New Member in Seattle WA

[Hal Landvoigt]

Hi
Just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. Am in Seattle and am putting serious contemplation onto purchasing and moving onto a liveaboard boat in the Seattle area. Ideally looking at boats in the 34-45' range. I'm handy and mechanical so Ideally I'm lookign for a boat that needs a little TLC while at the same time isn't a basket case or complete money pit.

One thing I've been looking for in the forums but haven't found is a checklist of things to look at and/or ask the seller about their boat. Is there a rough "buyers guide" of sorts?

Hal

 

[Portage_Bay]

I'll be the first to say, I'm sure others will agree. Find moorage first. Moorage anywhere near Seattle is very tight. Liveaboard moorage even more of a challenge to find.

 

[AlanT]

I'll be the first to say, I'm sure others will agree. Find moorage first. Moorage anywhere near Seattle is very tight. Liveaboard moorage even more of a challenge to find.

I don't disagree with the theory, however in practice any marina is going to want to vet the proposed boat - especially if it is going to be a liveaboard before giving a commitment to a slot.
~A

 

[tiltrider1]

Start shopping for moorage. I am not current with the market but in the not so distant past there were long wait times for live aboard moorage. Hate to see you buy a boat and suddenly have no place to park it.

Welcome aboard.

 

[chanprr]

Hi
Just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. Am in Seattle and am putting serious contemplation onto purchasing and moving onto a liveaboard boat in the Seattle area. Ideally looking at boats in the 34-45' range. I'm handy and mechanical so Ideally I'm lookign for a boat that needs a little TLC while at the same time isn't a basket case or complete money pit.

One thing I've been looking for in the forums but haven't found is a checklist of things to look at and/or ask the seller about their boat. Is there a rough "buyers guide" of sorts?

Hal

Welcome and good luck with your boat search.
Marinas also have waitlists, so don't hesitate to put your name down!

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. Good luck with your search.

 

[slowgoesit]

Are you tied down to Seattle to moor the boat? Do you have a job that requires you to be able to get to work easily? Reason I ask, is there is a much better availability of moorage across the Sound in Port Orchard/Bremerton area.

What kind of experience do you have with boats? Owned them in the past? What type and size? Looking for a sailboat, or a power boat?

Are you planning on just using the boat as a floating home, or do you plan on cruising it here and there?

If you are not familiar with boats, and even if you are, hiring a good surveyor to check out the boat prior to the purchase is a good idea, and probably a necessity to get insurance. There are lots of surveyors out there. . . . . finding a good one is much more difficult. Lots of surveyors can do/give you a survey that will allow you to get insurance. IE; the boat is above water, or it's below water. Very few surveyors can do a survey that will actually tell you the condition of the boat.

With a little more information on your plans/desires, people will be able to assist you better! Best of luck going forward.

 

[Hal Landvoigt]

Thanks all for the thoughtful replies. To try to fill things in a bit more, I'm probably looking first and foremost at a floating home that I can use on the weekends for pleasure cruising and possibly trips around the sound but floating home is the primary intent. I do know quite a few people who live on boats and while I it does sound like moorage is tight, it also sounds like there is a bit more avialability if someone else in the marina is willing to recommend you. I travel for work and so i may not require full residency 30 days of the month.

Everyone I know who does live on a boat recommends getting it surveyed and I've started to ask around about surveyors, Seattle is a small community as it is, and so I am sure the boat community is even smaller.

With regard to my background, I have what I believe are most of the skills required to own and maintain a boat. I have woodworking experience and own tools. I have good engine and mechanical experience and have rebuilt car engines, transmissions, scooters, etc. I have access to a full mechanical workshop with sandblasters, welders, presses, parts washers, etc. I am familiar with AC and DC electrical systems, know how to wire and solder and have done quite a bit of rewiring of houses, cars, etc. over the years including buiilding wiring harnesses and diagnosing electrical gremlins. I know how to read and follow directions (this is a big one). And as I alluded to above, I have a strong network of friends who live on boats and are willing to help with the things I don't know or can't completely do on my own like scraping and painting a hull or rebedding windows.

What I dont really have at this point is a great understanding of how to go about buying a boat. With a car or a motorcycle, I know what questions to ask, where to look and have a good understandign of what to prioritize in gettign a 20 year old car back into operating shape. A boat, not so much.

There are a whole slew of boats out there that I have bookmarked and all seem to have their pros and cons (and some even come with liveaboard moorage). What I don't have however is unlimited resources and so while I do want to get a survey for a boat I am very serious about I also cant afford to pay to have 4 or 5 boats surveyed.

