| My Wife and I originally made our decision to live | | | | Here's another excellent reason to buy small and |
| aboard our 33' CSY sailboat when the economy | | | | cheap. If it turns out you really LOVE the live aboard |
| started plummeting as a way for our small family of | | | | lifestyle, I can almost guarantee your first boat will not |
| three to lower our costs of living and most importantly | | | | be your last boat. You will start to accumulate a 'wish |
| fulfill a dream and live a life outside the ordinary. | | | | list' of options or features your would like in a boat. |
| Without a doubt this was the best decision we have | | | | While our CSY 33' sailboat is an excellent boat, it has |
| made and do not regret leaving terra firma for a | | | | a V berth forward and I soon dreaded crawling up into |
| minute. The experience has made our relationship | | | | the berth every night. I dreamed of getting a sailboat |
| stronger and provided our young daughter a | | | | with a 'pullman' berth that you can get into from the |
| perspective few can understand. | | | | side and is rectangular like a normal bed. This is only |
| It is not an easy lifestyle. Every single task takes twice, | | | | one example of the many little details that you find |
| if not three times as long, to accomplish than if you | | | | after having the experience and pleasure of living |
| lived on land. Buying groceries, doing laundry, even | | | | aboard a boat. |
| refueling can take an entire day compared to living on | | | | When we found out my wife was pregnant with our |
| land. Living on a sailboat does provide an opportunity to | | | | second child while in Key West, Florida, we knew it |
| slow down, escape the rat race, and consider what | | | | was time to upgrade sailboats to meet the needs of |
| really matters to you in this short life. | | | | our expanding family. In a matter of 2 short months, |
| If you don't own a boat currently, there are lots of | | | | we had sold our 1979 CSY 33 sailboat at a |
| resources on the web that can guide you to find a | | | | reasonable price and negotiated to buy a 1993 Gemini |
| solid sea worthy vessel. BUT, I have one very | | | | 3400 Catamaran. The years of owning the CSY have |
| important tip for you. This one tip can save you tens | | | | provided us the first hand experience on what is |
| of thousands of dollars and lots of potential frustration | | | | important in a live aboard vessel. Our Gemini 3400 |
| in the future. | | | | Catamaran has many of the items on our wish list, |
| Buy the smallest and cheapest boat you can find. | | | | including a pullman berth! |
| Why? Well, for one, a boat of any kind is a horrible | | | | Bigger is not always better. A bigger boat will |
| financial investment. It can be the smartest lifestyle | | | | ALWAYS cost you more to maintain, insure, dock, and |
| investment you ever make but don't hope to break | | | | eventually sell. Optimally, find the smallest boat you |
| even much less make any money on selling a used | | | | think you can live on- and then find one just a bit |
| boat. In the event you bought a $200,000 sailboat and | | | | smaller. Then you have found the perfect first live |
| after a year of living aboard you decide this lifestyle is | | | | aboard boat. Everything is a compromise on a boat. |
| really not for you, after you pay the brokers fee, | | | | The only definitive way to determine what works for |
| account for the maintenance costs, add in the | | | | you is to ask a lot of questions and then try it on for |
| insurance fees, and then total the loss after selling your | | | | size. |
| boat- you might find you've taken a serious financial hit. | | | | If you are truly committed to living aboard a sailboat, |
| On the other hand, you find a small but sea worthy | | | | the experience can have a profound impact on how |
| boat in the 30' range for about $30,000. After a year, | | | | you see the world. We have been fortunate to run into |
| you decide the boating lifestyle is not for you. Not only | | | | (and been the beneficiary of) the kindest people on |
| is the fees, insurance, and maintenance expenses | | | | land or water you can imagine. |
| significantly less expensive but there are a whole lot | | | | If you want to live aboard a sailboat, remember, buy |
| more people out there to buy your boat in the | | | | small, buy cheap, but GO NOW! |
| $20-30,000 range. | | | | |