aboard a yacht

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

How to live aboard a yacht for years at a time

• Helen Fretter
• April 24, 2023

What if one or two years of adventure just isn’t enough? Meet the cruisers who’ve been on board for a decade or more, and find out how to make long-haul cruising work for you

“I probably wouldn’t even recognise the person that I was when I first started,” admits Brian Trautman, skipper of the Amel Super Maramu Delos (and eponymous YouTube channel ). In 2009 Trautman cast off his life in corporate America, hustling to make his own tech business a success, and set off on what he thought would be an 18-month-long cruising adventure. Fourteen years later he’s still sailing the world on Delos , now with his wife and young daughter. But if you have no idea where the future will take you, how can you plan to keep your cruising options open?

We spoke to cruisers who have spent between eight and 40-plus years cruising and living aboard. Some set out with a rough deadline, others had no stopping point in mind, but the common theme is that all were able to keep their plans flexible and had made the life changes necessary to stay afloat.

“When Jill and I moved aboard our 1984 Grand Soleil 39 Yahtzee in Seattle in 2012, we had no time frame,” explains Andy Cross. “It was, and still is, open ended with the caveat that if the lifestyle isn’t working for one of us we’d reassess and make changes. We always intended for the boat to be our home, not just for cruising, and it wasn’t a ‘one, two or three years and we’re done’ plan.

“We both had jobs, but we weren’t tied down to the trappings of a house and cars, so it was relatively straightforward moving aboard, beginning to learn the boat, and starting a family. Our goal was to take it slow, not sail to a schedule too often, and hopefully share the dream with our children. I’m happy to say, we’re still doing that over 10 years later.”

Brian Trautman’s 14-year sailing adventure aboard SV Delos has grown to include a family and a livelihood

Trautman initially thought his cruising adventure would be for less than two years, having sold all his possessions and taken out a mortgage to pay for the boat.

“When I left, the time frame was 18 months. The reason is when I ran my budget and my monthly expenditures, I only had enough money for 18 months. So my plan was to just go, get somewhere cool – my intention was to try and make it to New Zealand – and then figure something else out.

“I didn’t know if I was going to stop and work when I got there, or if I was going to leave the boat and fly home. Or if I was going to sell the boat and go back to work. All I knew was that I was going to go now and figure out the rest at some later point.

“I ended up stretching that 18-month budget to about two and a half years getting from Seattle to Australia. When I stopped in Australia, we hauled Delos out of the water for about a year. I actually did remote consulting while living in Melbourne to make money for the next cruising season because after having had that taste, I knew there was no way I could stop then.”

Like Trautman, Ginger and Peter Niemann dipped back into ‘real life’ after their first major adventure – a four-year, 50,000-mile circumnavigation west-about from Seattle aboard their 47ft sloop Marcy , including rounding both the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn .

The SV Devos family onboard

“When we moved aboard we had the idea to live aboard ‘as long as it was fun’, to quote Lin and Larry Pardey,” explains Peter. “It was certainly fun for a circumnavigation , but when we returned to home port four years after departure we were out of cruising funds. We rejoined the working world while living aboard.

“I assumed that was the end of our life afloat, and asked Ginger if we should put the boat up for sale upon our autumn return or wait until spring when the market might be better? ‘Heck no, we are just getting good at this!’ she answered, ‘But maybe we should get a boat you can stand up in!’ And so we lived aboard, swapped boats and worked until the cruising budget was restored a couple of years later, and set off again.”

Ages and stages

Long-term cruising looks different at different life stages. The Cross family always planned to sail through their boys’ childhoods, but are flexible as to how long they spend afloat at any one time.

“Every year is different. Some years, we’ve been on Yahtzee almost exclusively, other years we’ve taken off a few months at a time. This has worked well for us because we’ve planned the time away around northern winters or hurricane seasons in the south – times when we might not be cruising much anyway.

“We want our boys to know and be a part of their grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends’ lives, which has meant taking breaks off the boat to spend time with everyone. Then, we return to Yahtzee excited, rejuvenated and ready to continue the adventure. Our ability to balance life ashore and cruising is one of the main reasons I think we’re still happy with the lifestyle of living on a boat.”

In the 14 years since he first sailed away with Delos , Trautman’s life has gone through huge changes. “I’ve found the love of my life, gotten married, sailed with my family, sailed with tons of friends, we’ve had a child on board,” he reflects.

SV Devos under sail

“When I first started cruising, I was absolutely in the frame of mind that I would spend 100% of my time on the boat. And as time has gone on, I’ve actually seen the value in taking time off the boat, because you don’t really understand how good something is until you take yourself away from it. So when we start to get a little edgy or a little like, ‘Oh man it’s another beach, but I don’t want to go to the beach today!’ then we know that it’s time to take a break.

“So at least once a year now, we’ll put the boat in a marina or yard, and we go back and visit our family for a few months. It’s even more important now that we have Sierra, because she’s three and a half, and I want her to know her Swedish heritage.

“But obviously, we fund our lifestyle through sailing and making YouTube videos. So if we’re not sailing and making videos, then we’re not making money.”

Some cruisers report that as they get older they find themselves spending more time ashore. After a second demanding circumnavigation, the Niemanns are shifting their sailing style. “We are just now entering a new phase of cruising plans,” says Peter, “We aren’t getting any younger, and recognise that at some point in time the stresses of voyaging will be more than we can easily handle. So for now we plan to enjoy exploring a smaller area in more detail.”

“The major life change was: cruising,” says Janneke Kuysters, who has been cruising with her husband Wietze on their steel-hulled Bruce Roberts design Anna Caroline for eight years. “After that, we haven’t had any major changes in our lives, apart from growing older and the repercussions of that re. strength and agility. In our minds we’re still 25, but the bones say different!”

Andy and Jill Cross try not to sail to a schedule but still spend a lot of time aboard Yahtzee 12 years after first setting out on their adventure

Both the Niemanns and Janneke and Wietze admit, however, that they don’t necessarily find being ashore more restful. “We have always needed to get back to the boat to regroup. Afloat is our comfort zone,” says Peter Niemann.

“We would typically fly to the Netherlands every two years for about three weeks, but the boat is our home, so that is where we feel happy and comfortable,” says Janneke.

For Janneke and Wietze, time ashore is instead spent exploring new countries. “For instance: we left the boat in Valdivia, Chile, for five months to go backpacking all over South America. In Australia, New Zealand and South Africa we have rented or bought a campervan to travel inland for weeks or months on end.”

Power of knowledge

‘To cruise is to learn,’ wrote Lin Pardey in The Self Sufficient Sailor , and with experience comes confidence. Many cruisers who have sustained their adventures for decades began their adventures relatively cautiously, building the skills that would then enable them to take on longer passages or explore more remote areas.

“When we were in our mid-30s, we sailed the Atlantic circuit with our 31-footer. This was a test year, meant to find out what it was all about and to gather information,” recalls Janneke. They then bought Anna Caroline “with all the knowledge we had gathered in mind”, and began an eight year circumnavigation – first sailing around Scotland, Ireland, Portugal and Spain before completing a transatlantic, then heading south to Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Antarctica and Patagonian Chile. They rounded Cape Horn, visited remote areas of the Pacific including Robinson Crusoe Island, Easter Island and French Polynesia, then headed north to Alaska and British Columbia.

The Cross family moored up

Cruisers often report that ocean crossings become progressively easier, and both faster and with less damage sustained, over the years. Much of that is down to the added knowledge they’ve gained, which feeds into making better decisions when it comes to sail selection, interpreting weather forecasts and predicting sea state, and knowing how their boat – and each other – fares in different conditions.

Also key is confidence in your own ability to handle any problems or fix any breakages when cruising more remote areas or for extended periods. Lin and Larry Pardey famously inspired many cruisers to cast off the lines with their advice to ‘Go small, go simple, go now’.

“I honestly feel that setting off cruising was a lot easier when we went because there was much less equipment that you added to your boat. So they were simpler machines, easier to take care of,” Lin Pardey says.

“I think that more people are put off cruising by the sheer hassle of fixing and having other people fix your boat, feeling like the budget is just being blown by mechanics and electricians.

“But it isn’t just keeping your boat simpler that matters, it’s being able to say, ‘Okay, I really don’t need that, so we’re not going to worry about fixing it right now’. It’s the ability to just do without it, if you can’t fix it. That’s a really important aspect of enjoying what you’re doing. I’ve seen people dream of sailing to the Tuamotus, but they get to the Marquesas with something broken and realise the only place they can fix it is Tahiti, so they just skip right through and miss the whole Tuamotus.

Ginger and Peter Niemann’s first circumnavigation was a four year trip aboard their 47ft sloop Marcy

“For example, the watermaker: if you make sure you have enough water tankage and learn to be quite happy with just limited water for a period, you can fix it later.”

Over years of living aboard, most cruisers we spoke to have made substantial upgrades or modifications to their boats to enable them to take on more adventurous cruising. “We try not to anthropomorphise, but we really have the feeling that ‘we take care of her, and she takes care of us,” says Peter Niemann.

“Our boats evolve continuously: equipment is upgraded, worn items replaced, dodgers added. Specialised Arctic (ice poles, redundant heaters) or tropical/desert (awnings, fans) items are acquired, stowed and put into service as needed. The essential major change we made to both our boats was the addition of cockpit shelter.”

“Pretty much every system has been upgraded over time. We have new instruments, a new chartplotter , a lot of solar and wind. One of the huge improvements was the lithium batteries because that allowed us to get rid of propane. And so we can really extend our range because it’s a lot easier to get diesel fuel in any part of the world,” explains Brian Trautman.

“We’ve also really upped our game with the dinghy. Our dinghy now is aluminium, it’s a little bit heavier, but we love it. It has a big engine, so it’s our SUV, our family car, and we need that.”

The Niemanns heading ashore

Pace yourself

When you have no fixed deadline, how do you plan? Most cruisers we spoke to sketch out ‘big picture’ plans determined by the seasons, but leave themselves the freedom to vary their route along the way.

“We typically plan about one season in advance, but we don’t plan in detail,” explains Trautman. “So right now, we’re planning our South Pacific season. And all we know is that we’re going to try and get to French Polynesia or the Marquesas from Mexico. We’re going to arrive sometime during April and then we have the next six or seven months to figure out what we’re going to do.

If it means we’re going to stay in French Polynesia for the cyclone season, or end up sailing west towards New Zealand for the cyclone season, we just don’t know.

“We just know we’re travelling generally westward best we can, and that’s often worked out for us. We pay attention to the big picture things: the hurricane season, cyclone season, when the good weather is, and we kind of make broad strokes to travel in that general direction.”

“Seasonally, we’ve set our plans to cruise more miles during summers in northern climates and then stopping or slowing down during the colder months of winter. It’s the exact opposite now in the tropics,” explains Andy Cross.

“Here we have hurricane seasons to contend with in the summer and fall, and insurance parameters dictate where the boat can be to continue coverage during named storms.”

The Cross family making great cruising memories

Maintaining momentum is a tricky balance, and will be different for everyone. “What made it work for us is we went without serious plans and kept ourselves highly flexible, we went cruising to just really enjoy sailing,” explains Lin Pardey. “But the thing that really kept us from getting tired of it or frustrated by it was taking advantage whenever we met somebody who said ‘Our family is on this little island, you should go visit them.’ So instead of heading south with other cruisers, we’d turn and head to some island or other, and ended up with wonderful friends who introduced us to other friends. So it was that real unscheduled-ness that kept letting us have new adventures and go in different directions.”

Lin and Larry Pardey broke up their cruising routine, which saw them voyaging for some 47 years, with periods spent working and also treating themselves to short ‘holidays’ on land.

“What people don’t quite expect is that if you set off on a voyage around the world, the seasons push you on and it can leave you feeling tired,” says Lin.

“I’ve watched people sail from England to New Zealand over a year and a half period, because that works nicely with the seasons. But when they get here, they’re just tired of moving on. The fact that we had to work meant we didn’t feel we always had to keep moving on. Every year we’d stop for at least three or four months, to let us catch up with ourselves.”

Equally, long-distance cruising can be exhausting, and without a broad-brush plan it can be tempting to linger, cautions Janneke. “It takes (a lot of) effort to keep yourself and your boat going. You are in a strange environment all the time, change is a constant in this lifestyle. It’s easy to arrive somewhere and make it your home. Especially when you have an open-ended plan, it can be attractive to stay somewhere a little longer.

“But that has an impact on everything that follows: you can manoeuvre yourself in a situation where you have to stay somewhere much longer than expected, because of the weather. Beaten paths are there for a reason, and often this reason is the weather. If you decide to leave the beaten path, you need to be independent in making your own plans and time schedule.”

And, sometimes, it’s about knowing when to stop. “When it came to planning our voyage, we sat with a lot of people that had returned from a long trip. We found that there is a tipping point after about 8-10 years. When people stay out for more than that, it becomes less of a voyage and more of a way of life. We are project-minded people, so we needed the voyage to have a beginning and an end. So we left with a plan to stay out somewhere between six and nine years. It worked out to eight years.”

Go slow, stay loose

So how do you know which pace is right for you? “My advice would be go slow and keep it loose,” says Trautman. “Write your plans in the sand at low tide, and be okay with changing them.

“And just take time. You’re not out there to check items off of a list, in my opinion. There are some places where you’ll be okay with leaving after a couple of days, and there are some places you’ll really want a few more weeks just to enjoy. That could be a factor of the place, or it could also be a factor of your frame of mind after moving for so long. That’s all part of the lifestyle.”

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Living on a Boat: Beginner's Guide for Liveaboards

It’s easy to romanticize the idea of living on a boat full-time; however, it's an alternative lifestyle like that takes preparation, organization and an ability to roll with changes. When you commit to moving aboard, make checklists of necessities and talk to your partner about deal-breakers. Prepare the boat for life aboard well before you make the move.

Factors to Consider Before Living Aboard

Before moving onboard your boat, you should ask yourself some questions:

• Is this just for a period of time before you go cruising or is this a lifestyle choice?
• Are you comfortable with repeatedly defending your choice to your friends and family?
• Are you living in a climate that is boat-friendly year-round?
• Are you handy and a good problem solver?
• Who will accept your Amazon deliveries and are you ready to grocery shop frequently since there won’t be room to stow much?
• Are you ready to become your own maid?
• Will you feel comfortable with your kids being in this new environment?
• What’s Plan B if it doesn’t work?

After moving aboard, you may be hauling the laundry to the laundromat or groceries from the parking lot with no dock cart nearby. You’ll need to go to the pump-out station regularly as well as to the post office for your mail. Small doesn’t translate to easy so mentally run through a typical week and write down solutions to the issues.

Essentials: Stowage, Comfort & Connectivity

When you move from a 2,000-square foot house to a 40-foot boat, all the closets are smaller, the cupboards are fewer and there’s no two-car garage. In preparation, you’ll need to de-clutter kitchen gadgets, tools, mementos and clothing. Keep winter clothes in off-boat storage and your business attire at the office if possible.

Make sure the boat is warm and dry with plenty of ventilation. Mildew and condensation will become a part of life and you’ll need a whole new set of cleaners and tools.

Plan your connectivity needs. Whether a dish for TV or high-speed internet access via the marina WiFi, you’ll need a connectivity solution so you’re not cut off from work, friends, family and entertainment.

Beneficial Skills to Have for Living Onboard

Maintenance on a boat may be worse than in a house in terms of frequency and specificity. Basic plumbing, electrical and mechanical skills will be needed because boat systems are generally less reliable than their household counterparts. The alternative is calling a contractor for every issue.

Cost of Living on a Boat

Don’t assume that you’ll save money by moving aboard. Here's some expenses you may incur by living on your boat:

• Boat mortgage payment
• Boat insurance
• Waste management
• Food and water

The best way to manage expenses is by making a budget and sticking to it. Depending on the size and value of the vessel, boat insurance may be just as expensive as house insurance. Property taxes will usually be less as will electricity since you’ll not be heating/cooling/lighting as big a space. You’ll probably save money on waste management, gas and water as well.

Where costs rise dramatically is maintenance . Marine parts and labor are usually more expensive—sometimes 20% more, than typical household counterparts. If you take on the tasks yourself and you’re self-employed, every hour you spend working on your boat is an hour you don’t make money.

