13 Brutal Truths About Sailboat Living (From Someone Who’s Done It)
Living on a sailboat isn’t only wine, grapes and amazing sunsets. It’s also a lot of work and can be frustrating. Be sure you know the downsides before moving aboard.
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When we first bought our 1972 CT-41 sailboat in 2015, we had no idea it would turn into a five-year construction project before we could finally sail her to Mexico. For years, the boat was more of a worksite than a home—no shower, no toilet, no stove, not even a heater. We had to shower and use the bathroom at the gym and cook on a camp stove!
Piece by piece, my partner Tom rebuilt the systems until our old fiberglass hull slowly transformed into a tiny floating home.
Looking back, neither of us imagined it would take that long to get her ready for cruising. We spent plenty of time stuck in boatyards and tied up at marinas with a half-functioning boat, dreaming of the day we could finally leave the dock. But somehow, the good has always outweighed the bad. The freedom, the sunsets, the quiet anchorages—it’s worth it.
If you’re thinking about embarking on the sailboat life, here are some of the worst things to expect.
1. The Maintenance is Endless
When Tom first bought our liveaboard sailboat, I had no idea boats took so much work. In fact, he said this phrase to me:
“The best day of a boat owner’s life is the day he buys a boat, and the day he sells it.”
At first, I didn’t know what he was talking about. Sell his boat? Why would he ever want to do that? But now, I know. Living on a sailboat takes so much work. They’re tedious. They break. It seems like they need endless time, attention, and maintenance.
Especially if you buy an older boat like ours, which was built in 1972. However, I’ve heard of people with newer boats having tons of problems, too!
Sailboats just need a lot of love and dedication.
Through the last couple of years, I learned another adage of people say who live on a sailboat: “Fixing things in exotic places.”
And here’s yet another one: “B.O.A.T.: Bring Out Another Thousand.”
But Tom’s done an amazing job restoring this early 1970’s liveaboard sailboat, and I’m thankful he’s onboard to take care of any mechanical, electrical, rigging, self-steering, toilet, water pump, holding tank, any system that breaks.
2. The Kitchen is Tiny
Yes, the kitchen on our CT-41 sailboat is super cute, and I’m very thankful to have a two-burner propane marine stove and oven.
Since this image was taken, we since added a double-sink, but the counter is still tiny. I use our table to do the chopping mostly.
It’s hard cooking in such a small space, and when we sail or are anchored, the gimbaled stove shimmies and sways, and I have to use pot-clamps to keep everything from crashing down on the teak floors.
However, I do love cooking when living on a sailboat, especially when were are anchored out. The fresh air streams through the companionway, and I feel so connected to the outdoors.
After 10 years of cooking on a liveaboard boat, I’ve learned to make great use of our tiny space.
3. You Must Get Used to Lack of Space
Our CT-41 liveaboard sailboat is 41′ feet, but that doesn’t mean there’s a ton of storage space on it. In fact, most of the lockers are crammed with tools of various types.
I have a few shelves for food and pots and pans while living on a sailboat, but the rest goes to Tom’s endless supply of wrenches, hammers, electrician’s tape, rubber gloves, masks, white chemical suits, and God knows what else.
This means I have one tiny locker above the bed for a select number of clothes. At some point, we hope to remove many of these tools and spare parts off the boat to make room for other things.
4. You’ll Have to Deal with Poo
So, as with the stove in the kitchen, I’m very, very thankful to have this toilet on the boat. It’s a brand new Raritan toilet that works like a charm, except it sounds like a heaving sea lion when I use that little pump handle thingy.
Tom built this to not smell whatsoever, and so far, so good.
The only really gross thing is that when you’re living on a sailboat in a marina, you have to visit the pump-out station and use the little poo-poo vacuum cleaner.
The nozzle attaches to a small hole on deck, and it charmingly has a little clear area where you can see liquidy brown goo being pumped out.
