Living On A Sailboat - Pros & Cons
Living on a sailboat is an adventure which requires a complete lifestyle change for most people. So, what are the pros and cons of living on a sailboat?
There are many pros and cons to living on a sailboat. Hopefully you’ll find that the pros far outweigh the cons. Pros such as privacy, freedom, and adventure top my sailboat living list. Some cons are cramped living space, having your home rock when the weather turns nasty, and small living space.
There are many variables to consider when creating a list of pros and cons for living on a sailboat. Whether you live at anchor or at a dock, one con for sailboat living is the general lack of space. There are no walk-in closets on your typical sailboat. However, this can be seen as a pro if your goal is to minimize your belongings. Being at the mercy of the weather is a con which affects boats at anchor far more than docked vessels. Again, this can become a pro as your understanding of weather patterns will improve.
Although living on a sailboat is a big change from living in a house, there are so many pros to boat life that the cons seem inconsequential. I’ve been living on board my 30ft sailboat with my family for 3 years and for the most part, we’ve really enjoyed it. My biggest con on board my boat is lack of storage space. That’s due more to the length of my boat than to general sailboat life, though. If you’re an adventurous person looking to get away from your land based lifestyle, I definitely recommend sailboat living.
Table of contents
Let's start with the positives, shall we? I always like to focus on the good, whenever possible.
When you live at anchor on a sailboat, you get to experience whatever level of privacy and solitude that you prefer. There are anchorages that are quite crowded and boisterous, but you’ll also find anchorages in which you are practically the only boat. You get to decide the level of privacy you want to enjoy.
I think one of the greatest pros for living on a sailboat is that it’s fun. It’s fun to sail around, and fun to wave to other boaters and people on land as you navigate the waters. Living on a sailboat is exciting, because every day is different and you never know what might happen next. There's very little ‘hum-drum’ in the life of a sailor. There's an endless list of projects to work on, activities to enjoy, and fellow sailors to socialize with.
Your Home Can Travel
This is one of the biggest pros for many sailors. So many of us have the permanent travel bug and it’s liberating to know that if you want a change of scenery, it’s as simple as lifting the anchor or throwing the dock lines. Within a few hours, you’re in a new place with new people and new opportunities.
For people with wanderlust, having a home that can travel is invaluable.
If you find that you don’t like the people on the boat anchored next to you, you can move your boat! Unlike living on land, you aren’t stuck with your neighbors.
Minimalist Lifestyle
It’s inevitable when moving onto a sailboat to have to get rid of a great deal of one's belongings. This forced purging gives one a new perspective on wants vs. needs. When you’re forced to par down your earthy goods to what can fit into a 30/40/50 ft boat, it allows you to see what you really need and get rid of the excess that is so common in the American lifestyle.
You value what few belongings made the cut and enjoy them that much more. It’s very freeing not to be weighed down by a garage, attic, or basement full of stuff that you don’t need.
Virtually Endless Adventure
There are so many fun activities that can be done while living on a sailboat. Besides the obvious one - sailing - consider these enjoyable pastimes:
- Scuba diving
- Kite surfing
- Windsurfing
- Paddleboarding
Typical hobbies are easily enjoyed on sailboats as well. I’ve known sailors that sewed, painted, carved, wrote, took classes, on and on. The activities available on a sailboat are limited only by your imagination and obviously by the space available on your boat.
Strong Community
It's hard to beat the sailing community when it comes to helpful, caring people. Any time I have ever needed help or advice with any boat maintenance issue, fellow boaters are always more than willing to contribute in whatever way they can. Whether it’s offering up a spare part when you’re far from civilization, helping diagnose an engine issue, or just being there to give their 2-cents, the boating community is one of the most helpful around.
I’ve had someone come to my aid when my anchor was dragging in the middle of the night and I ended up on the rocks, shared a much needed spare impeller when my water pump failed, and been given mountains of advice about weather, routes, or favorite anchorages.
You never feel alone or unsupported when you’re a sailor in need. If there is a fellow sailor around to help, they most certainly will.
Many popular anchorages have a cruisers net that meets every morning at a certain time on a particular marine radio channel. Events are stated, as well as news and needs of the local cruising communities. It’s a great way to meet friends, find spare parts, or sell unused gear.
