4 ms·

the article even references it: > Ian and Natalie refer to the ranks of abandoned yachts in the depths of boatyards as the “graveyards of dreams”. “I’ve seen i

the article even references it: > Ian and Natalie refer to the ranks of abandoned yachts in the depths of boatyards as the “graveyards of dreams”. “I’ve seen it over and over again where people run out of money or they get scared and have to give up the lifestyle, for anyone thinking of doing this for some romantic notion, consider how rapidly a $100,000 or $250,000 sailboat depreciates and what the real dollar figure is per year in maintenance cost. boat = bust out another thousand in any major city one of the major challenges will be finding moorage that allows liveaboards, it's very nearly impossible in seattle or vancouver without a 5-8 year wait list, and even then you'll get a less than optimal location.

floren 4y ago
Oyster Point in South SF has signs posted around: "Warning: if you buy a boat, the slip does not transfer. There is a 2-3 year waiting list for liveaboard slips". Of course you could just drop anchor somewhere and use a tender to get to shore and back, there are currently at least two grungy little boats doing that at Oyster Point. No idea if it's actually legal but they've been doing it for at least a year... like many things around here, the answer may be "you can get way with it as long as you look sufficiently homeless"
- ok_dad 4y ago
  You can usually legally anchor just about anywhere offshore (in the continental USA at least); except it's not a good idea to do it in a channel or something.
Stevvo 4y ago
I've never heard it called the "graveyard of dreams" before; usually it's "dead men's boats". Depreciation on boats bottoms out at 1990 or so, and there are many great old boats that can be had for very little. I live on a 38' sailboat that cost $40,000. My maintenance costs are way less then rent. And you don't buy a boat to live in Seattle or Vancouver; the idea is to sail away to an anchorage for a tropical sunset.
As_You_Wish 4y ago
I purchased a used 28' boat for $10K and used it for 5 years and sold it for $10K. Worked great. As for repairs, well, that's expensive but, while I am a horrible mechanic, I learned. Repairs were extremely inexpensive for me. I replaced a steering wheel chain that broke, fixed a leak by removing drive shaft and replacing a part. I would imagine it would be so much easier now, with all the youtube stuff - there was no youtube when I owned a boat in the last 90s. And as I think someone else noted, who wants a slip to dock at? Why would one need that because you are sailing around the world. You don't have a home base or anything. That's the whole entire point.

floren 4y ago

Oyster Point in South SF has signs posted around: "Warning: if you buy a boat, the slip does not transfer. There is a 2-3 year waiting list for liveaboard slips". Of course you could just drop anchor somewhere and use a tender to get to shore and back, there are currently at least two grungy little boats doing that at Oyster Point. No idea if it's actually legal but they've been doing it for at least a year... like many things around here, the answer may be "you can get way with it as long as you look sufficiently homeless"

ok_dad 4y ago
You can usually legally anchor just about anywhere offshore (in the continental USA at least); except it's not a good idea to do it in a channel or something.

Stevvo 4y ago

I've never heard it called the "graveyard of dreams" before; usually it's "dead men's boats". Depreciation on boats bottoms out at 1990 or so, and there are many great old boats that can be had for very little. I live on a 38' sailboat that cost $40,000. My maintenance costs are way less then rent. And you don't buy a boat to live in Seattle or Vancouver; the idea is to sail away to an anchorage for a tropical sunset.

As_You_Wish 4y ago

I purchased a used 28' boat for $10K and used it for 5 years and sold it for $10K. Worked great. As for repairs, well, that's expensive but, while I am a horrible mechanic, I learned. Repairs were extremely inexpensive for me. I replaced a steering wheel chain that broke, fixed a leak by removing drive shaft and replacing a part. I would imagine it would be so much easier now, with all the youtube stuff - there was no youtube when I owned a boat in the last 90s. And as I think someone else noted, who wants a slip to dock at? Why would one need that because you are sailing around the world. You don't have a home base or anything. That's the whole entire point.