This isn’t my favorite task in the world. I sit there, pushing the nozzle down, watching everything that went out…come up. Enough said. Ew.
However, when off cruising while living on a sailboat, you’re allowed to discharge if 3 miles offshore.
5. Seasickness Does Happen
If you’re prone to seasickness, living on a sailboat is probably not that great of an idea. When we’re docked at the marina, the boat doesn’t really move at all, but she can bounce around quite a bit in boat wakes and currents when anchored.
Luckily, I’ve been able to handle the movement for the most part, except for one times when we were sailing in the ocean.
We passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and everything changed. The small swells turned into long, rolling ones four to five feet high. When we were going into it nose first, I enjoyed the movement, but coming back, we were hit from the back, from the side, over and over again.
My stomach balled into a knot and I had to concentrate on breathing and staring at the horizon.
I’ve heard even the most experienced sailors get seasick, and I’m looking into ways to cut down on the nausea when out on the open waters. Luckily, I’ve only barfed overboard ONE TIME when on this CT-41, and that was on a passage between Puerto Penasco and Isla Angel de la Guarda.
6. You Have to Really Like Your Partner
Tom and I get along very well and are used to living in small spaces together. We have gotten to know each other’s quirks very well, though. I love having peace and quiet in the mornings and so Tom knows not to talk to me when I’m drinking my coffee. We also know how and when to have alone time if needed. I’ll go paddleboarding or he’ll go windsurfing. Or, I’ll close myself in the stateroom and read my book or do some writing. Both of us like lifting weights and doing band exercises in the cockpit, which also gives us some much-needed space.
7) You May Have to Go Without a Shower
Our sailboat has a space for a shower, but we didn’t have a shower most of the time we’ve had the boat.
In 2021, we finally put in the necessary pumps to drain the shower overboard rather than into the bilge.
Not having a shower was definitely a pain. I’ve washed my hair in the sink and used washcloths on more occasions than I’d like to admit.
When we stay at a marina, I have access to a hot shower, but not when we were cruising or anchored out.
And when we finally do get a shower, it will be very short. Showers and humidity cause mold, which tends to be a problem when living on a sailboat.
8. Boats Can Get Very Expensive
You might think that boat life will be affordable if you buy an old, cheap boat, but that’s hardly ever the case. It seems like there is ALWAYS money to spend on a boat, whether that’s repairing systems, purchasing a new lifeboat, paying for satellite internet, or adding copper coat. It seems like there is always a thousand more dollars to spend.
9. Not Enough Exercise
As someone who thrives on land-based exercise like mountain biking, hiking, and going to the gym, living on a sailboat for extended periods can be tough. Sure, you can go swimming or paddleboarding, but it just doesn’t have the same impact for me as other types of workouts. And when on passage, it’s VERY hard to get exercise at all due to the motion of the boat. On our recent 6-day passage down the Baja Peninsula, I started to go stir-crazy from lack of exercise.
This is WAY easier when at a marina as you can just go to shore to get in a jog or bike ride.
10. Getting “Trapped” By Weather
Our life aboard our sailboat in the Sea of Cortez means we are always at the whim of the weather conditions. Sometimes, we can’t leave an anchorage for days because of a major blow or gnarly sea state. You cann’t just come and go at will when on a sailboat, you must analyze the weather forecast to make sure your passage is safe. Sometimes, this makes me feel antsy and stir-crazy, especially when its too windy to go ashore.
11. Missing Friends and Family
This doesn’t matter as much when docked at a marina as its easier for people to come visit, but when living a cruising lifestyle, being constantly on the move means less time with people you care about. Timing a visit can be quite challenging depending on the weather and distance to the nearest airport. The Sea of Cortez is especially remote, which makes it harder for people to fly in for a visit. Plus, many family members don’t love being on a sailboat.
I am thankful that the sailing community is so rubust, though, which makes finding sailing friends easy.
I’m also glad my dad came and stayed for several weeks when we were working at our boat at Cabrales boatyard.
