# Liveaboard woman alone



## paikea

Hello,

Lately, I have been pondering more and more the prospect of buying a sailboat and liveaboard. The reality is I couldn't be more clueless about what it means to liveaboard. 
I didn't grow up and lived next to the sea. The idea of living on a sailboat is not driven by some life long dream to sail around the world, although if I ever get experienced enough that's surely something I would go for. I love exploring the land through trekking and have done solo long distance trekking. But the water is a different ball game. 
I had a sailing course last year and few day sails. And the week before I started the course I was on a sail boat for the first time. That's it as my sailing experience so far. 
One first aspect that I had to consider with this was: can I still do my job from a sailboat? I just need good internet to do it and I am not location bound apart from occasional meetings. After some research I think I answered that question. Although I still wonder if I wouldn't get seasick staring at my laptop for hours with the sailboat rocking on a windy day and if I wouldn't feel claustrophobic. 
So my questions are: what would be the major obstacles and challenges for a woman alone to live on a sailboat, *and* sail a boat. Yes, I would do the necessary education and practice and experience, so this is not something I jump into overnight. Learning about diesel engines, electronics, navigation, charting, sailboat maintenance and repair, solar panels, weather, climate, currents, sailing certificates, etc. All these are possible, these do not scare me. But I don't think its as simple as that. 
What would you see as serious obstacles and challenges? 
So, (in theory) I would live on a sailboat, the first years I would mostly stay put in marinas with the evening/weekend trips out for gaining experience, and sail as well from marina to marina. In future, venture to further locations once I am confident enough. 
Am I missing something here? I am a 44 year old woman and also know sailing a boat does require strength and stamina. 
I am not looking for a "go for it!" , "you can do it!" , I am looking for a reality check. I will step into this gradually. I want to prepare and learn as much as I can in order to make this experience actually enjoyable. Ignorance and naivety does the opposite. 
Thank you!


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## Scallywag2

You are missing living in a 8' x 10' x 6' high room that contains your stove, icebox, sink, living room, toilet, and shower. How do you empty the sewage from your holding tank? Taking your laundry in the rain, heat, or snow to the Laundromat. Filling your icebox or water tanks also in the elements. Were do you take a shower? Aboard? Then you use more water. Denise30 has a discussion on going to the bathroom while handling her boat by herself.
Annie Hill, Lin and Larry Pardey are only a few of the many people that lived on a boat. Click on any web site or blog to read some accounts of current live aboards. 
Dot and John


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## boatpoker

Don't worry about reading the Pardey's stuff, it has nothing to do with what you are talking about. There is a learning curve to living aboard but how steep depends a great deal on where and your own expectations and comfort level. So first question ..... where would you like to do this.

PS. Anybody with an independent mindset and minimal mechanical aptitude can do it.


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## Skipper Jer

Here are a couple of links of women who live on board. 
Liz Clark and the Voyage of Swell
WhiteSpotPirates - YouTube

And why would it be any different for a woman versus a man?


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## tempest

Welcome Pakea, I think you can probably do anything you set your mind to do. 
While there may be some gender related challenges..safety/security come to mind? But these are no different than a living alone on dirt. No? 

Most of the challenges are logistical in nature. 

What is your motivation to live on a sailboat at this time? 

In order for the members here to give you their best advice it would be helpful if you provided a little more info. For instance, You don't say where on planet earth you're thinking of doing this. At Anchor, Mooring, or in a Marina? 

That's going to be a key factor in how easy, difficult, or cost effective it would be. And I think it will help members give you some pointers. 

For instance...Are you somewhere that has winter?


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## deniseO30

If I were actually living aboard I'd be a Dock Dolly. if there was no honey dipper boat service at times when the boat can't move. LOL I'd get a porta pottie Most marinas have laundry facilities or one could find a pick up and drop off service. But I see nothing wrong with hanging panties on the rigging! (so long as the colors are nautical)


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## Capt Len

Consider the Salish sea. (Curve of Time ,Singe woman, six kids explore the coast) Many women live aboard and sail here. Some even build their own vessels Affordable marinas .sheltered anchorage all over. WiFi is common in the south at least. Winter harshness is overblown to keep the hoards away and Mexico is a few weeks downhill when you're ready for more adventure. Lots of good older boats for sale by lots of good older sailors passing the belaying pin and moving to Arizona.


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## Ward H

My boat was next to a guy who had moved up from a 25 to 30' boat. He and his fiancé were planning on living aboard. They lived in an apartment so over the winter they marked out their kitchen and used no more than what they would have on the boat for eating and cooking.
They moved into one small room for all living, sleeping and storage. They survived the winter so they figured they were ready for live aboard life. Sounds like a good way to learn if you can live in small quarters.


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## Westsailforever

Ms. O30 , whats a Dock Dolly ? Paikea it would help if you told us where you plan to live aboard . Just off hand to start with IMO do not get a pet of any kind . One thing to think of some marinas have the foot rule, my marina's min. is 30' , also when you sing up for the slip you need to tell them you plan to liveaborad , it will be extra $ but then you will be leagle. Good luck .


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## deniseO30

oh the boat I mean would be a dock dolly. Kinda like a car that sits on a trailer at car show.. a trailer dolly. sits and looks pretty but doesn't really get used.


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## paikea

Thank you all. 

@Scallywag2 - You bring up good points indeed and certainly something I am taking into consideration. 

@boatpoker - My first idea is East Coast. Might not be a bad idea to get some experience before facing winters. Its not something I have yet mapped. I am planning to hop from marina to marina in the East Coast shortly and educate myself a little. 

@Captainmeme - Thank you for the links. Great links! 

@Tempest - The motivation comes from desire to simplify life, to minimalize in every aspect, the freedom, the challenges, the experiences, the options to learn on so many levels and fronts. I have done the comfy city life. Doesn't work for me. Will living on a sailboat work for me? I don't know, and only one way to find out. Will it be hard if not very hard at times? Of course and that's what I need to identify, what and how much its too hard to become a deal breaker. The only times when I truly felt alive was trekking. And that was hard too, one doesn't shower or sees a proper bathroom in weeks, the backpack contains everything from food to minimum necessities and survival equipment, walking in mountains in average 20K a day with average 20 kg on your back, in rain, or wind, or mud up to the ankles, doesn't sound that much fun, or in heat with thousands of mosquitos around and snakes, or sleep with all sort of rodents crawling all over, no, that doesn't sound like fun either. And I would curse myself at times for putting myself through all that, and yet, I never felt more alive. So I wonder if a sailboat wouldn't give me some similar but yet different experiences. With more comfort actually on the most part. 
As to location, I haven't decided yet, it needs to be East Coast though at this point. Work keeps me between US East Coast and Europe. So while in the US, I am thinking to live and work from a sailboat. A sailboat that I can literally learn to sail out of the marina short trips and then longer trips. Due to the fact that I would be working I will mostly stay put in a marina apart from short trips, but then in years from now I would also have gained enough experience to start longer trips and put work on hold at times. 
Anchor, mooring, marina? I would say marina to start with, but at this point I might have a wrong idea of what these three mean in exact practical terms. 

@deniseO30 - now I have to give up the black panties?  I shall read your posts, you certainly seem to know what you are doing. 

@Capt Len - thank you. I shall find indeed the ladies that do these and try to learn from them. I wouldn't go as far as building my own sailboat, I will be more than happy to end up knowing what's going on with the engine and fixing it myself and so on. 

Thank you all!


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## deniseO30

paikea, on the forums list here you will find "hersailnet" Lots of great ladies there. 
shoot zeehag an email she's a live aboard lady that will give you the straight scoop.
welcome aboard!


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## Gladrags1

A bunch of people live on their boats in a marina. That is, perhaps, the most comfortable arrangements. A little research will help figure out which marinas are lie aboard friendly and which aren't. It makes a difference. Shower ashore and facilities for pump out are important. 

Are you in an area where there's winter? Do they shovel the walks? Boats can get cold and dangerous coming and going. Ice takes on a new meaning. 

Lots of things to consider!

Tod


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## scratchee

You might want to check out everything posted by the user shadowraiths here on Sailnet:

Shadowraiths asks for advice.

She did what you're considering, and apparently loves it.


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## Jd1

A couple of things to consider:
It is rare in the PNW to find a "good" internet connection via wifi. I have no clue what it's like in the east. That might mean you do your work in a STarbucks or McDOnalds or wherever wifi is free. If you just need to send emails that is normally not much of a problem.
If the water freezes more than a little wherever you are then the boat has to be hauled out for the winter. I can't imagine winter on a boat with snow outside ... it's bad enough out here but you don't have to shovel rain 
Given time to learn (and you seem to have that covered) and the treking experience (that I would never do because it's too primitive for me), I think you got most things covered.
Talk to some local live-aboards if you can.
Good luck !


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## alctel

I bought a boat, refit it and now live on it having never set foot on a sailboat before and I love it. I'd say go for it.

Having some mechanical/electrical inclination helps a ton... although you will pick it up soon enough (I hate plumbing with a passion however)


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## xort

Your concern over being a woman should be much less than your concern over singlehanding. Do your research in that area. Not impossible at all but it is tricky when you have no deck hand to help drop or raise anchor or dock. No relief at the helm while you make lunch or pee. Etc etc etc.

Most marinas advertise having wifi. What they dont tell you is how crappy it is! Some are great but most are minimal. Consider a 4g data plan instead. Costs more but more reliable. The only places we found crappy 4g has been NC and Maine.


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## svzephyr44

I will leave all the issues to others with the exception of the Internet.


Getting decent (that means you can actually do work) Internet while sailing is very hard. Most marinas, even those with Internet on the docks (very rare, unfortunately) have miserable backbone connections. When two other boats decide to stream Netflix your Internet response will be gone.

If you want serious Internet almost anywhere in the world including underway the solution is KVH. Figure on about $25,000 - $30,000 one time equipment charge and about $1,000 per month for unlimited access. Add that you will need to fuel a generator (purchase included in my price estimate) because this sucker uses a lot of power.

I have been in about 20 countries and 50 marinas in the last 5 years. About 99.44% of the time (the same as Ivory soap purity) the Internet connection is terrible.

Now, about those black panties...

Fair winds and following seas


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## SVAuspicious

svzephyr44 said:


> Getting decent (that means you can actually do work) Internet while sailing is very hard. Most marinas, even those with Internet on the docks (very rare, unfortunately) have miserable backbone connections. When two other boats decide to stream Netflix your Internet response will be gone.


Internet access isn't quite that dismal.

In my experience, people who work on board end up with a combination of Internet access mechanisms.

The options include:

DSL or cable at the dock (often with the modem and a WiFi router in a dock box)

Community or marina WiFi

Cellular access either tethering an existing cell phone or using a data or "air" card

Satellite access

DSL or cable works just as well on a boat as it does ashore. The issues are the logistics of getting the wires or cable to the boat. Marinas may not be willing to allow you to do this. Even with cable outlets at the slip facility infrastructure may not let Internet through. When you go sailing you leave Internet behind and need some other access. When DSL or cable makes sense I'm a big fan of putting the modem and a WiFi router in a dock box - it's one less thing to disconnect/connect when you go sailing.

Community or marina WiFi is very variable, and as noted above is very dependent on backhaul capacity. Even if your laptop has a strong high-speed signal you and all the other users are sharing the WiFi system connection to the Internet. That could be as slow as 1.5 Mbps. Consumer expectations are driving marinas and public access to higher speeds and better performance. In addition you can get WiFi range extenders that greatly improve the reliability of the WiFi connection between your computer and the shore access point (AP).

Cellular access is readily available. Make sure that there is a good cellular signal from the service provider you choose in the areas you frequent the most. Costs are reasonable and some service providers offer free access to WiFi hotspots; for example, AT&T has attwifi hotspots in McDonalds and many other locations including some hotels. In the US, Verizon has the best coverage although AT&T is faster where there is a signal. The differences are relatively minor.

Satellite access gives you Internet anywhere you can see the sky. Hardware, in addition to being expensive, can be sizeable. There are a number of sources of equipment including KVH as noted above (disclaimer: I am a KVH certified installer and maintainer). There is also an interesting much less expensive alternative called Track-It. Track-It works pretty well with residential grade equipment and functions very well in a slip and pretty well at anchor or on a mooring.

On Auspicious I use a number of mechanisms for Internet. I use a Ubiquiti Bullet from Island Time PC as a WiFi range extender with a Linksys WiFi router inside the boat. I also carry an Alfa USB WiFi device in my laptop bag to improve signals when I am out and about. I have an AT&T data card for Internet when WiFi isn't available or isn't fast enough. In one marina with poor WiFi and bad cellular signals I befriended someone in an overlooking apartment building who let me put a WiFi router on his cable in exchange for computer support. *grin*

As far as living and working aboard is concerned the biggest issues are usually logistic. Where do you keep your good clothes? Where do you shower and dress? How much longer will that take than you are used to? For some women and a few men, just how much "stuff" are you going to need to drag around?

