What boat for an Old Lady????

[Shepest]

I need some advice. I?m a 60 years old woman, in pretty good health and am mildly active. I grew up on a lake back in Iowa, first on a 21 foot cabin cruiser and then ski boats and cabins. I haven?t been on a boat for 30 years but find myself spending hours on the internet perusing the boat for sale sights. I started out day dreaming of a roomy sized houseboat that I could one day retire to and live full time on. The problem with that is I don?t want to spend my retirement in Kansas and don?t want to wait till my 70?s to own a boat.

So I down sized my dream?..trailerable houseboats?? then to cabin cruiser and now I?m back to larger houseboats. My main dilemma is ?.. should I start small and trade up? Or?. This late in life, buy what I?m going to stay in until the End.  How hard is it to ?Trade Up?? Would there be buyers out there for my old boat? Will the price of a newer boat, when I?m ready for it, be way out of reach? Should I just buy the end boat and bite the bullet? Move somewhere warm, live on the boat and ?try? and find another job at 60? Ugh! I just keep going around and around.

Any ?older? boaters out there with some insight?

Shepest

 

[greenbush future]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

I would define my location, then get what you want instead of building up to what you want. Life is short, enjoy the journey. To many people work hard all their good healthy years, and never get to enjoy retirement. Could be that you will need to work while living on the houseboat which could dictate where you decide to reside. Enjoy the dream!!

 

[magster65]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

A good friend of mine lived on the anchor in a quiet bay nearby. He had an arrangement with one of the local marinas to use the showers, laundry and to tie up his dinghy when he needed supplies. He (and his dog) lived like this for 35+ years (32' boat). At first I thought it was a hassle... and just dumb but after having aged a few decades myself I'm not so sure. I mean... you work your whole life to retire and possibly, if that's your thing and you're still healthy, get a boat, just relax and 'cruise' your way through your golden years. He'd done this all along... lived the way he wanted to. He loved it and I can see why. This is unrealistic for most people in most places but it worked in his circumstances. For myself, I would definitely need to be dockside with power and cable, etc.
Boat sizes... my bud lived comfortably in his 32' but it was cramped though (in my opinion). It would drive me nuts. I have a 40' sedan bridge now and I could live on it if I had to but I think it's too small still. A 40' in a houseboat layout like a Holiday Mansion or something would be great. I'd go bigger but I have a lifetime of experience and do my own maintenance. Like Bubba said, there are costs involved and boats devalue quickly if they're not kept up.
As for buying small and trading up; if you're new to the lifestyle, you may want to keep transactions to a minimum... there's less risk. If you find something you like and the price is right, get a professional surveyor to go through the boat. You'll probably need one for your insurance anyways.
Don't let anyone talk you out of your dreams... we only get to go around the sun so many times!
Follow your heart but keep your brain engaged.
Congrats and happy boat shopping!

 

[southkogs]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Welcome aboard Shepest.

I actually hear you asking two questions: 1) the obvious "what kinda' boat should I buy now?" AND 2) the slightly less obvious "what do I want to do for the next 10 years?"

Answering the second question is probably key to the first. If you decide to stay put for the next several years and finish things out in KS, I would find a boat that fits your situation and enjoy that first (move up in boat later). If you decide to make a life change, move and re-situate (maybe tough for a 60 year old, but the women I know are tenacious enough to pull it off) … then you can work the "dreamier" boat into the picture.

That's from the "if it were me" column

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Thought I could live on a boat when I retired at 55. Thought I could be a beach bum too. Realized neither would work for me. Although I know I could live in a condo at or near a marina it was decided to build a 4 br 4 ba home 3 minutes from my marina.

 

[Natesms]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Where are you at in KS? Are you close enough to some bigger lakes to give house boat living a try? While trading up does take some work, it can let you know if it is really what you want to do, and if not get out while minimizing the expenses. If you love it, then when you do trade up that extra "expense" of the test run won't seem bad at all.

I started my parents out in a 1987 popup camper 6 years ago. They got a modest popup of their own, and loved it. Started camping 50+ nights a year and upgraded to a nicer popup. Mom retired this year and they went all in and got a big 5th wheel, new truck and are loving life. They keep pictures of the popups in the new camper as a reminder of where it all started. 6 years ago there wasn't a chance of getting them shell out the money for the setup they have now. After retirement they couldn't sign the paperwork fast enough.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

I'm wondering what you see yourself doing on your boat. Daydreams are one thing but reality is often different.

