Going to law School, want to live on boat..Never Boated before.

[Ace Atl 33]

Ok, im really serious about this...

Ive never owned or really operated a boat before, besides small fishing boats and things like that. Anyways, im going to law school in Jacksonville, Fl, and im wondering if it would be feasible for me to buy, and live on a boat without any knowledge of boating. I would be living by myself. Here is what im looking for:

Something for a very reasonable price-prob. sail boat with small engine..

-pretty big so i could live on it

-At most i would spend 30,000.


On average, what are port fees to live on boat?

also, is there wireless internet at a port?

How much do utilities usually run?



Where should i start with all this? this is very overwhelming for me...how should i start learning about boats? and good books?


Any advice would be appreciated! thanks guys

 

[tommays]

Re: Going to law School, want to live on boat..Never Boated before.

My son just finished his first year in law school SO i would find it to be a really bad idea

It would be profoundly distracting to your studys

 

[Ace Atl 33]

Re: Going to law School, want to live on boat..Never Boated before.

see, i was thinking it would be a good way for me to concentrate, because i would be alone and it would be very peaceful for me. Plus i want to own a boat one day anyway, and i think it would be better for me to use my student loans to be paying off a boat than throwing money into an apartment that ill never own. I know what you mean though...ill have to make sure i dont get too distracted

 

[guiltypleasure]

Re: Going to law School, want to live on boat..Never Boated before.

... and i think it would be better for me to use my student loans to be paying off a boat than throwing money into an apartment that ill never own...

Boats and cars don't hold value either. Buy a small house and you'll really be saving money. Then you can either sell the house and buy a boat or get an equity line on the house and buy a boat. You can get a great deal on a house right now, too. Take advantage of the buyer's market.

I don't know you but I imagine that you'll be intrigued and curious about so many new things boating that school will be difficult. If you just can't wait for the boat, live on it for a year before school starts. It just seems that these are two very big ventures that shouldn't be started simultaneously.
(like when I started grad school and got a divorce at the same time...equally bad)

My $0.02.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Going to law School, want to live on boat..Never Boated before.

dock and mooring space in Jacksonville is very limited and very expensive. you had best find a berth, before a boat. the only place i know right now its a new condo/club marina, that has open births. has 50 feet searays, and all high end boats, so the fees must the sky high, and i doubt they allow live aboards. even the old falling down marinas are charging $300 for a slip, then the extras.

 

[salty87]

Re: Going to law School, want to live on boat..Never Boated before.

sounds like fun but not the best plan for reading a bunch. boats aren't investments, i agree with the buy a house or even a condo comment.

b.o.a.t= bust out another $thousand. a slipped boat has even higher maintenance and gas costs because if you don't have a trailer you're at the marina's mercy for repairs or maintenance that's over your head and marina's charge more for gas. maintenance of an old boat can be considerable.

without any real previous experience you're gonna have a pretty steep learning curve. you're gonna have to learn things like marine heads and holding tanks, circuit panels, shore power, bilge pumps...and that's not even leaving the dock.

docks on weekends and summer evenings can be tough really places to read or study.

my suggestion....get out and look at some boats. see what you can get for the money and if you can live on it. don't forget insurance and all the other costs...

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Going to law School, want to live on boat..Never Boated before.

If you end up doing this, I wouldn't go for a sailboat because, for a given length, they have much less room than a powerboat. I suspect that the sailing fans will yell at me for this statement but it is true and I base that on many years of experience with both power and sail.

My personal choice would be a trawler - perhaps an older Albin 36 witha single Ford Lehman engine in it. Whether you can find one in decent shape for $30,000 is something that I am not sure of because I haven't looked at them in years.

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: Going to law School, want to live on boat..Never Boated before.

I agree with guiltypleasure on this one. That is alot to take on at the same time. Boats are great but they require alot of attention to stay in working order, especially if you plan to use it as primary residance. To try'n go to school, learn about, and maintain your boat doesn't seem practical.