Am I doing the right thing with liveaboard??

[fasteddy13]

Hi Gerry..
Just watching videos of folk using various liners to combat condensation, perfect saturday night entertainment..! Log burner, oooh yes please... Am yet to see a log burner on gimbals, but that seems like a big plus to me as I often use my log burner here at home to warm food, keep pans simmering, make coffee etc.. Is that a thing? A gimballed log burner?
Also looking at passive solar water heaters and convection heating, endless fun...!
You mention doing your own repairs, I made 2 columns of pros and cons when I started researching this project, in the cons section, I wrote 'endless maintenance'. Then I wrote the same in the pros column..! Like you say, it is a home, not just a boat.. I very much am looking forward to making it the way I want it and find myself looking at boats that need the interiors fixing up because almost certainly I will want to remodel it to my taste.
If you are esconsed up a river, are you subject to all these regs and fees I was moaning about earlier? I got as far as researching all the red tape around inland waterways and the difference between canals and rivers and nearly stopped the idea of liveaboard in its tracks..

 

[Kelpie]

I don't think a gimballed woodburner is viable because of the necessary flexing which that would require in the flue.
Tbh my first boat didn't have a gimballed cooking stove, just decent fiddles/clamps. If we were really worried about the sea state we would just use the pressure cooker with its locking lid.

 

[nortada]

Been an on and off Liveaboard for many years (due to Covid, permanently overseas for the past 2 years).

Whilst this is an interesting discussion, it is far too detailed for a newcomer, who could become completely bogged down.

Currently, 2 of us live, in a good climate, on a 38ft Dufour which is very comfortable but we started out in Devon, in winter in a smaller 27ft Merlin, which worked remarkably well. When funds permitted, we up-graded and with increasing confidence sailed south but still kept a firm foothold in the old country - that was 20 years ago. We have had both sailing boats and powers cruisers and have a 33ft Freeman on the East Coast that we use during the summer months.

Coming new to this game, it is essential not to burn one’s boat (please excuse the pun) but have a recovery (get out of jail) plan if it proves it is really not for you.

Even if you survive, your initial plan will not so rather than copious advice, you really have to take the plunge and suck it and see.

We meet many ‘sitting on the bank’, always going to do it tomorrow - they seldom do.

Aware that FE doesn’t want to disclose sensitive personal details, the more that is available, the better the advice will become. For example, some idea of budget and how important (and limiting) is future employment. Working from a boat is somewhat different from working from home.

Please keep us appraised of how you fair, you experiences will be invaluable to those who come behind and even we old dogs are not beyond learning new tricks.

Best of luck with your adventure.??

 

[fasteddy13]

Morning Kelpie..
Mmm.. Knocked this up before finishing my morning coffee so likely needs a bit more thought, or more coffee.. But a flexi stainless exhaust pipe could be used to allow 15-30deg of gimbal swing without problems, these are used on lorry exhausts and are very robust, a little rail around the top and your pot of stew should be quite safe.. Made out of 316 stainless and it will probably outlast the boat..

 

[fasteddy13]

Hi Nortada..
Cant disagree with anything you have said, but my way of going about things is to work out the issues in my head first, then commit 100% once I have a handle on what I am getting myself into.. Never come across a problem that a solution could not be found for.. I have now given myself a week, at the end of this week I will either do it, or not.. Should give me enough time to wrestle with all the issues and weigh up if it is all as feasible and desirable to do.. You are right, I could just jump in and do it, but have been mostly a land-lubber for many years and just getting rid of my worldly goods is a mammoth task, the final step of getting rid of my car is a point of no return. I do not do such major changes lightly and prefer small but continuous tweaks to my life rather than huge world-shaking changes.. Is just my way..
Am very grateful to all on this forum for spending time and attention on my quandries, been the most influence on me of all while working though the issues.. I do not have a problem with lots of detail, my hope is that the next person like me will read this lot and have plenty to chew on while they decide their next step..
All friends and family are very positive so far, knowing me as they do they all think it would ideal, mmm.. maybe they just want some free fish..?

 

[Gerry]

we have never felt the need to gimbal our wood stove. We don't have it alight when sailing-too risky in terms of door opening etc, also downdrafts become an issue if you have the sails up.

