Why Don't People Live on Boats in the Potomac? (Chesapeake: apartment, for rent)

[CAVA1990]

When I drive down the Parkway I see a sailboat anchored out on the river near Dyke Marsh. I have no idea whether someone is living on it or has just found a cheap/free way to moor. It's made me wonder why more people don't just haul boats here and live on them rather than paying the exorbitant cost of regular housing. Granted it gets a bit chilly in the Winter but one could buy a lot of gas for the generator with the rent savings.

[ersatz]

Because local marinas strongly discourage it, apparently.
https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...-virginia.html

Like you, I always thought this looked like a really cool thing to do and there are lots of innovative designs around Blog: Cool Houseboats For Everyone

You can get it out of your system by renting a houseboat for a (sometimes) cheaper European holiday. Or, if you want to stay close to home, there are a number for rent at Smith Mountain Lake out in Southwestern Virginia, Deepcreek Lake in Western Md or on the Chesapeake Bay.

[car54]

There's a lot of problems with living aboard at a marina, let alone out "on the hook".

If you have a large boat, dockage alone can cost more than an apartment. That's partly why I built my waterfront vacation home....so I could dock my 57 foot Chris*Craft for free. Previously, I had paid as much as $1200 a month for a slip in DC, and that was some years ago.

Sewage is a major problem...you can not pump it overboard like in the old days. You either need a holding tank that has to be pumped out or you need a very expensive and tempermental on-board treatment system (mine drives me NUTS).

It's very hard to heat a boat. For most people that means electricity. Marinas, of course, have dock power but not always enough amperage to do everything you want at the same time. Plus, it's expensive...in many cases, you're buying your power from the marina, not a public utility and they will gouge. I was lucky in that my boat has a oil-fired central heat. The boat holds 1200 gallons of diesel fuel (the same stuff as #2 home heating oil)....and that would last through most winters.

Believe it or not, fresh water is a liveaboards' biggest problem. Most marinas shut off the dock water in the winter to prevent the pipes from freezing. When I lived aboard I was the proud owner of 1000' of garden hose...to reach the nearest spigot on land. I rolled that mess out and filled my (and my neighbors') water tanks. My boat holds 250 gallons of fresh water and I could go through that in 2-3 days. It was an enormous PITA!

I've known hundreds of liveaboards....they do it because they love the lifestyle, NOT because it is cheaper or easier. It is neither.

[bavariantransplant]

Years ago I worked for a couple of years at a major marina on the Chesapeake Bay. There were a lot of yachts owned by a lot of retirees and people who had a lot of free time, lol. Anyway, I was always surprised how many people spent a lot of their time living on their boat AT the marina. I must agree with car54, they love the lifestyle.

[CAVA1990]

Well I've live on a boat in a marina in CA for a year so understand well the ins and outs of that lifestyle. I was just curious if there was some law that would keep someone from anchoring full time out in the river. Not that I'd want to do that but seems like folks wanting to live on the cheap might consider it.

[car54]

My understanding is that, as far as the Coast Guard is concerned, it is legal as long as you don't impede navigation (ie. anchor in a channel) and you display a white light at night. There was a 100' tug anchored just below the Wilson Bridge for several years.

Then you have the local authorities...above the bridge belongs to DC, and I've heard that they impose a two week limit. I've also heard that it is lightly enforced.

Below the bridge is Maryland water and I don't know of any restrictions. HOWEVER, if your boat has much draft, you'd have to anchor on the river proper and that would be mighty unpleasant when the winds kick up a 2 or 3 foot chop. Plus, in winter, the river can freeze over. I remember years when people were driving cars on the river!

Then, presumably, one would have to go to shore occasionally....where would one tie up the dinghy? I'm sure the swells that own the waterfront mansions wouldn't mind if you tie up your Zodiac at their dock and then tromp through their manicured yards...LOL. Even the Alexandria (and ODYC) dockmasters probably wouldn't allow it, at least not for free...

[Mahatma X]

Theres plenty of people who live on boats on the Potomac (near the DC wharf/fish market)

[vermonter16]

I know someone who has been living aboard his house boat for as long as I can remember. He is anchored at the Capital Yacht Club.

[car54]

Originally Posted by Mahatma X

Theres plenty of people who live on boats on the Potomac (near the DC wharf/fish market)

Those marinas on the Washington Channel...Gangplank, Capitol YC, etc certainly do have liveaboards. However, you could rent a nice apartment for what those slips cost. As I said earlier, I kept my boat at Gangplank Marina 10 years ago and it was $1200 a month then. Most marinas charge by the length of the boat, but it is very expensive regardless.

Anyway, I think the OP is talking about living aboard a boat that is anchored out in the River, not docked at a marina pier.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by car54

Anyway, I think the OP is talking about living aboard a boat that is anchored out in the River, not docked at a marina pier.

Would be more do-able I think on the MD side. There seem to be a lot more restrictions around parking close to the river, tying up a dinghy etc. along the VA shore, within close commute distance to DC.