Tell me why !!!

[MapisM]

I just arrived home after some days of work abroad.
You know, those days when you wonder whether it make sense to have a job which allows you to get some money with the sole purpose of spending it fast and then hurry just to make some other.
That's why I am wandering around in this "liveaboard" forum.
Fantasizing about joining the group.
Did anybody start this way?
I mean, why (and when, and how) did you decide it was time to jump away from the mad crowd?
Or possibly, should I expect that one day, arriving at home, I will just pick up the keys of my boat and throw the agenda in the open sea, without worrying at all about how good the reasons might be?
Any opinion - as insane as it might be - will be highly appreciated.

 

[southchinasea]

IMHO living aboard and 'opting out' are not mutually exclusive although reading many threads here and elsewhere one would think so. I live and work overseas (I am a Brit) and in September, her indoors and I will move onto a sail boat. Many many reasons but RELEVANT ONLY TO US and our situation. There are a huge mount of liveaboards here, the vast majority of whom are working full time and and not opting out of any perceived 'rat race'. Perhaps we are all extremely fortunate to enjoy our jobs and, at the same time, experience a lifestyle
which is a bit different?
If you are unhappy because your job/lifestyle no longer appeals, then I would
simply ask if sailing off into the sunset is really the answer. If you truly think it is then go for it......if you are unsure then don't. You may find the halfway house of living aboard but continuing to work enables you to make an more informed decision about the future.
Good luck

 

[poter]

Why??? I can't answer that and I am sure none of the guys here can give you a definitive answer.
For myself I lived and worked abroad for some considerable time and came back to dear old blighty to put my feet back on the ground and get some reality, but it will only be for a short time.
I think it is the lot of certain types of people ( what type I can't define ) to go and see what ever is out there, and will not accept running with the rest of the lemmings.

Don't envy the liverboards, or in general, the guys who opt out, just do it. At least then you have tried!

live life don't be a slave to it.


poter

 

[jonic]

Don't know, to us it's like some kind of calling (Iknow this looks crap) not running away, just running forward. We will still work and be creative with our lives.It does seem nowadays as if we are just earning to spend,spend spend in UK for no real reason. I love England but it's got a really different feel in the last couple of years,maybe it's my age (35) don't know. I have been creating fake dreams for the advertising market for the last 15 yrs, not that good for the soul. Nicola has been involved in telly which is steadily drifting downhill. Loads of parties and lunches. Load of old bxxxxxx. Then again we are very lucky too. I just want to always explore whilst we are on this planet, and sailing is not a bad way to do it.
Sick of the tube now anyway.


http://web.ukonline.co.uk/yacht/serafina/

 

[ccscott49]

I still work abroad and liveaboard, abroad! If that makes sense! I've opted out of the UK,love the country, but just can't stand ther politics, prices or weather anymore, a lot of the folks are getting beyond a joke aswell. But I liveaboard, whilst putting the final touches to my retirement package, money!!! Then I won't work anymore and cruise about seeing all the places I've worked for years and never seen!! You do need to consider what you can live on and you need to be dedicated to this way of life, if you are, you will know and not need to ask anybodies permission, just do it, we have but one life. It's no use banging on the inside of the coffin lid asking for another go! Nobody is listening!!

 

[chrisc]

well i haven't lived in UK for many years may do so again in future.
reason for going off in the boat for two years or more....
every summer we go sailing for five or six weeks and end up answering
calls from the office etc. and just as we are settling in to life on the boat ,
and sailing a few miles every day ,it is time to be back at work again.
So we decided we needed a more open ended arrangement -that is
resign from work and go sailing untill we get bored ,argue too much or
run out of money .
Maybe never go back to work again...my wife is determined to retire
but then she is 36.

 

[Guest]

For us it started while we were chartering in Greece and met some liveaboards, how I did envy them. That was a long time ago and we have worked towards the dream since. My husband is having his last day at work today, retiring at 55, and we will move aboard our boat in early May but we are not bound for the Med but across the Atlantic and then, who knows. I have to say, I used to like the designer frocks and nice jewellery but one day I thought, why am I doing this, you can only wear one thing at a time and the prices are such a con, Jonic should know as he was in the business of persuading us that we REALLY need these things. I'm looking forward to the simple life.

 

[jonic]

Re: Happy last day at work!!!

Good luck to you both. Just interviewed my replacement, collegues joked you don't like sailing do you? Massive groans when she said yes!!! Ha Ha. Going home with my brand new ssb, sat phone and Navtex. I love friday.

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/yacht/serafina/

 

[Andrew_Bray]

Reality check

I second that. I meet unhappy, unfulfilled and dissatisfied people in my land based job and I meet unhappy, unfulfilled and dissatisfied people when I'm sailing in liveaboard land. Selling up and sailing is not the absolute panacea to all the world's ills. When you've got to get in your dinghy and go a mile to go ashore in a howling downpour to walk a couple of miles to a flyblown supermarket the tube might seem quite attractive. As many long term liveaboards are often heard to comment, "another sh***y day in paradise".

