Response

Finally got a response back from my insurance company. They just HAD to be difficult.

It said something about not giving quotes over the internet, and I would have to call a representative.

I was not asking for a QUOTE. I just wanted information.

grr.

Now I get to go play phone tag with the insurance company. Fun.

Inquiries

Most of the marinas I have looked at so far require an insurance policy for liability up to $300,000 so I just sent this email to my auto insurance company to see what sort of cash I would need to put up for that:

            I was just looking for some information.

            I have been thinking about purchasing a sailboat and living on it, but
            most of the marinas I have been looking at require an insurance
            policy for up to $300,000 damage liability. I was wondering what
            sort of rates I could expect for such a policy.

            I am looking at sailboats, approximately 27-30 feet long, older
            models - late seventies to early eighties. Most of these boats have a
            purchase price (and I'm assuming a very similar value) of $5,000 or
            less.

            I have my car insured through xxxxxxxxx*, in the state of California,
            and have had the policy for at least 8 years, I believe. Possibly longer.

            I would appreciate any and all information you could give me,
            thank you.

Eagerly awaiting a response.



                                                                          *censored my insurance carrier's name.
                                                                             If they want to pay me to advertise, I 
                                                                             will replace it.

The Quest Begins.

I have wanted to live on a boat for as long as I can remember. When I was a little kid, it was one of those "when I grow up" kind of things. All of my friends wanted to be firemen, or veterinarians, or policemen, or whatever.

I just wanted to live on a boat.

As I got older, I was lead to believe that only really rich people could afford to do that, and I knew I would never be all that rich. I don't WANT to be. Money causes more problems than it solves.

I just want the freedom to pick up and leave whenever the mood strikes me, and have the entire ocean as my backyard. For years though, that seemed beyond my grasp.

That is, until a few nights ago. I was browsing Craig's List looking to see if I could find a higher paying job - or at least one that I could get more than 4-6 hours per week. I happened upon an ad for a sailboat for a little under $3,000. I couldn't believe it. I assumed that it was a junker, so I looked, but no. It was a little bit of a fixer, but nothing serious.

Then I started browsing sailboat listings, and found out that I could pick up a good 30' ish boat for 5-6 thousand, less if I was willing to put a bit of work into the boat.

Then I started looking up slip rental fees. Found out that they could be anywhere from $200-$500 depending on location, boat size, and live-aboard fees.

I got excited.

Then I found out that in the state of California, in most marinas (except privately owned ones) there is a live-aboard permit percentage allowance of 5%. So, in a marina with 100 slips, they can have only FIVE people living on board a boat.

I haven't seen many marinas that were much bigger than 100 slips.

Finding a place that will let me live on a boat is going to be the hardest part.