All About Used Houseboats

11:40am: The guide, Anil, gives a brief history of houseboating in Kerala, the particular boat we are lucky enough to be sailing on, and his own unusual career. Anil speaks Malayalam, English, Hindi and German. Ma, and hence my lady, happen to be descended from Germans. 'The bond' is made.

I taught for about two years and found it gratifying but exhausting. I never worked so hard in my life, and for so little money. I resigned, dedicated myself to my writing, and set up a solo part time practice to pay the bills. I've had several "careers" and this much I know: Working with people is really hard.

When we moved to the Keys, we needed a place to stay while my parents were building their home. We chose to live in a boathouse, a small house situated on one of the many canals that permeate the coast.

Boating requires experience. To guide a boat safely through the water and to bring it back to the shore, requires a lot of boating experience. Also, only an experienced eye can identify the various complicacies of a new or used boat. So, even if you are a new buyer, gather as much boating experience as you can. This will help you determine the type of boat you want to buy.



Yacht sales companies on the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts all report severe drops in sales, taking the prices right down to the bottom with them. Great time to buy a boat of your dreams and yet not a very good time to sell a boat unless you are trading up and thus it is all relative really. When will boat prices recover ask many marine enthusiasts? Probably not soon, some even wonder if they will recover in their life times.

Take into account the area where you will be sailing and who you will be sailing with. Decide on the type of berths that will be suitable for you, your family and your guests. For example, aft doubles aligned with the axis of the boat or an aft double that runs across the boat port to starboard. Although the latter tends to be larger and more comfortable in the slip it is definitely not a sea going berth. How easily does the main salon table convert into a berth and is it sturdy enough to do so repeatedly? In a pinch or in good weather can any one sleep in the cockpit?

Someday we are going to die and somebody else is going to be living in that house and somebody else is going to be driving that car and it's not going to matter. What matters is what kind of legacy you have left in this life. What have you done to make this world a better place? The purpose of this life is not to amass great amounts of stuff.

You also need to observe the upholstery and canvas for rips, tears, and worn areas. If the boat is more than a couple of years old and has a wooden floor under carpet, be sure to check for soft spots that may indicate rotting. They should resist the probe of an ice pick; if they don't, there likely is a problem. The fiberglass gelcoat surface should be free from 'dock rash'. A few minor scrapes may be acceptable, but if they are deep enough to go through the colored gelcoat, they may require some expensive fiberglass repair. Be sure to inspect the boat thoroughly.

Imagine coming home every night to your yachts and boats and eating on the deck under the stars. Sleeping with the gentle rocking of the water and the sound of the small waves tinkling against the hull. Sort of sleeping on a giant water bed. The effect would be the same. You could have a rod over the side all the time and catch your meals fresh every day. Sounds like a pretty good life. The authorities will pull up along side regularly to pump out your toilet system so you don't pollute the waterway.

I ate the waffle and washed it down with cold milk, and as the rain poured down outside, I sat in our warm cabin and considered the little jar of peach preserves. I thought about how it happened to be on the boat for us to spread on our waffles that cold, rainy Sunday morning.