Living aboard for a summer & fall

[Mackenzie]

I will have this summer and fall off in Vancouver,BC, thinking of purchasing a 2005 26M to live on for this period. Has anyone surpassed 46 days living on a 26M? And your thoughts?

[BPowell]

Could you live in a 26 foot trailor? with no bathroom?

Bruce Powell

[richandlori]

you could do it in a mac, but for that $ you could also get a used boat with a real head and shower and galley. But if it an excuse to get a mac, go for it and keep us all posted.

Rich

[TomKat]

We have spent as long as six weeks on our old Mac 26s in the San Juan and
Gulf islands. However we had a head and pressure water. We now have a 26x and this makes it much easier to be able to stand up and cook. We still spend four to five weeks each year in that area. We are planing four weeks this year.
It is just like camping except you have a few more conveniences. The biggest issue for us was who took the dog ashore when it was raining.
We would try and stop by a marina once a week to do laundry and shower.
This is easy for us as we have campers and back packers all our lives.
Tommy

[Moe]

There's no way you can compare living in a Mac to doing so in a 26' trailer, which would have about twice the volume. It would have 60-80 lbs of propane, 50+ gallon potable water tank, propane and possibly 120VAC 6 gallon water heater, 30+ gallon black water tank, a head with shower, propane three burner stove AND oven, 6-8 cubic foot double-door refrigerator/freezer powered by propane and 120VAC, microwave oven, double sink, and propane furnace/central heating, as well as air-conditioning. It can have a full or queen bed you can stand up and walk around to make up, a sofa that makes into a double bed, as well as a wardrobe for hanging clothes.

If you want to compare living in a Mac to doing so in an RV, compare it to a bottom-end 10-12' pop-up tent camper, except that the latter is probably roomier. Seriously. Hand pumped cold water from a 5 gallon jug into a single small sink, standard ice box rather than refrigerator, one or two burner cooktop, porta-potti with no shower, or at most an outdoor shower with no hot water, and no insulation to speak of.

Can you live aboard a Mac for an extended time? Easily... if you're in a marina with showers and a place to dump your 2.8 gallon SaniPottie, be that the restroom (using that will help reduce SaniPottie dumping) or a porta-potty dump at the pumpout station, and in a slip with electrical power for a dorm-sized refrigerator, small toaster oven or microwave, TV, a small ceramic space heater, not to mention a battery charger. Having water at the slip would also eliminate having to carry it out in jugs. Some marinas even have cable TV and wireless broadband Internet. Just like being in a campground with a pop-up camper... and as with it, you can add pressurized water, and even air-conditioning.

Living aboard a Mac in remote areas will be even more of a challenge than with a pop-up tent camper, because you won't have a tow vehicle, especially a pickup truck with 8' bed or big SUV, to haul all the extras, and you will, by law, have to run an anchor light at night, adding to the electricity use problem. Even though you have the outboard and its alternator with 24 gallons of gas, you'll still want to keep electrical usage to a minimum, since if you're sailing, you'll want the VHF on, and probably turn the GPS/Sounder on periodically to take fixes. Minimizing or eliminating the need for refrigeration can help with that. An ice chest doesn't draw any power, if you can get to a source of ice every 5-7 days. The biggest issue, depending on where you're sailing, could be legal waste disposal.

So, yeah, it's doable. But I think a 26X is a better live-aboard, especially with a Wallas stove and full cockpit enclosure in your area.

--
Moe

[Mark Chamberlain]

since you live in BC, if you have 3 months off work why not go to Alaska, stop in the marinas along the way. A good trip is 30 days Each way to Juno and back.

People live in 4x6 jail cells all the time, I don't think it is much fun .
Mark

[Divecoz]

If this / that is your only reason for buying a Mac?? I wouldn't .... If your desire is too own one of these boats and this is just one of the Adventures you'll be undertaking and If you have what it takes . . .go for it Bragging right's of a sort too . No bragging rights if everyone has already done it btw. Its ALL about Want Need Desire Abilities and Attitude. Doesn't sound dangerous so the biggest thing might be inconvenience. Families camp in tents . . .others need 40 foot motor homes towing an SUV. Its all in what YOU want/need. Again though . . if its just to live on in a Marina for a few months and then sell it probably not a wise $$$ choice. Looking for an Adventure Vehicle . . .it just may be the ticket.

[James V]

This can be done. There is several books and logs on Micro Cruising. Read the logs and email them any questions. As long as you understand what limitations the boat has vers a house before you start out and adventurous, you should be OK. If you are going to be cruising and away from the dock most of the time, it will be cheeper. People have done it in smaller boats. People have tried it in 60 footers and failed. Keep your options open. Let us know your adventures.

[aya16]

Moe Im about to slap you.

[aya16]

The secret to doing anything in life is to adapt. what ever you use for comfort makes adapting easier. The Mac in my opinion is very adaptable. and if things got a little harsh theres always Tom Bodetts place down the street, He will even leave the lights on for ya. and the Mac will fit in the parking lot.

[Frank C]

WADR, rather than a slap, Moe deserves a slap on the back. There's simply no voice on these boats that's more studied, more rational, more informed, or broad, or well-rounded from related areas. The above commentary on travel trailers is but the latest of many examples.

While I happen to agree with Moe on the basic differences between the Mac models, I definitely disagree regarding GPS units. In neither case is Moe overbearing ... the details of his opinions are a click away - and very easy to completely avoid. And further, like every other opinion here, it's free ... and free to be ignored. IMO, the choice is exactly where it belongs - with each reader.

[aya16]

didnt want to start a war here, sorry you take my comment so wrong it was ment in jest. Although my comments can be ignored as well. also the person we are talking about, whom I dont wish to offend, does provide many interesting articles and theories as well as great detailed explanation to those theories I have found that any disagreement with said theories brings upon the author some disdain and and the author will
be dismissed as invalid. There is more than one way to skin a cat I believe and all ways should get at least a glance.
Sorry Moe no offence ment here

[udannlin]

Moe Im about to slap you.

if you do not want this to start again in another post, I suggest people post a disclaimer for Moe to NOT respond to their discussion.

[aya16]

jesssssssssssssss im going sailing

[nemo]

I would just suggest it would be easier to live in a white '05 than a blue one.