For California man, life is smooth sailing
Yacht dweller lives his dream on the water
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - Eight years ago, Dave Dixon set some lofty goals, especially for an unemployed, twice-divorced, middle-aged man with no savings.
He wanted to live on the water in Newport Beach. He didn't care to work too much. And he aspired to play golf and tennis several times a week.
Today, Dixon, 60, is living his dream, albeit with some compromises.
He lives aboard a beat-up 37-foot mahogany yacht he bought on a credit card for $10,000. Lacking a permanent mooring, he often anchors in the open sea off Corona del Mar, and for showers he uses the Orange County Harbor Patrol's guest facilities. To get around on land, Dixon owns a battered car with more than 300,000 miles on it.
Yet he works only about 15 hours a week, singing at private parties and two Orange County restaurants to cover his $565 in monthly expenses (not including food). He gets out on the tennis court or links almost every day, enough to whittle down his golf handicap to seven and his weight by 40 pounds.
And he is rocked to sleep each night by the rhythm of the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by multimillion-dollar views of the bay.
All in all, he considers himself one of the richest residents of this pricey beach town. "Time, not money, is the real commodity in life," said Dixon. "And I've got more time on my hands than anyone I know."
It took several careers, two divorces, and plenty of prayer and reflection before Dixon settled on this lifestyle, one that he says is divinely inspired. The ordained pastor sees himself living out God's message that faith and people, not possessions, are what is of true value.
"My spirituality has set me free and turned me on to the bondages that the world places on us," said Dixon, a tall man with a silver beard and gray hair. "I'm having a ball."
Raised in Corona, Dixon earned a music degree with a minor in theology from Azuza Pacific University in 1971 and tried to make a career in gospel music. But with a wife and two boys to support, he started working for an auto paint and body shop. He eventually started his own body shop, which he operated for more than 20 years.
In 1995, Dixon said, he took a leap of faith, embarking on a quixotic quest to help developing countries prosper that involved millions of dollars in promised funding that never materialized. Dixon said he spent five years fighting government red tape and greedy politicians before calling it quits.
At 52, Dixon returned to Southern California virtually penniless, having spent $400,000 of his family's money on his ill-fated venture.
He decided God wanted him to learn firsthand about servitude, so he took a waiter's job at Regatta Cafe in Newport Beach. The restaurateur let him sing between courses, and his rich baritone voice, eclectic repertoire, and affable personality brought in a new stream of tips.
In 2002, Dixon rented dock space for several years, but when the rent doubled, he cast off and became a guest boater in Newport Harbor where he could stay 15 days at a mooring and another five days at anchor. For the remaining 10 days, he anchors in the ocean, unprotected from inclement weather.
There are other hardships to Dixon's minimalist life.
Having no permanent mooring means he needs to move three times a month. Onboard, he's got a limited amount of water, electricity, and waste storage. The salt water ensures that the yacht's hardware and wood need constant repair. And every trip off his yacht requires a short voyage in a rubber dinghy.
Dixon said he can't afford health insurance, instead relying on God's healing powers, a physician friend, and, once, government help when kidney stones put him in the hospital.
But life on the water can be magical, with its views, fresh air, and brown pelicans gliding by. Dixon often invites visitors aboard, serving meals, entertaining, and occasionally converting someone to Christianity.
Vicky and Ed Berg of Irvine have hired Dixon for private parties and have visited his boat.
"Everybody loves him, and he's doing what he loves," Vicky Berg said. "He's living the dream." 