Learn More in our Boat Insurance Guide

Safety & Security

You’ll need to decide whether to invite strangers inside, and if kids and pets will be safe around the docks. Install CO2 and smoke alarms and a propane sniffer, check the fire extinguishers periodically, and keep an eye on the basics like bilge and battery levels. You may also want to consider the following:

• Will you be safe walking from the parking lot to the slip at night?
• Will your nice car be okay outside the garage 24/7?
• Who will call you if your boat starts to list when you’re on vacation?

There aren’t really more or fewer safety issues, just different kinds.

Daily Life & Socialization

Socializing is easier in a marina than in a neighborhood. Neighbors help neighbors in marinas but it’s a two-way street so be ready to lend a hand when needed. If you’d rather live anonymously, consider an end tie in the forgotten corner of the marina. Although there are challenges to living on a boat, if you’re prepared, you may find it a perfect fit.

I already have a boat in a slip in a marina, so can I just move aboard?

Most marinas require an application for you to move aboard permanently. In some areas, liveaboards aren’t permitted or there are long waiting lists. Liveaboard slip fees are usually higher and your insurance rates may increase if your boat becomes your primary residence.

How do I live aboard a boat with a pet?

Dogs, cats and other pets need to acclimate to their new environments. They need exercise, private space and easy access to food and a potty. Make sure stairs and docks are safe for them and that they know how to get on the boat or dock if they fall in the water. Be careful of small spaces where they can get trapped and wires they can chew. Teach them about their new environment and be patient.

Learn more in Boating with Pets and Tips for Taking Your Dog Boating .

Read Next: Boat Owner's Guide

Looking for more information on boat ownership? Read...

• Boat Owner's Guide
• Costs of Boat Ownership
• Boat Maintenance Guide
• Insuring Your Boat
• Boat Safety Guide

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Living on a Boat Full Time: What to Expect as a Liveaboard Cruiser

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12 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving Aboard

Before moving onboard, there were a lot of things I thought I knew about living on a boat full-time. Despite my research, I was only scratching the surface of what it’s like to live this lifestyle.

From the weather’s impacts to route planning and provisioning – traveling on the water is different.

After two years of living on a boat full-time, here are a few things I wish I had known before moving aboard.

1. There will always be things to fix.

You hear this all the time when talking to anyone about life on a boat. No matter what type of boat you have, it will need constant upkeep. When one thing gets fixed, three more will break.

Like many first-time boat owners, we heard this over and over. Of course, it doesn’t hit home until you see the survey that details every last inch of issues. Or when you start living aboard a boat and experience first-hand the deterioration in a marine environment.

The good news is you can become a master of prioritizing your boat project to-do list.

• Consider essential things versus cosmetic projects.
• Look at safety versus nice-to-have updates.
• Weight the time it takes to fix something versus the maintenance costs of it hiring out to a contractor or boat yard.

You can learn to improvise and create workarounds when you need to, and most boat owners ultimately become handy out of necessity. Over time you’ll recognize the importance of having a safe, operational vessel.

Oh, and when you finally fix the broken igniter on the oven after two years, it will be that much more rewarding.

Some of the best advice you’ll receive is this – if you try and fix it all, you will never leave the boat dock.

So, find the strength to accept the five-page to-do list and get out there and enjoy your boat. That’s what all boat owners are out there trying to do!

READ NEXT: Check out our list of what you need in your sailboat tool kit .

2. living on a boat is like camping..

Even on a bigger boat with more than the average amenities – once you are out of the marina, living aboard is a lot like camping.

You are at the mercy of the weather when underway or on anchor. You have limited resources, no air conditioning, and access to grocery stores or other supplies is usually out of reach. On the flip side, you have the ability to visit remote islands and other exotic places and immerse yourself in the beauty around you.

In the woods and on the water, you think about things like navigation, water supply, and provisions.

Both activities give you a sense of independence and teach you about survival in nature. You can get by without the most modern conveniences and with a minimalist approach to living (although you will probably want some creature comforts).

Do you enjoy the logistics and planning, as well as the communing with nature that camping offers? You might also like the challenges and rewards of living on a boat.

3. You need to be diligent with cleaning.

Living in a marine environment requires a substantial commitment to cleaning.

Before living aboard, I remember thinking – cleaning will be a breeze in such a small living space.

Well, not really. Yes, it’s smaller, so tidying is quicker. But putting things in their place can sometimes be a challenge. Storing items with the marine environment in mind requires extra steps. Sometimes getting into storage areas is also inconvenient.

The key to keeping your boat tidy is storing the most often used items in places that are accessible.

Where cleaning is concerned, the marine environment creates obstacles different from land living.

Mold grows fast – even faster when the temperature drops and condensation is an issue.

Dirt comes in from every hatch and door that’s open. If you’re on a catamaran, dirt enters through a dozen hatches and a large cockpit door that’s usually open.

There’s also a load of areas that need special attention to keep clean.

• the boat bottom
• ground tackle
• outside of the boat and the gel coat
• fresh water tanks and black tanks
• stainless steel

These areas are continuously affected by everything from corrosion to marine bottom growth. They need specific cleaning products and techniques to keep them in ship shape.

Besides your own research, ask around for helpful tips from fellow boaters. This will save you extra work and help you avoid surprises in the future.

4. It takes time to learn the boating world.

Learning to sail, maintain a boat, and live on a boat is not something you learn in a week or even a few months.

Some cruisers say it takes around three years to find your groove within the liveaboard lifestyle.

When you move aboard your first boat, you are pretty much learning a new way to live. Especially if you are jumping in with little previous boating experience.

All the boating things take time to master. Besides learning how to operate your boat, you have to learn how to live on it. Including but not limited to the below.

• navigating and route planning
• anchoring and docking
• radio communication
• regular maintenance (diesel engines, plumbing, electrical, etc.)
• resource management (water, power, fuel)
• provisioning

In each of these areas, there are things we are still working on. It takes time to develop skills. And in some cases, it takes a lot of experience in many different locations.

Learning these new skills is both challenging and exciting. It can also be a little scary. You are pushing yourself out of your comfort zone at every turn.

When you make a mistake, consider it one of many future valuable cruising lessons.

When you succeed, celebrate! Even the smallest victories are worthy of a sundowner toast when you live on the water.

5. You don’t need a big wardrobe onboard.

When I was planning to live aboard, a big project was downsizing my wardrobe. I prepared to cut my wardrobe down to about 20% while being meticulous in choosing what to bring on the boat. 

I got rid of tons of clothes and only brought a small fraction of my previous wardrobe aboard. But I didn’t need even half of it.

Seriously, you don’t need many clothes on a boat. You just need the right clothes.

Determine a few types of comfortable items appropriate for the climate you intend to live or cruise – then you’re set. Once you find your “boat uniform,” you’ll wear it every day.

Sure, you’ll want things for the occasional night out or shore excursion. But a couple of mix and match pieces will do. And very casual is usually sufficient for the average cruiser. I find I have way too many dressier items (which aren’t even that dressy.)

Here are a few clothing items that I kept that I shouldn’t have:

• casual clothing (shorts and tops) that are 100% cotton
• more than one dress or other formal clothing
• any leather
• more than one pair of jeans
• more than 4 or 5 swimsuits (find a few you love and ditch the rest)
• bulky sweatshirts
• more than 1 or 2 quality sun hats

With any good minimalist wardrobe, layering is essential. Identify items that are flexible enough to wear alone or under other things.

The capsule wardrobe concept is also a good idea on a boat. Research strategies behind these wardrobes and apply them to your closet on the water.

READ NEXT: Find more info in our guide for how to downsize your wardrobe and our post on what to wear sailing.

6. start living like you’re on a boat before life aboard..

As a liveaboard, certain habits will make life in your floating home easier.

Developing routines to save water and practice sustainability are easier to tackle while you’re still enjoying land life.

Learning to cook things from scratch and testing new personal care regimes will save you time and stress.

Here are some things I wish I had started doing while still land-based.

• making pizza dough, bread, and bagels
• making yogurt
• making vegetable broth
• learning to fillet a fish
• provisioning (experimenting with dried and canned foods)
• adjusting personal care regimes (hair and make-up products, menstrual products, etc.)
• washing dishes with less water
• showering with less water
• minimizing laundry
• minimizing trash

Once you start cruising, you’ll have your hands’ full learning all the new boat things.

The more “boat life” habits you can instill before moving aboard, the more manageable your new lifestyle will be.

7. You’ll cook differently in the boat galley.

Before boat living, I would follow recipes to the exact ingredient. I wasn’t much for deviating from the formula. Then I moved on a boat where you rarely have precisely what the recipe calls for.

When you start cooking on a boat, you will begin to find replacements or substitutes out of necessity. Maybe you don’t have room for fresh bell pepper in the fridge, so you opt to keep roasted bell pepper in a jar. Or you learn that having dehydrated milk is more efficient for cooking.

The canned goods aisle will become an area you explore the most on your journey to master the boat galley.

I never purchased canned mushrooms in my land-living days. Now, I keep a stockpile. Also, canned potatoes, anyone?

The more you cook, the more experimental you’ll become. When you travel to new places, you can find items at the local farmers’ market and give them a try too.

You’ll also discover that certain types of food are more comfortable to cook on a boat. I never cooked much Asian food on land but started experimenting with stir fry, curries, and homemade ramen onboard. Carrots and onions keep well, and you can throw just about anything in a stir fry.

We enjoyed the process of learning what works for cooking onboard. It’s also fun to start mastering things from scratch, such as homemade bread, pizza dough, yogurt, and broth.

READ NEXT: You might also want to check out our list of 7 easy and versatile meals on a boat or our 5 ideas for a delicious breakfast on a boat .

8. you will want to throw your partner overboard..

When cruising with a partner, most of us have reached a point where you drive each other nuts.

The truth is living on a boat can be very stressful at times. And all the stressors tend to rear their heads at once. Add that to the fact you’re in a tiny, challenging living space, and tempers get short.

When we start to get at each other’s throats, we try to acknowledge it early and adjust. Sometimes just saying we are on edge and talking it through will help. Other times we need a break off the boat to find our composure and regain our patience.

Having a schedule adds to the pressure. The more you can cruise at your comfortable pace, the more likely you will not murder your partner!

The living situation on a boat will test your relationship. Take the time to talk about the triggers and maybe buy a set of “marriage savers” for anchoring and docking.

9. You need to be flexible.

A well-known sailing adage is, plans are written in the sand at low tide. 

If you don’t do well with last-minute changes, you might not love this lifestyle.

Your plans will frequently change living on the water. Then they’ll change again and switch back. Sometimes we’ll change our route two or three times on the morning of departure. 

Everything fluctuates based on weather, routing issues, boat issues, and plain bad luck. You may need to avoid a storm, pick up a spare part, or dock in a liveaboard marina for the season to take care of a health issue.

Traveling on the water, you’ll get more familiar with the idea of having a plan A, B, C, and sometimes even D.

Having many options is a way of planning while acknowledging you are in a fluid situation on a boat.

As you gain more experience, it will become more natural to accept changes. You might even find you’re immediately onto the next step when you hit an obstacle in your current plan.

A positive spin to this aspect of the lifestyle is you often end up in unexpected places. And sometimes, that’s not a bad thing. If you can roll with the punches, you’ll find appreciation in even the most unlikely plans.

10. Full-time cruising is a full-time job.

When you start cruising, friends and family might ask what you do all day. You’ll find this amusing. Because when you’re actively cruising, moving the boat regularly to new locations, THAT is what you are doing.

Cruising on a boat is a full-time job and hard work. It includes route planning, watching the weather, performing maintenance, provisioning, managing resources, and more. Not to mention taking your shift at the helm. You are never without things to do, especially if you are living primarily on the anchor or a mooring ball.

You’ll often find you have to tell yourself to put boat chores on hold and enjoy the benefits of the lifestyle.

Although cruising is a lot of work, the good news is you are the boss. So when you find yourself worn out or short-tempered, consider giving yourself a break.

Slow down, and throw the timeline out the window. The best thing about this lifestyle is about the journey as much as the destination.

11. The cost of living can be high.

Even on a small boat, cruising and boat expenses can get out of control quickly if you don’t stick to a budget.

Boatyards and maintenance costs, liveaboard slip fees, boat insurance, and more will empty your bank account or boat cruising kitty. If you work from your boat, you may also need to spring for high-speed internet access so you can work from remote locations (Starlink has recently become more popular in the boating community).

Depending on where you’re cruising, food costs and other everyday items can also be very expensive.

If you’re thinking about living on a boat, do your research on the location you’ll be cruising in, whether it’s the east coast of the United States or the south pacific, and find the average costs of liveaboard marinas and boat insurance to cruise in that area.

Also, be aware that the insurance premium may cost more in certain areas, especially during the official hurricane or cyclone season (if the insurance policy even allows you to stay in the area).

READ NEXT: Read our full guide on the cost of living on a sailboat .

12. living aboard can be uncomfortable..

Whether you’re out in open water or anchored near a bay, bad weather will find you.

High winds can bring rough seas, and this can make being on a boat very uncomfortable, both physically and mentally. However, the more boating or sailing experience you gain, the more confident you’ll be in these situations.

The reality is you can only plan so well for weather on liveaboard boats, and a lot of the time, you just need to be prepared for what mother nature throws at you. Most boaters will err on the side of caution when it comes to route planning for incoming storms and choosing to lay out more than less anchor chain!

Living on a Boat Full-Time: Is it Worth it?

If you are transitioning from a modern way of life, living on a boat will shake up your lifestyle. It’s an adventure that is entirely different from living on land.

My vision of what it would be like living on a boat and actually living on a boat are a far cry from each other. But nothing is ever as you imagine it.

If you’re up for the challenges, living on the water can be a unique and fulfilling lifestyle. From the skills you acquire to the places you visit and the people you meet – there’s no doubt cruising on a boat is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Want to learn more about cruising full-time on a boat?

For more on finding the right boat, the cost of cruising, and learning how to live on the water, view our complete guide.

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Morgan, the founder of The Home That Roams, has been living nomadically for over five years. She began her journey traveling across the U.S. in a motorhome and cruising on a liveaboard sailing catamaran. Currently, she lives full-time in a travel trailer, sharing resources on RV living and boat life to help others downsize their lives and thrive in an alternative lifestyle.

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If your dream is to live aboard a yacht, United Yacht Sales has the inventory to connect you with the perfect boat for your needs. We feature more than 1,000 listings at any given time. You can always find a huge selection of live aboard yachts for sale in Florida and elsewhere in the United States. These live aboard yachts are made by a number of top brands, including Hatteras , Viking , Sea Ray , Tiara , Sunseeker , Kadey-Krogen , and more. Our inventory also represents a variety of dimensions, ages, amenities, price points and other characteristics and features.

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Founded in 2002, United Yachts Sales has grown to become the largest independent yacht brokerage in the world. In addition to our 1,000-plus listings, we have a team of more than 100 brokers spread across the United States and Canada. These brokers are experienced and knowledgeable, and each is more than capable of helping you find the perfect live aboard yacht for sale in Florida. Our team's talent is evidenced by our results - each year, about 600 transactions close representing about $100 million. When you want a live aboard yacht, we know how to find and secure it for you.

Browse our selection of live aboard yachts for sale in Florida and contact the listed broker to get more details or ask questions. If you don't see a yacht that meets your needs, contact one of our United Yacht Sales brokers directly. We can watch the market for a boat that better fits your requirements.

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13 Best Liveaboard Sailboats (under 30 & 50 ft)

Choosing a boat to live on is a big deal — something you definitely want to get right. There are plenty of options to pick from, which can make the choosing process a bit daunting. So to help you navigate those deep waters (no pun intended), here is an article summarizing the 13 best liveaboard sailboats under 30 and 50 feet.

So what are the 13 best liveaboard sailboats?

Catalina 30, pacific seacraft flicka 20, nonsuch ultra 30, aventura 34, island packet 35, peterson 44, prout snowgoose 37, gulfstar 44, beneteau oceanis 50.

Beautiful lineup, isn't it? Let me explain what makes these so special.

Picking the Right One Matters

Picking a liveaboard sailboat belongs among those kinds of decisions that require months, if not years of research and testing.

It is not like choosing a car - those are more or less the same, and although they vary widely in terms of comfort, feeling, and performance, rarely you would encounter one that wouldn't get you from point A to B reasonably.

The same goes for a house or an apartment. Regardless of if you get a 200 square foot condo or a 30,000 square feet mansion, it will most of the time provide a warm shelter with a shower and a kitchen and a bed, fulfilling its basic functions.

