Extended Cruisers / Liveaboards at the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis ?

[sailhappy]

My wife and I are looking to meet liveaboards and extended coastal cruisers to learn what their experiences have been.

We have been looking at different ways to spend more time with our children and less time trying to juggle modern life as two working parents in a nuclear family. The reasons for the change are motivated by the following:

1) We spend too much money saving time and have child care providers and schools spending too much time with our precious little ones.

2) Our winters are too long, cold and dark.

3) My wife sees what a happy guy her husband is when sailing and would like to that guy around more.

4) We would like to provide our children with a more expansive world view and have them less steeped in popular culture.

I have been sailing for many years but find that my current life leaves no time for that passion. This year has found me looking at sailboats, reading books about living aboard and cruising. I have a vision but would like to see how it gets played out in the real world. My wife, an adventurous free spirit, is curious but wants to go face to face with people who have lived this life. This is the next step of our due diligence.

I realize that it is difficult to know in advance if the liveaboard life is for a given individual or family. Given that I am keenly interested in my wife's happiness, we would very much like to hear from women, especially those who have raised children aboard. We are also interested in knowing more about the cruising community, the prospects for families to provide mutual support, and opportunities for kids to build relationships.

My wife, 2 kids, and I will be attending the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis on October 7 and in the area until Sunday, October 10 and would appreciate meeting up with any liveaboards who will be around at that time. I can be reached at 443-845-9231.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, sailhappy.

Here’s hoping that you & your familly can soon sail happy.

[ShipShape]

At the boat show find the booth for Trans Marine and talk to Cameron and Leigha. They live aboard with their two beautiful children, and have a boat-based business that keeps them on the move. You might like to read their "About Us" on their web site, www.trans-marine.net, and I think they are already in Annapolis if you want to call them now, their number is on their web site. They will also likely know other cruising families. Trans Marine usually shares a booth with SSCA, the Seven Seas Cruising Association, be sure to visit them too. www.ssca.org

On my dock there is one live-aboard family whose child goes to public school, and another live-aboard family with four children that are home schooled. I do not know if they have been cruising, but they do go out sailing. Those four kids are brighter, more outgoing and better mannered than most adults.

[rebel heart]

We have our two month old onboard. We've had our bought for five years and been doing coastal cruising and full time liveaboard for three years. It's been a lot of work but absolutely the right move for us.

Here's a post my wife did after our first few months of living aboard going over her view of the pros and cons:

Rebel Heart - Sailing, cruising, liveaboard blog and website - Charlotte's Blog - Pros and Cons about Living*Aboard

[wingNwing]

Try to contact "schoonerdog" on this forum - they liveaboard with a 6 year old - she may not be available during boat show as she's 9 months preganant.

We're in Annapolis and could talk about living aboard and cruising but we have no kids so we're probably not your best source. (PM us if you can't find a kid-boat to talk to)

[marineruscg]

Hi,
My wife and I have been living aboard our Pearson 365 for 8 years. We too don't have any little kids with us (the 'baby' is 36 years old and our son is 40) so we can't help much with the 'children on board' issues. I'll be the 'sales guy' on the Catalina 309 all 5 days of the show (even though I'm not a sales guy.... I'm a delivery captain but I can talk sailboats for 5 days without stopping) and my wife, Judy, will be working at the Hunter 'welcome desk'. Either of us would be glad to talk 'live-aboard' with you.
take care,
cap'n Steve

[schoonerdog]

Yup, we fit the bill but I am literally due to have a baby any minute now (a week past my due date) and so we're skipping all of the show fun and socializing this year. My husband and son MIGHT go to the show this weekend if I am either (a) still pregnant and kick them out for a few hours of peace or (b) gave birth already early this week (PLEASE) and kick them out for a few hours of peace. :lol

But we'd be happy to correspond via email and you can check out our blog and the blogs of other boating families we follow for some insight to the life.

best of luck to ya and have fun at the show! I will miss it for sure...
cheers
(Cindy, Schoonerdog's wife, ready to pop!)