 

[fasteddy13]

Cant argue with that Gerry, the thought of trying to cook and sail is multi-tasking way beyond my skills.. Was thinking more of when achored up, especially in a bit of weather.. Was also fun to design, pop a chamber across the top chimnies and you could smoke your fish nicely too..
I do CAD work for a living, so this is all play to me..

 

[GHA]

.....but have been mostly a land-lubber for many years and just getting rid of my worldly goods is a mammoth task,...

As has been said, very difficult to offer any advice as such a big move is really a very personal thing, and you'll only really know what living aboard is like for you after a while.
For me can't see ever going back to living on the dirt, far too limiting., and houses do nothing but eat money ?

And ignoring everything else a massive plus all those years ago of ditching a house was getting rid of 99% of the rubbish you gather up over the years, no need for it these days, so much is digital now, music, books, photos.. that was without doubt near the top of the list of the most liberating experiences of life so far. ? After the event it becomes more obvious just how effective the pressure is to buy more junk all the time as the adverts say it will make you happier - it doesn't. It may seem a mammoth task before the event but not so much after, like Mark Twain said - “I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” and his famous one, "we regret what we didn't do, not what we did do" or something like that.


Waking up next to nature with the hatch almost always open at least a little makes me happier, and living much more in the moment rather than planning to be happy one day far off in the future seems to work very well also, though lots can't handle what they perceive as the insecurity.
Good luck on whatever road you travel down. ?

 

[fasteddy13]

Hi GHA..
Aaahh.. Every word you have said is pure golden nectar to me.. Exactly how I have been thinking.. Been a single parent for many years and I cannot believe the amount of stuff I have amassed here.. Have already started divesting myself of all this clutter and you are soo right, incredibly liberating. Unless I get another 5 pairs of arms grafted on to me, what the hell do I need 6 guitars for? It is exactly this consumer culture that I want to remove myself from. Have tried to resist it for years but was always a losing battle in this culture..

I moved to this part of Scotland because as you say, waking up to mountains, lochs and all this wonderful wildlife is simply priceless. Have friends that get that buzz from seeing the latest beemer on their drive, not for me though and seeing deer in my garden or an eagle hunting on the mountain, thats what rings my bell. Not interested in wealth or the pursuit of it, the picture you paint of waking up to all that nature makes my soul sing.. But the pragmatist in me well knows I will have to jump through quite a few hurdles to get there, mostly to do with shaking off the old life, jumping into the new one will be far easier I think as it will be gilded with my enthusiasm and passion..
I may winge about consumerism, but right now, getting rid of my stuff, thank god for ebay and all those lovely consumers..!

 

[nortada]

Hi Nortada..
Cant disagree with anything you have said, but my way of going about things is to work out the issues in my head first, then commit 100% once I have a handle on what I am getting myself into.. Never come across a problem that a solution could not be found for.. I have now given myself a week, at the end of this week I will either do it, or not.. Should give me enough time to wrestle with all the issues and weigh up if it is all as feasible and desirable to do.. You are right, I could just jump in and do it, but have been mostly a land-lubber for many years and just getting rid of my worldly goods is a mammoth task, the final step of getting rid of my car is a point of no return. I do not do such major changes lightly and prefer small but continuous tweaks to my life rather than huge world-shaking changes.. Is just my way..
Am very grateful to all on this forum for spending time and attention on my quandries, been the most influence on me of all while working though the issues.. I do not have a problem with lots of detail, my hope is that the next person like me will read this lot and have plenty to chew on while they decide their next step..
All friends and family are very positive so far, knowing me as they do they all think it would ideal, mmm.. maybe they just want some free fish..?

Reading your first sentence I wonder if the Liveaboard life is for for you. Life afloat is very changeable and it is nigh impossible to work out all issues before they happen. Rather than a solution for every problem often a work around is the only option. Brexit has rather brought this to the fore.

Additionally, you appear to be rather attached to life ashore.

Possible the best way would be to take first take smaller steps slowly so it would be easier to bale out.

For example, many/most liveaboards have cars so why not keep yoursEase of mobility, especially in the early days could be a big factor.

Was I you, I would give myself much longer than a week to weigh it all up and make a decision and remember, what ever strategy you devise it won’t survive long after your first encounter with the realities of your situation.