Unique Lifestyle
If you’re someone who has always enjoyed living life differently than everyone else, then living on a sailboat may be a good option for you. There are upwards of 100,000 people in the US living on sailboats which is a drop in the bucket compared to the 331,349,281 landlubbers. People that don’t live on boats are often baffled by those who do. Some are in awe of a water based lifestyle while others are certain they couldn’t do it themselves.
There's something rewarding in knowing that you’re breaking out of the ‘norm’ and forging your own path. Living on a sailboat can be a great jumping point for your unique lifestyle.
Incredible Scenery
I don’t know how many times I’ve anchored my boat up in front of multi-million dollar homes to enjoy the same insanely gorgeous view that they do, but for a fraction of the cost. Plus, sunsets and sunrises are breathtaking on the water. It’s fairly easy to find a secluded anchorage in most places, even near bustling metropolises.
Living on a sailboat brings us closer to nature. We tend to go to sleep when the sun sets and rise with the sun. You’re dealing with the weather on a daily basis, whether it’s heat, wind, rain, or cold. You experience weather more intensely on a boat. This causes us to appreciate the good weather all that much more. When the wind blows in the direction you want, when the wind doesn’t blow so you can enjoy a still night of sleep, or when the weather isn’t doing much of anything at all. You simply feel more gratitude and stop taking those nice weather days for granted.
There are certainly some disadvantages of living on a sailboat. Trust me, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows blowing out your hatches all day long.
Small Living Space
A 30 foot sailboat averages around 250 sqft, while a 40ft would be around 300 sqft. It takes some time to adjust to such miniature living conditions. But, once you’re adjusted to it, most of us realize that we never really needed more space to begin with. Not all sailboats sport small living spaces. Some catamarans are like floating condos. But most monohull sailboats are pretty tight inside.
Mildew is a common issue for most sailboats. There are a number of products available to combat mold growth. I’ve tried multiple over the counter sprays and while they work, the mildew almost always returns. A boat's interior is simply an ideal environment for mold. It’s out of direct sunlight, there's moisture, and there's often wood. Mildew loves wood.
Besides the mildew, there’s a constant dampness to bedsheets and clothing that just never seems to go away. Dampish fabric is something that you get used to and may only realize that you’ve been living with once you get a chance to stay in a hotel or house.
Having air conditioning helps considerably with onboard dampness.
Costly Maintenance
Boat repairs are often more expensive than one might expect. Mechanical parts are expensive and mechanics are even more expensive. You can keep your costs down by doing your own repairs whenever possible, but they don’t say Break Out Another Thousand for nothing. Plus, simple things like dock lines and fenders can really add up.
Having sails or cockpit canvas replaced is something that only needs to be done every 5-10 years. You’re looking at a cost of around $4000 for new sails and about the same for new bimini and dodger canvas.
When you’re living on land, you don’t have to pay too much attention to the daily weather unless you’ve got a hurricane headed your way. On a boat, however, it’s necessary to be in tune with the weather on a daily basis. When you’re living at anchor, you need to be aware of upcoming wind changes so that you can plan protective anchorages accordingly. And for those living at the dock, it’s definitely helpful to know when to double up on your dock lines for a blow heading at you.
If you’re living on your boat full time and cruising in the hurricane zone, then you either need to move your boat out of the hurricane zone, or have a hurricane hole nearby that you plan to move to in case the storm makes landfall near you. Countless boats have been totaled by being unprepared when a hurricane hit.
Limited Resources
Sailboats have a water tank which runs water to the sinks on board. All hand washing, dish washing, and water for cooking comes out of this water tank. Tanks can vary from forty gallons to hundreds of gallons. It’s necessary to be sparing with water usage to ensure that your water tanks will last you until your next fill up. This makes every drop count.
There's no endless showers, or letting the water run while you brush your teeth or wash your hands. My family makes our 40 gallon water tank last about a week before it runs dry. An average american family of 3 would use roughly 900 gallons of water per month in a house.
If you’re cooking and find that you don’t have all the ingredients that you need, you can’t just run to the store to pick up the missing item. Also, many boats only have a 2 burner stove, mine included. This can turn cooking into a juggling act. And if you’re lucky enough to have an oven on your boat, then it’s going to be about a quarter the size of a regular oven and is likely run on propane, which must be refilled on land when possible.
