What You Have to Give Up to Live Abaoard

Stay realistic when you are deciding if you want to live aboard. There are a lot of sacrifices you have to make whether it be downsizing something you love, not being able to soak in a bath, not being able to host your family of 12 people, or for me it's not being able to bring my precious pup with me.

I have give away my dog Tillie for the next two years because a boat is too small for her. She needs exercise and hates being confined so I cannot leave her on a boat when I am at work and school.
It's going to be sad to not have my cuddly pooch at the foot of my bed, but luckily I have a family member who has offered to take her in while Sam and I are on the boat.

All this to say, do not go into live aboard life lightly. Think about what you can and cannot live without and make the decision with the knowledge of your gains and losses, because you will have both.

Where do you keep your stuff on a boat?

So this question comes up a lot. Yes, I am going to live on a 35 foot boat. Yes, that means downsizing. But it also means getting creative. In my internet searches I have found a lot of ideas.

Here are a few:

• Drawers in your stairs

I love these drawers in the stairs. It is such a good use of space and looks awesome. Unfortunately, this would not work on my boat because I have a latter, not stairs,

I would need to do some renovations to make the drawers work, so maybe I will use this idea in a future boat.

• Drawers under the benches. 

This one is great for those big bulky items like blankets. I also hate the idea of having to remove cushions to get to storage. Pulling out a drawer is so much easier and so convenient.

• Pocket shelves

This one isn't boat specific, but I thought the design would be great for a boat because the pockets keep things contained when the waves start rolling when your out sailing.

• Food Hammocks and Hooks

This one is cute and nautical. Food hammocks work great for fruits and veggies. The hooks are great too with the limited cabinet space for mugs. Just make sure whatever you rig up is secure enough to hold the mugs when you are healed over far. 

**Where do you keep your stuff on your boat?

3 Additional Costs When Buying a Boat

So you want to buy a boat and you want to know what you can afford. There are few immediate additional costs besides the price tag that you need to consider.

1. Registration fees: Like a car, there are state fees when you transfer ownership from one person to another. There is no set price on registration as it will change from state to state, so be sure to look it up when making your budget.
2. Tax: When you register the boat under your name, you also pay the sales tax on the purchase at the same time. This can get pricey depending on how much you are spending on your boat, so don't forget to get out the calculator and be prepared.
3. Transporting the Vessel: Nine out of ten times, when you buy a boat, you then have to transport it to your home marina. To budget for this you need to decide if you will sail it yourself, which possibly means time off of work and docking fees and gas along the way. Or you could hire someone to make the sail for you. If this is your plan, make sure to get a quote before buying the boat. The last option (depending on how big the boat is) is trailering. This you can attempt yourself depending on the size or hire a professional, who usually charges by the mile. Either way, put it in your budget!

Buy this jar here.


**Comment the costs you weren'y planning on!

Found a Boat!!!!

Can I say one thing? FINALLY!!!!!! After months of looking, Sam and I have found our first home! It is so exciting and such a relief. 

We found a partially done project boat in Maryland this past week and have agreed on a price with the owner.

It is a 1972, Chris Craft Caribbean in excellent condition. Less than 100 hours on the engine!!! It has new ports (soon to be installed windows), new custom carpets, new black bamboo floor in the main salon (living room area), new custom sail cover, new sink for the head (bathroom), new electronic equipment, new stove, new custom cushion covers, a generator…and there is definitely more that I am not remembering right now!

We decided not to haggle or play hard ball on this one for two reasons: 1) because the boat was priced reasonable low considering its condition and features and 2) because the owner was so nice and offered us additional things that he had originally bought for the boat, if we met him at his price (i.e. generator, electronic equipment).

I’m sorry I don’t have a lot of good pictures, I have been informed by Sam that taking pictures is not my strong suit. Anyway, consider these the before pictures and check in throughout the next couple of weeks and months to see the progress. 

This is the layout

 This is a booth (table needs to be installed). Look at those bamboo floors and white B-board!!! 

I'm in love!

This is the v-birth cabin. To the right is the head (bathroom).

This is the aft (back) cabin. To the left is a head (soon to be made into a walk-in closet and pantry).

Instead of having the two small beds on each side, we might do a couch that folds into a queen bed. 

3 Things to Ask When Looking at a Boat

Buying a used boat is not easy. There are so many things to consider and internet advertisements are not always so forthcoming.  So here are some questions you should ask along the way.

