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Are there cheapish (less than 200 grand) ocean-going vessels you can live on continuously? I was just busy at work the other day and was daydreaming about having a boat I lived on and nomadically travelled from port to port on. I’d also be fishing off of the boat.
Does this exist or is it just a figment of my imagination?
I imagine if it does exist, its only availiable to the ultrawealthy, but I’d be willing to sell my house when I retire and do something like that if I could finance the boat and pay less than 1,000 a month on it (in todays money, since this is more fantasy than something I intend to do any time soon).
There were a few jobs that involved travel when I wanted to do when I was younger, but ended up not being able to do them for one reason or another, so I’m waiting till retirement to enjoy travel and I want to make it count when I get there.
Are there cheapish (less than 200 grand) ocean-going vessels you can live on continuously? I was just busy at work the other day and was daydreaming about having a boat I lived on and nomadically travelled from port to port on. I’d also be fishing off of the boat.
Does this exist or is it just a figment of my imagination?
I imagine if it does exist, its only availiable to the ultrawealthy, but I’d be willing to sell my house when I retire and do something like that if I could finance the boat and pay less than 1,000 a month on it (in todays money, since this is more fantasy than something I intend to do any time soon).
There were a few jobs that involved travel when I wanted to do when I was younger, but ended up not being able to do them for one reason or another, so I’m waiting till retirement to enjoy travel and I want to make it count when I get there.
Google is your friend. There are a ton of different ones that are way under $200,000. Have seen some really nice ones for 50K and even some for less. Think more of a floating travel trailer.LOL
We thought about doing this on the west coast but found finding marinas that let you stay long term are rare in the areas we wanted to stay.
First of all, a houseboat is not a blue water boat. You are not going to take one out to sea and live through it. The best type of ocean-going boat is a trawler with a full displacement hull. One in your price range is going to be older and will probably become a money pit. You can also get a liveaboard sailboat, but what you save in fuel you'll spend on sails and rigging.
You really need to go to a boating forum to get the information you need. You can also watch YouTube videos. There are lots of people who post frequently about their liveaboard lifestyle.
First of all, a houseboat is not a blue water boat. You are not going to take one out to sea and live through it. The best type of ocean-going boat is a trawler with a full displacement hull. One in your price range is going to be older and will probably become a money pit. You can also get a liveaboard sailboat, but what you save in fuel you'll spend on sails and rigging.
You really need to go to a boating forum to get the information you need. You can also watch YouTube videos. There are lots of people who post frequently about their liveaboard lifestyle.
I was thinking the OP was using the term houseboat as any boat you can live on. I have been on the pontoon ones on lakes, huge retired ocean cargo ships renovated to have several apartments in them, to floating concrete boxes with trailer houses on them. All were called houseboats.
The ones we looked at were the live aboard sailboats that also had engines on them. There are basically like small travel trailers inside with cool ovens/stoves that tilt/move with the waves.
I agree with the poster I quoted about searching youtube. There are some great videos on the boats and some great info on what it is really like to live on a boat.
first of all, a houseboat is not a blue water boat. you are not going to take one out to sea and live through it. The best type of ocean-going boat is a trawler with a full displacement hull. One in your price range is going to be older and will probably become a money pit. You can also get a liveaboard sailboat, but what you save in fuel you'll spend on sails and rigging.
You really need to go to a boating forum to get the information you need. You can also watch youtube videos. There are lots of people who post frequently about their liveaboard lifestyle.
I'm confused by "Houseboats that are more like ocean going vessels". Perhaps the poster is referring to a yacht? I hope? And as Sam pointed out, marinas can be very expensive. Even a semi-decent spot on a lake marina can run as much monthly as an apartment.
First of all, a houseboat is not a blue water boat. You are not going to take one out to sea and live through it. The best type of ocean-going boat is a trawler with a full displacement hull. One in your price range is going to be older and will probably become a money pit. You can also get a liveaboard sailboat, but what you save in fuel you'll spend on sails and rigging.
You really need to go to a boating forum to get the information you need. You can also watch YouTube videos. There are lots of people who post frequently about their liveaboard lifestyle.
I have been enjoying the youtube videos. I now know I have something cool to look forward to as an older single man (I seriously doubt I’ll ever marry). Next thing I’ll look up is about deep sea fishing.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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You can do this in Europe (canal barges).
It is popular with single guy retirees (even from USA)
There were several blogs and prices were in the $200 - $300k range. People often would do it for ~5 yrs and sell to the next person desiring this lifestyle.
You will note that boats are very inexpensive to buy! (yet expensive to keep). When in NZ I was really amazed at how inexpensive for liveaboards. But... the ferry captain explained there were just a few nice days / yr...
Many Europeans have motor-sailers and do Canada to AK in summer and winter in the Gulf or San Juan Islands. There were about 15 - 20 of them over-wintering in a harbor on a Canadian Gulf Island where we spent a winter.
Plenty of large-ish sailboats for under $200,000. Get around without the cost if gasoline. Plenty of roomy fishing trawlers for under $200,000. Clean them up and have plenty of space.
Year round on the ocean, you will want to be on the East coast. The ocean on the west coast isn't a lot of fun in the winter.
Sometimes, in Florida, you can buy a cheap house on one of the canals that has the right to have a dock. That would give you a home base where you could tie up occasionally.
Docking for ocean going boats is really expensive.
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There are a ton of different ones that are way under $200,000. Have seen some really nice ones for 50K and even some for less. Think more of a floating travel trailer.LOL
