Introduction and hopefully first step into liveaboard

[gasket]

Hi everybody.

Introduction: I'm 27 with a deep love of the sea.

Like many people of my particular generation, University did not come cheap and it has taken me until recently to clear the accumulated debt and overdrafts associated with being a graduate of the Naughties. I have found a job I love (with a major shipbuilder) though I have not yet found an area I can imagine calling home. I'm just finishing-up rebuilding a car that will last me a lifetime (a 1971 4x4) and am looking for a new place to live. While I love the idea of making a place my own and think it important to start to invest in assets rather than pouring £500 per month plus bills down the drain in rent, I have no desire to live in a particular area, in a house/flat, or any drive to be tied to one place.

I will soon have enough for a deposit on a house but I am loathed to use it. I have moved areas on average every 2 years and find that freedom is an essential criteria in my happiness.

Until recently I have lived in a tiny, albeit cleverly designed, studio flat and found the space more than sufficient. From this it was my mother that very seriously suggested I consider buying a narrowboat, her argument being that it would be something of an investment (albeit a depreciating one) that would give be an liberated-lifestyle and could be moved around the country.

The places I have been closest to being settled have been Manchester, London and Lancaster - for which a Narrowboat would be suitable. However my deepest love is the open sea. I would not like to give the impression that I am an experienced sailor - far from it. I have completed the RYA Offshore Powerboat certs as well as some "Start Sailing" courses when I was younger in the Lakes, previous inlaws have owned boats which I was lucky enough to have access to... but I have been raised in a harbour town and my heart is never far from the sea.

Based on this and from the direction of my parents - I'm looking at the feasibility of buying a yacht to live aboard with the same attitude as I look at 2-bed terraced houses. I'd like sail - and something more than capable of ocean travel - but that will let me live a comfortable lifestyle during a long-term mooring in a marina. I am single and my skillset is transferable abroad so the idea of being able to sail my 'home' through the Med, Suez, and possibly even across to certain parts of the Caribbean is massively appealing.

I could buy with a marine mortgage or I could self build (I currently rent a large barn/workshop and have skills in fabrication and steelwork including high-level MIG welding. The barn is within 1 mile of the coast and 2.5 miles of a loch-gated marina with a motorised boat-lift for birthing)

Oddly this is not a pipe dream, nor a mid-life crisis - nor a panic move by a youngster straight out of the parental nest. Rather a very-serious, albeit unusual, alternative to a life of continued renting (given that the depreciation of a yacht would be less than the outgoings in rent).

I've written this (War and Peace-esque) intro to set the scene. I'll be a regular on this board while I attempt to choose a vessel that will suit my aims (comfy to moor in a city marina yet sturdy enough to take on a Azores-Caribbean run) - for which any support would be massively welcome , while I decide on how to acquire the boat (second hand/home build - if so GRP hull or steel scratch-build) and my transition from renting a tiny 1-room cubicle to owning a tiny piece of freedom.

Many thanks in advance for your assistance in my journey.

 

[jonic]

Hi everybody.

Introduction: I'm 27 with a deep love of the sea.

Like many people of my particular generation, University did not come cheap and it has taken me until recently to clear the accumulated debt and overdrafts associated with being a graduate of the Naughties. I have found a job I love (with a major shipbuilder) though I have not yet found an area I can imagine calling home. I'm just finishing-up rebuilding a car that will last me a lifetime (a 1971 4x4) and am looking for a new place to live. While I love the idea of making a place my own and think it important to start to invest in assets rather than pouring £500 per month plus bills down the drain in rent, I have no desire to live in a particular area, in a house/flat, or any drive to be tied to one place.

I will soon have enough for a deposit on a house but I am loathed to use it. I have moved areas on average every 2 years and find that freedom is an essential criteria in my happiness.

Until recently I have lived in a tiny, albeit cleverly designed, studio flat and found the space more than sufficient. From this it was my mother that very seriously suggested I consider buying a narrowboat, her argument being that it would be something of an investment (albeit a depreciating one) that would give be an liberated-lifestyle and could be moved around the country.