Okay, so while scouring the internet you found this gorgeous boat and it looks perfect for you. What now? There are a few things you should be sure to ask about. Among others, these are three questions I always ask when I contact a seller.

 1.Does the boat have a recent survey?

Having a recent survey is gold! It is a report about the boat written by a professional. As long as the survey isn’t too outdated, you should be able to get a good idea of the value of the boat and what kind of shape it is in and what you should keep your eye out for.

   2. Are the advertised pictures recent and do you have more?

Some sellers will post pictures from their boats glory days in the advertisement. There will probably be a picture of a beautiful sailing excursion, with the boat heeled over, shining in the sun. However, the sad fact is a lot of these pictures may be several years old and not too accurate.

I like to think that people do not post these pictures in order to deceive. Maybe that picture, that looks like it came from a magazine, is how they still see their old beater boats. Either way, before you spend time and gas going to see the boat, make sure to ask when the pictures were taken.

The other question I always like to ask is: do you have more recent pictures. You want to see every nook and cranny of the boat to make sure it’s worth your time and energy. So be sure to see as much as you can before planning a showing.

   3. Is the engine running well?

The engine can be a source of a lot of headaches and drain your wallet fast. Unless you are ready to possibly put thousands of dollars into fixing up or replacing an engine, be sure find out if it is running well.

Follow up questions to this could be: How many hours does the engine have on it? Has it had any recent maintenance? Is it the original engine or has it been replaced as some point?

*There are no hard and fast rules for what to ask, but these are what I generally use. Let me know what you would ask!

4 Reasons To Live Aboard

When I say that I plan on living on a boat, the most common reaction is, "ARE YOU CRAZY?"

My answer most of the time is to say yes, I have always been a little crazy. But honestly, there are a lot of exciting reasons to living aboard. Here are 4:

#1: LIVING SIMPLY
I don't think that most people understand this one. The point of possessions is to make you more comfortable, but I find that possessions end up weighing you down (and this is coming from a natural-born hoarder mind you).

I spent two summers in high school working at a camp in New Hampshire. During that time I lived in a cabin with 21 girls. The only space I had for my things were two small cubbies, a small shelf by my bunk and the space under my matress that I could keep my clothes. I stayed at camp for almost three months and never needed more space than I had. I had the essentials and never missed all my stuff which barely fit in my room.

I want to live like this again. As Americans we have too many possessions that just clutter our space and weigh us down. And you need a light load to be able to sail away to where the wind wants to take you ;)

#2: AT HOME ACTIVITIES
Sam (my fiance) and I are introverted for the most part (a common side effect to years of homeschooling I guess). We like to spend a lot of time just the two of us and do things at home.

Living aboard sounds perfect for us. I can just see us fishing off the side of our home on an early Saturday morning or after work. Or maybe we could sail down the coast for a few days together and see the sights--without all the packing and cramped car rides. Or we could just go for an afternoon picnic on the deck, by the Statue of Liberty. Possibilities are endless...

#3: BUILT-IN OCEAN VIEW VACATIONS
I kind of already mentioned this in the last point, but vacations are going to be spectacular! Imagine being able to sail away when ever you want.  Yes, we still have responsibilities that will tie us down, but we are young and I guarentee you our home will not always be tied down ;) My dream is to save up enough money to be able to sail away for a few months.  We'll have to wait and see when that can happen...

#4: SAVES MONEY
Okay,  this one I have to admit is not true for everyone. If all goes according to plan, Sam and I will be at a nice marina across the water from NYC. It's going to cost us around $700-$800 in housing expenses per month (or should I say boating expenses?). A one bedroom apartment in NJ averages around $1500/month. We will also save money on small things like electricity and water.

Expenses can really go either way. There are as lot of factors: size of your boat, amenities, location...ect. Be sure to keep these in mind if you are thinking about living aboard.

Comment the reasons why you would want to or chose to live aboard!!!

Contact Me

Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments!

Lauren Nash
Laurenn242@gmail.com

Beware the Internet!

There is almost no limit to how much someone can embellish and exaggerate on ads. Just let me tell you about my first horrible experience going to see a boat.

My fiance and I found an ad on craigslist for an Irwin 37. I already know what you are thinking: of course craigslist isn't that reliable and I am just another of the hundreds of craigslist horror stories. Okay, maybe "horror" is a bit of an exaggeration, but you understand what I mean.