Take a close look at the appliances you use regularly and think about how they transition to a boat. The more you can avoid 120VAC (wall power) the more portable you will be. In my case I gave up my microwave and switched coffee from an electric drip coffeemaker to a percolator. All my kitchen appliances "turned into" a stick blender that I run as needed from an inverter unless I'm plugged into shore power. Hair dryers aboard are problematic when you are not plugged into shower power or using shore-side facilities.

The two biggest issues in winter are heat (and related condensation) and water. Of the two, water is the bigger issue. Some marinas have winter water (water distribution either sunk or wrapped with heat tape). Others have "water parties" where people get together periodically and string hoses together to get water to the various boats. Sometimes you just have to use jugs. If you are jugging it is good to carry a jug of water every time you get on the boat. It is much easier to keep up than to catch up.

In the opposite direction, don't leave the boat without taking trash and recycling--especially paper--off.

Heat and condensation are important. I recommend Roger McAfee's "The Warm Dry Boat." I have found that keeping the boat really warm keeps the metal bits around hatches and ports warm enough to minimize condensation. Ventilation is critical.

If you are the sort of person who sits down and just works you should be fine on a boat. If you get up and down and move around a lot you may find yourself feeling cramped. Files are often a problem. I scan just about everything.

Good luck.


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## deniseO30

svzephyr44, Surely you are saying that is what the host marina should be spending? Or are you intentionally trying to send our new girl packing?


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## TropicCat

From what you've written, living in a small space doesn't sound like 'the' challenge. It's whether or not living on a boat would be something you could both handle and enjoy.

There's a learning curve to boat 'systems', from electrical and plumbing issues to maintaining your rigging and learning to sail. Do you enjoy learning new things? Are you a DIY personality type. If so, there are few things as rewarding as sailing in general, and life aboard a sailboat. But I doubt anyone is qualified to tell you that this would be a life you'll enjoy.

If dropping anchor on the intracoastal waterway in Florida and watching the dolphins swim around your boat is something that would hold your interest... or finding marinas with like minded people and discovering a sense of community is something you'd enjoy, then I'd say...what are you waiting for..??

Do it


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## tempest

Another Logistical issue will be deciding if you will own a car. If not, especially if you need to travel abroad occasionally. Having access to public transportation and an airport are going to be important considerations. 

You'll want to plan for how to manage the vessel in any named storms that might come up the coast. Easy enough if you're in the states, but if you're traveling you'll want to have the boat attended to.


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## svzephyr44

I find myself in a conversation I have been in before...

If you want to live on a boat in a marina then go find an old catamaran with blown out sails, burned out engines, questionable standing rigging and very functional heating and air conditioning. They can be had for cheap. Find a comfortable marina, hook up your cable internet connection and you are "living on a boat" in comfort and pretty cheaply

To me living on a boat means traveling - my preference is internationally. When you do this all of the rules change. For example some islands in the Caribbean have terrible Internet because the most important connection - that from the island to the rest of the world - is slow and unreliable. Also lots of things that work in the US don't work once you get 100 miles offshore. If your work can afford to be without an Internet connection for 25 to 35 days (the amount of time it takes to cross the Atlantic) then lots of the above solutions are viable.

Disclaimer: I am not trying to suggest my life style is "better" or "special." Everyone has their own definition of "cruising" and "living aboard." For some it is can be a very inexpensive alternative to having a residence ashore. You keep everything the same (e.g. car, stores, etc.) and simply substitute a boat for a house. For others, like me, it means taking advantage of my boat to travel the world. Exactly where you will end up will depend on you.

Cudo:
I would definitely listen to the advice from Auspicious. He does know what he is talking about.

Now, lets get back to those black panties ...

Fair winds and following seas


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## svzephyr44

deniseO30 said:


> svzephyr44, Surely you are saying that is what the host marina should be spending? Or are you intentionally trying to send our new girl packing?


No. A marina dedicated to providing good Internet to its slip holders can do it for much less. I am talking about systems that will work 1,000 NM offshore and provide unlimited traffic at reasonable speeds for a work environment. I presume that people who want to "live aboard" have hopes to do more than sit in the same slip 12 months a year and sip sundowners. But that is me, your mileage will vary.

Fair winds and following seas


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## svzephyr44

SVAuspicious said:


> Satellite access gives you Internet anywhere you can see the sky. Hardware, in addition to being expensive, can be sizeable. There are a number of sources of equipment including KVH as noted above (disclaimer: I am a KVH certified installer and maintainer). There is also an interesting much less expensive alternative called Track-It. Track-It works pretty well with residential grade equipment and functions very well in a slip and pretty well at anchor or on a mooring.


I am always looking for a decent underway solution (the KVH stuff is so far out of my price range I just drool.) But I gather that the Track-It-TV is not a solution for underway either? It seems that the need for a stabilized antenna is still the cost and equipment sticking point. Am I right?

On another topic - have you picked up after Herb's retirement? I am planning heading out again this fall (South to the Canal this time.)

Fair winds and following seas.


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## SVAuspicious

Hi Roger!



svzephyr44 said:


> No. A marina dedicated to providing good Internet to its slip holders can do it for much less. I am talking about systems that will work 1,000 NM offshore and provide unlimited traffic at reasonable speeds for a work environment.


Good point. I left out a couple of options for those really heading offshore.

Warning to those that know me: vocabulary follows.

To me offshore means OFFSHORE. Norfolk to Bermuda, Bermuda to Azores, San Fransisco to Hawai'i - those are offshore. Maybe Norfolk to Marsh Harbour. Beaufort NC to Charleston isn't offshore. For outside hops juggle weekends, workload, and weather.

If you are really offshore and can deal with e-mail then either HF/SSB with e-mail or satellite phones will work. In 2006 I was a proposal manager for a deal worth tens of millions of dollars US while I was crossing the Atlantic. Granted it was pre-RFP and I was ashore in time for the hard part but e-mail over HF/SSB (thank you Sailmail) worked fine. If you plan to cross oceans long-range communications should be part of your plan.



svzephyr44 said:


> I am always looking for a decent underway solution (the KVH stuff is so far out of my price range I just drool.) But I gather that the Track-It-TV is not a solution for underway either? It seems that the need for a stabilized antenna is still the cost and equipment sticking point. Am I right?


The KVH and similar deal with pitch, roll, and yaw - all three rotational degrees of freedom. They are like fire control systems on Navy ships. The Track-It only deals with yaw - one rotational degree of freedom. In settled conditions that works fine. When things get sporty and the boat starts to pitch or roll significantly you will get drop-outs and ultimately loss of signal. It's a perfectly adequate solution for a lot of people.



svzephyr44 said:


> On another topic - have you picked up after Herb's retirement? I am planning heading out again this fall (South to the Canal this time.)


I don't consider myself in Herb's category at all. I have done weather for a few people on an individual basis. Chris Parker has good coverage over the Caribbean. I have a lot of respect for him.


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## paikea

Thank you all! Your feedback is much appreciated. I was asked earlier what are my reasons to want to liveaboard. Well, one of them is actually what you all showed me just now, the unpretentious genuine friendship that exists within people living part time or full time on all sort of boats. I used to meet that in trekking too and I found it to be something kind and warm and especially very interesting people. 

@deniseO30 - thank you for the feedback, indeed talking to ladies doing this now will help greatly, reason why I did open this post, to find them. Will soon fly to the US and I will even look up few of them.

@Gladrags1 - indeed all the logistics need to be covered, and for now I will run away from locations with winter. Or take the sailboat to warmer locations when winter comes. But honestly I don't think I would want to handle a sailboat on water during winter. Or I store the boat and spend the winter on land (somewhere!). 

@scratchee - good read indeed. I will contact her as well. 

@JD1 - I am told to be impulsive, but indeed I will take my time to learn and even rent a boat to live on it for few months before buying mine. Internet issue is something I need to dig into a lot because its a serious aspect. Btw, trekking is not primitive, going back to basics, yes, but so is sailing. 

@alctel - you had a lot of guts to do that. I will probably be more chicken to do that, so baby steps for now and then one giant leap for human me. 

@xort - indeed singlehanded sailing is something that I question. And it is risky in many ways, one can easily fall off the sailboat for all sort of reasons, then what? Would I tie myself to the boat at all times? I had the sailing course on a J/22. I have a long way to go to say I could comfortable sail singlehanded a J/22. But then we took out a Catalina 400 (a couple of friends and me) and I cant see myself sail that alone although I am told its not impossible. I am also looking into catamarans, but these seem to be even harder to sail single handed. 

@svzephyr44 - as denise nicely puts it, you want to scare me? there must be some cheaper ways for a good internet, and not depending on a marina. I am looking into this a great deal now. I am read some articles of a couple where he moved his office entirely on a sail boat and sailing around the world now. It seems to work for him, but indeed, I didn't see the investments yet. 
PS- leave the black panties alone, they are not looking for black shorts.  Stick to the internet for now.


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## paikea

@SVAuspicious - wow, that's a lot of data there. You gave me some serious homework here. Thank you very much for writing all that, I have a lot of research to do. Did I mention that I kiss my laptop when it just connects easily itself in Starbucks and I don't have to do anything for it. That's how much I don't like to worry about how I access the internet, so I will need to become pretty good at it. 

@TropicCat - indeed, challenges overall don't scare me nor minimal conditions, but I really wonder, would I not get seasick a lot on a constantly rocking boat. I do love the water, to swim, to scuba dive, I am in awe of marine biology (to the point that I regret not becoming a marine biologist), but living on a boat 24/7 its not all pink and rosey and calm sunsets. And yes, I do love learning new things, too much, this is a curse and a blessing, and another reason why I want to do this, one, I will learn a lot of new things, two, I have the feeling I will also have time to learn/practice other things I always wanted to learn and don't always have time or the stability/routine to keep up with them. Not to mention reading reading reading. 
Regarding DYI, yes, but I cannot say I am handy, I like to do things myself in terms of arts and crafts, well, the boat wont run on my artsy and crafty inclinations.  At home now I have a darkroom for analog photography. I will have to give that up. Don't think there will be place on a sail boat for a darkroom mostly because of a large enlarger. 

@Tempest - I will not keep a car in the US, in marinas I wouldn't be that far from civilization no? I can call a taxi in the end or pay a local to take me to a bus stop or a train station if necessary. But yes, some marinas would be out of civilization, so all these would require some planning. 

@svzephyr44 - yes, if I do end up on a sailboat, the idea is not to just stay in a marina but actually travel internationally. But that will happen in time, in years, at one point part retire and sail around the world. So I am looking at the big picture and the end goal, I will buy a sailboat with that in mind, but it will not happen for some years till I feel confident enough on many areas. Baby steps, first being able to take the sailboat in and out of the marina without to crush yours, and weekend sails, and then to close by marinas and so on. Together with the panties of course.


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## SVAuspicious

paikea said:


> @SVAuspicious - wow, that's a lot of data there. You gave me some serious homework here. Thank you very much for writing all that, I have a lot of research to do. Did I mention that I kiss my laptop when it just connects easily itself in Starbucks and I don't have to do anything for it. That's how much I don't like to worry about how I access the internet, so I will need to become pretty good at it.


You're welcome. Let me know if I can provide any more counsel as you progress. I've certainly done my share of work at Starbucks and McDonalds and public libraries but if the boat is home it is nice to be able to work there.



paikea said:


> @Tempest - I will not keep a car in the US, in marinas I wouldn't be that far from civilization no? I can call a taxi in the end or pay a local to take me to a bus stop or a train station if necessary. But yes, some marinas would be out of civilization, so all these would require some planning.


That depends. The US is pretty car-centric. In cities, even small ones, you can generally manage with a combination of taxis and public transportation and the kindness of neighbors. I can think of many places where even managing groceries can be a challenge without a car. You just have to check ahead before you move and plan accordingly. There are lovely places along the US East Coast where you can get good services (WiFi, restaurant, etc) at or within walking distance of marinas but real shopping will be hard. Great places to visit if you show up with a few weeks of provisions, less fun if you find yourself hanging out in the parking lot hoping for a ride to the grocery.

Lots of people do it. You just don't want to be surprised.

Two resources you should be familiar with:

http://ActiveCaptain.com/ - a tremendous crowd-sourced resource for information about marinas, anchorages, and hazards.

Welcome to the Seven Seas Cruising Association - in your situation availability of Cruising Stations for local information and sometimes support.


