Flyer, that is not at all my experience. Laundry is available at the marina, like most apartment complexes. One has to maintain serious descipline in throwing out old stuff when new stuff is purchased, but a good habit to be in at any rate.
They are also not terribly expensive. For my parents it is considerably cheaper than a snowbird retreat apartment. And when I lived aboard it was cheaper rent than a one bedroom in a nice neighborhood, not to mention on the water.
Boats can be kept very clean, and I was always able to set sail in under 10 mins.
If you pay someone to do everything for you, you can rack up the bills, but most maintenance costs little to nothing. And my boat never ever stunk!