12. Physical Demands
Sailors lovingly call it “boat yoga”, but crawling in tight spaces can be very difficult, especially for someone who is not as flexible and nimble. There are so many times when we’ve had to stick our heads in hatches or the bildge, or even crawl into tiny spaces to fix something. I’ve had to contort my body into crazy positions just to use a wrench.
Also, hauling water jugs, cranking winches, scrubbing decks, hauling huge bags of food aboard, bringing the dighy and paddleboards on deck—it’s all part of the lifestyle. Older cruisers especially note that boat life can be tough on the body compared to a house on land.
13. Mold and Dampness
One thing I never really thought about before living on a sailboat is just how much moisture surrounds you—all the time. Boats live in a humid environment, and that constant dampness sneaks into every corner of your floating home.
Condensation builds up on windows, hatches, and even inside lockers, so its important to make sure you dry out those lockers.
We’ve spent plenty of time wiping down surfaces, airing out cushions, and investing in moisture absorbers to keep mold under control. Even then, it sometimes feels like nothing ever truly gets “dry” on a boat. Humidity makes it worse in tropical climates, while cooler conditions cause condensation to pool in hidden areas like bilges and storage lockers.
So, Do You Want to Live on a Sailboat?
I don’t think living on a sailboat is for everyone, but I’m able to deal with the downsides.
For me, the good outweighs the bad. I love the idea of being able to move my home around to explore distant ports, or just to change my backyard on a weeknight.
Click here to read 5 Reasons Why I Love Living on a Sailboat.
Before you start living on a sailboat, ask yourself some tough questions.
- Do you love fixing things?
- Do you have mechanical aptitude?
- Do you want to learn about diesel engines?
- Can you handle living in a really tiny space with your partner?
- Are you okay with cooking in a teeny sailboat galley?
I think people who put up with the downsides of living on a sailboat truly love life aboard. You become so much closer to nature, can explore distant ports, and can even cross oceans to wild and scenic islands.
Could you do that in an RV? I don’t think so.
Hopefully, in the next few weeks, our liveaboard sailboat will finally be out of the boatyard.
And living on a sailboat will once again be fodder for dreams.
QUESTION: Do you think you could live on a sailboat? And if you already live on one, what are the hardest things for you to deal with?
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I live on the great lakes in a 37′ sailboat all year in the water. Might not be for everyone but taking it away from me would surely kill me. I would never go over 38′, just my personal preference for single handing the boat. Which is even smaller but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Wow, on the Great Lakes? Does it get super freezing in winter?
I’m in Michigan also, and yes, it does get super freezing…I don’t believe he could stay on it in the winter…everything freezes over for the most part…
There are a few people who do winter on their boats on the Great Lakes. The key trick is an agitator to keep the water moving around the boat, so it won’t freeze. Here is a story about a few people in Toronto, Ontario, Canada who spend winter on the water : https://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/toronto-living-on-a-boat-real-estate-1.4078734
we were in Canada all winter. Not too bad with the diesel heater. The marina crew would run boats around every morning and break up the surface ice. That helps
Calling the liveaboard a liar is not honourable or polite…Holy Christ!
Try scopoderm patches for sea sickness, they have to be prescribed in the UK, not sure in the USA. They work like a charm on my OH and you can use them either before hand to prevent or when motion sickness comes on.
Cool, thank you!!
Try Dramamine AKA Meclizine it’s OTC/no need for prescription. They have both short acting 6-8 hour and my favorite 24 hours less drowsy. No drinking with this drug, but when you take it as much as I do (every time I fly or go on any cruise) eventually your body gets used to it and 2 drinks feels like 4 🤣
We like that and it really works for that mountain road trip to the mountain home. Take it an hour before you go. Always works
I have used Ginger capsules for many years along with a few Soda Crackers. No drowsiness, no irritability, no stomach issues. Ginger Caps are available at any drug store, Plus, they’re inexpensive.
