# Are we Crazy?



## frozenkim (Jun 16, 2010)

Well first time posting and it has taken me half an hour to figure this out...What makes me think I could possibly sail a boat ??? With four kids aboard??? Are we insane to want to live aboard a boat for a while and see some of the world with our kids instead of alone when we retire??? I figured other sailing people may have a few more positive comments instead of just "OMG are you crazy" I dont believe I am but then,,,we are used to it. We moved from Alaska to Florida,,,then to Tennessee and now we want to live on a boat...oh yeah..ummm not really any sailing experience but I figure I'm not going to learn if I dont buy a boat and start. I guess i should invest heavily in a lifeboat.  Any advice and I mean ANYTHING would be great because there isn't alot I know right now and haven't bought a boat yet but have a few that are in the mix.


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

I think it is terrific you want to cruise with your children, Kim, welcome to Sailnet! Yep, you're crazy, but all the best people are. There is a forum here devoted to cruising and sailing with children, it is called //wait for it ...// "Cruising and Sailing with Children".  There is also a forum for women to communicate with each other, "herSailNet". Kick back and take your shoes off and enjoy the site, there are a lot of great people here.


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## frozenkim (Jun 16, 2010)

ooppss let me rephrase that into I know nothing. well not totally..I now know to go to the 'cruising with kids etc section....


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Family cruising is definitely where it's at - but I'd suggest you take your time and be sure you're prepared before 'setting off the see the world'. Depending on where you choose to settle/live in the interim, there may well be a lifetime of sailing and cruising right in your own 'backyard'.

Also there's a fair cost to doing this in a way that will be comfortable and safe with a largish family.. so by all means go for it but be aware that a cautious approach and thorough preparation will go a long way to ensuring ultimate success.


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## frozenkim (Jun 16, 2010)

All great points and all things been considered, reconsidered, and considered some more. Luckily living in florida for 15 years I have been on alot of boats and have alot of boating friends. I have a licensed captain that I am going out with as often as I can ( my husband works on the Alaska pipeline so whenever he comes home every six weeks I head out to gain more experience). We have the backup plan incase everything sucks. We already have our home up for sale here in Tennessee as we were planning on moving back to florida because we love it but the idea came across the table about why not live on a boat for a while and let the kids see some of the world ( well not exactly the world..US and Canada for the most part till I am not a chicken anymore)
before buying another house. Not to mention IMHO...it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for my children to learn to live with "less" even if just for a short time before we pick a home or not. 

We both love to sail...nothing ventured nothing gained. I hope anyways.


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## Grumpymx (Nov 16, 2007)

Although the is many things to consider about the boat and the life style.
I have never seen the self confidence in land based kids that I see in 10-12 years olds that have stood the night watch at sea while everyone else slept.

If you want to do something for the children then go sailing.
It will strengthen family ties and make them stronger.

Of course this comes at the cost of time and money.


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## frozenkim (Jun 16, 2010)

Thankyou for the vote of confidence!!! We realize that the plan in front of us will take many different courses along the way but that is the thrill to begin with isn't it??? As a homeschooling mom I can already imagine the learning hands on opportunities that are awaiting us,,, even if we are just living on the hook most of the time while we ALL learn what we are doing with four kids and a husband who is gone most of the time I have been told for years things were crazy.... Crazy for having four kids with a husband gone a lot, crazy for moving to Alaska, crazy for moving to Florida and crazy for moving to Tennessee,,,,I have met incredible friends and we have seen much of the country... Can't wait to meet sailing friends now with passion for what they love and willingness to offer knowledge it is greatly welcomed because we are currently experiencing heavier than normal negativity volumes which is why I joined here.... I need advice and honesty.... I am not naive I do not take this lightly but I totally think it can be done ... I have already conquered the first fear... Joining sailnet and saying I have limited sailing experience and am buying a boat to live on with four kids and learn to sail!!!!


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Welcome aboard. There is nothing here to fear. 
Well, except for Smack, but he's generally harmless.


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## Shadowcat (Jun 19, 2010)

Hi. I'm brand new here and I am going to do the same thing as you are Kim. I have four children and I am going to Hawaii. I think I'm crazy too, but crazy in a good way. I have a job waiting for me in Hawaii, but the problem with my situation is that I can't find any laws for or against living on the hook off of Hawaii. Living in a Mariana is not an option considering the waiting list, but I have found nothing about living on the hook somewhere off of Honolulu. Any help would be lovely, but I was just thrilled to find someone that is doing the same thing. Isn't it great??!!!


