I've been a bit delinquent in posting updates to this blog, mostly because life has been getting in the way of everything. Work, illness, a summer of stress from lack of funding... *sigh*
Time is currently our opponent. Our energy is put towards our daily agenda: getting to work, getting Kiddo to school, making sure we're all healthy, happy, and functioning. Being in a position where we are just barely getting by and unable to save any money towards a boat purchase...
Let's just say it's stressful and leave it at that.
The stress has been galvanizing, however. Our jobs have been pleased with our effort and I've received two raises since my last post, my Love has finished the first draft of her first novel and we're working on editing and getting it ready for submission. Her yearly pay raise is coming around, so our monthly incomes are slowly growing... and it's easing our financial burden a bit.
I think the financial consideration is probably the toughest thing for people in our situation to overcome. A boat requires a large sum of money up front, and that requires saving up. In our situation, which has been spending virtually everything that has been coming in, it has been impossible. Now that our incomes are increasing, we're working on paying off our loans and reducing our monthly expenses. Once that happens, we will finally have enough monthly incomes that will allow us to put away enough to get ourselves ready for the next step in our boat search.
We still haven't found out what our dog's reaction to being on a boat (or even on the dock, for starters) will be, we haven't spent a length of time (at least a weekend, including sleeping) on a boat, and we haven't taken a look at boats in person, excepting the trip we made to the auction. This has been primarily due to a lack of free time, but we also don't want to get a seller's hopes up only to be "just looking". Ideally, our best bet to look at boats would be to attend a boat show. Boat shows typically happen in the beginning of the year in our particular area, however I found out about one SUPER CLOSE to where we live (and where we'd prefer to berth) that's taking place this weekend that we'll most likely be attending. It'll be our first foray into the world of boat shows, and while we have no intentions of purchasing, it's still an excellent source of information and ideas as to what is out there (and what will be coming). Looking at the seminars and seeing conversations about diesel vs. electric engines, I have to say I'm quite intrigued! There's also a 45-minute sailing lesson that I think Kiddo would get a lot out of, but is prohibitively expensive at the present time.
Nevertheless, we are all set to go to the boat show and learn a bit more about our future floating home. We're realistic and understand that we're not equipped yet to purchase a boat, especially a brand new one, but we want to increase our knowledge of what's out there, what new inventions and innovations are being brought onto the ocean. It should be a fun adventure for us all, and we should return with a new look on things and a renewal of our desire to get out there and visit all the places we want to visit.
I just hope that time is more than just plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines. I guess it really is up to us, and this boat show should keep our inspiration alive.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Red Sky in the Morning...
Sometimes it feels as if I'm permanently living a "sailors take warning" lifestyle.
What I mean is that despite two incomes, we're still not even treading water yet. We have just begun to pay back our outstanding debts but still have a bit to go before we are to the point of "saving for our starter boat". Along the way, we have the joys of summer where Kelly must work at two jobs to make up for the income of her 10 1/2- month employment and Kiddo is going to the Y while we work to afford their rates. We work to pay off the title loan on Kelly's car that we had to take to afford the time before I became gainfully employed. On the bright side, the truck is able to pass smog and get current on the registration up to this year. We have internet and home phone again. Our ability to function within the "normal world" is back.
Although we are undergoing trials and tribulations that test our commitment to this dream, we are resolute in our desire to take to this lifestyle. We have our pictures of a "dream" boat tacked to our bedroom mirror and our refrigerator to inspire us on each time our eyes drift towards the image. We continue to look through Yachtworld and Craigslist and see what has sold from the last time we checked, what has become available, what layouts would be good enough to get us on this path towards ownership. I run ideas past Kelly and Kiddo, actively involving each of the people whose lives will be dependent upon our research. I check the forums on various sites (TrawlerForum.com and CruisersForum.com as examples) to learn more about the potential home we purchase. Which home that is, who knows as of yet. We are currently leaning towards a Bayliner 38XX (38-something) at present, but will be flexible enough to look for more options as our nest egg grows.
As someone who has not been predisposed towards saving and purchasing, it feels difficult putting aside the scratching of the instant-gratification-itch to (eventually) set aside enough dinero to purchase a home that is ultimately mobile. If nothing else, the current election cycle has lit a fire under my behind to ensure the option of us leaving for another country should the situation stateside require it. I certainly hope it is not the case, but I like to be prepared. I leave political discussion out of this blog because this isn't a blog about the political course of the United States, but a blog about the difficulties in transitioning from living on land to leaving it behind.
From what I have read, the actual liveaboard lifestyle could easily be just as filled with various trials and tribulations as to compare with what we are going through. Our temporary financial issues will be exacerbated aboard a boat, and the fiscal situations will potentially cost life instead of money. Mind you, our research involves purchasing a floating home that is totally sound for our purposes. That is, we purchase a boat that we could live on for at least ten years comfortably. Like I've said, we're looking at a "starter" boat in order to save enough to purchase our eventual cruising home. It will enable us (potentially) to make purchases and lifestyle decisions to add residual income to our life portfolio. Successful or not, we have a plan and we're sticking to it.
