Many people choose to buy a yacht in Miami because they like the idea of living on it year-round. While it brings a lot of exciting incentives, there are also some negatives to this lifestyle. It’s up to you to weigh these pros and cons before you start living on your yacht.
Here are the Pro and Cons
Pro: You Live a Relaxed, Simple Life
Living on your yacht means abandoning materialism since you simply won’t have space for too many possessions. You won’t have a room or the need for lots of clothes or shoes, your cooking habits will be simpler, and you’ll have more time on your hands to enjoy life as it should be lived.
Con: The Lack of Space Can Be Inconvenient
This is especially true on sailing yachts. You’ll have to keep your yacht clean at all times, and your marina may not have a storage locker for you to store things. You’ll have to get used to small appliances and smaller rooms. You may also have to do your laundry at a laundromat since some yachts don’t come with washing machines or dryers.
The lack of space can be testing for a relationship since there’s very little personal space. Larger yachts won’t have this problem so much, but smaller sailboats will require you to ask your partner to move so you can pass all the time.
Pro: Home Is Where You Make It
Living on your yacht grants you the opportunity to sail the oceans and make berth wherever you want. You can take a short trip to the Bahamas or up the Atlantic coast, or you can even cross over to Europe, South America, or anywhere in between. Just make sure you have enough fuel for the trip.
Con: No Fixed Address Can Lead To Bad Perceptions From Others
Many still see alternative ways of life as somehow beneath the traditional way of living in a house or apartment on land. Not having a fixed address can lead to problems with registering to vote or setting up a mobile phone number. It can lead to some people in the society having a lower opinion of you just because of your life choices. If you choose to stay in a residential marina, you can use the marina address, but that may count against you if you’re looking for work.
Pro: A Lower Cost of Living
The most expensive part of living on a yacht is having to buy a yacht in Miami. In the second place, maintenance and mooring costs can get into hundreds of dollars a month. Beyond that, however, your annual cost of living is much lower than it is on land. Although many luxury yachts allow for luxury items, most smaller sailing yachts lead to you buying more practical amounts of things like food. You’ll pay far less on things like water and electricity, you won’t have to worry about mortgage payments or property taxes, and you’ll spend less money on consumer goods.
Con: A Lot More Maintenance Than a House
Boats of all types require constant maintenance, and yachts are no exception. Rust, mildew, and mold crop up all the time, and it will take a lot of time and a good chunk of money to keep the yacht cleaned up. You also have to make sure your boat’s engine is in perfect working order. Learning how to do routine maintenance will save you a lot of money, however.
Pro: A Yacht Life Is a Healthier Life
Living on a boat requires constant activity from daily upkeep too much longer walks to get to your car or your errands. On top of that, heading out to the water means you can enjoy swimming or snorkeling more often than people on land could ever dream of. You’ll also be eating healthier thanks to the smaller amount of kitchen space leading to better eating habits and smaller portions. All of this means you can live a longer, healthier life just by doing your daily work.
Con: Longer Walks Can Mean More Exhausting Daily Chores
For example, bringing groceries back home would now mean going from the marina parking lot down to your dock, walking across the swaying dock, climbing on deck, and going below decks to your galley. By the same token, lugging your laundry onto your boat will be a challenge unless you have a washer/dryer on board.
Pro: You Experience a Greater Connection With Nature
Days are quieter when you live the yacht life, which makes you notice the sounds of birdsong, the lapping of the waves on the ocean, or the gentle patter of rain more than on land. Even if you stay in a residential marina, your neighbors will include seals and seagulls. Often, you’ll end up fishing for your dinner, and you’ll notice the subtle changes that each season brings.
Con: Nature Can Lead To Some Rough Days and Nights
That patter of rain could be part of a rough thunderstorm, which can lead to your yacht being tossed about. Larger yachts with proper mooring won’t be so affected, but smaller yachts will definitely feel the storm, and you’ll have sleepless nights as you keep your mooring lines secure and lock everything away. On top of that, you’ll have to deal with spiders and snakes wanting a new home. Rats and mice love boats, and they can lead to stray dogs and cats following them. Finally, those seagulls and seals will occasionally try to climb aboard.
Pro: Your Life Will Change Forever
Choosing to live on a yacht is a unique lifestyle that can’t be matched by any other way of life. People who choose this lifestyle often talk about the sense of freedom and self-reliance that they gain. Once you decide to live on a yacht in Miami, you’ll experience a privileged life that few other people can ever say they’ve experienced.