Electricity
Electricity is also a valuable resource on a sailboat. Some boats rely on the engine's alternator to charge the batteries while others use a wind generator, solar panels, or gasoline generator. Your batteries can die permanently if they are drained too low by items like a refrigerator, air conditioner, watermaker, fans, or lights. It’s not as simple as flipping a light switch and not knowing where the power is coming from. Every bit of electricity is precious.
Living on a sailboat requires considerably more planning and thought than living in a house.
Home Security
In this section, I’m not talking about pirates and thieves. I’m talking about whether your boat is secure in its place in the water. Imagine leaving your boat at anchor, going to shore for shopping and dinner, only dinghy back out to your boat to find that it’s not where you left it!
Boats can drag anchor, have ground tackle fail, or even sink. If a through-hull or sea cock fails while you aren’t onboard, you may come back to a sunken boat. This is not something that you have to worry about with a house. A house will be there when you get back from the store, and it certainly won’t sink into the ground. Well, almost certainly.
Regarding pirates and thieves, there is very little theft on the water. But it’s always prudent to store or lock up any valuable items such as an outboard or generator. There are a few hot spots for piracy around the world, but with a little research, you will surely be able to avoid those areas.
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Beth lives on board her 1983 30ft S2 sailboat with her husband, 6 year-old son, and her two fur babies. She has been sailing and boating for most of her life. Beth has been blessed to experience cruising in the Great Lakes, the Bahamas, and in Alaska. She loves to travel and adores living on her tiny boat with her family.
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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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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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Yacht Cruising Lifestyle
Everything fun you can do from your yacht
An Interview with SV Skylark – Thailand
January 15, 2021 by Travis Turgeon 2 Comments
Jennifer and Chris Likins are two airline pilots turned full-time sailors during the COVID-19 era. Between a mix of aspiration and circumstance, the couple has now found themselves living aboard their 54-foot sailing vessel, “Skylark.”
Although cruising full-time was not in the initial plans for 2020, their sailing enthusiasm has been alive for years. After meeting in 2011, Jennifer and Chris traveled to over 100 countries on seven continents together, several of which they visited during charter boat trips.
In October of 2019, the couple purchased SV Skylark to take sailing trips around their month-on, month-off work schedule. Little did they know what was ahead of them and how their plans would begin to change.
The aviation and travel industries were two of the hardest hit by the global COVID pandemic, which meant that Jennifer and Chris’ careers came to a sudden and unexpected halt.
Having purchased SV Skylark several months prior, however, the lack of work and abundance of free time proved to be somewhat of a blessing in disguise.
The opportunity created by these new circumstances didn’t come without its own set of challenges, though.
Jennifer and Chris purchased their sailboat in Penang, Malaysia. After spending a bit of time in Langkawi, they made their way to Thailand in January of 2020. Not long after, global shutdowns and border closures meant that sailing onward to new destinations would have to wait. During the height of Thailand’s lockdown, the couple spent nearly a month anchored at a small island near Phuket. With provincial borders closed, they decided it was best to hunker down and try to enjoy the downtime.
The lockdown measures proved to be effective, though. After a few months of social distancing and travel restrictions, Thailand began to shift towards re-starting its economy. Although Jennifer and Chris were unable to move freely, they traveled domestically to some of Thailand’s wonderful distinations.
I had the chance to speak with them before their passage to the Maldives, and got a little more insight into the beginning of this new chapter.
How did this dream become a reality, and where did your journey begin?
“Chris and I have been traveling together since we met nearly ten years ago. We loved visiting the various countries over the years, but we wanted to take on a new type of challenge. Having chartered several sailboats during our travels, we decided o n one for ourselves. We agreed on an Amel 54, as we liked the different safety features it offers. It was a purchase made so that we could sail during our time off from work. We generally work one month on, and one month off. Things, of course, changed with that after COVID.”
Did either of you have much sailing experience before starting this new adventure?
“I grew up sailing. My parents had a 42-foot sailboat, and I was a sailing instructor as a teenager. Chris began sailing when he met me ten years ago, and we have done many sailing trips since. We chartered boats in Tonga, Tahiti, Brazil, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Spain, and Svalbard. We did a sailing course together in Greece a few years ago since many charter companies require an internationally recognized sailing license, such as the RYA Day Skipper. As owners, we have learned a lot about sailing and boat maintenance over the past year.“
What kind of sailboat is SV Skylark?
