Sleeping with Oars

[BunsGettingFirm]

This guy has been living on his 38' boat since 1999. Seems fairly happy with his arrangement. He still has a full-time job.

http://www.sleepingwithoars.com

 

[bssc]

This guy has been living on his 38' boat since 1999. Seems fairly happy with his arrangement. He still has a full-time job.

file:///C:/SleepingWithOars/new_page_11131.htm

There was an article about people in the Washington area living in the marina and commuting since it was closer and cheaper than a house. This makes sense and it is a good alternative. And you can sail your house to safety when a hurricane is headed your way.

 

[freebird5825]

LH and I had a 34' Pearson at a very nice marina that we used to escape to every other weekend. It had a decent galley, head with handheld shower, and very nice bow berth. It was ok for 3-4 days in a row, but I can't imagine living on one full time. It got a little cramped inside every time you wanted to do something besises sail. A simple task consisted of moving things around and everything had to be done in precise steps. Bugs and rainstorms often kept us down below. Thunderstorms got very interesting with that huge lightning rod right in the middle of the cabin.
But if you have salt water in your veins and you are the sole occupant of said vessel, you can make do.

 

[Meadbh]

Speaking of boats, has anyone seen Lazy? He hasn't posted for a month. Hope he's OK.

 

[harley]

I was wondering about him myself. I figured he'd gotten a life or something. Hopefully he'll be back.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

I was wondering about him myself. I figured he'd gotten a life or something. Hopefully he'll be back.

Hm...this implies that the rest of us are hanging out here too often!

 

[bbbamI]

Hm...this implies that the rest of us are hanging out here too often!

We can come and go as we please, wear our jammies, enjoy a beverage, sneeze without saying "excuse me" and post our lips as an avatar. It doesn't get much better than this....

 

[Dawg52]

We can come and go as we please, wear our jammies, enjoy a beverage, sneeze without saying "excuse me" and post our lips as an avatar. It doesn't get much better than this....

Feel free to post anything related to yourself, as your avatar.

 

[bbbamI]

Feel free to post anything related to yourself, as your avatar.

Well there's my avatar and I did post a pic of my toes. Everything in between, well....hmmm...

Ok...it took me some time to think about it...so here you go...just for you Dawg.

 

[Moemg]

I read this topic and I thought it was Sleeping with others and I could not wait to see who would fess up !

 

[Dawg52]

Well there's my avatar and I did post a pic of my toes. Everything in between, well....hmmm...

Ok...it took me some time to think about it...so here you go...just for you Dawg.

Those babies must really make you top heavy.

 

[freebird5825]

you wanna see some really big melons moving to music?
go here
YouTube - Oblivion Dupe - 10,000 Watermelons

skip forward to 1:35 if the beginning is too odd.

 

[calmloki]

Arrrrrrr. I gave up sleepin' with 'Oars after me seafarin' days were done.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

I'm glad that you all enjoyed the title so much! Do I have to be the mature one who keeps the discussion on topic? Please keep the oar references coming, but keep the melon and other fruit references for another thread name Playing with Melons.

 

[unclemick]

I'm glad that you all enjoyed the title so much! Do I have to be the mature one who keeps the discussion on topic? Please keep the oar references coming, but keep the melon and other fruit references for another thread name Playing with Melons.

1967. Happy go lucky Dick C. lived on his 34' powerboat 5 yrs(Seattle) - married his longtime girlfriend - went on a six month honeymoon on the boat.

Came back - sold the boat - first child within the year.

heh heh heh - ya gotta watch those playing with melons. Or er something. .

 

[cashbalancetrouble]

I lived on my boat summers from 79 to 85, got married, kept boat - bought house, divorced - kept house and boat, got remarried sold house kept boat. Moved to DW house, sold boat 2005. Retired, DW works, MISS BOAT! I still have my fishin stuff but golf more. DON"T MISS BOAT HEADACHES but loved living on it for a very much simpler and cost savings life style.

But I an thinking of moving out again.



I'm tired of paying property taxes, school taxes, state taxes, etc.
I want to live more independently.
Some may say I'll become trailer trash so I want your opinion before I make this decision.
Scroll down…

AND THE ICING ON THE CAKE!!
-
-

-

What do you think about my decision?

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

if the beginning is too odd.

?? I think you have too much time on your hands.

Them melons must be made of Kevlar.

 

[W2R]

In 1967 I lived on a 27' trimaran with my boyfriend back in Hawaii. I thought it was a wonderful experience. Falling asleep to the sounds of wavelets splish splashing on the hull, punctuated by the creaking of the mast, was so peaceful.