The places I have been closest to being settled have been Manchester, London and Lancaster - for which a Narrowboat would be suitable. However my deepest love is the open sea. I would not like to give the impression that I am an experienced sailor - far from it. I have completed the RYA Offshore Powerboat certs as well as some "Start Sailing" courses when I was younger in the Lakes, previous inlaws have owned boats which I was lucky enough to have access to... but I have been raised in a harbour town and my heart is never far from the sea.

Based on this and from the direction of my parents - I'm looking at the feasibility of buying a yacht to live aboard with the same attitude as I look at 2-bed terraced houses. I'd like sail - and something more than capable of ocean travel - but that will let me live a comfortable lifestyle during a long-term mooring in a marina. I am single and my skillset is transferable abroad so the idea of being able to sail my 'home' through the Med, Suez, and possibly even across to certain parts of the Caribbean is massively appealing.

I could buy with a marine mortgage or I could self build (I currently rent a large barn/workshop and have skills in fabrication and steelwork including high-level MIG welding. The barn is within 1 mile of the coast and 2.5 miles of a loch-gated marina with a motorised boat-lift for birthing)

Oddly this is not a pipe dream, nor a mid-life crisis - nor a panic move by a youngster straight out of the parental nest. Rather a very-serious, albeit unusual, alternative to a life of continued renting (given that the depreciation of a yacht would be less than the outgoings in rent).

I've written this (War and Peace-esque) intro to set the scene. I'll be a regular on this board while I attempt to choose a vessel that will suit my aims (comfy to moor in a city marina yet sturdy enough to take on a Azores-Caribbean run) - for which any support would be massively welcome , while I decide on how to acquire the boat (second hand/home build - if so GRP hull or steel scratch-build) and my transition from renting a tiny 1-room cubicle to owning a tiny piece of freedom.

Many thanks in advance for your assistance in my journey.

Go for it. Don't hesitate.

Head for the Caribbean and beyond.

Best thing I ever did. Nothing else will come close, as you already clearly have the passion. It's man's last great freedom.

You might like my wife's book.

 

[Tranona]

Just a couple of observations.

There are many variations on the "live aboard" theme, so your first decision is where you want to fit. If you are holding down a "conventional" job and want to live on a boat in the UK then your options are limited to places where you can get a berth that allows liveaboard - and there are not that many. Living aboard year round in this country is quite a challenge, but there are many people who do it as a search on here will show.

If you want to go to the other end of the spectrum and go bluewater cruising of the type that jonic describes, then it is a major step away from normal life. Some people do it on a shoestring - just buy a small capable boat and go. Again you will find examples on here and other sites, blogs and books. However, you need to either have some finance behind you or more likely try to generate some income as you go. Most, however go from a more stable background, using money from redundancy, legacy, selling house etc. Some are young and do it for a few years and then return to their careers, but many do it in later life when the children have gone etc. Some turn right at Gibraltar, but many turn left into the Med, particularly older folks who are after the relaxed lifestyle in their retirement years.

Sounds like you envisage the turn right bit. Nowadays very few people build their own boats. It is expensive, time consuming and does not always result in a good boat. There is a good supply of suitable production boats. Sometimes you can buy them ready kitted out from people returning from their dream - even picking up somebody's failed dream. You are unlikely to get a marine mortgage unless you have a secure source of income - and it is a very expensive way of financing a boat. Some people do finance their boat out of the equity in their house, but most use cash either saved or liberated from other assets.

One way of starting before committing to buying a boat is to do some crewing, perhaps some deliveries. Worth getting your RYA certificates as it might make it easier to get crewing opportunities. This will help you understand whether you like the sailing bit and more importantly help you decide what sort of boat you want. There are many threads on here of people asking for advice on boats - difficult to answer because there is no one solution and having some experience makes what is probably a one off choice easier.

Plenty of stuff around to read in books, blogs, magazines etc to help you get your bearings.

Good luck

 

[SimonD]

You might like my wife's book.

I did! Stuffed with useful information and inspiration. Just one more hurdle to overcome and then we'll be coming to you for a boat!

 

[jonic]

I did! Stuffed with useful information and inspiration. Just one more hurdle to overcome and then we'll be coming to you for a boat!

cheers !

Keep the dream alive.

 

[7htas]

I'm the same age as you, and I'm heading for the same end result as you; well similar....