But this is only the case because there is extensive infrastructure in place helping cars and houses. A car can only get you from A to B thanks to roads. A house can only have a shower and a kitchen if it is connected to a grid.

But on a boat, you are on your own.

The sea doesn't adjust its waves for your comfort. If something breaks, there is usually not a repair shop nearby. You aren't always connected to water or electricity. And if you don't like what you see around yourself, it's not like you can just leave.

So a liveaboard boat needs to provide what a house does, what a vehicle does, and more, plus it needs to provide this regardless of if you are docked in a marina or in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. That is a lot to ask, especially if we are talking about boats around 30 or 50 feet.

Fortunately, every single boat on this list is an all-star that ticks all the right boxes. Let's see why.

I know, I hear you, it isn't exciting enough as it doesn't perform that well. Sure. But we are talking about a boat that is supposed to be a house too. So why is it on the list?

This boat has been in production since 1975, which means that it has been extraordinarily well-refined according to the suggestions of thousands of owners. And this manufacturer is known for listening to the sailors' feedback. It is a very popular model, so finding spare parts for it will always be easy. Its famous well thought through the salon, and cabin layout is generous and spacious, so Catalinas are comfortable boats to live on. Plus, the boat has quite a wide beam, great ballast/displacement ratio as well as low sail area/displacement ratio, making it a stiff boat under sail, which adds to stability and comfort.

Good condition MkIII Catalinas can be found for about $35,000, but given the volume of these on the market, you can find a usable one even for around $15,000.

This one is a hero. I'd be hesitant to call such a small boat a comfortable liveaboard if it wasn't for this model. For its size, the interior is very spacious. It is also made for comfort since it seems to be inspired by the aforementioned Catalina 30. In fact, after reading some reviews, I am confident in saying that you will not find a significantly more comfortable 27 footer out there.

It also has a talent very uncommon for liveaboard boats - you can put it on a trailer, which can make your life easier when it comes to certain trips. But most importantly, it is a beauty. Just look at it.

Pricing this boat is a tricky task. You can buy nearly new ones (2015) for around $140,000, but even for $50,000, you can stumble upon models from both the 80s and the 2000s. This means the condition is a big factor, and you gotta inspect your choice well. The good news is that whatever your price in that range, you will find a boat for that money. The bad news is that the cheaper you go, the more effort will the potential repairs take.

I thought the Nor'Sea 27 is gonna be it, but let's push the size limit even more with the 20 foot Flicka, this tiny, towable, but seaworthy beast that accomplished several circumnavigations. Upon entering, you will be amazed at how spacious and equipped with amenities the interior is. Its designer lived on this boat with his partner (who too was a naval architect) for years and cruised all around the world - and what a proof of confidence in his own design that is.

Truth be told, there is a lack of deck space, but underneath it has the comfort and size of a boat a few meters larger, a space you can comfortably live in. Due to its size, it is easy to operate, tow, and sails better than what you would expect from a boat this length.

This boat is incredibly charming, and so its owners rarely sell it. In fact, it has amassed quite a following since it was designed into existence. So expect to spend quite some time searching for one for sale. Once you do find one, it will cost you around $30,000 - $40,000.

This one's a weird one. But because of it, a very spacious one. It is structured as a catboat, that is, with the mast being all the way on the front of the boat, which makes for impressive space below the deck. It has all the necessary amenities, including a shower, so for the liveaboard lifestyle, this boat definitely deserves to make this list.

The single sail catboat design also means it is easy to handle single-handed, which makes for great solitary passages.

Expect to pay around $40,000 to $60,000 for this one.

Though I am trying to keep this list in lower price ranges, I have to put this one in. If you don't mind the price tag of around $170,000, this boat is marketed as the currently cheapest liveaboard catamaran. As previously mentioned, cats offer the most in terms of space, and this model is a brand new one. Thus when it comes to service troubles and costs, you wouldn't pay much. The look is modern, relatively minimalistic and sleek, so for those of you who would like to give the liveaboard lifestyle a go but get cold feet upon seeing boats from the 80s, this is a way to make sure things remain stylish.

The modernity, space, and attention to practicality when it comes to using this as your home, make this a great entry-level liveaboard choice.

Again, this is no performance vehicle. Rather it focuses on the usual cruiser aspects - space, stability, sturdiness, and convenience, which makes it an ideal candidate for your choice when looking for a new floating home. Aside from the spacious interior, this boat also has an unusually large cockpit, great for those lunches on the deck.

As if the designers knew this might be used by the liveaboard people, this boat is easy to handle, which means even under sail, you won't have issues focusing on what you came for in the first place - sea living.

This boat can be found on the market for around $75,000 - $100,000.

The great thing about the Hunter 33 is that it was designed as more of a house than a sailboat. The attention to accommodation details is great here; there is plenty of space for sleeping the owners as well as the occasional visitors, it has a fantastic headroom throughout the boat and one of the most spacious and comfortable dining spaces seen on boats this size.

Food preparation and consumption was probably high on the priority list of the makers; the kitchen has an L shape, which adds to the convenience.

The price spread on these is quite large, with the bottom around $55,000 for the 2004 models and the top around $95,000 for the 2013 models.

This one is for those who don't mind sacrificing luxury for space. If in the middle of the ocean, it makes sense that one would want as much of usable space as possible, so if you are okay with the simplicity that will inevitably come with a system like this, you have found your match.

An undeniable advantage of such a design approach is that the storage space is maximized. Long passages with the need for plenty of room for equipment and provisions won't be a problem here. The simplicity of this boat is not just in terms of design, but even the electrics and plumbing. Thus if something breaks, you will have an easier time fixing it.

This being an older model, you can get your hands on one for around $30,000.

Since we are mostly looking at cheaper boats here, most of them aren't new - in fact, they likely have quite a few years behind them. The build quality is thus important. You want to go for builds that will last. Peterson is known for this, so it's gotta be on the list. As far as this list goes, it is quite a large boat. Moreover, it is one that has been built with spaciousness in mind, both when it comes to living spaces and storage.

A neat thing about this boat is its attention to performance. It isn't a racer; rather, it fits in the performance cruiser category, but they haven't made too many speed-related compromises here.

Peterson 44 can usually be found for $80,000 - $100,000.

There needs to be a catamaran on this list - they are, by definition, more spacious than monohulls, providing a large living area, which is, of course, an attractive characteristic for a liveaboard boat. Especially if they have a solid bridge deck, creating yet more square feet of usable space, which Snowgoose has. Unfortunately, they tend to be costly. While it is easy to recommend a bunch of half a million dollar cats, to make this list more within reach of the average sailor, I've found this beauty that you can get for around $100,000.

Aside from the extra space, this model is a true bluewater cruiser, meaning you won't be limited by its abilities when planning your journeys.

Those of you who had the pleasure of sailing this boat know why it needs to be here. It was built for a liveaboard lifestyle. Its wide body makes for one spacious interior which is well ventilated, (a very important aspect) with a beautiful galley and it has a large aft cabin with a huge bed. It was made with comfort, practicality, and convenience in mind.

Not to sound like a salesman, but believe me when I say this boat is a genuine pleasure to be on. If you want the homey feeling, you don't get much closer than this in this size range.

Expect to pay around $80,000 - $100,000 for this one, though some digging around and 'fixing her up' can knock this number down significantly.

This is another easy choice, space being the reason. Not only does it have an extra-large main cabin and salon with a kitchen, many small Parisian apartments could envy, but it is also very generous in terms of storage space. Stocking up for longer crossings will be a pleasure on this one.

Also, it was built as a racer-cruiser, so you won't be making many compromises in terms of performance, as is often the case with comfortable boats.

All of this comes for a price, though. You might be able to find one for around $100,000 if you put some time into your search and won't mind a bit of travel to see it, but otherwise, the average price is around $130,000.

Let's end this list by stretching the ceiling too with this fifty-footer. It was designed as a holiday cruiser, and it is a popular choice among charter companies. The designers know that there are places in Europe where it is very easy to get a sailing license, so many inexperienced people who don't want to give up the comforts of their home end up on these boats. Oceanis 50 is thus comfortable, spacious, easy to sail, and the attention to accommodation details, amenities, and practicality, is very high.

As such, it is designed to house whole families, so if you live there as a couple, you will have a floating house for yourself, and if kids come, no need to buy a new boat. Even on the deck, this boat is designed for pleasure cruises, so as far as that goes, you will be taken care of. As far as their seaworthiness goes, some consider Beneteau an entry-level holiday brand, and some models are indeed more designed for coastal hopping than large crossings. But that can be fixed with some proper fitting.

If you fancy a new one, you will find yourself paying above the $500,000 mark, but older models start a bit above $100,000. Which is something a person who just sold all their possessions to escape to the sea is more likely to have. Just be a bit careful with boats sold by charter companies. Their previous owners serviced them regularly, but you can be sure the hundreds of sailors that touched the helm weren't necessarily skilled or kind to them.

So there you have it. $15,000 - $50,0000 range, 20 - 50-foot sizes, from cozy towable boats to large sailing houses. A range anybody can choose from to pursue the liveaboard dream. Nothing is stopping you now, so hit the yachtworld.com website and start browsing.

Know though that if you really want to take advantage of the boat market, you might have to travel quite a bit. If you are an American, the strong dollar will make it enticing to look for a boat in European countries without the EUR currency. Or you might find plenty of cheap models in Turkey, for instance. It requires more effort, but in return, it might save you tens of thousands of dollars.

Fair winds!

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Superyacht charter etiquette: A guide to on board dos and don’ts

Will this season be your first time chartering a superyacht , or being invited on board? We've broken down some of the unspoken rules of on-board etiquette for those new to the superyacht  charter scene. From why to take your shoes off to tipping the crew , we've outlined some essential dos and don'ts to make your experience as enjoyable as possible.

Superyacht "dos"

Do respect the crew

Treat them as you would valued employees. The crew have an extremely busy job; each one is there entirely to make sure your holiday exceeds expectations. As Saul Varndell-Baxter of Ocean Independence , who was a crew member for six years, elaborates: "I can attest that having a polite, happy guest made me work that extra bit harder to make their charter perfect". Equally, the crew can be great fun too.

Do listen to safety briefings

Safety is the prime responsibility for the captain and crew, and they take it very seriously. You will have a safety briefing about life jackets and life rafts, so ensure you digest the information given. It is a requirement of both insurance and maritime laws.

Do treat the yacht as you would your own home

A simple rule to follow. The crew want you to feel at home and equally the boat owner will appreciate care taken with his property.

Do keep the crew informed

One of the pleasures of a charter yacht is the ability to entertain in grand style, but plan it in advance. Don’t return to the yacht from an evening of partying ashore with a half-dozen friends-in-tow and expect the chef to prepare a late-night meal for everyone. If you want to invite extra guests aboard for cocktails or a meal, be sure to clear it with the captain first so there will be no embarrassing shortage of food or drink and the chef will be prepared for the event. Eva Hiebert of Dension Yachting adds that, as well as any changes of plans, crew should also be alerted as soon as possible if any accidental spillages or breakages occur during the trip.

Do ask about pets

Ocean Independence's Amanda Thibaut notes that "if you wish to travel with your pet, please ensure that you have advised your charter broker so that they can find you a pet-friendly yacht". If you're a guest, make sure you've had a discussion with the superyacht owner or head of the charter party prior to boarding. Many yachts are perfect for bringing pets on board , but make sure you check if they have a suitable setup for your furry friends.

Do follow the “bare foot” rule

Stiletto heels that can dent the teak decks and black soles that leave scuffmarks are a no-no. Many yachts have a “bare feet” rule that shoes stay outside the cabin, and others ask that no shoes be worn on deck too. In each case, the crew will provide a basket either at the end of the gangway or outside the salon door for you to deposit shoes. If shoes are allowed on deck, keep in mind that they should be soft-soled “boat shoes”.

Do allow time for housekeeping

Give the crew a chance to make up the beds, do the laundry and perhaps service the various systems while you spend time onshore exploring or shopping. If there's no chance of getting off the yacht, do try to leave the crew time to do their job while you sunbathe and swim.

Do pre-assign cabins

"The main charterer should decide cabin allocation for all guests in advance", says Fraser's Pierrik Devic. "This avoids tension upon arrival".

Do bring suitable luggage

Storage is always a big issue, so hard-sided luggage is discouraged in favour of soft luggage that can be collapsed for stowing. Steamer trunks might be the “in thing” on ocean liners, but not on yachts, so try to pack light.

Do be prepared to tip

Confused about how to tip on a superyacht ? Kim Vickery of Westport explains that "crew gratuity is customary, as in any hospitality industry. It should be regarded as a gift for a job well done and is based on the satisfaction level of the entire experience". As a rule of thumb, brokers advise tipping between five and 20 per cent of the charter rate.

Superyacht "don'ts"

Don’t expect the crew to be your childcare

While many yachts encourage charter clients to bring children of all ages and often stock a wide variety of water toys, games and videos just for youngsters, the crew members are not babysitters. If you bring small children, plan to care for them yourself or bring a nanny, who can often be accommodated in a spare cabin.

Don’t do anything illegal

The tolerance level aboard yachts for illegal or illicit activities is absolutely zero. The penalty for any such behaviour is the yacht itself being seized and the license lost, therefore the captain and crew will turn you in to the authorities. In most countries, the penalty is jail for such behaviour too. "If any charter guest harasses anyone in the crew or does something illegal, they are off. Period", clarifies the owner of 60 metre charter superyacht  Dream .

Don’t take matters into your own hands

The correct way to deal with any problems is via the captain, as they are the only one with the authority to put it right. Do not take matters into your own hands and lecture a crew member yourself. That is what the captain is there for.

Don’t disrespect boundaries

Always honour the “upstairs/downstairs” concept, and don’t ever invade the private crew areas without a specific invitation. Aboard many yachts, the galley (kitchen) is a sacred area that you should leave to the chef unless invited. Most yachts have mini-refrigerators in the guest areas and a word to a crew member will ensure they are stocked and replenished with your favourite drinks and snacks throughout your stay.

Don't violate the smoking policy

Smoking on most yachts is prohibited inside the cabin, but there may be specific areas on deck set aside for smokers. If you or some of your party are smokers, make sure that is clear to your charter broker from the outset. If smoking is permitted on deck, a thoughtful guest will enjoy their dessert cigar on the stern or downwind side of the yacht where the smoke blows away.

Don’t expect the crew to come on your sightseeing junkets

On American yachts, there is often more informality between crew and clients, while on European yachts, the crews are almost invisible and trained to keep their distance except when providing services. Either way, remember that the crew have more than enough work to keep them busy, so don’t expect them to join you on your sightseeing junkets, although they stand ready to ferry you to and from the shore. You can invite the captain to join you ashore for a meal, but don’t be offended if he declines. He may have projects he needs to accomplish in your absence (a charter yacht creates mountains of paperwork), or he may simply prefer to keep a slight distance from his clients.

For more charter advice , get the latest issue of BOAT International sent straight to your door.

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17 Best Sailboats to Live On + What You Should Know First

Many dream of living aboard a sailboat, but finding the right one can be daunting. There are many different types, and countless manufacturers have come and gone over the years. 

Here’s a list of 17 options – a sailboat for every sailor on every kind of budget. 

Table of Contents

17 best sailboats to live on, pros of living aboard a sailboat, cons of boat life.

• Find Your Type of Boat 

Set Your Boat Budget

What size boat to pick, best liveaboard sailboats under 35 feet (< 35 feet), best liveaboard sailboats under 40 feet (35–40 feet), best liveaboard sailboats under 45 feet (40–45 feet), best liveaboard sailboats under 50 feet (45–50 feet), best liveaboard sailboats under 60 feet (50–60 feet), want to live on a sailboat, best sailboats to live on faqs.

• Catalina 34/35
• Panda/Baba 35, Tashiba 36a
• Gemini 105MC
• Islander Freeport 36
• Passport 40
• Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42DS
• Leopard 42/43
• Beneteau Oceanis 473
• Hallberg Rassy 46/48
• Leopard 46/Moorings
• Amel Super Maramu 2000
• Privilege 585

What to Know First

So, boat shopping is a challenge, to say the least. Understanding where to start and what to look for comes down to understanding what you want to do with your boat.

Here’s a look at some pros and cons of living aboard to get you started.

