living on a 28 foot sailboat

Living on a TINY 28ft Salvaged Sailboat for 2 Years

In this video Exploring Alternatives team meet Maya and Aladino, a couple of sailors who are living full-time on their tiny 28-foot sailboat. They travel slowly with minimal belongings, and they keep their expenses low by doing most boat repairs themselves, and by living as cheaply as possible.

Sailing Magic Carpet is a 1979 Vindø 32 that was lovingly restored by Aladino, who is a certified boatbuilder. Their home-on-water can carry 100 litres of freshwater, it has a small fridge and stove, a 130-watt solar panel, and a 3-cylinder 20hp Yanmar engine.

Maya and Aladino are passionate live-aboard sailors who both learned how to sail and restored their own boats separately before meeting in Europe, falling in love, and moving onto the tiny 28-foot sailboat Magic Carpet together.

You can follow Maya and Aladino’s adventures here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF4x… https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13249792 https://www.instagram.com/sailingmagi… https://sailingmagiccarpet.com/

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Sailboat Life

Sailboat Cruising and Lifestyle Magazine.

How to Live on a Sailboat for Beginners

This is a guide for how to live on a sailboat – but be warned, if you have any desire for the liveaboard lifestyle, you might quickly become on of us! Living aboard a sailboat requires an enjoyment of water, being okay with small living, and a sense of adventure. It’s not hard to begin living on a sailboat, but a few tips can help.

Let’s consider a few basic liveaboard questions first:

Is it living on a sailboat a good idea?

Living aboard a sailboat give you freedom that you won’t find in any other lifestyle. A suburban house can not be moved from place to place. But living on a sailboat gives you the options to live anywhere – literally in any country in the world! Living aboard a sailboat offers such a unique feeling of freedom to explore that you won’t find anywhere else.

Is living on a sailboat hard?

It is tough to live on a sailboat in a place like San Francisco where everyone is trying to escape super-high rent. In resort areas, many marinas have years-long waitlists for a liveaboard slip, and these slips cost double than a regular slip. However, not all places, in fact most places are easy to liveaboard.

Are you thinking about living aboard? Well, it takes time, planning, and preparation to being living on a sailboat. Here are a few videos to help you make a few calculations.

Adjusting to Liveaboard Life

Today, Emily sits down with 3 other female friends in the harbor to chat about how they transitioned from being landlubbers to liveaboard sailors in recent years. We’ll let you in on the conversation, and 4 different perspectives (though there are MANY others in the world).

• Emily, 34, aboard Temptress – liveaboard for 5 years
• Kris, 57, aboard Sixth Girl – liveaboard for 1 year
• Meredith, 44, aboard Tla Hla – liveaboard for 3 years
• Hannah, 26, aboard Sojourner – liveaboard for 2 years

How to Afford and Start Living Aboard

Your dream is to become a liveaboard? You want to know more about sailboat life, and what it means to live on a sailboat? You want to know how to afford living on a sailboat and how to afford staying liveaboards? How it feels to daily hoist the sail and follow the wind?

Start Small, Start Now

One philosophy in getting started living aboard a sailboat is to start small, start now. That doesn’t mean you have to buy a major refit project of a sailboat. You can get started in a small 24 foot single cabin boat for less than $10,000 or a mid-size 36 foot sailboat (see video below) for less than $60,000. Or grab a 1980s fixer upper that’s 42 feet in length that costs $25,000 – but beware, a fixer upper is a major expense even when you do it yourself.

Is Living Aboard for You?

No one can answer this question except you. However, if you enjoy freedom, have a sense of adventure, and love the water, then you might enjoy living aboard a sailboat.

We hope you enjoyed this how to guide for life on a sailboat for beginners. Leave us a comment or question a below.

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How to Live on a Sail Boat Full Time: All You Need to Know

Written by J. Harvey / Fact checked by S. Numbers

Table of Contents

1. Choosing the Location

2. what people you live have to say, 1. the essentials, 2. cost of living, 3. safety and security, 4. socialization and daily life, 5. living life sideways, final words and ready to sail.

Don’t just romanticize when settling in a sailboat because there are some things that you have to weigh in. It’s an unconventional lifestyle that necessitates the ability to adapt to changes, make preparation, and commit to organization.

Before getting on board for good, you need to gather information on how to live on a sail boat full time. You have to think of the essentials, comfort, daily life, connectivity, safety, and security.

You also have to adjust to a new home as you learn your balance and do stuff inside a sailboat. The following part discusses important things regarding this topic.

Are You Ready For A Full-Pledged Life In A Sailboat

Living in a sailboat full time is not for everyone. Thus, you have to ask yourself if you’re ready for a frugal lifestyle and carrying out daily maintenance. If you’re someone who truly loves water and natural elements, there’s no doubt you’ll be joyful about it.

Sailboats are the best choice if you wish to travel and not just stay in the same location. But first, some things should be a part of your decision, and they are as follow:

Your job can interfere with your decision. But you can always find the right choice to give way to it. You’ll find areas with reasonable proximity to water. As an example, the city canal barge is popular in the UK as sailors can take advantage of boat living options. Don’t forget to check on the availability as well as the cost of the docking stations.

Your partner or family has something to say about living in a sailboat. Those people will choose to live with you, so they have to agree with it. They should also be willing to limit things that are taken on board.

It’s tricky to bring small kids and even the bigger ones in a sailboat. They may struggle to live in it.

Important Things To Deliberate When Living On A Sailboat Full Time

You may leave your 2,000 square foot house for a 40-foot boat. When it happens, expect that cupboards are fewer, closets are smaller, and you won’t have as much space as before. To make the most of the available space, devote some time to de-clutter.

You can begin decluttering kitchen tools, clothing, and mementos. You may keep your business attire in your office and winter clothes in off-boat storage. Also, make sure that the boat’s interior is dry and warm with plenty of ventilation to avoid condensation and mildew, which will require you of a new set of tools and cleaners.

Another thing that you have to look at is connectivity. You may need marina Wi-Fi for TV and high-speed internet. This connection will keep you posted with work, family, friends, and entertainment.

Some skills are needed to keep your boat spic and span. You must know that sailboat maintenance can be more demanding than a house when it comes to frequency and distinction.

Basic electrical, plumbing, and mechanical skills are essential because systems inside a boat are less reliable than a house. Some opt for a contractor to fix issues as they can’t manage it by themselves.

Don’t assume that you can save from living on a boat. You can estimate and make a budget with these expenses:

• Boat insurance
• Boat mortgage payment
• Food and water
• Waste management

Just like with everything, expenses can be managed well when you stick with the budget. Insurance to live aboard boats can be as expensive as home insurance. It depends on the vessel’s size and value.

You can pay less on property taxes and electricity as you don’t need to heat, light, or cool an ample space. Moreover, you can save some bucks on waste management, water, and gas.

What you would likely spend more money on is the maintenance. Labor and marine parts cost 20% higher than the household equivalent. When you work on something in your boat and you have a job at the same time, you don’t get paid for the hours that you spend on the task.

In regards to this matter, it includes the decision of whether to let dogs, kids, and strangers in your sailboat. Be wise with your judgment; will it be okay to have them around? Installation of CO2 and smoke alarms, as well as propane sniffers, is important for onboard safety and security. You can also get an alarm that can detect CO2 and smoke at the same time.

Fire extinguishers should also be on board in case of fire hazards, and you have to regularly check them. You need to keep an eye on battery levels and bilge. For the sake of safety, you must find out the answers to the following queries as well.

• Is it safe to walk from the parking area to the slip even at night?
• Is my care secured being stored in a 24/7 garage?
• Who will give you a ring when your boat is on the list while you take a vacation?

Don’t be surprised but socialization at a marina is way better than in a neighborhood. It’s because everyone helps each other so it’s like a two-way street. If you wish to be by yourself, you’ll end up unseen in the corner of the marina.

Life on a sailboat will train you on how to tilt at least 20 degrees. You’ll do it when you walk, sleep, cook, and pee. This practice is a constant act of balance. The world inside a boat seems to be sideways most of the time.

At some point, you feel like you’re in a black and white movie with a room that rotates while there are people that dance on the wall and the ceiling. You may be in discomfort and frustration for the first few days.

With the help of muscle memory, adjustments will be made by your mind and body. The time will come that walking sideways is just the normal way of walking to you. You must be able to adapt to the boat’s tight layout and unexpected movements.

To deal with the motion, calculated movements should be observed. Moving around the boat is sometimes similar to how astronauts behave when they walk on the moon. In this case, the rule of the sea can help you and it’s by having your one hand on the ship while the other is for yourself.

This rule can be applied in every task that you make onboard. For example, I can’t take two plates at a time. I needed to dedicate two rounds for it instead. You may experience being tossed in the cabin too. You may get some scrapes and bruises but they will heal later as you’ve learned how to walk sideways.

The way on how to live on a sail boat full time is akin to a rollercoaster ride. It can sometimes be scary but it’s worth it after you put things in order. Since you know the important things you have to set before going on board, you’re good to go. Your expectations are also set in what may happen when living on a sailboat.

It won’t be hard for you to manage things in your sailboat with the right knowledge that this article has imparted to you. So, bon voyage and enjoy life at the sea!

Read more other topics about sailboat:

• Steps to paint a sailboat.
• What is the average speed of a sailboat?

“My intention from the first day establishing Boating Basics Online is to provide as much help as possible for boaters who want to experience a first safe and convenient trip. So feel free to join us and share your beautiful journeys to the sea!”

Living on a Boat: Beginner's Guide for Liveaboards

It’s easy to romanticize the idea of living on a boat full-time; however, it's an alternative lifestyle like that takes preparation, organization and an ability to roll with changes. When you commit to moving aboard, make checklists of necessities and talk to your partner about deal-breakers. Prepare the boat for life aboard well before you make the move.

Factors to Consider Before Living Aboard

Before moving onboard your boat, you should ask yourself some questions:

• Is this just for a period of time before you go cruising or is this a lifestyle choice?
• Are you comfortable with repeatedly defending your choice to your friends and family?
• Are you living in a climate that is boat-friendly year-round?
• Are you handy and a good problem solver?
• Who will accept your Amazon deliveries and are you ready to grocery shop frequently since there won’t be room to stow much?
• Are you ready to become your own maid?
• Will you feel comfortable with your kids being in this new environment?
• What’s Plan B if it doesn’t work?

After moving aboard, you may be hauling the laundry to the laundromat or groceries from the parking lot with no dock cart nearby. You’ll need to go to the pump-out station regularly as well as to the post office for your mail. Small doesn’t translate to easy so mentally run through a typical week and write down solutions to the issues.

Essentials: Stowage, Comfort & Connectivity

When you move from a 2,000-square foot house to a 40-foot boat, all the closets are smaller, the cupboards are fewer and there’s no two-car garage. In preparation, you’ll need to de-clutter kitchen gadgets, tools, mementos and clothing. Keep winter clothes in off-boat storage and your business attire at the office if possible.

Make sure the boat is warm and dry with plenty of ventilation. Mildew and condensation will become a part of life and you’ll need a whole new set of cleaners and tools.

Plan your connectivity needs. Whether a dish for TV or high-speed internet access via the marina WiFi, you’ll need a connectivity solution so you’re not cut off from work, friends, family and entertainment.

Beneficial Skills to Have for Living Onboard

Maintenance on a boat may be worse than in a house in terms of frequency and specificity. Basic plumbing, electrical and mechanical skills will be needed because boat systems are generally less reliable than their household counterparts. The alternative is calling a contractor for every issue.

Cost of Living on a Boat

Don’t assume that you’ll save money by moving aboard. Here's some expenses you may incur by living on your boat:

• Boat mortgage payment
• Boat insurance
• Waste management
• Food and water

The best way to manage expenses is by making a budget and sticking to it. Depending on the size and value of the vessel, boat insurance may be just as expensive as house insurance. Property taxes will usually be less as will electricity since you’ll not be heating/cooling/lighting as big a space. You’ll probably save money on waste management, gas and water as well.

Where costs rise dramatically is maintenance . Marine parts and labor are usually more expensive—sometimes 20% more, than typical household counterparts. If you take on the tasks yourself and you’re self-employed, every hour you spend working on your boat is an hour you don’t make money.

Learn More in our Boat Insurance Guide

Safety & Security

You’ll need to decide whether to invite strangers inside, and if kids and pets will be safe around the docks. Install CO2 and smoke alarms and a propane sniffer, check the fire extinguishers periodically, and keep an eye on the basics like bilge and battery levels. You may also want to consider the following:

• Will you be safe walking from the parking lot to the slip at night?
• Will your nice car be okay outside the garage 24/7?
• Who will call you if your boat starts to list when you’re on vacation?

There aren’t really more or fewer safety issues, just different kinds.

Daily Life & Socialization

Socializing is easier in a marina than in a neighborhood. Neighbors help neighbors in marinas but it’s a two-way street so be ready to lend a hand when needed. If you’d rather live anonymously, consider an end tie in the forgotten corner of the marina. Although there are challenges to living on a boat, if you’re prepared, you may find it a perfect fit.

I already have a boat in a slip in a marina, so can I just move aboard?

Most marinas require an application for you to move aboard permanently. In some areas, liveaboards aren’t permitted or there are long waiting lists. Liveaboard slip fees are usually higher and your insurance rates may increase if your boat becomes your primary residence.

How do I live aboard a boat with a pet?

Dogs, cats and other pets need to acclimate to their new environments. They need exercise, private space and easy access to food and a potty. Make sure stairs and docks are safe for them and that they know how to get on the boat or dock if they fall in the water. Be careful of small spaces where they can get trapped and wires they can chew. Teach them about their new environment and be patient.

Learn more in Boating with Pets and Tips for Taking Your Dog Boating .

Read Next: Boat Owner's Guide

Looking for more information on boat ownership? Read...

• Boat Owner's Guide
• Costs of Boat Ownership
• Boat Maintenance Guide
• Insuring Your Boat
• Boat Safety Guide

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My Cruiser Life Magazine

Living on a Sailboat – Cruiserlife Reality, Pros & Cons Of Boat Life In 2023

What could be more romantic or inspiring than living on a sailboat? Maybe you dream of traveling and “sailing off into the sunset.” Or maybe you dig the sailing lifestyle and are looking to join a community of like-minded people. For some, it has been a lifelong dream. Or perhaps you’ve landed here because you’re out of options, and life on a sailboat sounds cheaper than land-based obligations and a good way to save money.

Table of Contents

The dream of sailboat life, can you live aboard any boat, sail or power.

• Price Range 

Monohull or Catamaran

Dock life or off the grid, living spaces, five reasons boat life is awesome, five reasons why a liveaboard boat can be a bummer, before you do, try life on a sailboat first, sailboat life faqs.

The truth is, many reasons bring people to move onto a sailboat—or any kind of boat. If you’re unfamiliar with boat life, think of boats as floating RVs or campers. They attract all sorts of people, from wealthy travelers to people making ends meet. And just like with RVs, they range from palatial yachts to cramped, dingy things you can’t get away from fast enough.

Buying a sailboat to live on has grown in popularity in recent years and has boomed during the coronavirus era. While the global pandemic certainly slowed world travel, it has pushed more people to work from where ever they like. With unlimited data cell phone plans, you can take your boat nearly anywhere and still be connected with the world.

The first question to ask is, “What sort of boat do you want to live on?” Boats come in every shape and size to suit every boater. As a result, the choices can be overwhelming when you first consider the lifestyle.

All boats represent compromises. The vessel designer made compromises to fit all the things in the boat that they could. There are compromises in performance in favor of more creature comforts, or vice versa. 

Likewise, you’ll make compromises when you purchase a boat. You may find that the vessel of your dreams is out of your budget, so you compromise with a smaller boat or one lacking some features. You may opt for a stout bluewater boat built for ocean crossings. If that’s the case, you will invariably compromise on some liveaboard comforts that cheaper coastal cruisers might offer. 

What the boat needs to have for you to liveaboard is entirely up to you. Is your idea of the liveaboard lifestyle all about downsizing and living simply? Or is living aboard a means to an ends—a way to slowly travel the world comfortably while taking “home” with you? Do you live for the passion of actual sailing, or is sailing just a cheap way to move from place to place?

