How Did You Start as a Liveaboard?

[Lagoon4us]

We built our round-bilge steel Adam's 35 (mono) on an island in the 'Whitsundays' on 'The Great Barrier Reef' and motored her to Gladstone where we lived moored to piles in a muddy bank creek.

Rowing out each day and night dealing with 6,5 metre tides it was fun, building other boats on the creek bank that are now scattered far and wide around the world. Lorraine Schionning (Lollie) lived on a H28 'Nyalla' just behind us.


Our $500:00 car stolen from the creek bank, our outboard removed from our anchored dinghy. You just dealt with it....


Those days 'Sat-nav' was just an un-reliable dream, we all enjoyed an un-electronic simple lifestyle, carrying ice and LPG to our boats, it was 32 years ago and we totally enjoyed it!!!


Now we move back on board to electronics, comfort, refigeration, TV, GPS, Radar, hot water, double beds, etc etc etc......

In retirement we start again, what remains the same? The cruising folk and attitude, the sea, the weather all the things we love.

What are your root's? What made YOU become part of this world-wide community and lifestyle??

Cheers see u out there......

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

We built our round-bilge steel Adam's 35 (mono) on an island in the 'Whitsundays' on 'The Great Barrier Reef' and motored her to Gladstone where we lived moored to piles in a muddy bank creek.

Rowing out each day and night dealing with 6,5 metre tides it was fun, building other boats on the creek bank that are now scattered far and wide around the world. Lorraine Schionning (Lollie) lived on a H28 'Nyalla' just behind us.


Our $500:00 car stolen from the creek bank, our outboard removed from our anchored dinghy. You just dealt with it....


Those days 'Sat-nav' was just an un-reliable dream, we all enjoyed an un-electronic simple lifestyle, carrying ice and LPG to our boats, it was 32 years ago and we totally enjoyed it!!!


Now we move back on board to electronics, comfort, refigeration, TV, GPS, Radar, hot water, double beds, etc etc etc......

In retirement we start again, what remains the same? The cruising folk and attitude, the sea, the weather all the things we love.

What are your root's? What made YOU become part of this world-wide community and lifestyle??

Cheers see u out there......

I had a funny start to it. It started with LAND cruising. When my children were small (5 and 8) we rented an RV and drove around the southeast in it for two weeks. It was bigger (27' feet of RV is more living space than 31' of sailboat) but there were four of us. We had a great time and lived very minimally. I packed only four forks, knives and spoons, etc. We had to do pumpouts. Of course, we had more amenities than I have on my sailboat -- built-in AC (I have a drop in unit for the summer that I move off with the spinnaker halyard to go sailing), I have an ice box instead of a refrigerator, etc.) but I knew I could live happily in a small space a long time ago.

So as far as actual living conditions go, I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into. But I do keep my boat in a live-aboard friendly marina. I've been on about 18 months and circumstances will have to force me back on to land -- probably some infirmity of old age as I'm 66. That could be tomorrow or 15 years away.

[Mr B]

After I finished my apprenticeship. I worked my way around Australia, 4 years,
Travelling through the Kimberlys, by car, you cant get near the beach, over 1000 miles of it,
Only way in, is by boat or helicopter, I always wanted to sail there on a boat,

Sold my second house and got enough money from it to retire and buy a boat,

I always wanted to live on a boat, So when I bought my Gemini in Fiji,
It automatically became my second home,

I thoroughly enjoy living aboard, I love it,
I spent 4 weeks living on it in Fiji and then another 6 weeks getting it to Australia,
My friend who spent some time in Fiji with me, and then came down the Tasman on the delivery run, says she will never get on any boat again,

She was sea sick for 6 days, Not a good start to a boating life,

So I have to seriously look at my living aboard when I fix her up again and she is sailing once more,

The travel bug is in my bones, Yeeeaaahhhhh,

My Cat did every thing I wanted, it is a cruisy life style that fits me, It has every thing I needed,

A home, I can go any where in,

Cheers,
Brian,

[LauderBoy]

I thought about it when I lived in Ft Lauderdale 5 or 6 years back, but it didn't seem very realistic for the area and time in my life.

Several years later I got into kayaking. First river kayaking and then later sea kayaking. The sea kayaking ended up with me buying longer and longer kayaks and taking longer trips. I'd pop over to Anclote key near Tampa or paddle out to Cayo Costa near Ft Myers and spend weekends there. It was great. I loved being on the water, I loved the exercise, I loved it when all the day boaters would leave and I'd be out there by myself watching the sun set over the gulf.

But I'd always over pack. I really liked all the comforts. Fresh soft clothes, cold drinks, plenty of water, snacks, stuff to read, you name it. The kayaks would easily weigh a few hundred pounds. I mean, a boy can't expect to survive on an island overnight without cold beer, a porterhouse steak and a cast iron skillet to cook it on. To do less would be uncivilized.

