Benifits of Living Aboard

Living on a Vessel

Hello Tim,
I think you might be a prime candidate for a live aboard barge. These can be real floating condos to various sizes and expense, yet mobile enough to go off exploring the huge river and canal systems of England, Europe, and even the USA.

I think even one of the world's richest guys (Richard Branson) had, or still has one of these tied up in London

Personally I've often thought of a leasurely trip thru the French canals on one of these.

BTW, what is that state park in Pa you mentioned?? My lady friend from Thailand is visiting in Oct, and I thought of a short visit to the Autumn colors.

Here are a few reference discussings. I'm sure you can find more

Dutch Barge long distance cruisers
http://boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11316

...couple of others
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/general-yachting-discussion/4976-living-yacht.html

http://boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13345

 

Yeah Tim

Books and Magazines do take up a hell of a lot of space, probably rarely get looked at, but you know that if you ditch 'em the next week your just going to need THAT article - boy do I know this from experience! Plus of course they play hell with ballasting arrangements, the most logical space for all that weight is in the bilge (down were Frosty lives) and as you know a wet bilge ain't the place for paperwork of any type (except maybe letters from Frosty!) Problems, problems - leave it at moms (ashore!)

 

… unless you buy just one more book – “A Super Power Memory”. Read it, absorb the rest then ditch ‘em. You’ll probably gain a good few knots in top speed too!

 

Thanks Snow.

She may very well work from the boat as she is a massage therapist. Have not quite figured out what I will be doing. We are considering now maybe a small (38' - 42') trawler. I'm the one with nautical experience. She thinks "boat, we can be in US & then UK whenever we want". The size and potential of the Atlantic would not deter her, though it would me. Not a standard commute by any means. Myself, yes: with her life in my hands and mutual medical concerns???

If we are doing well enough $$$ we may just have a boat on either side of the Pond.

Take care.

Tim

 

Hey Tim,
Life on the water is a good life. It's the great mix between the calmness and romance you could find in the country side and the benefits of the downtown proximity (lot of festivals, concerts, events and pubs in harbors). We lived two years on our 36 ft sailboat and are building our new boat to go spend the rest of our life on the water. In our case, being in Canada, we also had (and will have) to do with winter and ice. There isn't many tips we one can give someone else about philosophical & practical advantages to living aboard as what may sound good to one may be a great drawback to an other. It's all about what you are looking for from moving on the water, what are your motivations and expectations.

For Mark and I life on a boat is are way to be close to the water. It's our way of having a cottage, an RV and downtown condo all rolled into one. We also very much like the object itself, the boat. Life on a boat also changes all the dynamic the community around you. It's like because you are not living in a suburban house you suddenly appear more accessible and trustworthy to others. People approach you easily, more prone to be friendly, your not an invisible stranger anymore. This does have it's drawbacks but that's why we also rather live on the hook than at docks. Anyway, you live on your boat and lets be honest: you become the cool kid in town.
There are drawbacks but again that's all relative to what comfort is to you.
By building our bigger boat we are correcting what was the big problem for us. We practice some activities and have some gear (skis, bikes, windsurf ) we don't want to give up, so we need the storage space. Our new boat barely has more living space as the other one but great cargo area, fully separated from the living space (like a shed or garage to us).
When we built our first boat we had many comments from people about maintenance and how it was going to be hell to keep up....well it would have been if we also had a house, a pool, a garden, a cottage...but all we had was a boat and I found it less work than having a house. But that's for maintenance. For day to day life, it's more work. You have to think more of things you normally don't think of living on land. Bringing in water, fuel, food (less fresh food storage), being conscientious of energy usage, unloading all the garbage and wastage....It's more work but, for us, it is also a great way to be conscient and thankful for what we have, we had a better appreciation of the simple things. Think of the luxury it can become to have a bowl of ice cream after dinner.
Funny enough, even without being overly ecologist we became very aware and mad at the over wrapping in stores, that's what happens when you have to dinghy out all the garbage you already had to dinghy in.
Well enough thoughts here for now. Happiness in simple luxuries, that resumes it. Is that the philosophical & practical advantages to living aboard you're looking for?
Life on boat is great.

Murielle

 

Just a random thought here…
Three quarters of the earth’s surface is water.
Why limit yourself?

 

Classic Dutch Barge

How about this little beauty I just dug up from my old files and posted here:

http://boatdesign.net/forums/showpost.php?p=159586&postcount=152

 

Benefits of living Aboard

Aye, Trev's right...try a 'wee whisky' now and again....

 

Tim, listen to Murielle. Very nice and sensible post.
Cheers.

 

Thank You All

You all have been great with your contributions to this thread. To any I have neglected to thank with PM's & such, I do so now, Thank You.

Take care.

Tim

 

'sfunny my way of being close to water is to drink the local beer (St Austalls). Its the sort of stuff that makes talking to Frosty viable (nearly)!