Movig to a Boat with a Couple of Kids

[Waltzingmatilda]

Hey all...i recently purchased a 40 foot steel yacht, proven Australian design which was pro built...its a bit of a project as the interior needs refurb but shes a very good and seaworthy yacht...so my partner and i have been toying with the idea of moving ourselves onboard with her two kids (8 yo girl who is very dynamic and a 13 yo boy who is more interested in xbox/books so not so dynamic) partly for the adventure and give the kids a better way of appreciating life (we live in a small country town) and partly as her and i both want to live out of the 9-5 system...ive lived on and sailed in the past though never really with any family and so was wondering if there are books my partner can read or stories we can be inspired by...most concerning are really the kids and how will they take it and wondering if the size oft he yacht will play a significant issue...would appreciate any points of view

[Andrew Troup]

I can recommend a DVD: "Iceblink"

It's not going to be much practical use, but very inspiring, I reckon

[katsumi]

Originally Posted by Waltzingmatilda

Hey all...i recently purchased a 40 foot steel yacht, proven Australian design which was pro built...its a bit of a project as the interior needs refurb but shes a very good and seaworthy yacht...so my partner and i have been toying with the idea of moving ourselves onboard with her two kids (8 yo girl who is very dynamic and a 13 yo boy who is more interested in xbox/books so not so dynamic) partly for the adventure and give the kids a better way of appreciating life (we live in a small country town) and partly as her and i both want to live out of the 9-5 system...ive lived on and sailed in the past though never really with any family and so was wondering if there are books my partner can read or stories we can be inspired by...most concerning are really the kids and how will they take it and wondering if the size oft he yacht will play a significant issue...would appreciate any points of view

Hi, not sure of any books although I can recommend the movie "Captain Ron" for a bit of inspiration and a good laugh. In the meantime, my husband and I had a 20 year dream of owning and living aboard a boat with kids, now we have 2 girls, almost 6 and just turned 8yo and we have lived aboard our Lagoon400 now for 3 years. We homeschool as well, doubly crazy!

If you or your partner have any questions that I can help with, you can contact me through here although I don't always check it, also through my Homeschool Ahoy facebook page or website www.homeschoolahoy.com

Finally, I would say just go for it! We did, if it didn't work out at least we tried, so far so good though.

[Hudson Force]

We raised out son and daughter aboard from infants to adulthood. Of course. we were not faced with the task of adapting them to a move from shore, but we found a few things important to our success.

We made sure our children had designated private space that they were able to manage with decisions about what materials they kept and organized within these spaces.

We encouraged our children to be in control of various operations of our boat: Piloting, navigating, sail trim, maintenance, etc.

We took care to have specific rules regarding safety. This was most important when our children were younger, but as important for children new to live aboard.

Our children thrived aboard,- 'hope you have great success!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Waltzingmatilda.

[rw58ph]

The boat is 1/3 of the concern. For a live aboard the boat, the slip/dock and the marina are equally important. I would advise that you live on the dirt and be a live aboard on a trail bases. the majority of the new live aboard do not make it through the first winter, and last for less than 3 years. Also many marinas do not allow live aboard and those that do limit the number. Furthermore marinas do not like project boats and some marines do not want live aboard with children and/or pets. So the odd are significantly against you. Anyway, check thing out before you get too far along.

Lastly live aboard by maritime law do not have the equal/same right as living on the land at least in the US. We been a live aboard for 17 years and seen hundred live a board come and go. Its not as easy as most think being a live aboard!

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by rw58ph

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Lastly live aboard by maritime law do not have the equal/same right as living on the land at least in the US. We been a live aboard for 17 years and seen hundred live a board come and go. Its not as easy as most think being a live aboard!