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## miatapaul

For me I don't see it being much different for a woman verses a man. Keep in mind there are multiple ways of living aboard. You can be truly minimalist and live in a 27 foot boat (smallest boat I see as being feasible but some live on less) on the hook. Depending on your location, this can be doable at least seasonably. The opposite extreme would be to have a 50+ foot boat in a slip in a deluxe marina with pool, gym, tennis courts, and every amenity imaginable including air conditioning. You will need a big enough boat that will hold what you want on board, but try to keep it small enough to actually take out often. Otherwise you might as well get a power boat, they generally have more room per foot and are less money. So if you are a dainty flower you can do it, or if you are a minimalist willing to live under a bridge you can do it. Really depends on your budget and desires. It will likely cost more to live on a boat than land, depending on how you do it. If you can fix things yourself, and live on the hook it will likely be cheaper, but you won't have running hot and cold water. If you have to pay someone to fix everything on a big boat and want to live in a nice marina near a city center then it will cost more than living on land. 

It really depends on how self reliant you can be, not if you are male or female. We have Zeehag here on the forums, who lives on her own (OK not alone, she does have a cat) currently in Mexico. We also have Denise (she does not live aboard though) here who does her own work on her 30 foot O'Day including some very ambitious work this spring. On the other hand we have some men here that would not think of changing there own oil. So being self reliant is not a matter of male or female. Remember when out to sea, especially in rough water, we all sit to pee! So you can do it living in luxury, or just a small step above being homeless up to you. 

If you are mechanical at all the systems will take some learning, but are not difficult or for the most part even complicated. And doing it yourself will give you a real sense of accomplishment and a knowledge of how they work and can be fixed. This can be very important when out at sea and you have something break.


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## paikea

SVAuspicious - I looked at your website so you sure know what you are doing. I am putting all the data you mentioned together now and start learning about it. Once I know what I am talking about, hence we can speak the same language, I will certainly take you up on the offer for more advise. No point discussing it now because it will go in one ear and come out both ears.  The internet that I need doesn't have to be super strong, but when I am in a conf call and also do a demo via webex I need to make sure I am not cut off. I usually have anywhere from 3 to 15 people on the call. Its bad if I often get cut off, unprofessional. 

Regarding the car- I plan to have a bike to go for groceries. Otherwise, the other kind of shopping, I must have some female genetic mutations because I just hate shopping. 
I will keep a car in Europe. 

I am pleased to say that so far none of the posts I received got my inner drive on this shaken or weaker. On the contrary. It all starts to have a shape and a "hey, maybe this is really possible and not just dreams". 
I am grateful for that.


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## paikea

Thank you miatapaul. 
What I want is a sailboat (catamaran?) that is big enough for my needs, and small enough to maneuver without to risk my boat and others boats in the process (or stupidly kill myself with having no clue what I am doing or taking on things that are not realistic). This is not about budgets to be honest, even if I can afford a big spacy comfy boat, fancy marinas, that's somehow what I run from, the responsibilities and constant pressure to keep that up month after month, the more you have the more stressful it is to keep it running. I am honestly tired of all that, very tired. The more I earn now the less I want to spend on useless things that do not add to my life. 
I will pay anything for experiences and learning new things, but for comfort and useless toys and gadgets, there is only up to a level that I am still willing to pay and invest in regardless if I can afford much more or not. Now I need to find that level, what is the minimum that I am happy with ? 
I want the income to keep coming in for now, hence the internet talk, but then the day to day life should be as simple as possible from the usual daily responsibilities, just freedom from the usual stresses. 
And I really like the concept of being self reliable in everything possible. Hence I will look into wind generators, solar panels, I even read about watermaker, not sure how reliable they are though, to name few. 
I even want to learn to use a sextant and about celestial navigation, because I actually like learning these and once again gives me a feeling of control when the fancy electronic GPS dies on me in the middle of nowhere. 
So my brain can learn all these, but question is , can I physically do it? I cant climb Everest or K2, these would be unrealistic dreams. So I try to find out about sailing and what kind of sailboat (size) I can maneuver alone, manage and maintain alone, etc. I don't personally think I am very handy right now. But will learn things. I have done many things alone.


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## deniseO30

I would say at this point the advice so far is allot of speculation. I suggest you get some real time experience where you are now .. (Europe is pretty large, not sure just where you are hailing from) People have done just what you are proposing for yourself Paikea and found out... "eh... not for me. "

So really, try to find some real time sailing? Go look at boats, make friends or go on group charters even working crew charters. You will know in short order if this is what you want.

The mechanics of how blocks (pulleys) and all kinds of rigging setups on boats and the logic behind it all is MORE important then muscles.

Pulleys are called "blocks" on sailboats. "Effort" is applied by people, through muscle, to rope (lines) to winches, single to multiple pulleys (blocks) but instead of lifting bricks and building materials they are used to manage things like sails, anchors, booms, etc. (all greek to you now, but you will learn soon enough) a 90lb girl CAN sail a 30,000 lb sailboat; if, she knows how to use the simple "machines" in used on sailboats on thousands of years!

HowStuffWorks "How a Block and Tackle Works"

this free online book on small sailboat rigging is great.
Rigging Small Sailboats - Title page
On bigger boats.. the rigging is just that.. bigger. It all pretty much works on the same principle "effort vs load"


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## paikea

Downright Denise. You are very right, and that's exactly what I will do. 
I am now in Latin America for work, will be shortly in Europe and then will fly to US and literally will go to several marinas along East Coast, investigate things, do some more sailing courses, see if I can find ways to live on a boat as an experience etc. 
Maybe you could even show me that project of yours! Its impressive just hearing about it.  
Thank you also for the mechanics, these are the exact things that I want to learn well otherwise its like shooting blindfolded. 
And now I have some reading to do.


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## PBzeer

> So my brain can learn all these, but question is , can I physically do it?


Barring some physical disability, of course you can do it. The real question is making sure you know what you really want to do (and will do). Because that will do the most to decide you on a boat.

When I started out, I thought I would just cruise up and down the east coast with the seasons. And so I did, at first. Then, I stopped to work for a while (I retired early), and now it's a slow go getting back to cruise mode, now that I've re-retired. As much as I enjoyed my time cruising, it's quite comfortable living at the dock. And cheap (at least here in NC).

A boat is a great way to simplify your life. More so, if you're cruising. Once you become capable of handling the boat, then your options are nearly unlimited, and need only conform to your desires, not anyone else's. And you don't have to have a "plan", and then rigidly stick to it. You can mix it up as you go along.

Given your situation, I would suggest something like this ...
Take some courses, crew, charter, what ever you can do to gain experience and learn what you want in a boat. Once you get a sense of what you want, then start looking (generally, newer boats are going to have better, more efficient systems). Once you find what you want and buy it, then spend a year or two at a marina while you learn the boat, and improve your skills (I'd suggest North Carolina, particularly New Bern). Start out with daysails, then weekends, and then longer, until you feel confident with your boat handling skills. Once you reach that point, then you have all kinds of choices.


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## SVAuspicious

PBzeer said:


> I'd suggest North Carolina, particularly New Bern.


John has good points, but for how you describe your life I don't think New Bern makes sense. I think you want to be close to a big airport and New Bern with it's three gates (I haven't seen a plane at Gate 2 in years) is not that - in addition to an extra plane change to anywhere the flights are expensive.

I'm not a fan of South Florida but Miami and Ft Lauderdale are convenient and avoid winter concerns. Hampton VA is a wonderful town and Norfolk has a very good international airport - the local cruising grounds are first rate. Annapolis or Baltimore are convenient to BWI - cruising, especially from Annapolis, is outstanding. Philadelphia is good for travel although sailing on the river is a little constrained. Sandy Hook Bay NJ or Sheepshead Bay NY or nearly anywhere out Long Island Sound might be interesting with good access to Newark, JFK, and LGA. Boston has a very active liveaboard community and good air travel - lots of good cruising.


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## svzephyr44

OK, a number of things:


Size of Boat: In general bigger is more comfortable but more important is faster. An increase in average speed of one knot means 24 NM per day. When you are doing 2700 NM transits (about the non-stop distance across the Atlantic) you gain a day for every four days you sail (most people plan on 100 NM per day on a transit unless they have a very slow boat.) The downside is weight. The heavier the boat the harder it is to deal with that last 5 feet (dock, mooring, etc.) In the "old days" "cruising boats" were built very heavy. The general idea was they were safer. But they were slow and made it more difficult not only docking but trying to avoid weather. So when you look at boats make sure you consider the weight too.
Physical strength: Realize that sailing a boat require physical strength. Ketch rigs exist in part so that each sail is smaller and easier to handle. Trying to furl a headsail when a thunderstorm comes up can easily exceed one's physical ability. (Yes, reef early, reef often!) You can 'trick out" a boat to make it easier (oversized winches, etc.) but in the long run you need to be able to handle the day to day sailing - that means in winds up to about 30 knots. Putting the outboard on the dinghy, raising and lowering the dinghy, and getting that heavy anchor secured properly all require physical strength.
Learning to Sail: I approve of your desire to take sailing courses but in my humble opinion you are spending a lot of money for very little experience. You will get far more experience for far less money crewing on other people's boats. There are crew finding web sites - I post for crew on Find Crew® - findacrew.net by NAUTYCAL - SSL Secure, Worldwide matching of Marine Crew and Boats.. Most of us who have been sailing a while (for me about 57 years and 20,000 NM) have learned a few things along the way. Find Captains who like to teach.
Racing: A great way to improve your skills is to crew on a race boat. Most local yacht clubs have "around the buoy" racing a couple of times a week. For an investment of about 5 hours per race you will learn a lot about sail trim in a short time. Yes, you don't know much but there are always skippers who love to teach (also those who are horror shows and no one will crew with them!)
Buying a boat: Unless you have a specific need to own a boat postpone purchase as long as possible. Boats age. Not only do they lose value over time but the "big deals" are corrosion and condensation. A boat sitting on a dock will suddenly have things that don't work as a consequence. Yes, you will learn how to maintain things. Let Captains on boats that you crew on give you the education rather then using your time and wallet. Plus you really don't have any idea what kind of trade offs you want to make. As an aside Enterprise Rent a Car in the US has a great winter weekend special - $9.95 per day for the weekend. I have rented a whole bunch of different cars from them over the past couple of years. What an education! There are brands and models I would not accept if someone gave me a car. The same is true of boats. Sail on as many different brands and models as you can.
Transit times: Long distance cruising has specific routes and times of year. If you want to get some long distance experience sign on for a transit: Europe to the Caribbean in November, US North to South in November, Eastbound to Europe from the US and Caribbean in June. The commitment would be about a month in each case and the experience would be invaluable.
Budget: It is important that you start to keep records and focus on developing a budget. When you are ready to purchase a boat figure you can only spend 50% or 60% of your "purchase" budget on the boat. The rest you will need for immediate repairs (the ones the surveyor didn't tell you about) and equipment upgrades.
Single handing: Most of my recent sailing has been semi-single handed - I do have the most adorable cat named "XO" (after the second in command on a Navy ship, the Executive Officer. See: XO The Wonder Cat It can get very lonely. Most insurance companies will not cover the boat after a certain amount of time underway (24 hours is pretty standard) until you stop for a rest period (12 hours is pretty standard.) It is also very tiring during long transits as you get very little sleep. Falling overboard is not an issue - we use harnesses to tie ourselves to the boat. That said hell hath no punishment like having a crew member you can't stand and can't get rid of on board. My guess is few of us single hand for the challenge, we just haven't met people we would like to crew with long term.
Single handing in port: A common complaint of most single men is that they are treated like pariahs in port by the married couples. I don't know if being a female would be different but I think not. (poof, he disappears*)

Anyway, I could keep going but maybe more later. I have to get my boat ready for the trip to Panama and then Hawaii in about two months.

Fair winds and following seas 

*_cogito ergo sum_ (I think, therefore I am - René Descartes)


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## PBzeer

My thinking on NC, New Bern in particular, are cost. access to protected waters and options within those waters and year round weather conditions. And while air travel would be simpler in other places, the cost differential of the other aspects should more than make up for it. 3 months in New Bern would get me one month in southern Florida and at least 2 months most other places.


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## svzephyr44

PBzeer said:


> My thinking on NC, New Bern in particular, are cost. access to protected waters and options within those waters and year round weather conditions. And while air travel would be simpler in other places, the cost differential of the other aspects should more than make up for it. 3 months in New Bern would get me one month in southern Florida and at least 2 months most other places.


Having spend far longer than I intended in New Bern I would choose to disagree. The only really protected marina is the one at the Sheridan/Hilton/Doubletree. The others get very "messy" in strong weather. The Neuse is shallow for most cruising boats and gets pretty choppy when the wind is up. In my humble opinion there really isn't any place to sail (how many times can one transit to Oriental to eat in one of the four mediocre restaurants?) And IMHO it is too far North. If I were looking for a year round location on the ICW it would be in South Georgia or North Florida.

Just my point of view


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## CaptDave

You can do it. Size doesn't matter too much. Bernard Moitessier was only 140lb and sailed all over the world alone. That's the about size of the average woman. He wrote several cool books also, so if you like reading you should pick one up.