One trip out to Cayo my friend and I passed all the boats anchored out there and it sort of clicked: why not live on a boat.

Just seemed like a nice fit. Could take kayaks and all the comforts of home with me, since my "home" would actually be going with me to those areas. And on the plus I was wanting to do kayaking trips out to the Exumas and what not and a sailboat would take me(and all my gear) to those areas easily.

So I learned to sail a couple weeks after that "aha" moment, 3 months later I owned my own sailboat and a few months after that I moved aboard her. Since then I've spent a year and a half slowly adding gear to her and settling into the lifestyle.

[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.

[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 .

[idpnd]

I started by living on the hard for 6 months, fixing the boat! It's all part of the journey..

[David_Old_Jersey]

Love that aft / Poop deck! The Pirate Flag seems appropriate!

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by idpnd

I started by living on the hard for 6 months, fixing the boat! It's all part of the journey..

Like your boat, bulk room in the aft cab!!! Any pic's?
Cheers...

[Hotel L]

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 .

We did 30 days 30 nights to see if living aboard was for us.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Hotel L

We did 30 days 30 nights to see if living aboard was for us.

Cheers. pretty much what I am intending. FWIW have spent extended time on boats before (albeit many moons ago), so little will come as a surprise - but that not really liveaboard, more extended vacation time . Probably will come down to my age, and what "luxuries" or conveniances I "need" as to whether it is enjoyable enough.

Been having a clear out at home over recent months (dual purpose - for boat liveaboard and if push comes to shove on me health will save me Father a job, he did that already for me brother )..........never been a big one for collecting stuff but nonetheless am quite surprised how much crap I have accumulated .

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

What are your root's? What made YOU become part of this world-wide community and lifestyle??

Cheers see u out there......

As a 12 year old Scottish emigrant spending his first summer in northern Alberta dragging an old abandoned fishing dory out of the delta swamp and into the lake, I knew I had to get away from those dammed mosquitos and horseflies, by anchoring further out.

Never looked back since then!

[Ontos45]

Originally Posted by Mr B

After I finished my apprenticeship. I worked my way around Australia, 4 years,
Travelling through the Kimberlys, by car, you cant get near the beach, over 1000 miles of it,
Only way in, is by boat or helicopter, I always wanted to sail there on a boat,

Sold my second house and got enough money from it to retire and buy a boat,

I always wanted to live on a boat, So when I bought my Gemini in Fiji,
It automatically became my second home,

I thoroughly enjoy living aboard, I love it,
I spent 4 weeks living on it in Fiji and then another 6 weeks getting it to Australia,
My friend who spent some time in Fiji with me, and then came down the Tasman on the delivery run, says she will never get on any boat again,

She was sea sick for 6 days, Not a good start to a boating life,

So I have to seriously look at my living aboard when I fix her up again and she is sailing once more,

The travel bug is in my bones, Yeeeaaahhhhh,

My Cat did every thing I wanted, it is a cruisy life style that fits me, It has every thing I needed,

A home, I can go any where in,

Cheers,
Brian,

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

[Erik de Jong]

We started living aboard in 2009, our self built boat was finshed as a floating hull and we had some furniture from Ikea skrewed down to the floor. We just got married 2 months before we moved onto the boat and did not have money for an apartment, this beacause we were building the boat. 2 weeks after we moved in, the temperature dropped to minus 20C and we had no running water, shower or toilet.

In the weeks and months that followed, we built the main interior, washroom, water heater, pressure system, a proper bed etc.
Now, 3 years later, the boat is finished and we are still living aboard, simply because we save more than $17.000 a year on rent, mortgage, property tax, water, electricity, internet and whatever more the people on shore like to spend . Due to the fact that we are saving so much money, we can sail for 8 months a year and explore the Arctic which is just around the corner here!

[Hotel L]

Originally Posted by Erik de Jong

We started living aboard in 2009, our self built boat was finshed as a floating hull and we had some furniture from Ikea skrewed down to the floor. We just got married 2 months before we moved onto the boat and did not have money for an apartment beacause we were building a boat. 2 weeks after we moved in the temperature dropped to minus 20C and we had not running water, shower or toilet.

In the weeks and months that followed, we built the main interior, washroom, water heater, pressure system, a proper bed etc.
Now, 3 years later, the boat is finished and we are still living aboard, simply because we save more than $17.000 a year on rent, mortgage, property tax, water, electricity, internet etc. Due to the fact that we are saving so much money, we can sail for 8 months a year and explore the Arctic which is just around the corner here!

Great story.....very inspiring.