After all, the alternative is living a life just like everybody else. And I can't abide that in the slightest.
What I mean is that despite two incomes, we're still not even treading water yet. We have just begun to pay back our outstanding debts but still have a bit to go before we are to the point of "saving for our starter boat". Along the way, we have the joys of summer where Kelly must work at two jobs to make up for the income of her 10 1/2- month employment and Kiddo is going to the Y while we work to afford their rates. We work to pay off the title loan on Kelly's car that we had to take to afford the time before I became gainfully employed. On the bright side, the truck is able to pass smog and get current on the registration up to this year. We have internet and home phone again. Our ability to function within the "normal world" is back.
Although we are undergoing trials and tribulations that test our commitment to this dream, we are resolute in our desire to take to this lifestyle. We have our pictures of a "dream" boat tacked to our bedroom mirror and our refrigerator to inspire us on each time our eyes drift towards the image. We continue to look through Yachtworld and Craigslist and see what has sold from the last time we checked, what has become available, what layouts would be good enough to get us on this path towards ownership. I run ideas past Kelly and Kiddo, actively involving each of the people whose lives will be dependent upon our research. I check the forums on various sites (TrawlerForum.com and CruisersForum.com as examples) to learn more about the potential home we purchase. Which home that is, who knows as of yet. We are currently leaning towards a Bayliner 38XX (38-something) at present, but will be flexible enough to look for more options as our nest egg grows.
As someone who has not been predisposed towards saving and purchasing, it feels difficult putting aside the scratching of the instant-gratification-itch to (eventually) set aside enough dinero to purchase a home that is ultimately mobile. If nothing else, the current election cycle has lit a fire under my behind to ensure the option of us leaving for another country should the situation stateside require it. I certainly hope it is not the case, but I like to be prepared. I leave political discussion out of this blog because this isn't a blog about the political course of the United States, but a blog about the difficulties in transitioning from living on land to leaving it behind.
From what I have read, the actual liveaboard lifestyle could easily be just as filled with various trials and tribulations as to compare with what we are going through. Our temporary financial issues will be exacerbated aboard a boat, and the fiscal situations will potentially cost life instead of money. Mind you, our research involves purchasing a floating home that is totally sound for our purposes. That is, we purchase a boat that we could live on for at least ten years comfortably. Like I've said, we're looking at a "starter" boat in order to save enough to purchase our eventual cruising home. It will enable us (potentially) to make purchases and lifestyle decisions to add residual income to our life portfolio. Successful or not, we have a plan and we're sticking to it.
After all, the alternative is living a life just like everybody else. And I can't abide that in the slightest.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Waiting for it
I'm exhausted.
Since starting a new job nine days ago, I've worked eight of 'em. It was totally my decision, and I loved doing it. Not only was it helping our finances get back in order after a looooong time of un/underemployment, but I've got a sense of purpose, of value. Not that I wasn't valuable to people, mind you. My loving family has always thought of me as valuable, but it's nice to feel it while producing positive results for your employer. I've even developed a mantra that I've been repeating for a while now: "Every day I prove my worth to earn our berth", which is my way of focusing on our goal of getting our vessel within the next two years. I know this isn't really about becoming a liveaboard, but it's one of our major steps along the path. And right now, the next part involves lots and lots of time getting our money straight.
While we wait for our nest egg to get started, we've been trying to decide whether we should purchase a boat outright or save up for a down payment and take out a loan. The option of a loan, from what I have followed on the subject, is difficult because of two specific factors:
1) Banks don't want to lend money on older boats, even if the boats are quality-built. They're (justifiably) skittish over boats more than 20 years old.
2) Banks don't want to lend money to people who don't have a home address. It's like there's nothing that ties them to any particular place if the mood hits them or something...
Mind you, there are banks out there who DO work with liveaboards, but those are limited in number and there's usually a large down payment (20% would be minimum, 25% and higher is recommended) and higher interest rates to eat up monthly income. What it comes down to is whether we want to have a "rent" for a while longer or settle for an older boat? I'm leaning towards purchasing a boat outright, however that would have us doing a nice amount of repair/maintenance that we may be underqualified (read: definitely underqualified) to perform.
At least I'd be enthusiastic about the attempts to repair the thing. Just what we need, an enthusiastic repairman who knows virtually nothing on the subject. In all seriousness, I know I'll be learning how to maintain and repair all the systems on the boat that I possibly can. It's not just convenient; it could potentially save our behinds.
Despite these difficulties, we're more dedicated to the dream than ever. We have two pictures of a "dream yacht" posted in our house, one on our bathroom mirror and one on our refrigerator, to inspire us every time we look at it. I feel like it's working, as I'm using it to keep me focused on what I need to do in order to achieve this dream. It may sound silly to some, but a good friend once told me that positive breeds positive, and negative breeds negative. I'd rather look at a boat than a bunch of other papers while I'm waiting for our dream to come true. It's just that the waiting really is the hardest part.
Darn you Tom Petty for being right!