I've done the whole university thing; and had the same realizations about pissing away rent, and not wanting to be tied down and I've been thinking of living aboard my own yacht for a long time, as long back as I can remember. It's always been financial reasons that has thwarted me from going for it.

I've recently been accepted to train as a Deck Officer, in the merchant navy. Whilst my training will take three years (starting in Sept); I am in the mean time, looking into the possibility of getting something small, that I could possibly live on, while studying at Fleetwood nautical campus. They insist that you live in their halls on your first (of three) college phases; but for the second and third phases; I am hoping to get something small, as an introduction to the live aboard lifestyle.

The more long term goal, is to get something bigger, and keep it in a Marina in the Med. I am keen on the canary islands, and this year, I will be having a look around Lanzarote this year, particularly at the Marinas and surrounding areas...if anyone can recommend any to have a look at? Where I keep my floating home isn't important. As long as, when I have my time off from being a Deck Officer, I can get to and from my boat with ease; and spend my time off sailing.


Good luck with your ambitions, and keep us all posted!

It's always nice to hear of people in a similar boat to yourself....

 

[ripvan1]

Regards the boat, with your skillsets I'd be looking at a proven 2nd hand steel cruiser that you can improve/modify/renovate as and when required on land and on passage - good luck - go for it

 

[Tradewinds]

Regards the boat, with your skillsets I'd be looking at a proven 2nd hand steel cruiser that you can improve/modify/renovate as and when required on land and on passage - good luck - go for it

I believe Kelly's Eye's steel boat is for sale.

38ft. ROUND BILGE STEEL KETCH “KELLY’S EYE OF HAMBLE” (04/2012)
Thirty eight foot round bilge steel ketch, Dutch-built, designed by De Vries entsch. Fully
equipped for ocean cruising: Hydrovane, watermaker, generator, SSB, Inmarsat C,
liferaft, EPIRB, Hood sails, twin headsail Twistle rig and much more. Lying
Lymington,UK
Full details at www.kellyseye.net

 

[gasket]

Thank you all for your replies - its really nice to be part of a forum full of encouragement rather than the all-too-common negativity that seems to haunt message boards these days.

Update: I've visited a marina this week (inland waterway) near Lancaster and had a quiet snoop around to get a vibe for the place. A canal boat does not conjour up the same spirit of adventure as a blue-water yacht but in terms of practicality, mortgages are relatively easy to come by and (a good mooring assumed) can be a very practical way of living.

However, I also visited Whitehaven marina which is really well set up with pontoons and lock-gates.

This isn't about me picking a place - I'm a long way from that, more getting a feel for the lifestyle.

I effectively see three possibilities:

1. canal boat/barge: very practical and easy to do - I could afford a new boat and could fit it out in much the same way as a small flat.
2. A small boat that is capable of coastal cruising - to the med and beyond. Much cheaper though no mortgage option available (as far as I know). Likely to be too small to live on permanently.
3. Buy a blue-water yacht (I LOVE that steel ketch) - this would afford plenty of space but I fear that I may not be able to finance it.

I make no illusions about the fact that this is a plan to take me through the coming years (rather than me buying a boat in the next 12-months), however it is wonderful to speak to people who are a little further down the way from me.

Could anyone point me in the direction of a list of marinas (either harbour or inland or both) which allow residential moorings?

 

[V1701]

Most marinas have at least a few liveaboards, just be quiet and discreet. Get yourself a boat and go live on it, sooner you do that sooner you start saving money on rent. Do your research and choose carefully but first boat almost certainly won't be the last...

 

[Roaring Girl]

Hi - we lived aboard and worked in theUK for three years. You won't find a list of accepting marinas anywhere so there are other factors to narrow your search:

(i) being clear which area you want (e.g. west coast Scotland vs east coast England vs south coast of Wales etc) so you can start scouting local knowledge
(ii) working out a budget that will accommodate the marina costs and anything associated e.g. a car and making sure you can cover it. (You really can't hold down a job and live on the hook, not in the UK winters.)
(iii) deciding whether you can have a permanent address (banks, bills, health) that isn't the marina. This will significantly extend your choices.
(iv) knowing whether you will be able to get away for 1+ months a year, even if only to a convenient mooring buoy. This also makes a difference to marinas accepting you.

