When brokers say -Suitable as a liveaboard

[larkshall]

Perusing the ads (as one does from time to time). I often see the term 'suitable as a liveaboard' I was wondering what on earth to they (the brokers), actually mean?. Is there a kind of default minimum spec they have in mind?

[KevMc]

Perusing the ads (as one does from time to time). I often see the term 'suitable as a liveaboard' I was wondering what on earth to they (the brokers), actually mean?. Is there a kind of default minimum spec they have in mind?

 

I guess that there would need to be certain aspects of liveaboard life that a holiday boater could do without; maybe: more storage; a permanent bed with good mattress; decent heating for winter living.

 

I'm not saying that only liveaboards need these but they would be higher on the list of important requirements

[Proper Job]

The current owner has been living on it?

[Liam]

Or in some cases, depending on where you go looking at boats, it has a cabin and floats !

[larkshall]

Or in some cases, depending on where you go looking at boats, it has a cabin and floats !

 

 

Ah yes, and floating is optional?..lol

[Keeping Up]

Perhaps they mean "unsuitable for cruising", for example the engine doesn't work?

[carlt]

Or in some cases, depending on where you go looking at boats, it has a cabin and floats !

Having bought Usk, sunk and cabinless, then fitted it out with an under-tarp conversion and moved aboard, I dispute that having a cabin and being afloat are essentials.

 

They are merely optional extras.

[Guest]

I think it is pretty much a 'generic' term that describes a boat that is reasonably well equipped in terms of 'domestic' equipment with a decent sized battery bank and a biggish inverter, a boat that can provide something akin to what people expect at home and what most people seem to look for if buying a boat to live on.

 

Of course none of this is actually necessary to be able to live on board a boat but it does seem to be what a lot of folk want hence there is now a market for it...

[Ange]

I often describe our boat as having been fitted out as a holiday boat rather than a liveaboard. This is because there was very little storage, only two batteries and a tiny invertor and no fixed sleeping accommodation.

 

We're still busy putting those things right

[larkshall]

Having bought Usk, sunk and cabinless, then fitted it out with an under-tarp conversion and moved aboard, I dispute that having a cabin and being afloat are essentials.

 

They are merely optional extras.

 

 

Carl, you do love a hard life !!. I'm still camping on a mates Selby barge, has a roof erratic heating, temperamental hot water, and I won't mention toilets, it just gets people hot and bothered. (Bucket job)

[carlt]

Carl, you do love a hard life !!.

I only moved on once it was fitted out to a high (if not entirely conventional) standard.

 

The most uncomfortable I've been was when I lived on my Walton boat and had to walk to my Dawncraft annexe, to take a shower.

[Canalfreak]

The quality of insulation is another consideration this description might cover. (Or might not, of course, depending on the broker!)

 

If you are living on board during the depths of winter, your requirements in this respect might be rather diferent from a summer (or even spring or autumn) holiday cruiser.

 

Bob.

[BlueStringPudding]

Having bought Usk, sunk and cabinless, then fitted it out with an under-tarp conversion and moved aboard, I dispute that having a cabin and being afloat are essentials.

 

They are merely optional extras.

 

 

I think the broker/vendor term "liveaboard" is meaningless. It can mean any of the above, or even having 240v electrics... Or a fridge... Or slightly less mould than another boat

[Rebotco]

I would have thought that the main distinguishing features for liveaboards are:

 

1. Sophisticated battery charging and management system.

2. Additional power sources like larger solar arrays, shore power etc.

3. More emphasis on 240v distribution.

4. Multi-fuel burner almost essential.

5. Larger lounge area and fewer beds.

6. Cratch for extra storage area.

7. And of course Cassette toilet with extra tanks!

 

Of more importance to leisure users, often with more crew, such as myself are:

 

1. Simple reliable low tech 12v electrical system.

2. Larger eating area and more bedroom accommodation.

3. More emphasis on privacy requirements.

4. Ideally two bogs - pumpout, naturally!

 

Doubtless there are those who will say they manage perfectly without any of these features.

So what a broker might be describing by "liveaboard" remains something of a mystery.

[sueb]

Oooh we aren't living in a liveaboard boat

[Rick-n-Jo]

I would have thought that the main distinguishing features for liveaboards are:

 

1. Sophisticated battery charging and management system.

2. Additional power sources like larger solar arrays, shore power etc.

3. More emphasis on 240v distribution.

4. Multi-fuel burner almost essential.

5. Larger lounge area and fewer beds.

6. Cratch for extra storage area.

7. And of course Cassette toilet with extra tanks!

 

 

 

You would think so, but often what they really mean is

 

"has a bed"

 

Ultimately it must be down to the buyer to decide what they want from a boat, almost any boat can be lived on, from hippy hutch to gin palace.

 

Our boat is not just suitable as a liveaboard, it was designed as one, which probably makes it a much rarer beast.

[alan_fincher]

Well for the broker that operated close to me until recently......

 

"Would make an excellent live-aboard or holiday boat" = "There is at least some vestige of heating on board"

 

whereas

 

"Would make an excellent holiday boat" = "There is absolutely no heating present, or at least none that has a possibility of being coaxed back to life".

 

I don't think any other rules applied....

 

Oh and "some work to complete" or "an interesting project boat" meant "it doesn't matter a toss whether it has heating or not, as you'll not be able to use it for any purpose except rubbish storage in the foreseeable future".

[BlueStringPudding]

Oooh we aren't living in a liveaboard boat

 

Me neither. Clearly I am a leisure cruiser. I've just had a very, very long holiday!

 

(five years, to be precise)

Edited June 1, 2012 by BlueStringPudding

[luctor et emergo]

What about running water? Would that be a requirement?

[KevMc]

What about running water? Would that be a requirement?

 

As far as I am aware there are legal standards that land based property has to meet in order to be classed as suitable for habitation, I would have thougth that similar standards would have to be applied to a boat in order for it to be described in an advert as liveaboard. Perhaps the ASA would know

[luctor et emergo]

As far as I am aware there are legal standards that land based property has to meet in order to be classed as suitable for habitation, I would have thougth that similar standards would have to be applied to a boat in order for it to be described in an advert as liveaboard. Perhaps the ASA would know

 

 

I doubt my boat would meet any such standards. Well, she does have a roof..

[PlasticFantastic]

I am pretty sure that when Brokers say "suitable as a liveaboard" they mean "I don't care what you use it for as long as I get my commission, but it's probably big enough to live on"

[ditchcrawler]

Let's face it you can live in just about anything so he can't be wrong. There was a chap on the puddle banks living in a plastic cruiser about 20ft. Long, no engine and some windows missing.

[Arthur Brown]

Well the health people got interested in boats when a boatman's cabin was used for man, wife and two(ish) children.

SO most things would be "big enough". Though I suspect that causing children to share their parents' trad boatman's cabin may now cause many issues.

[carlt]

There was a chap on the puddle banks living in a plastic cruiser about 20ft. Long, no engine and some windows missing.

If you mean Jock, in the Dawncraft Dandy, then I towed him for a bit.

 

The inside of his boat was absolutely immaculate yet the outside looked like a shed (especially when he put the plywood wheelhouse on).

 

I'd swear he got a cleaner in each day.