Hal

 

[tiltrider1]

Thanks all for the thoughtful replies. To try to fill things in a bit more, I'm probably looking first and foremost at a floating home that I can use on the weekends for pleasure cruising and possibly trips around the sound but floating home is the primary intent. I do know quite a few people who live on boats and while I it does sound like moorage is tight, it also sounds like there is a bit more avialability if someone else in the marina is willing to recommend you. I travel for work and so i may not require full residency 30 days of the month.

Everyone I know who does live on a boat recommends getting it surveyed and I've started to ask around about surveyors, Seattle is a small community as it is, and so I am sure the boat community is even smaller.

With regard to my background, I have what I believe are most of the skills required to own and maintain a boat. I have woodworking experience and own tools. I have good engine and mechanical experience and have rebuilt car engines, transmissions, scooters, etc. I have access to a full mechanical workshop with sandblasters, welders, presses, parts washers, etc. I am familiar with AC and DC electrical systems, know how to wire and solder and have done quite a bit of rewiring of houses, cars, etc. over the years including buiilding wiring harnesses and diagnosing electrical gremlins. I know how to read and follow directions (this is a big one). And as I alluded to above, I have a strong network of friends who live on boats and are willing to help with the things I don't know or can't completely do on my own like scraping and painting a hull or rebedding windows.

What I dont really have at this point is a great understanding of how to go about buying a boat. With a car or a motorcycle, I know what questions to ask, where to look and have a good understandign of what to prioritize in gettign a 20 year old car back into operating shape. A boat, not so much.

There are a whole slew of boats out there that I have bookmarked and all seem to have their pros and cons (and some even come with liveaboard moorage). What I don't have however is unlimited resources and so while I do want to get a survey for a boat I am very serious about I also cant afford to pay to have 4 or 5 boats surveyed.

Hal

Coming with transferable liveaboard moorage is a big plus. I recommend you stay away from wood boats. You need to pay attention to heating. You can not adequately heat a boat with just 30a of power. You will need either 50a or an onboard diesel heat system. Also be aware of pumping out black water.

 

[Sna]

Duwamish Yacht Club has a number of slips for sale that are generally livaboard approved. The club recently did a special assessment for dredging so lots of the people who rarely used their boats are getting out. Cost of a 35-40’ slip is probably around $5k from what I’ve seen and the special assessment is another 20k or so. Or you could rent a slip there too. But they do require a working boat and a decent credit score.

 

[tozz]

---snip---
What I dont really have at this point is a great understanding of how to go about buying a boat. With a car or a motorcycle, I know what questions to ask, where to look and have a good understandign of what to prioritize in gettign a 20 year old car back into operating shape. A boat, not so much.
---snip---

Welcome aboard! Given what you posted above I would recommend that you get a broker. This is the exact reason they exist and can really help you through the whole buying process. There are several Seattle-based folks here that I'm sure can recommend some good brokers for you!

Good Luck
-tozz

 

[GoneFarrell]

Hal,
Search "Boat survey checklist", stuff like that will get you some clues.

Also, if you work away from Seattle a lot you may not need a liveaboard.
My marina allows up to 2 weeks a month overnight on the boat, so ask about that when talking to harbormasters.

 

[Goody]

Unlike buying a car/truck or motorcycle expect this process to be more involved. Like buying a condo or home. Use a broker or buy from another private seller, just understand that you need to do some research on this.
First thing is the type of boat: Sail, Power, both.
2nd thing will be budget. This might narrow the size or age of the boat.
Besides buying the boat, you must account for moorage cost which will be determined by the overall length of the boat (tip to tip). Haulout might cost more for a bigger boat.
You must have insurance to be in a marina (they have their own requirements so ask them what they are before you sign up).
Not all marina's allow liveaboards.
How hard will dealing with black tanks be for your intended marina. Do you drive to the pump out station or it is portable or is it nearby...
Talking to brokers is a good idea as stated, but you really need to start looking at boats as well just so you get an idea of what you "must" have on it and what you don't much care to have. Have your friends take you around the marina to view some boats. Some brokers might not invest too much time on you if you don't even know the type of boat are you really wanting. The list of boats to look at will narrow down quite a bit once you figure out what type of home you want.
Visiting these forums is a great method of research, so good on you for asking questions.

 

[Mambo42]

Welcome aboard and good luck with your search for a boat and a slip.

 

[psneeld]

If you didn't see it, a "sticky" at the top of "General Diiscussion" is Boat Search 101.

Read a lot right here....