In other words, before you go boat shopping, you must narrow down your goals for the vessel. Next, we’ll look at some of the features that will make how to live on a sailboat easier, but remember that nothing is mandatory. 

Buying a Sailboat to Live On

If you’re wondering whether or not sailboat life is right for you, start by thinking about what the perfect setup would be like. Chances are you have some preconceived notions of what living on a sailboat is like. And chances are there are ways that it could be like that, but there are also ways that it could be completely different. 

Before you dive too deep into the lifestyle, don’t pigeonhole yourself into looking at only sailboats. There are tons of powerboats that you can get for similar prices as used sailboats. And motorboats have a few advantages over sailboats, especially for living aboard.

The most common types of powerboats you’ll see people living on are trawlers or cabin cruisers. First, the design of these boats means that their hull shape is better able to accommodate living space. They’ve got wide sterns and bigger interiors. They also usually have large windows and a nice view out of the living area, something most sailboats lack. 

The only thing that a powerboat can’t do is sail (obviously), and most people don’t cross oceans in them. But most people who buy sailboats to do those things never actually do them! So again, it all comes back to being honest with yourself about what you want to do with your boat. If you’re after comfortable living space and the ability to travel anywhere along the coast, a trawler should be high on your list.  

Price Range

You can’t go boat shopping (or even dreaming!) without at least some idea of your budget. You can spend anywhere from $1,000 to well over $10 million buying a sailboat. You have to narrow it down a bit!

Here are a few pointers to guide you. If you browse for a boat on Yachtworld , you can get a pretty good idea of a particular make and model’s nominal value. 

These are brokered boats, so the list prices seldom equal the sale price. But it provides a good way to analyze the market. Some will be priced very high because they are newer, have newer upgraded engines, are better maintained, or are otherwise “better.” By eliminating those, you should be able to estimate the average value of a particular make and model. 

You may find listings that look like bargains because they are priced lower. Chances are, these are project boats. Project boats require “elbow grease” or “DIY skills” to restore. A project boat is always a losing proposition because it will usually take many more dollars to get it ship-shape than it would cost to have just bought the kept up boat to begin with. 

Here’s an example. Say you’re shopping for one of the best liveaboard sailboats , like a Catalina 30, and the average price is around $18,000. Then, one day while browsing Craigslist, you see one listed for $5,000. A bargain, right? Well, it should be no surprise that the $5,000 boat “needs a little work.” But what you might not realize is that it probably needs $20,000 or more worth of work (and even that number is if you plan on putting in your own elbow grease).

The moral of this story is pretty simple—plan on paying the average price for a sailboat. Of course, there might be some bargains out there. But generally, if you want a functional, livable boat, it will cost you some cash.

Catamarans are popular choices for liveaboard boaters, especially if you plan on anchoring or traveling a lot. These boats have expansive living spaces that feel much less crowded and claustrophobic than typical boats. Even sail cats ofter raised salons with wrap-around windows and lots of fresh air flowing through.

On the flip side, it can be challenging and expensive to find a dock or repair facility in some parts of the world when you need one. So if you plan to live at a dock on a catamaran, start your search by finding the dock first. Catamarans are too wide to fit in regular slips, so marinas must put them on the limited number of bulkhead or t-head docks they have. 

Catamarans are expensive, and it’s generally not good to stretch your budget when buying a boat. If you do, you’ll have less money in the back to travel or spend on upgrades and repairs. So if the catamaran lifestyle appeals to you, double-check your numbers to ensure you can afford to do it right.

Being a liveaboard boater does not mean you must spend your life tied to a dock. You could travel regularly from your marina home base. Or you could travel and not have a home base. It all depends on how you organize your life and your obligations. 

If you intend to live as off-the-grid as possible, that should be considered when you go boat shopping. Some boats are easy to set up that way, and others are not.

If you spend a lot of time away from docks, you must come up with a plan to get some necessities. Some things are easy, and others are more difficult. You’ll have to answer questions about how you will get electrical power, fresh water, pump outs, fuel, and groceries.

Electrical Power

At a dock, you can plug in with a large extension cord and enjoy unlimited power just like you would in a home. Since all the power arrives through the one big cord, there might be some inconveniences, like you cannot blow dry your hair, make microwave popcorn, and brew coffee all at once. But generally, you’ll have outlets that work and plenty of power to run air conditioners, heaters, cooking appliances, and whatever else. 

Away from the dock and unplugged is another thing entirely. Some boats have generators that will run 24/7 to maintain the same comforts. But generators drink diesel fuel and are noisy and smelly. Most sailors who live off the grid prefer to use solar panels and a large bank of batteries to power what they need. In all but extreme cases, however, this means that some power-intensive conveniences like air conditioning and heaters are not viable options.

Fresh Water

Docks will supply city or well water for use onboard. In some cases, you plug in a hose for unlimited supply, but on most boats, you simply fill up the water tanks whenever you need to. 

Away from the dock, you’ll have to rely on the tanks alone. When they get low, you’ll need to visit a dock to refill them. Any marina will let you fill up, but most boaters combine it with a trip for fuel or a pump out. 

Some boaters catch rainwater and put it in their water tanks. Others carry jerry cans of water from shore in their dinghy. And on ocean-going boats, you can install water-making systems that desalinate seawater and make it potable. 

If water goes in the boat, it must come out, right? It is illegal to dump your toilets overboard in most parts of the world unless you are far offshore. So boats are equipped with a holding tank—the boat equivalent of the RV black water tank.

To empty the tank, you visit a pump out station. This is simply a pump that takes the tank contents and puts them in the local sewage treatment system. It is far more ecologically responsible than dumping it. 

The size of your holding tank is a significant limiting factor on most liveaboard vessels. On average, a 20-gallon tank will last a couple about one week of full-time living aboard. So plan on a weekly trip to the pump out dock. You can just use the marina’s facilities as often as possible if you live at a dock. That will extend your time between pump outs considerably.

Some places have pump out boats that will come to you. This is common in busy mooring fields or anchorages like those found in Florida. Some are provided by marinas, and others are done by local cities or counties. Interested in liveaboard marinas in Florida , visit our guide!

Living aboard doesn’t burn any engine fuel. And it’s usually easy to find gas or diesel fuel docks when traveling.

But you’ll also occasionally need cooking fuel, usually propane. You may also need fuel for your heaters during winter. Boat heaters work on diesel, propane, or solid fuels.

Finally, you’ll need a plan for groceries. For example, if you live at a dock at a marina, you might keep a car there and live like you would if you had an apartment. 

If you don’t have a car or are traveling, you will start looking for grocery stores near marinas. Walking distance becomes important, as do marina loaners cars or Uber.

You can make a lot of upgrades and modifications to make the boat you choose, but it’s not possible to fundamentally change the boat’s characteristics. If you’re thinking about living on a boat full time, you need to consider the living spaces and whether or not you and your family can comfortably live there.

Salon, Cockpit, and Staterooms

You’ll spend most of your time in the larger spaces, like the cockpit and salon. The cockpit is like the outdoor patio, and the salon is like your living room and dining room combined. Do these areas have enough space for everyone to lounge comfortably? What about regular everyday things like reading a book or watching the tv? 

Designers make boats comfortable and safe while boating, but it’s only recently that they’ve emphasized the livability aspect of their designs. As a result, many sailboats have small cockpits that are safe at sea but cramped for day-to-day life. Likewise, settees and lounges might not be engineered for comfort so much as use in rough seas. 

A common complaint that people have about boat life is the shape of the beds. Staterooms on small boats usually have v-berths, vee-shaped cushions in the bow. These can be very difficult to get in and out of, especially for couples. They nearly always involve getting trapped inside and having to climb over your partner to get out. Island berths, which stand in the center of the stateroom and can be accessed on either side, are a great upgrade. 

Galley and Head

And then there are the functional parts of the boat like the kitchen and bath (or the galley and head in boating terms). Kitchens will be much smaller than even efficiency apartments. Expect a simple gas range and small oven at the most. Some boats will have a microwave, but not all. Refrigerators are small, and on sailboats, they are often awkward top-loaders. The biggest problem you’ll find with most boat galleys is a lack of counter space and storage. 

The head is another place to analyze what living aboard would be like. Smaller boats have “wet heads.” That means that if you want to have a shower, you’ll sit on the toilet, and everything will get wet. The opposite of a wet head is a separate shower stall, which is a great upgrade if you are living aboard full time.

Pros and Cons of Life on a Sailboat

So now you’ve got some ideas about what makes up life on a sailboat—or at least a look at the variety and sorts of boats that you can liveaboard. What would make you want to take the plunge, and what would give you pause? Here are a few pros and cons to the liveaboard lifestyle.

Living on a sailboat provides an amount of freedom that people with houses can never know. Don’t like your neighbor? Change slips or move to a new marina. Sick of this town? You and your house can be in another state in a few days.

Not being tied down means you can organize your life to travel more. For example, if you aren’t tied to a local job, you could spend summers staying cool in New England and winters in Florida or The Bahamas. Or if you’re entirely untied, head off into the sunset for the Caribbean or an around the world cruise.

2. More Time On the Water

It only follows that you must like the water if you’re looking at boat life. Many people feel a special connection to nature from being near the sea, be it at the beach or on a boat. Boats provide you with endless million-dollar waterfront views that can change as much as you want to travel. You’ll enjoy your morning coffee with a whole new crowd—pelicans, dolphins, sea turtles, and manatees may be in your backyard every morning. 

3. Romantic, Slow Paced Travel

Even if you don’t cruise, there is a romantic connection to travel in every boat. Arriving in a new town by boat is unlike any other travel experience. Every town looks like the same strip malls and chain stores by car. But by boat, you can see towns like an explorer, viewing each historic waterfront and finding all the best dive bars and cruiser hangouts. 

With the right sailboat, you can travel nearly anywhere in the world. Some people dream of completing a circumnavigation, while others stick to seasonal cruising. Whatever your goal, sailboats might not be the fastest way to travel, but they are certainly the most romantic.

4. Small Space Simple Living

On the one hand, boats and RVs are the mobile equivalents of the tiny house. If the idea of downsizing your possessions and valuing experiences more than material goods appeals to you, living in the small space of a liveaboard boat might be right for you.

It might seem counterintuitive because boats are pretty complex and expensive items. But downsizing is a relative thing, and no matter how fancy the boat is, chances are the people living on it downsized their lives to get there. Boats themselves are complex, but they also prevent you from being burdened by many non-essentials.

5. Sailing Community

Finally, the sailing and boating community is full of interesting and fun people. Everywhere you go, you’ll meet boaters that come from a wide range of backgrounds who have similar interests to your own. The community is supportive and known for fun get-togethers over cocktails or pot-lucks.

1. Difficult to Find Liveaboard Marinas

If your goal is to live on a boat and stay in one place, you might find it’s hard to get a marina or anchorage that suits you. Marinas are businesses, and each one is operated to suit a particular crowd. Some welcome liveaboards while others do not. Sometimes it’s the marina policy, and other times it has to do with local city or state regulations. 

However, if you are traveling on your boat as a cruiser, you have little to worry about. Travelers and voyagers are always welcome, and transient slips at marinas for up to three months are usually readily available. 

2. Small Spaces

Wait, wasn’t “small living” a pro of living on a boat? It was, but it can suck too. Cramped spaces, storage limits, and small living get old and frustrating after a while. No matter how hard you try, you’ll wind up collecting too much stuff that you have no room to store. Downsizing is a process, not a one-time event when you live on a boat. 

And then, there are the problems that stem from sharing a small space with your partner or family. Boats offer very little in terms of private space. Even if you get off the boat everyday and travel, living together so closely for any length of time will test any relationship to the breaking point.

3. Constant Maintenance Costs and Fixing Things

Boats are constantly breaking. They float in an acidic solution 24/7, are subject to constant motion and vibration, and are full of explosive substances and toxic chemicals. Sometimes it seems like they are willfully trying to self-destruct and take you to the bottom of the ocean.

Of particular note regarding crew morale are those ever-constant maintenance issues related to the toilet plumbing. Marine heads stink—but literally (sometimes at least) and figuratively in their design and function. 

Engine problems are also a big concern, primarily for their expense. A new engine can easily cost more than you paid for the entire boat!

Repairs on boats slow down after the first year of ownership once you handle everything the vessel needs. But by then, your time will be full of preventative maintenance tasks to keep it all working well. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

4. It’s Really Very Slow

If you’re buying a boat to travel, you might be shocked at how little traveling you can get done. Boats travel at the whim of the weather, which often means sitting in port and waiting for better conditions. There’s a lot more sitting and waiting than actually sailing. If you’re coming from the land-based road world, this is a stark contrast to hopping in your car and driving off whenever you feel like it. 

Even when you do travel, moving between five and seven miles per hour is slow. What can be done in one day in a car now takes you three to four 24-hour days of constant travel.

5. Sometimes, It’s the Worst

Maybe that’s mellow dramatic, but experienced sailors will understand the sentiment. But sometimes, it just seems like the weather or entire ocean is trying to kill you.

Then, there’s the constant inconvenience of it. Just getting a cold beer out of the fridge might involve clearing the countertop, opening the lid, taking out two top shelves, and leaning down at the very bottom to find the last bottle. Then, there are marina wifi problems, seasickness in rolly anchorages, and boat parts lost in the mail or stuck in customs. 

 Like many choices you make in life, living on a sailboat is not about the boat or the place. It’s all about your attitude. Is it an adventure or a nuisance? Of course, everyone experiences inconveniences once in a while, no matter where they live. But boats make everything seem more dramatic, causing you to doubt your choices at the first signs of discomfort.

It’s hard to describe both the pleasure and the dispair that living on a boat can provide. It’s been said that for every low-low, like a back-flowing toilet, there are high-highs, like the perfect sunset with dolphins dancing just for you. 

From my observations, most people who move aboard give it up after their second or third year. Unfortunately, many don’t make it past year one, which is always the hardest due to the steep learning curve. 

The best advice is to try sailboat life before you buy into it. Charter a boat or take some sailing lessons. Find friends with boats who will take you out and share their stories with you. Do research, go to boat shows, and try it out in any way you can before taking the plunge. And no matter what you do, remember to enjoy and savor the adventure!

Is living on a sailboat worth it?

I think so, and many others do too. But living on a sailboat is not for everyone. Boats range from luxurious yachts to cramped, floating tents. No matter what size boat you choose to live on, there will be times when you doubt that it’s worth it. 

All boats are cramped and uncomfortable at times. Life revolves around the weather, the boat, and staying safe. Sometimes it means getting out of bed at 2 am to move the boat in a storm, and sometimes it means not joining your friends at the beach party because something broke and you need to fix it. 

It’s impossible to answer whether or not living on a sailboat is worth it to you—only you can make that call. This is because sailboats offer not only a way to travel but a way to completely change your life. 

Can you legally live on a boat?

Yes, you absolutely can live on a boat. But depending on where you want to live, it can be challenging to find marinas or anchorages that will allow you to. There is nothing inherently illegal about living aboard a boat, but liveaboards are frowned on by many dockmasters and local governments. However, you can find liveaboard marinas, and many have lovely, welcoming communities of people who love their vessels, the water, and the sailing lifestyle.

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

Home » Blog » Live on a boat » Living on a sailboat – Is it right for you?

Living on a sailboat – Is it right for you?

By Author Fiona McGlynn

Posted on Last updated: November 10, 2022

Living on a sailboat seems dreamy – but what are the trade offs?

How would your life look if you didn’t have to pay rent? Would you quit your day job, become an artist or writer, sail the world? I did all these things and living on a sailboat is what made it possible. If you’re tired of grinding it out 9-5 to pay exorbitant rent, moving onto a sailboat may be your ticket to freedom. But, before you tell your overbearing boss to shove it, there are 7 things you should know.

Already know you want to live on a sailboat? Check out our  FREE 6-part series that shows you how to become a liveaboard .

