My first date with my wife was a canoe trip where it started raining
and didnt stop for two days. Our relationship went downhill from
there. We spent 3 months camping near the continental divide in a
backpacking tent during which she broke her arm and cracked her hip in
a climbing accident. We only got jobs and an apartment when the snow
started trying to collapse the tent every night. We spent years as
fanatical cave explorers so being dirty and smelly is not a big deal
to us. I have worn out several pairs of hiking boots and packs
backpacking. We do a lot of family camping and when I suggested a pop-
up camper instead of the tent she razzed me about it for years. She
WANTS to go backpacking for weeks (I refuse having done my share of
"death marches".). By comparison to our other trips, our bare bones
boat is the height of luxury, good lord, how decadent, an ice box.
Getting rid of the marine head and replacing it with a porta-potti was
her idea but i am sure glad I did. The only amenity she is insisting
on is a new bimini because our old one is really bad and our 20 yr old
daughter developed melanoma when she was 17 (she is ok). So, since
the boat (a 28' S2) is paid for, our sailing is fairly cheap except
for slip fees. With this sort of cruising, one can have your home and
boat.