How We Found a Live-Aboard Boat in B.C.

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Of the two additional choices, tugs have the most going for them. They're usually well constructed and roomy—with powerful motors and large propellers—and sometimes have living accommodations already aboard. Tugs also are plentiful, at least in the B.C. area.

But inexpensive tugs are usually "hull only" and require expensive fitting-out to make them into homes. The older ones often have yellow cedar hulls too . . . which, although strong when new, are the favorite lunch of toredoes (saltwater woodboring worms).

The most likely buy, then, is still the fishboat and the B.C. variety comes in a wide selection. Gill netters are commonest, range from 28 to 35 feet in length, have a small pilothouse, a cabin forward, an open afterdeck usually containing a huge drum for nets and engines of between 20 and 30 horsepower. They're often of Japanese design—with graceful, unpretentious lines—and look like home to those of us why view the Chris-Craft type of vessel as an offense against nature.

Used troller, seiner and packer fishboats also are available, in about that order. The first two are generally larger than gill netters which upgrades their suitability for our purposes . . . but also elevates their price. We didn't find any trotters or seiners within our budget . . . but you may well have better luck. Nor did our search turn up a single packer—a fish transporter ranging up to 100 feet in length—at all. Again, our luck will not necessarily be yours and any of these three fishing boats has good living/working potential.

FINDING A BOAT

There's no sure key to finding the boat-home you want, nor much to be said that will significantly narrow the area you'll have to cover to do a thorough search. "The odd boat" can be encountered anywhere on the waterfront, even where there are few or no other vessels nearby. The more area you cover, the better your chances of finding what you really want.

Keeping that in mind, we'll give you a rough idea of how to mount a search on both sides of Vancouver Island and up the southern coast of B.C. We covered all of that area that's accessible by road and, in general, we found Vancouver and the Fraser Delta to be the best single locale for a B.C. boathunt. Victoria and environs ran a close second.

First off, a few general guidelines for the boathunter:

FOLLOW EVERY LEAD, even the hazy and outlandish ones. We found several of the vessels we liked best, by accident, while trying to zero in on other alleged craft . . . which we usually didn't locate.

LISTEN! Don't be afraid to ask questions or seek advice. You'll meet lots of helpful and knowledgeable people. Once you learn to sort out what's said to you (you will meet less-than-knowledgeable folks . . . and even some fairly-crazed individuals on the water, as everywhere) you'll find the advice you get will help you locate a boat and prepare yourself to use the craft once you find it. Your conversations with folks who already live on the water will give you tips, hints and a feel for what to expect in boat life.

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