Since starting a new job nine days ago, I've worked eight of 'em. It was totally my decision, and I loved doing it. Not only was it helping our finances get back in order after a looooong time of un/underemployment, but I've got a sense of purpose, of value. Not that I wasn't valuable to people, mind you. My loving family has always thought of me as valuable, but it's nice to feel it while producing positive results for your employer. I've even developed a mantra that I've been repeating for a while now: "Every day I prove my worth to earn our berth", which is my way of focusing on our goal of getting our vessel within the next two years. I know this isn't really about becoming a liveaboard, but it's one of our major steps along the path. And right now, the next part involves lots and lots of time getting our money straight.
While we wait for our nest egg to get started, we've been trying to decide whether we should purchase a boat outright or save up for a down payment and take out a loan. The option of a loan, from what I have followed on the subject, is difficult because of two specific factors:
1) Banks don't want to lend money on older boats, even if the boats are quality-built. They're (justifiably) skittish over boats more than 20 years old.
2) Banks don't want to lend money to people who don't have a home address. It's like there's nothing that ties them to any particular place if the mood hits them or something...
Mind you, there are banks out there who DO work with liveaboards, but those are limited in number and there's usually a large down payment (20% would be minimum, 25% and higher is recommended) and higher interest rates to eat up monthly income. What it comes down to is whether we want to have a "rent" for a while longer or settle for an older boat? I'm leaning towards purchasing a boat outright, however that would have us doing a nice amount of repair/maintenance that we may be underqualified (read: definitely underqualified) to perform.
At least I'd be enthusiastic about the attempts to repair the thing. Just what we need, an enthusiastic repairman who knows virtually nothing on the subject. In all seriousness, I know I'll be learning how to maintain and repair all the systems on the boat that I possibly can. It's not just convenient; it could potentially save our behinds.
Despite these difficulties, we're more dedicated to the dream than ever. We have two pictures of a "dream yacht" posted in our house, one on our bathroom mirror and one on our refrigerator, to inspire us every time we look at it. I feel like it's working, as I'm using it to keep me focused on what I need to do in order to achieve this dream. It may sound silly to some, but a good friend once told me that positive breeds positive, and negative breeds negative. I'd rather look at a boat than a bunch of other papers while I'm waiting for our dream to come true. It's just that the waiting really is the hardest part.
Darn you Tom Petty for being right!
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Beginning the process, step 1: Living the Dream... through Research!:
So we went to a boat auction.
Several months back I signed up for several notifications of local auctions, but as it turns out the internet is full of misleading information. As an example, I was recently made aware of an online auction of a cargo ship, approximately 210 feet in length. Although roomy, I'm wagering that the slip fees would be a bit beyond our current income. There have been better notifications, but that one was one of my favorites.
But we did receive notification of a live auction close to home, so on an early Saturday morning we woke up and headed out to Long Beach. We eventually ended up in a parking lot a bit of a distance away from the auction site, forcing us to make our way by walking along a path that taunted us with beautiful boats that would make our liveaboard dreams come true. Forty-plus foot yachts (yeah, that's the word I'd use to describe most of these bad boys) beckoning with signs that posted the information of the boat brokers hired to get these money pits sold...
It made me think.
It made me question the viability of our dream, the fact that these people whose annual income would double the income I've managed to bring in within a decade are attempting to sell these majestic vessels. I could've literally passed out from the beauty of some of these "potential" homes. It was almost too much to bear. I began thinking about the reduced space, the lack of growing space (I got my green thumb due to my maternal grandfather's love of gardening - my son and I are currently working on a portable herb garden), the potential for homelessness... It all weighs on my conscience, on my thoughts regarding this lifestyle. I continually weigh the pros and cons, making a real concerted effort to NOT influence my decision with idle daydreams of scuba diving amongst the coral reefs of the world, of swimming with whale sharks around Baja California, of the amazing experiences I can bestow upon Kiddo...
We finally arrived, and Kelly went in to register for the bidding (we had a little bit of cash, but were not intending on spending it. If a boat that fit our parameters was found, however...) and I perused the lots. Everything from fishing tackle to lifeboats to a HDTV was sitting out looking for future homes. I glanced through and saw nothing that we could live without, and began to scan the available boats from a distance.
Many of the vessels were in a state of disrepair, as we expected. There was a mix of sail and power boats, fairly close to 50/50. None of them had the two private cabin requirement that we knew we needed, so we knew early on that this was more of a chance to network rather than look for a floating domicile. In fact, we learned from conversations that one of the boats up for auction was purchased for $10 and then registered here, giving us ideas for the future... as long as the boats aren't totally thrashed. Like the pre-1970 (I feel comfortable judging THAT much) wooden boat that literally had holes in the deck and scared the bejeezus out of us. Because of some back issues, I decided to opt out of the inspection "away team" and left it to Kelly and Kiddo. They proceeded to venture onboard several of the boats, with Kiddo being the only member on at least two of the boats.
Watching him jump on and walk around as if he was on land was amazing to behold. He walked around a couple boats like he was born to it, not losing his balance in the slightest despite the occasional choppiness. I honestly don't know if it's genetic (I always felt at home on board a boat and have never felt the slightest bit seasick) or if it's something that children are prone to do, but my boy was walking around like a pro, as seriously as you could imagine an inspector with at least ten years of experience would conduct himself. He was inspecting the interiors of boats that Momma and Daddy were not venturing on, giving us information on it ("It was real dirty") that we were able to utilize in our bidding decisions.When it was time for us to turn in our bidding number and roll, there were no complaints from him with regards to having to leave without purchasing a boat. He is normally an awesome boy, but he outdid himself this day.