Anyway, we found this boat. It was listed as a project boat, well loved by the last owners and in need of only some cosmetic work from old water damage. We requested some pictures and the boat looked fine in them. There was a little water damage visible on a board or two, but it looked like it was in decent shape and nothing we couldn't handle.

We went to a showing of the boat 3 hours, $30 bucks in tolls, and a tank of gas away from our home. We were probably 15 minutes early when we walked up to the boat and called out to see if anyone was aboard. A man with a burning cigarette hanging from his lips sticks his head out the hatch to greet us. I don't really have anything against cigarettes per say, but being in an enclosed area talking about a possible $10,000 deal is not a place I would suggest smoking. 

Anyway, we get into the boat, where we find that we interrupted them wiping the mold off the ceilings and walls. Apparently "a little old water damage" was not so little and not so old. We could stick our fingers through almost every piece of wood on the boat. Between the mold and the cigarettes, it turned my stomach to even breath. When I asked questions about the appliances, water system and engine, I was told that they worked the last time they were used...at an undisclosed time...too long ago to remember. 

Apparently, a little bit of cosmetic work means "NEEDS GUTTING, its possible that some stuff might still work. Have fun finding out!"

Needless to say, the first stop on our hunt for our dream boat was not so dreamy. Beware the internet!! 

**Picture provided by: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/34/5d/ee/345dee41dcd7b1a2efd45ae9b8dd9f35.jpg

Give Your Trashcan A Nautical Makeover

Give that old trash can a makeover by hot gluing some rope around the outside. For finishing touches I recommend gluing a thick ribbon a couple inches from the top rim, maybe navy blue to go with the nautical theme. You can always add detail with an anchor emblem or whatever you like!

Enjoy and happy crafting!

**Picture provided by http://www.hometalk.com/2169587/100-bathroom-makeover-reveal

Spice Holder Project

Keeping things ship shape is always important and little spice containers are hard to keep organized in tight places. I came across this picture in my internet travels and thought it was ingenious!

You can make this neat spice holder in several different ways. But in my opinion the best way is to start from scratch.

• Using whichever wood best goes with your galley (kitchen), make a frame for your box. (I am not including dimensions because they will vary from person to person).
• Next fit a bottom to your frame and finish the wood. When making the bottom piece, size it to fit inside the frame you already built (as opposed to your frame sitting on top of the base). This will create a more finished look.
• Now comes the hanging. This is easiest using hinges from your local hardware store. Make sure the hinges are large enough to support the size of your box. Line up the box open like you see in the picture (you do not want to go flat against the wall because you will not be able to open it.
•    Once you screw in your hinges, add a chain in the corners for additional support. To keep a clean finish make sure to screw the chain in on the inside of the box.
•  Lastly you need a latch to keep the box up. There are many different options and looks for latches. Choose which ever one you think looks good in your galley (kitchen). But make sure that it is strong enough to support the box without breaking or bending. Don’t skimp out to save a few bucks, your supports need to be strong, especially for when the waves start coming!

And that’s it! Good luck!

For the more adventurous DIYers, try giving it a more finished look with small molding pieces that you can buy from any hardware store.

Send me pictures of your finished projects and you might see them up on the site!

**Pictures provided by http://lumberjocks.com/projects/2706

About Me

My name is Lauren Nash. I am a 21-year-old college student studying at The Kings College in the wonderful city of New York. I currently live in New Jersey and commute to the city.

This coming summer there are going to be some major changes in my life. Come August, I am marrying my boyfriend of four years, the ever-so-wonderful Samuel Holmes, and moving onto a sailboat in Jersey City. Yes, you heard me, MOVING ONTO A SAILBOAT!!! Yes, I am utterly aware of how crazy that sounds. But are you aware of how crazy cool that sounds too?!

I have always thought that I wanted to get married young so that I can have a bunch of adventures with my partner, and boy is Sam getting right on board with that (pun intended). Within only a few weeks of getting engaged, Sam randomly asked me “Hey, want to live on a boat?” I think my answer was somewhere along the lines of “HA HECK NO!”

But within two days, I was the one scouring the internet for sailboats every chance a got and texting Sam every time I found something interesting. My internet browser filled with bookmarks of possibilities in only a week. I’m hooked on this crazy idea and find myself reading other boat-dwellers blogs and articles constantly. While, I have grown up sailing, I honestly have little idea of what I am getting myself into. But I know this, it is going to be an adventure. 

Stay tuned into the blog and follow my journey as I discover my path to this adventure!