RV or possibly sailboat?

frann · Feb 1, 2004

Couldn't you just buy a starter house? When you start traveling you could rent it out. Boats and RV's can be money pitts. You would have the tax break from the mortgage. A house is much easier to sell than a boat or rv.

NauticalNurse · Feb 2, 2004

It's funny, I have been reading these boards for a few months and finally joined this morning and your post was one of the first I saw today. I too have the sailing bug and have trying to figure out how to incorporate the two things. I am graduating in May and hope to get into a specialty area and get some good experience under my belt. Then I would love to travel nurse while cruising. I looked at the jobs down in St Thomas, and St Croix and also the Fl hospitals on the coast along the way and I keep thinking that it's not impossible. I figured work a 13 week contract or two and then cruise for 13 weeks, work again for 13 - cruise for 13 and repeat until sick of it. Makes perfect sense to me - my hubby though is not quite as convinced...lol Good thing one of us is sensible though.

Good luck to you, let us know if you decide to do it!

Jane

palesarah · Feb 2, 2004

I may do the sailing thing in a few years. Depends on where life takes us. But the hubby & I do plan on buying a boat in a year or two and eventually living aboard, it's a dream of ours! If his job situation warrants, we'd like to travel down the east coast (we're in NH now) and eventually end up in the FL Keys or USVI. While I was in nursing school and doing corportate office work, I often discussed my sailing dream with a friend who had a longtime pal traveling through CCTC and working from his boat- he travles to FL each summer and back to our area each summer; his wife works for a national hotel chain and transfers back and forth.

We've been subscribing to Living Aboard magazine for a few years now, they've had some good articles related to people working from their sailboats :) But I can't offer any personal advice since I haven't done it yet.

If it's your dream, go for it! Happiness is it's own reward :)

mittels · Feb 2, 2004

Originally posted by frann
Couldn't you just buy a starter house? When you start traveling you could rent it out. Boats and RV's can be money pitts. You would have the tax break from the mortgage. A house is much easier to sell than a boat or rv.

If an RV is considered your home I believe you can take it as a tax credit.

Soonstudent · Feb 2, 2004

I already checked out the tax info, Whatever your primary home may be, it's tax deductable. I'm with you nautical nurse, Makes perfect sense to me. I've already made my mind up and I guess I wrote this post just to see if anyone thought I'd completely lost it. I've always dreamed of livingaboard, and I know I'll only regret it if I don't at least give it a shot. I've been doing a lot of research, and I think it is a lot more possible than I first realized. Hey sarah what's cctc? I assume it's a travel company. I just subscribed to the mag yesterday. You know, you only live once, and what's better than doing the two things I enjoy the most. It's sadning to see someone give 30 years to a job they don't like just to retire for 10 or 15. Whoever came up with that idea is the crazy one. Thanks so much for the input. Brandon

There's a kewl website if any of you want to visit. http://www.sleepingwithoars.com

palesarah · Feb 2, 2004

sorry Brandon! CCTC is Cross Country TravCorps, one of the bigger travel companies. There's a free magazine you can subscribe to- Healthcare Traveler. They have lots of great articles related to travel nursing, and lots of info on the different travel companies. Of course, "company profile" articles are basically paid advertising so I take it all with a grain of salt- but there's still plenty of great info in there. And it's free :)

And yeah, a boat or RV can be considered your primary home so why bother tying yourself down to a house you're not going to use? I'm sure the poster who suggested buying a "starter home" did so with the best of intentions, but where I live, a "starter home" goes for about $200k.

If I'm going to pull together that kind of financing, I'd much rather spend it on a boat! Although my husband and I did buy a small "home" a year and a half ago- an older mobile home in a trailer park. Not my ideal living situation, but it's cheaper than renting (around here), gives us our own space, and allows us more flexibilty with our future plans. We're not 100% certain we'll go the liveaboard route, but we have that option available to us and we wouldn't if we had bought a "real house" with a "real mortgage". (This place will be paid off- and still livable- in 5 1/2 years).

You'd be surprised how few people may actually think you're crazy for considering such a thing. Most people I mention it to are surprised but supportive. I think there are a lot of people out there who wish they could be less tied down to material things and just grab hold of a dream like this :)

palesarah · Feb 2, 2004

oh, and thanks for posting that link Brandon! I'm really enjoying reading that site!

Soonstudent · Mar 18, 2004

It's amazing how llife works out, turns out I'll be moving to Folly Beach in Charleston in May, I got accepted to school down there. It starts a semester later, but its definetly worth the wait. I going to try to get a job in a hospital while I'm going to school, any suggestions? Thanks Brandon

felixsail · Mar 18, 2004

We own both a sailboat and RV, been travelling for several years. For this amazing, great lifestyle to work, have to do research first. Many areas are cracking down on liveaboards for various, some good, reasons. Typically, I work 1 or 2 contracts, usually 13 weeks, then take a few weeks off. You do need a permanent address for tax purposes. There are some incredible bargains on RV's and parks in the southeast, and many many awesome anchorages and facilities and sites to explore. You need some good nursing practice skills first, a year or two. And during that time, you can save the $$$ up for your moveable abode. I have worked some great facilities where almost tempted to think about a regular staff position, and some he--holes. Whew! And on your days off, there's always puttering, exploring, scuba, laundry, and a sunset celebration somewhere!

TRAVEL-RN · Mar 29, 2004

I haven't visited this site for a few years but it's a rare slow night in the ER and stumbled across this. I've been traveling for 6 years and over the past 3 years have spent a few assignment living aboard my sailboat on the coast of NC. That's where I currently am, having been back here since 1/1/04.

It's an ideal situation for me as I travel alone and can then pocket all my housing subsidy. At times when I've felt the need to move elsewhere, I've either left the boat on the hard (so I could ski in Colorado), or taken the boat to Maine. A sailboat is not a fast way to travel so much planning and preparation are necessary but I love it.

Soonstudent · Mar 30, 2004

I haven't visited this site for a few years but it's a rare slow night in the ER and stumbled across this. I've been traveling for 6 years and over the past 3 years have spent a few assignment living aboard my sailboat on the coast of NC. That's where I currently am, having been back here since 1/1/04.
It's an ideal situation for me as I travel alone and can then pocket all my housing subsidy. At times when I've felt the need to move elsewhere, I've either left the boat on the hard (so I could ski in Colorado), or taken the boat to Maine. A sailboat is not a fast way to travel so much planning and preparation are necessary but I love it.

It's great to keep running into people that are living aboard. I've found quite a few people who are living this lifestyle and wouldn't have it any other way. Two things I'm looking forward to, nursing and sailing, I can't wait. I'm going to take the summer semester off and try to to a few more deliveries. Let me know if you ever need a hand. Brandon