# Living Aboard!



## Chasethedream (Mar 19, 2012)

Good day to the sailing community and thank you for reading this! 
Recently I have become fascinated with the life of living aboard. I am still very young and ignorant to the life of sailing and what it takes to become self sustainable in all the conditions that mother nature can throw our way. I would like to become more educated on the day to day of this lifestyle and be able to make the most of my traveling experience. As I said, I am still very young (20). Currently setting money aside until I can make my first sailboat purchase. My long term goal is to obtain a live-able sail boat and travel the coast (FL)-(CA). Though this is sure to be a few years down the road, knowledge can never come to soon. Again thank you for your time, know that anything you can share with me is appreciated more than you could imagine. 

Much Gratitude, 
Matthew McCarthy


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

A good place to start is the Blog List at the bottom of my post.


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## Chasethedream (Mar 19, 2012)

When I get my first ten post I will be sure to check it out! 
Thank you!!


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## ppiccolo1 (Aug 6, 2011)

chase,
you're off to a good start with that attitude  Try to get crewing on a boat locally, work hard, and sock it away. Good things will happen!


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## tomperanteau (Jun 4, 2009)

Uh oh. Another one bitten by the bug. He's hooked for life.


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## Chasethedream (Mar 19, 2012)

ppiccolo1 said:


> chase,
> you're off to a good start with that attitude  Try to get crewing on a boat locally, work hard, and sock it away. Good things will happen!


Would you recommend checking marinas? I know there may be a few "crews" locally. Though I live in a town more oriented to retired leisure boats I'm sure someone must be willing to take on help. Anywhere else you could recommend for seeking a crew ? Thanks again!


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Commercial charter vessels need maintenance once in a while.I know mine does and often take on crew . Trade work for sailing experience sort of thing If it's fun we do it.


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## wingNwing (Apr 28, 2008)

Chasethedream, you might consider posting in the "crew wanted" thread on this board for opportunities in your local area.

and, PBzeer, I'm honored to discover I'm #1 on your blog list!!! Wow!! (if it was just an accident of chronology, PLEEEEASE don't burst my bubble, okay? )


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## cktalons (Jun 2, 2011)

Matthew,
The best time to get started on the dream is now, when you're young, and free of attachments, so congrats!. Best thing you can do is, as has been recommended, crew a boat and learn the ins and outs of sailing, but you can also delve deeper into your dream of living aboard by searching for boats, figuring out what you want, and visualizing yourself in your dream. Yachtworld.com is a great place to waste/spend time searching for your new girl. If you're going to sail the ocean eventually, you might want to look at full-keeled boats over fin-keeled boats. I'm not sure how tall you are, but you'll want a boat that accommodates your height.

One thing to keep in mind when looking at boats is your stuff: you have more than you think. Some people can live aboard comfortably in smaller boat (26 ft), but most single liveaboards are in the 30-36 footer range. In addition to all the spare parts and tools you must keep aboard for your safety, you'll also need all of your cooking supplies: food, spices, pots and pans; your compliment of sails (you can't exactly put those in space bags); clothes (start paring down now if you have a full closet); and forms of entertainment. wingNwing will back me up when I say if you like to read books, get used to eReading. Nothing takes up more space then a slew of books. If you're a film buff, you might want to look into renting, or online movie services. Every inch of space you have becomes precious.

You'll want your boating life to feel like land-living but on the water. By that I mean you don't want to have the camping feel, as that'll get old fast. Most people who have showers aboard their boats rarely use them, as condensation is a problem, even when the water is turned off, but you may still want a boat with a showering option (boats 30 feet plus will most likely have this option). If you can afford a boat with a refrigeration system (and the power supply to "handle" it) go for it. Nothing gets old faster than having to constantly haul ice into your boat to keep your food cold. I think you get the general idea. Look for a boat with some creature comforts and you'll be less likely to long for land living.

Keep us updated with your progress!