You'll probably want to stay in each marina for a while since if you are just hopping weekly you'll have to pay transient fees rather than slip rental fees. 

You'll find some marinas are better than others. 

There can be creepy people in marinas also but because there are so many people you'll usually be safe. Most people are friendly and cool, however.

I don't know what kind of woman you are but if you're like the average you'll probably want to make sure the head (toilet) on your boat works well and the sewage holding tank can be pumped out easily. That way it's YOUR toilet. My girlfriend's biggest complaint is the nasty bathrooms at the marinas. It's not the marinas fault usually, it's the 4 or 5 inconsiderate people out of the 20 people that live there that don't clean up after themselves.

As far as internet, if you will be coastal hopping as you state then an easy solution for internet is get a nice 5G cell phone with unlimited data and use that as an internet hub. Not as fast as DSL or brighthouse but adequate for average work, plus it's YOUR internet so no clog ups when other boats around you start streaming the movies. As long as you have cell service you should be good.

A small window A/C unit for the companion way works good. That way you can close the boat up at night and keep the mosquitos out. I'm in Florida so I don't have to worry about the cold winters. 

Good luck. You'll probably have fun. 
-Dave


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## SVAuspicious

PBzeer said:


> My thinking on NC, New Bern in particular, are cost. access to protected waters and options within those waters and year round weather conditions. And while air travel would be simpler in other places, the cost differential of the other aspects should more than make up for it. 3 months in New Bern would get me one month in southern Florida and at least 2 months most other places.


Your points are well taken John. I used to travel a lot. I have a million miles on United. For me, being close to a hub was very important.

Other people may feel differently. A lot depends on how often you fly and for how long. Commuting between the US East Coast and West Coast every week meant I focused on non-stop flights and short runs to the airport, particularly if using a shuttle. I felt the same spending two weeks in the UK and one week in Baltimore. Door-to-door travel time was paramount.

I don't know where the OP is going in the EU. I did a quick check on New Bern to Heathrow ($1500) compared to BWI to LHR ($1000). Transit time increased by half. That's a big deal regardless of whose pocket the money comes from. YMMV.


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## PBzeer

> In my humble opinion there really isn't any place to sail (how many times can one transit to Oriental to eat in one of the four mediocre restaurants?)


I guess it's a matter of perspective. There's more than going to Oriental, especially as one builds confidence with staying out longer. Down to Beaufort/Morehead City, then some open water sailing to Wrightsville Beach. A circumnavigation of the whole Pamlico/Ablemarle Sounds areas. A weekend to Orkacoke or Manteo. An overnight to Belhaven or Bath, or just to South River and practice anchoring.

Yes, it can get nasty, just like anywhere, but when you're learning, you're either going to stay put, or seek the experience of dealing with it.

Though I haven't made it north of Annapolis, I did get here from Texas, so I'm somewhat familiar with the options. And to my mind, NC and the Chessie offer the best areas on the east coast to learn and hone your skills, particularly if you aren't really planning something like a trans-ocean crossing or circumnavigation.

Mostly though, it comes down to what suits each individual.


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## emcentar

I'm a 'weekend' liveaboard, and a fairly new sailor. You've gotten a lot of good advice here, so my perspective will just be the 'things that surprised me about owning/living on a boat'.

1. How do you feel about being shut up in a small rocking boat day after day in the winter? I find I get a bit claustrophobic in my 28-foot boat even after a few days of heavy rain. As much as I love being on my boat in fine weather, I think I will always love my boat more if I have somewhere else to be during long stretches of bad weather.

2. Everything on a boat is more inconvenient than a house. Want to wash out your coffee cup? At home, this is just turning a faucet. On the boat, you must turn on the battery, turn on the water pressure, open the seacock, prime the water pump, and then you can wash your cup. 

3. There's little inconveniences (like the cup), and then there are major ones. No refrigeration, no oven, limited bathing facilities, limited space to move around, no air conditioning or heat - that's your typical sailboat. (After a long weekend on the boat, I begin to understand why most liveaboards live on houseboats or catamarans.)

And then there's surprises that come to you when learning how to sail.

1. Single-handling a boat is hard! It's hard enough to keep things from going wrong when sailing short-handed. When you are alone, you either have to leave the wheel or you have to figure out how to do everything so you don't have to leave the wheel. Whether or not you plan to single-hand eventually, you won't want to do this at first.

2. Sailing isn't just knowing how to sail. Docking in a slip, docking on a dock, (getting out of a slip, getting off a dock), navigation (huh, I wonder what that red and green striped buoy means?), charting a course (why is this person handing me a tide table? don't I just go until I get there?), provisioning (that no-fridge no-space thing again, combined with complicated math figuring out how much water and fuel you need to carry), anchoring (are we moving? are we?), and figuring out all your new systems that can go wrong (why isn't the sail going all the way up? why is there water in my bilge? what the hell is a stuffing box and where do I find it on my boat? why isn't the engine starting? what does my fuel filter do, exactly?)

But can you do it? Of course! Should you be concerned that you are a woman? No more so than any other endeavor in life. You wouldn't live in a neighborhood where you didn't feel safe, and you should shop for your marina the same way. The best thing about living on a boat is you can move the house if you decide the neighborhood isn't for you.

E.


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## Brent Swain

emcentar said:


> I'm a 'weekend' liveaboard, and a fairly new sailor. You've gotten a lot of good advice here, so my perspective will just be the 'things that surprised me about owning/living on a boat'.
> 
> 1. How do you feel about being shut up in a small rocking boat day after day in the winter? I find I get a bit claustrophobic in my 28-foot boat even after a few days of heavy rain. As much as I love being on my boat in fine weather, I think I will always love my boat more if I have somewhere else to be during long stretches of bad weather.
> 
> 2. Everything on a boat is more inconvenient than a house. Want to wash out your coffee cup? At home, this is just turning a faucet. On the boat, you must turn on the battery, turn on the water pressure, open the seacock, prime the water pump, and then you can wash your cup.
> 
> 3. There's little inconveniences (like the cup), and then there are major ones. No refrigeration, no oven, limited bathing facilities, limited space to move around, no air conditioning or heat - that's your typical sailboat. (After a long weekend on the boat, I begin to understand why most liveaboards live on houseboats or catamarans.)
> 
> And then there's surprises that come to you when learning how to sail.
> 
> 1. Single-handling a boat is hard! It's hard enough to keep things from going wrong when sailing short-handed. When you are alone, you either have to leave the wheel or you have to figure out how to do everything so you don't have to leave the wheel. Whether or not you plan to single-hand eventually, you won't want to do this at first.
> 
> 2. Sailing isn't just knowing how to sail. Docking in a slip, docking on a dock, (getting out of a slip, getting off a dock), navigation (huh, I wonder what that red and green striped buoy means?), charting a course (why is this person handing me a tide table? don't I just go until I get there?), provisioning (that no-fridge no-space thing again, combined with complicated math figuring out how much water and fuel you need to carry), anchoring (are we moving? are we?), and figuring out all your new systems that can go wrong (why isn't the sail going all the way up? why is there water in my bilge? what the hell is a stuffing box and where do I find it on my boat? why isn't the engine starting? what does my fuel filter do, exactly?)
> 
> But can you do it? Of course! Should you be concerned that you are a woman? No more so than any other endeavor in life. You wouldn't live in a neighborhood where you didn't feel safe, and you should shop for your marina the same way. The best thing about living on a boat is you can move the house if you decide the neighborhood isn't for you.
> 
> E.


Washing a cup ,for me, is just holding it under the outlet and stepping on the foot pump a few times. 
Keep it simple!
Never had refrigeration. Just learned how to get along without it. Not That hard. 
Keep it simple!
My woodstove keeps me much warmer than most houses do. Several of my clients have told me that their boat is the most comfortable home they have ever lived in. If yours is not , you are doing something wrong. It can be. Most boats need a lot of extra insulation and a good woodstove added.
KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Single handing is easy far easier than putting up with a lot of people, many of whom beg to be taken sailing ,then never show up.
KEEP IT SIMPLE!


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## emcentar

and then there's 

3. You have to learn to put up with lots of ribbing from old salts in your marina and on the internet who've been sailing 40 years and can dock their boat single-handed in a gale at night, who don't understand why on earth such a thing would make you nervous.


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## paikea

When I wrote my first message in here I really expected in some instanced to be a little patronized "here comes the newbie that wants to liveaboard and singlehanded sail a boat and most probably when asked she has to think for a second which one is the starboard and the port". I always thought that to sail and liveaboard and similar situations are for people that lived next to the sea and grew up with sailors and had some sort of background in this. 
I thank you all of you for actually doing the opposite. If I had any hesitations of going down this road no matter how far I would get, that's all gone now. 
A lot of things in life are acquired taste and also its not the first time I would experience something that I wouldn't have thought in a million I would love doing and it turns out to be an amazing thing. 
A little bit like my first day in the sailing course. I don't usually like the wind, I don't like wet cold things either. The first day it happened that we had a serious wind. We were 4 guys and me on a J/22. None of us with any sailing experience. We were honestly holding on to dear life wondering what the heck we signed up for, all actually wondering if we show up the next day. I walked back to the hotel wet and cold and numb. I slipped in a hot (translate that burning hot) bath seriously wondering if I will ever like sailing. 
Next day there was barely any wind, and I find myself wishing for the wind. The next days it all started to creep on me, and then suddenly find myself excited when the boat would tilt and even end up provoke it with sharp moves when jibing and tacking. In the end it turned out to be something I liked very much when I actually gave it a chance. 
It will be the same with other things related to liveaboard and it will have disadvantages too like anything else. I will just have to give it a chance and let it creep on me. 

Once again, thank you all, I am reading every post carefully and taking in a lot. 

And Brent, you are very right - keep it simple.


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## hellosailor

paikea-
I would suggest the most effective next step is to read some books, by the Pardeys and others who have lived aboard and written about it. The Pardeys stayed small, the Dashews went mega, but there are plenty of books and many available in ebook format convenient to your traveling. And of course, "everyone" has a blog now, if you look for them.
Also, a weeklong "bare boat" course, which will put you aboard a boat for a week and immerse you in what boat systems and maintenance need while you are getting some time sailing, and seeing how ordinary life on a boat (seasick at laptop? Confined?) agrees with you. 
On a small boat, you will be hot in the summer and cold in the winter, unless you drag in air conditioning (which is exotic in the north but the norm in the south) and perhaps don't mind the stink of a kerosene heater, which many use in winters. Even if you move around to follow the climate, you'll find your insurance (you'd need liability insurance in some marinas, the risk can be your own risk) may dictate when and how you can be in hurricane country during that season as well. 
For someone who stays coastal or in marinas, there are a number of cell companies offering $45-50 plans that include unlimited data, which throttles down to 2G speeds. But that's still enough for many purposes, and if you need to make occasional huge downloads or uploads, most public libraries also have free Wifi that is faster. If most of what you are doing is passing documents up and down, I think the cheaper slower cellular plans should do just fine.
A lot depends on how much you value the environment, versus how much you demand from it. You might also look at used boats on yachtworld.com and other sources, to see what you think would interest you, and also to see what is commonly and easily bought and sold. If you buy a boat and change your mind, it is going to hurt less if the boat is something popular and easy to sell again.


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## TQA

Wow lots of advice. I agree with nearly all of it but here are my two pennyworth ** Pennies because I am British and we don't do cents. }

I would think monohull not catamaran. Marinas charge more for catamarans, at least 50% extra. It will be easy to find a used 30 ft monohull in decent condition for less than 20k you will have a big choice. There is only ONE catamaran on offer on Yachtworld under 40k. And it has an outboard. Single engine catamarans are HARD to manoeuvre especially in tight quarters. 

Look for something around 30 ft monohull with a diesel and preferably one where the price is reduced because the hull is a bit scuffed up. You will not be so worried if you add a scuff or two.

I think you will need A/C but as others say a window unit or a free standing unit will do, but built in and piped is nice.. 

Note that some of the older cheaper marinas the electrical supply can be marginal and they may ban a/c and heaters.

As for internet access unless you need video conferencing bandwidth you will be OK most places. I moderate a couple of forums and manage from the boat.

Your idea of a bike is a good one I did the intercoastal from Key West up to Washington DC and managed just fine with a bike. The odd place like Beaufort had a loaner car for cruisers to use to run to the supermarket..

Incidentally I am 68 and single hand a 44ft monohull.


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## PBzeer

I would suggest you don't confuse minimal with simple. This point in time should be one of discovering your own set of essentials (amongst other things), which may or may not conform to anyone else's. What works for one person, may not work for another. Or, it may be just what you have in mind. Like learning to sail, learning to live aboard is an ongoing process. I can think of quite a few things I would have done differently, had I known then, what I know now. For instance, I would have put my money in solar rather than wind, because my reasoning for choosing wind didn't hold up to the actuality. 

So read, ask, do ... but remember it should lead you to what works for you.


