My wife and I took up sailing just last June. We started with dinghies and
then took the usual sequence of ASA classes. We don't own a boat, but we've
been sailing consistantly ever since. To make a long story short, the
sailing bug has bitten us hard.

We're now considering a dramatic step. We're considering selling our
townhome, buying a boat and living on it. We have no children and don't
need much space. We work near the marina (the townhouse is an awful
commute). I'd say we are about 60% serious about it.

Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish you
had considered before you made the move?

I'm sure I'll have many detailed questions as we work through this decision.

Some basics: we sail in So Cal. We enjoy coastal cruising at the local
islands. We're not interested in any bluewater stuff in the near term,
though we both earn lots of vacation and that could be interesting later. I
enjoy racing but the boat would be strictly for a home and for local
cruising. I don't know what kind of boat yet, but my preliminary thoughts
are on a 10-20 year old boat in the 38' to 45' range, and something that
holds value (as boats go).

Thanks.

I suggest you be sure before you go about selling your home for a boat.

The only way to be sure is to get yourself a smaller boat, maybe between 20
and 30 feet, see how you like it before you sell your home in trade.

Be sure before you give up your land legs.

;-)

Before you sell the home, try living in just the bathroom for a month or so.

Liveaboard friends tell me they hardly ever sail, and I can see why. You
have to move all your living stuff out of the way to get ready to go
sailing--and then you gradually scatter it out again as "living" takes
precedence. If you work near the marina, find an apartment near the
marina--and sail at the drop of a hat.

UNLESS you're cruising full time, living on a sailboat is an exercise is
full time frustration, IMHO.

Fair winds whatever,

RWB (lives in house, sails in boat--A LOT.)


"Brien Alkire" wrote in message
...
My wife and I took up sailing just last June. We started with dinghies
and
then took the usual sequence of ASA classes. We don't own a boat, but
we've
been sailing consistantly ever since. To make a long story short, the
sailing bug has bitten us hard.

We're now considering a dramatic step. We're considering selling our
townhome, buying a boat and living on it. We have no children and don't
need much space. We work near the marina (the townhouse is an awful
commute). I'd say we are about 60% serious about it.

Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard
a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish you
had considered before you made the move?

I'm sure I'll have many detailed questions as we work through this
decision.

Some basics: we sail in So Cal. We enjoy coastal cruising at the local
islands. We're not interested in any bluewater stuff in the near term,
though we both earn lots of vacation and that could be interesting later.
I
enjoy racing but the boat would be strictly for a home and for local
cruising. I don't know what kind of boat yet, but my preliminary thoughts
are on a 10-20 year old boat in the 38' to 45' range, and something that
holds value (as boats go).

Thanks.

We bought a small boat (23 ft) and sailed her at every opportunity,
including trips of at least 2 weeks. We have recently purchased a larger
boat. We plan to live aboard her, beginning next spring, this includes
wintering in.
We built a wooden sailing dingy for day sailing, in the event that we wont
sail quite so much when living aboard.
I hope you take some longer trips aboard a sailboat before deciding to
entirely give up the land.
Having said that, we also are hard bitten. Enjoy your boat, however you
decide to approach it.
I also know even our little boat had more room than our land based
bathroom.
check into power issues, or perhaps I should self-sustainability issues.
Our take on these things is to rely as little on shore power as possible,
particularily as in the summer we will be on a floating mooring rather than
a dock.
take care
Fair Winds and following seas
dandelion

Hi

A year and a half ago my wife and I took the step you're considering.
We sold our house for a fine price and bought a 50ft motorsailer.
We love it. To sail we have to move the flowers and some pictures but
that doesn't inhibit us. We want to stay working till we're 55 (in 5
years) in the meantime we're preparing for a voyage.

Think about the type of ship though to avoid long-term irritation. Our
demands we
1) decksaloon, so you wont live in a cellar with a few small windows
way over your head.
2) Size. We live in plenty of space and we can have two couples to
sleep over. Think about your ship as a object you can alter almost
anything in or around, but not its size.
I would say buy as big as you can afford and can handle with the two
of you.
3) Make sure you've got enough capacity for diesel (heater) and water.
We have 1000 l diesel and 1500 l water on board, more than enough of
course so we don't get irritated.
4) Make sure the harbourmaster and you exactly know up front what your
plans are. Don't burdon him with domestic problems like telefone or
mail. Be sure what the situation will be in every season, dominant
wind-direction and so on.
In winter we moved to a place near shore, for water. We do have a
shore power connection we use normally. We have a diesel-powered hot
water heater.
Cel phone, wireless adsl for internet, digitenne for digital
tv-reception. We have it cause we like it. Point I want to make is you
dont have to get a deprived feeling.

We both are very happy the way things worked out.

When you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer....

CU, Len.


On Sun, 7 Dec 2003 19:55:11 -0800, "Brien Alkire"
wrote:

My wife and I took up sailing just last June. We started with dinghies and
then took the usual sequence of ASA classes. We don't own a boat, but we've
been sailing consistantly ever since. To make a long story short, the
sailing bug has bitten us hard.

We're now considering a dramatic step. We're considering selling our
townhome, buying a boat and living on it. We have no children and don't
need much space. We work near the marina (the townhouse is an awful
commute). I'd say we are about 60% serious about it.

Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish you
had considered before you made the move?

I'm sure I'll have many detailed questions as we work through this decision.

Some basics: we sail in So Cal. We enjoy coastal cruising at the local
islands. We're not interested in any bluewater stuff in the near term,
though we both earn lots of vacation and that could be interesting later. I
enjoy racing but the boat would be strictly for a home and for local
cruising. I don't know what kind of boat yet, but my preliminary thoughts
are on a 10-20 year old boat in the 38' to 45' range, and something that
holds value (as boats go).

Thanks.

Can't argue with success!

Fair winds, Len

Dick

Hi, Brien!

I've been living aboard a 38' Hans Christian Traditional sailboat for over
five years. I'm composing this message as I sit in the saloon, watching the
Simpsons, using a laptop with a DSL connection. All the comforts of a
land-based home! ;-)

Please check out my website at:

www.SleepingWithOars.com

It has tons of useful stuff about living aboard.

Sincerely,

-Robert Doty
"Brien Alkire" wrote in message
...
My wife and I took up sailing just last June. We started with dinghies
and
then took the usual sequence of ASA classes. We don't own a boat, but
we've
been sailing consistantly ever since. To make a long story short, the
sailing bug has bitten us hard.

We're now considering a dramatic step. We're considering selling our
townhome, buying a boat and living on it. We have no children and don't
need much space. We work near the marina (the townhouse is an awful
commute). I'd say we are about 60% serious about it.

Would anyone like to share opinions or their experiences in living aboard
a
sailboat? What did you miss about living on shore? What did you wish you
had considered before you made the move?

I'm sure I'll have many detailed questions as we work through this
decision.

Some basics: we sail in So Cal. We enjoy coastal cruising at the local
islands. We're not interested in any bluewater stuff in the near term,
though we both earn lots of vacation and that could be interesting later.
I
enjoy racing but the boat would be strictly for a home and for local
cruising. I don't know what kind of boat yet, but my preliminary thoughts
are on a 10-20 year old boat in the 38' to 45' range, and something that
holds value (as boats go).

Thanks.

using a laptop with a DSL connection

A DSL connection, eh? Means you are tied to a dock 24/7/52.