Living Aboard and Wishing Otherwise . . . Is it Just Me ?

[bbbbbguy]

Here's an interesting twist!!! I love the boat and the lifestyle, yet my wife just likes heeling over for a couple of hours, then she's ready for the dirt for another few months. God... I sure do miss her!

[itdave5]

Its great to read all these thoughts on live aboard as that is what we may be doing soon in the med. We just can't efford the rent on our house in the UK and the boat, so we have chosen.... Boat. Even if we do it for a year, its a great experiences even if we hate it. At least we will have tried.

[dsample]

Originally Posted by djambalawa

I'm another planning to liveaboard with my wife - I've spent a lot of time on boats but mainly only trailerable ones for fishing trips. Hired the odd houseboat etc for a week and enjoyed it. I enjoy camping etc and do a fair bit of that.

So yeah I'm hoping that its the life for me but I don't really know for sure. I'm willing to give it a good go with some kind of commitment.

I think something that will help is that I'm not doing it for a life of comfort and peace etc but quite the opposite. I feel that living in my "comfort zone" in the suburbs is killing me - I really believe that we all need challenges etc to keep us going. Even a life of scenic serene anchorages probably gets dull fairly quick - but those anchorages are heaven when you've just come in from a rowdy sea.

I think I saw a thread here somewhere where someone mentioned some study of a crew of a ship. For a few months they were allowed to do anything and they nearly went mad with boredom.. and then for a few months they were all given daily tasks etc and were very content relatively.

I am glad that others are considering living aboard. My husband and I have limited sailing experience but we are both looking at the "simple life" that seems as if it may not be as simple as it sounds. It is a difficult decision especially when you are choosing the less traveled, not so "cookie cutter lifestyle." I myself am looking at the adventure, challenge and experience of living a life that others only dream of. My best wishes to you both. My husband and I are looking into living aboard in Seattle, but the wait list is unbelievable. We are planning now but hope to be there in two years.

[KMFC]

Here are some observations from a reluctant live aboard.

Currently, and for the past 2 months, due to some personal issues I am living on my Oday 34 in a small marina in West Central Arkansas. This particular marina is primarly a party barge/fishing boat type place but at least I have good 30 Amp power and city water run out to the slip.

#1 When the sun goes down on a weekday it is a very quite place. Good and bad. Good because it's about as quite and peaceful as anyone can ask for. Bad because it's about as quite and peaceful as anyone can ask for. It would be nice to have someone to visit with every now and then at the dock. (You know you are spending too much time at the local bar when there is a tall rum & coke sitting on the bar when you walk in.)

#2 The new A/C unit is a wonderful thing. We have had heat indexes of over 100 degrees each day for only God knows how long. First month and a half I did not have this and relied on fans. Made going to bed sober tough.

#3 Due to the new A/C unit I tend to spend more time in the cabin. Now this means i need to buy a TV and DVD player. (You can only fix/install things for so long.)

#4 My commute to work is 68 miles one way. Fuel bill is getting kinda out of hand. Leaving the lake every morning at Day break really sucks. There's not alot of things as pretty as the lake when it's glass smooth in the mornings.

#5 Sailing during the week is very nice when there is wind. This is something I have done alot of these past 2 months. Very few Jet Skee's and tubers buzzing around.

#6 etc., etc. etc.


What all this boils down to is; living this kind of life would absolutley drive some people nuts depending on your personality. Yes it's kinda boring sometimes, Yes it gets lonely sometimes but then that one evening comes along when the wind is just right, good tunes on the stereo, the rum & coke is mixed perfectly and that one in a million sunset happens along. Those are the days that make everything alright.

Plus, one of these days the Swedish Bikini Team is gonna show up wanting to go for a sail.

[Acedude]

It's good to hear the pros and cons of live aboard. I move out of my apartment at the end of august to live aboard and am very excited for it. Have been packing up and simplifying for months now. I've been planning this for 6 years now and am finally pulling the trigger.

[djambalawa]

Originally Posted by dsample

My husband and I are looking into living aboard in Seattle, but the wait list is unbelievable. We are planning now but hope to be there in two years.

Gday dsample - whats this "wait list" you mention? Can't you just live aboard when you're ready?

[Amgine]

Originally Posted by djambalawa

Gday dsample - whats this "wait list" you mention? Can't you just live aboard when you're ready?

In many ports the number of liveaboard slips is limited by law, or may require the boat to be hooked into a sewage pumping system. I'm guessing they are on the wait list for a liveaboard slip at Shilshole Marina in Seattle. Iirc there are actually some decent liveaboard slips in Elliot Bay which ended up being the same price as Shilshole (and had vacancies) because it isn't as heavily populated with boats...

[djambalawa]

Originally Posted by Amgine

In many ports the number of liveaboard slips is limited by law, or may require the boat to be hooked into a sewage pumping system. I'm guessing they are on the wait list for a liveaboard slip at Shilshole Marina in Seattle. Iirc there are actually some decent liveaboard slips in Elliot Bay which ended up being the same price as Shilshole (and had vacancies) because it isn't as heavily populated with boats...

