Motor Boat Liveaboards

[derekbland]

Are there any liveaboards do it on a motorboat such as a planning hull like our recently purchased Fairline Squadron 50 1997? We have a total of 4 cabins inc. the crew cabin which provides for a lot of storage. I feel from the small amount of time on it that 2 of us could live aboard this.


Also, does anyone do part liveaboard and so still have a place back home but spends say 50% of their time on board. I don't care whether this is technically live aboard or not but just interested to find out more.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sailorman]

That is larger than many modern houses

 

[Tranona]

Depends on what you mean by liveaboard. Tied up in a sheltered marina and connected to shorepower they make nice water supported country cottages. however not so good in the winter because they take lots to heat because of the volume and poor insulation, particularly the upper parts which tend to be mostly glass.

Less suitable for a peripatetic lifestyle partly because of the cost of moving distances and partly because they are uncomfortable at anchor for any extended time in anything other than a flat calm.

 

[nortada]

Living aboard. I think it is more of a rags, flags and bits of string thing!

 

[sailaboutvic]

As for the part do many do it 50% of the time and have a place back home , quite a lot do that and will come out for say in spring , go home at the hottest part of the summer return back late summer then go home for the winter ,
PT or full time liveaboard , what even way your still living on board for the the time your on board ,
Although there is a different from liveaboard and liveaboard cruisers , as in one cruiser around while living on board and the other sit in a marina or one anchorage and very rearly move if ever .
Not that's a problem if that's what you want .
Can't answer the question about living on a motor boat as we never owned one .

 

[PlanB]

I lived aboard (all year) a 45 ft flybridge cruiser with aft cabin on Costa del Sol for 12 years. Only bereavement and illness followed by meeting a new partner has lured me ashore. It was always in a marina, the winter weather/temperature was not an issue. Happy to answer any specific questions.

 

[derekbland]

As for the part do many do it 50% of the time and have a place back home , quite a lot do that and will come out for say in spring , go home at the hottest part of the summer return back late summer then go home for the winter ,
PT or full time liveaboard , what even way your still living on board for the the time your on board ,
Although there is a different from liveaboard and liveaboard cruisers , as in one cruiser around while living on board and the other sit in a marina or one anchorage and very rearly move if ever .
Not that's a problem if that's what you want .
Can't answer the question about living on a motor boat as we never owned one .

The idea is actually to move to the Med around 2020 but stopping in places for anything form a week to a month or two and working our way over the to Greek Islands over the period of 3 years. We even intend to hire a car on occasion and travel inland to explore more than just the coastline. At present, there is no intention of leaving it in one place year on year nor blatting from one marina to the next. Again, this is the dream at present. We finally managed to get the boat last month so have taken the first step.

 

[derekbland]

I lived aboard (all year) a 45 ft flybridge cruiser with aft cabin on Costa del Sol for 12 years. Only bereavement and illness followed by meeting a new partner has lured me ashore. It was always in a marina, the winter weather/temperature was not an issue. Happy to answer any specific questions.

Thank you, that's reassuring. When I first posted on the Motorboat forum regards our long term plans, I had guys telling me we needed 55' minimum but I could quite happily stay on our 50' Squaddy and not come home. There is plenty of space for 2 along with visitors as with 4 cabins and the saloon that turns into a double I think it's plenty.

 

[Tranona]

Thank you, that's reassuring. When I first posted on the Motorboat forum regards our long term plans, I had guys telling me we needed 55' minimum but I could quite happily stay on our 50' Squaddy and not come home. There is plenty of space for 2 along with visitors as with 4 cabins and the saloon that turns into a double I think it's plenty.

If anything you may find the boat too big the further east you get. Very few people (out of the thousands that do what you propose) use this sort of boat. it is expensive, Uncomfortable in long runs which are inevitable if you really want to go that far. A semi displacement boat such as a Grand Banks or Trader would be far more suitable, but most people use sailing boats or increasingly , although small numbers, sailing catamarans which allow similar volume and style of accommodation as your boat, but much cheaper to run.

The great attraction of the eastern Med is the ability to live on the hook firstly because there are many anchorages and quaysides and second there are few marinas. very different way of life from the western Med and northern Europe.

 

[Heckler]

Are there any liveaboards do it on a motorboat such as a planning hull like our recently purchased Fairline Squadron 50 1997? We have a total of 4 cabins inc. the crew cabin which provides for a lot of storage. I feel from the small amount of time on it that 2 of us could live aboard this.
Also, does anyone do part liveaboard and so still have a place back home but spends say 50% of their time on board. I don't care whether this is technically live aboard or not but just interested to find out more.

Thanks in advance.

We do the part time living in a 38' sail boat, enjoy immensely. I have "done it" in lots of places!