My wife has been struggling with a Vertigo issue and she finds Ginger to be helpful too.
Fair winds,
Duke Lebold
Hi Kristin!
My fiance and I are just about to finalize the paperwork on our first sailboat. He grew up sailing with his dad, so he’s quite experienced, but I’ve never sailed before, although I adore being on the water.
Anyway, I’ve been on many cruises, and someone told me about the SeaBands wrist thingies, so I bought a pair many years ago. Back in 2010, I was on a cruise that had to sail back through a pretty bad storm with gale force winds and 14 foot seas. Although the cruise ship was plenty big enough to handle it, many people on board were not. Around dinner time it started getting pretty crazy with the chandeliers swinging, and dishes and glasses wanting to slide across the table at dinner. I started getting a bit queasy, so I decided to go pop my SeaBands on. After about 30 minutes, the queasy feeling subsided, and although the storm continued to get worse through the night, I was up until 2 a.m. partying in the disco! Even though we could barely stand up because of the rolling and even being below deck and unable to see the horizon, I felt fine!
I don’t have the strongest stomach in the world, and have always avoided rollercoasters and anything that messes with my equilibrium. But I absolutely swear by the bands after that cruise! Best thing is, they are inexpensive, and you don’t get that drugged, drowsy feeling that you get with most nausea meds.
Anywhoo, my two cents, and hope you’ve found something that works!
Anita
Hi Anita! I’ll have to try those as we are going to start sailing down the California coast in November!
Apparently fresh ginger is really good. Mash it up and add sugar to it.
The seasickness would do me in. I think the parallels of mobility and minimalism between VanLife and SailingLife put us in similar situations, but I’m sure glad to be able get out of the van and see mountains and lakes, rather than being constantly hurtled around by water.
I am also really tempted by VanLife because I SO love the mountains! We were just in Yosemite and that plays just slays me with its beauty. But then we came home to the boat and I was also so in love with the sea air. I just don’t want to travel places that take me away from the mountains for very long!
Wow, 41 feet! So jealous! That would allow me to finally get a bicycle.
I live on a 34 foot Pacific Seacraft with my husband and golden retriever. It’s not terrible but it is challenging to be captain all the time. I’m the leading partner on our boat and my husband has found the learning curve quite steep.
I find it exciting to be a 51 year old beginner. But he just finds it stressful.
BTW, very thankful to have gotten rid of the pump outs. Installing a composting head was the smartest thing we ever did.
Oh interesting! I know a lot of people do that in vans. Yeah the learning curve of sailing is hard for me, too. My boyfriend is the experienced one, but I am trying!
I live on my ketch rigged Nauticat 33 and I love my composting toilet! Completely got rid of the “boat smell.”
That’s so interesting to use a composting toilet. Luckily, our boat doesn’t smell at all, just the pumpout station is a bit gross, haah!
My husband and I live on a 42′ power boat in the summers in Chicago — I agree that pumping out and not having a “real kitchen” are hard to live with (props to you for living without refrigeration– we couldn’t do it!). I’d also add that we don’t use it as a boat when it’s our home (it sounds like you still do, which is awesome), we have loud neighbors (we live on a “party” dock), and having my stuff scattered among the boat, a storage unit, my parents’ basement, and my husband’s house makes me feel like I’m going positively mad when I can’t find something!
The stuff thing is super annoying for me, too! Getting motivated to root around in my car for a nice outfit is challenging, lol
NIce list! I love living on my boat. My girlfriend recently moved on after I’ve been on it for 2 years. Another thing that sucks is bringing water to the boat. I think you may be at a dock? We are on a mooring about a 5-minute dinghy ride from our sailing club’s dock. The great thing about the small space is that it may get really messy in less than 5 minutes but it can all be cleaned in less than 5 minutes. Check out my blog too @ https://www.junglepirate.com
I am so thankful we’re at a dock, at least for now. We have a couple huge water tanks so only have to fill every couple weeks or so. But yeah, having the hose is essential! Where are you guys located?
