Hi everyone,
I'm Karen and I'm new here and am seeking some advice. We have encountered a lifestyle change as a result of my husband being laid off from his long term job,actually the job loss has been somewhat of a blessing, we have had to reevaluate the way we live and have been downsizing and living much, much more simply, although we lived fairly simply before this. I've been a stay at home, homeschooling mom for the last 6 yrs. to our youngest son 13 yr. old Dylan.
Living on one income was a challenge to begin with, no more new cars and keeping up with the maintenance on both of our cars that have well over 200,000 miles now.
So then came the job loss, prospects are slim, but you know we are feeling strongly about not going back to a life of factory work. A "daily grind" so to speak.
We are a year out from floating our mortgage on our savings account, when the savings is done we are done.Selling our home of 16 yrs shouldn't be a problem and would give us the money to buy a boat.
In comes the sailboat idea, been reading a lot about living aboard, and it sounds like a very good solution,I'd rather live on a boat then in a cardboard box
But here is also where I am with all of this, We live in Missouri, I've been on a boat on the ocean once , deep sea fishing, years ago and man oh man did I get sickuke
My biggest concern is seasickness for me, for my husband and son who have never been on the ocean in a boat. But there are so many people who sail do any of them get sick and what do they do, on a rocking boat, on the ocean, docked or cruising ? I have an image of us buying a sailboat and all of us hanging over the edge barfing our guts out,Ewwwww.
And my one other concern that I can think of is being on land all his life can a 13 yr. old (almost 14) adjust to life on a boat? smaller spaces and what about when he wants to get his drivers license, job and the like?I should probably know all the answers to these questions. I haven't been able to find much information about teenagers living aboard.
I have to tell you that cruising around Florida or even the world almost makes me giddy, love tropical warm places.
For a job we would just have to stop here and there and work, somewhat nomadic I know but OK with us as long as we are together. I have 2 adult children and 4 very young grandchildren and would miss them so much.My husband and I are young yet, I'm 42 and he is 45 so physically I know we could do this and I am an adventurer myself, having grown up on a large farm here, doing edgy things was my middle name, jumping out of barn lofts , scaling large trees(my version of climbing Mt. Everest),fending off gnarly pigs and mad cows, whooooo hoooooo Oh that sounds almost exciting , well it was as a child but now I think I feel up to more adult adventures.
I'm certainly not oblivious to the fact it would take some adjustment and may not be the easiest at first but it seems like all the folks who have done this have been extremely happy they did.
And things seem to keep pointing us in that direction, I am waiting for that one last nudge, that sign, that pushes us over the edge, out of fear, and into freedom. freedom from daily life on land and trying to keep our heads above water.
Unless of course we win the lottery and I have my big, beautiful, sailboat, named "Momentum" and our gorgeous, tropical, secluded, ocean front, Island home. Now wouldn't that be the icing on the cake.
~Karen
Thank you for any and all comments or support you may have in helping us in whatever direction we decide to go.
I'm Karen and I'm new here and am seeking some advice. We have encountered a lifestyle change as a result of my husband being laid off from his long term job,actually the job loss has been somewhat of a blessing, we have had to reevaluate the way we live and have been downsizing and living much, much more simply, although we lived fairly simply before this. I've been a stay at home, homeschooling mom for the last 6 yrs. to our youngest son 13 yr. old Dylan.
Living on one income was a challenge to begin with, no more new cars and keeping up with the maintenance on both of our cars that have well over 200,000 miles now.
So then came the job loss, prospects are slim, but you know we are feeling strongly about not going back to a life of factory work. A "daily grind" so to speak.
We are a year out from floating our mortgage on our savings account, when the savings is done we are done.Selling our home of 16 yrs shouldn't be a problem and would give us the money to buy a boat.
In comes the sailboat idea, been reading a lot about living aboard, and it sounds like a very good solution,I'd rather live on a boat then in a cardboard box
But here is also where I am with all of this, We live in Missouri, I've been on a boat on the ocean once , deep sea fishing, years ago and man oh man did I get sickuke
My biggest concern is seasickness for me, for my husband and son who have never been on the ocean in a boat. But there are so many people who sail do any of them get sick and what do they do, on a rocking boat, on the ocean, docked or cruising ? I have an image of us buying a sailboat and all of us hanging over the edge barfing our guts out,Ewwwww.
And my one other concern that I can think of is being on land all his life can a 13 yr. old (almost 14) adjust to life on a boat? smaller spaces and what about when he wants to get his drivers license, job and the like?I should probably know all the answers to these questions. I haven't been able to find much information about teenagers living aboard.
I have to tell you that cruising around Florida or even the world almost makes me giddy, love tropical warm places.
For a job we would just have to stop here and there and work, somewhat nomadic I know but OK with us as long as we are together. I have 2 adult children and 4 very young grandchildren and would miss them so much.My husband and I are young yet, I'm 42 and he is 45 so physically I know we could do this and I am an adventurer myself, having grown up on a large farm here, doing edgy things was my middle name, jumping out of barn lofts , scaling large trees(my version of climbing Mt. Everest),fending off gnarly pigs and mad cows, whooooo hoooooo Oh that sounds almost exciting , well it was as a child but now I think I feel up to more adult adventures.
I'm certainly not oblivious to the fact it would take some adjustment and may not be the easiest at first but it seems like all the folks who have done this have been extremely happy they did.
And things seem to keep pointing us in that direction, I am waiting for that one last nudge, that sign, that pushes us over the edge, out of fear, and into freedom. freedom from daily life on land and trying to keep our heads above water.
Unless of course we win the lottery and I have my big, beautiful, sailboat, named "Momentum" and our gorgeous, tropical, secluded, ocean front, Island home. Now wouldn't that be the icing on the cake.
~Karen
Thank you for any and all comments or support you may have in helping us in whatever direction we decide to go.