Need a live aboard boat?

Greetings:
My name is Frank. I will be relocating to St. John on Feb 28th.
I will be taking a management job at Caneel Bay. I am personal friends of the owner of the resort. I have spent my entire life on or around the water. I spent 10 years doing blue water sailing in Hawaii. I have single handed boats up to fifty feet during many inter-island sails. I am well versed in all aspects of boat maintance and diesal engine upkeep. My references are strong. I have arrangements for housing, but would consider it a great opportunity to look after your vessel. Do you require live aboard? If so I would consider foregoing my housing for the short term to do so. Please let me know how I can help.
Aloha and Good Day, Frank

Frank,

I'm going to assume that your arrangements are at the Caneel Bay apartments.

I do require a liveabord and I'll explain why.

I've tried to work deals with folks who live on island. They would maintain the boat in exchange for just having the luxury of a sailboat at their disposal. Doesn't really work. People get busy and don't regard the boat as a priority. Too much hassle for me. Last guy I had doing that kind of flaked on me and it took forver for me to even get my stuff back from him.

If you are working at Caneel, you can step into one of their places at anytime. So, you may consider living on the boat for a spell and them moving into the apartments later on. They get loads of vacancies there after May when seasonal help leaves island.

I'll shoot you an email with my contact info.

Still looking for a boatsitter.

🙁

Rich,

I read your post when it was new back in February and was surprised at what you were seeking. Now that you are expressing what appears to be a bit of frustration in not finding anyone interested in your offer, I thought I’d take the time to tell you why I think that might be - in a constructive manner...hoping it might help you in some way.

You are probably not getting any takers on your offer because, from the way I read it, it sounds like she needs a full time captain/mechanic, which can be had for $100/foot/year (not including parts and supplies), plus room and board, but instead, you want someone to maintain your boat, at that person’s expense, and crew her when summoned, for the value of “monthly rent.” Do you fully understand what it costs to properly maintain a boat just in terms of “parts” and “supplies”, not including the value of such skilled labor (at a typical hourly rate) for many routine maintenance items?

Maybe that was not quite your intention, and if not, you may want to re-word your offer, because as I interpret it, it appears to be a really bad deal for anyone, and the lack of interest other than the one response we see posted, may be an indication that everyone else is interpreting your post in the same way.

On the other hand if you find someone who will sign up for that, great. And if you find two, send the extra one my way. 🙂 I’d love to have a liveaboard captain whom I don’t have to pay and who will pay my $15,000+ annual maintenance bills for me.

Ang

Ang,

I might not be making myself clear with what I expect then!

Rent on STJ is high across the board. I have friends that are living in similar situations right now on STJ and have been for years. I even know some people that are paying rent on such boats and still have to maintain her.

I don't need a captain or a mechanic. What I'm looking for is someone who wants to live on a boat to begin with. Someone who wants to have a boat at his/her disposal and doesn't have the means to afford one. If you know enough about boats and enjoy living on one, then this is no kind of "job."

As far as maintenance bills, I've had this boat down here for 2 years and I haven't spent anywhere near the figure you are suggesting. I may have spent 2-4k on random things, but for 15k I could just buy a new boat! 🙂

This is a great deal for someone :

1) new to the island
2) who loves to sail
3) who can't afford their own boat
4) who is handy with boats
5) wants to save on rent

I should explain more about maintenance, it's not like I expect the new liveaboard to install new sails and repaint the bottom. That's not what I mean by maintenance! What I expect is a clean boat in good running condition and a liveaboard will normally want the same for his/her house.

As far as the "crew her when summoned" part, I go sailing about once a month with my current schedule and I single hand her when I do. If someone sees this kind of sailing as "work" then they are probably not going to enjoy living on a boat to begin with.

Thanks for the comments! I didn't realize that I probably had to explain things a bit better. Like I said before, I didn't think up this kind of arrangement. It's a common practice down here but mostly only extended to people who the owner knows personally. I feel confident enough in my screening skills to be able to extend such an offer to the public and be able to select a good candidate.

Rich,

You're welcome. Now that you've spelled it out in more detail, hopefully you can find someone who will be a good, honest fit.

By the way, I had a typo in my message: I said $100/foot/year - should be more like $1,000/foot/year. If a captain/mechanic could be had for $100/foot/year, we'd all have one!

Ture, your maintenance costs probably aren't has high as mine since you're a sailboater (though, I admit I have no idea what it costs to maintain the "sail" part of that boat). Mine are tremendous with two big turbo diesels, but it's a labor of love, for me, anyway.

Good luck - maybe I'll see you down there out on the water when I get there.

Ang

Hello Rich,
I was just reading these letters and couldn't believe no one has responded to such a wonderful opportunity. I have been around schooners and yaghts all my life as my father taught sailing at UCLA in So. California. I've lived aboard his 40 ft. sailboat for 2 years and cared for it as well as prepping/cleaning my bosses yaght every weekend for him to charter. I am one of the most responsible people I know and would love and appreciate this very much. I know its difficult to get to know someone or to select the right person for this, but I know myself and you could not go wrong with a person like me. I have wonderful references incl; my family and their the most critical!
If you would like, you can email me back.Looking forward to hearing from you and I hope the "position" is not already taken.
Thank you, Annii

It's that time again!

My current boatsitter is leaving island in a week.

Boat is currently in Cruz Bay, STJ.

Please email me with any questions.

Thanks

Hello again!

My boatsitter just left for the states.

This boat is now open to a new boatsitter here on St. John.

Please email with questions.