Boats are Mobile

It’s as if the lawmakers in Annapolis didn’t realize that boats are mobile. I wish someone could have explained that to them.

 

I only had to read as far as the word Maryland to understand where the article was going.

I only have one request: If you leave a place like Maryland or New York due to high taxes and oppressive government and come to Florida, please don't try to turn Florida into the place from which you came. Thank you.

 

.......... been badly hit by Maryland’s decision to retain a stiff excise tax on boat ownership (five percent of value if kept in the state more than 90 days a year). Other big maritime Atlantic states such as Virginia, Delaware, and Florida all offer better deals. The results? Boat owners keep their vessels elsewhere, registrations have drooped, and docking, repair, supply, and restaurant businesses suffer, .....

sex innuendo is everywhere

 

Maryland's unofficial motto "If you can think of it, we can tax it!" I lived in Maryland for about 6 years. I moved to Virginia and cut my tax burden to 1/3 of what is was in Maryland.

 

Some places the tax burden is almost totally removed or "effectively voluntary" - as in Greece? but there are many places where tax exemptions make residency quite attractive...

I sometimes hammer on the biblical "tithe" as being entirely adequate - even as a voluntary contribution - above that is "empire building by the bureaucrats" and taxes above 10% total based on entity 'profit' should be discouraged...

 

Maryland is a prime example of a greedy nanny state.

 

Vanuatu has a tropical to subtropical climate most locals speak English, French, Bislama & several local languages. There is (or was), no personal income tax but there is a "business registration fee" and residency could be had if you invest a certain amount and can support yourself, Employ a local and day-charter your sailboat for diving expeditions, to go surfing - - or - - with a powerboat to go game fishing...

 

Where I am staying now lends itself to finding a "land base" - I do not have the money... 14.5 acres, a third cleared which has no restrictions on clearing the rest as it was part of a dairy farm... A small and comfortable house, sheds, stables, permanent running stream so growing numerous fruit and nut trees as well as vegetables, poultry and whatever, to sell at the local farmers markets where all sorts of stuff may be found or sold, is feasible... - Lots of craft, jewellery and arty stuff so the opportunities are boundless... Au$490K will get you this hidden treasure... PM me of your like/interest for more info... Pamela, the owner needs a 'happiness Xmas present' with the sale of her hideaway and into a smaller cottage nearer to services, as with the 'ills' confronting her partner, Silver Raven, have placed enough stress in her life...

Boats can be mobile homes, as mine is, but needs and directions change and the last 480 n-miles across open ocean has me stumped, so 'CNO' is also up for sale or exchange for a small cottage in the Kuranda region or the hills nearer Cairns, plus some cash adjustment - as I have not enough cash to trade up... - Nor any desire or enthusiasm to go for "prestige"... So I offer one by land and one by sea, to misquote a significant message in the early days of the USA... Au$300K for the boat swap... Cash price for my boat is negotiable to a limited degree...

 

480NM is only 3-5 days depending on conditions & fuel burn. Can't you find a crew or 2 to help out? I still think the bigger issue is what you do when you *get* there. Cyclone season is approaching rapidly.

As for the land, prices & climate are better where I live which funnily enough is *why* I live here.

For people who prefer a monohull sailboat there's a 'Joshua' made famous by Moitessier for sale on yachthub at the moment for a price that you couldn't build one for. I haven't seen it so it may have a lot of hidden 'features' but if I was in the market I'd be taking a close look.

PDW

 

Hi PDW,
Milne bay is in the doldrums region, so once there, all is about motoring and avoiding the numerous "bommies" whilst looking for the village or whatever will be your anchorage for the night or longer...

Half way across is the accepted route for all vessels travelling outside the Great Barrier Reef to either continue north through to Alotau or across the top of Cape York for points West... I need to feel confident that these people will dutifully maintain effective watch... No second chances if my ship is run down... and then there is the issue of their finding their own way back and then later finding another crew for the return passage... and so on and so on...

3.3 days and 240 litres of fuel in 'benign' weather - I have near double that on board now... have my boat - far more appropriate for Milne Bay waters than any other mono-hull during this the "doldrums"... CNO was specifically built for the task and that region... WTF... - It is just that I am getting too old and selective...

The climate in Tassie you can keep - My testicles do not like to be frozen, and Nor does the rest of me - Give me the tropics... That is why I headed North towards the equator... Joshua S had the advantage of quieter times when shipping was nearer 4 knots and not the 22 knots as many tankers do now...

 

I guess it depends on what you want to do. Welding or even sanding stuff in 30+C temperatures and high humidity is distinctly unpleasant. I grew up in Sydney so that's the voice of experience speaking. OTOH temperatures between 15 and low 20s is good, you can work hard without worrying about the heat.

When it gets cold & dark you go elsewhere - you already made the point about boats being moveable houses. I spent the winter months in Sydney for example.

On your final point, speed costs money. Always has, always will. It also costs cargo capacity unless you want to spend a *lot* of money. So I'd rather travel at 5 to 7 knots and be able to cross oceans without worrying about running out of fuel or stores and be able to carry a ton of spares than be restricted to coastal hopping from fuel depot to fuel depot and watch the weight.

The 'Joshua' is currently at 1/7 the price you want for your boat. It'll go anywhere you can with the exception of thin water at the cost of longer passage times. However it can go places you can't go at all and can survive much greater abuse by weather or poor navigation. Plus one could live for an awfully long time on the price difference.....

It isn't a question of which is better, merely which is preferable for a person's circumstances. Lets face reality, boats make no sense unless you're making your living from them anyway.

PDW

 

The two greatest days for a sailor -

the day he buys the boat, and the day he sells it

I am trying hard to remember all the reasons why I shouldn't build a boat - but its like childbirth, you always forget the pain of the last one.

 

You could always buy another Macgregor and look down on all those poor people with conventional boats. Or is that the other way around?

Time to go weld more stainless pipe. FYI Prochem is a *lot* cheaper than Nubco. I find this out (again) when there's little more pipe I actually need.

OTOH I could have stainless steel masts.....

PDW

 

I do not know how relevant to USA this may be, but I have my boat registered as an "international vessel" and avoid all state and local intrusion be the various forms of thought police who may think they have "authority over my vessel" - Also, the vessel is 'disabled' as the anchor winch is 'out of action' - awaiting parts delivery. . . and a missing rudder waiting to be repaired, the vessel cannot be moved on 'safety at sea grounds'.....

 

I don't know how that can work. International and disabled or not - the 'local authorities' can make life very difficult if you are moored in an unapproved location, or upsetting local vessel traffic.

International regulations don't supersede local ones, its cumulative.