I realized that if I was going to give Kiddo an environment conductive to a well-rounded education, onboard a boat would be right up there. He has a passion for nature in all its forms (he's as fascinated about outer space as he is with underwater) and the options for summer vacations for us can be pretty wide-ranging with boat ownership, giving us more of an opportunity to connect with our planet and each other that most people only dream about.
We are so getting a boat.
Several months back I signed up for several notifications of local auctions, but as it turns out the internet is full of misleading information. As an example, I was recently made aware of an online auction of a cargo ship, approximately 210 feet in length. Although roomy, I'm wagering that the slip fees would be a bit beyond our current income. There have been better notifications, but that one was one of my favorites.
But we did receive notification of a live auction close to home, so on an early Saturday morning we woke up and headed out to Long Beach. We eventually ended up in a parking lot a bit of a distance away from the auction site, forcing us to make our way by walking along a path that taunted us with beautiful boats that would make our liveaboard dreams come true. Forty-plus foot yachts (yeah, that's the word I'd use to describe most of these bad boys) beckoning with signs that posted the information of the boat brokers hired to get these money pits sold...
It made me think.
It made me question the viability of our dream, the fact that these people whose annual income would double the income I've managed to bring in within a decade are attempting to sell these majestic vessels. I could've literally passed out from the beauty of some of these "potential" homes. It was almost too much to bear. I began thinking about the reduced space, the lack of growing space (I got my green thumb due to my maternal grandfather's love of gardening - my son and I are currently working on a portable herb garden), the potential for homelessness... It all weighs on my conscience, on my thoughts regarding this lifestyle. I continually weigh the pros and cons, making a real concerted effort to NOT influence my decision with idle daydreams of scuba diving amongst the coral reefs of the world, of swimming with whale sharks around Baja California, of the amazing experiences I can bestow upon Kiddo...
We finally arrived, and Kelly went in to register for the bidding (we had a little bit of cash, but were not intending on spending it. If a boat that fit our parameters was found, however...) and I perused the lots. Everything from fishing tackle to lifeboats to a HDTV was sitting out looking for future homes. I glanced through and saw nothing that we could live without, and began to scan the available boats from a distance.
Many of the vessels were in a state of disrepair, as we expected. There was a mix of sail and power boats, fairly close to 50/50. None of them had the two private cabin requirement that we knew we needed, so we knew early on that this was more of a chance to network rather than look for a floating domicile. In fact, we learned from conversations that one of the boats up for auction was purchased for $10 and then registered here, giving us ideas for the future... as long as the boats aren't totally thrashed. Like the pre-1970 (I feel comfortable judging THAT much) wooden boat that literally had holes in the deck and scared the bejeezus out of us. Because of some back issues, I decided to opt out of the inspection "away team" and left it to Kelly and Kiddo. They proceeded to venture onboard several of the boats, with Kiddo being the only member on at least two of the boats.
Watching him jump on and walk around as if he was on land was amazing to behold. He walked around a couple boats like he was born to it, not losing his balance in the slightest despite the occasional choppiness. I honestly don't know if it's genetic (I always felt at home on board a boat and have never felt the slightest bit seasick) or if it's something that children are prone to do, but my boy was walking around like a pro, as seriously as you could imagine an inspector with at least ten years of experience would conduct himself. He was inspecting the interiors of boats that Momma and Daddy were not venturing on, giving us information on it ("It was real dirty") that we were able to utilize in our bidding decisions.When it was time for us to turn in our bidding number and roll, there were no complaints from him with regards to having to leave without purchasing a boat. He is normally an awesome boy, but he outdid himself this day.
I realized that if I was going to give Kiddo an environment conductive to a well-rounded education, onboard a boat would be right up there. He has a passion for nature in all its forms (he's as fascinated about outer space as he is with underwater) and the options for summer vacations for us can be pretty wide-ranging with boat ownership, giving us more of an opportunity to connect with our planet and each other that most people only dream about.
We are so getting a boat.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Space... the finite frontier!
As we look at different vessels for our first purchase, we are constantly reminded about the battle for space aboard these floating mobile homes. Having spent my teenage years in a mobile home I understand the limitations we'll be undergoing when we finally move to the ocean.
Our son has NO idea of what it'll REALLY be like!
It's kind of funny that we've been complaining about the lack of counter space in our apartments over the years and now we'll be going into a galley that may be even smaller. Not even enough room for our cooking gadgets like our stand mixer or roasting pan. We'll deal with it, like we've dealt with other constraints over the available room (or lack thereof). We'll make sure we have our own bedrooms with doors to give ourselves a semblance of privacy. We'll be making sure we have ample deck space for us to lounge around outside when the weather permits, further ensuring against cabin fever.
But our Kiddo loves to keep moving, and I worry sometimes that he won't have enough space.