I lived on a 31 John Alden on Nantucket for a year- cheaper than any rent out there. Loved it. It does freeze in winter, so I emptied the water tank and lines. I worked on land and didn’t want to have the boat heated all day while empty. So I just carried a jug of water home every night. The Wallas diesel stove kept it super toasty warm when I was on the boat (and dry!). No problem!
I LOVE heating the boat in winter, it’s so cozy! We use a kerosene heater, which is lovely. I’m almost excited for cooler temperatures and rain.
Hi Kristin,
My partner and I are in the process of looking for a sailing yacht in the UK. We’re both done with pumping our hard earned money into the system to pay for some bosses Superyacht!
A great tip to help prevent sea-sickness is to substitute your morning coffee with a cup of ginger tea or munch on a couple of ginger biscuits throughout the day. Basically, anything with ginger in it will help keep that nausea feeling at bay.
Happy sailing!
Thank you Alexandra! I’ve also heard the tip of eating green apples or sucking on a green apple jolly rancher…strange huh! I will try all these remedies soon.
I have a 43 foot boat that was built in the late 1970’s. The work involved is just as you have described but I would rather be on the boat, slaving away than relaxing at home after a hard day at the office. There is nothing more gratifying.
That is true, although after 2.5 years of constant work I think my boyfriend is ready for a break 🙂
Green apples work really well!!!
4.5
Hi Kristin,
I enjoyed reading this article and feel for you with the seasickness; not nice at all. Have you been out again to try some of the suggestions? I know a friend of ours uses the Sea Wrist Bands and they do the trick for her; even for flying in airplanes; take-offs and landings and driving in cars as she also gets car sick – perhaps the wrist bands are similar to scopoderm patches but yes, I have heard great things about ginger as well.
I love the teak on your boat – simply beautiful. They do not make them like that anymore; mostly white and fibreglass – boring – do not have the same character and yeah, I know what you mean with the boat being cosy in the cooler climate; our boat was warmer this past weekend at night then our home.
Oh, and wow – no fridge – that would be huge for us but goodonya for embracing that. I will check out your other article about that.
Question about your stove – so, it comes with a small oven, too? What model is it? We have a fridge but no oven and we have not done any long distance sailing yet – longest stretch since Oct 2017 was 2 weeks and we are considering cruising longer term, but I think I will miss an oven for the occasional baked treat, but I also noted your post about the pressure cooker that is one of the 13 things you would not do without.
Hope you get the fridge soon and some proper storage, too and that your seasickness goes away or you are able to control successfully.
Cheers,
Brenda
Lilac Wine
Hello! Thanks so much for writing! So, that stove is a Force 10 stove and is just amazing…..I bake things in it all the time! It fits a standard size baking dish or a large cast iron pot where I bake things. And after two years of no refrigeration….we are now getting it! The new refrigerator will arrive this month…crazy. But I’m glad we learned to live without. And yes, the pressure cooker is really awesome – my favorite thing. Happy cruising to you and thanks for reading!
I like all the information it’s very helpful as I am getting a 1972 Morgan 40 ready to live on and travel. At 55 I hope it won’t be too difficult finding a sailing partner,
That’s so exciting! Glad you enjoyed the post 🙂
Saw a youtube video that showed how they made ginger candy for seasickness. I think it was “the good bad ugly” sailing
couple. Worth a look. If like to try it.
Do you have a microwave?
The microwave ranks right up there with the discovery of fire as far as I’m concerned with my cooking skills at least.
I don’t think I could live on a boat if it didn’t have a microwave, refrigerator, and modern plumbing.
Nope, no microwave. We don’t have anywhere to put it, haha. We do have a fridge and a toilet, though.