I'm not trying to put anyone off as it is a great way of life and one which I fully intend to follow (OK, so probably only for 6 months of the year). But just be realistic. Paradise also has thieves, crooks and politicians (or are they the same thing?).

 

[ccscott49]

People think I lead a simple life, because I don't have a car!!??!! I try to tell them garages are hard to tow with a boat! I lead a reasonably simple life, but dont scrimp myself unduly, I still enjoy a hot shower wherever I am, cold beer etc. but I don't need TV, or those type of things, love good company, scenery and travelling inland to see the sites, which is the reason for the old BSA, I also like working on that! Simple life is relative, some people who are also liveaboards think I live luxuriously, because I have a big boat, I don't care, I like my big boat and all the varnishing and maintenace it requires, she will outlive me as she has outlived two other owners! If I had a wife, I would probaly lead an even simpler life, not needing to eat oput as much as I do, but there it is! With me it wasn't a bug, just something I drifted into, as it fits my lifestyle.

 

[jonic]

Re: Reality check

After 1000's of sh***y days in dirty smelly, drug addicit infested soho, I'm looking forward to a sh***y day in paradise.

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/yacht/serafina/

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Reality check

Hear, Hear! You mean the whole country!!!!! not just soho!

 

[southchinasea]

Re: Reality check

A recurrent theme here? UK on a downward spiral? We've been away for 7 years and love returning, especially in the Summer! But it does appear to be changing.

On the last trip but one, business in London, I was subjected to what I think is called 'aggressive begging' in Covent Garden. I was extremely uncomfortable and found the experience unnerving. The same trip, a friend had keys or coins scraped down the side of his new Volvo. Not London but rural (ish) Surrey. Of course this
sort of behviour is not exclusive to the UK, but I don't seem to recall this level of agression when I was growing up. Perhaps I'm wrong, but that's the perception.

Conversely, we just spent a family Easter in North Wales (Abersoch) and many a happy hour spent wandering around Pwhelli Marina checking out boats and chatting to delightfuly helpful people in the Chandlers. Great walks overlooking Cardigan Bay, weather not bad at all and good nosh.

I think the message is that there is no right answer. All of us are different with uniqe aspirations and expectations. If blasting off under sail into the unknown is going to make someone happy, then who are we to disagree!

 

[jonic]

Re: Reality check

Yes, London is changing for the worse........driving is now impossible, parking is £4 an hour, I have been clamped on a meter that was 4 mins over in Camden, the last year I tried to drive around (on bussines) my parking tickets and fines totalled over £2000, and I was careful! The tube is a health hazard, the beggars are very agressive and it is constant, we almost every day watch people being conned and robbed at the cashpoints in Oxford st. Drugs are openly sold on the street, the carpark of our offices is littered with bloody needles.Car jacking and muggings are far more frequent than the newspapers are saying. I have worked there for 10 years and always felt safe, even when all the bombs were going off.........but not now. PC has allowed a lot of people to get away with very open crime, everyone is too scared to say much. Big shame.Used to love it.

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/yacht/serafina/

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Reality check

It's not just London, that scene is repeated in every major city in Britain, and most minor ones aswell! I know it wasn't like this in my younger years, because I wasn't exactly a good boy, but now, it's just too much! and getting worse! Drugs are sold openly on the streets in Amsterdam, but there isn't as much violence!

 

[cynthia]

Re: Reality check

Can't agree with all you gloom and doom merchants. Maybe I'm just lucky enough to live away from the cities up in the North West - and sail from Pwllheli too!

Why are we jacking in the jobs and going sailing? Well the timing is good - kids are independent, no elderly parents left (sadly) to support and probably most of all we love sailing, sailing friends and the whole life style. Have sailed for almost twenty years and have planned this move for 15 years. Mind you we're still hedging our bets - 6 months afloat, 6 months on terra firma - we're not brave enough to commit 100%

 

[mtb]

What you got a Bantam or C15 or a realy posh one .
My first bike was a C15 core what a bit of kit
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[mtb]

Re: Peterborough the same

All along the east coast things are now out of hand .
While shopping in Peterborough we had to stop our daughter from walking along the street out side a school !!! because the junkies discarded needles were all over the place .
Around here its really getting bad because Lincolnshire has such a large migrant work force
This whole area is now like a third world zone full of ( don't misunder stand )
Immigrants seeking political asylum !!!!
Trouble is where do you go other country's have the same problems or worse .
My wrotwieler has not caught one yet but he will ,at some point some git will try burgle the house .
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[mtb]

Re: Reality check

Holland is quite bad
Utrecht for example there are no go areas because of the drugs trade. A couple of times the police guided us away to safety because had we gone into certain areas where trouble was waiting.
The junkies in the central station cut their cocaine on the escalators handrails !!
as for Amsterdam !!!!!!
I find it sinister the way things changed over in Europe when the wall came down.
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[ccscott49]

B50SS Goldstar, (Street Scrambler) single 500cc, all ally engine, ally tank, rims, hubs, light and powerful, just the job, starts second kick electronic ignition, fun!!! Last of the line from the C15, last of the line of BSA unit singles.