Ah ok thanks Amgine... when I read this I'm very happy I was born and live in remote Australia where I can "get away from it all".. I guess regulation is required when things get busy but it sounds painful...

*edit* Ah sorry I read this too quick and missed the point about "slips" - I guess if you want to live in marina this is always an issue - there's got to be a slip available.

[Jamel]

We all go through stages in life. I know I dreamed for years that I wanted to go cruising....I read books, studied navigation, had sailing lessons. Then finally I bought the boat, a Westsail, left Fremantle and sailed around the world. To me that has been the greatest thrill of my life, memories to treasure.
However, a time came when tropical islands, swaying palm trees, blue water and pristine beaches became.....ordinary! We moved away from the ocean to a hill property and loved it....for 11 years. Now I've come full circle and want to return to sea, to livaboard once more. Sick of society, the politics, the rushing around on freeways, the cost of living... running a car, a house with everything seeming to spiral up and up in cost without any control.

So it's back to the ocean, self sufficiency( as far as possible) to enjoy my retirement as I see fit. Life really is for living, you just have to do it!

[beiland]

Originally Posted by KMFC

What all this boils down to is; living this kind of life would absolutley drive some people nuts depending on your personality. Yes it's kinda boring sometimes, Yes it gets lonely sometimes but then that one evening comes along when the wind is just right, good tunes on the stereo, the rum & coke is mixed perfectly and that one in a million sunset happens along. Those are the days that make everything alright.

Plus, one of these days the Swedish Bikini Team is gonna show up wanting to go for a sail.

Keep on dreaming

Thanks, gave me another laugh for the day

[S/V Blondie-Dog]

Originally Posted by s/v Breakaway

Blondie-Dog,
I can imagine staying in one place in a 28' boat could be pretty boring. You need to sail the boat to someplace new that you haven't seen before - a change of scenery, do some exploring. (PS regarding your blog comments about mosquitos and Raid; get some netting for your hatches and companionway!)

Okie-Dokie... for better or worse I do indeedy need to sail off somewheres for a change of scenery if nothing else...

I've got my boat ready to go and I even finally got around to scraping off all the barnacles off of the hull... and I've got plenty of sea-flea bites to prove it too. (But don't expect to see any Anthony Weiner-type pics forthcoming from me just to prove a point.)

So Key West here I come. Perhaps I'll even request to be allowed to tour the Waste Water Treatment Facility on Flemming Key for old times sake.

I briefly worked construction there for a couple months back when the facility was affectionately referred to as "The Sh*t Plant" by fellow general laborers... and that should count for sumptin.

And while in Key West, I might even get me a job washing dishes at one of dem fancy hotels along Duval Street...

[River Cruiser]

I live aboard 8 to 9 months a year on the upper Mississippi. The easiest way for me to explain how I feel is that when I'am home I miss the boat & the river every day. When I'am on the boat I don't miss home at all..

[davers]

And I've got the green stained sneakers to prove it!

Originally Posted by RapidTransit

In our minds? Nope...you're not missing one single thing 'cept a pair of green stained sneakers.

[veprjack]

For a newbie about to move out of a house to live aboard, this thread wasn't as negative or scary as it looked! lol... BUT, for $140/month, I might just put some stuff in storage for 6 - 12 months JUST IN CASE, rather than sell EVERYTHING off and cut those ties.

Although I've been dreaming about this off and on for 20 years, and taken some classes/read books/DVDs, etc, there's nothing like doing it. I am NOT really handy, but that will have to change or else. I'll be keeping my job at first, but may cut back to 3 days a week to really spend some time living, sailing and learning maintenance/repairs. As we go into the winter in the Boston area, it's OK - I will spend those dreary nights snuggled with a book or DVD - or learn to tie knots with a piece of rope.

I'm known for tiring easily of new adventures, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes for the bloom to fall off the rose, regarding living aboard and/or sailing. Some posts here make sense - to sail as often as possible and change the scenery. The winter crowd tends to sail off in the summer to beat the slip fees that increase SUBSTANTIALLY - so maybe I'll do a mooring or cheaper slip elsewhere to save money and change the view? Keeping it "fresh" is key. I have a choice to sail around Boston Harbor, head north to NH and ME, or down to Cape Cod. Many beautiful destinations are a day away at most so... And I think my first big trip will be down the ICW and over to the Bahamas? Fidel might be dead by then, so perhaps I’ll just keep heading south for some Cuban delights? lol

I don't have a crystal ball, but my guess is that, if I do decide living aboard is not for me, it would probably take a good 5+ seasons to come to that decision. But, unless my health or age interfere, I have a feeling they'll be dragging me off the boat to a nursing home, screaming and kicking! But even then, a few members of the Swedish Bikini Team who will be living with me might pull my arms harder than the nurses are pulling my legs!

[S/V Blondie-Dog]

Well folks, I'm happy to report that I am no longer a liveaboard cruiser and am now living on the hard. The irony of it all is that I'm now looking forward to actually sailing on occasion as a daysailor.

Thanks all for your comments.