"I/WE Intend to spend most / rest of my life on the yacht"

[hpeer]

We are in transition. We have been living every other week on our boat at the marina. Right through the hard ass winter we had last year. We seem to get along fine in the small space.m the boat is now more home for me than the apt.
My Wife is about equally split, being equally at home in either place.

It will become full time shortly and then we will start cruising. We seem to do well just laying on the hook for days. So I think it will be fine.

[thomm225]

It's a tough decision.

I have been considering it with a larger boat but my apartment is almost 1000 square feet. We have a gym, car wash/vac, washer/dryer etc. The afternoon Sun comes right through the large windows.

All my stuff is thrown all over my apartment.....bikes, running shoes, computers, monitors, tons of books, clothes, sails, kayak, etc.

It takes several days for the weather to affect my apartment

My boat is less than 2 miles away. I can sail when I please.

I enjoy disconnecting and going for a sail for a few days in all kinds of weather. My boat lacks the luxuries of most of todays boats. It's nice though when I come back to have another place to go.

Variety is nice................

I'm just happy getting back near the coast after living in places like western Arizona and Tennessee for many years. Here I can sail, run the beach, walk the beach, and enjoy the sea in so many different ways from the Atlantic Coast to the Chesapeake Bay Coast, and I don't even have to move aboard a small boat. (meaning one having less than 1000 square feet of living space)

[Ozwizz54]

Personally, I can't say with any determination I will or I won't live on my boat for the rest of my life. But it's likely I shall be though not for the reasons upon which I would have based this just a week ago. Like many, I would have said "I'll do this until it no longer interests me". That no longer applies.

Just recently I was diagnosed with cancer but told that everything was well contained and that it was operable with a high likelihood of a successful outcome. That no longer applies either.

The operation was unsuccessful and the cancer is more widespread that believed. So we are off to plan B/C with a few more plans in the wings if they don't work.

So, my time might be more limited than I'd planned... or it might not. What is for sure is that each day is now far more valuable than it had been before. Wish I'd carried this attitude around with me years ago!

In every way, I consider myself very lucky. If I get through this, I get to spend more time with those arund me I love and value. Each day at sea (preferably with one or more of those wonderful people) is also a bonus. If I don't make it, that's a bonus too as I have assurance of my future and a deep peace about my place in eternity. My hospital ward was filled with people without that peace. I met most of them. You could see it in their eyes and often in their words. In that ward, there were no complaints about a cold latte or the $500 shoes that weren't the right colour. Conversations got down to things that mattered very quickly.

So, in my case, I'll be on board until I can't be or until I'm collected in a box - though that won't be me. It will be 95 kilograms of chemicals. I'll be off this boat sailing around in some heavenly ocean. And until then, every day will be lived like it's the last day of my life.

[Tientos]

OzzWhiz54 you are so extraordinarily brave for posting this and you highlight what really matters in life. My personal thoughts are with you and your family.

[daletournier]

Ozwizz, I don't believe it would be possible to write than any better, what an admirable attitude, I applaud you.
Dale.

[Ozwizz54]

Thanks to those who said such lovely things about my less-than-perfect situation. I do appreciate it.

Without wishing in any way to diminish that goodwill, I do need to state that my intention in sharing was not to draw sympathy in any way. Not my scene. I'm just stating things as I now see them and joined in on the thread as I believe it was intended by the OP.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by Tientos

OzzWhiz54 you are so extraordinarily brave for posting this and you highlight what really matters in life. My personal thoughts are with you and your family.

I second that!!

Thank you for bringing us into your life and sharing that. It gives a very valuable perspective that all of us, ill or well, would do well to consider. I hope you beat this thing and sail on for many years to come, but I also delight in your knowing that it's all well for you either way.

[Mithril Bham]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Sea Hunter, you have to ask yourself just how relevant the question of length of time is to you. Have you ever really set a course in life for any predetermined period and have it come out exactly as you planned? Why not try "this is what I am going to do now" and not worry so much about "later"?

Yes, we are selling all our stuff. Yes we will move aboard. But we sell our stuff to fund the adventure and lighten the worry. Look around you...how much of your stuff is really relevant? Technology goes out of date, furniture can be had anywhere. Tastes in bric-a-brac changes. Most stuff is not irreplaceable. It's just stuff. Sure, some hold on to heirlooms and family memorabilia. But the rest is just stuff.

