Retire and live aboard

[PabloPicasso]

Ok, so how much financial wealth does one need to retire and live aboard?

What are the options, and how much would one need to live comfortably aboard?

 

[duncan99210]

About the same as you need to live comfortable in UK.

 

[Retired in Crete]

You will need to give your definition of "comfortably" as peoples ideas differ.

John

 

[longjohnsilver]

How long is a piece of string? It's up to you to decide.

 

[Retired in Crete]

The following gives an idea of the cost of living in Crete:

http://www.livingincrete.net/board/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7980&hilit=cost+of+living

Hope this helps

John

 

[tcm]

Ok, so how much financial wealth does one need to retire and live aboard?

What are the options, and how much would one need to live comfortably aboard?

I'm assuming you have a boat already?

£12,000 a year is £1,000 a month is £30 a day and that's quite skinflinty but i hear some manage it, or perhaps even less, no marinas, old boat, at anchor somewhere cheap or free.

£100,000 a year is £8,000 a month = nearly £300/day = $500 a day is fairly extreme but quite fun, lots of marinas and buying boat stuff and eating out and flying back to the UK a fair bit.

Most will be inside the range, a few outside.

As other say, whatever you sorta spend living normally in uk well, it would be about that, no heating no council tax and and no car costs - but much more on boat fixing.

 

[dslittle]

We left our 'permanent' Marina base last April. I worked out our 'break even' cost per night over the summer to remain the same as staying. We have now moored up and paid for the winter and the total cost has been less than staying. Eating expenses have not changed. Any diesel that we have bought has amounted to less than we would have paid in petrol. Surprisingly it has been cheaper to travel than stay put. We have not skimped and saved but we have met many new friends and seen many new sights. We are lucky in that we have a good pension but I do think that we are enjoying it rather than trying to increase it. Many people that we have met along the way are doing it on far less money than us.
Just do it while you can physically.

 

[Wansworth]

Harbour dues for a 27 footer in Chichester harbour are about 60 quid a year, so you anchor.A second hand bike will get you to east withering shopping centre to shop in about an hour.Showers in the harbour masters shed about a quid.

 

[Greenheart]

Harbour dues for a 27 footer in Chichester harbour are about 60 quid a year, so you anchor.

Talk like that is exciting to those dreaming of living aboard, but doesn't the harbour master object to boats anchoring for just short enough a period not to be accused of having effectively moored up? Presumably one could then move to another anchorage within the harbour...is that really all quite acceptable, assuming one is responsible with waste?

 

[Birdseye]

Ok, so how much financial wealth does one need to retire and live aboard?

What are the options, and how much would one need to live comfortably aboard?

Un answerable. Depends entirely on how you personally define comfort. You can see youngsters who dont fancy work living aboard 22 footers. Personally I wouldnt consider it in anything less than a 50ft cat and at least a couple of million cash to generate an income of say 100k. The absence of this is one reason I dont live aboard.

 

[Tranona]

Talk like that is exciting to those dreaming of living aboard, but doesn't the harbour master object to boats anchoring for just short enough a period not to be accused of having effectively moored up? Presumably one could then move to another anchorage within the harbour...is that really all quite acceptable, assuming one is responsible with waste?

That is the sort of dream that can turn into a nightmare. I did somewhat similar when I was younger, living during the week anchored in the warmer months and ashore in the winter. However incompatible with a working and social life, but OK if you are a hermit and effectively hibernate for the winter in the UK.

Many people manage to do just that, though in warmer climes. Liveaboards in the eastern Med for example can live all year round mostly on the hook for free with the odd visit to a harbour for provisions. Helps if you have a decent sized boat.

 

[Greenheart]

Being neither young nor monied, I wouldn't fancy wintering aboard an uninsulated boat with less than full headroom, even if I could afford one...

...but what I'm asking, is whether harbour-governing authorities object to boat owners paying bare-minimal dues for annual use, then using big anchors as virtual moorings, and basing themselves in prime spots for weeks at a stretch, budging perhaps a quarter-mile at a time in order to escape being accused of actually laying a mooring.

If it is that easy, I'm rather excited to discover it. Now, where can I find a nice cheap uninsulated low-headroom floating refrigerator?