1. Pay little to no rent!

You might be surprised to know that the cost of living on a sailboat full time is very low. In boat land we call rent “moorage” cost – it’s essentially the amount you pay per month to keep your boat somewhere. Moorage costs will vary based on the amenities being offered (think laundry, power hookup, internet, etc.) To give you an idea of the costs, here are some examples of liveaboard moorage we’ve paid over the years:

• Living at the marina: $550 per month – We spent two years living on a sailboat full time in Spruce Harbour Marina in Vancouver, BC and we had it GOOD! We were right downtown and the moorage cost included power hookup, a parking spot, storage space, showers, a woodworking shop, and laundry facilities. Not bad when you consider that the cheapest one-bedroom apartment we could find in Vancouver at the time was $1100.
• Living on a mooring ball: $150 per month – We had no amenities while staying on a mooring buoy in San Diego for a month, but hey we had a secure holding in a central location. Considering we were spending at least as much in coffee shops every month – it really wasn’t a bad deal.
• Living at anchor: FREE. Yes, that’s right FREE rent! For 3 years sailing the west coast of North America and across the Pacific to Australia, we by and large spent $0 on rent every month. In most cases you can anchor for free, though be warned that you should check the regulations in big centres like San Francisco, San Diego, and Vancouver because some municipalities place limits on how long you can anchor in a given are.

Keep in mind, for all of the above the moorage costs don’t include the boat itself or any maintenance and upkeep. You have to buy a boat to live on and they can be expensive. My husband and I bought a 35 foot sailboat from 1979 and that cost us around $10,000. Still, after saving $600 a month on rent we figure we’d more than paid for it after two years. Here are some examples of other liveaboards who’ve saved money.

Some sample liveaboard budgets:

• This  UK couple  is living aboard for  £500 ($570) a month  while sailing around the globe.
• This  family from San Diego  told Business Insider they pay just  $2,200 a month  to live aboard.
• These  San Franciscans are spending just  a few hundred dollars  a month  on rent and utilities while living aboard.

For more on the pros and cons of a marina vs. mooring ball vs. anchoring. See our post “Where to live aboard a boat?”  for more info.

2. The catch: liveaboard spots are hard to come by

Alright – you’re stoked to never pay rent again, you’ve secured the domain for your new lifestyle blog, you’re about to put down a deposit on a boat….but, HOLD UP! There’s something you need to know: It can be EXTREMELY challenging to find a place to actually put your boat . Many municipalities have restricted the number of liveaboard slips (spots in the marina) that are available. You’d think that with affordable housing being an issue in every major city, that they’d be all over it. Unfortunately there’s a perception that liveaboards clog up the waterfront with dirt-bags, sea-vagabonds, and floating tarp cities. All that to say, my recommendation would be: FIRST, find a spot to put your boat, SECOND, buy a boat. A good place to start is to sign up for all the liveaboard marina waiting lists. But don’t stop there, there are other strategies you can employ . Read  how we skipped a 10 year wait list and got into the best liveaboard marina in Vancouver! Your last resort is to “sneak-a-board”. Some marinas will turn a blind eye to this and others will unceremoniously give you the boot. So ask around with other liveaboards.

3. Ready to rough it?

Living on a boat is harder than it seems, especially if you live at anchor. Maybe you couldn’t find a liveaboard spot in a marina, or perhaps you like the idea of paying no rent at all, but if you’re looking at the anchoring or mooring buoy options it’s important to understand that living on the hook will be a lot rougher than at the dock . At the marina you’ll have access to power and water, on-the-hook you’ll be essentially living off-grid. This may sound sexier than it is – sure solar panels are cool, but is lugging jugs of water on the boat every week all that fun? It puts daily showers totally out of the question. Also, being at a marina makes it easy to get on and off the boat. On-the-hook you’ll be commuting to shore in a dinghy, less fun when you have to run big loads like groceries, bikes, and pets back and forth. However, if you’re adventure-ready and outdoor showers crank your gear, you’ll do just fine living aboard a sailboat.

4. Is living on a sailboat romantic? It depends on your partner.

It may be your lifelong dream, but if your partner thinks that living on a boat sucks, it can quickly become a waking nightmare. I know a few liveaboard couple who’ve broken up shortly after moving on a boat together- it’s just not for everyone . There can be a bit of discomfort associated with the liveaboard lifestyle: lack of space, motion, water dripping on your head. On the flip side, if you’re both game, it can be FANTASTIC for your relationship. Living on a boat requires communication, teamwork, patience and in those regards it can help you grow as a couple . If you or your partner is on the fence, I’d recommend that you  test-drive the liveaboard lifestyle (e.g. airbnbing a boat , chartering, or boat-sitting) before you jump into the deep end and liveaboard full-time. I love this story by Sheena Jeffers, “ When your partner falls in love with a sailboat ” about coming to terms with her boyfriend’s desire to live on an sailboat. Don’t worry, it has a happy ending!

5. Living in a sailboat is a bit like living in a basement apartments

No offence meant to sailboat or basement apartment dwellers (I’ve happily been both) but the comparison is useful when thinking about the best boat for you to live in. On a liveaboard sailboat you will get less light (because you’re half underwater) whereas with a trawler much of your living space is above water. If you want a view from your breakfast table, a trawler is a better option. Sailboats also offer less personal space than an equivalent sized power boat. However, all things considered, the option to be propelled by the wind, enjoy the quiet of the water, and okay, enjoy the romance of it, all more than make up for the lack of space.

6. Don’t you wish you could find the time to ….

Whether you want to start an ecommerce business, learn to paint, pay off debt, or go back to school, living aboard can create space in your life for the things you really want to do . If you save $600 a month on rent that’s equivalent to 40 hours a month at $15 an hour. A whole week of wages every month! Many people, especially creative types, have lived on boats (Nick Cave, Rod Stewart, Jimmy Buffett, and Alan Watts to name a few). If you’re not sure what to tell your employer about cutting back on your work hours, you could look to Lyle Lovett’s song, “If I had a boat”, for inspiration. He sings, “Kiss my ass I bought a boat, I’m going out to sea.”

7. Sail into the sunset

The best part about calling a liveaboard sailboat “home”? You can untie the lines anytime you want . Whether it’s getting out for some serene weekend cruising or an action-packed ocean crossing , sailboats are an amazing way to see the world. All of the big North American cities we’ve sailed in (Vancouver, Toronto, and briefly San Francisco, and San Diego) have beautiful cruising grounds just a few hours away. Getting away from the city bustle and into nature is easy when you live on a sailboat. It’s also a lot more affordable than having a second-home or cottage.

Think you’re ready to take the plunge? You probably have other questions like:

What does a boat cost to own?

What makes a boat a good liveaboard boat? 

Where should I look to find a liveaboard boat for sale?  

Find all this and more in our  Ultimate Guide to Living on a Boat.

Fiona McGlynn is an award-winning boating writer who created Waterborne as a place to learn about living aboard and traveling the world by sailboat. She has written for boating magazines including BoatUS, SAIL, Cruising World, and Good Old Boat. She’s also a contributing editor at Good Old Boat and BoatUS Magazine. In 2017, Fiona and her husband completed a 3-year, 13,000-mile voyage from Vancouver to Mexico to Australia on their 35-foot sailboat.

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How Much Does it Cost to Live on a Sailboat Full-Time?

What is the cost of living on a sailboat full-time? And can it be affordable? Yes! Absolutely it can.

It’s a dream for many to leave the land behind with its 9 to 5s, crowded cities, and traffic and take to the sea. To live aboard a sailboat for an extended period, maybe even indefinitely.

However, before casting off and setting sail into the sunset, one of the first questions, and perhaps the first hurdle to living this sailing lifestyle, is knowing how much such an adventure will cost.

Contrary to popular belief, boat life isn’t exclusively for wealthy people. In fact, living on a sailboat can be very affordable. Of course, a lot depends on where you’re planning to sail and what kind of lifestyle you want. Regardless of your budget, there are a number of common costs associated with living on a boat full-time that all sailboat owners should consider.

*All example costs given in $ USD

How Much Does Living on a Sailboat Full-Time Cost?

Living aboard a boat will generally cost somewhere between $500 and $10,000 per month at either extreme. For most, it’s probably somewhere close to $1,500 – $5000.

We spend somewhere around $2,500 per month living on a boat in the Mediterranean . That’s about $1,900 per month in living expenses plus a further $600 per month on boat-related expenses like servicing, repairs, boat insurance, and storage.

At the budget end of liveaboard life, are sailors living on smaller, older boats that they own outright, in areas where they can anchor regularly or have access to cheap mooring. In this case, overheads will be very low. If you can keep living costs down by cooking for yourself, not burning too much fuel motoring (either by sailing everywhere or simply staying put), and reducing maintenance and servicing costs by DIYing everything then live-aboard-life can be very cheap albeit very sparse.

On the other end of the spectrum, families leasing large, new boats that they use to explore widely can easily spend 10s of thousands in a single month.

Your cost of living on a sailboat will be completely dependent upon your own financial situation and personal aspirations for life on a boat. Let’s look at the various costs associated with living on a boat full time.

The Cost of Buying a Boat

One of the most obvious, and certainly the biggest, costs associated with the liveaboard life is the initial cost of purchasing a vessel to live on.

The cost of a boat will depend on your budget and criteria.

Realistically, a safe and seaworthy boat equipped for living aboard and with enough space for an individual or couple starts somewhere around $20,000. This will buy an older boat around thirty feet, but one that is sound and hopefully well maintained. There is no known upper limit for what you can spend on a boat, however, at the pointy end of the cruiser market, newer 50-foot monohulls cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and brand-new catamarans can cost over a million dollars.

To get an idea of how much a boat suitable for you and your crew’s needs will cost in your region head to Yacht World and plug in your criteria.

Other costs associated with purchasing a sailing vessel include:

• Pre-purchase survey reports – These are generally charged per foot and can cost between $10 – $25 per foot depending on the region your boat is in. Boat build material may also factor into the cost with wooden boats attracting higher inspection fees.
• Insurance – Liveaboard sailboat insurance, including third-party insurance which is almost universally mandatory, will vary substantially based on region, insurer, and boat value. On average an annual insurance policy should fall between $500 and $1,500 annually . Boat insurance is generally cheaper than home or vehicle insurance.
• Registration costs, once again will vary from region to region and based on the size of your boat and onboard motor. Registration itself usually costs several hundred dollars for a liveaboard-sized boat . It may be a one-time payment or an annual payment. Be aware, that there may be other costs associated with boat registration, for example, some authorities might require used boats to be hauled and inspected and any issues rectified which can quickly increase the cost of registering your boat.

Costs of Maintaining a Boat

Once you’ve bought a boat, the endless work and expense of maintenance begin immediately.

The old ‘rule of thumb’ is that maintenance costs for a boat will be around 10% of the purchase cost.

Older boats will require more maintenance more frequently and owners should err on the side of caution and may need to budget for more maintenance depending on the age and condition of their boat. There is a lot of equipment on a boat and ‘nautical’ products always seem to attract an inexplicable but hefty premium.

Engine, electrical systems, kitchen, safety equipment, ropes, anchors, sails, rigging, navigation, dinghy, outboard, the hull itself, the list of systems that may require spot repair or total overhaul at any given time goes on and on.

Being able to predict a potential range of maintenance costs will require having an accurate assessment of your maintenance needs. You can do this by keeping careful inventory and monitoring your systems.

Start with the recurring annual costs. For example:

• Inboard engine service
• Haul out, clean, and paint
• Outboard engine service

Next, consider which systems haven’t been updated or are starting to show signs of wear and anticipate potential maintenance or replacement costs. Try to stay on top of these issues as they arise to keep maintenance costs stable. For example:

• Sail Service (or Replacement)
• Worn out Rigging
• Electrical systems
• Electronic equipment such as sounders, navigation equipment or VHF radio
• Expiring safety equipment like flares, life jackets, EPIRB, and safety raft

Finally set aside some contingency funds, say 10% of the boat’s value to address the unexpected issues that will invariably arise. For example:

• Damaged rigging and equipment
• Plumbing issues
• Engine Issues
• Hull damage

For an in-depth look at some average costs for common boat maintenance tasks check out this article by Improve Sailing .

Costs of Mooring a Boat

No matter how ‘off grid’ you plan to get, at one point or another, you will need to moor your boat.

Like everything else, mooring and docking costs are wildly variable. The amount you will spend will depend largely on the size of your boat, how you plan to use it, and where you plan to sail it.

Boat size is perhaps the most significant variable when it comes to mooring. Prices are usually calculated per square meter. The longer and wider your boat is, the more expensive the mooring. For this reason, catamarans are generally the most costly sailboats to moor.

How you use it will also affect the amount of money you spend on mooring fees.

• Will you stay in one area year-round? And thus be able to get a much cheaper annual marina berth, rather than transient nightly berths which are much more expensive.
• If you plan on sailing your boat far and wide, do you want to spend a lot of time off your boat enjoying new places, attractions, and restaurants on the land?
• Are you a novice sailor not comfortable sleeping at anchor or sailing in bad weather
• Do you have a smaller boat without amenities like large water tanks, a water maker, or a large solar electrical system to comfortably sustain long periods away from the port?

These questions will help you understand how regularly you might want to moor the boat. However, you probably won’t know for sure until you begin sailing.

The costs of mooring are also very much dependent on where you plan to dock. Even within the same country or region, one place very popular for sailing with many amenities and attractions may be much more expensive than a nearby marina in a less popular area. You can easily research prices for marinas in a particular area to get an accurate idea of prices. If you are planning to remain mostly in one area, consider that long-term leases can offer far cheaper rates than transient mooring prices.

Marinas are the most obvious places to more but also the most expensive. Many regions have mooring buoys or public wharves that might be free to use or be far cheaper than a marina but lack facilities.

To summarise the cost of mooring your boat is highly variable but you can easily calculate a potential range of costs based on your specific situation.

If you have a small monohull and plan to spend the majority of your time on the anchor, only coming into a marina a few times a month in very bad weather or to resupply, and you choose your marinas carefully, you’re mooring costs could conceivably be kept under $100 a month.

If you have a larger catamaran, enjoy the safety and convenience of mooring in marinas, and plan to visit the most beautiful and famous sailing grounds in the world marina fees could easily exceed $2000 a month.

For most, it will be somewhere in between based on personal preference and budget.

Personally, currently sailing in Greece, we spend about $450 a month on marina fees. We have a small boat, a 29-foot monohull but we usually spend two nights in a marina each week, sometimes even more if there is poor weather.

Winter Marina Berth Costs

Sailors in areas with challenging winter conditions may choose to spend the summer months sailing from place to place spending time on anchor and in transient berths, and over winter continue living on their boats but permanently moored inside a marina. These semi-annual marina berths often cost less than berths in the summertime as many boats will be dry-docked and there is no demand for transient berths. Certain marinas have winter communities that return each year to wait out the winter in comfortable marinas with like-minded liveaboards.

Dry Docking

Some seasonal liveaboards may live on their sailboat only for the warmer months, and haul it out each winter for cheap storage. In areas that experience disadvantageous weather in the off-season dry docking your boat for the winter can be a cost-effective solution. Dry docking involves pulling the boat from the water and storing it on the land for the winter. Storing the boat on land is far cheaper than mooring your boat in a marina. Dry docking also provides an opportunity to perform maintenance on the hull.

Costs of Sailing a Boat

The wonderful thing about a sailboat is that the wind is free. Ostensibly you could liveaboard without any costs for traveling save for the costs of maintaining sails and rigging. In reality, if you plan to travel with your boat you may end up using your motor more than you thought. That being said, fuel costs for a moderately sized liveaboard boat (30 – 40 feet) should be negligible especially compared to transport costs on land.

We travel very slowly, we work during the week and do most of our sailing on the weekend. Often we travel less than 50 nautical miles a week. Say we sail half of that time that is 25 nautical miles a week to motor (basically nothing). Our boat tops out at a little over 5 kn. This means we might motor for about 5 hours at top speed we are burning about 2 to 3 liters of diesel an hour. Our fuel consumption is a paltry 10 – 15 liters per week! In 2022 marine diesel costs $2 a liter which puts our fuel costs at $20 – $30 a week.

