Tips for living on a sailboat
Living aboard is a great way to reconnect with yourself and nature. It gives you perspective on everyday urban life and de-stresses you. Once you transport your life to a sailboat, you get more peace and quiet than you could imagine. However, sailboat life isn’t something you can do without preparations, and you have to be ready to change your lifestyle and routine. Still, there are some tips that can help you when making a home on a boat.
Dip your toe in before jumping
A lot of people think they’ve got what it takes to live on the sea, but it’s always a good idea to try it for a limited time before buying a boat. A great way of doing this is by renting a boat charter, which will allow you to experience life on a boat while also not being permanently tied down.
Declutter and minimize possessions
Before anything else, you’ll need to minimize your material possessions. A sailboat can get really crowded once your whole life is on it, so you’ll want to keep only those things that you actually use and have a use for on the sea. As for other stuff, you can donate, throw it away, or store it on land if you’ll use it periodically when you return.
Decluttering isn’t only about getting rid of stuff; it’s also important to maximize the space on the boat so that everything is practical. Remember, when living on a sailboat, you’ll need a lot of equipment for sailing and fixing stuff “around the house,” so keep extra space for those tools.
Be sparing with water
You get limited water when living on a sailboat, even if you have large tanks. It’s recommended to get a sailboat watermaker, which allows you to transform marine water into freshwater for drinking and cooking. It might be pricey at the beginning, but it’ll pay off if you really plan on living on a sailboat. However, you’ll need a battery bank and solar panels to power the watermaker, so the best advice you can get is to save as much water as you can.
Learn how to fix things
Once you’re out on the sea, there’s nobody that can come and fix something for you until you return to the marina. The best advice you can get is to learn how to fix small things around the boat; focus on those things that might break more often and are easier to repair without any help.
Get comfortable with your crew
No matter if you’re traveling with one person or a larger crew, you’ll get to know them really well on a sailboat. There’s much less privacy when living on a boat than what we’re used to in the cities, so be prepared to spend a lot of time with people on deck. It might be new and weird at first, but it’s easier to endure any crisis situation with one or more companions aboard.