Thank you so much for this. I bought a 1916 65ft Dutch sailing boat and this is my third year. I have learned to do and done things I surely never wanted to. If I had known what I am doing to me buying this boat I would not have done it. I am happy I did not know! Was there even a life before the boat?
hahah totally! Boats are definitely really hard work!
We lived on a 70 ‘ (ex) sailing barge for 38 years. One winter was so cold the boat was surrounded by 12 – 15″ of ice. As the ice grew, it made the boat list (not much, about 10 – 15 degrees); pouring coffe was a new experience. Our galley was small but efficient and we had loads of storage.
Our hull was iron and we had a wood stove, so there was always a thin layer of water between the hull and the ice… no problems there.
Spending Winter in ice is doable, not always pleasant, but interesting and survivable if you take steps to prevent the ice crushing the hull. Being in an iroin hull with round bilges, we were ok, but a “concrete box” houseboat moored close by had problems; they had to cut a channel around their boat, through the ice with a chain saw. Happy days.
Now we live in a large house with loads of space but very little storage. Sometimes wonder if we did the right thing.
We live part time on our Catalina 36 and love it! My husband just fixed the toilet so it doesn’t smell very much. What did your husband do to not make it smell at all? Also, you need to get Starlink for your internet! Lol get the mobile one that you can use anywhere. It’s a game changer. Yes it’s pricey, but worth it in my opinion.
Thank you! I loved reading about your journey Kristin!
Happy Sailing!
Keri one thing that helps is if you have a little extra fresh water, reconnect that toilet to fresh water. The seawater always comes with its own smells. And if you are using a holding tank the chemicals work better.
Thank you for this analysis. I have often thought it would be cool to live on a boat, but I confess, it would likely be a big fizz boat. Just reading your comments made me realise that it’s quite a bit like owning an aeroplane, in my case, a glider. There is always something to repair or recalibrate and there is lots of paperwork to go with it. But when you get to fly it, the experience can be magical (but also on occasion very scary!)
nice comparison!
The worst thing is to repair anything you need to remove some other thing that was not broken an 20 minute fix you thought could be fixed with duct tape runs into a 2 day job and a healthy wallet. James
Yes, Storage & Working space is so limited on a boat that a simple part swap involves removal and disassembly of untold adjacent components just to access.
Today’s project is to pull the heat exchanger on my little 5kw generator for cleaning & pressure testing. Not looking forward to it but a cool running diesel is essential.
Hi Kristin! What a great article! And thanks for the sailboat tips and sharing concerns.
Mike, my significant other, and me have been dating for 1 1/2 years. In between working on his boat, he stays with me at my house, of which I own. We are a great match and WATER has been our connection from the beginning.
Mike has been sailing for 25 years! I’ve sailed a few times, with short jaunts.
Our plan is to leave for Grenada in Jan 2026. We love the Caribbean! We’re meeting 3 other sailors/friends there and will be staying for 4 months.
We’re both retired, so we have NO SCHEDULES. I just retired in May and it’s a wonderful feeling!
My questions are:
Why don’t you sail to warmer places?
What is your favorite go-to dinner?
How often do you anchor?
How many hours a day do you work on your blogs?
I look forward to your responses. Happy Sailing!
Hi! Thanks for commenting and fun to read what you’re up to.
-We are now in Mexico on our sailboat, which is warmer for sure
-Tons of dinner ideas! In Mexico something super easy we make is beans and rice, salad, and I make homemade salsas
-When on the boat we anchor almost daily
-Blog really depends….sometimes I work 6 hours per day, sometimes 2, sometimes none.
have fun sailing!
1. I had an 1970s, ex-flotilla boat, a Jaguar 27 which was no end of work. The things I couldn’t do myself I had to pay to be done and as soon as you have a boat, labour and parts are very expensive. One is captive.
2. I love cooking too. Cooking in a small space is like a zen discipline but a good one. It means only having what you actually need and use all the time.