Boating comes in many flavors. Boat ownership is what you make it. If you see the constant upkeep, upgrades, maintenance and tinkering as part of the fun, then a boating lifefstyly may be for you.

If the boat it is just a place to relax for a few hours, pretty much any boat will do. If you want the ability to spend a few days/weeks on the boat, where would you want to be? Sitting in a slip at a marina or out in a quiet cove by your self? Or do really want to live full time on the boat?

 

[robert graham]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

60 is NOT old!....in your prime, active maybe, but not old!....

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Bob beat me to the punch: Age is a question of attitude, not years. Yeah, there are physical changes that you simply can not deny, but think about the experience you have. As a matter of fact, doctors now do not consider 60 to be old--unfortunately, neither does social security.

60 is the new 50

Me? I recently married a young chick of 59.

 

[NYBo]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Me? I recently married a young chick of 59.

:whoo: Good on ya, Frank!

 

[Jim Hawkins]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Well, new member and 1 post. I don't know if we will hear anymore from you but here's my take.

Your dreaming. At least thats what you wrote. If this is something you want stop dreaming and do something more than surf boats for sale. You don't have to jump in with both feet and I don't think you should but get started boating. Find out which of your friends have boats and let them know you'd love to join them. Maybe you can get 1 or more others to split the cost of a houseboat rental for a week. Get off the computer and visit some boat ramps and marinas. Rub elbows with other boaters (besides virtual elbows here) Immerse yourself and you'll start to figure out what you want.

Now as far as Kansas. I looked it up and your state does have some water if you zoom in real far but I'm not sure it's the place for houseboating. As mentioned you need to figure out some things and while your ciphering on that spend as much time as you can in and around the water.

Personally I hope you end up with a houseboat and one day 15 years from now I pass by you as your doing the Great Loop.

 

[z28]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Do as you wish, life is to short have fun!

 

[Shepest]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Hey Guys!

Thanks for all the input. You all make good points. There are some nice lakes in Ks and one is about an hour from where I work. It was not affected by the resent drought and even has houseboats....... although none for rent..... dang it!

I DO get out.... I go to boat shows and marinas and even have a new 'friendship' with a local boat dealer who's brain I pick once in awhile.

He has suggested buying a fixer upper but I'm not sure about that. I would only be able to do cosmetic repairs as I know nothing about engines or electrical, let alone structural......

Have any of you bought a fixer upper and subcontracted out most of the work? Does that pretty much negate the savings of buying a fixer upper in the first place?

Thanks again for all the input
Shepest

 

[pckeen]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

It depends on the amount of work that is needed. Take a look at some of the restoration threads here (or the completed projects page), to get a sense of what is involved in a 'fixer-upper.' There are many reasons to do a full boat restoration: sentimental value; love doing projects. If you do a boat restoration properlyyourself then at the end of the project, you will have a boat that is much better than what you could get otherwise. If done properly, the boat can be like new, at substantially less than the cost of a new boat. For resale purposes, however, it can be difficult to recover what you have put into the boat. If you are going to go this route, then make sure you get a quote on the entire job from a reputable boat restorer.

If you are looking to get a turn-key boat, without problems, consider putting a new or nearly new motor on a restored boat.

The best advice is get the best boat you can afford now. If you buy new, then you should know what you are getting. If you buy used, get a professional inspection from either a marine surveyer (the best route), or if you cannot or don't want to do that, pay a marine mechanic to look over the boat with you, so you know what you are getting into.

 

[NYBo]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

Have any of you bought a fixer upper and subcontracted out most of the work? Does that pretty much negate the savings of buying a fixer upper in the first place?

To the second question: Yes. The cost of labor will do you in.

 

[southkogs]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

To the second question: Yes. The cost of labor will do you in.

I agree. You can find something reasonable that will run well. Especially over the next few months.

 

[phillyg]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

I would define my location, then get what you want instead of building up to what you want. Life is short, enjoy the journey. To many people work hard all their good healthy years, and never get to enjoy retirement. Could be that you will need to work while living on the houseboat which could dictate where you decide to reside. Enjoy the dream!!

I agree 100% with greenbush.

 

[bvmbandit]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

I would say "less is more"

bvmbandit

 

[dwco5051]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

My mother gave up taking the her boat out when she was around 85. Not because she wasn’t able but she said it was too hard to get her friends who were her age and a little younger down from the cottage to the dock and into the boat with their walkers, hip replacements, etc.

Go for it and make some younger friends to go along so you don’t have the same problem in 25 years.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: What boat for an Old Lady????

PS its 60yrs young!