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What You Have Learned After Becoming a Liveaboard

23K views 75 replies 32 participants last post by  Beyond2012 
#1 ·
I'm interested in learning what things you soon figured out were necessary and about the things you thought would be necessary, but learned were not all that important or useful, once you started living aboard.
In a broader sense the question is also interesting in learning what other things you never expected before you moved on board.
 
#69 ·
Thank you for pointing out what should have been obvious to me. I will endeavor to keep her social life in mind, as she seems to always remember mine.

You are correct in your assumption that our friends and family have tried to talk us out of becoming full-time cruisers. They have used arguments of the dangers of hurricanes, lightning storms ("you know that Florida has the highest incidents of lightning deaths..."), losing the kids to the sea, putting a strain on the marriage, etc., ad-nauseum.

You have all heard those arguments before so I won't go into my responses to them. They mean well, but they are all saying, essentially, the same thing-- "it's just 'not normal.'" And for them, "not normal" is the same as "crazy." I do have this to say, however: I challenge my nay-saying friends to go to the biography section of any library and look for the books written about great men and women who led ordinary lives.

It is my belief that extroardinary people are born of extra-ordinary childhoods. I wish for my children, much more than a mundane, trivial existence, so, it is with a mix of trepidation and anticipation that my wife and I are making such a radical lifestyle change. We are hoping that this new life-aboard will give our family something that most never get-- substance.

To be sure, we will make our boat as safe for the children as possible-- netting inside the life-lines, PDF rules, radios, EPIRB, and even a Sat-phone if we venture too far from civilization. Good sailors minimize risks, and I expect to show my kids how to be good sailors... by example. That, I expect, will entail a lot of hard work and some self-discipline, too. I'm 'good with that.' Beth, my wife and soon-to-be First Officer, is okay with it, too.

Perhaps I will start a blog, like so many others have done, but this is enough for one post.

Thanks for the encouragement. I will let her know that she has an on-line sailing friend.
 
#72 ·
I live weekends on my Hunter 27 and it works well for just me. You need to consider how many people, do you need running water, heat/cool air etc. I enjoy the smaller spaces, especially in cold weather, when it's windy and the boat rocks me like a cradle to sleep//
 
#73 ·
Soon to join the live aboard crew

Hello there everyone, :)

Happy New Year to you all.

I am 34 and also going to be living aboard a second hand boat I am buying, from the summer. I want to circumnavigate the americas, mostly alone will have other crew at times. I've not yet bought anything, it will be between 26 and 33 feet. I've been to Seattle to look at some 20 boats, most i could not afford, and I have been looking for three months now, as I had a lot to learn. Im making some moves to buy over the next few months. at the moment looking at a 30ft Maurice Griffith that looks a good old fashioned live aboard recently renovated.

I have a dog and cat too so have the same issues with cat trays and them adapting to the boat. My dog has been on boats before but mostly small ones and never to live aboard.

This is a really great forum thanks for being here! =)
 
#76 ·
Thanks, but I have already investigated this. My animals are based in Guatemala, I am presently in the UK on a work contract till May. As they are chipped and vaccinated they are able to go mostly anywhere in the americas. But I will always be checking up on the matter as I could never have my furry companions quarrentined.
 
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