4 ms·

I've been living aboard a sailboat just outside NYC for about two years now, happy to answer questions. Addressing a few things: * buying a boat that is reaso

I've been living aboard a sailboat just outside NYC for about two years now, happy to answer questions. Addressing a few things: * buying a boat that is reasonable to live on with less than a month to do so will be difficult. You need to figure out your basic criteria and find a vessel that matches, then get it surveyed by a professional. My boat is 30 years old and was relatively cheap, but it's still a large purchase that you don't want to get screwed on. You may need to sleep on someone's couch for a bit while sorting all this out. * Boats are depreciating assets, unlike most real estate. Something to consider about buying something that won't impact your quality of life too much. * Off the grid entirely is difficult, especially from the get go. If you are retired or otherwise able to not worry about being somewhere at a specific time, you may be able to find somewhere to anchor out and take a dinghy in to shore, but I still commute to the office and that sounds like an enormous pain in the ass. I live in a marina, and still connect to shore power to charge my laptop and have WiFi. * My social life hasn't suffered for the boat, people generally find it an interesting curiosity, even though I gave up a lot of comforts. I don't have a refrigerator, I have an ice box. I don't have air conditioning, I open windows. I can use the head (restroom) aboard the boat, but I usually go to the marina restrooms to avoid having to get the holding tank pumped out. In the middle of winter, having to walk 100ft outside to take a shower before going to work isn't fun. All that said, it's the cheapest waterfront property I could possibly find in my area, and I wake up every day to a gently rocking bed and usually a nice breeze. It's worth it to me for now.

danieka 9y ago
Thanks for your reply. Luckily in Sweden it's a buyers market for boats right now, and if I don't get cold feet I'm going to look at a boat this weekend. How many feets is your boat?
- ohaiwalt 9y ago
  That's great! Part of the reason I'd say it'll take a bit longer though is if you find a vessel that you're interested in, a thorough survey requires hauling it out of the water to inspect the hull, so scheduling with a yard, the owner, and the surveyor usually takes a bit. In my area the haul out is about $500-800, and the survey was $600 just to see if the boat was worth buying. My boat is 35.5ft / 10.8m
  - danieka 9y ago
    I'm thinking of buying a boat that's both smaller and cheaper. That way if I regret my decision I can quickly reverse without too much economic damage. If I think it's acceptable to live in really cramped conditions 35ft will seem like heaven.

danieka 9y ago

Thanks for your reply. Luckily in Sweden it's a buyers market for boats right now, and if I don't get cold feet I'm going to look at a boat this weekend. How many feets is your boat?

ohaiwalt 9y ago
That's great! Part of the reason I'd say it'll take a bit longer though is if you find a vessel that you're interested in, a thorough survey requires hauling it out of the water to inspect the hull, so scheduling with a yard, the owner, and the surveyor usually takes a bit. In my area the haul out is about $500-800, and the survey was $600 just to see if the boat was worth buying. My boat is 35.5ft / 10.8m
- danieka 9y ago
  I'm thinking of buying a boat that's both smaller and cheaper. That way if I regret my decision I can quickly reverse without too much economic damage. If I think it's acceptable to live in really cramped conditions 35ft will seem like heaven.