“Skylark is a 2009 Amel 54. French yacht builder, Amel, is known for producing some of the safest yachts in its class. She is a 54-foot center cockpit, ketch-rigged sailboat capable of cruising the world in comfort and style. F rom the cockpit, you control all of the primary sails , adding to its safety and making her very easy to sail short-handed. The Amel 54 is an ideal cruising yacht for a couple. She i s a sail-powered boat that also has a Volvo Penta 110hp engine.”
Did you have to give SV Skylark a significant overhaul, or was it well-maintained before you purchased it?
“Skylark was well maintained when we purchased her, and we are trying our best to keep it that way. The previous owner took excellent care of her using all of the manufacturer’s recommendations, and the woodwork was pristine. As soon as we saw Skylark, we knew she was the yacht for us. The boat was ready to go as soon as we walked in! We are very fortunate to keep in touch with the previous owner, and he has been helpful when we have any questions. He also left us with lots of spare parts and tools. When considering used yachts, the history of the boat and how the previous owner maintained it is super important.”
What items, upgrades, or accessories have turned out to be the best investment before starting your journey? The least useful?
“The best investments have been our solar panels and davits. We waited nearly eight months after we purchased Skylark to invest in them since we were only planning to cruise for a month at a time and had a foldable dinghy that fits in the aft locker. We became sick of lifting the dinghy up every night, though, and decided to make the investment in a davit. We’re very happy with this!! We also save on fuel costs using solar panels since we don’t have to run the generator as much, which is very pleasant. Other great purchases have been a BBQ, hammock, and projector with a karaoke machine.
“The least useful was a fly trapper f rom Lazada. It just spins and spins, but it doesn’t capture the flies! Maybe we were doing something wrong, but it seems to be a bad purchase. It now sits in a cupboard.”
How much has it cost to sail and maintain Skylark in Thailand during COVID, and how do you expect those costs to change once you begin sailing to other countries?
“We are fortunate we made it into Thailand before the border closed. To keep a yacht at a marina in Thailand, it costs about $1100 a month for a 54-foot yacht (around 20$/foot/month). We had a yacht manager take care of our boat for $300-$700 a month while docked at the marina. The care price ranges based on the package, and if we wanted Skylark to have weekly systems tests, cleaning, and daily dock line checks, it’s towards the higher end. If you leave a boat unattended for extended periods, it will develop problems and begin to look rough, so proper care is essential.
“Since we’ve been in Thailand, the overall costs per month have varied. We spend about 95% of our time on anchor, so our marina fees are minimal. We only go into marinas when we have maintenance work that is difficult to do at anchor. Some things in Thailand are affordable compared to other parts of the world, such as labor. However, boat parts cost a lot more since there are heavy import taxes.
“With boating, you can have a month where you spend next to nothing; and other months, things are breaking left and right, or there are things you want to upgrade and change.
“If you’re willing to do some maintenance yourself at anchor rather than hiring a professional at a marina, it can save you a lot of money. I keep a detailed spreadsheet of the money we have spent, and after converting it into USD, our monthly expenditures (including food) ranged drastically from $1,500/month up to $15,000/month. We had the most expensive month in July when we installed solar panels and davits to our boat.
“We were out of the water for a couple of weeks, staying in a hotel, and working on various other tasks. Our ignition key malfunctioned, and a replacement from Volvo was about $300 – we also needed new membranes for our water maker, which was close to $1800 for parts and labor. We didn’t have anything break in October, and we had bad weather, which meant we cooked many meals onboard Skylark. We were able to spend little that month.
“Over the last year, we have learned a lot about the systems on Skylark and are becoming more and more comfortable doing most of the work ourselves. This is essential for going to remote locations where there are not mechanics readily available. We have also purchased many spare parts, so we don’t expect to have to buy much more over the next several months. When we get to the Maldives, we plan to eat on the boat a lot, so our food and beverage expenditure will go down significantly. During the COVID restaurant lockdowns, we saved a lot eating all our meals made with ingredients from the local shops. Now that everything is open, we have been enjoying all of the amazing restaurants and bars on offer.”
What has been the hardest part of adapting to life on Skylark? The easiest?
“The hardest part was not having air conditioning. We only have air conditioning while in the marina since we use power from the shore. At anchor, we would have to run the generator, so it’s just not practical. In April, it was super hot in Thailand, and we had many difficult nights of sleep! Now we are used to the heat and get cold when we use air conditioning. We recently made a trip up to Bangkok and Chiang Rai, and we were freezing in the hotel room! When it’s a hot evening on the boat, I try to remember how cold we were in Chiang Rai!!