We're blessed in that our son loves the ocean. He's totally onboard (forgive me the pun) with this decision, as if any kid his age wouldn't be. He'll be able to swim in the ocean at practically the drop of a hat. We explained the problems of living onboard a boat, the space constraints he'll be expected to deal with. Until we have a sampling of what we'll be experiencing, until he can actually live aboard a boat on a temporary basis (i.e. watching someone's boat, renting a boat to practice being a liveaboard, etc.) he really doesn't have an idea of what we're talking about.
He is really great at being pragmatic, though. For a six-year old, he is INCREDIBLY pragmatic. I've shown him videos of trawlers for sale that people have posted to YouTube, explained to him that we'll have a little space for some of his games, toys, and books but not a huge amount of space for storing them with us (we will have a storage unit that we'll utilize as a library/toy exchange periodically) and he is accepting of that... so far. We've been encouraging his desire to become an astronaut at every opportunity, eventually culminating in a future purchase of some binoculars for stargazing onboard a boat. And, yes, I have been reading up on the other liveaboard astronomers and have been learning a LOT. And a pair of binoculars are much easier to store than a telescope. Having interests that intimately involve nature is one of my primary reasons for desiring this lifestyle. Between games, toys, and exploring the world - and universe - around us, I think he'll be fine.
That's not to say there won't be a learning curve. I believe the biggest hurdle we'll encounter will be birthday/Christmas gifts from family and friends. One rule that we (and most other successful liveaboards) will live by is "If you bring something onto the boat, you must remove something else to ensure space". We'll be creating Amazon Wish Lists for family to utilize when those holidays roll around and remind them that gift cards for The Cheesecake Factory are always a good idea, as are amusement park tickets and movie passes. Experiential gifts, rather than material, will be the best options to conserve our limited room.
That being said, I will be practicing what I preach by removing from our house something of equivalent size when I upgrade my bass guitar. And for everything else I bring into our land-bound home. If I'm going to be the Captain, I had better lead by example.
Our son has NO idea of what it'll REALLY be like!
It's kind of funny that we've been complaining about the lack of counter space in our apartments over the years and now we'll be going into a galley that may be even smaller. Not even enough room for our cooking gadgets like our stand mixer or roasting pan. We'll deal with it, like we've dealt with other constraints over the available room (or lack thereof). We'll make sure we have our own bedrooms with doors to give ourselves a semblance of privacy. We'll be making sure we have ample deck space for us to lounge around outside when the weather permits, further ensuring against cabin fever.
But our Kiddo loves to keep moving, and I worry sometimes that he won't have enough space.
We're blessed in that our son loves the ocean. He's totally onboard (forgive me the pun) with this decision, as if any kid his age wouldn't be. He'll be able to swim in the ocean at practically the drop of a hat. We explained the problems of living onboard a boat, the space constraints he'll be expected to deal with. Until we have a sampling of what we'll be experiencing, until he can actually live aboard a boat on a temporary basis (i.e. watching someone's boat, renting a boat to practice being a liveaboard, etc.) he really doesn't have an idea of what we're talking about.
He is really great at being pragmatic, though. For a six-year old, he is INCREDIBLY pragmatic. I've shown him videos of trawlers for sale that people have posted to YouTube, explained to him that we'll have a little space for some of his games, toys, and books but not a huge amount of space for storing them with us (we will have a storage unit that we'll utilize as a library/toy exchange periodically) and he is accepting of that... so far. We've been encouraging his desire to become an astronaut at every opportunity, eventually culminating in a future purchase of some binoculars for stargazing onboard a boat. And, yes, I have been reading up on the other liveaboard astronomers and have been learning a LOT. And a pair of binoculars are much easier to store than a telescope. Having interests that intimately involve nature is one of my primary reasons for desiring this lifestyle. Between games, toys, and exploring the world - and universe - around us, I think he'll be fine.
That's not to say there won't be a learning curve. I believe the biggest hurdle we'll encounter will be birthday/Christmas gifts from family and friends. One rule that we (and most other successful liveaboards) will live by is "If you bring something onto the boat, you must remove something else to ensure space". We'll be creating Amazon Wish Lists for family to utilize when those holidays roll around and remind them that gift cards for The Cheesecake Factory are always a good idea, as are amusement park tickets and movie passes. Experiential gifts, rather than material, will be the best options to conserve our limited room.
That being said, I will be practicing what I preach by removing from our house something of equivalent size when I upgrade my bass guitar. And for everything else I bring into our land-bound home. If I'm going to be the Captain, I had better lead by example.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
What the hell is an Aluminum Falcon?
As mentioned in the last entry, we narrowed our search to a specific type of power boat. Trawlers, specifically recreational trawlers, are perfect for our needs with great fuel economy with (usually) diesel engines, plenty of space, room outside for parties or fishing, and a plethora of advantages for a family like ours. Most importantly, there are a lot of them under $50,000. Several under $35,000. Many of those are later 70's models, but every so often there are some like a 1973 Ta Chiao Trawler that appear for $30,000 or so.
