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Curious if anyone has anything to say about powerboats vs sailboats. I think powerboats have more space both deck space and cabin space but seem to be more expensive. I know you can pickup cheap sailboats with cabins for like 2k but can also spend millions, what's the bare min you need to get a halfway decent boat thats livable and wont sink?
Check this site out for inspiration:
http://houseboats.apolloduck.co.uk/regions.phtml?rid=84
They have all sorts of live-aboards.
From experience on boats (both sailing and having visited a few house boats), Dutch-style barges have the most space. Engines-out they have loads of room but need towing to re-locate; engines in they are pretty seaworthy vessels. Don't know whether you get many of these in the US though?
Edited to add: pictures of dutch barge http://www.londontideway.com/boats-feenstra.html you'll see that the inside is typically fitted out like normla house, full normal bathroom and shitter etc.
Sailing yachts lack headroom on the inside if you are in any way tall - and in the sleeping cabins there definitely isn't headroom. Liveable yes, but the chicks I know wouldn't be impressed if brought back to a small sailing yacht. They can withstand rougher seas than your typical motor yacht, and the fuel cost is of course far lower; they are however much slower.
Motor yachts generally have more practical inside space, and more usable outside space (the outside space on sailing yachts is good for sailing, less good for lounging as running gear is in way).
Sailing catamarans have the outside space of motor yachts, a pimping lounge/bridge area inside too. Sleeping cabins are small but a good compromise. Easy to maneuver under power too, as they have engines in each hull that can be used independently.
And 30' is way too small to be considering as a liveaboard for any serious period of time.
Price wise, I don't know how much stuff costs in the US, but as a general rule, if it looks like an old wreck it is an old wreck. It is probably restorable but at vast expense. If you look at boats definitely take someone who knows what they are looking at. You could even consider taking a marine surveyor (they are like chartered surveyors that check your house won't fall down, but for boats).
The 10% maintenance cost is probably a decent estimate.
Can answer other boat/maritime questions too (qualifications/courses/deliveries etc.) if anyone has any.