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The boat is the cheap part as that price is fixed. The slip is a monthly that generally has to be renewed each year. Around here the slips are ~$700/month which

The boat is the cheap part as that price is fixed. The slip is a monthly that generally has to be renewed each year. Around here the slips are ~$700/month which is about $8k a year for a tiny boat. Yes, that is cheap compared to an apartment but that does not include the hassle of travel between the boat to car to work or life which adds yet another level of time-cost. This also means you're living the SINK/DINK life without a pet because docking a boat does not make it easy to have family life unless the ship is large enough for multiple rooms. Living in a van is cheaper but there is always a cost and trade off.

cpfohl 3y ago
I'll add to that "Good luck getting a slip or mooring." Not a boater, but I have friends who are; there's a waiting list. The longest have been waiting for 5 years.
- deltarholamda 3y ago
  Yep, the savings don't take into account the limited number of available slips. And nobody is going to live aboard on a mooring. Dinghy rides are fun when you're headed to a new place. As part of a daily commute, they're annoying, and that's before you account for bad weather.
- yardie 3y ago
  I've heard the waiting list isn't so much a waiting list but a dreaming list. The waiting list is for people who dream of being a live aboard. You can call and they will put your name on a list. In our case we steamed into the marina on a modern catamaran, basically looking like we're dripping with money. The dock master wants to be able to vet you and a new, modern boat is far fewer problems than an older boat. Where I live the marinas have a problem with derelict boats. The owners buy them for cheap and then abandon them and go no-contact once the repairs get too high. So now the marina is stuck with $20k+ disposal. Financially, boats don't make sense so if you approach the marina as a live aboard trying to save money (LOL!) they will see right through it and imagine the headache you're going to be.
bitxbitxbitcoin 3y ago
It’s cheaper to live in a van than an apartment in every city just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

cpfohl 3y ago

I'll add to that "Good luck getting a slip or mooring." Not a boater, but I have friends who are; there's a waiting list. The longest have been waiting for 5 years.

deltarholamda 3y ago
Yep, the savings don't take into account the limited number of available slips. And nobody is going to live aboard on a mooring. Dinghy rides are fun when you're headed to a new place. As part of a daily commute, they're annoying, and that's before you account for bad weather.
yardie 3y ago
I've heard the waiting list isn't so much a waiting list but a dreaming list. The waiting list is for people who dream of being a live aboard. You can call and they will put your name on a list. In our case we steamed into the marina on a modern catamaran, basically looking like we're dripping with money. The dock master wants to be able to vet you and a new, modern boat is far fewer problems than an older boat. Where I live the marinas have a problem with derelict boats. The owners buy them for cheap and then abandon them and go no-contact once the repairs get too high. So now the marina is stuck with $20k+ disposal. Financially, boats don't make sense so if you approach the marina as a live aboard trying to save money (LOL!) they will see right through it and imagine the headache you're going to be.

bitxbitxbitcoin 3y ago

It’s cheaper to live in a van than an apartment in every city just doesn’t have the same ring to it.