Learning to live aboard

By: Capt. Scott

Living Aboard 

This is the first post after moving aboard SV Kooky Dance our Caliber 40LRC.  There won't be many picture in this post because I am not so sure that living aboard is a visual thing.  Learning how do a lot of things again.  Learning how to deal with the differences (notice I did not say inconveniences). 

After living in our old house for 15 yrs. we had laid things out so they were very much to our liking, but there was room to work with.  Living on a boat you need to work with the limit room available and make that to your liking. 
 
So our plan was to outfit the boat with things that will make living aboard easy (yeah we thought that) but we were having problems finding place for everything and found ourselves constantly re-arranging to get to access to this or that.  We had missed the mark in our planning, but we had thought we might all along.

We are followers of the Drake & Monique on SV Paragon and had been watching a tour of a southern cross and the owner was commenting about when outfitting your boat to listen to the boat and let her tell you what she needs.  When he first said it I have to admit I was a little skeptical, but then it seemed like the boat started telling us what she needed.  OK so maybe by living on her you start to see what could be changed or added to make thing more functional and easier, but it sound more romantic believing the boat is sending you messages.

For example the hanging net we had for storing fruit ended up by default storing the vegetables.  As EVERYBODY knows citrus fruits accelerate vegetables aging (actually don't feel bad because I did not know this about vegetable aging until my lovely wife informed me and when it comes to vegetable aging there is no one I trust more).  So where to store round rolly  vegetables?  Tamera picked up these plastic strainers and I found a short piece of line and 5 minutes later we had a vegetable hangy down thingy.

 

People keep asking me what it is like to live on a boat and I am still formulating my answer.  It is winter so the cold factors in to our feelings and responses to this question.  For example; living on a boat is like living in a house except when you want to use the bathroom, take a shower or wash some clothes you need to walk to the end of the block no matter the weather and this has hit really hard in the 30 degree temps with 20 knot winds (wind chill in the teens).

 

First Mate Tamera here - I want to add my two cents worth on the subject of learning to live aboard.

 

One element that I had to learn to deal with is the control panel.  When I need to run the heater (and trust me, it this weather I want to run the heater) I need to turn off the water heater, microwave and stove in order to stay warm.  Well hunger soon sets in and I have to cook and do the dishes so I have to turn off the heater and turn the stove, microwave and water heater back on. It is a priority game but I am loving every minute of it. 

 

I am also learning how to cook meals ONLY for two without a bunch of left overs.  With limited fridge space I can't make a big pot of soup and store it in the fridge.  Space is a premium thing on a boat.  I am still learning how to shop, store and prepare our food, but once again I am loving every minute of it. 

 

Clothes are another issue.  I have moved things around a couple of times trying to find the right spot for everything.  Since we have returned to work I have to keep clothes somewhat wrinkle free.  Not easy to do when you don't have an iron any longer.  For right now the forward shower stall is where I keep most of the clothes that we wear to work and they stay somewhat unwrinkled.

 

Dishes are a small issue.  Living in a house we could eat a meal and then put the dishes in the dish washer and run it when it gets full.  On the boat we need to wash dishes by hand after each meal.  With such a small galley the space gets cluttered real fast if not maintained often.  This is not a big deal just something new we have to deal with.

 

I can not wait until spring in two months so we can work on our projects and get this show on the sea.