 

[PlanB]

We were retirees and new to boating, not lifelong sailors. We took the boat from London to CdS as our retirement trip so when we found a marina and lifestyle that suited us,that was it. Gib to Greece was further than London to Gib and we became aware that the further east you went,the more difficult it would get. For us, our life was idyllic, others may choose differently.

 

[derekbland]

Living aboard. I think it is more of a rags, flags and bits of string thing!

There are plenty that do it on Motor Boats in the Med although I understand the eastern Med may be a little more of a challenge mostly due to size. I am not looking for the rucksack on back version of the Med but Marinas, moorings and a sprinkling of anchoring.

 

[derekbland]

If anything you may find the boat too big the further east you get. Very few people (out of the thousands that do what you propose) use this sort of boat. it is expensive, Uncomfortable in long runs which are inevitable if you really want to go that far. A semi displacement boat such as a Grand Banks or Trader would be far more suitable, but most people use sailing boats or increasingly , although small numbers, sailing catamarans which allow similar volume and style of accommodation as your boat, but much cheaper to run.

The great attraction of the eastern Med is the ability to live on the hook firstly because there are many anchorages and quaysides and second there are few marinas. very different way of life from the western Med and northern Europe.

Point taken re eastern Med but I don't think we would want to go to a semi-displacement but never say never. I think I would rather adjust destinations to meet our boat. Definitely not interested in sailing.

 

[derekbland]

We were retirees and new to boating, not lifelong sailors. We took the boat from London to CdS as our retirement trip so when we found a marina and lifestyle that suited us,that was it. Gib to Greece was further than London to Gib and we became aware that the further east you went,the more difficult it would get. For us, our life was idyllic, others may choose differently.

Good for you and good to hear from someone that has been there and done what we want to do. I would still like to try and get to the Greek Islands and if we do and it's too much of a hassle, then we can head back. I think we may eventually like to find a holiday home for the boat in France or Span but will PM you as would like to know more.

 

[Tranona]

Point taken re eastern Med but I don't think we would want to go to a semi-displacement but never say never. I think I would rather adjust destinations to meet our boat. Definitely not interested in sailing.

Not suggesting you buy a sailing boat. Just explaining that very few cruising "liveaboards" use your sort of boat and suggesting reasons why. Fine for a marina based floating cottage and popping out every so often for short periods - like many do from San Carles to the Balearics for example. Just less good for continuous and semi continuous living abroad and longer distance cruising.

Just things to consider before making ambitious plans without some experience of what is involved.

 

[derekbland]

Not suggesting you buy a sailing boat. Just explaining that very few cruising "liveaboards" use your sort of boat and suggesting reasons why. Fine for a marina based floating cottage and popping out every so often for short periods - like many do from San Carles to the Balearics for example. Just less good for continuous and semi continuous living abroad and longer distance cruising.

Just things to consider before making ambitious plans without some experience of what is involved.

Understood. We don't intend to stay still for more than a few weeks except for wintering and do intend to stay at marinas with the odd night at anchor. It may be that we end up with a base at some point but initially looking to explore. Again, all well into the future so plenty of time to plan, learn and adjust.

Ta

 

[dabsolute470]

we have partly lived aboard our pearl 43 for a few years and have now taken the plunge and rented the house out and now full time here in the uk
the house used to be empty for most of the year so it just made sense to rent it out
we find it fine even better than in the house, we have full AC on the boat also lots of friends,
we hope to go travelling full time in the near future on the boat maybe around the uk to start or holland

wish you all the best and you have masses of room, we find the trouble is you forget where you put things

 

[derekbland]

we have partly lived aboard our pearl 43 for a few years and have now taken the plunge and rented the house out and now full time here in the uk
the house used to be empty for most of the year so it just made sense to rent it out
we find it fine even better than in the house, we have full AC on the boat also lots of friends,
we hope to go travelling full time in the near future on the boat maybe around the uk to start or holland

wish you all the best and you have masses of room, we find the trouble is you forget where you put things

What sort of a boat do you have. I do know of some forumites who live aboard a similar boat to ours but many try and push us towards a displacement or semi-displacement which I'm nt interested in or at least not at the moment.

 

[capnsensible]

Up until recently we have been full time liveaboards for nineteen years. Now only 80% of the year. Soo just do it, your choice of boat will be fine. If you like your boat, the rest is easy! :encouragement:

 

[derekbland]

Up until recently we have been full time liveaboards for nineteen years. Now only 80% of the year. Soo just do it, your choice of boat will be fine. If you like your boat, the rest is easy! :encouragement:

Nice one. Thanks for the positive comments. It's going to be a couple of years yet but have got a nice boat and may keep it or may get something newer nearer the time.