If we miss out on one of these trawlers, I'm not worried. In his book The Essentials of Living Aboard A Boat, Mark Nicholas discusses the idea that boats, like homes for those who are real-estate inclined, grow on trees. Many of our friends and family are unaware that we have studied real estate, including taking classes in real estate investment. When I was studying for my real estate license I heard the phrase "Homes grow on trees", meaning that if you miss on one deal, there will be another coming along because situations change, life makes changes to your life before you're ready. Boats, being a "luxury" item (to those who aren't liveaboards), are more volatile a commodity than land since in all but the most extreme circumstances boats will depreciate in value rather than appreciate. This means that there is usually a glut of boats on the market at any particular time. In going back every week or so and checking my saved searches on YachtWorld.com and BoatTrader.com, I see that to be the truth, and eventually the prices drop until they're sold or the owner decides to keep the thing. Either way, there's always new merchandise added to keep the volume fairly consistent and prices that remain competitive so we're not worried about missing out on a "boat of our dreams". Another of that model and year will be along eventually.
That being said, it's always interesting to look at the ads that are out there in case an offer "too good to be true" falls into our laps. Craigslist is a great resource for information, good and ill. These are either owners attempting to sell on their own without a broker (speaking as someone who has trained in real estate I firmly believe that with a good broker you get more than if you go it alone and will usually sell quicker) or from brokers making sure their listings are marketed as thoroughly as possible. It scares us that people get suckered in by ads like these without doing their due diligence. Most recently, Kelly saw a boat for sale where the owner had the cojones to claim that the purchaser would get their money back when and if they decided to sell. If I was purchasing, I'd make him sign a contract holding him financially responsible for that.
Although this particular seller was really just using language designed to get $12k of the $13k+ he spent on the boat back, the value of these boats will continue to drop as the boats age. Lenders want to loan for the purchase of newer boats. Insurers know the longer the boat is in operation, the more likely it'll sink. These aren't floating homes in terms of resale value, more like automobiles that start dropping in price as soon as they're off the lot. You could add electronics, remodel the interiors, and there will always be a ceiling of diminishing returns. Yeah, there may be some boats out there that are diamonds in the rough, like a classic muscle car found in a junkyard. I know my knowledge of boats at the present is rudimentary so I refuse to get suckered in on any of these deals. Not to say that I wouldn't discount it in the future, after we've lived aboard and could find a profit...
Our real profit from this purchase will be in the experiences. The trips we take, the look of enchantment on Kiddo's face as we go out to see the Gray Whale migration, the sunsets we'll watch over dinner (as opposed to the glow of our television), the fireworks on the 4th of July from the ocean's perspective... I could do an entire blog entry on this alone! There will be plenty of difficulties associated with it, but we'll look at those later.
Let me dream about those sunsets now...
If we miss out on one of these trawlers, I'm not worried. In his book The Essentials of Living Aboard A Boat, Mark Nicholas discusses the idea that boats, like homes for those who are real-estate inclined, grow on trees. Many of our friends and family are unaware that we have studied real estate, including taking classes in real estate investment. When I was studying for my real estate license I heard the phrase "Homes grow on trees", meaning that if you miss on one deal, there will be another coming along because situations change, life makes changes to your life before you're ready. Boats, being a "luxury" item (to those who aren't liveaboards), are more volatile a commodity than land since in all but the most extreme circumstances boats will depreciate in value rather than appreciate. This means that there is usually a glut of boats on the market at any particular time. In going back every week or so and checking my saved searches on YachtWorld.com and BoatTrader.com, I see that to be the truth, and eventually the prices drop until they're sold or the owner decides to keep the thing. Either way, there's always new merchandise added to keep the volume fairly consistent and prices that remain competitive so we're not worried about missing out on a "boat of our dreams". Another of that model and year will be along eventually.
That being said, it's always interesting to look at the ads that are out there in case an offer "too good to be true" falls into our laps. Craigslist is a great resource for information, good and ill. These are either owners attempting to sell on their own without a broker (speaking as someone who has trained in real estate I firmly believe that with a good broker you get more than if you go it alone and will usually sell quicker) or from brokers making sure their listings are marketed as thoroughly as possible. It scares us that people get suckered in by ads like these without doing their due diligence. Most recently, Kelly saw a boat for sale where the owner had the cojones to claim that the purchaser would get their money back when and if they decided to sell. If I was purchasing, I'd make him sign a contract holding him financially responsible for that.
Although this particular seller was really just using language designed to get $12k of the $13k+ he spent on the boat back, the value of these boats will continue to drop as the boats age. Lenders want to loan for the purchase of newer boats. Insurers know the longer the boat is in operation, the more likely it'll sink. These aren't floating homes in terms of resale value, more like automobiles that start dropping in price as soon as they're off the lot. You could add electronics, remodel the interiors, and there will always be a ceiling of diminishing returns. Yeah, there may be some boats out there that are diamonds in the rough, like a classic muscle car found in a junkyard. I know my knowledge of boats at the present is rudimentary so I refuse to get suckered in on any of these deals. Not to say that I wouldn't discount it in the future, after we've lived aboard and could find a profit...