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## hellosailor

tqa-
Not to be entirely OT but I'm waiting for the Marine Grade Segway.<G>

There's a company called Rino that keeps threatening to ship an electric unicycle that works the same way (levels itself) but last time I looked, they also wanted a fast five grand. Easy to stow on a bigger boat, but five grand buys a lot of cab rides.

All of which is part of why the cheaper marinas tend to be, well, located inconveniently further away from bus and train stations.


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## paikea

This is actually a good point. If I stay mostly in a cheaper marina, but spend a lot to get to airports, I might as well stay in a closer to a city marina. I am though now curious about what is a cheaper marina and what is an expensive marina ( something close to a city center) for a normal size sailboat. 
I read earlier in some marinas to pay like 3000 USD / year and others you could pay even 3000 USD / month for a normal sailboat, but I don't know how true is this. So I will need to do some calculations here at some point. Indeed, how much would I end up spending getting to airports.


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## deniseO30

Three words New York City.


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## PBzeer

As to getting to an airport, if you're living at a marina, you're probably going to know folks that can give you a ride. Or, as is the case here at my marina in New Bern, you can use the shuttle to go to the airport for free. And even if you had to use a cab, it would be cheaper than one in a city with a major airport (in all likelihood).

In my case, I pay an average (32' boat) of $300 a month (including electric, no liveaboard fee). I spend $20 a week for a ride to do my major grocery shopping (can't own a car for $20 a week), and use my bike for everything else. I could make smaller runs, rather than one large one each week, on the bike, but I don't find the cost to be onerous.

A lot depends on what kind of off-the-boat activities interest you. More metropolitan areas will have more cultural venues, clubs, and shopping choices. A place like New Bern (I use it, because it's what I know best) have fewer choices, but are easier for a person without a vehicle. 

Like everything, you have to find a balance between your different needs. If major airport access is your prime need, then you should start from that point. If cost, then, from that point, etc.. It's not like you have to make a decision tomorrow. Take your time, get all the info you can, about as many different facets of the life you hope to live, and then make your choice.


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## SVAuspicious

paikea said:


> This is actually a good point. If I stay mostly in a cheaper marina, but spend a lot to get to airports, I might as well stay in a closer to a city marina. I am though now curious about what is a cheaper marina and what is an expensive marina ( something close to a city center) for a normal size sailboat.
> I read earlier in some marinas to pay like 3000 USD / year and others you could pay even 3000 USD / month for a normal sailboat, but I don't know how true is this. So I will need to do some calculations here at some point. Indeed, how much would I end up spending getting to airports.


I haven't seen $3,000US/month for a 40' boat anywhere although I haven't looked everywhere.

On the Chesapeake Bay slips for a 40' boat generally run $3,000US to $9,000US / year. Utilities (electricity and cable TV mostly may or may not be included; laundry machines when available are usually an additional cost).

To me, the cost of getting to and from airports includes both dollars and time, as does transit time and plane changes. Layovers in airports between flights can get expensive unless you start packing your own meals.

I gave a long list of options that are near major airports earlier. If it were me I'd focus on access to BWI (Annapolis, Magothy River, Baltimore) or ORF (Hampton or Little Creek). Pay attention to the locations of groceries (taking Peapod and other grocery delivery options into account) and any other services that are important to you.


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## SVAuspicious

Thoughts on laundry while living aboard:

Marina machines are often expensive. Laundromats add travel time and often wasted time (why don't more laundromats have WiFi?). Dry cleaners get expensive.

When I had a suit-and-tie job while living aboard I had my dress shirts laundered at the same dry cleaner where I took my suits. I owned enough socks and underwear to avoid running out of clean clothes. Every couple of weeks I'd use the marina machines off hours to catch up on socks, underwear, jeans, and t-shirts. When I had a lot of laundry (sheets, towels, canvas bags, anything else) I'd go to a local laundromat where I could wash and dry everything at once (four or five machines at once).

I did have a car which made things easier.


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## svzephyr44

SVAuspicious said:


> I haven't seen $3,000US/month for a 40' boat anywhere.


As the man said, try New York City!
LOL


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## svzephyr44

One additional thought on why to postpone purchasing a boat...

A yard operator near the ICW and Atlantic Ocean told me that in his experience 60% - 80% of people who dream of cruising come back and sell their boats within 1 year. Just another reason to sail as much as possible on other people's boats until you are sure the life style is for you.


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## cranki

From what I hear everyone living aboard in NYC is living across the river in NJ. It costs me around 7K per year for a 41' boat in Southwestern CT. I am a half mile from a train station and can get to JFK in about an hour. There are not a lot a places around here that allow liveaboards so anywhere you end up will likely have a nice community of folks you can learn from as I have over the past few years.


Winters are hard. AC is good.


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## hellosailor

"everyone living aboard in NYC is living across the river in NJ."
Nah. You can't live in NYC and live in NJ. But there are folks living aboard in NYC, in the outer boroughs, or just across the border in western Nassau. And the rare few in the mud at the 79th Street Marina.
NJ is convenient, but it is The Mainland and will always suffer some stigma for being that. From the NYC point of view.

I think there's also an issue of commuter tax, for those living in NJ and working in NYC.


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## krisscross

Don't over-think it. If this is what you would like to try - go for it. You will figure things out as you go and there is plenty of help available on sites like this one. Even if there may be cheaper options to live, living aboard can be a lot of fun and a valuable human experience in many ways. You will learn a lot about yourself and your ability to solve all sorts of simple and not so simple challenges.


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## paikea

Dear all, 

Considering I ended up on a 16 hours long flight I had plenty of time to go over all the answers in details and make proper notes. When I started this thread I was indeed vague, because I had no idea of a lot of things and didnt know how far I can push this , now and later in years from now, your answers greatly helped me put a picture together. 
My ultimate and ideal objective would be to end up sailing around the world, not a "race" sail, but going with the flow and the wind wherever, my home being a boat in every sense of the word and the world being my backyard. This fits very well with me personally, my mindset and my interests and loves. But honestly for years I just considered that as idealistic thinking. 
I thought of starting now with getting used to boats, living on boats, sailing as much as I can to gain experience. And for the moment keep working. What I realized now is that there is no way I could sail longer distances ( ie. 3 weeks) and still work on the boat at the same time, regardless I have internet or not. It would be downright irresponsible for solo cruising, the boat doesn't sail itself. So for now, as denise said, I will focus on gaining sailing experience and learning about boats from every aspect, what would I want and expect from a boat, crew on some as I also learnt is also possible even if my experience is small. If after that I still want to go on, buy a boat, fix it to my needs, choose a nice and convenient marina for me considering the occasional trips too, be there for 6 months or one year, good internet next to a marina now I see its very possible thanks to SVAuspicious and svzephyr44. Weekend sails, experience gaining, and then I can start to hop from marina to marina, these are shorter trips, and then years from now internationally but not working while I cross. I even learnt that I can hire someone to sail my boat while I fly there and hence keep working. Although I would worry a lot. My life would be on that boat. 
In rest, you all addressed very good points, but if you personally knew me, you would also know that they wouldn't be big issues for me, ie, small space, small bathroom, limited things, limited water, cooking in small places with hardly any kitchen appliances, etc. , learning diesel engines and plumbing and electronics, that will be fun for me, not a chore. Carrying water and emptying sewage, part of life like anything else, doable. I would seriously run from winter on a boat, that's not me! There I draw the line.  
What truly worries me is feeling seasick because I am too much on a laptop on a rocking boat or not being able to do my job on a boat because of that or other reasons. 
The other thing that worries me is not being able to handle/sail the boat. It does require strength, and on serious winds that becomes an issue and risk, for me and for all of you out there.  I don't say that women are less capable then men, but even if I want to change the tire on my Wrangler, I can tell you, its not a small tire.
All in all, you all helped me put a part of the puzzle together and now I see maybe this is not an idealistic dream after all. 

Thank you!


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## deniseO30

Ah... the second thoughts are setting in! There are children sailing solo around the world, You can't change a tire because you haven't learned the "logic" you would use to do it without muscles.

This book is inspiring!
http://sailing.about.com/od/introductiontosailing/fr/Maiden-Voyage-By-Tania-Aebi-Book-Review.htm


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## paikea

Thank you denise, I love book recommendations!
No second thoughts, just like to do a good homework. I have done plenty of dumb things in my life as it is.  This I hope wont go on that list. 
And you are very correct, when its done with logic and some basic physics involved, the muscle can be sorted out. It was a pain though doing that in the mountains 4x4ing, with a pouring rain and mud/slipping everywhere.


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## krisscross

paikea said:


> What truly worries me is feeling seasick because I am too much on a laptop on a rocking boat or not being able to do my job on a boat because of that or other reasons.
> The other thing that worries me is not being able to handle/sail the boat. It does require strength, and on serious winds that becomes an issue and risk, for me and for all of you out there.


I have been sailing for many years and I have gotten seasick a few times, but it was always in bad weather. It was not fun, but it can be handled in several ways. Eventually you get used to it. Unless you are especially susceptible to motion sickness (people who get sick just being a car passenger for an hour) this should not be a big issue, and never when you are parked at a marina. I love when the boat rocks a little when I'm anchored somewhere. No problem with cooking, reading, or any other activities.
Handling a boat is a bigger issue. You don't want to get a boat that is too big. With a bit of practice you should be able to handle a 30 foot boat, even if you are a size 2 and 5'0". The key is doing things in a prudent fashion and avoiding rough weather. Having a reliable engine helps a lot too.


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## paikea

deniseO30 said:


> Ah... the second thoughts are setting in! There are children sailing solo around the world, You can't change a tire because you haven't learned the "logic" you would use to do it without muscles.
> 
> Ahh Denise, now I realize why you said I might have second thoughts.
> I ended my post with "now I see maybe this is not an idealistic dream after all."
> English is not my mother tongue, to me saying "idealistic dreams" is like saying I am dreaming the impossible. Or as we say in my country "dreaming green horses on walls".
> So me writing "this is not an idealistic dream after all", that's me saying, "hey maybe this is not an impossible dream after all".
> But maybe I am using the idealistic word in a wrong context and I end up saying something else.


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## krisscross

You must be Romanian then.


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## paikea

Indeed Krisscross, born there, but left the country long ago. Now how on earth would you know that?


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## krisscross

The magic of Google?


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## svzephyr44

Paikea..

I loved your long post and thank you for the complement.

In the United States the Navy Seals are one of (in my humble opinion the best of, but then I spent 30 years in the Navy) the most elite special forces organizations. Seal training is very difficult, even with picking the "best of the best" to start the training program a very large percentage drop out along the way. Potential Seals train for 26 weeks before even going to the actual Seal training program. In the center of the training compound there is a bell. If you want to drop out you ring the bell. Like potential Seals perhaps the most important attitude one can have in solo sailing is *never ring the bell!*

When I first started solo sailing I joked about switching from plan "A" to plan "B" when plan "A" wasn't working out. It became a standing joke when on one particular trip I got up to plan "K." Since then I have been in 50 knot winds, 15 foot seas, lost rudder control 1,000 NM offshore, watched my jib shred itself to death in a thunderstorm when the furler jammed and a bunch of other stuff I will not bore you with. I think you have a rational approach to learning and doing over the next years. You may end up solo circumnavigating (one of the most elite clubs on earth - I was once told it is smaller than the number of people who have climbed Mt Everest) or change your mind and do other things. But along the way you will learn, have fun and have some disappointing experiences. It all comes with the territory. And when you are ready to start your solo circumnavigation you can stop being rational because only crazy people like us try it. So good luck and just remember:

*Never ring the bell!*

Fair winds and following seas


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## SVAuspicious

svzephyr44 said:


> It became a standing joke when on one particular trip I got up to plan "K."


Oh man Roger. I don't think I've gotten beyond plan "E." Keeping morale up and motivation high just gets harder and harder. You just have to buck up and do what needs to be done.

+1 *Never ring the bell.*


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## Andrew65

You're analyzing it death Paikea. Just find one and do it. You wouldn't be the first person to buy a starter boat only to sell it later for "the one".

There's all kinds of levels of liveaboards if you haven't figured it out. 

The previous posts spell it out and it's one well l might add.

Romania wasn't hard to figure out.


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## lancelot9898

If you're considering living aboard look at the recent thread here entitled "Interesting Little Video".