Some weeks we have to travel more, and some less, sometimes there is more wind, sometimes less but overall fuel costs on our little sailboat are very manageable

Let’s look at the other end of the spectrum, a 50 foot Catamaran that has to cover a lot of ground sailing in a region without much reliable wind, but a lot of swell. Say this boat needs to travel 100 NM a week using only the motor and burns fuel at a rate of 12 liters an hour. With a faster top speed of 8 kn the larger boat might use 150 liters of fuel each week which in the current climate would cost around $300 per week.

Costs of Living on a Sailboat

The day-to-day cost of living on a sailboat will likely be similar to your day-to-day cost of living on land. We have included our budget here as an example of our weekly costs of sailing in the Mediterranean.

This hasn’t changed much for us. We still cook most meals onboard and go out to eat when we are in a marina.

We spend about $80 a week on groceries and another $70 on eating out. However, your own personal grocery budget on land is a pretty good indicator of what you might spend living on a boat.

We spend another $50 a week buying wine and beer and budget a further $50 for going to the bar. We set aside $12 for coffee from a cafe on the weekend.

Phone and Internet

This one comes as a bit of a surprise to most people but our total phone and internet costs are less than $500 per annum. We have one entry-level smartphone that cost $250. We use data-only sims in the places we sail and are currently using a $50 Cosmote Three Month Unlimited Data sim in Greece. When in a marina we can often access marina wifi.

Using this single phone and single prepaid data sim we are both able to work using video conferencing as well as stream television and upload our own movies and photos to social media. The limitations of relying on a smartphone are that you usually need to be in sight of a cellular tower. As we are sailing in Europe and stay close to shore this is not a problem for us. But this might be too limiting for some.

Other phone and internet gear that full-time sailors might consider are mast-mounted wi-fi hot spot which provides a dedicated hot spot 24/7 and greater range than a smartphone thanks to their powerful antennae and positioning. Antenna boosters for wifi and cellular data are also cost-effective ways of increasing your range.

The truth is that cellular data is so cheap and so readily available along the coasts of most major sailing destinations that a modern smartphone is all most sailors will need these days. However, for those intrepid explorers planning long passages far from shore, another solution may be required.

Satellite internet is the only option to stay connected if you plan to sail offshore. The cost of satellite internet has been prohibitively expensive for most for a long time. Startup costs of purchasing entry-level marine satellite dishes cost thousands of dollars and very basic plans with a small amount of data and slow speeds cost thousands more each year. Large amounts of high-speed internet at sea and the infrastructure to deliver it can easily cost 10’s of thousands of dollars.

Hopefully, as satellite internet becomes more widely adopted, the prices of satellite internet comes down giving off shore cruisers an affordable way to access high speed internet.

Entertainment

Boat life is rarely boring. We spend weekends sailing, anchoring in new bays and beaches, swimming fishing, and cooking.

When we reach a new town or city we will often spend a night in a marina, once or twice a week. This gives us the opportunity to leave the boat to explore a new area.

In total our entertainment spend boils down to

• Netflix – Free using Mum’s login details
• Spotify – $12 per month
• Bars – $50 per week
• Restaurants – $80 per week

Final Thoughts About the Costs of Living on a Boat

Of course, the cost of living on a sailboat full-time will be different for everyone. The biggest factors will be the boat you buy, how you use it, and where you intend to sail.

Sailing can be bare bones, basic, and frugal, it can be reasonably comfortable and moderately priced or it can be luxurious and mind-bogglingly expensive and everything in between.

Whatever your budget and whatever your sailing style, you are really only limited by your imagination.

Hopefully, we have given you a starting point to think about the cost of living on a sailboat full-time. But if you have any questions or comments please let us know below!

Looking for more sailing content? Have a look at these recent articles:

• The 13 Best Sailing Vlogs And Sailing Blogs (According to Us)
• 10 Things We Hated About Sailing Albania (And 5 Things We Loved)
• Buying a Boat In Croatia

Want to save this Cost of Living on a Sailboat Full-Time blog post for later? Pin it!

In 2016, I had been dumped by my girlfriend, fired from my job, and the lease on my house was running out. Facing moving back in with my parents, 26, jobless and alone I decided to listen to the message the universe was trying to send me. I took off on my first solo backpacking trip, with a one-way ticket to Bangkok and a well-thumbed Lonely Planet guide. From there I wandered Southeast and Central Asia, traveled the Great Steppe, and made my way across Russia and throughout Europe.

In Estonia I met Kelli, who, despite having a less frantic travel style, shared my my restless spirit and passion for exploration. Together, we embarked on a new journey, van life. Over four years we travelled across three different continents with three different vans.

In 2022, as the world began to re-open post COVID we took an opportunity to realise a long held dream, to live aboard a sailboat. Since then we have spent two summers in the Mediterranean, sailing and living aboard our little sail boat Whisper. When we aren't sailing we continue to live our nomadic lifestyle, guided by a philosophy of slow travel and self directed adventure be it by van or backpacking.

We find excitement through our journey into the unknown, stillness and content in the beauty of the places we discover and we find ourselves in the vastness of our world.

Hopefully, we can help you find what you're looking for too. Get lost with us and find your own path.

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Sailboat Living: 10 Things To Know Before Moving On Board

Sailboat living can sound like the dream life, and in many ways it is.

Beautiful sunsets, the freedom to travel with your home, dolphins and crystal clear seas are all a huge part of the sailboat lifestyle , but anyone who tells you it’s an easy life has obviously never really lived on a sailboat!

There are times when sailboat living can feel more like a nightmare than a dream, and no matter how much you prepare there will always be a few troublesome scenarios that you just can’t predict.

However, with a little forethought and a lot of planning, there is a lot you can do to make the transition of moving from a house to a sailboat a relatively easy one.

If you’re prepared to put in the hard work now then we promise you will reap the rewards in the future. As we learnt the hard way, we’ve put together the top 10 things that everyone should know before they move onto a sailboat so that sailboat living for you can be 98% dream and only 2% nightmare!

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#1 A Sailboat Is Never Complete

Learn this lesson fast!

Don’t expect to finish boatyard work and stop working. A sailboat breaks. Constantly. Some days it will feel as though your to-do list is endless because unfortunately, it is.

This was one of the things Adam and I were prepared for before we moved onboard our sailboat. After living on a boat in the UK we understood the crazy amount of work that has to go into maintaining something that’s constantly working.

I think a good way of looking at it would be to think of it as a house and a car combined. It has all the working parts of a house – the pipework, the electricity, the leaky windows etc.

It also has all the working parts of a car like an engine, the tires could be the sails, the lines, and all that goes along with them.

Add to that the fact that you’re putting it under huge amounts of stress at all times, in some extreme weather conditions, and you can see why things constantly fail!

Adam and I spent the first few months of living aboard feeling as though we were just sailing from anchorage to anchorage to find chandlers so we could fix things. We made friends with some full-time cruisers who quickly put a stop to that!

They explained how if we actually wanted to enjoy time on board then we had to give ourselves time off the boat work. The broken things we could live with could wait a few days while we enjoyed a new destination.

Find out how much new sails cost

We now try to only do one or two days of boat work a week, which leaves us with a weekend ‘off’ when we’re working our jobs for three days. This suits us perfectly, but you’ll need to find a pattern that works for you to make sailboat living more enjoyable!

A bonus of living onboard is that you do have the extra time to dedicate to keeping the sailboat in tip-top condition.

Many weekend sailors find themselves with a long list of jobs at the end of the season, but (depending on how cheap/how lucky you get when you buy your boat!) if you get some jobs done every now and again through the season you’ll keep the long stints to a minimum.

#2 Sailboat Living = Tiny Space Living

Think of sailboat living as living in a glorified tent and you’ll be (partly) prepared! There is nothing glamorous about sailboat living!

You’ll be getting changed in tiny spaces where you may or may not be able to stand. You’ll be squeezing into the toilet or squeezing past people to use the kettle. It’s a juggling act, even when all your belongings are stashed away neatly.

Add to that the fact you’ll probably be ripping open cupboards every other day to find that essential item that was placed under all the other essential items and it becomes pretty hard to manage!

Our top tips for managing space onboard your sailboat are to downsize before you move in and to prioritise sailboat storage. It might be a hard thing to do to start with, but you’ll be so thankful you gave up all nonessential items before you even moved aboard.

It’s amazing how quickly you can fill a boat when you live on it! We have loads of handy tips on how to maximise limited space in our post on sailboat storage ideas – check it out before you start sailboat living!

#3 Water, Water, Everywhere But Not A Drop To Wash In

Get used to living frugally. We don’t necessarily mean your finances (though it is possible to live on a budget on a sailboat, check out what we spend monthly here).

Things like water and electricity are limited on a sailboat, especially if you’re spending the majority of your time at anchor.

Unless you have a sailboat watermaker (which we highly recommend splashing out on!) you need to get used to using as little water as possible . It’s not always easy to find when you live on the sea.

Get used to taking sea showers and washing dishes in saltwater. You can always rinse in freshwater, and washing in the sea really isn’t too hard once you’re used to it!

Set your sailboat up with a good way of making electricity as soon as you move aboard. You’ll want decent amounts of solar power and possibly a wind generator too, especially if you’re planning on spending time in countries that don’t see very much sunshine or spending winters at anchor.

You’ll also want to make sure you have a good battery bank for storing it over night, and you may even want to consider getting a small generator if you rely on power for things like charging laptops to work from.

#4 The People You Meet Will Be A True Highlight

The sailing community is what makes sailboat living. They are the most giving and generous community of people we have ever met and the best memories we have are the ones we spent with other cruisers.

It’s not always easy to meet other sailors while you’re living at anchor, so our advice is to make the effort and say hi where ever possible. People are always happy to share a drink or dinner, and a salty tale or two!

Meeting other sailors is also the very best way to learn more about sailing life. No matter how long people have cruised for they always have an experience worth sharing and learning from.

#5 The Weather Controls Your Life In Sailboat Living

We check the weather twice a day, every day. It may seem obvious that the weather is important on a sailboat, but until we moved aboard we didn’t realise quite how much it would affect our lives.

You might be desperate to move the boat and explore somewhere new but find you have no wind to sail. Or you might fall in love with an anchorage and want to stay but be forced to move because of a change in the direction of the wind.

We’ve had to leave beautiful anchorages in the middle of the night because an unpredicted storm had blown through, or been stuck in places we don’t like because the wind has meant it’s the only safe place to be.

The positives of being governed by the weather is that you’re so much more in tune with it. You get up when the sun rises, you notice subtle changes in the temperature and you learn to read the wind and clouds.

Before you move on board you should start checking the weather and anchorages around where you plan on sailing. It makes life easier if you’ve scouted out the best places to be in different weather conditions.

Check things like whether there are safe anchorages for different wind directions or whether you’ll need to use marinas (and how much they’ll be!), and check if there are any ‘bolt holes’ you can use as safe havens in the event of unexpected storms.

You’ll feel more confident and comfortable if you have all this information to hand when you start sailboat living.

#6 Sailboat Living Means Leaving Your Privacy On The Dockside

You’ll be sharing a tiny space with your crew and they will quickly learn literally everything there is to learn about you. And you them.

Before you move onto a sailboat make sure that you’re happy with sharing everything with the people you’re sailing with. I don’t mean you have to tell them about your childhood (though night passages can be pretty dull!) but be prepared to share what you eat, when you toilet, potentially what you throw up.

Expect to be walked in on while you’re changing or showering. Understand that boat toilets break – a lot – so no matter how careful you are you might well end up elbow deep in someone else’s last nights dinner!

#7 Learn To Work As A Team – Quickly

Sailboat living requires a huge amount of team work (unless you’re planning on living alone of course). You need get into a very different mindset when you live and work with the same person or people day in, day out, and when you depend on them (quite literally) to survive.

One of the biggest reasons that people quit at sailboat living is because they fall out with their partners, or call it a day before they do. Sailboat living is hard on relationships, but it can also make your relationship better and stronger if you’re prepared to work at it.

There are lots of things you can do to prepare for this change and I’ve put together a whole range of tips to help you with spending too much time with your partner .

Ultimately, one of the best things you can do is know that this isn’t going to be easy, no matter how strong your relationship is on land. Be prepared for this as a couple, and be prepared to work hard on your relationship when the tough patches come!

#8 Nature Is Incredible

I know, I know, we all know nature is incredible. But sailboat living brings you so much closer to it in so many different ways.

You see things you’d never get a chance to see on land. Every time you jump in the sea you find new sea creatures, either from snorkeling or finding them clinging on to your hull, or washed up on deck.

You see turtles, whales and rays. Birds come to find rest on your boat while you’re on long passages and dolphins swim beside you as you make waves for them to play in.

Then there’s the sunrises and sunsets, and the endless starlit skies. The thunderstorms that you’re suddenly a part of, when before you could hide inside brick walls. The constantly changing sea and sky, and the sun and wind. You become part of it, and you depend on it, and you’re terrified of it.

Sailboat living makes you feel like you’re part of the nature around you rather than just a lucky spectator. It’s certainly changed the way I see the ocean and the weather for the better and I have a new found respect and healthy fear of it’s power and awe.

#9 Prepare For Sleepless Nights

Before we set off cruising full time I had no idea how little sleep I would get. There are so many different things trying their hardest to ruin a good nights sleep on a sailboat.

Firstly, the weather. If it’s windy, you’ll be half awake all night just watching the anchor and wondering if this will be the night it pulls out and you drag into some rocks.

You’ll be waiting for the wind to shift slightly so that you’re no longer protected from the sea. And even if you’re super happy with your anchoring set up, the wind through the halyards makes a very disconcerting noise!

If the weather is calm that doesn’t mean the sea will be. You can never predict whether the anchorage you arrive in will be the rollyest place on the island, so you’ll spend a good few nights just rolling around all over the place trying your hardest to stay in your berth.

Then there’s the heat (or the cold, depending on where you sail). It can be unbearably hot inside a sailboat, so consider buying a decent hammock and sleep under the stars instead.

But if you decide to sleep outside you’re going to want a mosquito net, because those things are FIERCE. Never have I ever experienced so many sleepless nights due to a buzzing in my ears and painful bites all over my legs.

If you can find a comfortable set up with your hammock and mozzie net then sleeping outside on a sailboat is one of the most magical things ever. The stars are brighter than you could ever imagine, and there are shooting stars a plenty. The stillness of a calm night at anchor is one of the very best things about sailboat living.

If you’re sailing with a baby you can expect even less sleep – make sure you’re prepared for that!

#10 Sailboat Living Is More Difficult Than You Could Imagine (But Totally Worth It)

Difficult sounds bad, but that would be inaccurate when describing sailboat living. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done and the best. And part of what makes it the best is that it’s the hardest. Does that make sense?!

Sailboat living can feel like a constant battle at times. You have to trek for an hour to find the gas to light your oven to make a cup of tea in the morning. You then have to go back again because you forgot the tea bags. Things break and need fixing. You can’t sleep because of a storm. You can’t leave the boat for days because the winds up and you’re scared the anchor might pull out.

I think people run away to sea to find freedom, but like everything freedom can be defined in so many different ways.

Sailboat living takes away your freedom of easy access to food and water. It takes away your freedom to step out of your front door into relative safety. At times it even takes away your freedom to run and walk.

What it does give you is freedom from monotony. Freedom from daily routine. It gives you the freedom to travel where you want (if not when you want) and the freedom from material possessions.

It doesn’t matter what you wear on a boat, it doesn’t matter how flashy your boat is or how much you smell! At the end of the day, out on the sea, it’s just you surviving. And in a way, that’s the most free I’ve ever felt.

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15 comments.

I’ll be moving on a sailboat with my girlfriend this (still very new) year and I discovered your blog via Pinterest. We’re also writing weekly blog posts about our journey. Your writing is excellent, and I’d like to follow you on your mailing list. But it seems your form does not work. Fix it maybe? 🙂

Ah that’s strange! I can see people are still signing up, will have a look into that! Thanks for letting me know. Thanks so much for reading along. Where’s your boat? I’m so excited for you – those first few weeks aboard are the best!

I can’t seem to sign up for more. The web page has an error on my Android. Bummer.