• Seaside living at a fraction of the cost of a waterfront home
• Ability to travel anywhere by water
• Ability to move anytime—not tied to one location/town
• Different liveaboard lifestyle options to choose from: at a dock, mooring, anchoring, cruising (traveling)—tired of one, mix it up for a different experience
• Small living space lacks storage and privacy
• Limited resources: you must meter your fuel, water, and electricity use when not at a dock
• More exposed to the elements and more affected by weather events
• Seating and furnishings are less comfortable than in a house
• Constant maintenance to keep the boat seaworthy and clean

How to Find the Best Boat to Live on Year Round

At first, you might think boat shopping is like looking for a new car. But when shopping for a car, you have a small pool of manufacturers and models to choose from. In the end, you might have five choices and already have an opinion about each maker’s quality and reputation.

Boats are different. We’re usually shopping for boats that are a decade or more old. The manufacturers may have gone out of business years ago. When you total up all the possible makes and models of each type of boat, you might have dozens of choices with brands you’ve never heard of. Yikes!

Find Your Type of Boat

There are dozens of types of boats you could live on, depending on where you want to live and where you want to take it. Most people shopping for a sailboat will choose between coastal cruisers, bluewater boats, and sailing catamarans.

Here are some of the pros and cons of these sailboat types. 

The Coastal Cruiser

• Inexpensive compared to bluewater and catamarans
• Perfect for dock living or near-shore hops
• With modifications and the right outfitting, many have island-hopped the Caribbean
• Many to choose from, and often they are lightly used
• Designs are often race-inspired and faster than typical heavy bluewater boats
• Newer, bigger boat for your money
• Often production boats have low-quality, lightweight builds

Related: Best Trailerable Sailboats

The Bluewater Sailboat

• The best bluewater cruising sailboats are capable of going anywhere
• Built to last and take anything
• Give the most comfortable ride in rough conditions
• Newer examples are expensive
• Good ones sell quickly
• Older vessels may be tired and in need of an extensive refit
• Often lack the living space that coastal cruisers have—narrower beams and transoms

The Catamaran

• Cruising cats have the maximum living space, especially cockpit dining and upper salon
• Light-filled with plenty of airflow, perfect for the tropics and living at anchor
• Larger models (40+ feet) are bluewater boats capable of going nearly anywhere
• A shallower draft than most monohulls allows for more cruising and anchoring choices
• More expensive to purchase, keep, and maintain than similar-sized monohulls  
• The most in-demand vessels, prices are high and good ones sell fast 
• Sometimes hard or expensive to find dock space and boatyards that can haul it out for maintenance

Still unsure which side of the monohull vs. catamaran debate you’re on? Try to get aboard some boats and experience the living space first-hand.

Everyone has a budget when going boat shopping, even if you’re Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk. Establishing how much you can spend on your boat is the biggest factor that will affect your decision, and it’s the backbone for all other decisions. 

You must understand just how much boat costs increase as the size of boat increases. Boats are already expensive, and the average cost of owning and buying a liveaboard sailboat varies dramatically. But when the boat gets bigger, it needs bigger hardware, lines, rigging, sails, motors…everything. And bigger means more expensive, so these costs add up fast.

And then there are your storage and boat maintenance costs, all of which are charged per foot. The marina might charge you $15 per foot/per month for a dock slip, and the boatyard will similarly charge you per foot to haul and store the boat. Divers charge per foot for bottom cleaning, as do detailers for annual compounding and waxing of the hull.

When it comes to budgeting, there are two rules of thumb. 

• Always pick the smallest boat you can comfortably live on.
• If you have an amount budgeted for your boat purchase, spend half on the boat and save the other half for outfitting and maintenance.

As you’ll see below, boats can be grouped by price and size. When you go up in size, you go up in price—often by a lot.

The size of the boat is a factor of your budget, but also of how big a boat you can handle. Most people believe this means driving it and maneuvering it, which is true to some extent. But a good training captain can teach you what you need to know to drive any size boat in just a few sessions. 

No, the size of the boat you can manage refers more to how much maintenance you want to do. The bigger the boat, the more complex and plentiful its systems. There’s more to break on a bigger boat, and more things broken means more time fixing things.

Catamarans compound this by doubling a lot of the systems. Two engines, two saildrives, two hulls to wax, two hulls to bottom paint—you get the idea.

Another factor you should consider early on is getting insurance. Yacht insurance has gotten harder and harder to get in recent years. If you’ve never owned a boat and have no experience, you might be forced to get something small (think an under 30-foot daysailor) to get some experience on before you move up. It’s also difficult because many underwriters won’t write policies for liveaboards. 

As a general rule of thumb, most people will find boats under 35 feet too small to live on full-time. Most of these vessels don’t even have standing headroom. There is often only a “wet head,” one where you take showers while sitting on the toilet.

Boats 35 to 40 feet are good for solo travelers or couples who don’t mind living in small quarters. The beds will be small and accessed only from one side, as in a v-berth or a Pullman-style berth. If there is one, the second bunk is likely only for the occasional guest. 

You’ll get better accommodations when you move up to 40 to 45 footers. The second bunk may be in its own stateroom. The main suite will have an island-style berth that can be accessed from both sides—a huge upgrade for most couples. The head will likely have a separate, enclosed shower. This size sailing yacht makes a good liveaboard sailboat for most boaters.

Boats bigger than 45 feet are best for bigger families. If you often travel with kids or guests, these are the boats for you. They’re extremely spacious and make boat living easy, but the extra maintenance and cost may not be worth it.

The List — Best Sailboats to Live Aboard

All lists, whether found in internet blogs or international sailing magazines, have issues. There’s no one list to rule them all because there are simply too many different boats out there. And everyone uses their boat differently, so the “best” for you might be a terrible choice for me. Different boats for different folks, so to say.

So, what’s the deal with this list? It’s made from personal experience of having seen a lot of boats out cruising. And it’s a list that tries to put aside the fantasies—Oysters and Gunboats are pretty in magazines, but like Ferraris, not many of us will ever own one. So let’s look at some practical boats that fill each size category. 

For every boat on this list, a dozen or more could’ve been included. Use these models to research brands and see which sizes suit your needs.

Boats under 35 feet tend to be best suited for solo travelers or couples comfortable living in small spaces. As always, coastal cruisers in this class have much more space than bluewater boats do. Catamarans in this class are also coastal cruisers—you need more length and volume to get real bluewater performance out of a cat. No matter which type of boat you’re looking at here, storage space on this size of liveaboard boat will be limited.

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Coastal Cruiser Under 35 — Catalina 34/35

If you want to move aboard, you’re on a budget, and you want the most space you can get, it’s really hard to beat an older Catalina. Starting with the Catalina 30, these beamy boats have a surprising interior volume. They make great first liveaboards.

Bluewater Sailor Under 35 — Panda/Baba 35, Tashiba 36

The famous yacht designer Bob Perry drew these Taiwanese-built boats, all tracing their lineage to the older Tayana 37 . They’re updated slightly and built by different yards, but all full keels with cutaways and built for bluewater cruising. They all have gorgeous teak joinery and are comfortable and forgiving at sea. 

Catamaran Under 35 — Gemini 105MC

The Gemini 105M and 105MC were arguably the most popular cat models ever. They’re American-built, with a single diesel engine and a narrow beam that allows them to be parked in a standard boat slip. In the US, this means many more marina choices if that’s how you roll. The boat has centerboards and kick-up rudders, so the board-up draft is a scant 18 inches—gunkholing perfection. 

While some Geminis have crossed oceans, they aren’t made for it. They have average (sometimes below-average) build quality and fiberglass work. However, they’re perfect coastal cruisers and capable of heading into The Bahamas.

The Gemini should be on your shortlist if you’re looking for a cheap catamaran .

Runner Up: PDQ 32

Are you looking for a small cat with better build quality? They didn’t make many of them, but the PDQ 32 is what you seek. It’s an attractive small catamaran with a wider beam. It came with twin outboards in wells, but the LRC (long-range cruiser) option had inboard diesels.

Forty feet is the sweet spot for most cruising couples—big enough to be comfortable and carry enough provisions but small enough that handling and maintenance are manageable. This class of boat has a lot of excellent choices in both coastal cruiser and bluewater boats, making it a good size range to find the perfect affordable liveaboard sailboat.

The catamaran group from 35 to 40 feet has a few very popular choices, but they are right on the edge of being too small for most cruisers. Counterintuitively, these cats are perfect for couples who don’t mind downsizing and traveling lightly. These shorter cats are prone to hobby horsing and don’t provide as comfortable a ride in bluewater as slightly longer cats do. 

Coastal Cruiser Under 40 — Islander Freeport 36

The Islander brand is no longer around, but these California-built production boats from the 1970s and 80s were well-built and well-liked. The I32 and I36 were very popular cruising boats designed by Bob Perry. The Freeport 36 is a before-its-time European deck salon with enormous windows. The swing-down swim platform is another bonus for a boat from this era, as are the Pullman-style berth and forepeak-located head (some layouts). If you can find one in good condition, these boats make excellent liveaboards. 

Bluewater Sailor Under 40 — Passport 40

Yet another boat from the desk of Bob Perry, the Passport 40, is a sharp-looking aft-cockpit bluewater cruiser from one of the best yards in Taiwan. They feature a long fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder. Everything about this sloop is just right for long-term cruising.

Catamaran Under 40 — Prout 38

The Prout 38 traces its heritage back to the earlier Prout Snowgoose. The boat is still being made, now under the Broadblue brand. It’s a sturdy British-built cat made for serious offshoring. While it lacks some of the open feeling that newer charter boats have, it more than makes up for it with its robust and high-quality build.

Runner Up: Leopard 40 (2005-2009)

This early L40 (don’t get confused with the newer ones built around 2020) was designed by famous multihull designers Morelli and Melvin. It’s got more of the things you might expect from your typical charter cat: a sliding salon door, galley-up layout, and a huge walk-through cockpit.

While this seems a small step up from the size of boats above, prices increase rapidly above the 40-foot mark. At this point, the boat’s gear needs to be bigger and heavier, from all the lines and rigging to each block and winch. Engines are now larger four-cylinder diesels, and there’s much more hull area to clean and paint. 

A 45-foot coastal cruiser has enough space to keep a small family happy for short trips or a couple happy for any length of time. These boats usually have island berths in a spacious master bedroom, so no more crawling over each other just to go to the bathroom! Bluewater boats in this class are a little smaller inside, making them just right for most couples doing a long-term cruise.

As far as catamarans go, the 40 to 45-foot range is the perfect sweet spot for most cruising couples. A spacious interior plus excellent seakeeping abilities make these top picks. There are tons of boat choices out there, and most of the best cruising catamarans come from this size group.

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Coastal Cruiser Under 45 — Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42DS

Jeanneau is part of Groupe Beneteau , but their boats often have a more refined finish than Beneteaus. The DS stands for “deck salon.” They feature larger windows that let in more light and have better visibility than a standard cruiser. This is especially welcome if you’re attracted to the living space in a catamaran but need something smaller and more affordable. 

The 42DS also has an enormous island berth, plus a huge twin-helm cockpit with lots of space for entertaining.

Bluewater Sailor Under 45 — Hylas 44

The Hylass 44 is regularly picked as one of the best offshore cruising boats. It’s a center cockpit boat designed by German Frers.  It has a wonderful layout with tons of living space and a large, usable galley. The aft cabin has a large island berth with an en suite head. 

Catamaran Under 45 — Leopard 42/43 (2001-2006)

These early Leopard charter cats are highly sought after on the used market. Like all charter cats, the best finds are the “owners versions” with one hull dedicated to the master stateroom with en suite head and shower. The Leopard 42, which came out in 2002, had a soft canvas cover over the cockpit and was updated to the Leopard 43 with a hardtop. 

Above 45 feet is another big price jump. For beginners, these big boats will require some training and experience before you head out on your own. 

Related: Best Boat for Beginners

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Coastal Cruiser Under 50 — Beneteau Oceanis 473

This big Beneteau came with either 2, 3, or 4 staterooms. Finding the right layout is as important as finding the right boat. The two-stateroom version has enormous berths and lots of storage, perfect for couples with occasional guests or families of three. Most have the standard keel with less than a six-foot draft, making this fin keel/spade rudder boat a rare find. They were built from 2000 to 2005.

Bluewater Sailor Under 50 — Hallberg Rassy 46/48

Hallberg Rassys are well-regarded boats built in Sweden, mostly designed by German Frers. These are high-end boats of the best quality, so don’t expect to find one available cheaply. They’re gorgeous, however, and make wonderful world cruisers.

Catamaran Under 50 — Leopard 46/Moorings 4600 (2006)

If you want a big catamaran, it’s hard to go wrong with the 2006 Leopard 46. Where modern Lagoon and Leopards have tall profiles with tons of windage, this is one of the newest, largest boats that still have single-level living. It has distinctive hull chines that increase living space without increasing wetted surface and plenty of sail area for good performance. In true Leopard fashion, all lines are led to the helm for easy short-handed cruising despite the boat’s large size.

Boats in this class are borderline yachts based on their sheer size. If you were to charter these boats, they’d usually come with a crew. That size means they’re more expensive and more of a handful to manage daily. 

Coastal Cruiser Under 60 — Irwin 54

The Irwin brand is long gone, but many examples are available on the used market. They were known especially for their large center cockpit ketches, like this 54-footer. This is a spacious, big water boat that certainly meets the qualifications of most bluewater boats. They can go anywhere, but they may need maintenance and refit given their ages. 

Don’t get to lured by the low prices of these boats. You’ll have to lay out some serious cash to get one ready to cruise long-range. But if you aren’t opposed to some hard work and projecting, the Irwin can get you a lot of boat for not much money.

Bluewater Sailor Under 60 — Amel Super Maramu 2000 (53′)

Made famous by the Delos YouTube channel, the Amel is a French-built brand of high-quality bluewater boats. Today, this brand’s new models look like many others—wide sterned, flat-bottomed sloops. But the Maramus that made them famous were unique—ketch rigged and ruggedly built, designed to take a cruising couple anywhere. Electric winches were standard on everything to keep such a large boat easy to operate.

Catamaran Under 60 — Privilege 585

Privilege is the French-made catamaran that you don’t hear enough about. Unlike Lagoon and Fountaine Pajot, these are beefy cruising boats ready to take you anywhere. Their construction and fit-and-finish are first-rate, as is the joinery down below. 

Living on a sailboat is an adventure—it’s not for everyone. Finding the right boat is an important part of doing it successfully, but it’s not the only step in preparing for the lifestyle.

You should also consider checking my post on liveaboard catamaran options, to make sure you research thoroughly enough!

What makes a great liveaboard sailboat?

Everyone’s priorities for a liveaboard sailboat are different—a bluewater cruiser looking to sail around the world might pick a very different boat from someone who lives full-time dock life. In general terms, you need to find a boat that is safely capable of taking you where you want to go and has enough living space to be comfortable while doing it. 

Sailing catamarans are some of the most popular liveaboard sailboats because their living space is unmatched. Most are also bluewater-capable cruisers that can go pretty much anywhere. 

What is the best size sailboat to live on?

The size of the boat you’ll be comfortable on long term is a personal choice that depends on your personality and the number of people you’ll be traveling with. Solo travelers may be content with a sailboat around 30 feet, while most couples are comfortable on something around 40 feet. Forty-five to fifty feet is more realistic if you often have guests or kind on board. 

With all of this in mind, however, it’s really important to remember that the costs of buying and maintaining a sailboat increase exponentially with length. Getting the smallest boat you are comfortable living on is always better because that will be easier to manage and keep in the long run.

What are the negatives of living on a sailboat?

People live on their sailboats differently, so it’s difficult to narrow down the biggest negatives. Everyone struggles with the small living space that a boat affords. You’ll have to downsize your possessions to the absolute minimum you need. And getting personal space away from your spouse or family is pretty much impossible on a small boat. 

Why are sailboats so expensive?

New boats require a massive investment in time and resources to produce. The nicer the boat, the more time and skill it takes to build, which makes costs soar. Some production companies, like Beneteau, have found ways to reduce production costs and keep the price of new boats more reasonable. But these boats pale compared to other yachts in terms of overall quality. 

Older used boats can be found pretty cheaply. In fact, it’s often possible to find free or nearly-free boats that are on their way to the junkyard or dumpster. The key is understanding how much work and money it will take to get these boats ready to go again. 

Is it a good idea to live on a sailboat?

Living on a boat is an amazing way to experience seaside living or traveling the world by water. But it’s also a unique, out-of-the-ordinary lifestyle choice that’s not without challenges. 