I have also lived aboard for many years and we have seen many come and go. I cetainly agree with your idea of establishing the ability to live aboard at the marina before setting out fulltime cruising. You might want to clarify the limited rights for those living aboard. I've seen some more strict restrictions for those on the US West Coast than in the Southeast US. The only lesser right that we are aware of is the potential to be boarded and inspected by authorities such as the US Coast Guard. During the forty-three years we have lived aboard and cruised we have been boarded once in Georigia by the Department of Natural Resources and once in the Abacos by by Bahamian authorities. Both of these events were polite and professioanl inquiries without any hassle to us. Is there some other lack of rights that you recognize?

[Waltzingmatilda]

Thank you all for the information and welcomes...to clarify were in Australia on the east coast near Sydney but thinking of being elsewhere to live onboard...not sure what marina options are available to us but we are researching...as to the project work i will be lifting her out and complete over the next few months and then well be looking at moving in...though good news is we can fit her to our needs and liking

[cwyckham]

So are you looking at living aboard in a marina in a town, or at cruising? You say live-aboard, but you also talk about escaping the 9-5, so it's a bit confusing to me.

There are some great blogs about families with younger kids (infants and toddlers), but I don't know of that many about kids the age of yours. A book that is about right is "Just Cruising" by Liza Copeland. They sailed around the world, starting in Europe with three boys. They were about the age of your kids when they reached Australia, I think.

[Waltzingmatilda]

Well in town at the mo, finally able to break the typical 9-5 cycle (or at least a master plan to ) so finish off any 9-5 commitments over the next few months whilst sorting my yacht and then moving onboard to live near a town but on the water (most likely marina or maybe a mooring initially) to see how everything takes...

[cwyckham]

Right. But once you move aboard, do you plan to cast off lines and cruise or stay in one place and simply live aboard? If you're cruising, there are additional challenges such as home schooling, friends, etc. If you're just living aboard in one place, then that is quite a different thing.

[Waltzingmatilda]

True so plan is to live on board for a few months then take off...i am seriously thinking of living in Asia given the costs of lving...homeschool isn't much of an issue as i am very familiar with it..but choosing a spot will be...ive lived and travelled in Asia a couple of years back and there are some wonderful options but not sure how it would suit us as a family

[rw58ph]

Have you talked and have your SO approval/understanding about being a live aboard, long term cruising, and/or moving/living in another country?

People think being a live aboard is cheaper and/or it’s a easy/simple than living on land. Believe me its not. If it was there would be far more live a boards and/or long term live a boards. Every year I see/talk to new live a boards and every year the vast majority are new faces.

In the US, a marina can give a 30 day notice to vacate and there is not much that can be done about. The reasoning is you own the boat and can move the boat to another locations, they are just renting you water/space. Marinas/cities can change policy, your boat and/or you do not follow/meet marina policy/requirements, the boat, family, pets and/or you are consider danger/liability/nuisance. We have been giving 30 days notices twice. Yes I hired a marine attorney.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by rw58ph

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In the US, a marina can give a 30 day notice to vacate and there is not much that can be done about. The reasoning is you own the boat and can move the boat to another locations, they are just renting you water/space. Marinas/cities can change policy, your boat and/or you do not follow/meet marina policy/requirements, the boat, family, pets and/or you are consider danger/liability/nuisance. We have been giving 30 days notices twice. Yes I hired a marine attorney.

I have heard of this before on the Pacific US Coast and I have also heard outrageous prices for slips in New England or some resort areas. This may be a problem in some other countries too. Except for the actual closing of a marina facility, I've never heard of evictions in the Southeast US. There was a time in the 1980's when liveaboard slips were harder to find here, but still available. I don't think this would be any different than than the rights of those living in apartments on land that have the business close, sell or switch to condominiums.

[Waltzingmatilda]

Thank you all for input, both myself and my partner thought it through and decided to give it a go and see what happens... We're not sure how the kids will take to it but I think that as long as we're together they will be happy...both kids adore water so thats a bonus too (as we do also)..right onwards and upwards...need to find some blogs for my partner to look through