Relocating / liveaboard?

Dear Ken, just to get you started off, here are my responses - based on STT. You didn't say which island but presume you meant STT?

1. Assumption correct!

2. To be honest I wouldn't even go through a broker. There are always privately-owned boats for sale here and on the average I would say that finding a mooring won't be a huge problem.

3. The St Thomas Yacht Club is very active.

5 (got confused there for a minute as you went from 3 to 5 and I thought I'd missed one!) Answer - no problem at all.

6. Someone else would have to answer that. I believe the work force is there but have no idea of the rate.

7. Lloyds of London is predominant and yes they have marine surveyors. Whether there be an abundance or a shortage I've no idea but nobody at least that I know of has ever had a problem.

My caveat - come down here for a PMV. Sounds like you're on the right track and the best of luck to you. Cheers!

2. After you have found the boat you want, to get a mooring is easy. Sometimes the boat you buy has one already, or you maybe able to secure one from another person. You'll have to go to the DPNR to get mooring permit and register it and your boat. If the original owner is still around they need to go with you to register the mooring, as they should have already have permit in place for their boat. Then it's just a matter of transferring to your boat. It's just easier that way. Or you can put down your own ground tackle..You'll need to check with the DPNR as to whether there are spaces available in the area where you want to moor your boat.

6. You could check with the bare boat company's or at the local marina's they always have a list of person's available for hire to clean and do minor up-keep!

Hope that this helps!

Peg!
Cheers!

STT Resident,

Good catch on # 4! I'd like to tell you it was meant for you to read between the lines 🙂 , but it was just late and I was tired - oops. Thanks for the responses, they are quite helpful.

Many of the Yacht clubs I have been associated with in the past required a current member to sponsor you. Would you happen to know if it is that way in St. Thomas?

From the reading I have done so far, it would seem that STT would probably be the best place to start with. It gives great latitude for diving, island hopping, etc. Until I get the chance to explore both St. John and St Croix, STT will be it. Besides, I wouldn't want to miss the Wednesday night submarine races 🙂 ! I might even look into taking some marine biology courses at the university.

Is there a way for me to access any of the local person to person sailboat purchase opportunities via internet/ email ? Or is that more of a local word of mouth thing that I would need to be there for?

Peg,

Thanks for easing my mind on both the mooring and labor.

Would you happen to know if the no-see-ums are bothersome when you're on the hook? I once got caught in the Everglades when the sun went down (yeah - on a sailboat if you can imagine that) and they were terrible!

Ken

Ken, I do know that there is a slip available at Sapphire Resort Marina that will accomodate up to a 35 foot boat, for $78,000. If you sail away, you can rent it out and it would most certainly be cheaper than slip fees and club fees and all that.......
It is listed on John Foster's Real Estate sight......If you go to Yahoo and search usvi real estate.....John Foster Real Estate will be the 3rd or 4th option......then click on condominiums andfinally Sapphire Resort......the boat slip will be the last listing.....Good luck.

To begin your search check out www.stthomasyachts.com They are a sales broker , but there are many other ways to buy a boat on STT.

Jay,

Thanks for the tip! It's good to know.

I'm looking for a vessel in the 50' range so the fit wouldn't work , but I appreciate your time in conveying it to me. I also prefer a mooring for a number of reasons, not the least of which is they normally get more of a breeze and that can be crucial on a sticky night.

afloat,

I have started looking there. Appreciate your advice. If you hear of anything sailboat wise in the 50' range from a private party let me know. Preferably something with a swim / dive platform on the stern, but not absolutely necessary if the price is right.

Ken

Ken,

We spent 8 yrs on the hook (mooring) in Elephant Bay (Water Island) and didn't have the no seeums..did get skeeters once in a while. We just closed up the boat and lit a pic (coil)..did leave 1 hatch open a crack!! It chased them away...oh how I miss the quiet and lap on the hull. The water was great too.. we swam everyday!

Peg!

Just to throw in a cent or two, there is also a marina in St. Croix, or a couple of them. The one in Gallows bay always appears to have slips open, and their is also the St. Croix Yacht Club a little further east. I have been there as well, and again, there seem to be slips open all of the time.

I have never owned a boat, but the St. Croix Y.C. should be in the phone book, and I can find out a number for the Gallows Bay (.2 miles from Christiansted) contact number if you would like. At least it would give you some comparative prices.

I am fortunate that although I don't own a boat, I know people who do and get to get out for a day here and there. What a beautiful life!

Best wishes, and please just private message me (I get a notice of the PM) if you want me to do some legwork.

Dan

Dear Ken,

Yes, a sponsor is required but that's not a problem. They usually have a social sort of evening on Friday and you can give the YC a call at (340)775-6320 to find out more info. Good luck!