Before you move onto a sailboat, you’ll want to research the topic carefully and talk to some folks who already to it. Many people start with occasional boating, spending a week or more onboard to try it out. With a little experience, it’s easy to see if it’s something you could do for the long term or if it’s best to keep a land house and enjoy the water occasionally.

Can you live comfortably on a sailboat?

Many people live comfortably on sailboats, but a lot depends on the size of the sailboat and your tolerance for living in a small space. Even the largest sailboats can feel cramped, while some folks love the cozy feeling of living on the tiniest boats. 

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

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Living on a Boat Full Time: Ultimate Guide for Liveaboards

The fun, the sun, the family time, and the unmatched satisfaction of steering and operating a boat -- don’t you just wish it never had to end? Well, that wish has become an astounding reality for a lot of boat owners who tossed the lines and decided to become full time boaters. That’s right: the community of liveaboards is ever growing.

If you just can’t get enough of boating and it pains you to tether your trusty vessel to the dock at the end of the day, then maybe it’s high time you joined in on the bandwagon. Seriously contemplating living on a boat? Here’s everything you need to know.

Factors to Consider When Living on a Boat

Although you might already be romanticizing the idea of living on a boat, there are some serious considerations you have to make before you take that jump. Even some of the most experienced boaters will step away from the liveaboard life because of certain factors that just don’t work for their comfort, convenience, or preference.

Here are a few things you should consider before you make that big change:

Are You Prepared for Minimalist Living?

One of the biggest changes you’ll probably have to adjust to involves storage. Most liveaboard boats won’t have enough space onboard for lots of storage space, you’re going to have to live with bare minimum. That also entails frequent trips to the grocery store since you won’t have enough room to stock up for long periods of time.

Do You Know How to Perform Basic Repairs?

You’re going to encounter many different damages onboard especially during certain seasons. It helps to have some level of skill and knowledge when it comes to basic repairs so you won’t have to call a professional every time, especially when you’re too far away to find anyone to help.

What's the Weather Like?

Your local climate is going to play a role in how convenient (or how uncomfortable) your boat living situation is going to be. It’s usually not recommended for people who live in rainy regions, or those that experience severe winters to live permanently on a boat.

Is Your Family Prepared?

If you’ve got kids, then this is going to be a major change. Consider their daily route to school, and whether they’ll adjust to the new environment with comfort and ease. If you’ve got smaller kids that still like to run and play, there might not be enough room on deck to accommodate their rambunctious behavior.

Are You Willing to Give up Certain Appliances?

Washing machines, dryers, and elaborate home entertainment systems will not have a place on board most boats. Whether you’ve got a generator or a solar energy system, you probably won’t be able to supply enough power to sustain the entire range of household appliances you enjoy at home.

Where is Your Water Going to Come From?

Clean water for bathing and drinking can be tough to source when you’re living on a boat. Some boat owners install a system that lets them distill or purify water from the lake so they can safely use it for drinking and cleaning.

What About Waste Management?

You can’t just toss the contents of your portable toilet overboard. See to it that you know where your local waste management and disposal system is so you can access it whenever you need to safely and legally clean out your toilet. That also goes for whatever garbage you might accumulate on board.

Pros and Cons of Living on a Boat

Truth be told, liveaboard life isn’t for everyone. While it can be exciting and freeing, it also comes with its fair share of drawbacks that might be a little too inconvenient for those who are more comfortable and accustomed to living in a standard house.

• Opportunity to travel whenever you feel like it
• Usually more cost-effective than living in a standard house
• Forces you into an eco-friendly lifestyle
• Calmer lifestyle in touch with nature
• Deep sense of community
• Lots of time and money spent on maintenance
• Limited living space
• Susceptible to bad weather conditions
• Bugs and pests abound
• Compromised security and safety

Essentials for Living on a Boat

Because you might be used to living in a traditional house, converting to life on a boat can be a bit of a challenge. To make sure you’re ready for the undertaking, see to it that you have these basics taken care of:

Personal Items

You might have closets full of clothes, accessories, personal items, and just stuff you keep around but haven’t touched in years. Well, with the kind of limited storage space on a boat, you’re going to have to purge your closets of anything that isn’t essential.

Strip your closet down to just everyday wear, casual clothes, and maybe one or two formal outfits. You should try to do the same for your shoe closet. As for seasonal items like winter clothing, you can store them at a friend or relative’s house. If you have a locker at work, keep work clothes there.

Some liveaboards go as far as renting out a storage unit to keep all of the items they want to keep but might not be immediately necessary on board. Of course, you could also try to beef up your onboard storage by installing extra cabinets, but it’s probably not going to be enough.

Power Source

While your range of appliances might be particularly limited, that doesn’t mean you can’t have any onboard. Television sets, electric fans, mini refrigerators, and electric grills can find a rightful place on a boat - given there’s enough power to use them.

There are various services these days that offer to equip your vessel with solar energy for clean, easy power you can store up yourself. But of course, solar power can only take you so far when the stormy weather starts to settle in.

Shore power might be your best bet if you’re looking to fire up more energy-intensive appliances. See to it that your local marina will let you hook up to their power source while you’re docked. Of course, this also entails paying an extra fee.

Finally, you can try traditional fuel power with a generator. Keep in mind though that power generators tend to be noisy, which may disrupt your neighbors. There’s also the issue of cost and eco-friendliness which aren’t typical of a gas powered generator.

Maintenance Essentials

There’s going to be a whole lot of maintenance going on. Unlike a regular house, a boat is more exposed to the elements, which means it may be more susceptible to damage. That’s especially true if you won’t have the chance to dry dock your boat, leaving its hull soaked in water for extended periods of time.

Another thing to keep in mind are repairs. To some extent, you should know some basic electrical, plumbing, and mechanical skills to readily respond to minor damages as they occur. You’re also going to have to buy some reliable tools and cleaners that should always be within reach in case you need to fix something on your own.

Food Management

You can’t expect a boat to have a full-sized kitchen. And that also means you’re going to have to learn how to manage with a limited cooking space and amenities. For instance, you’re probably not going to be able to roast a full turkey for Thanksgiving .

Most of your liveaboard menu is probably going to consist of recipes that mainly entail the use of a grill. Fried and boiled entrees can also be a practical choice. That said, you’re also going to have to prepare sufficient surface area where you can prepare your ingredients, especially if you like coming up with elaborate dishes.

And then of course there’s the choice of food items in particular. If you’ve got a mini fridge on board, then you should be able to store a few veggies and meat for about a week max. Other than that though, most of your storage will be ice boxes that can only keep things cool for a certain period, unless you’re willing to replace ice cubes on the daily.

The Cost of Living on a Boat

Although the idea of living on a boat might be freeing, it’s anything but free. There are a ton of costs associated with the liveaboard life, which means you might spend just about as much as you would living in a traditional residence.

Here’s a breakdown of what you might expect to pay when you live on a boat:

Boat Mortgage

Roughly $500 for a $60,000 boat at 8.34% interest for 20 years.

Registration

This varies from state to state, ranging between $25 to $250 annually.

Boat Insurance

Insurance is in the range of $200 to $500 a year, depending on the extent of coverage, the kind and quality of boat, and its intended use.

Property Tax

6-10%, depending on the state you’re in.

Maintenance

According to experts, you should expect to pay 10% of your boat’s cost in maintenance fees each year. A $60,000 boat could cost you around $600 yearly to keep in shape.

Premier marinas can charge as much as $240 per foot per year. There are cheaper options though that can cost as little as $12 per foot per year, but that also means downgraded facilities.

Most boats will use 3-8 gallons per hour at cruising speeds, with gas costing between $3-4 per gallon. Also consider the cost of a power generator if you plan to use one.

Marinas and mooring points will charge for garbage removal, electricity, and water. Some also offer cable TV and WiFi connectivity that you can access for an added fee.

All of that of course, goes on top of the cost of food, clothes, and other personal essentials that you might require. It’s also worth mentioning that if you’ve got a bigger, more expensive boat, you also end up paying more than the estimates above. If you’re taking your family along with you, that becomes an added expense.

Other potential costs include storage fees if you’re planning to rent out a storage unit, winterization expenses, upgrades and accessories , and personal maintenance including laundry fees.

Safety and Security Considerations

Living on a boat isn’t any more or less safe than living in a traditional residence, it’s just that your concerns might be different. Understanding the potential dangers can help you better prepare for them and minimize the risk of accidents, injuries, and damages on board.

Sure, your boat might be parked just fine in a slip . But what about your car? Parking slots for cars in marinas aren’t usually secure, leaving your precious vehicle exposed to the elements and potential break-ins.

Consider beefing up your auto insurance to keep your car safe from these threats. You might also want to consider parking where there’s a CCTV system in place just for added safety.

Fire and Fumes

The limited space on a boat can make it extra prone to fires . You also have to think about gas leaks that could combust, or that could endanger your health with fumes.

Of course, the obvious solution would be to install smoke and CO2 sensors to tell you when there might be a potential threat. It’s also important to perform routine checks to ensure that everything is working fine.

Thefts and Burglaries

Houseboats are just as likely to experience robberies and break-ins as any traditional residence. And because the last thing you’d want is to have someone take anything from your already limited possessions, it’s important to take the necessary steps to protect your liveaboard.

Choose a marina with good security, well-lit premises, and CCTV systems installed. You can also install your own CCTV cameras as well as alarm systems to tell you of the presence of an intruder.

Emergencies and Accidents

Who are you going to call in case you run into a major accident that requires prompt mechanical service or medical care? While your family and friends might be a phone call away, it’s always better to know people at your local area who you can call for help.

See to it that you get contact information for your marina neighbors, the coast guard, and marina personnel. Have them at the ready in case you need to make a quick call during an emergency.

Social Life When Living on a Boat

The thing about the liveaboard life is that it’s way more social than the typical suburban household setting. For starters, your neighbors are going to be much closer to you than when you live in a traditional house. That’s also why people who live on their boats in marinas tend to enjoy a deep sense of community.

Living on a boat means helping those around you, and getting their help in return whether for small or significant things. If you’re not ready for that kind of social interaction and you prefer something a little more secluded, you can try tying your boat to an end corner where you’ll have fewer neighbors.

Some localities will also let you tie your boat to a mooring point where you’re not likely to have a lot of neighbors at all. Otherwise, be prepared to live closely alongside other liveaboards who might tether their boat next to yours.

What About Pets?

Of course, living on a boat doesn’t mean you can’t take old Fido with you. Although you might have to acclimate your dog or cat to the boat first, lots of boat owners have successfully transitioned to liveaboard life with their furbaby in tow.

As long as there’s a safe place for them to stay, and you give them enough time to run, play, and stay active onboard or on the shore, then it shouldn’t be a problem.

Best Places to Live on a Boat

While you might be accustomed to your locality already, there’s no reason you can’t move around once you start your liveaboard journey. That said, you might also want to consider whether you’d want to stay in a place that’s known for its liveaboard friendliness. Some of the best places to live aboard a boat include:

Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

Its warm climate and friendly boaters make it a wonderfully calm place to live. They’ve also got some of the best premier marinas in the state.

Lake of the Ozarks, Wisconsin

Beautiful, picturesque, and incredibly close to nature, the Lake of the Ozarks also has a number of prime locations and points of interest that you can access only via boat which says a lot about how boat friendly they are.

Corpus Christi, Texas

They’ve got great food and a wonderful ambiance that can be great for boaters looking for the perfect marriage between luxury and nature. Their marinas are also mostly new and polished, but since they’ve only recently been developed as a boating spot, prices aren’t too exorbitant just yet.

Is Boating for You?

It can be loads of fun to live on a boat. But again, it isn’t for everyone. There are some major adjustments that need to be made if you’re going to successfully transition to life on a boat. So how do you know if it’s not for you?

• Prefer living somewhere with lots of space
• You rely heavily on appliances, gadgets, electronic devices, and high speed internet
• Have a large family with lots of kids that all need their own personal space
• You’re not too handy and you have a hard time with doing repairs on your own
• Have a job that requires most of your daylight hours, leaving you with little time for maintenance and cleaning
• You enjoy a more private lifestyle where people won’t always be around to hear or see what you’re up to

Time for a Change

Living on a boat can be loads of fun, but it’s going to require some major changes. So are you ready to dive in head first? See to it that you’ve got all the basics down, and maybe try it yourself for a week to see how you fair. Of course, it’s going to be rocky at the start. But with proper execution, you should be able to transition to that liveaboard lifestyle in no time.

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How to Choose the Right Liveaboard Boat

March 4, 2019 by Charles Giambalvo , SYS Yacht Sales Associate

Ready to make the move and purchase a boat to live aboard? There are many types of boats that make great liveaboard options, depending on your preferences regarding vessel size, interior layout, deck space, performance capabilities and level of creature comforts. Before starting your search, it’s important to narrow down your preferences. The best liveaboard boat is one where the resident(s) feel safe and comfortable, and includes all or most of the comforts of a land-based home.

Having lived aboard a 50’ Jefferson Motor Yacht for the past 4 years, I would like to share my advice on how to decide which type of boat will meet your liveaboard needs.

The most important consideration for any liveaboard buyer is: will the boat be used mainly for cruising or will it be used more as a floating condo that stays at the marina? From there, you can narrow down your search further: considering your priorities for living space versus performance and operating economy. If you are planning to share this relatively small space with someone else, it is best to include them in the boat selection process. In addition, there are some companies that will allow you to rent a boat for a week or more, so you can “try before you buy”.

Which boat types make the best liveaboard vessels?

Houseboats , Trawlers and Catamarans make the best liveaboards, although they each vary greatly in their design. Motor Yachts and Express Cruisers are also good options. Deciding between them all depends on the overall purpose of the boat. For example, for cruising purposes, Trawlers make great liveaboard boats because they are capable of making long passages with their large fuel and water tanks. However, unless it's a newly offered “fast trawler", they normally travel fairly slowly (10 knots or less). Trawlers also offer a good amount of living and storage space. My wife cherishes every square inch of her closet space.

If you plan to be a liveaboard cruiser, and travel most of the time, then considering your itinerary is also important. For example, the Intracoastal Waterway can be difficult to pilot in some areas, due to shallow spots. Therefore, choosing a boat with a shallow draft may be a better option. Trawlers and Motor Yachts are great options, especially for cruising the Great Loop, however, the boat’s draft should be considered depending on the route you are taking. Additionally, if you plan to cruise mostly “inside”, then speed is generally not important, as most of the ICW is a slow speed zone, due to the amount of boats, homes and manatees present.

For ocean cruising, larger freeboard and ocean-taming hull designs are required for safe and reliable travel. Also, most ocean-going captains prefer to have greater speed capabilities, particularly when needing to shoot through long ocean stretches with a limited weather window.

Catamarans are a popular choice, especially for cruising the Caribbean, because of their shallow draft and great fuel economy. Sailboats are also popular liveaboards boats. With their efficient cruising design, yet limited interior space and comfort, sailboats are more popular for cruising, than long-term living aboard (although there are exceptions).

What are the amenities to look for in a liveaboard boat?

Some of the most important amenities to look for when selecting a liveaboard boat is heating and air conditioning, adequate closet space, a fully-functional galley, comfortable master stateroom, and a practical salon with entertainment systems. In order to narrow down your search, it’s important to prioritize the amenities you’re looking for. Try to determine which are initial “deal breakers” and which can be easily modified or added after purchase.

Charles Giambalvo

New and Brokerage Sales

Contact Charles

617-803-9662‬ | Email Charles and his wife have lived aboard for the past 4 years. He also holds a USCG Master 100 Ton license. When not working on a yacht purchase or sale, he applies his knowledge to training new members of boat rental clubs and captaining a charter yacht. Charles also has over 30 years of experience in high tech international sales. He now applies his experience to assisting clients with their boat buying and selling needs. | View Full Bio

• Event Details

11 Best Liveaboard Marinas In The US

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

Finding the best marina in a country as large and as wealthy as the United States of America is not an easy task. Each state with any kind of boating scene can boast at least a few top-notch marinas.

So, how do you determine which are best? By looking at not just the marina itself but where it is, what its surrounded by, and whether or not you might want to live there. After all, the best liveaboard marina for me might not be the best one for you. This article outlines the best marinas in the US, in no particular order, so you can decide for yourself which might be best for you.