Not everyone can take that attitude. But if you can let go of most of it, you do find more stuff.

Most folk have so much stuff they are drowning in it. A house full, a garage full, a basement full, maybe a shed or rented unit too. How much of it do you really use? How much of really gives you pleasure? Don't the walls of pictures, nic-nacksand decorations just blend into the background? Do you sit on all your chairs? Do you wear all of your clothes? Most people don't. They move from bed, to shower, to kitchen, to living room and use, really use with joy about 10-15% of all that stuff. Favorite clothes too, while the rest languishes, out of date, I'll fitting etc. I'll just best that approximate 15% of your stuff will fit very nicely on a good cruising boat.

And when you are done, in 1 year or 40, you can find more useless stuff to fill any number of rooms.

The first time we moved aboard (37 years ago) we sold everything and moved onto a Passport 44. Stored nothing. What a relief to get rid of all those things we thought we couldn't live without. Now we have managed to accumulate everything again and, sometimes, I wish we hadn't. My wife feels differently.

[Sailshabby]

Ozwizz - Relax. I think I speak for a majority here when I say we're good with your original post and offer best wishes for a long future!

[cgrassie]

I have been dreaming similar dreams of late (giving it all up and living on a boat) but I have much to learn before taking the leap. I have always flown myself but it was comforting to know I can out fly weather - unlike sailing. I've been doing a lot of bare boat rentals in a variety of venues: Maine, Greece, Bahamas. but there is so much to know before the leap:
1. what do I do with a life time of accumulated **** like art work, photos, etc?
2. how do I receive mail and manage my finances while flitting about the world?
3. having sold my plane I have the finances to invest in a reasonable boat but worry bout maintenance and insurance expenses. like a twin engine airplane, I understand maintenance might well exceed 2x the number of hulls but I am seriously attracted to catamarans - like Maine Cat 41. how bad is maintenance - could it possibly be worse than an airplane??!!

I know the answers will inevitably be "depends" but I would love to hear from some with similar experiences and how they resolved some of the issues.

[Drifty]

This is for ozwizz54. Bless you!

[Mithril Bham]

Originally Posted by cgrassie

I have been dreaming similar dreams of late (giving it all up and living on a boat) but I have much to learn before taking the leap. I have always flown myself but it was comforting to know I can out fly weather - unlike sailing. I've been doing a lot of bare boat rentals in a variety of venues: Maine, Greece, Bahamas. but there is so much to know before the leap:
1. what do I do with a life time of accumulated **** like art work, photos, etc?
2. how do I receive mail and manage my finances while flitting about the world?
3. having sold my plane I have the finances to invest in a reasonable boat but worry bout maintenance and insurance expenses. like a twin engine airplane, I understand maintenance might well exceed 2x the number of hulls but I am seriously attracted to catamarans - like Maine Cat 41. how bad is maintenance - could it possibly be worse than an airplane??!!

I know the answers will inevitably be "depends" but I would love to hear from some with similar experiences and how they resolved some of the issues.

Everything can be handled through the internet these days. Sat systems have come way down in price. Maintenance isn't that bad if you keep up on it and do a lot yourself. Insurance isn't that bad either except ocean crossings. Digitize photos and get rid of the rest. Maybe lend art to family or good friends.

[Pelagic]

LIFE is all about what happens
....when you are busy making plans.

Those who have experienced unlimited horizons at Sea,

....Can often better contemplate the past, feel the present and accept our mortal future with a sailor's acceptance of things they cannot change.

It is all about the journey, not the destination or what you catch along the way.

This photo I took in Palau, reminds me of it every day and is something I would like to share.

[ArtM]

Eventually, serious illness will get in the way. You should be ready for that eventuality. Maybe you have the fortitude to stay aboard through that until, at long last, the sea takes you for it's own.

Otherwise, you should expect that, eventually, the life will just become too arduous to keep up, and for some impossible. Always have your backup plan, and never make your backup plan dependent on the quick sale of a boat!

I think you'll find a twin hulled boat to be considerably less expensive to maintain than a twin engine airplane. A catamaran has the same number of most parts as a regular boat - 1 mast, 1 set of sails, 1 galley, etc.

There are two (or more) heads and two engines on many cats, but then each gets half the usage and hopefully would last twice as long (and provide redundancy)