“The easiest part is enjoying sundowners. We often anchor somewhere beautiful and have a nice sunset, so it’s perfect to complete the day with a cocktail. We enjoy swimming off the boat into beautiful waters and meeting lots of new friends. It’s easy to feel like we are on a full-time holiday, and try to reel ourselves in and make sure to eat healthy, exercise, and maintain the boat.”
Describe what it’s like dealing with visas, customs, and permits in Thailand. Was it a hassle?
“We have only completed one international voyage on Skylark, from Malaysia to Thailand, and it was very streamlined back in December/January.
“For a while during the emergency COVID decree, pleasure crafts could not exit Thai waters without special approval from the skipper’s embassy, who then contacts several Thai government agencies for approval. There wasn’t really anywhere to go, so we decided it was best to stay in Thailand. We had two friends who ended up leaving and successfully going to Australia with their yacht, but the process was long.
“Cruising in the near future will be more difficult with the restrictions in place. If COVID was not a factor, we would love to visit the Andaman Islands. However, we cannot do this. Thankfully the Maldives is open!
“We also want to visit Chagos in the British Indian Ocean Territory, but for a while, they closed the border due to COVID. Thankfully, we recently received an email stating they were accepting applications, but only three yachts are allowed in the territory at once. Luckily, we put in an application with our friend Paul, and we were both approved!!! They have strict insurance rules requiring coverage for environmental cleanup, wreck removal, and personal health evacuation. We are super excited that we got approved for four weeks next year and that we can experience a place that fewer people visit than summit Mount Everest.”
What has your provisioning strategy been to this point, and will that change once you set sail for new destinations?
“While in Thailand, we keep enough dry food to last us about a month, and we stock the fridge with fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat. We also keep a lot of food in the freezer.
“Since we won’t have access to markets during our upcoming journey to the Maldives, we just did a huge provision. I calculate we now have four to six months of food onboard. We’re mindful of expiration dates, so we don’t buy too much perishable food. There’s lots of meat in the freezer, and we bought tons of Thai products such as curry paste and larb seasoning. We’re going to miss the Thai food!! We are still continually loading up the boat with more supplies.”
*Check out the link here to see how Jennifer and Chris prepared for their passage across the Indian Ocean to the Maldives.
Have you been fishing recently, or do you plan to fish for food when you are in more remote locations such as the Maldives?
“We have been trying, but in one year, we only caught two needlefish. We haven’t had much luck in Thailand, but we expect there to be more fish when we get offshore! There are many Tuna in the Maldives, so we are hoping to have more luck there. We stocked up on Japanese sushi rice, wasabi, soy sauce, and nori so that when the time comes, we can make sushi on board with fresh fish.
“When we were on a charter in Madagascar last year, we caught five large Wahoo! We prepared it in a bunch of different ways, including sashimi.”
What books or other resources would you recommend for someone who is planning for cruising life?
“ Outsidewatch.com . Haha. Just kidding. We would recommend “The Voyager’s Handbook,” by Beth Leonard. It includes everything, from picking out the ideal boat for your taste and budget, to what it’s like cruising around the world.
“There’s a lot of good information in there, and it’s important to properly research the boat you want. If you end up with lemon, it will be expensive and difficult to sell.”
What are your cruising goals for the future?
“Our cruising goals are constantly changing! It’s been difficult to make plans with all of this uncertainty. We are currently planning to cross the Indian Ocean, with stops in the Maldives, Chagos (BIOT), Seychelles, Tanzania, Madagascar, and South Africa, but that can change quickly! Eventually, we want to end up in the Caribbean and then Europe. After that, we’ll see. We learned in 2020 not to make too many plans.”
Follow SV Skylark in real-time with the interactive map on their site.
If life makes a shift toward normal over the next year, do you expect to give up the cruising life and go back to work as full-time airline pilots?
“We don’t plan to give up cruising life altogether. If we end up going back to work, we’ll find somewhere that gives us the flexibility to have stretches of days off to continue sailing. The plan is always changing, though, so who knows. Maybe we will be flying within six months again! Until then, we are going to try and enjoy boat life. We could be back at work before we know it.”
What are your favorite hobbies or pastimes to keep you busy when living on a sailboat?