3. Lack of storage space is also similar to 2. As well as sailing, I have lived in 40 villages, towns and cities in five countries. When you move country it really focusses the mind what you really need and what to leave behind. When I have a hotel holiday, I travel hand luggage only but it is ‘forever packing’ with a mix of hand washing and the occasional visit to a local laundry, I can go forever. I am always astonished at these people who arrive with huge suitcases and are only staying a week.
A minimal selection of top-quality tools are always required on a boat to save on professionals.
4. My poo solution is a little different. If you are in a marina, harbour or anchored off, always make maximum use of the facilities ashore. If at sea, have a macerating electric flush loo and discharge directly to the sea – strictly illegal in most places but the fish will like it and it stops turds turning up on the beach.
5. I get more travel-sick in a car than on a boat. It is a question of your brain becoming accustomed to the movement of the boat and of course, avoiding rough seas. A ‘confused sea’, when the wind direction has switched, is the worst. My first sailing trip involved force 9 with 30 foot waves for 5 days. I couldn’t even hold down water – the only time in my life I became religious, I prayed to sink and be rescued. We should never have set off with conditions like that forecast. Avoid unpleasant conditions, always!
6. Whoever you sail with, you get to know them intimately, quickly, warts and all. They also tend to remain your friends for life.
7. I have lived on numerous beaches when the only means of washing and shaving was in the sea. Having any sort of shower, including a deck shower, is a luxury.
8. Old boats are the most expensive – cheap to buy but the priciest to maintain. There is always something that needs repairing or replacing. There is a good reason why all the charter companies sell their boats at 5 or 6 years old, because the cost of maintenance after years of hard use outweighs the cost of buying new. If a boat is privately owned and taken careful care of, then it should around 10 years before any serious expenditure is required. After that, it becomes gradually exponential.
9. Here I must disagree. All the major muscle groups of your body are being exercised by sailing, mostly to maintain stability but also by pulling lines, grinding winches, putting out and taking in the fenders, jumping ashore and so on. Gym would be over-kill and detrimental, at least physically.
10. Yes, one is always at the mercy of the weather when at sea. It is simply a matter of planning ahead and being stuck in a place you would like to be.
11. My friends are now scattered around the World. It makes no difference whether I am in my home office, as I am now, or on a boat. I still interact with them in the same way – over the internet, through one channel or another. The difference is they are more likely to visit if you live on a boat.
12. See point 9 – this is why you don’t need the gym!
13. As I used to say to my student tenants, ventilation and heat is the key (they were horrified at the idea). Sea air is caustic and sterile, it does not in itself cause mould. People and lack of ventilation do. Keep the hatches open, weather-permitting, and wear more clothes if it is cold. There are usually opening side-lights that can be left open all the time.
For delicate items such as cameras and lenses and electronics, you can have a designated ‘dry cupboard’ with a pot of silica gel to absorb the moisture.
Boat-life is very different to land-life and everyone has their own interpretation of it.
My only advice would be to scale down in absolutely everything, have only the very best quality, whether that is clothes, cookware, or stainless 316 tools, move all media (photos, films, music) purely to digital on a laptop with physical and ‘sky’ backups and keep the boat as simple as possible to reduce maintenance costs. Oh, and don’t buy an old boat! New, customised to your requirements will save money in the long-term.
Amazing tips! Thanks!
My wife Margaret and I lived aboard the family yawl Calypso in Richmond’s inner channel, at Decker’s marina for about a year as we built our 2 story floating home Double Star.
37′ waterline, 50′ overall, she looks big at the dock, not so big below deck. It was a wonderful, frightening adventure, one we’re glad to have experienced, as with fellow live-aboards we became one big family, but too many big storms, king tides etc had me going out in the midst of a blow in my foul weather gear checking Mooring lines and never really feeling warm.
Beautiful Calypso apparently is still in the water in Sausalito and I’m the only one of the family left with any potential ownership but now live in historic Marietta Ohio, and my house is vintage 1906, interestingly the same as Calypso, and I chose to stay ‘ on the dry’.