 

[GrahamM376]

Ok, so how much financial wealth does one need to retire and live aboard?

What are the options, and how much would one need to live comfortably aboard?

As already said, impossible to say as so may variables. e.g. - We own our mooring so just 6 euro p.a. light dues to pay, others are marina based so paying several thousands out. When out and about, we anchor wherever possible , others frequently (or always) use marinas. I do our maintenance, some even pay for oil changes. We mostly eat on board, others mainly eat out. As you can see, a hell of a difference in costs depending on choice.

Another point to consider - your projected income & expenditure may look good now but, what about 10 years down the line? Will income keep up with inflation and cost of boat repairs/replacements as everything gets tired? Will you keep a property with the associated costs? If I take out expenses for two properties and two cars (UK and Portugal) we can easily manage on average of £1k per month without having to be tight, including lift out for a month each winter.

 

[Seven Spades]

You need a fortune really. Firstly you need to accept that you probably can't live on the boat until you die so at some point you will need a house on land. Secondly you are going to need money to live, moor and pay for repairs and maintenance. The best option is to own a house in the UK rent it out pay tax on your rent and be able to live off the rest. To do that a house of around £600,000 should generate £1500 a month gross which I don't think is enough. I think you will need a property of at least £1m rented without voids to exist. When you return to the UK you will have no entitlement to NHS because you have not been living here... but I doubt it will be enforced.

 

[GrahamM376]

You need a fortune really. Firstly you need to accept that you probably can't live on the boat until you die so at some point you will need a house on land. Secondly you are going to need money to live, moor and pay for repairs and maintenance. The best option is to own a house in the UK rent it out pay tax on your rent and be able to live off the rest. To do that a house of around £600,000 should generate £1500 a month gross which I don't think is enough. I think you will need a property of at least £1m rented without voids to exist. When you return to the UK you will have no entitlement to NHS because you have not been living here... but I doubt it will be enforced.

You're living in cloud cuckoo land as far as necessary income, totally unrealistic and bears no resemblance to the vast majority of long term liveaboards.

Old age is I think going to be a problem for many of those who sell up and put all their money into the boat. Fine as long as they're fit but, what happens when perhaps long term serious illness or dementia come along? As you say, they'll no longer be in the health system or housing list and will have less rights and benefits than immigrants.

 

[Seven Spades]

So you think £2500 a month is too high or too low. I would assume that the live-aboard is going to have a state pension and possibly a private pension as well.

 

[Sybarite]

A lot dépends on getting the initial boat just right :

https://www.morganscloud.com/2015/1...126211041&mc_cid=a6051781c0&mc_eid=7f83d387e9

 

[GrahamM376]

So you think £2500 a month is too high or too low. I would assume that the live-aboard is going to have a state pension and possibly a private pension as well.

Way too high for most of our roaming liveboard friends who, in the main, have "average" sized boats which are generally just below or around the 12m mark or, larger old steel ones and avoid marinas most of the time. Of course it's easy to spend far more money if you have a big marina based boat which rarely ventures far, eat and drink out most days, have a valeting contract and pay for all maintenance etc. We and most of our friends are considered cheapskates by them.

EDIT. To answer your point about pensions. A surprising number of people don't have a private pension but can manage very well on their state one and savings.

 

[Wansworth]

A

Talk like that is exciting to those dreaming of living aboard, but doesn't the harbour master object to boats anchoring for just short enough a period not to be accused of having effectively moored up? Presumably one could then move to another anchorage within the harbour...is that really all quite acceptable, assuming one is responsible with waste?

 

[Ludd]

Way too high for most of our roaming liveboard friends who, in the main, have "average" sized boats which are generally just below or around the 12m mark or, larger old steel ones and avoid marinas most of the time. Of course it's easy to spend far more money if you have a big marina based boat which rarely ventures far, eat and drink out most days, have a valeting contract and pay for all maintenance etc. We and most of our friends are considered cheapskates by them.

EDIT. To answer your point about pensions. A surprising number of people don't have a private pension but can manage very well on their state one and savings.

I don't think you're a cheapskate,Graham----miserable old buggah,more like!

It never ceases to amaze me whwn this old chestnut crops up. I think it possibly points to the composition of the Forum-----rich old armchair sailors sitting at home watching TV.