WHY I DECIDED TO LIVE ON A BOAT, CHAPTER 4: PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP vs. RENT, HIP-HOP (& SECTION 8 NEIGHBORS)

Another aspect of living on a boat is you are living amongst a community of "home" owners. While this is not a foreign concept to those in my second (more affluent) group who have probably already owned a home or two. For those in my first (the ones scraping to get by) group - this may be your first home ownership opportunity and while the costs to entry are probably higher than any lease deposit you’ve ever paid, the community makes it all worthwhile.

This becomes a criticism of modern culture, where both technology and the rat race keep us divided from interaction with our neighbors. In a marina this is impossible. Whether it be a criticism of the width of the piers or just the number of your neighbors, you have people all around you. Generally great people that are always willing to help you, whether it be to catch a line as you come back from a sail, or even help you install your new AC unit. There is always someone happy to help. Of course, they may one day ask for their quid pro quo and it would be bad form to say no, so of course, you will help. It's only neighborly.

My experience with my neighbors, now in two marinas, is what I think it might be like to go back to 1950's suburban America. This was the first time people largely moved to suburban property developments and while in the marina you can forget the white picket fences, everyone is more neighborly than they are today otherwise. Granted, none of my neighbors are named Ozzy, or Harriet, or even Beaver, but there is that level of camaraderie. We are all "in this together" and its nice to know that your neighbors have your back, even if every dock still has its Eddie Haskell.

Simply walking down the pier to hop in your car, may result in as many as three or four neighbors stopping you to chat. It reminds me of some time in my youth spent in Hawaii. . . It would be rude to at least not stop and return the courtesy. You make time to "talk story", as the Hawaiians call it. Because nothing is more important than the people that live in your community and you always have time for them. At least, that is how it is in Hawaii. And there is an element of that here on the piers.

There is also a second aspect to this, but generally speaking: people living on the water, seem happier than their landlocked brothers and sisters. Its like they are more relaxed, often in a vacation mindset... even though their vacation may have become permanent. Given that caveat, OCCASIONALLY, a domestic squabble will break out and everyone will hear it. They say not to say anything in a marina that you don't want everyone to hear - voices carry in a marina: So when a domestic dispute breaks out, don't expect what is said to stay private.

Personally, it hasn’t happened yet near me. But when arguments like this do happen, they quickly become things of legend and because of this, oft times the people involved in this scuttlebutt, will remove themselves from the marina and find a new place to dock their boat out of embarrassment (or management gets involved due to complaints) and peace and tranquility are restored.

One other point about peace and tranquility... and I aim this one at apartment living. I'll even use my last experience in an apartment as an example. I had to pinch myself because of all the space I had - It shouldn't have been this inexpensive! Only $1,100 per month and again, look at that view!!!

But before I could even settle in, I noticed all is not right in paradise. First of all, as I made countless trips up the stairs, no one attempted to offer me a hand even once, while a couple of people seemed to just be loitering to see what I might carry in next. I moved my hand's position on the box I was carrying to cover up where it says "Stereo equipment". I made a mental note, "locking the door is not optional. . . Ever".

That evening as I began to unpack, I could hear the LOUD Hip-hop radiating through the walls, what seems like two or three units down (or is that in the parking lot) - I can't be sure, but its so annoying!

Later that evening, as I am hanging up some framed posters and pictures, a ruckus breaks out next door. The neighbors are arguing. As I stand back to admire my work, all of the sudden, something hits the wall from the other side with a dull thud and three of my five frames drop from the wall, shattering the glass on two of them. I now hear crying amongst the shouts and I'm fairly convinced that was my female neighbor just about came through my wall. I worry for her safety as I pick up the phone to call the police, hoping everything is okay next door. As I begin to pick up the broken glass, the ruckus next door continues.

By this point I am wondering how much of that $2,750.00 in rent and deposit I just paid went to help subsidize my neighbors SECTION 8 housing, because decent hard-working people, just don't act like this!

After the police show up and restore order. It is finally quiet, for about an hour. . . At this point, I've wired up the TV, pulled some ice cream out of the fridge (I've been looking forward to this moment all day). I am just starting to unwind, watching some Silicon Valley, ready for a laugh. . . That's when the Hip-Hop returns, this time from the other end of the apartment, but the 68BPM just doesn't jive well with the storyline and the BOOM BOOM BOOM is drowning out the punchlines... Then the make-up sex starts from the neighbors next door and again, frames again start falling from the paper thin walls.

"Sonofabitch!!!!"

You know, those people that didn’t pay anything to move in like you did, so they have no pride in their community - its just a place for them to live (while you spend $1,100 per month to live next door to them). They’re generally loud, uncouth, have no problem throwing the furniture at each other or playing their $10k audio systems (in their $2k cars) at top volume in the parking lot below you, at 11PM on a Sunday night, because they don’t have any concept of time... Or work.

Well, whatever you picture those people looking like, as I told the story, you won’t find it on the dock. If you do, management will toss them out when they begin to act up. Bottom line its rare, I’m guessing this is due to the fact that everyone owns their own “homes” here, they have more respect than that for their neighbors and for their own property. It might also have to do with the fact that the average boat owner is over 30 years of age, but occasionally a 20-something and his wife will still move aboard and they are respectful and again quiet. Ahhh. There is the reason saving all that money to buy my boat happened in under a year.

One other thing I may want to point out, is that when you “go below”, you are typically dropping beneath the waterline in your boat. So even if you play your Netflix or Spotify at high volume. More than likely, your neighbor will never hear it, as it has to penetrate the 1/2” fiberglass hull of your boat and then at least six feet of water before it gains the attention of a dock-mate. Unless you are a pin-head and play your music excessively loud with your hatches and port lights open, your neighbors will never complain.

In even the worst case scenario though, IF this ever became a problem. You live on a boat, simply MOVE. Its as easy as giving notice and repositioning to the NEXT marina, or if you like the one you are at, simply finding a new slip. This I suppose finishes off my next couple of points in my top ten list, living on a boat is more peaceful and tranquil and moving is as simple as starting your engine.

Also with that said, let me don my “Captain Obvious” hat again, if just for a moment to point out, no matter where you live on a boat, its all entirely waterfront property... and you don’t pay a dime extra for it. I guess that’s three points, huh?

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If you missed either of the prior chapters:

Chapter One: Not A Pot To Piss In, can be found here...
https://steemit.com/boat/@buckethats/why-i-decided-to-live-on-a-boat

Chapter Two: Cash Talks, Bulls... Walks
https://steemit.com/boats/@buckethats/why-i-decided-to-live-on-a-boat-chapter-two-cash-talks-bulls-walks

Chapter Three: Slip Fees and the Zombie Apocalypse
https://steemit.com/boats/@buckethats/why-i-decided-to-live-on-a-boat-chapter-3-slip-fees-and-the-zombie-apocalypse

and don't miss the upcoming Chapter 5: The Perfect Place to Raise Your Family