 

[GHA]

, jumping into the new one will be far easier I think as it will be gilded with my enthusiasm and passion..

Not all of it ? If you jump then no doubt there will be plenty of moments of despair and extreme frustration and doubt, comes with the territory and for me anyway, learning to recognize the bad moments as just head noise which will go away was a big benefit, unpleasant at the time but always pass, The low moments can be a bit low but the highs can be exquisitely extreme as well. A life lived on a boat full time isn't one dulled down in mediocrity ?
Another thought, so much of this thread really is insignificant in the big picture, jump of don't jump - down to you that one Selling a car really is nothing on the journey between birth and death. And worth bearing in mind the majority on here are, erm, not quite spring chickens...... lots of well meaning advice from different mindsets, no right or wrong, the universe is ultimately a subjective and unpredictable place.
All very much IMHO of course....

 

[fasteddy13]

Wow.. really? Not sure what made you think I am attached to life ashore, that is really not the case at all, off sailing on Loch Shin in an hour or 2.. For me it is either/or and having a car or any of the other trappings of land life would completely defeat the objective of liveaboard life. The only uncertainties I have had was because of an old friend, who is a liveaboard, he reckons he sails most of the year, moors inland during the winter. The sailing part is fine, but when I looked at mooring inland for the winter I encountered this wall of regs, fees, licences, insurance etc.. That is what pinked my wattles and had me coming to this forum for advice..
What is clear, is that the liveaboard community is as diverse as any other. Some seem to do it with money, some without, some spend all their time in marina communities, others sail to warmer climes for winter. The variety seems endless, and this is a good thing to me. The idea of a planet of humans all the same, with identical values, beliefs and lifestyles etc is a frightening thought and a sound argument for our deserved extinction as a species, but hey, thats just my thoughts on it.
We all walk our own path through life, but some sail.. I have walked through most of mine and it has been an interesting journey, but it no longer satisfies and it is my hope that liveaboard will. I am not deciding this in a week, been mulling this over for quite some time, but I cant keep sitting on the fence and after all this time, circumstances are right, I am now free and single again, have enough resources and work I can do aboard (as long as I can get some internet). So I have given myself one more week to s@*t or get off the pot..
Am already pointing in the liveaboard direction, just got to make that final leap and not look back..

 

[Kelpie]

For example, many/most liveaboards have cars

Quite surprised by this observation. Maybe I am guilty of making the assumption that most liveaboards are nomadic.
We certainly will need to get rid of our car when we move aboard... another month or so to go...

 

[fasteddy13]

Hey Kelpie.. You making the leap too?

 

[GHA]

Quite surprised by this observation. Maybe I am guilty of making the assumption that most liveaboards are nomadic.
We certainly will need to get rid of our car when we move aboard... another month or so to go...

All the ones I know have beaten up fold up bikes , that come out once a year or two

 

[Kelpie]

Hey Kelpie.. You making the leap too?

Been planning it for ten years. Just quit our jobs and getting the house ready to rent out. I hope we can actually travel internationally but we're going to give it our best shot

 

[Kelpie]

All the ones I know have beaten up fold up bikes , that come out once a year or two

We came across a couple of folding bikes going cheap, so we're going to see how we get on with them. If they can't justify the space they take up we won't have lost much. I suppose much of it depends on where we end up- they won't be much use off tarred roads

 

[ryanroberts]

Cars are a liability if you are actually nomadic, plenty of sharing / hire services out there for the times when you need one.

 

[nortada]

Quite surprised by this observation. Maybe I am guilty of making the assumption that most liveaboards are nomadic.
We certainly will need to get rid of our car when we move aboard... another month or so to go...

From experience, some sell up but then get another cheap car in their new area of operations. There is quite a market between Liveaboards coming and going a particular area.

We gave our car to our daughter, which is great, she pays the running costs but we have use of it when in town.

This romantic perception of the nomadic Liveaboard, is not often borne out by experience.

There are some but many appear to operate out of a regular base.

 

[Kelpie]

This romantic perception of the nomadic Liveaboard, is not often borne out by experience.

There are some but many appear to operate out of a regular base.

Yes I suppose it's a broad church.
For us, the whole point is being free to keep on the move. If we wanted to stop, we would want to go back to living on land.
Anyway, the clock is ticking, I guess we will find out soon enough