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## captain jack

miatapaul said:


> Really depends on your budget and desires. *It will likely cost more to live on a boat than land,* depending on how you do it. If you can fix things yourself, and live on the hook it will likely be cheaper, but you won't have running hot and cold water. If you have to pay someone to fix everything on a big boat and want to live in a nice marina near a city center then *it will cost more than living on land. *


it must either be very very expensive at marinas where you live or housing is super cheap.

were i live, my marina is $200 a month (no security deposit). my girlfriend pays almost $600 a month (plus security deposit) for her crappy little efficeiency. both ways a laundrymat is necessary. she pays for internet. my marina has free internet access. she pays electric. my marina includes electric. her apartement, without figuring in the electric and internet, is 3 times the cost of my slip.

plus

i own my boat. if i decide to go to another marina, i simply sail away. no packing and moving. she owns nothing at all. if she decides to move, she has to actually pack up and move. she can't paint or do anything to change her apartment. it's not hers. my boat is mine. i can change it as i like. of course, i am responsible for all my own maintenance. she is't. however, if my boat needs fixed, i don't have to wait for maintenance to do it. her ac went out last summer, right in the middle of the dog days. it took two weeks and a number of phone calls to get them to come fix it. small efficiency. no windows. no portholes. no hatches. ground floor, so, you can't have the patio door open except while you are home and awake. all equals no fun.

of course, i don't insist on the country club type of marina. my marina is nice but it has no pool or any of that stuff. there is a bar/restaraunt right on the lot, so that's nice. never gone there but, it's nice to have the option. the marina has outside water during all of the year but winter. it has really nice, very clean bathrooms and showers (one for blokes and one for sheilas). small marina so i've never had to wait to use the shower. it has internet. shore power. and a picnic table. add the bar and all needs are met. walmart is ten minutes away as are west marine and home depot. food and liquor stores are closer than that.

my slip fees are less in winter, too. her rent never changes. the marina has heaters in the water. the bay froze over (at least everywhere around me) last winter. fairly thick ice. but the ice never reached my boat. it stayed on the water all winter with no problems. plus, the marina is a hurricane hole.


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## paikea

Thank you for the input Captain Jack. Much appreciated. If I had any doubts and hesitations before, with this thread and all the inputs I received, they are all gone now. 
Currently just started another sailing course and very much looking forward to move slowly forward with this.


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## hellosailor

jack-
You bought your boat. Your gf shoes not to buy here residence. So you're comparing apples to oranges. If she pays $600/mo in rent, it is possible that she could buy into a condo or coop (since a house would be incredibly larger) and pay half of that. Or perhaps twice that, depending on the location, which again is not part of your comparison.
Apples to oranges.
In fact, someone does own her residence, and they've chosen to rent it out because, ergh, they can make money as a landlord renting out an apartment, while you can't make any money renting out a boat the same way. Can you?
Make that, apples to qumquats.


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## zedboy

Yeah, but if his residence is his Cal 2-27, it may have been less than a year of his GF's rent.

We're not talking about the marina costs after you invest in a HR-53...


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## captain jack

hellosailor said:


> jack-
> You bought your boat. Your gf shoes not to buy here residence. So you're comparing apples to oranges. If she pays $600/mo in rent, it is possible that she could buy into a condo or coop (since a house would be incredibly larger) and pay half of that. Or perhaps twice that, depending on the location, which again is not part of your comparison.
> Apples to oranges.
> In fact, someone does own her residence, and they've chosen to rent it out because, ergh, they can make money as a landlord renting out an apartment, while you can't make any money renting out a boat the same way. Can you?
> Make that, apples to qumquats.


i did mention ownership, if you notice. however, since the slip is rental (i don't own the marina), it's not really apples to oranges. aso, my 1971 sailboat was exponentially less expensive than a house...even one of the same vintage. if you want to compare apples to apples and you think house ownership is comparable to boat ownership with slip rental, then you have to figure in purchase price.

small 1971 house (around here) around $200,000. $100,000 if it's a real dump. of course, that means very high repair and renovations costs, so lets make it simple and stick with $200k. a 27 foot 1971 sailboat around 3k to 4k, in excellent condition. if ,like me, you get one off of the lean dock and it needs a little TLC (which you are able to do yourself) then $300 to buy but far less to fix up than the comparable house. so, still, the boat is cheaper.

and, while the boat owner has to pay slip fees, even when the house owner is done paying the bank, he is never done paying uncle sam rent on the house and land....oh. right. they call that taxes because you supposedly own it. sorry. my mistake.


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## captain jack

zedboy said:


> Yeah, but if his residence is his Cal 2-27, it may have been less than a year of his GF's rent.
> 
> We're not talking about the marina costs after you invest in a HR-53...


it was less than a month of my girlfriend's rent. and those a very good points. that is my point exactly. yes, if you buy the newest and biggest boat and rent the most expensive slip in the swankest marina, the cost of live aboard might be very high, indeed. but, no one is talking about doing that, as zedboy pointed out. my point was that doing live aboard can, and shoud be, less than the cost of living on land in an apartment...with the added benefit that you can sail the boat. you can't sail a building, outside of a monty python movie.


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## hellosailor

jack-
You're right, the comparison isn't quite fair because of what's owned and what's not. Of course she can buy a trailer and rent a space in a trailer park, that's more comparable to a boat in a marina. Or you can buy into a dock-o-minium and "own" the dock. Many ways to go but I'd bet the 1970's house is at least six times more square footage than your boat. Property taxes, water, sewer, fire taxes, all that stuff gets paid either way. As a property owner you pay, even if you're not passing that on directly to your tenant, who might be in a boat slip or an apartment.

You can live cheap on a boat, sometimes in some places. Heck, I know someone who bought a four bedroom two garage house for a monthly mortgage that was less than the rent on a two-bedroom apartment. Of course, they were in Kansas and the apartment was back on the east coast....Apples to qumquats.(G)


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## TropicCat

captain jack said:


> were i live, my marina is $200 a month (no security deposit)....... my marina has free internet access. she pays electric. my marina includes electric. her apartement, without figuring in the electric and internet, is 3 times the cost of my slip.


Wait..... you pay just $200 a month for your slip with electricity? Where are you??? Since the economic recovery, prices are nudging upward to $10-$12 a foot around these parts, electricity is metered for the most part. If not metered, you're charged a "live aboard" flat fee of $150 a month. I think we can assume you don't live on a 18 foot sail boat?

You've got a real deal where ever you are. Care to share your location?


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## captain jack

TropicCat said:


> Wait..... you pay just $200 a month for your slip with electricity? Where are you??? Since the economic recovery, prices are nudging upward to $10-$12 a foot around these parts, electricity is metered for the most part. If not metered, you're charged a "live aboard" flat fee of $150 a month. I think we can assume you don't live on a 18 foot sail boat?
> 
> You've got a real deal where ever you are. Care to share your location?


in glen burnie, md. just off of the bay. it's a 27' boat.

by the way, i'm not being a hog about the electricity. just want to throw that out there. it really just powers my power tools, charges my battery, and charges my computer and cell phone. i don't have refrigeration. i use the ice box. my lights (LED) run off of my battery. it will power my heat, this winter. but, that wil only be when i am home. and, i won't need a huge amount of heat. after a lifetime of riding motorcycles (and sailing) all winter, as well as two semi-extended periods living in totally unheated/cooled buildings (not by choice but by economic need), i don't need it super hot inside. most people keep their houses way too hot for me.

anyhow, i don't use tons of electricity.

i was planning on staying here for a number of reasons (i like the area, it's a hurricane hole, and the owners are super nice) but, reading your post makes me sure it's a good place to stay. i hadn't realized just how good a deal i had. of course, your post worries me a little, too. the owners may be thinking of selling and, if so, the new owners may decide to change things when it's time for my contract renewal.

i pay monthly. $216 during the season and $189 off season. if i paid a year in advance, it would be cheaper. however, my finances aren't set up, at present, to take that big a hit at one time. hopefully, next year. this year hasn't been very good, financially....not like last year. but, it can't stay that way forever. all the resumes sent out and job contacts made have eventually got to bear fruit and score me a better job, more in line with the pay scale to which i am accustomed.


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## captain jack

deniseO30 said:


> Ah... the second thoughts are setting in! There are children sailing solo around the world, You can't change a tire because you haven't learned the "logic" you would use to do it without muscles.
> 
> This book is inspiring!
> Tania Aebi Maiden Voyage Book Review - Best Sailing Books


great movie. i did not know there was a book. must read it! she's awesome. her folks must be seriously proud of her.


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## Andrew65

captain jack said:


> great movie. i did not know there was a book. must read it! she's awesome. her folks must be seriously proud of her.


After reading your posts, you'll enjoy her book. I had it at one time, never for it to be returned by a guy who was getting talked into sailing away with a girl by the girl, go figure

I am still pissed off about him not returning it and that was 15 years ago!

It's a great read about literally getting pushed off into the deep end of the pool and coming out on top.


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## paikea

Andrew65 said:


> After reading your posts, you'll enjoy her book. I had it at one time, never for it to be returned by a guy who was getting talked into sailing away with a girl by the girl, go figure
> 
> I am still pissed off about him not returning it and that was 15 years ago!
> 
> It's a great read about literally getting pushed off into the deep end of the pool and coming out on top.


Ah yes, my amazon order is arriving soon with this book and few more recommended to me in here by some of you.

All in all, living on a boat/marina has expenses just like living on land. And just like living on land, it comes down to the individual, the responsibilities, the economics, the wants and needs, and for that matter the IQ. I have seen it plenty on land where some people make it way more expensive than it has to be or are incredible wasters.


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## zeehag

i have to laugh at some of these responses.. only those already residing on a sailboat and cruising are in true knowledge of the realities in and of our lifestyle. the rest conjecture and generalize to an unrealistic level.

there are many sola females in sailboats enjoying our lifestyle on this planet. we dont advertise much. we ARE sola, after all..


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## captain jack

Andrew65 said:


> After reading your posts, you'll enjoy her book. I had it at one time, never for it to be returned by a guy who was getting talked into sailing away with a girl by the girl, go figure
> 
> I am still pissed off about him not returning it and that was 15 years ago!
> 
> It's a great read about literally getting pushed off into the deep end of the pool and coming out on top.


what's funny, is that i was thinking of a different girl. i saw the book title and assumed it was the book for "maidentrip". biut, that's a different girl and she sailed around the word, solo, at an even younger age (i wouldn't say 18 yrs old is a child. it's the lowest end of my dating range ). still, i am going to find a copy of "maiden voyage". i see there is a cat on the cover. i hope it doesn't drown in the book. i hated that part of "dove".

it was your post and the mention of your copy being swiped 15 years ago that made me realize all was not as i had thought.:laugher

while we are on the subject, anyone who has not watched "maidentrip" seriously needs to get on netflix and watch it. i've watched it twice.


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## Night_Sailor

One interesting thing is boats are cheap right now. I've never seen them so cheap. A friend has two boats and is selling a 50' ketch for less than 100k on yachtworld. It is a steal at that price and it will probably sell for less. 

I've saw a sweet looking Swan 48 for $159k recenly. Compare this to buying a house. It is cheap and you live on the water.

Additionally, buying a boat to live on full time, many banks won't loan you money it if will be your full time residence. Don't tell them you plan to do that. Call it a second home.

I second the other comments about sailing alone. Don't do it. I deliver yachts frequently and sometime I have to move them alone. There are many pitfalls associated with sailing alone It is a bad idea. Have help moving the boat, and the more experienced the better. Consider hiring a Captain to help you move it and give lessons at the same time--or even ahead of time. For training, it is not the school that matters--it is the instructor. Find a good one and stick with him or her.


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## Night_Sailor

paikea said:


> Dear all,
> 
> What truly worries me is feeling seasick because I am too much on a laptop on a rocking boat or not being able to do my job on a boat because of that or other reasons.
> The other thing that worries me is not being able to handle/sail the boat. It does require strength, and on serious winds that becomes an issue and risk, for me and for all of you out there.  I don't say that women are less capable then men, but even if I want to change the tire on my Wrangler, I can tell you, its not a small tire.
> All in all, you all helped me put a part of the puzzle together and now I see maybe this is not an idealistic dream after all.
> 
> Thank you!


You won't get seasick at a marina or anchor. Sea sickness is common offshore in bigger waves. It takes a day to adjust and the key is not to eat. I drink Protein shakes and take Stugeron. So forget about feeling sick while working at anchor or tied up in a marina--it won't happen.

A woman can do anything a man can do on a boat. If you are not as strong, get a longer winch handle for more leverage. A 12" winch handle is 20% easier than a 10" winch handle.

Take class room courses, read books, take instruction on the water in small boats and become really good on small boats, and you will understand what is important on larger boats.


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## captain jack

Night_Sailor said:


> I second the other comments about sailing alone. Don't do it. I deliver yachts frequently and sometime I have to move them alone. There are many pitfalls associated with sailing alone It is a bad idea. Have help moving the boat, and the more experienced the better. Consider hiring a Captain to help you move it and give lessons at the same time--or even ahead of time. For training, it is not the school that matters--it is the instructor. Find a good one and stick with him or her.


you need captain Ron!:laugher


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## captain jack

Night_Sailor said:


> A woman can do anything a man can do on a boat.


well...almost anything. it's pretty messy if a woman tries to stand up and pee on a boat.