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## joethecobbler (Apr 10, 2007)

Here is a little different approach;
your 20 , why are you waiting for later ? go now.
Why wait till you "know it all" or have learned it all ? that is half the fun. if you wait till then you'll be too old and bored w/ it. go now.
What Boat ? - you already know what boat, a sailboat ! find one YOU like , if you find you don't like it, find someone who does and find another for yourself. go now.
How Much ? - easy question, EVERYTHING YOU HAVE . you can even find them for free ! I just passed on a 23' coranado in central e.coast florida . THe gentleman was giving it away . I even went to look at it. It had everything aboard except a flare gun and an outboard - FREE . go now.( as I already have a couple boats I passed on another)
Experience ? well , if you go now you'll be getting plenty. go now.
Look on craigslist for boats all price ranges. go now. 
Your not marrying the boat if you don't like it get another. go now.
Don't wait till you have "enough" money, you'll never have enough , you've got enough already. go now.

OR, 
Don't , keep opining away your days and years and dreaming along with all the other "dock Dogs" and "internet masters of oceans", grow old, get tied down w/ life, become ill, start a family, take out more loans,buy a house w/ a 30yr. commitment and find that career for a good 25-30 yr. sentence, and just let that dream languish and never actually leave the shore. 
Keep waiting till all the stars align and things are just so. 
I'll update you as I'm living it and you can read about it in my book,blog,etc . and ask yourself why your not !
Or, you could just go now.
just a thought. 
(go now, what's the problem?))


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## joethecobbler (Apr 10, 2007)

Why haven't you left yet?


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## Serendipitous (Nov 19, 2010)

My piece of advice would be to start putting as much $ in the bank as you can. You don't need a fortune to buy a boat and go cruising, but you will need something. And once you get down to that point where you're really close to leaving you'll start thinking to yourself, "I didn't need to go out to dinner all those times, or buy this or that....I would have much rather saved that money for cruising". Cause that's what I'm doing right now.  Just sayin....


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## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

Matthew, You might add to your postings some information about your general location. This might allow some to cite specific opportunities for gaining experience.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Chasethedream said:


> Good day to the sailing community and thank you for reading this!
> Recently I have become fascinated with the life of living aboard. I am still very young and ignorant to the life of sailing and what it takes to become self sustainable in all the conditions that mother nature can throw our way. I would like to become more educated on the day to day of this lifestyle and be able to make the most of my traveling experience. As I said, I am still very young (20). Currently setting money aside until I can make my first sailboat purchase. My long term goal is to obtain a live-able sail boat and travel the coast (FL)-(CA). Though this is sure to be a few years down the road, knowledge can never come to soon. Again thank you for your time, know that anything you can share with me is appreciated more than you could imagine.
> 
> Much Gratitude,
> Matthew McCarthy


I like this kid.

Matthew, you have gotten some great advice that demonstrates the two most common schools of thought in the cruising world- the "Go Small, Go Now" group and the "Build your Budget to Buy the Best Boat" bunch. One of the challenges with joining our merry band of non-conformists is that both approaches, or an approach somewhere in between, are correct. Whether you jump in and flail around or gently wade in until you are comfortable, the most important part is to get in the damn pool.

You seem pretty smart, smart enough to know you know what you don't know. Get some crew time- the more, the better. The more boats you sail on, the more you will know about what you want and what you don't want on your own boat. Put up an ad on the bulletin board of the local chandleries, marinas and sailing clubs, offering to crew, and offering your help to perform gruntwork in return for time aboard. Living aboard is idyllic about 75% of the time- the other 25% of the time it's sweaty, dirty, messy and frustrating, unless you hire others to do the sweaty, dirty, messy, frustrating ,work... and then it is just expensive and frustrating.


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## WildJasmine (Sep 10, 2011)

Just make it happen. My wife and I are in our late twenties and we wish we had done this earlier. We both quit our jobs in Atlanta two months ago, moved to St. Pete Florida, bought a boat (26 foot pearson) and moved on with our dog and cat. If the two of us can live on a 26 foot boat with a dog and cat, your 20 year old self could do it no problem. 

We had ZERO sailing experience when we purchased the boat. ZERO! We take it out every chance we get and are loving the experience. If you go for it, good or bad, you will have memories that you never forget and you wont regret it. If you let the opportunity pass it will just be another "I remember when I almost.."

If I have any advice to give its buy the boat and live on it for a while at a marina with easy access to sailing opportunities. It will give you a chance to understand the boat before throwing yourself out to the mercy of mother nature. We chose downtown St. Pete and we are having an incredible time. Had we chose to live in some po dunk marina in a $hithole town the wife and I would have not be enjoying it as much.

