How Did You Start as a Liveaboard?

[Erik de Jong]

Originally Posted by Hotel L

Great story.....very inspiring.

maybe a great story, but also pretty crazy, especially in the first few months. Still married though

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Ontos45

"If you can't smell the sea, your in the outback"
Good onya mate

Lol

Actually one of the things I found disconcerting when first venturing outside Europe was often not knowing inherently which way the sea was / how far away it was......probably more something to do with coming from a small island, rather than being boat related.

[Mr B]

If you stand in the middle of Australia, (Arid semi desert) Its 1500 miles to the sea in any direction,

Desert or Sea,

I prefer to live on the sea, It has every thing for living, All you need is a good Boat,

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by bobofthenorth

We moved into our converted bus 5 years ago, sold everything and tried to live on the road for a year. Insurance regs and US Homeland Insecurity put an end to that plan so we bought some property just so we'd have a fixed address. 2 years ago we found Gray Hawk in Seattle and now we spend 1/2 the year living on her and the other half living in the bus. After living in a 40' steel tube, a 43' boat seems huge. We figure we have 3x the space on Gray Hawk that we do on Freedom (the bus). Other than that there's a lot of similarities between the two nomadic lifestyles.

I have talked before about how I prepared for it, but I'm not sure I told how I started out decades before -- we rented an RV. Now, you really have to look at the size of that RV. We rented a 27' one - but there were four of us. So I already had a clear idea about scaling back what I owned, living in a small space (by the way, we loved that trip).

When I moved on my boat I was soooo excited. I had both cats in their carriers, and carried them down to the cabin -- and immediately thought -- "HOLY CRAP -- WHAT HAVE I DONE????"

I had virtually always been in the COCKPIT, not cabins, of boats I'd been on (even my previous boat). You're more likely to get seasick in the cabin than in the cockpit, and in all my preparations that fact hadn't crossed my mind ONCE.

Well, I don't get seasick in the cabin, not even in a storm (neither do the cats). Spend some time in a friend's cabin -- maybe charter a boat for a few weeks -- before moving on, if you have any concerns about this.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Ok, it's still 11 days before I go liveaboard - and that may not be permanent. Could even be less than a week! (if it's no fun I stop). In any event, will still be using some "home" resources - especially a fridge / freezer! (at least for the short term, until I get sorted onboard).

Anyway, my motivation is twofold - to get the bloody boat away from the dock! (albeit that may be delayed a few weeks past my liveaboard date) and secondly because I have SFA better to do and need to keep in range of the hispital as have had my second full Paddington (a long hard stare) from the quacks in the last 4 months (different stuff). The good news is that I am 1-0 up and at the moment the second half is still ongoing - result yet to be decided but that leaves me in a bit of limboland on future plans, including for end of this year. or not .

But, hey, sh#t happens - never expected to hit 40, let alone 45 (and am very surprised I have - certainly hasn't been the intention of everyone I have encountered. But I'm still here ). I would really be upset if I had spent my entire life to date chained to a desk shuffling meaningless bits of paper, albeit I have done way too much of that . The big shame is that with no gods I won't be able to test how immortal they really are - at least those da Missus hasn't already sent off to oblivion . But on the upside, I won't be spending eternity in a firey pit Which is nice ......if I do go get a 2013, plan is to let Dave back out of his box - with a vengeance . Dave not so happy go lucky as DOJ!

Anyway, having uplifted the tone of this thread - that's how I start as a liveaboard .

David, one week isn't enough of a trial. It's not long enough to learn how to deal with the limitations, and the joy of being out of a cubicle will still be going full bore. I read an interesting thing about living aboard (in a VERY small boat, a 20' Flicka) by Katie someone and Bruce Bingham: each person had one "sacred shelf." The other person could not question the contents of the others' shelf, so she didn't get to say "Do you REALLY need three harmonicas?" (In his opinion he did, and it was his shelf, and he got to keep whatever he wanted there.)

Stoarge is such a juggling act. You should each have one spot that's "all yours" even if you want a rock collection.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

David, one week isn't enough of a trial. It's not long enough to learn how to deal with the limitations, and the joy of being out of a cubicle will still be going full bore.