Can you please add my email address to your email distribution list?

Thanks, Steve

So glad to come across you guys, finding out as much as we can before we take that leap. We are a couple coming to the end of a army career. The last 2 years will be in Kenya Nanyuki. Posted in June. Then we plan to get the dream sailing boat and travel. I am doing all my home work trying to find out as much as I can before we do this. Looking forward to reading about you both and tasking in everything any thing that we will I’m sure be incredible useful. Thank you Sandy

Sorry for the late reply, I’ve only just noticed your lovely comment. I hope you’re getting further along with your dream – would love to hear about it! If you need more help we’ve put together a huge guidebook detailing everything we’ve learnt, from the very beginning of the journey through to buying the boat and eventually living aboard and making it all work. https://twogetlost.com/guidebook

That’s really nice post. I appreciate your skills. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for the honest truth in this article. Doing all the research possible before following our dreams and in your footsteps 🙌💕⛵⚓

Thanks so much for your kind comment and really pleased we could help! Keep us updated on your journey, you won’t look back!

Wow! I am on a boat reading this while my partner is away for the first time in months, and it made me feel less insane and like there are tools to help us live our dream of minimalist sailboat life.. Thank you so much for your wise words and good tools..

I’m so pleased it helped and excited for you starting this journey! You won’t regret it, and we’d love to hear more when you find the perfect boat and move aboard! If you need more help we’ve put together a huge guidebook detailing everything we’ve learnt, from the very beginning of the journey through to buying the boat and eventually living aboard and making it all work. https://twogetlost.com/guidebook

• Pingback: How To Downsize Your Wardrobe For Boatlife | Two Get Lost

Any suggested reading on preparing your land life (home, insurance, anythin really) for departure. Sell the home or rwnt, thinks like that. Want to start preparjng a year ahead and struggling to make a plan..any blogs ir reading suggestions would be appreciated!

Hello, thanks for reaching out. First off – congratulations! You’re obviously set on your plan to move aboard and it will be amazing (and lots of other things too!!) We actually cover all this in part one of our guidebook. We go through everything we had to consider before moving aboard, things like whether to sell or not to sell, what to do with all your things, even little considerations like what to tell family and friends. We’ve included tick lists for planning the change in lifestyle. You can find it here. https://twogetlost.com/guidebook Part 2 is for after you’ve bought the boat – getting the boat ready for living aboard and all the other things that come along with living at sea. I hope it helps and please do let us know how you get on – perhaps we’ll see you out here soon!

It’s helpful to understand that when living in a sailboat, the weather controls every aspect of our lives. Not long ago, my wife and I decided to invest in a sailboat because we love the sea and nature. We’d like to buy one this year, and maybe in the future, we’ll need to read carefully your advice about living in a vessel.

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15 Things That Change When You Live on a Catamaran

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So, the dream of living on a catamaran is starting to look like a reality. You hit the internet to read as much as you can about life aboard.

I get it. For one, I was going to be ready for this big adventure and all the challenges that come with it. There was no way I was going to be caught unprepared. (Yeah… right.)

Preparing for Sailboat Living

When we moved on our sailboat, I quickly learned you have to experience this liveaboard lifestyle to understand the challenges.

It’s been almost two years of living full-time on our sailing catamaran. So, I decided to look at the day-to-day things that are different from our habits in land-based life.

Many things we didn’t think twice about have a massive impact on our lives on the boat. Things like water conservation, provisioning, cooking, cleaning, and adjusting to a small space all take time and energy.

Here are some of the big changes to everyday habits that we discovered living on a catamaran.

1. Laundry on a Boat

A few years back, I was one of those people who threw most things in the hamper after one wear. It was just easy.

Unless you have the convenience of a washing machine onboard, it’s not so simple to run a load of laundry.

It costs money, and it can take a lot of time to haul your clothes around. Alternatively, handwashing is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and hard on your water usage.

To minimize laundry, you have to think about what you wear and how you wear it.

Summer Washing

In the summer, you can get sweaty just sitting on the boat.

I learned to wear quick-dry items like leggings, swimsuits, and UPF tops I could easily handwash with a small amount of water. If you can stretch the life of your outer clothing, you can clean undergarments and swimsuits in a small collapsible tub.

Winter Washing

Re-wearing clothes in the cooler months is much more comfortable than in the summer months. If it’s not dirty, I don’t wash it. If clothes smell or I’ve been doing boat work, I move them to the dirty pile. Just paying attention to these details reduces laundry. And the less you wash your clothes, the longer they’ll last.

2. Cooking Aboard

There are a few aspects of living on a boat that heavily influence your cooking.

Space. Access to ingredients. Water conservation. Ventilation.

If you only have a small area to prep, you learn quickly to do it in stages. Prepping vegetables, putting ingredients away as you work, and washing dishes as you go is also essential.

Access to Ingredients

Before boat life, recipes were iron-clad when I was cooking. But without the convenience of running to the store, they’ve become more of a guideline. You learn how to adjust recipes based on what you have on hand. You get comfortable substituting vegetables, different spices, and acidity for flavor.

Water Conservation

When off the dock, fresh water is at a premium. How much water you carry (or make) will dictate how you cook.

We do a few things to conserve water in the kitchen . Wash dishes in saltwater first. Use an Aquabot for pressurized cleaning. Cook pasta with a small amount of water. I’ve also embraced one-pot meals to save water on cleanup.

Ventilation

Our catamaran is “galley up,” so it’s easy to open the cockpit window above the stove to release heat and steam. But that’s not always enough.

We use the thermal cooker in the summer to avoid heating up the boat. You can make beans, rice, broth – even casseroles or banana bread without expelling heat in the boat.

READ NEXT: For more tips and ideas for cooking on a boat, check out our lists of easy and versatile meals on a boat and sailboat galley essentials .

3.  water usage.

When off the dock, water is a high commodity on a boat.

Even with two 80-gallon tanks, water can go fast if you aren’t paying attention.

You can minimize water through small changes to your habits, including:

• cooking pasta with a few cups of water
• swapping soap for hand sanitizer
• rinsing dishes on the sugar scoop
• we even recycle the cat’s stale water in the herb garden

Me, I love hot showers. Just steaming for like 30 minutes, that’s my kind of heaven. So learning to shower with less than a couple of gallons of water was a big hurdle.

Conserving water can be a challenge, but you’ll be surprised what you can save when you use it thoughtfully.

We had days in the winter when we used less than 5 gallons. It just takes a little practice, as with most things on a boat.

READ NEXT: For more tips on conserving water, check out our guide to saving water on a boat .

4. sustainable practices.

When you live in a small space, you realize how many disposable items you are harboring.

When we first moved on the boat, the paper towel storage alone took up half a cabin.

Not only are you losing storage, but those disposable items are just that, future trash for you to deal with.

Ditching paper towels, plastic bags, and other single-use items saves space and money. As a bonus, you get to feel optimistic about creating less trash.

Here are a few sustainable options we switched to:

• Reusable “Unpaper” towels
• Cotton napkins
• E-Cloths, microfiber towels
• Beeswax wraps
• Foldable reusable bags
• Glass straws
• A quality set of plastic containers in various sizes

READ NEXT: Zero Waste Swaps for Small Spaces for more eco-friendly options.

5. fridge space.

The residential fridge. Something I took for granted as a landlubber. A fridge door full of condiments, anyone?

Managing food in a tiny fridge requires strategy and a little education.

Learning what you NEED to keep in the fridge is helpful. Sure, it’s nice to have cold ketchup, but necessary? No.

Sriracha, soy sauce, hot sauce, mustard – out you go.

We also switched to almond milk and tofu brands that only need refrigeration after opening. This way, we can still stock up without loss of fridge space.

The Right Storage

Once the condiment bottles are out, having the right storage makes all the difference.

Containers need to be the right size to fit inside shelves on the door and inside the fridge. You want various sizes, so you don’t need to use a huge container if you have a smidgen of something.

Prepping Vegetables

You can save more space by chopping fresh veggies when you get back from the store. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and hardy greens can all be prepped ahead. I store any scraps in the freezer for homemade vegetable broth .

6. Provisioning

Keeping track of your grocery store when you live on a boat is crucial. You probably won’t be able to run back to the store because you forgot the butter.

Stocking Up

One of the nice benefits of living on a catamaran is the space.

We tend to stock up on these when we can.

• Beans (dried and canned)
• Grains, pasta, oats
• Canned and dehydrated vegetables
• Baking goods and almond milk
• Oils, vinegars, spices, nuts, seeds
• Wine and beer

Most of the time, we are hand-carrying our groceries. So when we have the opportunity to have a car, we load up on heavy items.

When we plan to be at a marina, we have a list ready for Amazon and Walmart.com to have shipped.

READ NEXT: Get a detailed overview of stocking your boat in our Practical Guide to Sailboat Provisioning .

Supplementing fresh food.

We keep a variety of veggies on hand: dehydrated, canned, a little frozen, and fresh. When cooking, I use a little bit of everything to stretch fresh foods.

We have a nice space in the cockpit where we keep potted fresh herbs. They can really step up a dish!

As a bonus, they add to the coziness of the cockpit living space.

7.  Downsizing Your Closet

Before I started to plan for boat life, I had a giant wardrobe. I love clothes. And I had been collecting them most of my life.

Believe me, when I tell you cutting my wardrobe down to less than 100 items was a long, emotional process.

A Minimalist Wardrobe

The less you have, the less you need to care for.

Aim for a wardrobe of pieces you love that work for living on the water. It’ll be easy to get dressed, and you’ll be happy in your clothes. And if you are managing your laundry (see #1), you won’t need many clothes.

The owners’ version of our catamaran has great storage. I can easily see all the clothing in my wardrobe. I only need to store a few off-season items under our berth.

READ NEXT: For what type of clothing to have on your sailboat, see What to Wear Sailing . Or see How to Downsize Your Wardrobe for more on getting rid of clothing.

8. temperature control.

Spoiler: you don’t have much control of temperature at anchor. And what power you have isn’t as easy as turning the dial on the thermostat.

On a catamaran, you can pretty much open up the doors and hatches on the bridgedeck and get a cross-breeze on a hot day.

I was surprised that Georgia in August (as miserable as it was during the day) was never unbearable at night. We used Breeze Boosters over our cabin, and it worked wonders moving the air around at anchor.

Cold Nights

When it’s cold on a catamaran, you know it. There’s no insulation, and the boat cools down quickly. Below 40 at night is chilly.

Fortunately, if the sun is shining, it can heat the bridgedeck nicely in the morning.

Down blankets, the right clothing, and foul-weather gear will keep you from becoming an icicle.

9. Storing Things

On a boat, you can’t just throw your things in a locker and forget them. Nope.

You’ll need to plan when storing clothing, personal items, and food.

Mold, leaks, and bugs are all things to be concerned with.

Essential oils, bay leaves, vinegar, and plastic bags will be vital to protecting your items.

You’ll also need to think about where you store things and how accessible they are. It becomes a bit of a puzzle to make sure you keep items you often use in an easy-to-access location.

READ NEXT: For storage tips, check out Helpful Boat Storage Ideas for Liveaboards .

10. slowing down.

A big part of living happily on a boat is moving at your own pace.

It is being in the mindset of appreciating what you are doing now and not continually looking to the next move.

When we first moved aboard, there was self-imposed pressure we should be moving faster – doing more.

When we finally slowed down and started to embrace the here and now, we enjoyed the boat so much more.

11. Your “House” Breaks (A Lot)

When things go wrong on a boat, they tend to go really wrong.

A pro and con of catamarans is there are a lot of duplicates. It’s great to have a backup, but it also means double the maintenance. Two hulls, two engines, two heads… you get the picture.

On the plus side, when our starboard engine broke, we were trying to maneuver through a bridge. We had to turn 260 degrees to turn toward the bridge, but one engine is better than none!

The hardest thing in these moments is keeping your head when everything is against you.

We try to slow down and take a breath if the situation allows. Once any immediate concern is taken care of, we take a breath before diving into solving the greater issue.

12. You Learn to Live Intentionally

Our decision to move on a sailboat was for the rewards of the lifestyle.

One of the most significant rewards is being intentional with space, time, and money.

Living on a boat offers freedom from your stuff. It allows you to live more simply.

On the boat, we get to spend more time with each other. We only have what we need because space is limited.

Don’t get me wrong. A boat requires time and money. But we are intentional about how we spend those when maintaining our floating home.

READ NEXT: Our article on the cost of living on a sailboat breaks down expenses by category.

13. appreciation for nature.

Living in the Colorado Rockies for over a decade, it was easy to love the outdoors. But living on the water creates a deeper connection.

You wake up to the water lapping on the boat. The sun dances off the waves, throwing reflections across the cabin.

Walking outside at anchor and seeing the birds hunting for breakfast is a morning routine. And a sea turtle drifting by for a visit is not uncommon. Even relying on the sun for power and the wind to travel is part of the lifestyle.

All these experiences bring you closer to nature and beg you to slow down, breathe, and take it in.

14. Personal Space

It doesn’t matter how much you love your significant other. If you live on a boat together, you will be looking for some “me time.”

When you sleep, eat, shop, travel, and take care of a boat as a team, that’s a lot of togetherness.

How We Find Space

It’s nice to create spaces for personal time in a small space like a boat.

A big plus of a catamaran is you can create a few separate spaces.

We have four main spaces where we spend time: the cockpit, the trampoline, the salon, and the owners’ berth. Ensuring these areas are comfortable and cozy helps us find our own spaces in a tiny floating home.

Sometimes, it’s not about physical space but mental space.

I like to have personal time while I’m cooking. It’s something I enjoy, and I can put on my headphones with a show or playlist and tune in while I cook.

Even a quick solo kayak adventure is rejuvenating if we are in a nice anchorage.

15. Minimalism

Embracing minimalism was a change we made going into boat life. But it’s not the typical view of minimalism that has become trendy these days.

Minimalist Lifestyle on a Boat

The typical “rules” of minimalism aren’t as clear-cut on a boat.

We have a lot of extras when it comes to spare parts and tools. Some parts can be hard to come by, and with two engines, you need double the spares. Not to mention, things never break when there’s a West Marine around the corner.

We also have a lot of non-perishable food and duplicate personal care items. It’s easier to stock up when we have the opportunity. This process keeps our routine shopping to mostly fresh items.

How We Live Minimally

On the flip slide, we don’t have a lot of extra stuff – extra clothes, additional personal items, disposable items.

We don’t have more typical things you would find in a house, such as a dishwasher, microwave, or washer/dryer. We are minimalists with water and power when we’re off the dock. 

We aren’t the typical minimalists, but we use space intentionally. And we continue to evaluate our needs based on this lifestyle.

READ NEXT: Check out our full guide on ways to downsize and live minimally .

Can you live on a sailing catamaran.

After a year as liveaboards, many of your daily habits will change. We are still adjusting and finding the best ways to adapt to life on a sailing catamaran.

You lose many conveniences of the modern world, but it’s entirely possible to live without them. It comes down to deciding which comforts are important to you.

How you use space, time and money will shift. You’ll learn to be sustainable, thoughtful, and more self-sufficient.

Living on a boat is a unique experience. No matter how long you do it, it has the power to change the way you live in the future for the better.

Want to learn more about cruising on a boat?

For more on the reality of boat life, the cost of living aboard, and tips for life on the water, view our complete guide.

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Or view our web story.

Morgan, the founder of The Home That Roams, has been living nomadically for over five years. She began her journey traveling across the U.S. in a motorhome and cruising on a liveaboard sailing catamaran. Currently, she lives full-time in a travel trailer, sharing resources on RV living and boat life to help others downsize their lives and thrive in an alternative lifestyle.

11 Comments

That’s really great post. I appreciate, Thanks for sharing.

Glad you liked the post!

So glad I found this site, looking forward to exploring the rest of it! But here’s my first question, as someone who’s still in the "dreaming" stage: This article tells me that the most basic aspects of day-to-day living are a constant source of concern and effort. Yet there are yachts nicer than most five-star hotels. So what’s the price point (or size point, or whatever point) where your daily concerns don’t revolve around things like do we have enough water to cook dinner and how bad do my clothes really smell? Does frequent marina access solve these issues? Is there a way to live on a boat where it’s easy, or does that only happen in Jimmy Buffett’s songs?

