Student boating

[jpay]

Student living aboard

Hello, I'm a student and as a luxury of massive debts I am able to pay for moorings for my 22foot sailing boat.

As I am paying so much to keep her I am starting to think I might aswell live on her too, I have the option of moving her in april to Ramsgate marina where as she is currently on a riverside mooring up the stour.

I'm pretty comfortable with the fact I'm going to have small space as all my studying is done from books and my macbook. I don't have many clothes and I'll still have storage at home...

Is this opportunity to good to miss up?

What things do I need to do before I move in? To make life comfortable? To make life realistic?

Thanks,

 

[Chrissie]

Go for it, I lived on my 26 Foot |Contessa for a year, and it was my safe little cocoon, If I wanted to stand upright I had the cockpit!
Warmth without dampness is important, fleece or velour bedding is very good as it doesnt hold the damp.
Good lighting is important, reading in poor light is very tiring. A kettle at the very least, I had a Nelson spinflow cooker and could cook anything I wanted, a real morale booster.
Find yourself a comfortable seat, you will be in it a lot.
I put carpet tiles on the floor, it only took 3 cut in halves, tiny floor, but made a big difference.
I have good curtains, I opened them every day, some livaboards leave theirs closed all the time, which seems to add to the dampness.
I made a cockpit tent, very usefull for storage, I had large plastic boxes which stack, and keep the rain out, good area for drying washing too.
I kept my clothes in those vacuum pack bags, because of the valve, you can squeeze out most of the air, so compact them, Then I put them inside pillow cases and they served as the back cussions for my bunk.
I was fortunate enough to have a television, but you can play live TV on a laptop too.
I am studying for an Engineering degree at the moment, so I know how many hours you will have to sit and study for, but your library may be open till 11pm like ours, so warmth and comfort for free!

I still look back at my time on my boat with fondness, I now also know I could cope with extended sailing trips, you learn to savour being invited to friends houses for dinner and an hour or two on a sofa, even a soak in a bath becomes a little bit of luxury to be enjoyed more than you ever thought possible.

 

[7htas]

Go for it, if it's possible! I was going to get something really small to live on in September when I commence my second college phase at Fleetwood (I'm training to be an officer in the Merchant navy) - but, after considerable umming, and aaahhing- I've decided to wait until I've qualified until I get my first boat to live on.

Good luck!

 

[douglas_family]

fan heater!
Kettle
Alcohol

 

[V1701]

Use a little electric kettle or you'll go through your gas loads quicker. Get an electric blanket, makes the world of difference getting into a warm bed & they use very little power. Get a pressure cooker. I find oil rads better than fan heater, quieter & doesn't go cold when cycles off with thermostat. Get a couple of good quality big cushions. Enjoy...