Dan,

Yes, it can be a beautiful life, but has it's reality side too - just like living in "paradise" as so many caution here.

The person who said that " a boat is simply a hole in the water into which you throw money" was very close to the mark, but didn't capture the entire spectrum.

For those of us who seem to be afflicted with the addiction to be on the water, there is no finer "place" of mind than communing with the wind and waves on a sunny day, with no engine noise. It is almost a "oneness" with nature - at least for me. Like a moth to a flame we are drawn and quite helpless to resist.

On the other hand, the feeling is not quite the same when it blowing 40kts, seas are running 12 ft, it's midnight, you need to strike the already reefed storm jib, all the "crew" is below puking out their guts and saying hailmary's so there's no one to relieve you so you can go up on the pitching foredeck to strike the jib, you loose the current loran chain when you start the diesel and 6 hours later discover you're not where you thought you were.

You'd think that would be enough to make a sane man stay on shore, but you'd be wrong if you took that bet. Why? Because the next night sail is so incredibly beautiful with a phosphorescent wake and St Elmo in the rigging, that it is spell binding beyond belief.

The tales of a sailor.

Ken

we owned a 29 foot Bristol sailboat on StX, kept her at Gallows Bay Marina, and I would definitely have considered living aboard.
It is a great way to reduce your "rent" expenses - especially if you are going to purchase a "hole in the ocean" anyway.
I think I would live on STT if I had a do-over, it just takes so darn long to sail over from StX to go exploring the BVI's etc.
Happy Sails to You

Jane,

I've gone through the mental exercise of trying to balance location vs property cost and I have come to the same conclusion you did - that an STX location (at least initially) would require too much time to get to more playgrounds.

If I decide to stay permanently, I'll definitely want a place ashore too, even if it has to be smaller on STT than it might be on STX due to the cost differential.

Do you still get any sailing in?

To all,

If you had to pick your spot for a mooring place on STT where would it be? And why?

I'll have solar cells, wind generator, a small diesel generator and inverter, water maker, and icemaker aboard so I can be reasonably self contained with out shore power.

I would be prone to joining the St Thomas YC if they have reciprocal privileges with other island clubs (BVI, down island, PR, etc) (assuming I could wrangle an invite) and would probably decide to ship my Jeep over since I intend to hang out for awhile, improve my diving skills, put the boat in shape, got to know the place and folks etc. . Wouldn't want to be too far from joining in the reindeer games, but with a car that shouldn't be too much of a problem, should it?

By the way, is there much of a local fish market, buying fish off the dock or boats etc? What fresh seafood is normally available? How about fresh veggies & fruit?

Ken

Actually, we have deserted the sailing fraternity and just took delivery of a power cruiser (C-Dory Tom Cat) catamaran. Just seemed like the best option for here - going to Alaska, fishing etc.
We have friends who have a 60 ft sailboat, so we can always go out with them

Jane,

Coincidentally, that's my dream boat!! Are you trailering it or keeping it in the water? If trailering it, what are you using to pull it?

We are trailering it - and have no problem towing it with F150 Extended cab with the big engine and the uprated tow package. It does look a bit silly though! We only live about 15 mnutes from the public slip and have a big garden with hard standing and a circular drive so this is the best option for us.

We just took her up to the San Juans - oh, Lordy she is fine. We have 2 of the new Suzuki 150 outboards.
My husband had the Garmin integreted big screen radar, chart, Gps system that allows you to superimpose your position etc.
How did we manage without one? She is fast and stable! We researched everything and finally came up with the TomCat - we aren't sorry.

Thanks for the info Jane. I went to Ford's website and I see that the F150 indeed can be equipped to handle just a little over 10,000 lbs. I figure the Tom Cat 255 + 2 engines + trailer would weigh between 9000 and 10,000 lbs. That's good to know when I decide to become a C-Brat and purchase my next vehicle to tow it. I figure I'll be trailering to both of Florida's coasts when it comes time to make the dream a reality.

All I can say is that I am EXTREMELY green with envy right now.

Ken: First of all, it isn't too difficult to wrangle a membership at STYC. However, I believe there is a waiting list for moorings and you can't live aboard there. Most people live in the Elephant Bay area or the Lagoon. Where there are boaties there are boatie services...

Fresh fish can sometimes be purchased off the dock at American Yacht Harbor when the boats come in- mahi-mahi, wahoo, tuna. The local fishermen catch fish in pots- yellow tail snapper, ole wife (queen trigger), gutu (parrot fish) and some others. You can find them at various roadside venues.

Mostly fruit and veggies are shipped in, but there are some rasta farmers on the west end that raise and sell some.