Create a blog for family and friends to keep track and for your memories when you get old and forget. We have a blog for family and friends to follow and they really enjoy keeping up, If you are interested in reading about our journey its at thewildjasmine.com.

Good Luck to you!


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## Hawaiigirl (Jan 3, 2012)

I totally agree...you are young...just DO IT....my husband's dream started when he was younger than you...he kept putting it on the back burner...now he is 53 and he says he wishes he would have just done it...we just moved into our boat...it is 26 feet...our son lives with us...he is 22 We have our dog and our pet squirrel...it has been 8 weeks now...I cannot say the adjustment for me was simple but I can say that I did it and that I am no JUST FINE  The ocean is beautiful...the sea creatures are awesome...the sunset is vibrant...life is sooooooooooo nice....you will love it.


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## brisolle (Aug 27, 2012)

Just do it. There is an old Italian proverb that roughly translates "the cousin of tomorrow is never". Don't wait till tomorrow when you are anchored down with students loans and minor children. Download "Sailing the Farm" and read it. Search or it here, it's in PDF format.


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## ISLANDCHUNK (Aug 7, 2012)

Well said, Joethecobler. I have dreamed about it got the job, the wife, the mortage......regretted it. Finally said "What the hell, the time will never be right, so I took the plunge about 8 months ago....i really really wish I would]ve went when I was 20 not 55. Well Said!!


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## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

I've heard it said that "I wish we would have started cruising forty years ago!" We sailed away in our twenties forty years ago and, yes,- it was a good choice!


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## hank9752 (Sep 3, 2012)

I need some recommendations please for marinas which allow liveaboards in North Carolina. At the end of this month 3 of us will be sailing a 35' Chris Craft from Massachusettes to North Carolina where I hope/plan to live aboard this yacht having just bought it. Looking for a low key marina, reasonably priced, nothing fancy or snooty. Thanks in advance. Hank


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## jarturo (Mar 11, 2012)

Guys ... First post here, hope all is well... After reading a couple
Of posts especially this one, i now know 100% that i donot regret my decision of buying my first boat, an 1973 cal 27 t2..... Been fixin it up to go on my first sail and have learned a ton from the experience... I am 27 years old and beginning, with some experience but never as an owner.... U guys. Thanks you for the assurance and the good posts
Hope to continue contributing... So ill say as
Others have said. Do it now before it is too late... You will gain te experience little by little...


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## sailortrash (Sep 1, 2012)

Where are you located and how much money do you have? I know some great boats out there for less than 10k. Living aboard takes a certain kind of person but if you are that kind of person you will love it. Get out there and search for boats there are a few that the owners will finance because they need to get rid of them. Do it while you can because you won't when you can't. Don't buy the largest you can afford, instead buy the smallest you can live with.
best of luck in you search.
Jared


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## polaris2.11 (Mar 21, 2012)

Hank - 

Here's one:

The Boonedocks Marina

small, low key, near Oriental, allows liveaboards


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## lancelot9898 (Dec 30, 2008)

You know everyone has there own story to tell and advice to give and much can be learned, but you need to digest it all and go your own way. That being said I can tell you my experiences after more than 20 years of living aboard. I bought my first sailboat when in my early 30's having never sailed before. I did not have the intent to live aboard, but rather to explore the Cheaspeake. Prior to moving to the bay area I always loved the water and owned a large row boat with a 25 hp outboard to explore inland lakes where I lived. Sailing seemed to me like a better way to explore. ...and it was in all ways. Not only did I like exploration I enjoyed backpacking and it became a luxury to "camp out" in the boat at remote anchorages. As time went on the liveaboard bug bite me and I sold that boat and bought a larger sailboat which my wife at the time and I could live aboard. A few comments about living aboard. Choose a good marina where transients from all over the world stay. That in itself is priceless. Have your boat setup where you can go out for a day sail without having to put much stuff away. I lived for a number of years without refrigeration, however the ice box that I had was well insulated and a 20 lb of block ice would last over a week even in the heat of the Cheaspeake summer. Plus it was convient getting that ice. I also had a seperate shower aboard and never did have problems with condensation with the exception of very cold days when the temperature dipped into the teens. Thankfully those days were few and far between. 

I've learned that it's not so much about the destination but rather the journey that's important. Good luck in your journey.


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