>>2855384Man thats a complicated question. It really depends on the details. I have some family members who live on boats or have done so for a time. I think the overall question should be framed as "do you want to RV like a normal person or are you a boat weirdo." Because boat life is a different beast. Its also something most people eventually quit doing.
First question is: do you even like boating? Do you absolutely love fishing? And how do you like sleeping on a boat in choppy waters? Is being on the water your nirvana? Try it out and really consider it. Maybe rent a boat for a week and see.
Second issue: what size of boat? Bigger means more stability and amenities, but also more expensive. You really have to consider this well.
Third: really work out the costs of docking over many years. Some places are cheap. Most aren't. Stake out the cheaper spots to see if you even like them. Consider you also have to take the boat out of the water regularly to perform maintenance. If you somehow get a little plot of land with a boat crane on it that could take a lot of complications away, though it will add property taxes etc back in.
Fourth: investigate the different local regulations about staying overnight in the spots you like, including out on the water. Little use of doing the boat thing if you are always just forced to be in the harbor (i.e. boat rv park).
Fifth: do you have mechanical skills to maintain a boat? Not just the engine, but the entire thing is full of little difficulties that take some effort and particular knowledge. Boats often have a lot of specific parts that are hard to source, and there are fewer mechanics in general available. An RV isn't always easy either, but its less specific than a boat.
Benefits of a boat is distance between you and other people... Thats pretty much it. Oh and you can shit and piss into the water (though its often illegal) instead of having to use and empty a chemical toilet. And if you love fishing its great... Yeah