I was young and didn't mind the extra work. I recall carrying big containers of water from the faucet down to the boat as needed, and conserving water when doing the dishes and such.

Naturally there is not much space, but then we didn't have much to stow. We had some ingenious homemade solutions to the inevitable storage problems, too. Or at least I thought they were ingenious since he devised them.

Overall, my memories are delightful and the cost was very little. When slip rentals went up, we moved it from Honolulu out to a marina in the countryside. We went sailing several times a week, as I recall.

But then, I am probably remembering all this with rose colored glasses since it was 42 years ago.

 

[NW-Bound]

I have never owned a boat, not even a kayak. I am not even sure I can be a sailor, as the one time we took a catamaran sailing in Kauai I forgot to take Dramamine and was too sick to enjoy it (did not lose my lunch though).

So, why is it that I always dream of having a sailboat? Isn't it just romantic, particularly sailing around the PNW coast from the Puget Sound up to Victoria. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, and to drop anchor at nigh. The sea also looks calm, and I keep telling myself that I may be able to handle it. It also looks safe to get shelter from storms.

Last year, as we drove around the Saanich Peninsula, we stopped for lunch at the Blue's Bayou Cafe at Brentwood Bay (good and reasonably priced lunch, with soup made with American alligator meat if you like). See picture taken of the marina there. We struck a conversation with a couple in their early 60s, who retired and sailed around in their 42' sailboat. They said the preceding 12 months, they spent about 1/3 of their time on the boat.

There also happened to be a boat show in Victoria. I uploaded one picture of many that were taken. Note the Empress in the background.

Ah! Will I ever be able to find out if it is for me? A small house in the Puget Sound, plus a modest sailboat? What if a tsumani strikes? By the way, when we were there, there was an underwater quake of 5.8 and about 160 miles off the shore. People did not feel anything, and shrugged it off.

 

[Brat]

In the PacNW live-aboard slips will be harder and harder to find. The State of Oregon law now provides the same protection to live-aboard tenants in a marina as floating home tenants... basically it is very difficult to get them to sail away. For many readers that would seem logical, but as anyone who owns a boat should know not all sailors are good neighbors. It is still true that folks who anchor-out can live with few restrictions.

 

[brewer12345]

I have never owned a boat, not even a kayak. I am not even sure I can be a sailor, as the one time we took a catamaran sailing in Kauai I forgot to take Dramamine and was too sick to enjoy it (did not lose my lunch though).

So, why is it that I always dream of having a sailboat?

I have the same dilemma, with the same problem (seasickness). For now, I am scratching the itch with a travel trailer. All the "fun" of living aboard without the problems that come with soaking your house in a corrosive liquid all the time. And no seasickness.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

I'm more impressed with the fact that this guy is holding down a full time job while living on a boat. From the how stuff works section of the site, living aboard looks like a very labor-intensive lifestyle

 

[Brat]

Actually it isn't labor intensive. I know a political appointee who lived on a boat in a marina near DC. I assume is tenure is over, he can ship the boat back to the great lakes or sell it to a new arrival. It was a great situation for he and his wife, just like having a condo at a fraction of the cost.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

OK, if you say so. I'm going to the New England Boat Show this weekend. Heck, it's held at the same place where I took the CFA. I gotta have some fun memories of the place besides those of craning my neck over a piece of paper and scribbling furiously for 6 hours.

Looks like all the big sail boat manufacturers are going to be there. Yeah, what a time to get started on an expensive hobby!

New England Boat Show

 

[Brat]

Because of the economy there are a LOT of used boats on the market. Go to the Boat Show to try to determine what your needs will be and pick up the cards of the Marine Surveyors at the show. Then start looking at re-sales because depreciation is the greatest in the first couple years. IMHO you should find a vessel that you can operate single handed. Don't consider a racing boat when you want to cruse. Don't buy a boat that was ever in a hurricane.

After the Show visit the Surveyors to find the person you want to use. Ask each, "If I find a boat what yard should I use for repairs and maintenance." If one yard is mentioned several times you know where to go. Once you have found your Surveyor ask for recommendations of boats to look for, and pay that person for their time at this stage of your search. Their expertise has value to you, they are experts in their field and deserve to be paid for their time.

Then start looking. I hear that there is an inventory of newer boats whose owners stopped making payments, find out where those boats went in your area.

Visit marinas to find out about the availability of slips and costs, get a copy of their rental agreements and read them. Often the marina office knows of boats that aren't listed with a broker but are available for purchase.