LOL.

I agree, if you plan on moving it to different marinas much. True live aboard sized cruisers aren't that much faster than a large sailboat, and sailboats don't cost $5-10 per mile in fuel costs to move. A trawler would also be fairly economical.

Michael

Bingo!!

I full-timed in a 40' 5th wheel with 4 slides on the water for 2 years when I was in my mid-30's.

RV would be much cheaper for more space and less maintenance, less hassle to move, more living area options and the list goes on and on and on.

Get an enclosed trailer for extra storage. I was able to sell my 8x12 for more than I paid for it 3 years later.

Get a "PO Box" at "The UPS Store". You will get a real street address vs a "PO Box" address. When I am moving around, I have them bundle my mail up, toss it in a box and mail it to where I am at.

Living on a boat sounds cool but think most would be happier in a RV.

Then get a cool boat to have fun in.

That's a better idea. But can you realistically tow a decent sized boat with an RV?

No usually 20ft or under. But I would agree an RV would be much better even a 30ft rv with slide outs will probably net you 2-3 times the living area with a fraction of the initial cost and maint.

I don;t know about that. The RV is definitely more versatile as far as inland travel, but a car would have to be attached, unless you want to commute to work in an RV.

Most of the RV's I've been on see cramped. Some are extremely nice no doubt. But onboard a large boat, you have the advantage of the cockpit area, flybridge if you have one, plus a more pleasant cabin area. It all comes down to the Beam. I believe most RV's are only 8' wide, don't know for sure. The slide outs are incredible, getting a table and/or couch out of the way.

But I'd much rather live on that Silverton pictured above than an RV.

First, if you're getting the big D and can still afford a nice boat... congrats!

So. You want to live on a 40 foot boat for years? As they say in New York... Forget about it!

Believe me, inside of one week you'll want OFF THE BOAT! Two to three days is comfortable, but that's about it. By the fourth day you'll feel like this.... ...and you'll be thinking to yourself, "Why the f@#$%k did I do this?!" Plus you'll probably need to figure in the cost of your own physical therapist treatments after you climb around the cramped quarters for a few months. And living at a marina within close quarters to other full timer boaters could end up looking like this in a few months....

IMO if you're serious about living on a boat long term comfort and space is what you should be looking for. The bigger the better - the biggest you can afford. Entertaining on a bright sunny day is a great thought, but after your company leaves you'll want to kick back in a lazy chair and flip on the big screen TV and relax. Good luck with that (long term) on a 40 foot cruiser. And what about cold rainy days, perhaps several in a row, sitting inside cramped quarters... sound fun? And if you don't have company for awhile I suggest buying a Wilson Volley Ball to talk to... WILSON! We ok?!

Kidding aside, I've always thought Aft Cabin motor yachts provided a decent amount of space inside for their given length. I think I read you want to stay around $150k or so? I suggest taking a look at a mid-90's Carver 370 Aft Cabin or something similar. It's not sporty like the Formula 40SS, and it's slower, but Carver's are well built, in your price range, and have much more comfortable than a cruiser. A lot of space for their relative size.

You didn't mention whether you plan to travel a lot in the boat. If so, be sure your estimated transferred mortgage expenses include fuel, regular maintenance costs, and unexpected repairs.

By the way, don't discount the ideas people are mentioning about buying a RV. For the long term the RV is a lot more comfortable, especially if you get one with 2 or more push-outs.

Good luck!

dependsif you have a 5th wheel or bumper pull you dont need a car. I would agree the most luxirious boat is probably better than the top rv. But that boat you mention is probably quarter of a mil if not more. a bad ace 35 trailer can be had new for 50k. If you have the same size trailer and boat the trailer ill net you twice the size guarenteed and Im not so sure counting the cock pit and such is lving area, and if its outside can not be used all the time. Consider this I have a 37ft 5th wheel. 8ft wide. is 296 sq ft. I bet you get half that in a similar sized boat. Not to mention I have three slide outs that combined probably add another 100-200 Sq ft. PLus a 20ft awning. Unless you have the boat of boats, I would think on average and Rv is a much better permament living solution.

Wow, that actually looks great. It's right in my price range too.

I really don't need a lot of area towards the back for fishing and this boat makes great use of all available space.

I agree, that Silverton has some wandering room inside. Well-equipped is understated. The under-berth storage is fantastic, especially when comparing to boats that have none. Another advantage is being a 35', it's not long enough to be no fun at all.

I think this is good advice. You may want to try renting a live aboard to see how you like it prior to sinking the cash.

Don't under estimate the cost of ownership. I belong to a yacht club that has a 40' boat, and it costs about $24K in expenses a year, including property taxes, insurance, slip fees, bottom cleaning, repair parts, and supplies. That's with the club members doing most of the maintenance, too. It also does NOT include fuel or depreciation. To top it off, it's a sailboat, which usually cost less to maintain than a twin engine cruiser.

Also some of the live aboards are not the best quality people to be around, although probably better than what you would find in an RV Park. We've had theft.

Michael