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## frozenkim (Jun 16, 2010)

Wow how great to find another family of four!!!kids that is. We are still looking up boats nAtionwide for purchase and if we find one on west coast would tKe the opportunity to do hawaii as I am a surfer girl at heart!! How old are your kids and what kind of plans boat do you have for them ??? I believe there are some liveaboard slips available if you would want or live on hook and do dingy or perhaps efficiency on land once in a while ... My problem is if I am on the hook alone with no other adult .. Hpw do I get supplies ??? I can hardly put four kids and me in dingy and expect to bring back supplies. Dingy will sink not to mention 20 bucks in gas to run a generator on hook much to neighbors dismay I mean being a couple is one thing but a family of four needs refridgeration because we need milk for cuppies and mayo for sandwiches and dinner stuff I don't need to go in dingy each day defeats the purpose of hook unless they will deliver!!! there isn't an easy option for people with a lot of kids but I think a water taxi business or sitter service while you shop is an option to look into!!!!!


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## catamariner (Mar 3, 2010)

Hi Kim - 

We use a wind generator and solar panels... big ones, on the hard dodger roof (they can go other places). You can run the lights and a cold plate refrigeration system with that and in less-windy times you run the engine a couple of hours every couple of days. You can talk with your engineer (um, assuming the guy working on the pipeline is the engineer in the family -- if it's you, that's even easier!) about refrigeration systems, there are several ways to go. Chances are, though, that you will be buying a used boat (absolutely the best way to get something more spacious for your family without spending half a mill), and that boat will probably be equipped - whether you keep what's already in there is up to you, depends on what it is. A refrigeration compartment in the tropics should have about 4" of high-R insulation around it, usually a form of foam.

Cooking should probably be propane, the locker for the tanks will need a low-point external vent. Boat we are buying was used in marinas, so they had installed all-electric -- we will have to revert the galley to propane stove since we will live on the hook mostly once we are off. 

Boat type: Last time we went as a couple, for a year and a half in the Caribbean, on a 36' fiberglass ketch. We loved it. But now we have a child, and our boat choices reflect that. We will do our homeschooling in the salon (some folk say "saloon"), and you, too, will want to look at the physical layout to be sure you have room for people to move through necessary areas while a small group is set up at the salon table: a catamaran is ideal for your purposes, IMO, since the salon is out of traffic and there is more "room" for the length. 

The advantages: More space for the length and less heel. Space! Light! Wow! Means privacy, too, at least three private sleeping areas and possibly more depending on your layout. Less heel: not having to lash everything down or put it in the sink when underway. You still can, in case you like being prepared for everything  Speed! That means greater safety: Catamarans are faster than monohulls of the same length, typically, and this can make the difference between trying to ride out a tropical storm or hurricane and simply running across the oncoming path to avoid one. We're doing the same basic route we did last time, but over three years (that's the Plan), and with the shoal-draft capacity we can see more -- like the Berry Islands in the Bahamas, or the shoal areas near the Dry Tortugas. Another safety feature: we can get RIGHT IN to a manglar to tie up in case there's a hurricane, in water much "thinner" than larger-draft vessels. 

Drawbacks can be (different for different models): lower load-carrying capacity for the length (her great advantage in speed will suffer heavily if she goes down on her lines due to overloading), can pound (waves slap annoyingly into the boat between the hulls, forward) when going to weather (slap/pounding depends on ratio of central clearance to hull separation, among other things), and width -- if you have to go into a marina and have a REALLY wide catamaran, you will be very limited in terms of where you can tie up and they are likely to want to charge you more. There are catamarans that will fit in a normal slip, you might want to check that when deciding what to buy.

Kid care and shopping: if you are in an anchorage with a lot of other liveaboards, you will find that the VHS is crackling with people organizing shopping trips, inviting others to sundowners, etc. You being a friendly and outgoing mom/couple will probably find that you make friends all over the place, and finding some other moms or even dads who will rotate kidsitting with shopping opportunities is likely.


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## cruisingmom (Dec 31, 2008)

*cruising this fall- any teenagers??*

Hey we cruised for a year with our 3 kids and have been saving up to return since. I was chicken the first time and wanted to stay within sight of land. Made it to the Bahamas. Hope to travel further this time. ( Caribbean, Mexico??)The lessons learned were terrific.It is great for the kids. We hope to set sail this fall. Do you have any teenagers???

WE have a16 year old girl who WANTS to go, 13 year old boy who DOES NOT< and 7 year old boy who is excited as well.


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