Hi Frank and Lola, thanks for stopping by and asking some great questions! Generally, the number of conveniences onboard a boat directly correlates with the time and dollars needed to have those conveniences. So when you think of the hotel like yachts, also think about the captain and crew and resources it takes to keep them running. It’s the same with smaller yachts. Even when you have the systems, you still have to manage your power or resources to run the watermaker or watch the weather and route plan to get to the marina. This is one reason a lot of boaters opt for fewer systems.

I had to laugh in agreement at your Jimmy Buffett reference – I think Jimmy must be doing a lot of day boating, haha. I personally feel that if you had around a 45-foot cat and a big budget to outfit it, you could have a lot of modern conveniences (watermaker, large solar setup, washing machine, etc.) However, living on a boat is never going to be easy IMHO. You have to put in the effort to live on the water!

I hope this was helpful and didn’t discourage you. My goal is to provide a realistic view of the lifestyle!

Agree. Especially #11. We live on a monohull so only have one head to contend with. Also whatever the purchase price, expect to spend 10% a year maintaining said boat. Things break at the most inconvenient times and improvisation is absolutely key.

Hi Breanna, #11 is definitely a big one! And of course, the head is always interesting. The first time we had a real maintenance issue with the head I posted on Instagram and announced my husband and I’s relationship had officially made it through our first serious head malfunction, haha. As you mentioned, Improvisation is also so crucial! We tend to get pretty creative with solutions 🙂

What entertainment do you use on a long haul, such as books, cards, chess. How do you plan the nights such as sleeping or on watch. Do you use automatic steering.

Hi Stephen, we like Audible for downloading books, I also like to download podcasts. We also use an external drive for movies. We do have and use an autopilot onboard. We don’t have experience with long passages, but The Boat Galley has what I think is a great article on the subject, you can find it here! https://theboatgalley.com/passagemaking-and-sleep/

Thanks for such an informative post. We’re in the process of buying a 42ft catamaran and plan on sailing up the east coast of Australia next year…scary and exciting!

I see that in some of you photos you have a gorgeous looking cat 😊 I’m planning on taking our 6 year old cat with us on the trip. Do you have any tips and advice on how to make life more comfortable and safe for a cat onboard and how to get them acclimatised to boat life?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Dee

Hey Dee, this is so exciting! I’m sure there’s lots of planning and preparation in your future but in a good way 🙂

I have a post about sailing with cats that you can find here – https://thehomethatroams.com/blog/cat-on-a-boat/

But in general, I would say to take it slow and keep a close eye on them in the transition period while they’re testing their limits. Our cat is good at finding any open compartments, so when you’re working on things or storing things, make sure they don’t slip in! You will probably want to use a life jacket in the beginning at anchor, as well as keep a good eye on them until they become more comfortable. The top of the bridgedeck seems to be a favorite spot for cats since they can see so much from up there!

Best of luck on your new adventure! – Morgan

Wow. Thanks for sharing your experience. Unfortunately, not all people experience that, so we must enjoy every second. Nice post!

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Could you live aboard a 25 ft sailboat?

• Thread starter bowman316
• Start date Apr 15, 2010

Lieutenant Commander

• Apr 15, 2010

I'm thinking about buying a sailboat in this size range. My plans are to live aboard it, either at a slip, or mooring. Eventually i might take an extended trip with it, with at least one other person. So that would mean living on the boat with 2-3 people on it. You think 2-3 people could live comfortably on a 25 footer? You think You could get enough water and waste storage on the boat?  

Petty Officer 1st Class

bowman316 said: Could you live aboard a 25 ft sailboat? I'm thinking about buying a sailboat in this size range. My plans are to live aboard it, either at a slip, or mooring. Eventually i might take an extended trip with it, with at least one other person. So that would mean living on the boat with 2-3 people on it. You think 2-3 people could live comfortably on a 25 footer? Click to expand...

bowman316 said: You think You could get enough water and waste storage on the boat? Click to expand...

Re: Could you live aboard a 25 ft sailboat? comfortably? no. could it be done? possibly depending on the layout of the boat and who your mates are. that would seem a very tight space, remember with a lot of the longer boats you also get more beam, adding much more to your living space. I've spent a considerable amount of time in a 26' camper and even that got very crowded after awhile with 2 other people.  

Re: Could you live aboard a 25 ft sailboat? I have not seen any boats in person yet, But a 22 ft boat seems to sleep 2-3, while a 26 ft boat sleeps 5. The 26 has about a ft or 2 more beam to it. I have always not needed much space to live. I just stay in my room most of the time, at the house here, and I don't end up moving around most of the day. just stay in one spot. I figure of the 26 ft, 12 ft or so are devoted to bed space, so that leaves you 14 ft for the galley. that is assuming the stern berth goes back to the transom.  

Re: Could you live aboard a 25 ft sailboat? You must remember the shape of a boat. The only 22ft boat you will have 22ft of usable area in is a houseboat, and even then you lost 2-3' length for walk-around decking. Based on an average 22' sailboat, you have 3-4' of cockpit, leaving the rest for livable area, which means 18-19', less the very bow (2-3'), which is too small for anything but small item storage. That leaves about 16' of technically usable are for living quarters. From that, you need a galley (3-4' minimum), head/shower (2-3' min), bed (convertible to a dining/livingroom area) (7' min). That leaves about 2-3' of storage for everything you need to live on, including clothing, waste, water, food, fuel and power. This assumes you sleep with the #2 person you live with and the #3 person is an infant which can sleep in the galley. I think the 3 person livable area on a 22' sailboat is purely theoretical and not actually possible. Personally, I don't see a 22' sailboat as being usable for anything beyond a day cruiser and maybe a 1-2 man weekender. If you go beyond that, you are fighting space you don't have. As for anything beyond a 22', I can't comment as I've never been aboard anything larger.  

bowman316 said: I figure of the 26 ft, 12 ft or so are devoted to bed space, so that leaves you 14 ft for the galley. That is assuming the stern berth goes back to the transom. Click to expand...

Lieutenant Junior Grade

• Apr 16, 2010

Outsider said: If they claim 2-3, it's probably 1-2. If they claim 5, plan on 3 ... Click to expand...

Chief Petty Officer

Re: Could you live aboard a 25 ft sailboat? I've done a fair bit of poking as I am sure you will, but it's difficult to find a 25-26 foot boat that gives decent room. You start thinking about everything like headroom (I'm 6'3") and it starts to get real problematic. The other thing is most marinas charge by the foot, 30 foot minimum. So really I would look at 30 foot boats if I were you. There are a ton of Catalina 30s out there which can be had fairly cheap, good headroom, etc. You'll get a lot more space and much more liveable. Search yachtworld.com and you can get an idea of what sorts of things are available and cabin layouts, etc.  

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Sporty and Simple is the ClubSwan 28

• By James Boyd
• August 20, 2024

With its long history producing good-looking fast cruisers, in recent years, Nautor Swan has consolidated its performance yachts into its ClubSwan range, spanning the giant 125-foot Skorpios and the 80-footer My Son g to their fleets of ClubSwan 36s and 50s. All designs by Juan Kouyoumdjian, the latter saw 11 and 15 compete in their respective five-event annual championships (Nations Cup) in 2023 and are set to be joined by the ClubSwan 43 this year. But Nautor Swan has another new development: While its smallest boats have been the ClubSwan 36 (plus the original Swan 36 back in 1967), its latest launch is its smallest ever, the ClubSwan 28.

This new model is not surprising given that Swan is sailing’s most prolific premium brand, with more large performance sailing yachts in existence than any other manufacturer. Its range firmly extends into the superyacht stratosphere, so why not lure new owners into the fold, earlier, with a modest offering? Federico Michetti, head of sports activities and product manager at Nautor Swan, explains, “The concept of the 28 is to have an entry-level Swan that allows owners to enjoy the journey with Nautor and our events.” He expects that the 28 will entice younger sailors, even those new to sailing, into the ClubSwan realm.

Among race boats today, 28 to 30 feet is the cusp between sportboat and yacht, and the ClubSwan 28 is more the former, given its light weight (displacing sub-1,200 kg versus 1,600 kg and 1,800 for the more yachtlike Farr 280 and Cape 31, respectively); outboard engine rather than inboard; and low freeboard and minimal interior, accessed via the foredeck hatch. The ClubSwan 28 is neither an excessively high-end carbon race boat nor a high-­volume J/70, but rather somewhere between. “Our aim for it is to race well in 6 knots or 20. It is a powerful boat but not extreme,” Michetti says. 

Kouyoumdjian adds: “We incorporated everything that modern boats have to perform very well but didn’t go extreme on any of them.”

Fundamental to the boat’s ethos is simplicity, and for it to be fun to sail, but as Michetti puts it, “at the same time being safe, a boat that can fit the needs of everyone from ­beginner to expert.”

Aside from its performance, the best demonstration of this is that while most sportboat crews must hike and hike hard (it being so vital to stability on boats of this size), the 28 is a “legs-in” boat.

“We would like to avoid a ­hiking contest. It is much more social too; sailors can enjoy what is happening around them,” Michetti says. Everything is optimized for this—the sheerline and cockpit arrangement to make maximum use of the weight of the inward-facing crew, while keel draft and ballast make up righting moment lost due to no hiking and crew not moving fore and aft.

Compared with the ClubSwan 36’s advanced hull shape and fixed-keel/C-foil combination, the 28 is far more conservative. The hull has a low wetted surface area and rocker aft to minimize bow burying. Its modest 8-foot beam means it can be towed legally throughout Europe without having to be inclined. It also allows the boat and trailer combined to fit into a 40HQ container for shipping farther afield.

The hull shape is quite ­complex, with flared topsides at the stern, above a substantial chine. Going forward, the topsides turn vertical and then evolve into a deck chamfer ­forward of the mast. The bow has a slight reverse sheer and a retractable sprit.

The rig breaks new ground, but again, simplicity is the focus. Developed between Kouyoumdjian, Southern Spars’ Steve Wilson and mast-builder Axxon Composites, it is skifflike, with no backstay or runners, and with swept-back spreaders and a GNAV (inverted vang) to keep the cockpit clear. “Imagine a 49er rig that is set up by the headstay,” Kouyoumdjian says. “The prebend and the tension you have in that kind of rig usually comes from presetting the headstay and then you deal with it with the vang and cunningham. But we wanted something variable that could simulate what you could otherwise do with the runners.”

The solution is to have a ­permanently attached mast ­ram that can be operated while ­racing via a pump in the pit area. “It brings a lot of things together—not only the tension on the headstay, but also the tension on the rig,” Kouyoumdjian adds. “And when you tension the rig, you bend the mast.”

Therefore, powering up the rig comes with just two or three pumps and an inch of movement of the ram. “Everything on the rig is simple and has been done before many times successfully,” Kouyoumdjian says. “We added the mast up-and-down function. I imagine crews using it on medium-light days: When you get into a luff and you’d ease the runner, instead you’d drop the mast, or anticipating a puff, you’d pump it up. As soon as the wind gets to 10 to 12 knots, then you’d be maxed up, like you would be at ­maximum runner on a typical boat.”

The ClubSwan 28 will be a strict one-design class. Like the ClubSwan 36, it is being built in Cartagena, Spain, by Sinergia Racing Group. Tooling for the 28 is CNC milled to fine tolerances, and like most other boats in this size, it is a glass boat, built with vinylester resin, although naturally its mast, bowsprit and rudder are full carbon. The keel fin is stainless steel.

What appears to be a 1990s retro feature is the 28’s L-configuration keel, as featured on many vintage 1990 one-­designs and early VO60s. Aside from positioning bulb weight aft, this lengthens the keel’s leading edge by 15 to 20 percent, increasing its efficiency and improving, for example, lift to windward. Kouyoumdjian is enthusiastic about this and says that he would readily recommend L-keels on other race boats, but warns that the shape of the bulb’s front must be correct. To enable easy trailering, the keel can be raised, and the rudder assembly lifts out within its own box. A full derig, from water to motorway, is expected to take around three hours.

Production for the ClubSwan 28 will be modest, initially at least, with the yard in Cartagena expected to roll out two per month, with the ready-to-sail price forecast to be around 200,000 euros. The aim is to have international fleets, with boats built by local yards. After Europe, Michetti says, its focus will be the United States, although as yet there is no time frame for this. At the time of this writing, six 28s had been sold, with the first boat due for launch in late May, with all six expected to compete at the Rolex Swan Cup in Porto Cervo in September.

The advantage of the 28 is that the owner is buying into the ClubSwan world, with its established circuit, Michetti says. “If you are building a new class, people need to trust you. You need to create momentum, you need to have sponsors and find locations and organize regattas,” which the ClubSwan management already has, with its comprehensive circuit, mixing established regattas and ClubSwan’s own in the Med, UK, Baltic and US. Aside from enticing new sailors and teams into the ClubSwan family, Michetti also imagines that some teams with larger race boats might acquire a 28 for crew training.

There is currently no class crew-weight limit, which risks enticing larger muscle-bound types on board, but Michetti explains: “We want to avoid this crazy ‘saunas before the regatta’ thing” (in other classes, crews typically duck just below maximum weight at weigh-in). ClubSwan 28 crews will ­comprise four or five with a World Sailing Group 1 (amateur) owner-­driver and probably one mandatory female or youth crewmember.

For the 28 this year, there are a number of events, including a kick-off event from Nautor Swan’s base in Scarlino, Italy, in July, plus September’s Rolex Swan Cup and the Nations League 2024-ClubSwan 28 Invitational Sardinia Challenge, taking place in Villasimius, Sardinia, in early November. Given its trailerability, the ­likelihood is that the 28 will also race inland, for example, on Italy’s famous Lake Garda. Naturally, as numbers grow, there will also be the opportunity for the ClubSwan 28 to get its own start in the world’s top ­multiclass regattas.

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Unanchored Dreams: The Freedom and Challenges of Living at Sea

By Annierose Donnelly

The ocean covers over 70% of the planet, so as humans, it’s only natural that we would want to explore it. But how do you take your everyday life to the high seas?  I interviewed two seafaring friends of mine, both of whom have different experiences living on boats, to gain some insight into what it’s like.

George Sloane-Stanley has spent much of his life sailing around the world, exploring everything from the islands of the Caribbean to the wilderness of the rugged Scottish coastline. He has skippered day tours and spent months living at sea on various sailboats. George is now retired and enjoying his land life in southwest Scotland. He shares some of his memories from living at sea and his secrets to making this unique way of life work.

Nathan Hutton has spent the last two years living on a houseboat, docked in London’s Limehouse Marina on the River Thames. The price of rent in London combined with a desire for a unique adventure led Nathan to become curious about an alternative way of life. He spends his summers living on sailboats and is planning to cruise across the English Channel in his 44-foot Nelson boat.

Are you feeling ready to leave your shoreside self behind?

The Freedom of Sailing the High Seas

A life at sea gives you the freedom to go wherever the wind takes you. It’s a chance to get closer to extraordinary parts of the world.

You can reach many secluded and inaccessible points by boat. This makes other outdoor pursuits even more adventurous, as you can explore untouched places that are difficult to reach on foot. 

It’s also possible to venture inland through canal systems. The Intracoastal Waterway on the east coast of the United States, stretching from New York to Miami, is a wonder to discover by sailboat. From charming port towns famed for their local cuisine to coastal landscapes and vibrant fall foliage, sailors rave about this route.

“There’s a limitless supply of adventures available,” George says. 

Indeed, the number of places you can visit whilst sailing will far exceed what can be achieved on any regular vacation. How many wild and rugged uninhabited islands off the west coast of Scotland can you explore in one trip? You could find out in your sailboat. How many deserted, tropical island paradises can you discover in Greece, the Caribbean, or Indonesia? You can find this out too. 

As you sail along, there will be chances to watch stunning sunsets and spot incredible marine life, such as dolphins, whales, and seabirds. Catching some rays on the sun deck with a cocktail in hand is always an option, too. Perhaps you’ll use your freedom to try painting or catching up on lots of reading? Nobody is pushing your calendar, so you can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of staying in a destination for as long as you please.  

