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Thread: Would You Live On The Water And NOT Have a Boat?

  1. #1
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    Would You Live On The Water And NOT Have a Boat?

    If you owned a house near the ocean (not on the ocean) with a dock or seawall deep enough to dock a boat with access to the ocean, would you be likely to own a boat or would the view justify the premium price you'd pay for owning a property like that? Premium price being what you paid for the house, property taxes and additional flood insurance you may need.
    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  2. #2
    "A boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into."

    "There are two happy days in the life of a boat owner: The day you buy it and the day you sell it."

    And, if you do buy a boat, make sure it's what you want to do and that you'll use it often. It's really expensive to have a boat and just have it tied up to the dock.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  3. #3
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    Mike, does that mean you'd buy the property, with it's premium price, or buy something with just as nice a house that had no dock behind it, for a lot less?
    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  4. #4
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    I am a boating person and have always been, got a ski boat in MI and a 19' center console in FL (ironically the same size and configuration down to the single Yamaha that the two 14 year olds were in when lost). So, yea, I would definitely have a boat. But it is a personal thing, lots of folks buy on the water just to have a view. I take that back, as I look around our lake (450 riparians), many folks have multiple watercraft, very few have none. And there is a difference, psychologically, between just having a water view and actually calling that waterfront yours, boat or not.

    In FL we stay in our RV for 3 months with a lot and dock on a canal to the intercoastal. We can be in the Gulf in 20 minutes. We would buy (it is a condo) but the price is a little steep, I figured the 20 x 60 lots are going for in excess of 5 mill per acre.
    Last edited by Ole Anderson; 07-28-2015 at 12:49 PM.
    NOW you tell me...

  5. #5
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    Julie, only you can really answer that question. My father had 3 different sail boats when I was growing up, the last one being an Islander 36'. One of his favorite sayings was "BOAT, Bring On Another Thousand". I love the ocean and I'd love to live near it again. I have no desire to own a boat.
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  6. #6
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    Julie I'm assuming were talking about something like the canals in a lot of Florida communities? If you don't have/want a boat, then to me the water is a detriment. For the reasons you listed and for the upkeep on your bulk heading/seawall. The view won't change and I would think the novelty would wear off fairly soon. My vote would be to buy the other house for less money and enjoy it full time. Go look at the water whenever you feel like it.

  7. #7
    I'm not a boat person at all. So I would buy the house on the water for the view only, not the dock. But I would fish from it.

    Red
    RED

  8. #8
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    In my experience boat people are a little like car people, motorcycle people and plane people. You either are one, which means a rabid lover, or you are not. Lots of people are dilatant's, liking to test the waters, so to speak, then moving on. Then, there are the 'real' enthusiasts. Have you been living, breathing, studying catalogs, places to visit with docks, etc?

    I am a car guy. Since I got my first Hot Rod mag at age 13, I have saved hundreds of magazines, owned well over a hundred cars of all types, and still live and breathe cars. Right now at age 72, I own 9 cars, from a pair of modern plug in electrics, to my F250 with 5th wheel trailer, to my '56 Ford, '48 Jeepster, and '22 Model T hot rods.

    My son is a plane guy, now owns a 1940 Fairchild, has a hanger and the gift shop at the local airport, and is almost licensed to fly people in a WWII Navy T-6, as well as a huge Anotov biplane. All done while he runs his trucking business, burning the candle at both ends.

    I have a friend who is a boat (fisherman) guy. He has an old Glasspar cabin cruiser that he fishes with as often as possible. He will go out on a lake alone and fish from daylight till dark, trolling and jigging 100 times with the left arm, then 100 times with the right arm, with only a 30 minute break for lunch. He is often the first one to go to a lake in Idaho during the thaw. When he gets there, other boats will be lined up to launch after he launches and breaks the ice for them.

    So, what you need to ask yourself is just how involved you want to get in boating. Own with the pride, as well as the work of owning, or maybe rent one when you feel the need.
    Last edited by Rick Potter; 07-28-2015 at 1:21 PM.
    Rick Potter

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  9. #9
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    I have two homes, one on the water and one not and I have three boats. Two at the lake home and one in Indiana. At the lake home we are 35 feet from the water and the view is great but I couldn't imagine not having the boats. Yesterday I did nothing all day, took the pontoon out to the middle of lake and drifted around for eight hours while I read and surfed the web. Of course I could have done the same thing on shore but it wouldn't of been as nice.

    None of our boats are ski boats, just two fishing boats and a pontoon. I have never experienced the big boat expenses everyone talks about. I winterize them myself which entails pretty much nothing but oil and lower unit lube change. I also store them in my own building so no costs there. We probably spend less than $300 yearly on fuel for all three. But then again we don't travel far and we pretty much just cruise along at a leisurely pace.

    I do know people who regularly spend big money repairing their boats, busted props and lower units, engine problems, storage fees, etc. But they also run the heck out of them and treat them like they are a rental.

  10. #10
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    There are those of us that are compelled to own a boat regardless of house/home location. It's in our blood and anything else simply won't do!

  11. #11
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    My sister in law had a nice house, on the beach, on the south end of Daytona Beach. There was no need for a boat. If you needed a boat for something you could rent one. On the other hand, we have a cabin at a norther Minnesota lake. I couldn't enjoy that place fully without fishing boat or a pontoon. So, the thing is, how important is the boat to you?

  12. #12
    If I'm on the water, I'm a boat owner.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Moriarty View Post
    Mike, does that mean you'd buy the property, with it's premium price, or buy something with just as nice a house that had no dock behind it, for a lot less?
    I'd not buy the house on the water. But I'm no boater so the answer is whether you like to boat or not.

    Just another issue, Florida gets hurricanes every now and then and they can drive water up those canals and flood the houses. I lived in Florida around Tampa/ St Petersburg for 17 years. Didn't have a hurricane during that time. Note, also, that sea levels are rising.

    Mike
    Last edited by Mike Henderson; 07-28-2015 at 2:38 PM.
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    I'd not buy the house on the water. But I'm no boater so the answer is whether you like to boat or not.

    Just another issue, Florida gets hurricanes every now and then and they can drive water up those canals and flood the houses. I lived in Florida around Tampa/ St Petersburg for 17 years. Didn't have a hurricane during that time. Note, also, that sea levels are rising.

    Mike
    Sounds like a good argument for getting a boat.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Creech View Post
    There are those of us that are compelled to own a boat regardless of house/home location. It's in our blood and anything else simply won't do!

    No opinion...but you could always sublet the boat slip to someone who has a boat but lives away from the water.

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