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## captain jack

disclaimer: obviously, the last two comments were made in good fun and should, in no way, be considered as serious additions to the subject of this thread or as serious statements of opinion (although it really does tend to get messy if women pee standing up). Captain Jack is just feeling a bit mischievous tonight


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## paikea

Night_Sailor said:


> Take class room courses, read books, take instruction on the water in small boats and become really good on small boats, and you will understand what is important on larger boats.


Thank you Night Sailor for your feedback. It is much appreciated.

Buying a boat its still an early step for now. And when I will buy it there will be no banks involved. I don't like any sort of debts. 
I am looking for more modest achievements for now and build towards the point when I am ready to buy a boat by actually fairly know what I am doing, what I am purchasing, so indeed, reading about many things as I go along and asking many questions.

This is exactly what I do now, sailing courses on smaller boats, after sailing a Hunter with an instructor for a while, few days ago I had my first time to sail a Laser totally alone. Of course I capsized the boat the first day, but I couldn't have been more proud of myself when I managed to get it back up, climb back on it and then sail it for the rest of the evening without a second capsize and even managed to do few tacks where I actually felt in control of what I was doing. What an awesome feeling! Of course compared to what most people in here do that's nothing, but for me , considering I don't have a background in sailing and life at sea, that was something, just another step to get me closer to ending up living on board and at one point cruising.

With this thread and all the feedback I am now confident and have no doubt that sooner of later I can do this. Especially when now I can actually see exact ways to get there, and they are all tangible and achievable ways.

Its funny how these days I wake up and now check the wind for the evening when I go sailing.


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## paikea

captain jack said:


> disclaimer: obviously, the last two comments were made in good fun and should, in no way, be considered as serious additions to the subject of this thread or as serious statements of opinion (although it really does tend to get messy if women pee standing up). Captain Jack is just feeling a bit mischievous tonight


Captain Jack ,

 Not really, in trekking there are some interesting devices that help women take care of this standing as well, with a hose attached to it you even get it all the way in the sea directly with not a drop touching the boat in any way.

In fact, it might be trickier for a man when the wind suddenly changes.  I am sure wouldn't be the first time.


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## SVAuspicious

captain jack said:


> well...almost anything. it's pretty messy if a woman tries to stand up and pee on a boat.





captain jack said:


> (although it really does tend to get messy if women pee standing up).


It gets mess if men pee standing up. Take a look at the floor under any urinal on land. If men can't hit a target on land how will they do so as they sway back and forth on a moving platform with a moving target. Forget it. EVERYONE sits on Auspicious. I catch anyone standing they are on head cleaning duty.



paikea said:


> few days ago I had my first time to sail a Laser totally alone. Of course I capsized the boat the first day, but I couldn't have been more proud of myself when I managed to get it back up, climb back on it and then sail it for the rest of the evening without a second capsize and even managed to do few tacks where I actually felt in control of what I was doing.


"The big boats get the glory but the small boats make the sailor." Falling in really accelerates the learning process. *grin*

I learned on 420s and Lasers. The experience has served me well. I still get out on an Opti once in a while to get wet. *grin* J/22s and J/80s are much less likely to be capsized and you can learn a LOT.


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## svzephyr44

SVAuspicious said:


> "The big boats get the glory but the small boats make the sailor." Falling in really accelerates the learning process. *grin*.


I learned on a Sailfish. Not even a "cockpit" as those who learned on a Sunfish will understand. (For the rest of you, a Sailfish was the grandfather of the Laser - a plank with a centerboard, tiller/rudder, and lanteen sail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailfish_(sailboat) Flipping over was a frequent occurrence. Mostly its purpose was to get my girlfriend du jour's shirt wet. OK, I was a teenager. Would still do it though. There are two great things about these little boats e.g. Sailfish, Sunfish and Lasers:
1) They really respond to whatever you do with the sails. A big boat might take 15 or 20 seconds to respond, not great for learning the impact of what you are doing,
2) They don't empty your wallet when you flip them over. Even if you really screw up the cost of repairs is pretty minimal. Pushing them to the edge is therefore less stressful then doing it on something bigger, even great learning boats like the little "J's"

During the same time frame above a good friend of mine was permitted to sail his girlfriend's father's O'Day day sailor. He flipped it and put the mast in the mud. This was not a good day for his relationship with her father. The good news is that he and she (the girlfriend) have been happily married for several decades. So he did come back from the dead.

I suggest you spend as much time on Laser's and 420's as possible. They are great learning boats. In addition, once a Laser sailor, always a Laser sailor. Click over to Proper Course to see what I mean.

Fair winds and following seas


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## Stteve

Hello I have made 62 trips around the sun and am now looking at doing exactly the same thing! However as a male I don't have some of the same concerns. My home is in pa but I am in florida right now looking for a sailboat to use as my live aboard. Think I want a center cockpit boat with a wide beam and about 38 - 45 feet in length.. Good luck to you and enjoy!!!!! Stteve......


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## svzephyr44

Not to move this into the realm of $500 per month but ...

My friend Ed just purchased a Cascade 29 for $1,500. It is a very old boat but is in quite good shape. Now Ed solo circumnavigated on a Cascade 29 about 20 years ago. Looking at the gleam in his eye I could see him sizing her up for his next trip.

Consider the investment. Yes, the boat is small. But, for someone who is considering living aboard it might be a great first boat. Decide you hate living aboard. You are only in it for $1,500 (or less, there are quite a few very sound very old boats around.) He sailed the boat from Sunny Side to Rock Hall. His only problem was lack of wind.

From a platform like this I think it is much easier to imagine what it would be like to live aboard a bigger boat. More space in the galley. More space in the cockpit. etc. The advantage is you are experiencing living on a boat. Having to fill water tanks. Batten down when bad weather threatens. Learning how finding good WiFi is a pain in the stern. Dealing with things as they break. Experiencing the "outdoor" lifestyle (bugs, heat, cold, etc.) All for a very modest investment.

Fair winds and following seas


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## paikea

SV Auspicious and svzephyr44, you two have been nothing short of amazing in your support and valuable input.
You two became somehow my sailing mentors  and I am sending you both my appreciations. Somehow I will not remain in debt. 

Yesterday I sampled a 420 for the first time, even had a race! Well, we were just following everyone else pretending we knew what we were doing and at one point we just sort of ...got lost.  
I have to say , out of the J/22, 420, Hunter and Laser, the Laser is by far the one I like the most. Its sharpness its most refreshing. But also because there I just depend on myself and gives me a better sense control and security.


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## captain jack

paikea said:


> Captain Jack ,
> 
> Not really, in trekking there are some interesting devices that help women take care of this standing as well, with a hose attached to it you even get it all the way in the sea directly with not a drop touching the boat in any way.
> 
> In fact, it might be trickier for a man when the wind suddenly changes.  I am sure wouldn't be the first time.


wow. really?

there are more things under heaven and earth, Horratio....

i wouldn't think the ability to stand and pee, rather than crouching (as most of my girlfriends have done when peeing out doors), would be of great enough benefit to warrent the brain cell use to make such a device or the room in the back pack it would take. no matter what, you are still left with having to crouch to do a #2...whether you are a man or a woman. (they don't have a device to let you do that standing up, do they?)

i would think that, unless water is plentiful and easily available (while hiking, not boating), it would be difficult keeping the 'extension' clean. there is an old rhyme i heard when i was young. you may have heard it. i think most guys know it or a variation of it:

you can shake it, you can flap it
you can beat it on the wall
but when you put it in your pants
the last drops will fall

without washing out, i'd think the extension would have that same problem.


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## paikea

Actually I do have a quick question. 
While we were sailing yesterday, I was told that to reach maximum speed on a sail boat, one trick is to keep the boat leveled on water (mast perpendicular to water surface) , that could/would also be translated onto maximum boat water surface area. And that confused me a little. I read a little about the physics of sailing some time ago. I understand the different forces involved, the buoyancy, the weight of the boat, the keel implication but for some reason my understanding was that the maximum speed is reached at a stable balanced angle of the boat to the water, and not on a perpendicular position. Probably I thought of that also because the perpendicular position gives a higher boat to water surface area and hence higher water resistance. But I might miss some other factors that decreases that resistance. 

Have I understood this wrong, or they were not correct. 
Of course, most probably this equally greatly depends on the boat size and type.


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## captain jack

SVAuspicious said:


> It gets mess if men pee standing up. Take a look at the floor under any urinal on land. If men can't hit a target on land how will they do so as they sway back and forth on a moving platform with a moving target. Forget it. EVERYONE sits on Auspicious. I catch anyone standing they are on head cleaning duty.


:laugher

you know, i read that (i think it was in the netherlands) they came up with a solution for that in public bathrooms. the urnals have a picture of a fly somehow made n the bottom of them, near the drain hole. apparetly, when given a target to shoot at, men can keep from peeing outside of the toilet. my brother and i had the best incentive to hit the toilet. my mom would have seriously killed us for making that kind of a mess. i'm not kidding about that, either. my mom was a firm believer that the best way to minimize housework was to not make messes. we were very clean, neat kids...out of a sense of self preservation.

but, on my boat, all bathroom usage will be sit down, too. i haven't finished building it, yet, but, i am going the composting head route. for right now, the marina has a nice clean bathroom. other things are more pressing, on the boat, at present.


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## paikea

captain jack said:


> wow. really?
> 
> there are more things under heaven and earth, Horratio....
> 
> i wouldn't think the ability to stand and pee, rather than crouching (as most of my girlfriends have done when peeing out doors), would be of great enough benefit to warrent the brain cell use to make such a device or the room in the back pack it would take. no matter what, you are still left with having to crouch to do a #2...whether you are a man or a woman. (they don't have a device to let you do that standing up, do they?)


Actually, the device is very small and very light. No space or weight issue. In normal hiking, yes, not a big deal, anyone can squat, but consider extreme cold conditions (in fact for very cold conditions even men use a similar gentlemen design device) or when the terrain is more rough (ie, you literally don't have that many options to squat over something), these devices are easy to use for just that purpose. 
There are not use for any and every time, just that it fits certain situations. And for certain situations they are very handy.


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## captain jack

Night_Sailor said:


> I second the other comments about sailing alone. Don't do it. I deliver yachts frequently and sometime I have to move them alone. There are many pitfalls associated with sailing alone It is a bad idea. Have help moving the boat, and the more experienced the better. Consider hiring a Captain to help you move it and give lessons at the same time--or even ahead of time. For training, it is not the school that matters--it is the instructor. Find a good one and stick with him or her.


one thing that might be considered is buying a boat with a junk rig or converting a regular sloop to a junk rig. if you look on line, you will notice that there are lots of people who don't like them (but never sailed one) and lots of people who love them (and have sailed or own one). it's something i am considering for the future, down the road when i have more cash flow.

Voyaging with Annie Hill: The Transformation of "Joshua"

it would make sailing your cruiser a bit more like handling that laser, t least as far as sail handling. one sail to handle and easy peezy reefing, too.


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## captain jack

paikea said:


> Actually I do have a quick question.
> While we were sailing yesterday, I was told that to reach maximum speed on a sail boat, one trick is to keep the boat leveled on water (mast perpendicular to water surface) , that could/would also be translated onto maximum boat water surface area. And that confused me a little. I read a little about the physics of sailing some time ago. I understand the different forces involved, the buoyancy, the weight of the boat, the keel implication but for some reason my understanding was that the maximum speed is reached at a stable balanced angle of the boat to the water, and not on a perpendicular position. Probably I thought of that also because the perpendicular position gives a higher boat to water surface area and hence higher water resistance. But I might miss some other factors that decreases that resistance.
> 
> Have I understood this wrong, or they were not correct.
> Of course, most probably this equally greatly depends on the boat size and type.


it depends on the boat. as a rule, dinghies prefer to be sailed flatter than keel boats. according to mr Lapworth, the designer, my boat (cal 27) is better sailed flatter "like a big dinghy".

one thing to remember is that, although most boats present less water surface area when heeled, sails are less efficient when heeled. the more you heel, the less efficient your sail is; a factor that aids keelboats in resisting knockdowns.

but, again, it depends on how the boat is desiged.

i also started out small. i wanted to sail so i got a bunch of used books on how to sail and bought a 10' sailing dinghy (somewhat like a classic moth) and went sailing. that boat costed me $75. 18 years later, it's still in the back of my truck, so, i can easily sail at every available opportunity. it taught me a lot. i will always love that boat. we have been through some harrowing experieces and experienced the glory of sail together so many times... you can't ever get a boat like that out of your heart.

thankfully, despite coming close in really bad conditions a few times, i have never capsized, yet. i don't swim so capsizing isn't just a fun dip in the 'pool' from my perspective. not knowing how to swm is amazingly great incentive to be the best sailor you can be.