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/boat-search-101-a-14905.html

If you are still looking this summer, I will be in the coastal Washington State this summer by RV for a couple months and may be able to help out a bit if you have questions.

 

[Action]

Welcome to the TF!

 

[slowgoesit]

The issue with signing up with a broker to purchase a boat, is that most brokers don't want to be bothered unless the proposed purchase is AT LEAST six figures. If you want a boat for $100,000 usd, their commission will ONLY be $10,000, perhaps split in half with the selling broker. They won't get out of bed for that . . .

 

[Portage_Bay]

Your observation is spot on for many of the brokers in the area. But there are some who will work in the sub $100K range. BananaBelt Boats as an example currently has 29 boats listed under $100K. Port Gardner Yachts lists boats in that range as well. Not all are big enough for a liveaboard.

OP be advised there is a good chance a sub $100K boat is going to be a project boat or at least require significant $$$ input to bring up to reasonable standards. Put a good $$$ cushion in your budget when purchasing.

The issue with signing up with a broker to purchase a boat, is that most brokers don't want to be bothered unless the proposed purchase is AT LEAST six figures. If you want a boat for $100,000 usd, their commission will ONLY be $10,000, perhaps split in half with the selling broker. They won't get out of bed for that . . .

 

[smith6]

Hi
Just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. Am in Seattle and am putting serious contemplation onto purchasing and moving onto a liveaboard boat in the Seattle area. Ideally looking at boats in the 34-45' range. I'm handy and mechanical so Ideally I'm lookign for a boat that needs a little TLC while at the same time isn't a basket case or complete money pit.

One thing I've been looking for in the forums but haven't found is a checklist of things to look at and/or ask the seller about their boat. Is there a rough "buyers guide" of sorts?

Hal

I have a 37 trawler with two state rooms for sale in Anacortes with transferrable moorage. Makes a great live a board. let me know if you want pictures etc.

 

[Capn James Brett]

Good luck. I am selling a boat with Moorage soon but it may be too big, 65' trawler with more amenities than most homes. Let me know. Look up by Everett, largest public marina on the west coast.

 

[Mischief]

Make sure that the chosen Marina allows wooden boats. Also, some haul out facilities will not haul out a wooden hulled vessel.

 

[Snapdragon III]

One thing to keep in mind is that doing big projects on a boat is way harder if you are living aboard. This is especially true on smaller boats like you are thinking about. As soon as you start something, all your space will be full of the parts you took off the area you are working on, tools, paint, solvent, vacuums, etc. Small boat fill up with crap fast as soon as you start a project. It is a little easier on bigger boats, but there are more projects that need working on on those. If you want to live aboard I would try not to take on too big of a project. There will be plenty of stuff to work on even if the boat starts out in great shape.

 

[CharlieO.]

One thing to keep in mind is that doing big projects on a boat is way harder if you are living aboard. This is especially true on smaller boats like you are thinking about. As soon as you start something, all your space will be full of the parts you took off the area you are working on, tools, paint, solvent, vacuums, etc. Small boat fill up with crap fast as soon as you start a project. It is a little easier on bigger boats, but there are more projects that need working on on those. If you want to live aboard I would try not to take on too big of a project. There will be plenty of stuff to work on even if the boat starts out in great shape.

Ain't that the truth, I keep thinking I would like a bigger boat to have more room to work, but then realize with a bigger boat I will have more to work on.

 

[Action]

Get a bigger dinghy.

 

[tiltrider1]

I can tell you all about living on a boat and doing major projects. Once replaced both fuel tanks that required removing the engines first all while living on the same boat.

 

[Hal Landvoigt]

Intriguing but I really need to be in Seattle proper. Even Duwamish Yacht Club is a bit far for my taste even if they weren't dredging it this year. Primary commuting vehicle is a 150cc 2 Stroke Vespa.

Hal

 

[tiltrider1]

If you need to be in Seattle proper your choices are finding private moorage on the lake or Shilshole Marina (Port of Seattle) in the salt water. Neither will be easy to obtain.

 

[Goody]

I can tell you all about living on a boat and doing major projects. Once replaced both fuel tanks that required removing the engines first all while living on the same boat.

That does not sound like fun times....

 

[CharlieO.]

If you need to be in Seattle proper your choices are finding private moorage on the lake or Shilshole Marina (Port of Seattle) in the salt water. Neither will be easy to obtain.

https://www.portseattle.org/page/monthly-moorage

I was surprised at the published estimated waitlist times at Shilshole. 42' and under - all are under a year and says liveaboard is available.

 

[tiltrider1]

I suspect liveaboard available means they allow liveaboard and not that there is no wait list.