Liveaboard Wannabe Here

[Sailor013]

Hey there folks, I'm new to the site and thought I'd introduce myself (hopefully this is an okay place to do so).

I'm 23 years old and have only currently decided to try and make my liveaboard dream a reality. I've thought about this and turned it over in my head again and again since I was in middle school. I've always loved the ocean, being on it, working my grandfather's swamp boats, and my dad's gulf tour boats.

I've put my plan into motion, researching ASA schools closest to me and plotting how to make a living while sailing and, while I realize that its not likely to happen for a good ten to fifteen years, I'm hopeful and intensely focused on my goal.

My partner and I have decided to embark on this journey together, as much as we can, and to seek help and advice from those more knowledgeable than us. SO PLEASE!

Experienced liveaboarders, sailors, and folks who live entirely off of your boats: Can you tell us how you do it? Advice? Recommendations? Anything you know, we would love to learn. Thank you so much and may your waters be calm!

-A Little Sailor in the Big Ocean

[Hudson Force]

Sailor013, Welcome to the community. Let us know of your questions, challenges and adventures.

[Greenhand]

Can you describe what you mean by "living entirely off of your boat"?

We live on our boat full time, but one of us goes to a job every day and the other mostly maintains the boat, recently branching out into helping others maintain their boats for money. We live at a marina, so we have shore power and plenty of space when we need to use power tools.

We sail a few times a month, but we have never been gone overnight from dock in the liveaboard boat. Now that it is sea worthy again, that will likely change in the very near future. Like, possibly this weekend.

[Sailor013]

Thanks for your response Greenhand! And what I mean is that we'll be entirely self-sufficient, hopefully. We'd like to equip open spaces on the deck with solar panels to provide what little electricity we'll need and we're both prepared to buy a saltwater-to-non-saltwater converter. I'm a very skilled fisherwoman. The only reason we would have to go back to shore is for meat and documenting our lives/photography/freelance film or photography work. Hopefully, anyways. But that's why we're looking for advice on the whole subject.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Sailor013

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................ The only reason we would have to go back to shore is for meat and documenting our lives/photography/freelance film or photography work.
........................

"to shore for meat",- What about fruits and vegetables? Is this an on-deck farming plan?

It would seem practical to achieve your goals in stages. Adapt to living aboard at a marina with all the shore amenities and then gain independence as you develop a 12VDC power system aboard, fresh water production, etc.

Where would you plan to be located? The challenges of life away from shore with the ability to have shore access for you film work varies by geographical area.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Sailor.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

It would seem practical to achieve your goals in stages. Adapt to living aboard at a marina with all the shore amenities and then gain independence as you develop a 12VDC power system aboard, fresh water production, etc.

You should know, unless I'm mistaken that these people have I think been living on their boat since 1972, when they speak, I listen to learn.

We have a little longer before we can begin, but my plan is to begin living aboard in a Marina slip, and taking increasingly longer voyages, but returning to the slip once in a while, then casting off for good.
So far longest we have lived on the boat away from the home slip is about two weeks as that is all I can get off work at once. My impression as a beginner is no reason to jump in and commit all at once, you have time, do it slowly so it's not so much work and isn't as big a culture shock.

[Lepke]

It's easy to get sidetracked while making a living. Try having a goal that happens soon. So it's in front of you all the time.
I don't know where you are, but on the US West Coast there are commercial fisheries that are possible to get into. Sometimes a commercial boat can be had with a down and payments to a retiring fisherman. That's also a way to get some necessary training. And there are boats around that are almost free, but a lot of work. Most commercial boats can be lived on, but much like living in a camper. Often you can tie up to a company fish dock where you are selling fish. No dockage, and sometimes there are showers, washers, etc., you can use. Sometimes you may just make expenses, and sometimes not that. But if you hang in there you can make it. Most fishermen started out with a small boat and eventually bought upward.
Boats of any kind are expensive and need maintenance. You need income. I've run into too many people that have seen too many feel good movies about the ocean. Hollywood makes many programs about people living on the water making an easy living. Like everything else they produce, it's not based on fact.