Our real profit from this purchase will be in the experiences. The trips we take, the look of enchantment on Kiddo's face as we go out to see the Gray Whale migration, the sunsets we'll watch over dinner (as opposed to the glow of our television), the fireworks on the 4th of July from the ocean's perspective... I could do an entire blog entry on this alone! There will be plenty of difficulties associated with it, but we'll look at those later.
Let me dream about those sunsets now...
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Beginnings... sort of.
To misquote the Stones, what a drag it is being broke...
Without going into too many specifics, our financial situation for the last few years has been... abysmal. We've been fortunate over this time to have had friends and family in position to assist us when we really needed it, and have repaid or are in the process of repaying these debts. In our situation, our rent is our single biggest living expense. Seeing how much we'd benefit from a reduction in that expense, we've begun putting feelers out amongst our friends who have boats and may know people who would be interested in renting out their boats, potentially a rent-to-own scenario as well. This is a longshot, however, and I don't see us moving in that direction unless something happens. The world is a magical place, and anything is possible...
That being said, the financial hurdle at the beginning is daunting, but not unachievable. What we have to figure out from the onset is what we truly want in our new residence. Some things just are mandatory, like (and in no particular order):
1) Separate and private berths for us and Kiddo - We like to have privacy, and want to ensure Kiddo has his fair share of privacy, a place for him to go to when he wants to escape us for a bit (and I know he'll want that more as he grows older). There are a great number of boats where there's no doors between the berths and main cabin, and although we may be able to install doors in some of these, we'd rather they be standard on the design.
2) A boat between 34 and 40 feet in length - There is a LOT of discussion over how big/how small of a boat a liveaboard needs, especially when it's more than two (in other words, a family with kids). What the consensus comes down to is a pair of sayings: Get the biggest boat you can afford, and get the smallest boat you feel comfortable in. There has to be a happy medium between the two: Get the smallest boat you can feel comfortable in while getting the biggest boat you can afford. One suggestion in a great book was to get a slightly smaller/less expensive boat in order to purchase a storage unit to keep our paintings (some from my Grandma that are priceless... to me, anyway), our book library (while allowing access to our books so we can swing by periodically and never worry about late fees), and other assorted belongings. The costs of boat ownership really start growing after about 40 feet, so I want that as a maximum.
3) A Cabin Height at least 6'2" - I'm tall. I don't want to stoop whenever I walk around my home. Besides, Kiddo gives every indication that he'll have a height comparable to my own, and I don't want him uncomfortable either if we still have the same boat by then.
4) Outside Area for Entertaining - We'll (eventually) be scuba diving and I'll want an area that will be easy to maneuver in gear and Kelly would be able to host outdoor activities (4th of July from the boat is something I'm personally looking forward to witnessing). And a little place to grow culinary herbs would be great, too... and surprisingly wouldn't take up too much space.
5) The ability to get good ventilation - VERY important, especially with shipboard heads. Many are the horror stories about the smell of the marine heads!
6) Diesel Engine(s) - I'd prefer two engines as opposed to one (for redundancy's sake), but I would MUCH rather be running a diesel engine rather than gas. It would cost a lot of money to retrofit a boat from gas to diesel, so starting out with a diesel (or two) is ideal. Hopefully #4 is taken care of, as diesel smells pretty bad too.
7) A Fiberglass hull - Wood as a building material sucks when you expose it to water on a constant basis. Fiberglass was introduced in the 1960's and revolutionized the boat building industry. In the mid 70's, they reduced the thickness and strength of the fiberglass, making the boats structurally less sound. Our price range (when we have a nest egg built up) will put us looking for older boats as a starter liveaboard situation, so we will be doing our due diligence when we narrow our searches. We also realize that manufacturers and the specific shipyards that the boats were built in play a major role in the quality as well, so I've become a member on several forum sites for cruisers, liveaboards, and power boats so I have access to a wide variety of experiential data from actual boat owners. My mileage may vary; grains of salt are always on standby for taking the information with.
This is what we've got, for starters. Ultimately, this boat that we have at first is primarily for living aboard and using the savings to (eventually) make investments that will purchase for us our serious cruiser. Although we do plan on making cruises periodically (mostly to Catalina Island and maybe as far north as San Francisco and as far south as Baja Mexico for the Gray Whale migration), we're going to need to stay tethered to SoCal for the foreseeable future. Which leads us to the most typical question for the beginner liveaboard:
WHAT TYPE OF BOAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
A quite common question, actually. On Yachtworld.com, the separation starts with sail or power. Sailboats, because of the necessity of being more aerodynamic for the sake of its wind power, typically run smaller than power boats for roominess. Power, then, would be our choice on this one. On Yachtworld, under power, it's broken down into the following categories (and many boats are listed under multiple categories):
Without going into too many specifics, our financial situation for the last few years has been... abysmal. We've been fortunate over this time to have had friends and family in position to assist us when we really needed it, and have repaid or are in the process of repaying these debts. In our situation, our rent is our single biggest living expense. Seeing how much we'd benefit from a reduction in that expense, we've begun putting feelers out amongst our friends who have boats and may know people who would be interested in renting out their boats, potentially a rent-to-own scenario as well. This is a longshot, however, and I don't see us moving in that direction unless something happens. The world is a magical place, and anything is possible...