Table of contents

1) 5th Street Marina, Florida

The 5th street marina in Miami Florida is one of the best marinas in the state, which when that state is Flordia is no easy feat. The marina is perfectly situated with access directly into the city itself through the use of the easily accessible water taxis. The marina is moments away from all the bars, restaurants, and nightlife that Miami is famous for. Whether you are planning on staying for a week or a year you will never find yourself tired of what this marina has to offer. The city center skyline is just a stone’s throw from the deck of your boat, you really couldn’t be any closer if you tried.

2) Miamarina, Florida

Miamarina in Miami Florida is not cheap. The cost of living aboard your sailboat here full time is not for the faint-hearted. If your bank account can take it though, you are in for a real treat. This marina boasts luxury and convenience above all else. You are getting the best security, the best amenities, and the “right” kind of neighbors. This isn’t a marina for partying, this is a marina for relaxation. If you are hoping to find yourself living next door to a celebrity, to find yourself, slip mates, with a member of the Miami Heat, this is the Marina for you. It isn’t cheap, but the best things in life never are.

3) Regatta Pointe Marina, Florida

Regatta Pointe is the only Florida marina on this list that isn’t in and around Miami. Regatta Pointe can be found in Palmetto, meaning you are getting the Floridian weather but with less of the party life. The speed that Miami moves at isn’t for everyone, sometimes you want to take it easy. Regatta Pointe lets you do just that. The marina has all the amenities you could need, wifi, gym, salon, spa, restaurants, all right at your doorstep. You also have wonderful access to the coast and the gulf. Perfect for avid sailors.

4) Montauk Yacht Club New York

Montauk Yacht Club, in the Hamptons, is one of the most impressive and beautiful marinas in the country. You are getting the new york lifestyle right at the marina itself. There are three heated pools, two illuminated tennis courts, and a cigar bar. If you are looking for a liveaboard marina to retire to you can’t do much better than the Montauk Yacht Club. You can rent one of the 200 plus slips at this marina on a nightly or a seasonal basis. Whether you are looking for a weekend getaway or a summer home of sorts, then Montauk could be what you are looking for.

5) Bergers Marina, Lake of the Ozarks

Lake of the Ozarks is one of the most famous boating areas in the world. So famous that it even had a hit Netflix drama named after it. There are plenty of marinas there, finding the right one for you is not going to be easy. So, if you had to pick one marina which would it be? Probably Bergers Marina. This marina is one of the most historical and well-loved marinas in the area. Bergers is located close to all the shops, bars, cafes, and activities that you could want. It is the only marina that truly makes you feel like you live in the town. Not just near it.

6) Marina Del Ray California

Marina Del Ray is the biggest marina in not just California but the entire country. You are going to feel like a small fish in a big pond. And that’s exactly why many people choose to live there. Here you will find countless celebrities, wealthy elites, and likeminded nautical lovers. There are bars, cafes, restaurants, and every kind of boating amenity you could need. They have the best mechanics, details, painters, electricians, and plumbers on-site for 24/7 call-outs to your boat. There are even boat valet and storage services available for residents.

7) Elliot Bay, Washington

*** No longer allows liveaboards

Living in Seattle is not cheap. It’s about as not-cheap as you could imagine. It is far cheaper to live in Elliot Bay than to get a small place in the city itself. You get all the benefits of living in Seattle with a much smaller price tag. Elliot bay has two restaurants and plays host to events all year round. If you work in the tech industry, living near Seattle might be a must for you. Having a well-paying Seattle job without the price of rent can make living in this beautiful marina the financially savvy thing to do.

8) Roche Harbor Marina, Washington

Roche Harbor is one of the more interesting marinas on this list. It is very exclusive, not in price but location. Getting to this harbor without the use of a boat, or a plane is not easy. This means living here can be very a peaceful and idealistic way of living. If you are going to be trying to find a job, then this marina is probably not what you are looking for. If you can work from your boat, with the free wifi, then you are in for a real treat. If you are hoping to spend the day hiking, cycling, fishing, climbing, and camping then Roche Harbor is the Marina for you.

9) Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is an up and coming part of Maryland. The marinas there is state of the art, without the price tag. Since the cost of living there has yet to adjust to the quality of life you are getting great value for money. The marina is so close to the city that you will be spoilt for choice choosing how to spend your days. The marina is also adjacent to the world-famous Baltimore aquarium, spending your free time here with a season pass is a treat very few people get to enjoy. There are wet slips as well as lift slips available so you have plenty of options when deciding how to store your boat and all of your belongings. The sailing around Maryland is tremendous, so you will feel able to stretch your sea legs whenever the water calls to you. Plus, Maryland seafood is some of the best not only in the country but the whole world.

10) Orleans Marina, New Orleans

Living in New Orleans is a unique and interesting experience. The food is phenomenal, the people are down to earth, and the countryside is beautiful. What’s not to love? The marina itself is pretty darn good. You get the basic amenities included for free, plus a few extras. This is one of the cheaper marinas on this list. But that is in no way of a reflection of how good the marina is, just where it is. Out of the US’s major cities, New Orleans is one of the most affordable. If you are lucky enough to be around during Mardi Gras or one of the various jazz festivals you are going to be in for a real treat. New Orleans during Mardi Gras is a truly unique experience. You certainly won’t want to miss it. New Orleans has an up and coming team with the Pelicans, NBA stud Zion Williamson is bound to drag the team to success in the league. Perfect for sports fans and casual viewers alike.

11) David L Clinch Marina, Michigan

The David L Clinch Marina in Michigan is one of the most scenic places for sailing in the world. Not just the country. The city has clung to its roots relentlessly, you get the small-town charm with the big city services. There is everything you need yet you still feel like you are part of the community. There is also a surprisingly great food scene to be found there. Bars, restaurants, breweries, whatever you want you will find. Plus, the cost of living isn’t through the roof. Sure, you can expect to pay a premium for the best slips. But you won’t be breaking the bank.

This list contains a huge array of different marinas, each one has its pros and cons. Though the cons are few and far between. If you are still unsure, perhaps check out the marinas websites to find specifics about what they have to offer and how much it might cost. Pricing a marina is a difficult thing to compare. Some charge by the foot, some by the day, some by the season, some by a mixture of all three. Which marina is best for you will, of course, depend on price, but if money is no object y0u are looking at a pretty hard choice. Do you want peacefulness or a good nightlife? The best food or the best fishing? That’s up for you to decide. Good luck on your quest for the best marina and happy sailing!

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• Paddle Board

Liveaboard Marinas Guide: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Do you feel like giving up apartment life in the studio for a life on the water? Living on a boat provides you alternative accommodations to that studio that’s bleeding your cash flow dry every month. Living on a boat is affordable, and it’s a change to the fast-paced city lifestyle.

If you’re thinking about the boating life, then you’ll probably be staying in a marina. Anchoring at sea or using mooring buoys is only a temporary living solution, and it’s only for those real sea dogs that are self-sustainable on the ocean.

You can think of a marina like an apartment complex. You pay a levy for amenities and services within the marina, like laundry rooms, parking, and security. Like apartment blocks, some marinas are better than others. Some offer an upmarket living experience, while others can be dilapidated and a security threat.

Please take a look at our guide to finding liveaboard marinas to tie up and stay a while.

Liveaboard Marina Amenities

As mentioned, the primary difference in marinas is the location. The marina’s quality in terms of its security amenities and services (and the people and boats) plays a role in pricing. In the best marinas, you’ll find everything you need to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle on a boat.

Some of the important features to look for in a prospective marina include the following.

• Power facilities.
• Holding tank pumps.
• Pump out services.
• Restrooms and showers.
• Clubhouses and pools.
• Restaurants and bars.
• Laundry and fitness facilities.
• Parking areas.
• Business centers.
• Grocery stores and ship stores.
• Gas and diesel tanks or filling areas.

What You Need to Consider Before Tying Up in a Liveaboard Marina

Whether you’re a student looking for affordable accommodation or a retiree thinking about downsizing your living arrangement, the boating lifestyle is a different approach to living . However, living in a marina isn’t for everyone.

If you can’t get used to smaller living spaces and lack of storage space, it’s not going to work out for you. The marina lifestyle suits minimalists that don’t carry around many possessions in their life. You’ll also have other challenges to deal with when living on the water, such as boat maintenance and the weather .

Here are some other factors you need to consider before moving to a marina.

Does the Marina Permit Liveaboard?

Some marinas may allow people to stay overnight or for a few days, but they may prohibit living in the marina full-time.

Can I Live in a Confined Space?

The boating lifestyle is a significant downgrade to your living space, and it can feel confining for some people. Make sure you’re comfortable with a snug home, and if you have a partner, make sure you are both comfortable with closer living quarters.

Does the Marina Allow Pets?

If you have pets, you’ll have to consider marinas pet policies before signing a lease. Some marinas allow pets, while others may forbid it. Most marinas won’t allow pets, especially upmarket marinas, due to problems with pet mess unattended by owners.

Proximity to Cities and Towns

How close is the marina to the local town and the grocery store? Where is the nearest gas station? These are considerations you need to account for before moving into the marina.

How Do I Get to Work?

Are you driving a car, using Uber, or public transport to get around? If you’re using a car to get to work or move around town, you’ll need to ensure the marina offers secure parking facilities.

Are there Bridges Close By?

It might seem strange to wonder why this would matter to you. However, if you own a sailboat, you’ll need to know that there are bridges that can raise the bridge to accommodate the mast length o0n your boat.

Does the Marina Have Deep Water Access?

If you plan to take your boat out into the ocean or a lake, you want to ask the marina if it has deep water access, especially if you have a larger, heavier vessel. The deep water access prevents larger boats from damaging the keel or propellors.

Climate and Weather

What is the climate like in the marina and the local area? If you choose to live in Florida, you get great weather, but there’s always the chance of a hurricane causing an evacuation – the same goes for gulf coast cities like New Orleans. Extreme weather risk is a consideration in today’s changing climate.

Along with extreme weather, you also have to be comfortable living in a humid environment. Life on the water means that those hot days can become overbearing, and you’ll be dripping with sweat onboard your boat. When the winter rolls around, living on a boat is much colder than living on land.

Hurricane Season and Boat Insurance

As mentioned, extreme weather is a real problem for the boating lifestyle. Hurricanes affect the Gulf Coast and the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Hurricanes are a risk from Houston all the way around to Miami, up to the Carolinas, and even as far as New York.

If you’re going to live anywhere on the gulf or the eastern seaboard, it’s essential that you take out hurricane insurance on your boat . If you’re renting the boat, make sure the owner has insurance to cover your possessions if you have to leave the boat in an emergency and can’t take anything with you.

It’s also important to note that hurricane policies are different from standard insurance policies, so make sure you understand the policy terms before signing your agreement with the insurer.

What are the Pros of Liveaboard Marinas?

There are plenty of reasons why moving to a marina is a great idea. From catamarans to trawlers and houseboats, there are always interesting boats in the marina and plenty of opportunities to meet new people.

Some of our top aspects of marina life include the following.

• A laid-back lifestyle.
• Friendly and relaxed people.
• Peaceful ocean or water sounds.
• More wildlife in the area.
• New travel experiences.
• Affordable living.

What are the Cons of Liveaboard Marinas?

Some of the drawbacks to marina living include the following.

• Extreme weather scenarios.
• Humidity in the summer.
• Cold in the winter.
• No onboard facilities in your boat.
• Not all marinas offer all amenities.
• Prices can vary depending on the marina.
• Close proximity to your neighbors.

Costs of Docking at a Liveaboard Marina

If marina life sounds like it’s for you, we bet you want to know how much it’s going to cost you. Several factors contribute to what you’ll pay at the marina.

• The services and amenities at the marina.
• The security of the marina.
• The prestige and reputation of the marina.
• Other secondary factors include the following.
• Does the marina charge you for the length of your boat or the slip size?
• Does the marina charge a flat rate?
• Does the marina offer discounts for long-term leases?
• Is there a fee for liveaboard?
• Do you get electricity and water included?
• Are there any other hidden costs?
• Do they offer pump-out services and maintenance or repairs?
• Do they have Wi-Fi, and is it free and stable?

Typically, you’ll find that most marinas base their fees on the length of the boat. Since most people live in boats under 40-feet, you should find that it’s an affordable lifestyle for the value you get in return.

The cost of the marina fee can vary depending on all the factors and the amenities on offer. If you’re living at a premium, top-rated marina in a city like Miami, you could expect to pay up to $1,000 per month. However, smaller marinas in smaller towns may charge you as little as $150 per month, but they may lack some amenities.

It’s about what you can afford to pay and what you want for your lifestyle. However, one thing is for sure – it’s a lot cheaper than living in an apartment or a studio. Sure, a few other costs are involved, but most of them are similar to what you’ll be paying in an apartment anyway.

Choosing Marinas in Large Cities

It’s important to note that liveaboard rates will always be more expensive in cities than in smaller towns. It might be worth your while to look for marinas just outside major cities if you have a car and can drive into work.

If you work remotely, choose a marina away from the city’s fast-paced life and enjoy a peaceful and serene living environment out on the water. However, if you are working from home, make sure you have a good Wi-Fi connection at the marina.

Where Do I Find Liveaboard Marinas?

You can find liveaboard marinas along the east and west coast, the Gulf Coast, and inland waterways across the United States.

However, many of the marinas don’t provide liveaboard for boaters, and you’ll need to do a bit of research to find the ones that permit it and then separate the good from the bad locations.

When assessing a marina for your living accommodations, make sure you look at what people say about it on social media and forums. Make sure you’re moving into a place with good reviews, or you could end up in a nightmarish living environment.

What Do I Do If I’m On a Waiting List for a Marina?

The problem with finding a marina is that the good ones are in short supply, especially those offering liveaboard facilities around cities. If you find that the marina is full, you can always apply to get onto the waiting list and move somewhere else while you’re waiting for a slip to become available.

Most marinas around cities cap the number of liveaboards available, and it’s not uncommon to find multi-year waiting lists for liveaboards at some sought-after marinas. If you have no luck getting a liveaboard in any marina, here are a few strategies to help you work around the situation.

The first option if you’re on a waiting list is to sublet for someone else. Some people with yachts cruise the world for years at a time, enquire with the marina manager about any subletting opportunities.

You can also go the old-school route of posting a request or a poster asking for subletting opportunities on the marinas message board. In some cases, you might not even need a boat to sublet, and you get fully furnished living accommodation.

It’s worth it to enquire around town if you have your heart set on the marina and there’s a long waiting list.

Buy Boats that Include a Liveaboard Slip

Some dealers or owners might sell you a boat with a slip included with your purchase. You can negotiate the slip into the purchase of the boat with the owner and get a great deal on your new living arrangement.

However, make sure you pay attention to the pricing; some boat owners may inflate the price of the boat by as much as $50,000 because a liveaboard slip is so sought-after in the market.

Sneak-Aboards

If you’re absolutely desperate and have nowhere else to turn, you can always consider the sneak-aboard option. This one isn’t for the faint-hearted, and it’s a risky, temporary strategy that could get you in trouble.

Some marinas will let you live aboard and turn a blind eye or accept a bribe to you living aboard your boat at the marina. However, this option often involves a lot of sneaking around, and if people see you living there and complain, the management may kick you out of the marina.

Wrapping Up

The economy has seen prices increase across the board for a variety of consumer staples, including rent. Renting a small apartment in cities like San Francisco and New York cost a fortune. As a result, many people are resorting to living in vans in parking lots.

Liveaboards at marinas offer you a different lifestyle to the van life, and it’s much more comfortable, snug, and relaxing.

John is an experienced journalist and veteran boater. He heads up the content team at BoatingBeast and aims to share his many years experience of the marine world with our readers.

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6 Popular Boats For Full-Time Living (Affordable Options)

It’s a big investment to get a boat you can live in full time.

Here are some of the more affordable boats out there that we can fully recommend.

Hang with us as we guide you through some of the most popular and affordable boats for full-time living.

Table of Contents

Don’t Get “Sticker Shock”:

If you are choosing to live aboard a boat in you will need to brace yourself for the expense.

While this article is showing you “cheap” or “inexpensive” boats to live on, you should not be comparing them to other boats.

We are not talking about small boats here, but boats you can live on, remember.

Daily use boats do not afford the luxuries that a live-aboard boat can. This makes them more expensive. When looking at live-aboard boat prices, you will want to compare it to traditional living expenses. All choices for live-aboard boats are expensive and you will most likely be looking for a used, possibly even a “project” boat.

