What it's like to live on a boat in Boston during the winter

Approximately 50 people live on their boats at Constitution Marina in Charlestown. WBZ-TV's Mike Sullivan reports.

[WolfHeathen]

It's a lifestyle for the people who don't mind being alone but never get lonely.

[chrisnelson]

“I came off a divorce, which is a common way people end up living on boats.”

[lawrenceterrell]

To some it might seem lonely but to me I see a man who has a peace of mind and this proves it doesn't take much for a man to be happy

[abastien]

“Everyone assumes I’m freezing and I really am. I only have a couple of space heaters.” What a man

[limbodog]

It's not for everyone, but it's the nicest community I've ever lived in.

[cpcxgsr]

Had a friend from Ireland that did the same thing here in NJ/NY. Instead of being in the water, he opted to dry dock it instead during the winter months. When it got really cold, he stayed with his girlfriend on land. But other than that, he was happily in the boat… making repairs and enjoying his life.

The marina that he was in was part of a RV park that also overlooks NYC/Statue of Liberty. He was paying roughly $600/month at the time. Comes with community toilets and showers. He does laundry at local laundromat… and he said the same thing, before he started living in a Live On Board, he was paying $2000 (2003) a month for rent in NYC.

Ever since living on a sailboat, he was able to send much more money back to his family in Ireland. He was a carpenter by trade. Best financial decision ever for him..

When it was time for him to leave NY for Ireland, he sent his brother and nephew from home to help navigate back to Ireland…

I must say, if he were to write a book about his life on the boat… it would be very interesting.

[wat]

no property tax, no water or electric bill, this guy knows how to live!

[Theultrazombiekiller]

My wife and just bought a boat in Florida and are moving onboard! $25k cash got us 2 bedrooms, a full kitchen with everything we need, a full bathroom, 7ft of head room, and an incredible adventure lifestyle ahead of us with NO LOANS. We have a water maker system, a composting toilet, and a 1, 500w solar generator. We have no mortgage, no rent, no water bill, no electric bill, no waste bill. Phone and starlink internet are about $240 a month combined, $180 a month in boat insurance, $400 a month to dock at a marina, this can vary greatly depending on location. We both have fully remote jobs and are planning on living in the bahamas for 6 months next year starting in February. Such a cool and affordable lifestyle.

[revolutionaryhamburger]

I too am one of those men who lost his home to divorce. I ended living in a box in a junkyard so it's understandable that no news lady came by to film my story.

[honkhonk]

What a nice dude. I only hope the utmost best for him.

[simonroyle]

I lived on a 40ft boat in London for 6 years which was great. The only shore support was a sanitary station and water supply, otherwise completely independent, had to go for a weekly cruise to charge the batteries. The boat was very well insulated with a wood burning stove, so it was super warm, yet people always asked "doesn't it get cold in the winter?" Then I met me wife and the boat morphed into a house!

[tonym.]

A friend of mine lived there while he was getting ready to transition to his new life in the Caribbean. Him, his wife and his dog on a boat about that size, both working from home. It was... snug. I worked at One Constitution Center and we'd occasionally meet for lunch. And although they were very aware that this was only a transitional situation for them I still marvel at the audacity it took to actually pull it off. To sell almost all of their worldly possessions, including a house and two cars, and pack up and sail the east coast, land in the tropics and live their dream is well out of my comfort zone.

[jasonmacneil]

I love this guys can do attitude, and the relationships with the other sailors!! God bless their wonderful community!

[tomh]

I’ve been live aboard for almost 4 years. I bought my boat at the start of the pandemic in Baltimore and by the end of 2020 I was in Florida across from Cape Canaveral. It’s the cheapest way to live on the water/waterfront by a long shot and being in Florida is cheaper and far more comfortable than Boston.
Marina neighbors are the best neighbors I’ve ever had.

[ronkirk]

I lived aboard for 7 years, but fled south to the Caribbean for the winters, and except for a couple of times, never lived at the dock when anchoring is free.

[RedShipsofSpainAgain]

37 foot dock space costs $1000/ month. Not bad actually.
What's sad is how many of these men living here are not there by choice, but rather due to a divorce that stripped these men of all their financial assets they worked so hard to earn.

[cavtiger]

We live on a 50' cabin cruiser just outside of Toronto. It's great! It's also not for everyone and not always as glamorous as people think. But we think it's great!

[dom]

LOL Idk why but I just love this dude's humor and optimism, the type you want on your team.

[dusty]

Your going to see more people living like this, where I am you have about 500 people, living in the desert, for 1200 bucks a year living in RVs and small vans. The cost of housing is ridiculous.

[zoepaulastrassfield]

I work for the NPS and live in the dorms in the old Navy Yard every summer, these guys are my neighbors and they're always so nice!