Having said all that, and really loving the passion - I might suggest option 2. Then if you hate it/something goes really wrong etc you haven't lost x years of earnings in one go. But if you are really sure, then go straight for a Twister (not composite), a Moody, a Halcyon 27. Something big enough and tough enough to circumnavigate with proven sea kindliness. And if you can afford a steel ketch, then great. Really.

I always say that the right boat is the one nearest your plan which you can afford which is on the market when you want to buy. Many people forget the last two clauses.

Enjoy the hunt.

 

[Tomahawk]

Do it.... Because life turns sharp corners

At age 55 we were getting ready to live onboard.. We have put careers into ord and managed to finance our dream... But

On Thursday we were 85 days away from Cast off...

Today it may never happen... The reason. I have to have surgery on my foot. Recovery time up to a year... Please no jokes about taking it off and having a peg?? That delay will hit our savings plans very hard.. Also I now feel very dispondant about the whole thing... It will be very hard to keep the dream close to the heart whilst sitting on land...

Hence... Do it before it is too late

 

[jonic]

Hi - we lived aboard and worked in theUK for three years. You won't find a list of accepting marinas anywhere so there are other factors to narrow your search:

(i) being clear which area you want (e.g. west coast Scotland vs east coast England vs south coast of Wales etc) so you can start scouting local knowledge
(ii) working out a budget that will accommodate the marina costs and anything associated e.g. a car and making sure you can cover it. (You really can't hold down a job and live on the hook, not in the UK winters.)
(iii) deciding whether you can have a permanent address (banks, bills, health) that isn't the marina. This will significantly extend your choices.
(iv) knowing whether you will be able to get away for 1+ months a year, even if only to a convenient mooring buoy. This also makes a difference to marinas accepting you.

Having said all that, and really loving the passion - I might suggest option 2. Then if you hate it/something goes really wrong etc you haven't lost x years of earnings in one go. But if you are really sure, then go straight for a Twister (not composite), a Moody, a Halcyon 27. Something big enough and tough enough to circumnavigate with proven sea kindliness. And if you can afford a steel ketch, then great. Really.

I always say that the right boat is the one nearest your plan which you can afford which is on the market when you want to buy. Many people forget the last two clauses.

Enjoy the hunt.

+1

 

[AMCD300]

At age 55 we were getting ready to live onboard.. We have put careers into ord and managed to finance our dream... But

On Thursday we were 85 days away from Cast off...

Today it may never happen... The reason. I have to have surgery on my foot. Recovery time up to a year... Please no jokes about taking it off and having a peg?? That delay will hit our savings plans very hard.. Also I now feel very dispondant about the whole thing... It will be very hard to keep the dream close to the heart whilst sitting on land...

Hence... Do it before it is too late

Such bad luck - you have my sympathies.

Hope it works out for you.

Andy

 

[Bobobolinsky]

At age 55 we were getting ready to live onboard.. We have put careers into ord and managed to finance our dream... But

On Thursday we were 85 days away from Cast off...

Today it may never happen... The reason. I have to have surgery on my foot. Recovery time up to a year... Please no jokes about taking it off and having a peg?? That delay will hit our savings plans very hard.. Also I now feel very dispondant about the whole thing... It will be very hard to keep the dream close to the heart whilst sitting on land...

Hence... Do it before it is too late

Do it anyway. Have the surgery, recover on the boat. It's never too late.

A rigid digit to the fates.

What are you man, muose or yottie

Besides you get one of those springy things now

 

[Tomahawk]

This is not about me..

It is about getting Gasket on the water..

All I am trying to say is that things can sometimes happen that interrupt your dreams.... Gasket you must go for it...

(BoBo AMDC... thank you anyway ... "rigid digit".. loveit)

 

[gavin_lacey]

If you can afford a new narrowboat then you can afford a secondhand blue water capable boat. Older 30ish foot boats in need of a bit of TLC are plentiful. The £500p/m saving on renting a flat will fund the refurb. 2 years down the line you own a boat with no finance and in good condition and you will have gained coastal type experience. Go for it.

 

[Tranona]

Suggest you scroll down to the next page and read the thread "I will live aboard..the clock is ticking". Think Zambant, the OP lives in your part of the world (on his boat). There is plenty in the tread to give you ideas of how to go about getting your first boat.