Living on a boat can bring a sense of impermanence, with nowhere and everywhere being home simultaneously—and not every day is a sunny holiday. It offers a nomadic existence, and, particularly if you’re a solo sailor, it can be a challenging experience. For instance, how do you stay cheerful when it’s rained for a fortnight and you’ve got no dry clothes left? If something does go wrong at sea, you’ll need to keep your wits about you and lean on your own ingenuity.

Here are some tips from our seasoned sailors about how you might make this life work for you.

Getting Started

Choosing the right boat to live on for a long period of time is a decision worth taking some time with. You will need to consider your budget, skill level, and logistics before making the choice. As with any big purchase, it’s important to do your research, and don’t forget extra expenses such as boat registration and maintenance costs. Many sailors find their boats online, but most would still suggest seeing the boat in person and checking it over thoroughly before making a purchase.

During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, my friend Nathan decided to rent out his house in Cambridge and purchase a live-aboard boat with his brother. “You should always get a survey done if you are going to buy a boat,” he advised. “Someone in our marina didn’t, and their boat started to sink to the bottom one day in about 10 minutes flat!”

Are you new to sailing? Another piece of advice from the sailing community is to join a sailing club and take a course to learn the basics. Get started with courses on small dinghy boats, such as Lasers. These boats can teach you the fundamentals of sailing and build your sailing experience in a safe environment. 

Choosing Your Anchorage

Even the most nomadic of sailors will need to stop now and then at a marina. It might cost some money, but when you need a break from sailing, it will give you access to important amenities, such as running water, electricity, and internet. There might also be showers, washing machines, and a mailroom, all of which can help with the transition between living on land and at sea.  

It is also essential to plan what to do with some of your land responsibilities—your housing situation, cars, taxes, bills, etc. Keeping on top of such matters can be tricky at sea, especially since the normally simple task of keeping your phone charged is not even guaranteed.

No Room for the Sculpture Collection

The space itself (or lack thereof) is another important factor to consider when planning your new life at sea. Are you ready to give up on a few luxuries and squeeze into a small space with your nearest and dearest?

George has lived on sailboats of varying shapes and sizes throughout his life. “Boat designers are masters of maximizing space, but there’s not going to be room for a rack of clothes or your sculpture collection. Anything you take with you has got to fit on the boat,” he says.

Nathan agrees. “Living on a boat means you can’t get some of the things you might want in your life, for example, an exercise bike, a big fridge, or air conditioning,” he says.   

Living in close quarters can challenge relationships, so if you’re planning to set sail with a partner or family member, be sure that you are both on the same page about the confinements of the space and set some ground rules to avoid tripping over each other. 

The kitchen, living room, and bedroom are likely to be one shared space. As for cooking meals, it’s back to basics while you’re on board. It’s likely you’ll have limited kitchen space, so quick dinners with little washing up will be your best bet while at sea. 

Get Good at ‘Making Do’

In terms of logistics, living on a boat can make life beautifully simple. If you are willing to minimize your material possessions and maintain a compact space, of course.

When the place where you sleep floats on water, there will always be maintenance work. Learning how to fix problems as they arise is an important part of boating life. No matter what kind of boat you choose to live on, almost every problem needs urgent attention. Leaving an issue for later can have serious consequences. “If you wake up with water dripping on your face, you know something needs to be fixed ASAP,” says Nathan.

It’s always cheaper to fix things yourself while you’re living on a boat, and it avoids the hassle and expense of hiring an engineer every time something breaks. With some experience and practice, eventually “you will get good at making do and you’ll develop your own way of doing things,” says George.

One more note to remember: your life aboard a sailboat will not include main drainage or plumbing, so you’ll need to figure out how to manage your waste. 

Supporting Yourself at Sea

Unless you are chartering a yacht like the guests on Below Deck Sailing Yacht , you will need a way to make money while you’re living at sea.

“Are you of independent means, retired, or a freelancer?” George asks. “Whatever way you make money, you will need it for food, clothing, moorings, medical expenses, chandlery, and boat repairs.”

However, living on a boat can also be a money- saving decision, and the cost of living on a boat can be far cheaper than renting a property, especially in an expensive city. 

Nathan’s vessel is docked in a marina, which is one of the most expensive ways to live on a boat, since it includes running water and power. Even so, it only costs one-eighth of the price of monthly rent in that area of London. The cost of buying a boat versus a house in Central London is not even comparable (in favor of the boat).

Sailors’ Top Tips for Living at Sea

I asked the sailors for their top tips for a life at sea. Keep the following in mind as you take to the seas, and happy sailing.

• Make the most of your free time. Discover new hobbies, enjoy your surroundings, and don’t forget to live in the moment.
• Meet people. The fact that you live on a boat is a great ice-breaker at parties. Globe-trotting yachties love to talk for hours, and there is a close-knit sailing community you can tap into for advice about all things boat-related.
•  Live like a local and experience new cultures wherever you sail to.
• Ginger nut biscuits are a great cure for seasickness.

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Here's What Retirement on a Boat or RV Looks Like in America

M any Americans drop anchor in retirement, settling down near the beach or their adult children. Others leave their old latitudes behind and set sail on the highways or high seas.

Nomadic life appeals to those who have the time and cash to make RVs or boats into mobile retirement homes. After years juggling careers and raising families, these aging Kerouacs and Magellans yearn for the freedom to explore new places while still young and healthy enough to make the trip.

“I knew this opportunity would be something I’d look back on and regret not seizing,” said Harry Weidman, who lives on a 40-foot sailboat in the Caribbean with his partner, Ann Stockton.

Retiring on the road or ocean isn’t always smooth sailing. 

Couples said close quarters can test relationships. Boats and RVs also need ample doses of love and attention, since flat tires and engine problems are part of the experience. Nurturing friendships can be hard, although satellite internet helps.

Retirees who give up their permanent homes might save money. But many keep their houses, which means the cost of maintaining a boat or RV can weigh on their budgets. Of the 11.2 million RV-owning households, roughly half are those over age 55, according to the RV Industry Association.

Seven retirees who live all or part of the year in their RVs and boats told us about traveling to destinations from Alaska to the Caribbean. With incomes from $30,000 to $125,000 and savings that range from $180,000 to $2 million, they show that a peripatetic life can be affordable, unpredictable and always memorable.

Ann Stockton and Harry Weidman gambled $220,000 on their retirement.

Stockton, 60, sold her Florida condo in 2020 and Weidman, 63, liquidated part of an IRA to buy Whisper, a 40-foot catamaran, in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Neither knew how to sail.

The boat was Weidman’s idea. While deep-sea fishing one day, the former Somers Point, N.J., resident noticed he felt “most calm and serene when the shoreline drifted into the distance.”

Before retiring, the former IT manager spent hours watching YouTube videos from world-traveling sailors. A friend gave the couple free sailing lessons. Initially nervous to use the sails, they often relied on Whisper’s two engines, said Stockton.

Whisper has three small bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area, a galley—and no air conditioning. Stockton and Weidman open the hatches and hope for a breeze.

Constant maintenance is a fact of life. “Something is always breaking,” said Weidman, who is adept at repairs. The couple’s monthly chores include polishing the boat’s metal to prevent rust.

They have had some nerve-racking moments. For example, during their first overnight trip, Weidman worried that rough seas would damage the boat or that Stockton would abandon ship at the next port.

Friendships can be hard to maintain. “Often, when you say goodbye to other boaters, it’s goodbye forever,” said Stockton.

On a typical day, they wake up around 6 a.m. Weidman listens to the weather forecast on the boat’s radio. Stockton washes clothes in a bucket of rainwater. She teaches online fitness classes and meets virtually with personal-training clients.

While at port, the couple snorkel or go ashore to hike or shop for food. Favorite islands include Bequia in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for hiking and Martinique for its French cuisine.

Together, they earn about $6,800 a month, including $3,300 in monthly pension income and $2,000 from Social Security for Weidman. Stockton earns about $1,500 from personal training, website maintenance and bookkeeping.

They spend about $6,000 a month, paying around $540 for boat insurance and roughly $600 for groceries. Satellite internet and cellular-phone service cost $300; diesel, $100. Repairs average about $1,500 a month.

Too young to qualify for Medicare, they pay out-of-pocket for medical care, which they have found to be significantly less expensive in the Caribbean than in the U.S. Aside from the $100,000 Weidman withdrew from an IRA in 2020 to help buy Whisper, they have yet to touch their $730,000 in savings.

They would like to explore the coast of South American, or the Mediterranean.

“After this experience, buying a place in the U.S. doesn’t appeal to me,” said Weidman. Stockton’s vote? “Maybe an RV.”

Jenell Jones sold her Texas home about five years ago. She enjoyed gardening at home, but felt tied down. 

“I wanted to get off the couch and have an adventure,” said the retired deputy sheriff, 63.

She had thought for years about buying an RV. Her office window at work faced an RV dealership and she watched people hit the road. A divorcée with an adult daughter, she initially had doubts about solo RV travel, but reminded herself that 25 years in law enforcement more than equipped her for the challenge.

Good health, savings and low expenses have helped make her wanderlust possible. Jones gets a roughly $7,000 monthly pension and has about $180,000 in savings. She spends close to $2,500 a month, almost half of which goes toward fuel for her 36-foot Tiffin Open Road RV and the Nissan compact car she tows behind it.

So passionate is Jones about the RV life that she runs Wandering Individuals Network, an RV club with about 300 solo travelers. She spends about 10 hours a week organizing club trips and events and interacting with its members, a gig that pays about $24,000 a year.

She has traveled with club members to Canada, Arizona and California, staying for weeks at a time and visiting local attractions. She visits her daughter in Florida for the holidays.

Jones advises RV rookies to be patient, problem-solving and flexible. She has managed flat tires at busy intersections, gotten sent down dirt roads by a GPS on the fritz and once dodged a moose.

RVers should have good contacts in multiple states, she said. Finding a doctor on relatively short notice when you are a new patient isn’t always easy, Jones said.

Jones sees no end to her travels anytime soon. She has been on RV trips and hiked with people in their mid-70s who are in better shape than she is, she said.

“I’m just getting started,” Jones said.

Peggy and John Middleton, 68 and 70, are carrying on a family tradition of exploring the U.S. with a travel trailer for months at a time.

Peggy’s parents owned several RVs in the 1970s and ’80s, spending their summers on the roads of the U.S. and Canada. About 20 years ago, they offered Peggy their 1968 Airstream Globetrotter. 

“We took one big trip through Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in 2004 and then it gathered dust in the backyard for many years,” John said.

About six years ago the Springfield, Mo., retired nurses began restoring the Airstream in their spare time, spending about $20,000 to make it functional again, Peggy said.

A short-term relocation to Denver in 2021 allowed for camping trips around the West while fine-tuning their RV skills.

John retired last year and the couple knew it was time for their dream trip—a three-month, 14,000-mile journey through Canada and Alaska. They hit the road this May.

Taking turns at the wheel, the Middletons relied on maps when GPS didn’t work and tapped online RV groups for tips on where to visit. Their only planned reservation was over the July Fourth week in Alaska’s Denali National Park. Otherwise, the trip, which cost about $15,000 in fuel, campgrounds, groceries and sightseeing excursions, was largely unscheduled. 

“That’s the beauty of being retired and traveling around in an RV. If you find a place you like, you can just stay a few more days,” said Peggy. 

The Middletons faced tough decisions when they learned Peggy’s sister died about two months into the trip, and days later heard their barn back in Missouri had caught fire. 

Their first instinct was to rush home. But the couple realized there was nothing urgent to return to, especially since the memorial for Peggy’s sister would be held several months later. They stayed on the road.

The Middletons attend virtual church services and Peggy logs on to her weekly Bible study group when cellphone service is available. This, along with calls and social-media messages with their three daughters, helps them stay connected to what matters most, they said.

Years of retirement planning have allowed the Middletons to travel with their RV when they wish, they said. They have about $2 million in retirement savings, half of which is managed by John and the rest by an investment firm. About 95% of their savings is in stocks.

Their home is paid off and they pay monthly credit-card bills in full. About half of their $10,000 monthly spending goes to expenses related to their 40-acre property, which they have no plans to sell. They receive about $4,500 a month in total from Social Security.

Next summer, the Middletons hope to tour Western Europe in a rented RV and spend time with their daughter and son-in-law who live in Munich.

The couple said they are determined to have many more adventures, come what may.

“To paraphrase Neil Young, we’d rather burn out than rust,” said Peggy.

Norma and Mike Schulfer were longtime weekend and vacation sailors. So when Mike retired in 2015, the couple began dividing their time between their home in Illinois and their sailboat in the Caribbean.

After Thanksgiving, the Schulfers fly to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where they keep their 35-foot boat, Minor Indulgence (“Mi” is for Mike and “nor” for Norma).

They sail in and around the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico from December to late May, often visiting remote spots, said Norma, 73, who retired from full-time teaching in 2007. “It’s like a floating RV.”

To Mike, 75, the boat is a labor of love. “The saying goes: Buy a boat and spend the rest of your life fixing it in exotic locales,” said Mike, who worked for years training and racing horses in the Chicago area.

The couple have owned boats since the 1980s, when their three children were small.

With an eye on retirement, they got Minor Indulgence in 2006 for $139,000. Until 2015, they chartered the boat to vacationers to repay most of the loan they used to buy it.

The boat sleeps six and has a shower with hot water that works when the engine is running.

On board, Norma reads and cooks. Mike, a certified scuba diver, often uses those skills to clean the bottom of the boat.

The couple’s annual income is close to $125,000, a combination of Norma’s pension, Mike’s Social Security check, and mandatory distributions from their IRAs. They have about $500,000 in retirement accounts, and their home in New Lenox, Ill., is worth about $360,000. The Schulfers are scheduled to pay off their 2.75% mortgage, which costs $900 a month, in five years.

They pay nearly $8,000 in yearly property taxes, and home and car insurance total $2,600. The annual cost to insure the boat, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017, is $2,000. Maintenance, fuel and a spot at a marina run about $13,000 a year.

Medicare covers them in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Food in the U.S. Virgin Islands can be costly, said the couple, who recall paying $12.99 for a dozen eggs and $14.99 for a 12-pack of beer not long ago.

The couple, who have also chartered sailboats on vacations in Greece, Croatia and Tahiti, plan to keep exploring.

“I’m not ready to swallow the anchor yet,” said Mike.

Write to Anne Tergesen at [email protected] and Veronica Dagher at [email protected]

How to Retire on a Sailboat

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

Living on a sailboat is a rewarding and affordable way to enjoy your retirement.

In this article, we'll cover the basics of how to retire on a sailboat, including the typical cost and other considerations. We'll also cover the top destinations for liveaboard retirees, along with how to complete daily tasks while living aboard. We’ll also show you how to find the best sailboat to retire on.

The best way to retire on a sailboat is to purchase a larger boat that's in good condition and to dock it at an affordable marina. Buying a new boat can make retirement easier and safer.

This article is primarily based on the experience of retired people who currently live on sailboats. We also sourced information from organizations such as the AARP.

Table of contents

How Much does it Cost to Retire on a Sailboat?

Cost is a major consideration during retirement. Sailing is commonly perceived as a luxury activity, so many people are surprised to learn just how affordable it can be. Here, we'll break down some of the biggest liveaboard sailing expenses to help you get a general idea of what to expect.

The Boat Itself

Generally speaking, the boat itself is the greatest overall expense. And when you think about it, it makes sense to spend more on a nicer boat initially so you can spend more time enjoying it and less time fixing it.

If you already have a comfortable sailboat, you don't have to worry about the initial cost. So, how much does a sailboat cost? A well-maintained used sailboat that's suitable for retirement costs anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000 depending on the size, type, and age.

Considering that you'll be living aboard, purchasing a comfortable sailboat is considerably more affordable than buying a retirement condo or home pretty much anywhere in the country. To put it into perspective, the cost of a quality liveaboard sailboat is comparable to the cost of a used single-wide mobile home in many places.

