Living on a Boat
By Strathy Alberg

Many people have dreams about living on a boat. Most never truly do more than dream, but for those of you who are in fact planning to do something regarding your dream, here are a few points to reflect on before taking the plunge.

Those who live on boats are quite possibly the top experts on how to live in a small space and how to conserve limited water and power. Living on a boat does take some adjustments compared to the way that you would live in a house on land. Space is a major factor when living on a boat and every square inch needs to be used effectively. While a good number of boats are built with an eye on well-organized storage space, you will still have to scale back on your belongings a bit to get things to pack efficiently into the boat. Living on a boat also has other distinctions from living in a small house. Water along with weather conditions are a regular danger to the integrity of your home and your families safety and well-being.

While many newer boats have everything you need for comfort, other boats, particular older and less pricey ones may possibly require continual repairs and maintenance. In reality new boats will necessitate some maintenance as well - a aspect that is often forgotten by people who think that a new boat is the answer to their worries and lack of boating skills. The ability to be familiar with your boat inside and out, and be able to make repairs yourself can save you considerable headaches and bills. Get to know your boat. Do a few of the common and fundamental things yourself just to become skilled at how things work. Changing the oil, doing your own pump-outs and checking your electrical connections to ensure everything is tight are things that you can perform to get to be acquainted with your boat. As a backup plan you should also become friendly with your local repair facilities just for those times that something is beyond your skill level or knowledge. It's always good to have a backup plan.

Once you do own a boat, if you are not cruising, you will have to to find a marina or dock to rent or buy. Prices for docks vary for different areas and it pays to shop around as there are great differences in prices from marina to marina. Prices will also vary depending on the availability of facilities. Slips are regularly priced by the foot or the yard. However, not all marinas are liveaboard friendly. Lots of marinas deem someone who lives on their boat as a transient. On the other hand, you can find a few marinas that offer showers, storage, laundry facilities, electricity and cable TV to liveaboards. If you are able to create your own power (many boats come with solar panels), haul your own water and waste-water and be as self-sufficient as possible, you may be able to live very cheaply on anchor or on a mooring ball.

Living on a boat is an exciting and fulfilling existence and I would urge it to any person who is prepared to put in the effort and learn the ropes.

I have been living on a boat boat for 4 years now and have watched many boaters come and go. I've seen it all! Living on a boat has brought me much joy and I highly recommend the life!

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