To be fair I don't work much nowadays - I found it interfered with doing SFA , but when I do am very often in a cubicle Fortunately always someone else's, so no chains . FWIW I suffer from LBS (Lazy B#stard Syndrome)....ironically often doing as little as possible is surprisingly hard work .

I read an interesting thing about living aboard (in a VERY small boat, a 20' Flicka) by Katie someone and Bruce Bingham: each person had one "sacred shelf." The other person could not question the contents of the others' shelf, so she didn't get to say "Do you REALLY need three harmonicas?" (In his opinion he did, and it was his shelf, and he got to keep whatever he wanted there.)

Storage is such a juggling act. You should each have one spot that's "all yours" even if you want a rock collection.

At 30' and only one aboard (plus visitors?) then I will be in the lap of luxury space wise - and with Zero Harmonicas . But agree that personal space (mental and physical) is crucial when living with others in a confined area.

[svjustus]

My husband & I charted a Catana 48' in Martinique for 10 days around Thanksgiving. As we were boarding the airplane at the end of the charter, we looked at each other and said at the same time- "We can do this, let's sell the house & buy a boat!!"
After arriving home in Fort Lauderdale, we picked up a copy of Sailboat Trader, walked docks & talked to brokers. We finally settled on a boat that would be a good live- aboard for our 2 teen-aged daughters. Then we broke the news to them that they would be sharing a V berth!! You can probably imagine their excitement, since they always had their own rooms & being 15 and 16, most girls want privacy!!
Anyway, we bought a For Sale by Owner sign at Home Depot and put it in the front yard. Two days later, the house was under contract. On Valentine's Day, we closed on the house. The next day, we were the proud owners of our boat!!!!
That was over eight years ago!! We are still living aboard & cruising!! Loving every minute!!

PS- Our daughters are both in college & much to their relief, are no longer sharing a V berth!!

[Bash]

Wonderblond was offered a job at Stanford. I was still in grad school, and wasn't particularly excited about a move to the bay area. Wonderblond sweetened the deal by saying, "We've always wanted to live aboard, this is our chance to do it."

The house was up for sale the next day.

[GypsyGal]

The idea came over a working colleagues dinner one evening in London. The question posed at the table was "Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?" Around everyone went, "Financial Director of the company"' "Vice President", "Chief Accountant" etc. etc. The answer they hadn't expected was "On a boat in the Caribbean". There was a general groan of envy and disbelief.

The 10 year plan did become 12 years for various reasons but now have been living aboard for 10 years, made it to the Pacific at one stage but then returned to the Caribbean 'cos I love it!! (and the Panama Canal transit is a lot of fun, did it twice, will do it again one day!).

Return to land? NEVER!

[Hudson Force]

I missed the first Annapolis Sailboat Show in 1970, but I went shopping for a liveaboard boat at the second one. We bought a 30' S&S sloop in 1971 that was our first liveaboard. Two years earlier I had scratched out an outline of a boat layout in the beach sand and talked my future wife into the plan.

[cburger]

Started when my Father and Mother used to take me to the ocean for summer vacations. For ne this is the fulfullment of my destiny. I am the happiest when on the water.

[JanetGroene]

Thanks for the memories. When we moved aboard, I suddenly realized my husband couldn't swim and I didn't know how to come about. I refused to go out again until he learned to stay afloat, then I learned to bring 'er about under sail if necessary so I could go back and fetch him if he fell overboard. The whole process took only a week.

[gonesail]

turns out it is expensive to have a land house and a decent sized boat .. living on the boat saves a whole lot of money but then again you have to enjoy living in a place the size of some people's walk in closet

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Lol

Actually one of the things I found disconcerting... was often not knowing which way the sea was... probably more something to do with coming from a small island, rather than being boat related.

Soooo, you're planing to live aboard, not actually untie, right???

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

Soooo, you're planing to live aboard, not actually untie, right???

Actually it might start off like that, at least for a week or 2 .....after that will be moored somewhere even quieter....but am also hoping to venture at least as far as the end of the bay, at least now and again.......but no promises on that .