp hehe

 

[Zanziba]

Ha Ha ! Thanks for the reply, it certainly made me smile.

I don't mind roughing it for a while but not sure long term... If needs must then it is certainly an option that I will not overlook.

Patience is something I need more than anything I think... the clock is ticking but it's hands seem to move very slowly.

 

[MrCramp]

The post by timmygobang was sensible.

It costs hardly anything to get the set-up he has. It would cost less than £150 to put a more permanent arrangement in with a small distribution board. If you cannot sort out minor stuff like that then you should forget any idea of living aboard.

 

[Zanziba]

The post by timmygobang was sensible.

It costs hardly anything to get the set-up he has. It would cost less than £150 to put a more permanent arrangement in with a small distribution board. If you cannot sort out minor stuff like that then you should forget any idea of living aboard.

I think that second post is a little unfriendly. At present I would have no idea how to put in a small distribution board, why? Because I have never done so and would be a fool to try without some knowledge or help. I am however a Physics teacher so assume that it is within my ability with some advice from either forum members or friends/experts at a marina.

You learn by doing or by being shown. We are not born with the knowledge we need.

Discarding a life living aboard because I can't fit electrics to a boat due to lack of previous experience is a very "give up now and run back to the dirt" type of opinion.

I was not laughing at timmy's post. It made me smile because I had overlooked the obvious... I love how easy it is to do that sometimes.