If you're considering a brand new sailboat, the costs are considerably higher. The typical cost of a larger new cruising sailboat exceeds $125,000. We'll use a brand new 31-foot Catalina 315 as an example.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of this sailboat is $163,000, which is about average for a boat of this caliber. The base MSRP is just for the base-model boat itself. In most cases, a well-equipped Catalina 315 leaves the dealership ready-to-sail for about $215,000 to $225,000.

New Sailboat vs. Used Sailboat

Why would anyone consider spending upwards of $200,000 on a liveaboard sailboat? Actually, there are numerous reasons to consider purchasing a new sailboat for retirement. Modern technology has radically transformed sailing, and new sailboats come equipped with the latest comfort, convenience, and labor-saving options.

On many new vessels, almost all of the rigging can be controlled electrically from the cockpit. Everything from raising the sails to lowering the anchor can be automated, which eliminates the laborious and hazardous aspects of sailing.

Additionally, these vessels come with clean and modern cabins and all the necessities, such as spacious bathrooms, electrical outlets, sound systems, lighting, and cooking facilities. And since it's new, you're not likely to have any problems with it for a long time.

Used sailboats have benefits too, the most obvious of which is the price. Fiberglass sailboats between 25 and 45 feet in length have been manufactured since the 1960s, and there are still many well-preserved examples for sale.

A used sailboat from the 1970s or 1980s can save you a significant amount of money, provided you're willing to spend more time maintaining and repairing it. Don't expect too many bells and whistles on these vessels, but many modern convenience and safety features can be retrofitted with relative ease.

Insurance is a factor that a lot of people fail to consider when living aboard a sailboat. Boat insurance isn't usually mandated like car insurance, but it's a valuable thing to have. Thankfully, sailboat insurance is one of the least expensive necessities for liveaboard retirees .

The average price of sailboat insurance is just a few hundred dollars per year. The price varies based on several factors, including the value of your boat. For a typical used sailboat that's worth about $25,000, your annual insurance cost will be about $350.

As a rule of thumb, you can expect insurance to cost 1.5 to 3 percent of the value of your vessel.

The cost of insurance for a brand new boat will obviously be higher, but there are several ways you can reduce your rate. These include bundling your car insurance (if you choose to continue driving), and you can take sailing or boating training courses. Each insurance company has different requirements for discounts, so be sure to shop around.

The best boat insurance companies are BoatUS (which offers towing and other marine services), United Marine Underwriters, along with traditional auto indemnity companies such as Allstate, Nationwide, Progressive, and Geico. Many liveaboards choose to insure their boats with a marine insurance company such as BoatUS, as these companies offer nation-wide water services such as towing and repair.

Docking and slip fees are often the highest recurring expenses for liveaboard retirees. These are usually paid monthly, though some marinas work out long-term rates with liveaboards.

Slip fees cover the cost of docking your boat at a marina or yacht club, and they usually don't include club membership fees. Utilities are often included in the price as well, which simplifies monthly bill paying.

On average, the cost to dock a liveaboard sailboat ranges from $600 to $3,000 per year. This is considerably cheaper than rent in most places. That sail, slip fees vary widely between locations and cities. Some marinas charge per foot of length, with prices ranging from $5 per foot to upwards of $300 per foot per year. Next, we'll take a look at the average cost to dock a typical sailboat in five major U.S. coastal cities.

Slip Cost in Miami

Florida is an extremely popular destination for retired liveaboard sailors, and there's an enormous amount of docking infrastructure there. In big cities such as Miami, the cost to get a slip at a decent marina ranges from $1,000 per year to $5,000 per year.

Slip Cost in Cape Cod

The atmosphere in Cape Cod is about as far removed from Miami as you can get. Prices for slips in New England vary widely, but the typical price in Cape Cod starts around $5,000 to $6,000 per year.

Slip Cost in Galveston

The Texas coastline is famous for reasonable docking prices, though costs have increased over the years, and it's not the bargain that it used to be. That said, you can usually find a slip for between $2,000 and $5,000 per year, depending on the marina and how long you stay.

Slip Cost in San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the costliest places to dock in the United States, The most affordable slips in the city rent at an average rate of $18.00 per foot, meaning that a 30-foot sailboat would cost about $6,480 per year. Nevertheless, that's still highly affordable compared to housing costs in the city.

Slip Cost in Chicago

The Great Lakes are an excellent place to live aboard a sailboat, provided you can deal with the cold. The typical cost to dock a sailboat in the city is between $2.00 and $4.00 per foot per month, adding up to between $720 and $1,440 per year.

Utilities are another factor to consider before moving onto a sailboat. Utilities are included in the cost of the slip at some marinas. And while many others don't meter your usage, they may charge an extra monthly fee to allow you to access power and water hookups. Most sailors find that they use much less power and water while living on a boat, which reduces utility expenses significantly.

Property Taxes

Some states and localities charge property taxes for liveaboards. Some states, such as Florida, charge a 6% personal property tax on sailboats. Be sure to check with a local tax attorney to better understand what (if any) tax obligation you could face.

Fuel is an expense to consider even if you don't plan on going anywhere. Sailboats are never hooked up to city gas lines, so you'll need to purchase stove and heater fuel separately. Most sailboats have liquid-fuel stoves and heaters, which run on diesel, kerosene, or alcohol. It's wise to factor in an additional monthly fuel cost of $50 to $150. These figures can double during the winter, especially if you have a large boat.

Repairs and Maintenance

Repairs can quickly increase the cost of living on a sailboat. This is why many people opt to purchase a new boat and ditch the hassle of downtime and repair costs .

Regular maintenance itself is responsible for the majority of these costs. Hauling out, which is necessary to annually scrape the bottom, costs between $20 and $30 per foot. This is without the added cost of scraping or painting the bottom, which costs between $1,000 and $3,000. The total cost of yearly maintenance averages out to about $2,700.

Registration

Registering a sailboat is fairly inexpensive in most places. In most states, you can renew your tags for between $100 and $200 if you have a sailboat under 40 feet in length.

Total Cost to Retire on a Sailboat

Based on everything we've covered, the total cost to retire on a sailboat ranges from $5,000 to $10,000 per year, not including the purchase price. Below, we put together a chart of annual sailboat costs along with the initial price of a used and brand new 31-foot sailboat.

Health and Mobility

Health and mobility are essential factors to consider before moving onto a sailboat. Even the largest sailboats have tight passageways in some places, and the majority of boats have one or two steep steps in the entryway.

If you're still able to perform normal tasks such as climbing stairs and driving, you should have no trouble getting around on a sailboat. Living aboard on the dock is a relatively easy and low-risk proposition.

Embarking on long sailing trips, on the other hand, requires more careful consideration. The best thing to do is to get regular physical evaluations and to talk to your doctor prior to embarking on an extended voyage.

Oxygen tanks and similar long-term treatment devices can be extremely hazardous to use on a sailboat, so those needing long-term daily treatment may want to consider a more spacious powerboat or limiting their boating to occasional excursions. Again, each case is different, so check with your doctor to evaluate your specific circumstances.

Extended Retirement Voyages

Many retirees choose to make extended passages on their sailboats. Everything from local island-hopping to circumnavigation is well within the realm of possibilities to an experienced sailor or retired couple, and numerous groups exist related to this topic.

Recently, Ronna Benjamin and her husband Mike published their sailing chronicles in the AARP "Disrupt Aging" column . Mike, an experienced sailor in his 60s, bought a 49-foot sailboat with his wife and sold their home of 30 years to pursue their dreams of sailing the world.

At one point, Ronna recalled meeting a retired liveaboard couple in the 1990s who lived aboard their boat and enjoyed the tropical environment. Ronna and Mike aren't alone, as the Internet is full of thousands of stories about retirees making long offshore passages and exploring the world on their sailboats.

The most popular destinations for retired sailboat owners are the Bahamas, Hawaii, and various remote Pacific islands such as Fiji. With proper planning, any experienced sailor in generally good health can safely mate these passages, provided they have a well-kept boat that's up to the task.

Keeping Up with Family and Friends

Many retired people worry about giving up-close contact with family and friends if they move onto a sailboat. But in reality, there's no reason why you have to sacrifice relationships to move onto a boat.

This is especially true if you choose a sailboat with a spacious interior. Sailing itself is an excellent way to spend time with friend9, kids, and grandkids. Retirees who live aboard can use it as an opportunity to move even closer to family members, provided that they live near the coast, a river, or a large navigable waterway.

How to Perform Daily Tasks when Retiring on a Sailboat

Retiring aboard a sailboat can make daily tasks such as cooking and doing laundry a bit more challenging. However, where there's a will, there's a way, and malty sailors have already cracked the code. Here's how to make daily tasks easier when retiring on a sailboat.

Here's a great opportunity to simplify your cleaning supplies. On a sailboat, limited space means it's best to find cleaning equipment that serves multiple purposes. A high-quality dust-buster vacuum can replace a large broom, and it can also keep pet hair under control. When finding cleaning supplies for your boat, think small and utilize products that make the most out of limited space.

Cooking aboard a sailboat is much like cooking in a house, except everything is scaled down. Most sailboat galleys have a stove, az oven, a sink, and a refrigerator, but you'll have to downsize your meals and silverware collections. The upside is that it encourages healthy portion sizes, and it's much easier to stay clean and organized.

Laundry can be challenging aboard a sailboat. Some liveaboards do their laundry manually and dry it on the rigging, but this is much too laborious for most people to consider. Thankfully, most full-service marinas offer laundry facilities for a reasonable price. And if your marina doesn't, you can always drop your clothes off at a laundromat or dry cleaning shop.

Bathing is one activity that you won't have to make too much of a sacrifice with, as most modern sailboats come with spacious heads (bathrooms) and on-demand hot water.

Some larger sailboats have more than one head, and others feature a master bathroom with a shower and bathtub combination. You probably won't find a full-sized bathtub aboard a typical sailboat, but tubs are available on many sailboat models today.

How to Find the Best Retirement Marina

How do you choose the best marina for retirement? There isn't a huge number of retired liveaboards, so there aren't any marinas specifically oriented towards retirees. That said, there are many excellent marinas that cater to liveaboards of all kinds.

The first thing to do when choosing a marina is to make sure that they allow liveaboards in the first place. High-end yacht clubs usually discourage the practice due to aesthetic concerns. That said, regular marinas are split about 50/50, and many welcome liveaboards. The easiest way to find out is to call ahead.

The next factor to consider is location. Is the marina within a reasonable distance of shops and medical facilities? Also, it's a good idea to check out the marina and the surrounding area in person to make sure you don't end up in a bad part of town.

Another factor to consider is the condition of the marina and how it's designed. Accessibility is important, as is the condition and safety of the docks. Run-down marinas and docks filled with derelict boats are common and should be avoided. If you like the marina, see if you can talk with some of the residents to get their opinions on the management.

The residents themselves are the final consideration. What kind of people occupy the marina, and do they seem friendly? It's important to gauge the neighbors before renting a slip, just to make sure you'll get along with the people you'll see every day.

How to Choose the Best Sailboat for Retirement

Choosing a boat is one of the most important and exciting parts of the process. Before you begin searching, it's helpful to decide what you're going to do with the boat, how much space you need, and how much you're willing to spend.

Sailboat Size  

Most people would agree that the smallest practical liveaboard sailboats are around 30 feet in length. Many people live on smaller boats, but cramped conditions can become a serious hassle over time. When it comes to retirement, bigger is almost always better.

When it comes to sailboat length, 35 to 40 feet seems to be ideal for most people. Additionally, a boat between 30 and 60 feet in length will fit in most marina slips, and it will likely be seaworthy enough for any reasonable passage.

Unless you're looking for a project boat, it's usually best to spend a little more upfront on a nicer boat that doesn't need any major repairs. It's pretty easy to tell if a vessel has been cared for, so avoid used boats with any signs of mold, rot, or neglect.

Configuration

Sailboat configuration is another factor to consider before purchasing a boat. Configuration covers things like sail plan, cabin layout, and hull type. Here are a few examples of sailboat configurations.

Most sailboats are fiberglass Bermuda-rigged sloops with a single cabin forward of the cockpit. These vessels are common because they work very well, and most people enjoy their practicality and sailing characteristics.

Traditional sailboats have more complex rigging and require more maintenance, but some of them are more seaworthy and elegant. It all comes down to personal preference.

If retiring and living aboard is the goal, it's essential to consider the layout of the cabin. The best way to judge a sailboat cabin is to actually go inside of it and try to picture yourself living in it long-term. Niche vessels such as catamarans of aft-cabin monohulls are often more trouble than they're worth, as facilities are often separated and require going up on deck to reach.

Features and Comfort

Modern sailboats come packed with modern technology, which adds an enormous amount of features and improves comfort. But virtually all sailboats sold on the consumer market prior to 2000 seem spartan in comparison. Here's a list of helpful features that many newer boats offer.

• Automatic power control systems
• Automatic and dimmable lights
• Automatic climate control
• Air conditioning
• Integrated WiFi
• Integrated navigation
• Sound systems
• Dimmable windows
• Power winches
• Power halyards
• Solar or wind power generators

Some people prefer simpler systems, as they're easy to use and maintain. But by doing so, you may sacrifice comfort and miss out on many of the great labor-saving devices that are available on sailboats today.

Sailing Characteristics

The final major consideration when choosing a sailboat is its sailing characteristics. Factors that affect how a boat sails are its size, hull shape, rig, and displacement. For example, a heavy-displacement sailboat with a full keel and a wide beam will sail slower than most vessels.

However, this type of sailboat will also be more forgiving and offer superior comfort and safety in rough weather.

On the other hand, a lighter sailboat with a fin keel and a narrow beam has characteristics more aligned with a racing vessel. This boat will be fast and agile, and it offers great responsiveness, but it will probably be less comfortable in rough weather.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Multiple Brits in Sicily feared missing as huge yacht sinks in bad weather

The boat - named Bayesian - capsized and sank early today, Monday, August 19, off Palermo

• 09:34, 19 AUG 2024
• Updated 10:17, 19 AUG 2024

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Several British tourists are feared missing after a boat sank off the coast of Sicily. The UK-flagged sailboat's sinking has left seven individuals unaccounted for following a rescue operation.

The Italian Coastguard and firefighters managed to rescue 15 people, among them a one-year-old child. It is believed the vessel succumbed to a tornado that hit the region.

The majority of those on board were British, along with a New Zealander, a Sri Lankan national, two Anglo-French individuals, and an Irish citizen. According to the Italian news outlet Il Fatto Quotidiano, the boat went down near Porticello around 5am local time (4am GMT) on Monday (August 19).

Dive teams have reached the sunken hull, located 49 meters underwater and roughly half a mile from shore, as reported by the same source, reports the Express . Those rescued from the ill-fated vessel have been brought to Porticciolo, detailed Il Fatto Quotidiano.

The Agenzia ANSA news service has announced that efforts to find the seven missing from the dawn-sunken sailing boat are ongoing near Porticello. The agency's report indicates that the missing include four Britons, a Canadian, and two Americans.

A Facebook post showing the last image taken at 10pm before the disaster stated: "Last picture I took at 10pm. The yacht on the left sunk at 4:05, caught in the middle of the hurricane 300 meters from the port of Porticello, next to another sailboat that provided rescue.

"It looks like there are 22 on board but unfortunately seven missing, they're still afraid inside the hull. Unbelievable tragedy tonight. I'm out of words."

Another Italian daily, Corriere della Sera, has identified the boat involved as the Bayesian, a superyacht which, according to an online profile, was launched in 2008. The Superyacht Times has reported that the Bayesian's hull and superstructure are constructed out of aluminium and is outfitted with two MTU engines, facilitating a top speed of 15.6 knots.

It's been disclosed that the vessel was crafted by Perini Navi, a renowned boatmaker located in Viareggio, Tuscany. The boat capsized at around 5am off Palermo.

Local media said a fierce storm, including water spouts, battered the area overnight. The daily Il Giornale de Sicilia reported the sailboat was flying a British flag and had mostly British passengers on board, but also people from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens.

The ANSA news agency said the boat, which it said was named Bajesian, had been moored in the port at Porticello and had set sail on Sunday evening.

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