So the wife and I are in discussions about when we will be looking to purchase a coastal cruiser and what that might look like. Thinking about a home base with a dock like some folks to weigh in.
Musts haves
Dock in front of the house
3 bedroom home single story
Low humidity
No or little risk of Tornados
Reasonable cost of living
Close to the West Coast. Many family over on the West in Oregon and so we don't want it to be too far from them.
Thoughts, ideas?
Wifey B: Dock check. 3 BR check. No tornados check. Reasonable cost of living, only you know what you consider reasonable. So that leaves the humidity deal and the West Coast deal.
You have to weigh and only you can the importance of those. I find the humidity concern to be a bit much as you adjust to where you are.
What is close to west coast? Two hour drive? Two hour flight? Cheap flights? Once you get over the distance you'd drive then I'm not sure distance means much. Do you want to visit often for short periods or perhaps two or three times a year for extended times?
You didn't say a budget so who knows what, but here go some comments.
How many months of the year do you want to boat? If 4-6 then cold area is ok, but if 10-12 then climate means a lot.
So, no tornados, but earthquakes and hurricanes ok?
Now, where do you start to compromise. Here's a big dollar potential. Depending on housing cost on the water, just off it and boat at a marina can be pretty super too. If you were in FL, waterfront more practical than most of the west coast.
I'd give a lot of thought to the San Diego area and spend a lot of time boating up the coast in summer and down it in winter.
Great lakes are a good possibility as someone said, but only half the year.
How much have you traveled to other areas? Any of them really turn you two on? Lead to hot....oh can't say that, but for real any excite you? First time to Fort Lauderdale, well..what can I say. Orgasmic.
i'm really not being funny. I think when you find that perfect place it feels so very right and if you haven't found a place like that it's going to take a lot of looking still. Don't jump into changing your life when you aren't sure. Maybe rent and use a marina while you check your choice out or maybe even rent a boat in those areas considering.
That brings to boat. What's your experience? What makes you want one? Make sure it's real, not just fantasy.
I'd get into some serious looking and exploring. Check out boating and houses in different areas. Charter or rent boats. Vacation somewhere different every chance you get. Make a list of areas you like or think you might like and those you wouldn't or don't. Places you can see living post retirement. Environments you're comfortable with from climate to scenery to plant life to culture to attitudes.
Maybe start with a map of the country and mark areas as yes and no but be careful if you haven't really experienced them. Your likes and dislikes aren't going to be like anyone else's and in many cases yours and your wife's won't be the same. You have to work till you find common ground.
I'll give you just some personal examples. I've gotten use to year round boating but then I'm a fanatic.
So, I wouldn't want to live north of Charleston SC or Los Angeles. I've gotten use to East Coast boating with a new town to explore every five miles and west coast has long distances so nope to that. Now see, that's all just me. The PNW is beautiful and many consider it the perfect climate. If that's what you're use to, then think long and hard because you might not like a big change.
How far do you want to cruise and how much a year? I want to cover the world. 2/3 of the time on the water. That's not normal to a lot of people. Right now a bunch of TF'ers having fun in Alaska and we loved our trip there, but in six months they won't be and I'll be in a bikini in the pool or on the boat.
Once you study and explore some then separate must haves from would like to haves and decide where compromises might be in order.
Good luck with your dreams. The answer is there, but you'll have to find it, and you'll know when you do. We were just on a vacation and before it was over we owned a house in Fort Lauderdale. We knew.