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## svzephyr44

paikea said:


> While we were sailing yesterday, I was told that to reach maximum speed on a sail boat, one trick is to keep the boat leveled on water (mast perpendicular to water surface)


You are correct that it depends upon the boat design. There are three generic hull forms: displacement (as in stuck in the water,) semi-displacement (hull lifts out of the water but not the entire way), and planing. Most production sailboats fall into the semi-displacement category.

The combination of the lift of the hull and the heal of the boat changes the shape of the hull passing through the water. Just as it is easier to push a board end on through the water than perpendicular to it most hull designs have a sweet spot of least resistance. When you find that sweet spot the boat will go fastest.

Remember too that the more a boat heals on a reach the more wind hitting the sail is spilling upwards rather than providing flow from luff to leach.

Some boats are designed to go fast with lots of heel. If you look at some race boats with very flat bottoms they will have two rudders. One comes completely out of the water when the boat heals. As the boat sails "on edge" a great part of the hull actually comes out of the water.

For most boats a moderate heel - maybe about 10% turns out to be the best compromise. Hence the statement "try to sail as upright as possible."

Fair winds and following seas


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## SVAuspicious

paikea said:


> Yesterday I sampled a 420 for the first time, even had a race!


420s are great learning boats. The difference between "really fast" and upside down is small and that is good for learning. When I sailed them there were also lots of sharp bits (rigging, fixed blocks, cleats) so they made you either graceful or bruised. I built on six years of cotillion and chose graceful. *grin*

Learning to fly a chute on a 505 or even a J/22 will translate beautifully to bigger boats.



paikea said:


> In fact, it might be trickier for a man when the wind suddenly changes.  I am sure wouldn't be the first time.


To paraphrase Mr. Croce, "don't pee into the wind." In addition to safety concerns, the implications of gust inspired wind shifts and waves knocking the boat a bit make peeing off the side of the boat generally ill-advised underway. The cockpit drains on the other hand are a reasonable expedient.



paikea said:


> While we were sailing yesterday, I was told that to reach maximum speed on a sail boat, one trick is to keep the boat leveled on water (mast perpendicular to water surface)


It isn't a trick. It is a reality on most boats.

There are a number of factors. First, absent planing displacement will be constant. On most sail boats, wetted surface is likely to increase with heel angle as the windward side is exposed, the leeward side goes in, and waterline length is increased. The more round the section shapes the less this is a factor but round sections lead to uncomfortable motion and reduced form stability. Hull form asymmetry while heeled often leads to weather helm; the greater average rudder angle increases drag much like dragging a bucket behind the boat. Add to that reduced sail efficiency as others have noted and most boats will be faster "on their feet" than heeled. That doesn't mean perfectly level. You'll find a sweet spot for every hull form. On Auspicious somewhere around 15 degrees of heal is fasted. Certainly an average rudder angle of 10 degrees or less. If rudder angle is high but heal isn't I don't have the sails trimmed right. If both are going up I reef and--at least upwind--often go faster.


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## paikea

SVAuspicious said:


> 420s are great learning boats. The difference between "really fast" and upside down is small and that is good for learning. When I sailed them there were also lots of sharp bits (rigging, fixed blocks, cleats) so they made you either graceful or bruised. I built on six years of cotillion and chose graceful. *grin*


SVAuspicious, now I know why my legs look like I am a Dalmatian. I guess the graceful part is still yet to come. 

Thank you all for the feedback. It helps a lot for me to understand these, otherwise it feels like sailing blindfolded. I always like to know that whys and whats.
Yesterday we had some pretty good wind on the 420, what a rush that was.


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## SVAuspicious

paikea said:


> SVAuspicious, now I know why my legs look like I am a Dalmatian. I guess the graceful part is still yet to come.


Commonly called "boat bites."

We're all very happy to contribute what we can.


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## Night_Sailor

paikea said:


> Actually I do have a quick question.
> While we were sailing yesterday, I was told that to reach maximum speed on a sail boat, one trick is to keep the boat leveled on water (mast perpendicular to water surface) , that could/would also be translated onto maximum boat water surface area. And that confused me a little. I read a little about the physics of sailing some time ago. I understand the different forces involved, the buoyancy, the weight of the boat, the keel implication but for some reason my understanding was that the maximum speed is reached at a stable balanced angle of the boat to the water, and not on a perpendicular position. Probably I thought of that also because the perpendicular position gives a higher boat to water surface area and hence higher water resistance. But I might miss some other factors that decreases that resistance.
> 
> Have I understood this wrong, or they were not correct.
> Of course, most probably this equally greatly depends on the boat size and type.


There is an optimum angle of heel for every boat. Dinghies, are planing boats, so flat is fast. Even on dinghies, heeling is good in light conditions.

Too much heeling is slow, as it too little. Find the best angle of heel for a boat and you will go faster. If sailing dinghies, watch and learn. Try different things.


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## hellsop

svzephyr44 said:


> Remember too that the more a boat heals on a reach the more wind hitting the sail is spilling upwards rather than providing flow from luff to leach.


One also starts sliding more leewards. Keels spill the same way sails do. Which can mean more sailing to do to get to where you were intending to go in the first place, or some far-out heading offsets to get where you're going directly. At that kind of point, you may get there much faster putting a reef or two in and getting a little more vertical.


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## wannabsailor

Don't have an answer but for you but can tell you a story.

A few years ago, when I first started looking for a boat, I struck up a conversation with a woman in P-cola, Fla. She told me she was in the laundry mat talking with an older woman (older being 77) and learned that about 8 or 9 years eariler this woman lived in San Fransico, her husband was into investments ...etc. and even though they lived on the Bay he had no interest what so ever in sailing. She had asked him a few times about trying it but no go. 
The day came when he went to that great marina in the sky. She was 68 and alone (or free, depending on how you look at it) and that next summer she took sailing lessons, then bought a 25/26 footer to sail around the Bay and up and down the west coast. She did that for about a year and a half, then she bought a 40 ft. "something" and off she went. She spent 7 years sailing around the world. The woman asked her what she was doing in P-Cola and she said she had come to see family and was stocking up to sail back to Tahiti. She went on to say that of all the places she had been and seen that was the most beautiful/friendly place she had been and that was where she wanted to spend her remaining years. The next question was "How did you manage?" Her reply was something like... "at 68 I didn't know anything and I wasn't going to learn by waiting and I knew that. You learn by doing, and I knew that too." She also told her that if she hadn't done it, it would have been the biggest mistake of her life.
I wonder what her husband would think?

Captainmeme is right i.e. check out whitespotpirates on u-tube, it will make you feel much better about owning a boat! well.....


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## captain jack

wannabsailor said:


> Captainmeme is right i.e. check out whitespotpirates on u-tube, it will make you feel much better about owning a boat! well.....


that is so funny that you bring that up. i just started watching her videos this week.


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## svzephyr44

Night_Sailor said:


> Too much heeling is slow


Yes, the mast and sail underwater really do slow one down!


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## paikea

Thank you wannabsailor. 
Indeed I have been watching whitespotpirates on u-tube. Work distractions, I put her vids on the additional screen and well, pretend I work. 
I am good now, no longer any doubts or uncertainties. Before I just didnt know the whats and hows to get from A to B in this area of sailing and liveaboards, and now that I have at least some idea/plan in mind I like to just go at it and let it all unfold/replan as I go along. 
Reason why I will actually do this much much sooner than I initially anticipated. None of these for me are about "living the dream". I was going to take it in baby steps, safety nets, testing the ocean's temperature with my little toe, learn before I take the plunge, etc , but that's not me anyhow. I took many risks and chances in my life especially when something felt right. We will see how this turns out.


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## Westsailforever

Have you heard of this person? Home Her boat the Naja 38 is pretty awesome , and so is Jeanne !


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## paikea

Westsailforever said:


> Have you heard of this person? Home Her boat the Naja 38 is pretty awesome , and so is Jeanne !


Ah yes Westsailforever, learnt of her not long ago. What an amazing woman!
So far I have been mostly about land exploring and adventures. Bush crafting, mountains, survival, trekking and I have also been beyond fascinated to read about past and present explorers and adventurers. I literally eat these books. I have a whole library on them at home. Every time I would embark on a trek I would read such a book and that weirdly enough gave me such a boost in the confidence to do my modest and humble version of a solo adventure. 
Now that I want to expand my area to the seas and oceans I got introduced to so many past and present oceans explorers and adventurers. Feels like Christmas. I am currently reading Maiden Voyage and what an enjoyable and inspirational read that one is!


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## windnrock

My wife and I have been living aboard for about a year now. Sold the house, the cars and a lot of other stuff. I'd been living and working on the boat for about two years prior. We love it. If no one has mentioned the Facebook "Women who sail" my wife loves it. Keep asking questions and be critical of the answers. "There a dozen ways to trim a cat!"


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## WGEwald

> "There a dozen ways to trim a cat!"


Must be the PETA approved version of

"There's more than one way to skin a cat."


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## zeehag

there is a a women's cruising group WITHOUT male influence.
it is not wws. .
wws has a man posing as a woman.. he has been involved in there since day number one, and continues to be an influence. you do not see him as he is using his wife's persona.
if you prefer no male influence in your women's group, see me.

we do not skin our cats.


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## travlin-easy

Zee, when you eventually get to the U.S. East Coast, we have to meet up and tilt some green coconut Margarettas - love ya gal!

Gary


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## RunningRabbit

I do think it is different being a liveaboard girl because the single mermaids are outnumbered 10 to 1 by the single liveaboard guys (who sometimes suffer from too much alcohol and too little personal hygiene), and no matter how smart and capable you are, the guys think you are a damsel in distress in need of (often bad) advice. 

Personally, I run like hell from any "women's" sailing groups... they are usually the sailing equivalent of meany mommy soccer moms (though Zee would certainly not allow those types in her groups, thank Poseidon). 

The one truly golden piece of advice an old friend who also happens to be a liveaboard gave me was to "channel my inner electrical engineer." I know exactly how many amps any applicance I have draws, what is running on DC versus shorepower, etc. The math is super easy, but not something you have to learn for everyday living ashore. Once you understand what your amperage budget is and how to live within it, really, you've adapted and can overcome the other hiccups that inevitably arise.

If you are adventurous and determined, you can do it. You can enjoy living on a boat and sailing locally, or you can venture to places unknown. Some people can't just take a break from life and circumnavigate but you can still enjoy living aboard. I've been dockbound only due to unfortunate budgetary constraints and being on a project boat in need of TLC. BTW, at my dock I have super-fast cable internet (and it was cheaper with TV, HBO, etc than without). Yes, marina wifi can be painfully slow at times, but as Auspicious explained, there are lots of options and if you are someplace longer-term getting your own cable is a no-brainer.

I can tell you Annapolis has the amenities to make living in a marina (or on the hook weather permitting) a simpler transition than some locales. There are lots of liveaboards here, and that is a good resource as needed and especially for safety during winter, but you are definitely not limited to that small social world here. I wouldn't suggest suddenly adopting the whole "liveaboard community" as your new best friends; the friends you've always had are probably good ones, they will think it's cool you have a boat, and you can bring your laundry to their house when you visit. 

It's not all tropical islands and fruity rum drinks, but it's not rocket science and you don't have to be blessed by some celestial gods to do it. I'm heading into my third winter aboard, and despite all the challenges I have (dog, cats, being broke, blah, blah, blah) I still wouldn't trade it for the world. Whenever I am doing the most unromantic thing, shoveling 8 inches of snow off the decks, replacing holding tank hoses, I joke that I'm "living the dream." But my boat represents all the freedom I have and all the places I can go in life; to me, that is the dream and for better or worse, I'm living it.


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## Capt Len

Accolades ,, RunningRabbit. No gender bias here. As a long time liveaboarder I can confirm the pitfalls of alcohol (not from personal experience) and the hazards of failing hygiene.(personal experience) However, since losing my sense of smell, it's become completely optional . Just makes life easier. Others results may vary. So will their advice. Good to know there are still free range chicks out there.


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## travlin-easy

Young lady, I applaud you. For me, an old timer, living aboard in this part of the world is not an option during the winter months. It only takes me a month to get to the Florida keys, and Marathon is live aboard heaven IMO. In fact, the Marathon City Marina only accepts live aboards, which is something unique. I loved it there, had a ball, and this winter I'm driving down to spend the winter doing what I did when I sailed down two years ago.

Next October, if my health is favorable, I'll put those sails up again, point the bow of Saturday's Child south and once again head for Marathon and the Dry Tortugas. Marathon's live aboard community consists of a lot of very nice folks that all have one thing in common - they live aboard their boats, mostly year round. Sure, they are quite diverse, like any other community, but I really enjoyed meeting each and every one of them.

Now, if you would like, you can caravan south with the crowd next October, which is a lot of fun as well, especially at the anchorages. 

Be careful out there shoveling the snow off the boat this winter,

Gary


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## PBzeer

RR - Your last sentence pretty much says it all.


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