Living aboard

[Bayfly]

See many of our subscribers struggling with such questions as 'where to start?', 'what sort of boat?', etc. We started ten years ago by joining a 'shareboat' syndicate in the Med.,& thus got the experience without risking everything! Or is this just the cowards way out?

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[heerenleed]

Cowards way out?

Even if it is the cowards way out.... Who cares? If it worked for you it's fine with me.
We had been sailing for many years when we decided we wanted to live aboard.
Sold the house, sold the boat, bought another boat and that was that.

Some people were terrified when we told them of our plans. Others weren't.

But I agree it does help when you have some experience before you buy a boat to live on. And if you don't, I can understand you need to ask this forum or others.

cheers



<hr width=100% size=1>Peter a/b SV Heerenleed, Steenbergen, Netherlands<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by heerenleed on 20/02/2004 09:58 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[AndrewB]

Curious ...

How do you start as a liveaboard on a shareboat syndicate? I have visions of a floating squat ... /forums/images/icons/cool.gif

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[Bayfly]

Re: Curious ...

'Sell up and sail', -great idea, but raises many questions, e.g., which boat, which area, what if I don't take to the life,or (worse!), what if SWAMBO doesn't!- meanwhile, the house,and most of the money ,have gone....
Alternative- look at share-boat syndicates. Choose a boat /area combination that appeals, and for the(recoverable!) outlay of, say, £5-10k, try out the liveaboard life for 5 or 6 weeks. Not quite 'the real thing', I know, but enough of a sample to answer most of your questions.

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[AndrewB]

Re: Curious ...

Have you actually gone from a syndicate boat to being a liveaboard? Presumably that's a Meddy type liveaboard rather than blue water voyager or impecunious English mudcreeker? Where are you based?

I've been a liveaboard for several years of my adult life, but never been part of a syndicate - that side of yacht ownership is a mystery. I've always imagined it a bit like chartering - except you are also part of the management. Not at all an obvious introduction to the liveaboard life. But I quite agree with you about people who plunge in too deep with too little experience, and end up not so much with a yacht as a floating cottage they never take out.



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[Bayfly]

Re: Curious ...

Yes- and back again! At present I own sufficient shares to allow me to enjoy 10 weeks in the eastern Med. every year, which I find about enough for an ancient mariner! If you're really interested in finding out how it works,(it's vastly cheaper than charter) send me a p.m.

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