What Are the Most Common Headaches of Living Aboard ?

[Rayallyn]

Seems like finding the small cigars is a head ache. I always have to walk a couple of miles. The same for provisions and with a limited buget I don't want to waste money on a cab. I have a small backpack that I use but is never is large enough.

Many marinas don't want you using their docks for dinghy tie up unless you pay for a mooring or dock space if you are willing to pay to tie up your dinghy. I hope things get better as I progress south - Long Island New York is a place for people with money.

I will be traveling down the East River and Hell's Gate then across New York harbor by Thursday to Sandy Hook. Final destination some where in Florida.

PS: no computer onboard so it will take me awhile to answer any email.
you can call me on my cell, contact me for the number!

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by got seashells?

Good point to giving you all of the information. We are looking at Multihull's, we will travel for 9 months out of the year and have our children fly to wherever we may be at the time of their vacations. We plan return to land legs for the hurricane seasons. We want to travel at our pace and see things as they are meant to be seen and not thru the eyes of a tour guide.(we have had some wonderful ones and no rub intended) I figure my mornings will be something like this. Wake up,brush hair and teeth, make a cup of coffe and watch the sun come up. Dress for the day by getting on my snorkle gear and jump in for a bit of a look around. The rest of the day will depend on what I read here to help me decide what to plan.

On a cat, you're biggest headache will no doubt be finding marinas that will take you. Most don't have the "double-wide" slip you need - so, at best they will put you out on a bulkhead, if it's available. They will also typically charge you twice as much.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Get the biggest dinghy you can stow...

[sailingaway221]

Actually most of the dry goods tend to be packaged pretty well. Keep cardboard off the boat... don't even unpack it onboard or you'll get roaches.....Hang fresh vegies and fruit in a net and if you keep them somewhere cool and airy and turn them every now and hen they'll last a lot longer....

The best plastic storage I have are lots of zip lock bags of different sizes... better than solid plastic cause you can squeeze them in almost anywhere and they dont take up space to store.....

Do lots of reading... tons of good books out there for learning about all this and this forum has pages and pages of info.

AS for the wine bottles.... I have a special hidiong place... doesnt matter too much what you sotre them in... but heres some advice... if you're actually going to go sailing.... like not just from a to b but from The US to Europe or down to the Caribbean or some ocean sailing ..... make sure that EVERY single thing on the boat stays where it is now if you take the boat and roll it upside down and shake it for a while ... then put it back the right way up....BAtteries especially.... but the wine MUST be secured. Tie everything down before going to sea.

[sailingaway221]

Originally Posted by sneuman

On a cat, you're biggest headache will no doubt be finding marinas that will take you. Most don't have the "double-wide" slip you need - so, at best they will put you out on a bulkhead, if it's available. They will also typically charge you twice as much.

I have a 28 foot wide cat.... so far no problem anywhere in the Caribbean finding a marina and although the marinas charge a little more for a cat its generally 2 or 3 dollars a foot, certainly not twice. The general trend in the islands is more and more towards cats, so most of the marinas are catering to them. Also ..... the only time I am in a marina is if I have to leave my boat for work or to travel ... so it really has not been a headache at all in this part of the world.

[sailingaway221]

Originally Posted by got seashells?

Good point to giving you all of the information. We are looking at Multihull's, we will travel for 9 months out of the year and have our children fly to wherever we may be at the time of their vacations. We plan return to land legs for the hurricane seasons. We want to travel at our pace and see things as they are meant to be seen and not thru the eyes of a tour guide.(we have had some wonderful ones and no rub intended) I figure my mornings will be something like this. Wake up,brush hair and teeth, make a cup of coffe and watch the sun come up. Dress for the day by getting on my snorkle gear and jump in for a bit of a look around. The rest of the day will depend on what I read here to help me decide what to plan.

Owning a boat is kinna like having a newborn baby, especially when you haven't had one before....it will need attention. Generally in the tropics because of the heat we get up early...6 or 7 and work on cleaning and maintaining the boat about an hour or two every day before it gets hot. Then we go swimming or exploring...etc... But generally I spend at least an hour or two a day maintaining or fixing something. Snorkeilling is best at miday anyways....Definitley get a cat.....love the space.

[Herbseesmoore]

Day 4 as liveaboards, our first real rain and only 2 small leaks, one on the stove pipe. Any way the "plan" is to soak, (not the leaks), it all in during the next few weeks, systems and storage are the biggest concerns for us. Safety is always top priority. My limited advice is start slow, we REALLY want to be out there with the sails up, but having a "new" boat we must remind ourselves to go slow and learn the boat dockside.

[capt_douglas]

I carried the wrong/too many spares

Water and power restrictions can take time to adjust to

The boat moves - all the time/at the wrong time

Throw the calendar or schedule in the trash.
It's not rocket science, but it is more than 5th grade.

Sail fast, live slow.

[Auspicious]

Plastic containers are fine. Lock-n-Lock (the real thing, not copies) have been the best for me and many of my friends.

I'll use nearly anything between wine bottles to protect them. Wadded up plastic grocery bags work, socks work over or between bottles, whatever).

Dust is one of the biggest issues on the boat. Learn to take your laptop(s) apart every few months and vacuum them out.

Something is always broken.

Learn to fix things yourself. Don't hire anyone that won't help you learn.

Headaches - things I can see but not reach, or reach but not see. Having to unpack things all over the boat to get all the tools I need for a job that requires disassembling the half of the boat I didn't unpack. Poor documentation. Not much you can do about those.

[rebel heart]

Doing major work on the boat. Some jobs like cleaning out the fuel tank should be done every year, and require you to pull most of the floorboards, have stuff everywhere, and stink the place up. Interior varnishing, rewiring, etc.

Trying to live on a boat that's having work done to it is difficult. Replace the head and you have no head onboard for the week/end it takes to put the new one in.

[rebel heart]

But honestly living on land is for suckers so I'll take the boat anyday.

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Doing major work on the boat. Some jobs like cleaning out the fuel tank should be done every year, ..

.

Thread drift alert.

That seems excessive. Not disagreeing, Just never heard it before. Is that more particularly aimed at old tanks?

But yes, that would be a headach (thread anchor)

[sadia]

One of my headaches is not having a car. It gets tiresome to lug groceries back to the boat. Do put wine bottles in tube socks. Remember to stock up on grocery items that you use at home - your eating habits won't change. When I get to the states, I buy my favorite peanut butter, salad dressing dry mixes, sloppy joe mix and cat food. Don't worry too much about bread - people eat bread every where.

[sailingaway221]

Originally Posted by sadia

One of my headaches is not having a car. It gets tiresome to lug groceries back to the boat. Do put wine bottles in tube socks. Remember to stock up on grocery items that you use at home - your eating habits won't change. When I get to the states, I buy my favorite peanut butter, salad dressing dry mixes, sloppy joe mix and cat food. Don't worry too much about bread - people eat bread every where.

No crackers for the cat food?

[got seashells?]

your all amazing and thank you for the great information. I am taking notes..........I never thought about dust being a problem. I have been more worried about dampness. Keep em coming....please