Hello,
I love your list. It’s very accurate and realistic. #10 should be on BOLD letters on every charter contract!
This past summer we spent 10 days without touching land while sailing the Med all because of the weather. “Look but doubt touch” seemed to be the taunting phrase when we anchored in Favignana, two different places south of Sardegna, then Menorca…. Until finally we arrived to Mallorca with good enough weather and then the outboard did NOT start! Thankfully we had our kayaks and could finally touch land.
About the quick mess.. not finding things… and the repairs… small or big, new or old, it’s all the same.
Says someone who loves in a 2014 Lagoon 450F catamaran with my bf, who’s the seasoned sailor and the McGyver DIY for everything! I’d never stepped on a sailboat until I met him 6 years ago. Been full time liveaboards since 2021. With all the things to love and all the things to dread, Jacques Cousteau couldn’t have said it better:
“The sea, once it casts its spell holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
Definitely agree.
~Verónica
Hardest thing after 20 years of April to October living on board moody42 cc ketch was having to give it up age nearly 80 and 70 when my husband had to give in to physical limitations.
Even now, the memories and photos are worth it all.
slightly easier when its a stinkpot,!!
I am the dock master at a very busy marina in Florida. We do not allow sailboat people anywhere near our docks. They are generally the most clueless rude douchebags we encounter. Please stop treating everyone like you are nobility on a Spanish galleon. They will fill 300 gallons of freshwater, steal all the paper towels and toilet paper out of the bathroom and leave six bags of garbage in the end they buy seven dollars worth of fuel for the dinghy.
Very good article.
After two years of living on the boat I would add- difficulty with washing when you do not have washing machine. That also is really difficult.
All the best!
Ewa
Some people should not own boats or Motor homes. You can stop with the “sailboat” thing. It doesn’t really matter. We are all power boats unless we are just sail boats. When we want the stuff, we are all power boats, some more efficient than others. I really love working on my boat. It has a lot of stuff that works and makes keeping it going easy. You have to have the fix it now if it doesn’t work mentality. Never pay someone else to fix anything. If you can’t learn to fix it yourself, throw it over. Finally, you will have a boat that you can manage yourself. You will also build a set of need on the boat fix it parts and can do just that, anywhere. You should invest in things that make your life easy like LED lights and windlass from the cockpit. I thought I spent too much for a new generator and high-tech batteries. Do it. It is magic, the inverter likes the quiet generator that sips fuel and the solar panels are working, all using the batteries that will run everything for at least a day. I have a 2 door refer and an ice maker.
1) Once you go Cat, you never can go back. I’ve had two Monohulls. Then I bought a Catamaran . A cat you are living flat. A monohull you live in a V. Big difference. I lost my first Cat in hurricane Irma and then bought an old monohull. Beautiful boat but realized I made a mistake. A monohull you are on top of each other, a Cat, I am always calling out trying where is my girlfriend. 2) No rolly polly. A Cat has two hulls no rocking and rolling. I got tired of rolling around the berth in the night trying to sleep, cook, poop, walk etc. I got tired of living in a V8 commercial always leaning over. Cats have a very stable platform. 3) No worries for shallow bays or harbor entrance. I draft 3.75 feet. loaded with stuff maybe add another 1/2 foot. No worries from running aground. 4) planning life. I bought my first momohull at 30 years old. I only paid $35k. 41ft a great boat. And I sailed it from Calif thru the Panama canal. I put maybe $25k into it. But it was a great experience and I got the sailing bug. But I realized as I aged it would be more difficult physically. So I concentrated on making money so I could buy a more conducive boat for my age and life style. My adage was ” Make money while you are young and have a good life when you are old !” I’m now living in the Caribbean, eating well, drinking great rum punches and having other experienced people fix when things break. Yes it costs money but that is why I made saved, invested, so I could life a full life in my golden years. Yes there are drawbacks to Cats too but lifes journey has been great.