“We keep busy with boat maintenance, cooking, reading, yoga, and planning our next adventures. I’m currently working on completing an online yoga instructor course. Chris and I did a lot of yoga at Keirita’s Yoga in Koh Lipe, and we want to be able to practice on the boat in beautiful locations. We’re also busy working on our vlog and blog for Outside Watch.”
Do you scuba dive from your boat?
“We dive from our boat, but we don’t have a compressor on board. We have four tanks that we fill onshore, and we own all of our other equipment. When we went diving in Koh Lipe from Skylark a few months ago, we saw Whale Sharks! It was incredible. We also dive when we clean the hull, which isn’t as glamorous, but it’s important to keep the bottom clean of marine growth so that our boat speed stays fast.”
After the first months living on Skylark, is there anything you wish the vessel had that it currently does not?
“We wish we had lithium batteries and a larger inverter – we nearly decided to switch to lithium, but the available batteries were expensive and not exactly what we wanted. We would have had to make some modifications to the boat, and we didn’t do enough research to commit to that. For now, we decided to stick to traditional AGM batteries.
“With a bigger inverter, we could run more appliances without starting the generator, including our Nespresso machine. When our current batteries need replacing in a few years, we’ll be sure to research our options before making the switch.”
What would you like our readers to know about your journey, and what advice would you give to someone considering boat life?
“Sailing is a very rewarding pastime, and living on a boat has many advantages and disadvantages. It’s not all beaches, bikinis, and cocktails. There are lots of ups and downs, and it’s a lot of work. Maintaining a boat is basically a full-time job in itself, but anything worthwhile is worth hard work! We’re excited to finally be ready to go offshore with Skylark on this next adventure to the Maldives!”
Follow Jennifer and Chris on their adventures aboard SV Skylark at Outsidewatch.com, as well as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube:
Enjoy reading about Jennifer and Chris? Join the #BoatLife community and find others who love living life around the water by posting in our community forum!
If you found this article helpful, please leave a comment below, share it on social media, and subscribe to our email list.
For direct questions and comments, shoot me an email at [email protected]
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Reader Interactions
February 26, 2021 at 2:55 pm
Been watching your show on utube and love it, we looked last night for the next one and there wasn’t anymore to watch, you had just arrived in the Maldives 🇲🇻 and meet up with your friend that was sailing solo. My husband and I built a house on the ocean in Curacao 🇨🇼 and haven’t been able to get back there for a year, very heart broken. We use to fly there every 2 months. Hope that will change soon, if you sail there please stop buy, my husband is a diver and we have fantastic diving right in front of our house, he hunts lion fish super delicious.
April 23, 2021 at 6:38 am
Hi Dana, thanks for taking the time to read the interview! Jennifer and Chris are something else, huh!? Some of my colleagues had the chance to meet and spend some time with them when they were in Thailand during the COVID lockdowns. It’s been really great getting to know them through the interview and onward. I’ve checked back in with them a few times to see how they’re doing – it sounds like they are heading back to the Maldives soon to get back aboard Skylark!
If you enjoyed reading the article, we plan to do a follow-up interview with them at some point over the next couple of months to go over their journey in the Maldives. You should check back in from time to time to see if it’s been published – or better yet, subscribe to our email list and get updates every time we post new content!
Again, thanks for taking the time to read and comment on the post! We appreciate it.
All the best from us here at #BoatLife.
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.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png "living on a sailboat in thailand")
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Boat life can be truly amazing, sometimes we just need a little reminder https://www.sailingnandji.comWe are on our way back to Thailand to finish off this r...
Hopefully someone who is actually living aboard legally in Thailand will weigh in with accurate post pandemic information. 23-02-2023, 17:28 #3: valhalla360. Registered User. Join Date: Apr 2013. ... I'm not sure how they will view you living on a boat but worst case, rent a really cheap, no air/con room to get your form. I'm betting for a ...
Has been living here now for about five years (retirement visa) but will continue on to the Caribbean later this years, or next year, fer sure. He has been at Boat Lagoon, which is a world-class marina and almost no crime other than occasional petty theft (none to his boat). His boat is a 50-ft ketch, very good for two people for very long term.
Wednesday, March 6, 2002 Roy Sokolowski, Honolulu. "The taxes applicable to boats that are made in Thailand are the same as for boats imported into the country but without, of course, import duty. So the tax consists of excise tax of 5.3% of the boat's value and Interior Ministry tax of 0.53% - a total of 5.83%.
Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/vagabonde [surfshark.deals] - Enter promo code Vagabonde for 83% off and 3 extra months free! My ABC book for sa...
Traveling full-time for the past 10 months as been amazing! And even though living on a sailboat means tight quarters for us and our dog, we wouldn't trade i...
Living on a boat takes a high level of planning, commitment, and motivation. Use this guide to help with a flawless transition to boat life! ... In Thailand, for example, you can buy a sim card with unlimited data and 10mbps internet for about $10 per month. These speeds can provide a hotspot for nearly any device that will work without issue ...
Salamak is a member of Thailand's Moken ethnic group. Also known as the "sea gypsies" or chao ley - Thai for "sea people" - the Moken lay claim to an astounding list of traits. They ...
Some cons are cramped living space, having your home rock when the weather turns nasty, and small living space. There are many variables to consider when creating a list of pros and cons for living on a sailboat. Whether you live at anchor or at a dock, one con for sailboat living is the general lack of space.
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. Table of Contents. Preparing for Sailboat Living. 1.
An Interview with SV Skylark - Thailand. Jennifer and Chris Likins are two airline pilots turned full-time sailors during the COVID-19 era. Between a mix of aspiration and circumstance, the couple has now found themselves living aboard their 54-foot sailing vessel, "Skylark.". Although cruising full-time was not in the initial plans for ...
Living in Thailand is great easy and cheap. So much misinformation here from people who hear things. Ignore it. I live in Krabi on my boat have done for the last 3 years. Been in and out of Thailand for 8 years. Contact the Thai Visa Center in Bangkok, Google it Grace is the lady's name. Tell them what your plan is they will give you ...
You can get it cheaper but there are no recommended surveyors in Sicily so we made the decision to fly one in from the UK. That way there weren't any language barriers either. We were slightly unlucky that the marina the sailboat was in was such an expensive one to get a lift out, you can get lifted out for more like £200-£300 ($250 - $380 USD) in other boatyards.
When it comes to sailing in Thailand, the best time to go is between November and April, when the weather is dry and the seas are calm. The monsoon season in Thailand runs from May to October, so it's best to avoid sailing during this time. Cabin charters are readily available in Thailand. For example, Yoga Sailing Holidays offers a Lagoon 42 ...
Sailing around Thailand is incredible! We've had our share of good days, and our share of bad days, but we wouldn't trade it for any amount of money! In thi...
The first cost to consider when living on a sailboat is the marina fees/slip fees. The marina costs for a sailboat are approximately $10 to $20 per foot per month. For example, a sailboat owner with a boat size of 30 feet will typically pay between $300 and $600 per month in slip fees to stay at a marina. A marina will charge a boat owner on a ...
Posted August 24, 2010. On 8/22/2010 at 11:23 AM, JohnLeech said: On 8/22/2010 at 5:27 AM, Jimi007 said: By the way for some reason boats here are rather expensive compared to other countries. That used to be the case when boats were taxed as luxury goods at 300%, but now tax for boats is amongst the lowest in the world (VAT only). I have owned ...
2014. 40 ft. from 339 €. -14%. 5.0 (2) Mai Khao. 10 pers. Choose from 48 Sailboats in Thailand starting from 215 € per day, with or without captain. Nº1 Nº1 boat rental and yacht charter platform in Thailand.
Gentle tides, warm winds and a sandy seabed render Phuket as Thailand's year-round cruising destination - where the dry season from November to April is best for novice sailors. Northeasterly winds promise dry spells and gentle breezes, although sunny days become scorching by April. More serious sailors select the wetter season from May to ...
Prices can vary based on the type of boat, its amenities, the duration of the charter, and the season. On average, you can expect to spend anywhere from $300 to $2,500 for a day, with luxury yachts at the higher end of the spectrum. Remember, Thailand sailboat charters are not just about the boat; they're about the experience.
One simply thinks, I'll buy a hurricane damaged catamaran, fix it and then sail the world, but then life happens. The dream of being a cruising sailor, the ...
Hands down one of the most memorable things we have ever done! We stayed on the MV Andaman with Sea Dragon Dive Center for four days and four nights. We had ...
Living on a boat isn't all rum drinks and colorful sunsets. There's plenty of things to dislike, and have you questioning your life decisions. We go over 6 t...