Liveaboard or Houseboat?

[Jaimee]

We have noticed a huge difference between the behaviour of people who use their boats for cruising and sailing, and those who basically tie them to the dockside and go nowhere for years at a time, or live on them on the hard.

The huge difference in behaviour seems to be that the houseboats try to stake out permanent territory for themselves in the marina complex. It's a bit like being in a seedy council estate often with junk, muck, white vans taking up shared parking, and dubious comings and goings. Mostly they seem to have been boating people who have lost their foothold in the property market and have made their homes afloat in marinas and recreational harbours.

Probably neither group has a moral 'right' beyond that conferred by the harbour authority, but the houseboat seems to be a bit of a problem. Some of them end up on the hard, living aboard, for years with waste water seeping out 24/7. Others almost sink, and then stick patches on to get them to the next harbour when moved on. To move them on harbours have to increase rates to everyone else just to get rid of the gypsies.

Have any other liveaboards, houseboats or recreational sailors got a view on this?

 

[oakum]

Can't agree with your last sentence, harbours (marinas) generally increase prices to increase their profits - I also believe that majority of derelict boats belong to absent owners.

 

[PlanB]

I'd be interested to know where you have made your observations. This does not match my personal experience of numerous marinas in UK, France and Spain.

 

[captainslarty]

I agree Lyn, a profile would help for the user (not shown for 'safety' reasons ?)

as for 'loosing there foothold in the property ladder' .. I think this offers remarkable insight into the poster. Most are more than happy to get away from the bricks n mortar scam and it's work to live ethos.

Me tends to think the poster is a troll, but will await final judgement.

Joe

 

[FAITIRA]

Pity you haven,t posted a profile Jamie! People might have been more sympathetic.

I do agree that some of us liveabaords are victims of some, "so called cruisers", who do clutter, up the pontoons in marinas with construction projects, dinghys, oily engine bits etc.
I personally, being considerate, clear away, without fail every evening. Normally after having had an interested, and appreciative local asking what I have been up to.

Yes, the "MARINA" house boat is a totally different animal, (usually grubby), to the cruising boat wintering in a marina, often, (in my own case), because there are not many alternatives left to the marina, a great many anchorages have been taken as permanent mooring areas or marinas, my experience over 37yrs, FWIW.

 

[bridgedeck]

I've noticed that people who think I have lost my way in the housing market to live aboard a classic boat for the last fourteen years, tend to never stop by and say hello. Nor wave with excitement at what that wonderful aroma coming out the galley is. Or invite me out for a sail or nice dinner putt. Unlike here on BETTY where the laughs ring out even in the gloomiest parts of the winter, their boats usually have the pulled up sock people with brand new PFDs and funny colored rain gear. The old sunglass trick where they are slightly turned away as to make you think that they aren't staring while thinking how sad it is that I cant afford a boat any newer than 1933. And "Damnit. Did you see how his little bird dog minded so well dear?" "Why wont our damn dog stay like that?" "He must have beat the dog into submission after losing the yard."

DAN

 

[AndrewB]

 

[captainslarty]

37 years ??

you ol' gimmer /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

When r u planning on getting to LC Bill ? was it May ? look forward to yous guys coming back..

 

[captainslarty]

Dan, no probs.. I understand lol.. we have a 'working boat' not a gentlemans yacht....

Get yerself to Europe .. the beers better than the american gnats piss u guys partake of...
AND, If I smell a lovely aroma from a boat.. I ALWAYS comment... strange how ya get to sample it isnt it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[FAITIRA]

Less of the OLD, should be mid/late April or early May Joe, look forward to seeing you three too! B,A,S.

 

[bridgedeck]

[ QUOTE ]

Get yerself to Europe .. the beers better than the american gnats piss u guys partake of...

[/ QUOTE ]

That's why I am paying attention to what you guys are talking about around here. With the new system coming of having to have a passport or federal ID for us to travel even between our own states, I want out before they shut us in for good! It's bad man. Real bad....

My old Aussie friend calls our beer panther piss. Either way you look at it, it's piss....

Staying on thread, there's a guy around here that has a moss covered classic ketch that many people seem to have a problem with. You can smell the funk just by looking at it. Taking the time to say hi has proved that not only is he a real nice guy, he always has a dog bisquit for ULA too. And he built the now classic ketch all by himself more than forty years ago. Apperantly he is a hell of a sailmaker as well. It doesnt bother me one bit that he has moss growing. Nor do I care about the entire eco system living below. It's probably a good place to go fishing! Yep, as far as I'm concerned, he can stay tied up there till those green lines give way. And then some when he gets new lines left at the top o' the ramp..

DAN

 

[farquart]

After are 2 year trip around the med the girlfriend and I said that when we do the trip again we will not be selling our home. We met a few retired couples who had sold up and where now stuck, with boats that were going down in value and no way of getting back to England. I am sure they all started out with the best intentions but after 5 or 10 years the dream had gone sour and they were stuck. It was a stark reminder for us as being the young ones with no money that we were lucky to have already lived the dream.

 

[Skents]

What a depressing viewpoint! Yes, having a house and a boat would be a lovely thing but for many it is just not affordable and they face a stark choice - bricks and mortar or a life of fun and insecurity on a boat. We happen to be people who chose the boat.

We also did the Med whilst relatively young (30s) came back did property and proper jobs and hankered to be off again...so we've gone back to being live aboards again.

Yes, we've met the sad people going nowhere desperately missing Blighty, the couples bordering on divorce, the folk who have seen a dream turn sour but we'd rather risk that sort of future than wake up one day aware that we've blown our one chance at life spending it all paying a mortgage and being nice, respectable people who discuss property prices over dinner.

If you can afford a house and a boat then good luck to you but it would be a dreadful thing if adventure was limited to the more well off.

Our future plans are set in jelly as ever and long may that be the case!

 

[farquart]

We had a great time away and would love to go again. i just remeber the couple we met in the midi, They had been there so long the boat was stuck in the mud with 1.8m draft (shows how long they had been there depth is now 1.4m). But due to lack of funds they where stuck, could not speak the language and where living an isolated life.

I dont know why peole dont rent out the property and remortgage to buy a boat? maybe I will find out one day. A lot of my friends think life is all about owning a house and having kids. But may be they are scared of life and want to submerse themselves in things that make it impossible for them to leave.

 

[farquart]

just read your website nice boat and what a trip.

 

[max1mori2]

Aimee, Live and let live.
Panda

 

[FAITIRA]

Totally agree with you Skents,
fartquart what a depressing way to start.
If like me, 13yrs ago.
I could not possibly afford, or indeed, want the baggage of resposiblities of "things" behind me, I am gone off on the boat, why should I be worried about my old age, I just hope I am independent, maybe living on my boat stuck in the mud in the Midi, better than looking at a wall in an old folks home on our wonderfull NHS. I feel sorry for those who need the "achorage" bungalow to retreat to???