You Might Be a Liveaboard - if . . .

[wolfenzee]

If you realize that our culture is supported by the manufacture, sale, accumulation, storage and resale of totally useless stuff. Stores devoted totally and or in part to useless stuff, storage of stuff (mini storage) and resale of stuff (e-bay) have become multi-billion $ industries. Don't forget yard sales and thrift stores for those that don't have enough disposable income to accumulate new stuff.
George Carlin said it in a skit " A Place for My Stuff ":

George Carlin Talks About "Stuff" - YouTube

.
ymbali if you realize everything in your household has to have at least 3 separate uses.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Siege

You've ever considered wind or current when attempting to park your car.

True stories:
After a month's vacation on my boat, I drove to a shopping center and parked the car. After getting out, I marveled at how it just STAYED there all by itself without needing to anchor.

Another time on a foggy day, as I left the garage for a split second I looked for the controls for the RADAR.

[lostsheep]

My word.....
I don't own a boat yet, have never actually sailed (except that time I took a scuba trip to the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara for 2 days), but I can totally relate to pretty much everything here!

I live for months at a time in the 41 square foot cab of a semi truck with my Corgi for companionship. I call it my 'rolling jail cell'.
I have a tiny hanging locker, which holds my wet weather gear and heavy winter coat. My 4 changes of clothes are folded and stowed on a couple of shelves I built in the locker. My 'unmentionables' are ALL in one drawer.

My table converts to a bed, but I sleep in the top bunk because it's easier to climb the ladder than take down the table and make the bed. Making the top bunk involves hanging on by my eyelids and wrestling the mattress into submission. ( I wrote a good story about putting the mattress into the top bunk once.)I share the bunk with extra blankets, and a camera case, because there's no where else to stow them.

I cook on a propane Coleman Max all-in-one cooking system (griddle, grill and single burner cooktop).

No head, but I DO have a port-a-potty for those emergency 'Geez, I got a bad burrito' moments, which seem to happen during rush hour when traffic is gridlocked for an hour.
The 'good' parking spot is the one closest to the restrooms.
The best parking spot is in the boonies where the coyotes don't care if you water the tree.

I gauge my power usage by whether or not I want to fire up the genny, or if I can eat a cold sammich again. I have a redundant power system. The truck motor, the genny, the 120 to 12v converter. (and yes, it has saved me a couple of times).

I get PO'd at the pilgrim next to me because his reefer keeps coming on because he has on a load of ice cream that needs to be kept at -10 degrees and he really needs to Midas-ize.

Anyway, I can relate!!!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, lostsheep.

[mub]

You know you are a liveaboard (cruiser) when..

You schedule your communications (ssb), battery charging and shower.. because they all rely on the engine to power them.
And then your happy because you realise you can heat your soup on the engine exhaust and save cooking fuel.

When an oil change is a major event.

[wolfenzee]

When something goes "thump in the night" you get up and look, and continue getting up until you find and stop it.

[Jonny_twoshoes]

YMBAL if you live like a grad student.

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by lostsheep

My word.....
I don't own a boat yet, have never actually sailed (except that time I took a scuba trip to the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara for 2 days), but I can totally relate to pretty much everything here!

I live for months at a time in the 41 square foot cab of a semi truck with my Corgi for companionship. I call it my 'rolling jail cell'.
I have a tiny hanging locker, which holds my wet weather gear and heavy winter coat. My 4 changes of clothes are folded and stowed on a couple of shelves I built in the locker. My 'unmentionables' are ALL in one drawer.

My table converts to a bed, but I sleep in the top bunk because it's easier to climb the ladder than take down the table and make the bed. Making the top bunk involves hanging on by my eyelids and wrestling the mattress into submission. ( I wrote a good story about putting the mattress into the top bunk once.)I share the bunk with extra blankets, and a camera case, because there's no where else to stow them.

I cook on a propane Coleman Max all-in-one cooking system (griddle, grill and single burner cooktop).

No head, but I DO have a port-a-potty for those emergency 'Geez, I got a bad burrito' moments, which seem to happen during rush hour when traffic is gridlocked for an hour.
The 'good' parking spot is the one closest to the restrooms.
The best parking spot is in the boonies where the coyotes don't care if you water the tree.

I gauge my power usage by whether or not I want to fire up the genny, or if I can eat a cold sammich again. I have a redundant power system. The truck motor, the genny, the 120 to 12v converter. (and yes, it has saved me a couple of times).

I get PO'd at the pilgrim next to me because his reefer keeps coming on because he has on a load of ice cream that needs to be kept at -10 degrees and he really needs to Midas-ize.

Anyway, I can relate!!!

Lostsheep:

Enjoyed your talk of the truckers lifestyle. I just discovered the Iron Skillet truckstop restaurant while driving my car from New York to DC a few months ago. They got everything for life on the road even saw a few things that might be good to use on a boat. Good place to fuel the body too for a reasonable cost.

