Living Aboard My Cruiser . . . Thumbs Up !

[Honey Ryder]

I've lived aboard since 2006. It's great. Over the years I've either thrown excess stuff out or else given it away. Guess what. Never missed one item, and I still have too much! It is amazing how little you really use and need. My 45' boat now almost feels too big, so I understand it when I hear long timers say that 35' is the right size and anything more is an extravagance. The tradeoff is that you have to learn about everything aboard, how it all works, how to maintain and repair it, or else you are at the mercy of the "professionals", who in my experience do a bad job and charge through the roof.

[anjou]

Im making the move in less than 3 weeks.
Im looking forward to being closer to nature, not shut away in a first floor appartment, surrounded by concrete and drywall with too little daylight, feeling as though my neighbours can hear my every sound.

Bring it on

[Bill Burgette]

Next month will be my 1 year mark that I have been living aboard my Portofino Express Cruiser. I wish I had done this sooner--I love every minute of it!

I can't belive all the stress and bills I left behind in my land lubber home, no lawn to cut, no pool cleaning.etc, etc....and if I have "house work" it's on the boat so that makes it "ok"

Congratulations on your new lifestyle, OTIMO. Have you done any cruising in the past year? I've made the decision to live aboard now that I've retired but I expect I'll be doing a bunch of cruising. Wanderlust, dont ya' know? Enjoy the good life.

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by Honey Ryder

I've lived aboard since 2006. It's great. Over the years I've either thrown excess stuff out or else given it away. Guess what. Never missed one item, and I still have too much!

I am selling stuff, mostly, but I am selling at stupid prices. Or giving it away. I just sold two desks that I paid over $500 each for, $200 each, with chairs (cost $100 each). I don't care. A friend of mine said she likesd a bakers table I had and asked how much. I figured 1. it was just a table we got because we needed something to hold the TV in our bedroom. 2. It was missing the top part (TV would't fit with the top on.), and 3. It only cost $129 to begin with. I was about to say $25, but I opened my mouth and "Free" came out. Friends come over and I always make them take something. All those "little treasures" that we had put away for when we set up our retirement home are just so much junk. I fill a box with stuff I say I will go over again just before I leave. Walk it out to the garage and before I know it I go out the side door and the box is in the trash. 25 video games gone!

Funny thing, even selling at stupid prices I was able to get enough to buy the trailer, and then some. The lower limit on the boat budget has been growing quit nicely.

[OTIMO]

...Going on 2.5 years now! Just upgraded to a Carver 4207----plenty or room and now feel like an Admiral with the queen size bed, walk in shower two full baths, and tons of room--hooked up a big screen DVD and HAVE ZERO PLANS on buying a home again anytime soon! Heck--my next home will be an BIGGER BOAT! HA!

[READY2GO]

Getting close to 2 years for us now. We started out on a 25' sailboat, then 5 months ago sold that and bought a 36' trawler. We feel like we are living in a mansion. No plans of ever going back to dirt.

[simonmd]

Been on my 30ft Catalac 900 for just over a year now and never been more comfortable. Once you adjust certain things around the restricted space, you begin to wonder what you ever did in a huge land based property! I have a nice cockpit for entertaining or relaxing (can seat 8 easily), a nice snug saloon to use in the colder days or evenings watching my 32inch TV, a comfy double bed, a galley big enough to cook a proper meal, the ONLY thing i miss is a bathtub to soak in but I have the sea to compensate for that!

[Ballenxj]

I can't wait until I can say that.
-Bruce

[OTIMO]

Originally Posted by Ballenxj

I can't wait until I can say that.
-Bruce

It will happen soon enough!

I was laid off from my job as an airline pilot, working a desk in a miserable company in MEMPHIS TN. I HATE MEMPHIS! rymes with Cat-pi$$.....anyway here I was MISERABLE, I hated my life, I rented a crappy home with a crappy landlord--one day I said "FORK IT" and sold everything I had--all my worthless odds and ends, sold the house in Florida, sold all if it....bought a boat and moved to a sunny locale...paid cash for the boat, set myself up so I can work as a bartender if I have to to support myself---got my airline job back and have no plans to become "landlocked" living on a boat has been the HAPPIEST time of my life, great neighbors, friends, even my dog a 100lb labrador loves it!


JUST DO IT....!

[simonmd]

great story!

[Ballenxj]

Originally Posted by OTIMO

It will happen soon enough!

<--- snip ----->


JUST DO IT....!

Thanks. Your success story is most encouraging. That's one of the main reasons I'm here is to research it out.
-Bruce

[Don1500]

I've been aboard 8 1/2 months now and can't imagine going back to a grounded stationery house.

They say 35' is the correct size, I wouldn't know what to do with that extra FOOT.

[Krakato]

Always glad to read an encouraging story of the "dream". We still have 38 months to go (but who's counting!) for the pension to kick in. Until then we are getting rid of all of our stuff/junk (ok, mostly junk) and learning as much as we can. If we by something it is with the question in mind: "Will it go on the boat?". If no, we don't buy it.

The only thing that is going to be really hard to get rid of is the Goldwing! But it's really hard to ride one on the ocean!

Cheers,
Mike

[The Blue Heron]

You go Mike!

[S/R Smith]

We moved aboard over 2-1/2 years ago in a 37 Carver Voyager that we had owned for 9 years. Loved it so much that we bought a 38 Marine Trader trawler 4 months ago. Fixing up the trawler and plan to cruise next year.