That being said, the financial hurdle at the beginning is daunting, but not unachievable. What we have to figure out from the onset is what we truly want in our new residence. Some things just are mandatory, like (and in no particular order):
1) Separate and private berths for us and Kiddo - We like to have privacy, and want to ensure Kiddo has his fair share of privacy, a place for him to go to when he wants to escape us for a bit (and I know he'll want that more as he grows older). There are a great number of boats where there's no doors between the berths and main cabin, and although we may be able to install doors in some of these, we'd rather they be standard on the design.
2) A boat between 34 and 40 feet in length - There is a LOT of discussion over how big/how small of a boat a liveaboard needs, especially when it's more than two (in other words, a family with kids). What the consensus comes down to is a pair of sayings: Get the biggest boat you can afford, and get the smallest boat you feel comfortable in. There has to be a happy medium between the two: Get the smallest boat you can feel comfortable in while getting the biggest boat you can afford. One suggestion in a great book was to get a slightly smaller/less expensive boat in order to purchase a storage unit to keep our paintings (some from my Grandma that are priceless... to me, anyway), our book library (while allowing access to our books so we can swing by periodically and never worry about late fees), and other assorted belongings. The costs of boat ownership really start growing after about 40 feet, so I want that as a maximum.
3) A Cabin Height at least 6'2" - I'm tall. I don't want to stoop whenever I walk around my home. Besides, Kiddo gives every indication that he'll have a height comparable to my own, and I don't want him uncomfortable either if we still have the same boat by then.
4) Outside Area for Entertaining - We'll (eventually) be scuba diving and I'll want an area that will be easy to maneuver in gear and Kelly would be able to host outdoor activities (4th of July from the boat is something I'm personally looking forward to witnessing). And a little place to grow culinary herbs would be great, too... and surprisingly wouldn't take up too much space.
5) The ability to get good ventilation - VERY important, especially with shipboard heads. Many are the horror stories about the smell of the marine heads!
6) Diesel Engine(s) - I'd prefer two engines as opposed to one (for redundancy's sake), but I would MUCH rather be running a diesel engine rather than gas. It would cost a lot of money to retrofit a boat from gas to diesel, so starting out with a diesel (or two) is ideal. Hopefully #4 is taken care of, as diesel smells pretty bad too.
7) A Fiberglass hull - Wood as a building material sucks when you expose it to water on a constant basis. Fiberglass was introduced in the 1960's and revolutionized the boat building industry. In the mid 70's, they reduced the thickness and strength of the fiberglass, making the boats structurally less sound. Our price range (when we have a nest egg built up) will put us looking for older boats as a starter liveaboard situation, so we will be doing our due diligence when we narrow our searches. We also realize that manufacturers and the specific shipyards that the boats were built in play a major role in the quality as well, so I've become a member on several forum sites for cruisers, liveaboards, and power boats so I have access to a wide variety of experiential data from actual boat owners. My mileage may vary; grains of salt are always on standby for taking the information with.
This is what we've got, for starters. Ultimately, this boat that we have at first is primarily for living aboard and using the savings to (eventually) make investments that will purchase for us our serious cruiser. Although we do plan on making cruises periodically (mostly to Catalina Island and maybe as far north as San Francisco and as far south as Baja Mexico for the Gray Whale migration), we're going to need to stay tethered to SoCal for the foreseeable future. Which leads us to the most typical question for the beginner liveaboard:
WHAT TYPE OF BOAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
A quite common question, actually. On Yachtworld.com, the separation starts with sail or power. Sailboats, because of the necessity of being more aerodynamic for the sake of its wind power, typically run smaller than power boats for roominess. Power, then, would be our choice on this one. On Yachtworld, under power, it's broken down into the following categories (and many boats are listed under multiple categories):
Aft Cabin
Antique and Classic
Barge
Bowrider
Cargo Ship
Catamaran
Center Cockpit
Center Console
Commercial Boat
Convertible Boat
Cruise Ship
Cruiser
Cruiser/Racer
Cuddy Cabin
Antique and Classic
Barge
Bowrider
Cargo Ship
Catamaran
Center Cockpit
Center Console
Commercial Boat
Convertible Boat
Cruise Ship
Cruiser
Cruiser/Racer
Cuddy Cabin
Cutter
Daysailer
Dive Boat
Downeast
Dragger
Express Cruiser
Flybridge
Freshwater Fishing
House Boat
Jet Boat
Lobster Boat
Mega Yacht
Motor Yacht
Motorsailer
Multi-Hull
Other
Passenger
Pilothouse
Pontoon Boat
Power Catamaran
Racing Sailboat
Racing/High Performance
Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB)
Saltwater Fishing
Sloop
Sport Fishing
Sports Cruiser
Tender
Trawler
Troller
Tug
Needless to say, it appears daunting... A lot of these can be eliminated as liveaboard situations (Rigid Inflatable Boat?), although it's better to put together your list of requirements like we did and plug it into the filter at Yachtworld and BoatTrader and arrange the prices from lowest to highest and keep the location along the West Coast and...voila! A list of some potential boats! But an interesting style caught our attention, and our search narrowed towards those...
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