From your description sounds like you will have an advantage when you finally get a boat. Because you are use to living in a smaller space than most people you may not feel the need to get a bigger boat than others. Saving you money for dockage, maintenance etc... Bigger is not always better when it comes to boats and living on board. Your experience living on the road will be very helpful on the water too.

[lostsheep]

Here's my essay about replacing the mattress in the upper bunk of the truck. Thought you folks might enjoy it.
Randy

When I bought my 770, I was loath to give up the nice work station that Volvo engineered so nicely. I enjoy sitting at the table and eating like a civilized human. So, I decided I would sleep up in the top bunk. It's got a nifty little ladder to climb up there that's attached to the cabinet, so it would be easy. However, the one inch thick miserable excuse for a mattress had to go. I went to the local mattress store, and purchased a standard twin mattress. I took some measurements and cut a sheet of plywood to fit the framework of the top bunk. The neato suspension fabric butt-bridge hammock wasn't going to cut it.I had to install the plywood in two pieces, so it would fit in the door.

Next came the mattress. I exhausted all the air in the passenger seat, opened the door all the way, and eased 'er in the cab, angling the end in an upward trajectory towards the final destination of the modified hammock in a frame.

All went well, until the mattress needed to be squeezed past the top cabinetry. I clambered into the cab, positioned myself under the mattress, and attempted to force it into compliance.
Right. It just snickered at me.

Okay, I'll try the ol' 'bear-hug', and kinda fold it up and then stuff it into the home hole.
Just a little more.....
By this time, my arm muscles are starting to issue warnings of impending failure. A burning sensation is coursing from my fingertips to my mid-back. I can't breathe, because my face is buried in the mattress. Spots begin forming before my eyes.
Suddenly, my adversary makes his move, forcing my now numb arms apart, flinging me against the cabinets.

I pause, reconsidering the options. I could remove one of the cabinets, thus clearing the way for a better angle. But, that would involve unloading the contents, and quite frankly, I'm not sure exactly what resides in there. Besides, no inanimate object is going to toss ME around! I recalculate my method, and grab ahold of The Adversary again....

My wife says she thought the WWF was having a cage match inside the truck. It rocked starboard to port, and back again. The air bags began deflating, squirting air out and scaring the cats who were by this time most enthralled with the spectacle. Muffled cries were heard from inside, as The Adversary applied every known wrestling hold to my fast weakening body. It flung me fore and aft. Up and down. I barely managed to get my shoulders off the carpet before the three count, several times.

Then, in a final effort, I picked The Adversary up, did an abreviated Airplane Spin, faked a Step-over Toe Hold, then flowed smoothly into a Figure 4 Leglock. Success!

Only one problem.

The Adversary was in place, all right. But I was under it on my back, with my legs dangling uselessly into space, five feet off the floor.
Twenty minutes and multiple contusions and sprains later, I emerged victorious. My hair hung down in my face, plastered there by sweat. My medium-good shirt was now my 'work in the yard' shirt. Glasses were twisted into an odd shape resembling a Sanskrit letter. Now I know why an "S" shaped arch is called an "ogee".

The wife is sitting on the front porch, watching as I emerge.

"Did'ja get 'er done?" she snickers.

"Yea, but it was a pretty even match."

"I thought I was gonna have to call the para-medics with the 'jaws -of-life' for you. I had 911 dialed. Just needed to press 'send'."

Well, I could've used some help, you know."

"Yes, but that would have given you an unfair advantage. This was slated as a solo match, not a tag-team. Besides, I would have just been in the way. I reckoned that moral support was the better option. Plus, it was safer and more fun."

"Thanks, Dear."


The mattress is just a bit short of filling the width of the cab. I compensated by rolling two extra wool GI blankets up and stuffing them in at the foot of the bed. Besides, an extra blanket comes in handy sometimes.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by lostsheep

Here's my essay about replacing the mattress in the upper bunk of the truck. Thought you folks might enjoy it.
Randy

LOL

Welcome to CF - can't wait until you get yer boat .

[WrenchBender]

Having worked on cabover internationals for 15+ years before they quit producing them I got a huge laugh outta that story. Been There Done That, Thanks

[Bobnoxx99]

I just got my cat27 and found this thread. I think I am learning more here than anywhere else. You guys Rock!

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by Bobnoxx99

I just got my cat27 and found this thread. I think I am learning more here than anywhere else. You guys Rock!

Welcome to the group, Bobnoxx99! It is a great group- I've learned a ton too since I joined. Glad you found us

[KDH]

You might be a live aboard cruiser if your excuse for not doing the laundry is you don't want to get sunburnt while using the plunger in a 5 gallon bucket on deck!

[wolfenzee]

You always win a "priorities" argument with a land person and a lot of the stuff "poor people" can't afford to have you choose not to.