If you are looking for a new boat, or even a luxurious used boat you will need to be prepared to spend $100,000 or more depending on the size and type of boat you want.

An Affordable TRAWLER You Can Live On

A trawler is an inexpensive option that allows for generous space. Trawlers are also durable and can take large amounts of use. 

The wider hull of a trawler allows for roomy interiors that include bigger kitchens, more spacious sleeping areas and more room. This boat is also stable and accessible. This makes getting on and off the boat much easier.

They also have less draft than boats with deep hulls like sailboats and lower clearance on top for bridges.

Some cons of a trawler include noisy engines that are slower moving. They also consume large amounts of fuel.

Trawlers also will need maintenance just like any other vessel and can often be older, so they might require more maintenance up front.

1. Albin North Sea Cutter

North Sea Cutters made by Albin are large, spacious and elegant. These boats offer multiple comforts and sleeping areas.

Depending on the year you select, you could have multiple cabins and many places that convert into sleeping areas. You can purchase a used Albin boat that costs anywhere from $20,000 to over $200,000. These prices vary depending on space, age and amenities offered.

Models older than 2000 will often range between $20,000 to $80,000 and they can get more expensive from there.

An Affordable YACHT You Can Live On

2. beneteau swift trawler.

These boats can be swift, fuel efficient, and stable. They offer a spacious deck as well as spacious living quarters.

They often come with more than one cabin and enough room to move around and house more than one person.

The Beneteau Swift Trawlers are more expensive than the Albin models and will likely cost you more than $100,000.

If you are looking for a brand new Beneteau, you could be looking at a base price close to or even over $500,000.

So you definitely want to get a used model if you are looking for a cheaper alternative here!

2 Affordable SAILBOATS You Can Live On

Sailboats can be a relaxing option for your live-aboard vessel. Sailboats come with an open deck and oftentimes have plush cabins situated in their hull.

Some of the appeals of a live-aboard sailboat are that you will spend less money on gas. They are also quieter than their motorboat counterparts.

If you choose to live-aboard a sailboat, you will want to make sure that you have a motor available in case you do not have a cooperating wind.

3. Island Packet 35

These boats are smaller than the trawler options and are better suited to housing smaller families.  They have one main living and sleeping quarters so there is not a lot of privacy offered. These will be ideal for a couple. 

These are very popular choices among sailing cruisers and they were designed with sailing in mind. They are very user-friendly sailboats.

The prices on an Island Packet range close to $100,000.

You will be looking for a used vessel, though, as these were not manufactured after the mid-1990s.

4. Cabo Rico 38

Cabo Rico boats were designed with luxury in mind and it is reflected in their prices.

Older models from the 1980’s and 1990’s range between $80,000 and $100,000 while newer models that were made in the early 2000s can easily reach over $300,000.

The main goal of these boats was to increase the appeal of their aesthetic.

Like the Island Packet, these boats are more ideal for smaller couples. This boat also has an abundance of clever storage spaces that will help you maximize the space that you have. 

Affordable MULTI-HULL Boats You Can Live On

Multi-hull catamarans can be either double or triple hulled.

The benefit of a multi-hulled vessel is the stability offered as well as the possibility for separate living spaces.

A catamaran offers a wide and spacious deck, however, the living spaces in the hulls are generally smaller than they would be on other vessel types.

The major disadvantage of a multi-hull option will be price. Because the construction of these boats is similar to building two separate boats, you should expect to pay more. If you want to live on a multi-hull vessel you could be looking at spending $100,000 or more.

Like a sailboat, you might consider a used catamaran.

In addition to a higher purchase price, these boats also might require two slips in a marina which can make them more expensive.

5. Lagoon 380

The Lagoon 380 is a smaller catamaran which is not the most common. The Lagoon 380 is the smallest catamaran in the Lagoon fleet.

Unlike some other inexpensive options, these are still being produced which offers you the chance to buy new, which means that you will be more likely to customize your boat.

This boat comes with a full bath and a large queen-sized berth or the chance to instead get four cabins. Stowage on this boat is impressive and it comes with many lockers and storage space.

The boat truly is impressive for its small size and will be comfortable for living in. The price of this vessel can range from $170,000 to over $200,000 depending on the year and the options available.

Other Lagoon options can be more expensive but are also great live-aboard vessels.

6. Leopard 44

If you are looking for a more luxurious catamaran, then you will want to look at the Leopard 44. 

The most inspiring part of the design of the Leopard 44 is the inclusion of two cockpits. This allows sailors to change where they steer based on the position of the sun and adds additional comfort.

This boat also provides edging on the surfaces so that you can feel where the boat ends. Attention to detail was key when crafting the Leopard 44. 

Like most catamarans, this vessel is also spacious and provides comforts and amenities that will be useful when living on board.  These include multiple berths and cabins that are well suited to housing more people.

The average price for this vessel is higher than the Lagoon 38 can range between $280,000 and $400,000.

Affordable HOUSEBOATS You Can Live On

If you plan on living aboard a boat without doing a lot of traveling, a houseboat might be ideal for you.

These allow for plenty of space, but are bulky and are not very efficient so they are generally used for living while moored and never actually venturing out on the water.

The most common form of houseboats is built onto pontoon boats. These boats can even offer full enclosures on the deck with plenty of windows and light.

Another downside to a houseboat is their price. Because these boats offer the most space and comfort they are pricey.

Houseboats can offer anything from multiple rooms to decks. They are essentially a house that floats.

Houseboats are often custom designed and are not generally offered as a part of a fleet or boating line. Prices also range wildly and could be anywhere from $30,000 used to over one million dollars.

When looking at houseboats you also have to consider location as a decision that needs to be made.

Houseboats are not designed to move so in addition to the expense of the boat, you are also often looking for a permanent place to put it, and that can be more costly than a marina or other available options.

What About The Bigger Yachts?

Even more expensive than the multi-hull vessel is the luxury yacht.

This is not an inexpensive option. These are the most expensive choice as they are essentially floating hotels.

For this reason, we have opted out of listing options for the luxury yacht, but they are an option that is available for consideration.

So How Do I Choose The Right Boat?

It is most important to choose your boat based on desired lifestyle, budget, and skill level.

If you do not want to worry about learning to sail, then you should look into the power boat options. 

You also want to make sure you pick the appropriate size.

If you plan to go down rivers often, you might not want a boat that is too wide or too tall. This can make river navigation tricky and stressful.

You also want to make sure that while you are conscious about how the size of your boat is external, you allow for enough space internally.

No matter what type of boat you choose you will be giving up some luxuries and living a more minimalist lifestyle. You need to look at what your minimum size requirements will be and start there.

Another thing that is extremely important when choosing is the condition of the boat. Because these types of boats are so expensive, you will most likely be looking at used options.

This means that you will want to get your boat fully inspected before you buy it.

Much like you would get an inspector for your home, you are able to hire marine inspectors who can see things on your vessel that you can’t.

The most important places of consideration are the hull and the engine.

Even a tiny hairline crack in the hull can expand and get worse over time. These are also the most dangerous because you are less likely to see them and get them taken care of.

A marine inspector will also be able to give you a rundown on the vessel and this might help you plan for future expenses and even to negotiate a better price.

In addition to this, when buying a used boat you want to make sure you do not buy a boat that is exactly your budget. You will want to save at least %10 of your budget for possible issues and immediate maintenance needed.

Maintenance will be an ongoing expense that you will have to plan for in order to maintain the integrity of your boat.

Is It Possible To Live On A Boat Full Time?

Living on a boat full time is completely possible if you know what you are doing.

Where to Moor Your Boat:

One of your most major considerations will be where to keep your boat. Many places require marinas to have a liveaboard license and many of the places that do have long waiting lists that could last years.

If you know you want to live aboard a boat full time you will want to start checking into places right away. It would also be wise to not close a deal on a boat until you know you have somewhere to put it.

You will also want to consider the location of where you are mooring your vessel.

If you choose to dock your boat in a marina you will be more likely to have 24/7 access to both electricity and water. This is not true if you choose to live at anchor or on a mooring bay.

This can make a big difference in the comforts afforded while you are living on your boat.

Another consideration to make is the ease of getting on and off your vessel. If you do not moor in a marina you could be relying on a dinghy to get on and off your boat and this can quickly become a hassle, especially if you are transporting things with you as well.

Live-aboard marinas often provide more comfort to you, such as cable, Wi-Fi, or even laundry.

Marina’s do come with a higher cost, so you will have to decide if this is worth it to you.

Comfort Issues To Consider

One major challenge of living on a boat is space. Even with a spacious boat, you will always be living in close quarters to your boat-mates.

Depending on the size of boat you get, you could be asking your partner to move every time you want to move to a different room or area of the boat.

This can quickly get annoying and you will want to make sure that you and your partner both understand the reality of the situation.

Even if you plan to live alone you can be looking as small and confined spaces.

One good way to know if you can handle the day to day challenges of a liveaboard lifestyle is to try it out first. There are plenty of ways to rent a boat to test the waters before you take the plunge.

Another challenge is living without the comforts that most people have every day. Most liveaboards that are affordable do not have hot showers or laundry. 

They also usually have small kitchens and bathrooms with small amounts of storage space. If you are a person who likes to have everything and minimal living is not something that sounds appealing, living on a boat is likely not for you.

To keep your space comfortable, you might want to also consider a dehumidifier to keep your humidity in check.

Important Safety Considerations

One major thing to make sure you plan for is safety. Like all boats, you will need to have the proper life preservers and flotation devices. This is a legal requirement on all water vessels.

In addition to the proper flotation devices, you will want to make sure you have all other required safety equipment.

This includes a fire extinguisher, a carbon monoxide detector in all enclosed areas, a flare, an emergency kit, and a first aid kit.

You should also have anything needed to repair unexpected maintenance issues. Depending on where you are, you will want to make sure you can deal with any issues that might arise until you can get to help.

In addition to the standard safety precautions, living on your boat comes with a few more.

If you are planning to live on your boat, and travel, you will want to make sure you are confident in your abilities and your boat itself before you get too far away from shore. It is wise to spend a few months cruising near land and shores before you attempt any long trips.

You also need to ensure you have the proper communication equipment on board.

Depending on how far from shore you get, you might not be able to communicate using traditional methods such as a cell phone.

A cell phone will be less effective the farther away from shore and any cell phone towers you get.

You should be sure to have satellite communications, a marine radio, and a Ham radio on board.

You will also want to make sure you regularly get your boat inspected and perform any routine maintenance. A boat that is fully functioning and well maintained will be the safest.

How Much Will Living On A Boat Cost Me?

Despite the large upfront cost, living on a boat can be cheaper than living in a traditional manner.

Costs that come with a live-aboard boat can include, but are not limited to:

• Insurance: Just like with a home, car, or daily use boat you will need to pay for insurance. The live-aboard insurance rate will be higher than just recreational boating insurance. This insurance can sometimes compare to home insurance.
• Moorage: Like insurance, live-aboard moorage is more expensive than traditional insurance. You will also need to go to a marina that holds a live-aboard license.
• Mortgage Payments: If you cannot pay for your boat out of pocket, which is likely, you might have to make loan payments on it. Depending on what you spent on your vessel this could be costly.
• Maintenance Costs: After your initial purchase you will still need to spend money on boat maintenance. This expense will vary based on the age of the boat, how often you perform regular maintenance, and how you use the boat itself.
• Utilities: Based on how you have decided to live on your boat, you might have utilities or additional costs with the marina. This will likely still be less than you would pay in a traditional living situation.
• Provisions and Entertainment: Just because you don’t live in a traditional manner, you will still need to buy traditional items such as food, toiletries, and entertainment. If you live completely without the comforts you are used to, your experience will not be very pleasurable.

Most importantly while looking at expenses, you need to make sure you are budgeting and stick to it.

If you are not able to afford your lifestyle, you will not have a lot of immediate options.

If you choose to travel while you sail, budgeting will be even more important. Traveling often does not allow for a traditional job and you do not want to overspend if you do not have any money coming in.

If you know this is the lifestyle you want to live, you might consider going all in. Many people sell their homes in order to live this lifestyle.

What Boat Should I Get For Full-Time Living?

Before you buy a boat to live aboard, you need to be clear about your needs.

There are a lot of options to choose from and this is not a decision to rush through. One of the first things that you need to decide when picking a boat is whether you want a motorboat or a sailboat.

A Sailboat Or A Motorboat?

Sailboats are not just appropriate for ocean living, they are also good for lake, river, or bay living. Sailboats are quieter than motorboats and are generally more economical because they use less gas.

One issue with sailboats is that they require more skill to handle and they might not be ideal for a singular person.

Like any boat, you will want to ensure that you are choosing the right size. If you plan on using your sailboat in a river, you will want to think about the required clearance when it comes to bridges.

Motorboats with ample cabin space can also be ideal for full-time living on a lake, river or bay.

These boats are often very spacious and easy to handle. Unlike sailboats, you do not have to take classes or training to be able to maneuver or handle the vessel. Motorboats that you can live aboard can range from trawlers to yachts to certain types of catamarans .

Motorboats do not rely on the wind and this can make them ideal for a boat you want to do both living and traveling on.

The issues with motorboats is that you will need to consider gas and other expenses that come with running an engine.  They are also louder than sailboats and often their engines are placed close to living quarters. This can make sleep difficult if you are moving.

Below are some inexpensive boat options that would be perfect for full-time living .

What Are The Benefits?

Even though this all might seem very expensive, there is a large list of benefits as well. 

Living on a boat can be cheaper than living in a traditional home, especially in high priced areas.

The main reason that you should live on a boat is the freedom and adventure that comes with it.

You would be able to take your home on vacation with you or just pick up and go to a new location.

You are also more likely to meet adventurous and like-minded individuals who will most likely have interesting stories to tell. 

One of the best parts about living out on the water is the views that you will see. There is nothing quite as beautiful as waking up to a sunrise over the water.

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Who was onboard tech mogul Mike Lynch's Bayesian yacht?

Topic: Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents

Six people are missing, including a man dubbed the British Bill Gates, after a luxury yacht sank off the Sicilian coast.

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch — freshly acquitted from a decade-long trial — had invited his work colleagues aboard a trip through the Mediterranean coast when a freak storm saw the yacht sink within moments.

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking vessel. The search for the missing continues.

Here's what we know so far: 

What happened?

The Italian coastguard said the yacht — the Bayesian — was anchored off the shore of port city Porticello, near the Sicilian capital Palermo, when it was hit by bad weather sometime after 4am on Monday, local time. 

Eyewitnesses said it vanished quickly beneath the waves shortly before dawn.

Managers of the sailing vessel Bayesian, Camper & Nicholsons, confirmed to the ABC that the Bayesian encountered severe weather and subsequently sank. 

"Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew," they said. 

"The wind was very strong. Bad weather was expected, but not of this magnitude," a coastguard official told Reuters.

Sicily's civil protection agency head, Salvo Cocina, said a waterspout — a tornado over the water — could have struck the yacht.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mr Cocina added. 

Storms and heavy rainfall had swept down Italy in recent days after weeks of scorching heat, lifting the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea to record levels and raising the risk of extreme weather conditions, experts told Reuters.

"The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius, which is almost 3 degrees more than normal. This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms," meteorologist Luca Mercalli said.

Rescuers recover the body of one of the people aboard the Bayesian.  ( AP: Lucio Ganci )

Captain Karsten Borner of the Sir Robert Baden Powell vessel told journalists he noticed the Bayesian nearby during the storm, but after it calmed he saw a red flare and realised the ship had simply disappeared.

Mr Borner said he and a crew member boarded their tender and found a lifeboat with 15 people, some of them injured, who they then took aboard and alerted the coast guard.

Search crews, including helicopters and divers, are continuing to search the wreckage, lying at a depth of 49 metres.

Specialist divers reached the ship on Monday but access was limited due to objects in the way, the fire brigade said.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is deploying a team of four inspectors to Italy to conduct a preliminary assessment.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development office said it was "providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families".

Sicilian prosecutors have also opened an investigation into the event. 

Who is missing?

Lawyer Chris Morvillo (left), entrepreneur Mike Lynch, and Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer are among the missing. 

There were 12 passengers and 10 crew members aboard the yacht. 

Mr Cocina said the crew and passengers hailed from a variety of countries, including Britain, the United States, Antigua, France, Germany, Ireland, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain.

Of the 22, one man is confirmed dead and another six people are still missing. 

They are believed to be inside the hull, fire rescue spokesperson Luca Cari said.

Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman who said he responded to a flare from the vessel but found it sunk, said he stayed at the site for three hours without finding anyone.

"I think they are inside, all the missing people," he said.

Rescue teams recovered the body of the yacht's onboard chef on Monday, identified as Antiguan citizen Ricardo Thomas.

The still missing people include: 

• Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah 
• Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of global financial services company Morgan Stanley International
• Chris Morvillo , a lawyer at the British multinational law firm Clifford Chance. He worked on Mr Lynch's lawsuit against Hewlett-Packard
• The identities of the remaining two missing are still unconfirmed

Who was rescued? 

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking ship. 

Eight have been hospitalised and others were taken to a nearby hotel.

Charlotte Golunski was among those rescued, recalling the harrowing moments she held her child Sofia above the waves.  ( Supplied: Facebook  )

Among those rescued were:

• Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who was the owner of the yacht
• Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter, Sofia. Ms Golunski is a partner at Mr Lynch's firm, Invoke Capital. She says she momentarily lost hold of Sofia in the water but managed to hold her up above the waves until the lifeboat was inflated
• Ms Golunski's husband James Emslie
• New Zealand captain of the yacht James Catfield. He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica the crew didn't see the storm coming
• A lone Dutch citizen was identified by the Dutch foreign ministry as being rescued, but was not identified

Who is Mike Lynch?

Mr Lynch, once hailed as Britain’s king of technology, was recently freed from a Silicon Valley lawsuit that tarnished his legacy. 

The 59-year-old Cambridge-educated mathematician created Autonomy , a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly. 

He received the OBE for his innovation in 2006. 

He then sold the software to Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $US11 billion ($16 billion) in 2011, with Mr Lynch personally netting $US800 million. 

HP valued Autonomy at $US46 billion ($68 billion) in the months leading up to the deal.

Mike Lynch in 2019 leaving the High Court in London.  ( Reuters: Henry Nicholls/File Photo )

But the deal quickly turned sour after he was accused of forging the software's financial records to make the sale.

As part of a decades-long legal battle against HP, Mr Lynch was extradited to the UK on criminal fraud charges. 

He steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he was being made a scapegoat for HP's own bungling. 

He was eventually cleared of all charges in June this year. 

Although he avoided a possible prison sentence, Lynch still faced a bill from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven't been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $US4 billion. 

Following the San Francisco trial, Mr Lynch said he would return to the UK and do what he loved most: "[being with] my family and innovating in my field."

The holiday appeared to be something of a celebration after Mr Lynch's acquittal, with guests including some of the people who had stood by Lynch throughout the ordeal.

This picture shows the rescue operations off the Sicilian coast.  ( AP: Italian Coast Guard  )

In a separate act of tragedy, Mr Lynch's co-defendant in the trial, Stephen Chamberlain, died on Monday, after a road accident left him critically injured.

Mr Chamberlain — Autonomy's former vice-president of finance alongside Mr Lynch — was hit by a car in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning and had been placed on life support. 

What is the Bayesian?

The luxury yacht is 56m long sailboat, with a 75m mast labelled as the tallest aluminium mast in the world.

It was previously named Salute when it flew under a Dutch flag.

The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites and a crew of 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. It was last refitted in 2020.

Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $AU 321,000) a week. 

This picture taken on Sunday shows the Bayesian (left) and the Duch sailboat Sir Robert Baden Powell anchored off the coast line.   ( AP: Fabio La Bianca/Baia Santa Nicolicchia )

The ship also won a string of awards for its design. 

Ms Golunski said the yacht had travelled through the Aeolian Islands, Milazzo and Cefalù before sinking. 

It is likely the yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune was based on Bayesian theory.

Family clings to hope of air pocket in sunken superyacht as debris hampers search

PORTICELLO, Sicily — Divers searching for six missing people from a superyacht which sank off the coast of Sicily told NBC News Wednesday that debris inside the vessel, as well as its depth, were making their job difficult.  

As hopes of finding anyone alive dwindled, the divers said that they had managed to force open one of the Bayesian’s access doors but access to the cabins where people could be trapped was being hampered by detritus. 

The divers, who were not authorized to speak publicly, added that the depth of the wreck meant they were left with only 10 minutes to search the 184-foot yacht once they reached it. Then they had to return to the surface, they said. 

On Wednesday, the dock where they set off from was swarming with vehicles, boats and rescuers. Nearby tourists, reporters and photographers have gathered, eager for news. Helicopters occasionally fly over the area.  

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and five of the 22 other people who were aboard the yacht remain unaccounted for and are believed to be trapped in the Bayesian’s hull, nearly 170 feet underwater.

Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda, are also missing. 

Officials confirmed Monday that at least one person, the ship’s cook, had died. 

Rescuers said Tuesday that there might be people trapped inside the cabins, especially considering the timing of the storm, but that they had so far been unable to check through the ship’s portholes.

“The operations are long and complex,” Italy’s national fire department, whose diving teams have been participating in the search, said on X . 

Italy's coast guard also said Tuesday that divers were also using a remotely-operated underwater vehicle to aid in the search.

The Bayesian is owned by a firm linked to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who was one of the 15 people rescued Monday after it capsized near Sicily’s main city of Palermo in what Italian officials called a “violent storm.” 

Built by Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi in 2008, the U.K.-registered Bayesian could carry 12 guests and a crew of up to 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. Its nearly 250-foot mast is the tallest aluminum sailing mast in the world, according to CharterWorld Luxury Yacht Charters.  

Lynch, who was regularly described in U.K. media as “Britain’s Bill Gates,” was acquitted by a San Francisco jury of fraud charges stemming from the 2011 sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion.

Prosecutors alleged that Lynch and Autonomy’s vice president for finance, Stephen Chamberlain, had padded the firm’s finances ahead of the sale. Lynch’s lawyers argued that HP was so eager to acquire Autonomy that it failed to adequately check the books .

The Mediterranean sailing vacation was designed to be a celebration for Lynch, who brought Morvillo, one of his U.S. lawyers and Bloomer, who testified in his defense, on the trip.

Bloomer’s twin brother, Jeremy, told the BBC on Tuesday the family was “coping the best we can” and he was hopeful there might still be air pockets inside the hull. 

Chamberlain was not aboard the Bayesian.

In what appears to be a tragic coincidence, a car struck and killed Chamberlain on Saturday as he was jogging in a village about 68 miles north of London, local police said.

Claudio Lavanga and Claudia Rizzo reported from Porticello and Yuliya Talmazan from London. 

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

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Lynch Yacht Sinking Off Sicily Proves as Baffling as It Is Tragic

As bodies were recovered, the authorities and experts wondered how a $40 million, stable and secure vessel could have sunk so quickly.

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By Emma Bubola and Michael J. de la Merced

Emma Bubola reported from Porticello, Italy, and Michael J. de la Merced from London.

Two months after being cleared in a bruising legal battle over fraud charges, the British tech mogul Mike Lynch celebrated his freedom with a cruise. He invited his family, friends and part of his legal team on board his luxury sailing yacht, a majestic 180-foot vessel named Bayesian after the mathematical theorem around which he had built his empire.

On Sunday night, after a tour of the Gulf of Naples, including Capri, and volcanic islands in the Eolian archipelago, the boat anchored half a mile off the Sicilian coast in Porticello, Italy. It chose a stretch of water favored by the Phoenicians thousands of years ago for its protection from the mistral wind and, in more recent times, by the yachts of tech billionaires. The boat was lit “like a Christmas tree,” local residents said, standing out against the full moon.

But about 4 a.m., calamity unfolded. A violent and fast storm hit the area with some of the strongest winds locals said they had ever felt. Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman, said he saw a flare pierce the darkness shortly after 4.

Minutes later, the yacht was underwater. Only dozens of cushions from the boat’s deck and a gigantic radar from its mast floated on the surface of the sea, fishermen said.

In all, 22 people were on board, 15 of whom were rescued. Six bodies — five passengers and the ship’s cook — had been recovered by Thursday afternoon, including that of Mr. Lynch, an Italian government official said, adding that the search was continuing for his daughter.

It was a tragic and mystifying turn of events for Mr. Lynch, 59, who had spent years seeking to clear his name and was finally inaugurating a new chapter in his life. Experts wondered how a $40 million yacht, so robust and stable could have been sunk by a storm near a port within minutes.

“It drives me insane,” said Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company, Perini, that made the Bayesian. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.”

The aura of misfortune only deepened when it emerged that Stephen Chamberlain, 52, a former vice president of finance for Mr. Lynch’s former company and a co-defendant in the fraud case, was killed two days earlier, when he was hit by a car while jogging near his house in England.

Since June, the two men had been in a jubilant mood. A jury in San Francisco had acquitted both on fraud charges that could have sent them to prison for two decades. There were hugs and tears, and they and their legal teams went for a celebratory dinner party at a restaurant in the city, said Gary S. Lincenberg, a lawyer for Mr. Chamberlain.

The sea excursion was meant as a thank-you by Mr. Lynch to those who had helped him in his legal travails. Among the guests was Christopher J. Morvillo, 59, a scion of a prominent New York family of lawyers who had represented Mr. Lynch for 12 years. He and his wife, Neda, 57, were among the missing.

So, too, was Jonathan Bloomer, 70, a veteran British insurance executive who chaired Morgan Stanley International and the insurer Hiscox.

The body of the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered. All the other crew members survived. Among them was Leo Eppel, 19, of South Africa, who was on his first yacht voyage working as a deck steward, said a friend, who asked not to be identified.

Since the sinking, the recovery effort and investigation have turned the tiny port town of Porticello, a quiet enclave where older men sit bare-chested on balconies, into what feels like the set of a movie.

Helicopters have flown overhead. Ambulances have sped by with the sirens blaring. The Coast Guard has patrolled the waters off shore, within sight of a cordoned-off dock that had been turned into an emergency headquarters.

On Wednesday afternoon, a church bell tolled after the first body bag was loaded into an ambulance, a crowd watching in silence.

The survivors were sheltering in a sprawling resort near Porticello, with a view of the shipwreck spot, and had so far declined to comment.

Attilio Di Diodato, director of the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, said that the yacht had most likely been hit by a fierce “down burst” — when air generated within a thunderstorm descends rapidly — or by a waterspout , similar to a tornado over water.

He added that his agency had put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about storms and strong winds. Locals said the winds “felt like an earthquake.”

Mr. Costantino, the boat executive, said the yacht had been specifically designed for having a tall mast — the second-tallest aluminum mast in the world. He said the Bayesian was an extremely safe and secure boat that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing.

But he said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, is to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck.

12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members.

Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer.

Open hatches, doors and

cabin windows could

have let in water

during a storm,

according to the

manufacturer.

Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic

By Veronica Penney

The New York Times attempted to reach the captain, James Cutfield, who had survived, for comment through social media, his brother and the management company of the yacht (which did not hire the crew), but did not make contact.

So far none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened that night.

Fabio Genco, the director of Palermo’s emergency services, who treated some of the survivors, said that the victims had recounted feeling as if the boat was being lifted, then suddenly dropped, with objects from the cabins falling on them.

The Italian Coast Guard said it had deployed a remotely operated vehicle that can prowl underwater for up to seven hours at a depth of more than 980 feet and record videos and images that they hoped would help them reconstruct the dynamics of the sinking. Such devices were used during the search and rescue operations of the Titan vessel that is believed to have imploded last summer near the wreckage of the Titanic.

After rescuers broke inside the yacht, they struggled to navigate the ropes and many pieces of furniture cluttering the vessel, said Luca Cari, a spokesman for Italy’s national firefighter corps.

Finally, as of Thursday morning, they had managed to retrieve all but one of the missing bodies, and hopes of finding the missing person alive were thin. “Can a human being be underwater for two days?” Mr. Cari asked.

What was certain was that Mr. Lynch’s death was yet another cruel twist of fate for a man who had spent years seeking to clear his name.

He earned a fortune in technology and was nicknamed Britain’s Bill Gates. But for more than a decade, he had been treated as anything but a respected tech leader.

He was accused by Hewlett-Packard, the American technological pioneer that had bought his software company, Autonomy, for $11 billion, of misleading it about his company’s worth. (Hewlett-Packard wrote down the value of the transaction by about $8.8 billion, and critics called it one of the worst deals of all time .) He had been increasingly shunned by the British establishment that he sought to break into after growing up working-class outside London.

He was extradited to San Francisco to face criminal charges, and confined to house arrest and 24-hour surveillance on his dime. In a townhouse in the Pacific Heights neighborhood — with security people he jokingly told associates were his “roommates” — he spent his mornings talking with researchers whom he funded personally on new applications for artificial intelligence. Afterward, he devoted hours to discussing legal strategy with his team.

Despite his persistent claims of innocence, even those close to Mr. Lynch had believed his odds of victory were slim. Autonomy’s chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain, was convicted in 2018 of similar fraud charges and spent five years in prison.

During Mr. Lynch’s house arrest, his brother and mother died. His wife, Angela Bacares, frequently flew over from England, and she became a constant presence in the San Francisco courtroom during the trial.

After he was finally acquitted, Mr. Lynch had his eye on the future. “I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” he said.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting from Pallanza, Italy.

Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in Rome. More about Emma Bubola

Michael J. de la Merced has covered global business and finance news for The Times since 2006. More about Michael J. de la Merced

Who is Mike Lynch? UK entrepreneur among those missing after superyacht sinks off Sicily

Mike lynch, a 59-year-old british technology entrepreneur, was among the six missing passengers who were aboard the bayesian, a yacht that sank in sicily, italy..

Six people remain missing after a luxury superyacht sank off the coast of Palermo in Sicily, Italy on Monday, including British technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch.

Lynch, 59, was aboard the Bayesian, an 184-foot-long British-registered sailboat that sank into the water right before sunrise. While six individuals are missing — including American, British and Canadian nationals — one person has been confirmed deceased from the sinking that capsized the yacht's 22 passengers, Italy's coast guard said in a statement.

Of the 15 rescued passengers, eight were taken to a local hospital for treatment and were in stable condition, CNN reported. A 1-year-old was among those rescued. The large vessel sank after heavy rainfall from strong storms caused flooding and landslides in parts of Italy.

Prosecutors in a town near Palermo have since opened an investigation into the events leading up to the sinking, which may shed some light on why Lynch was aboard the superyacht. Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was one of the rescued passengers, the BBC reported.

Here is what we know about Lynch.

What companies did Mike Lynch found?

In 1996, Lynch co-founded the Autonomy Corporation, an enterprise software company now known as HP Autonomy. He also founded Invoke Capital , a venture capital fund.

Through Invoke Capital, Lynch became a co-founder of Darktrace, a British cyber security company established in 2013 and headquartered in Cambridge, England.

Why was Mike Lynch charged with fraud?

Soon after Lynch sold Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $11 billion in 2011, a sale in which he made around $800 million, he was hit with civil and criminal charges.

In November 2012, HP announced an $8.8 billion writedown of assets and claimed Autonomy artificially inflated its value by hiding "serious accounting improprieties, disclosure failures and outright misrepresentations," the Guardian reported.

Although the UK Serious Fraud Office ended its investigation of the sale due to insufficient evidence, Lynch and Stephen Chamberlain, former vice president of finance at Autonomy, were indicted for fraud in the U.S. in November 2018. Sushovan Hussain , Autonomy's former finance chief officer, was found guilty of fraud in 2018 and sentenced to five years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California .

HP won a civil action in the High Court in London in January 2022 against Lynch and Hussian, the BBC reported. Damages were to be decided later, with the judge saying the amount would be "significantly less" than the $5 billion claimed by HP, according to the outlet.

Was Mike Lynch found guilty?

Lynch was extradited to the US in May 2023 to face 16 counts of wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy. He and Chamberlain, who was charged with 15 counts of wire fraud and conspiracy, pleaded not guilty.

On June 6, 2024, the men were found not guilty of all charges.

Lynch told BBC Radio 4 in August that although he knew he was innocent at the onset of this 11-week trial, he felt his wealth allowed him to prove his case in U.S. court.

"You shouldn't need to have funds to protect yourself as a British citizen," he said.

Stephen Chamberlain on life support

On Saturday, two days before Lynch's disappearance, Chamberlain was seriously injured in a road accident, Reuters reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Chamberlain was struck by a car in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning and was placed on life support, the person said, per Reuters.

Contributing: Reuters and Cybele Mayes-Osterman/ USA TODAY