Main Content
The Boat Galley!
The Boat Galley is the resource you need to learn what the cruising life is like and to get ready to live aboard, throw off the dock lines, and flatten out that first-year learning curve.
We have over 1,000 articles, more than 600 podcast episodes, as well as courses and products that will help you every step of the way.
How do you handle everyday items like mail, trash, internet, and pets? Where do you store your stuff? What's the cruising life like?
We’ve done it—we live on boats! And we share all the details with you.
and Gear
When you spend your hard-earned money for a boat and then spend more for everything that goes on it, you want products that will do what you need, will last in a marine environment, and will make your boat life better.
Our buying guides and recommended products help you buy the right boat and everything for it, no matter your budget or cruising style.
Our revolutionary cruising guides are designed to let you find accurate information fast. No more leafing through pages of text to find fuel, water, laundry, a protected anchorage, or a haulout.
We live aboard. We know what it’s like to be underway. And we designed a solution.
How do you get from "let's buy a boat" to finally cutting the dock lines and getting underway with a minimum of fuss? We can help you transition to a whole new way of looking at boat life.
on a Boat
Provisioning for trips. Storing food on a boat. Cooking while underway. We have all the tips & tricks you will need for easier kitchen duty!
Learn the skills you’ll need to successfully transition to boat life. Choose from one of our four FREE mini courses or dive into one of our in-depth FULL LENGTH courses—all self-paced and written by cruisers!
From everyday maintenance tips to step-by-step instructions for major projects, we offer all the help you need. Get great tips for DIY projects or make sure you have that base knowledge before you hire pros. And we’ll share plenty of easy boat improvement ideas, too!
Get the tips, skills and information you need to make boat life easier and more fun—on your own boat or a charter.
and References
Good record-keeping is vital for cruisers, and so are handy references and cheat sheets. Our organizing tools were created by cruisers for cruisers, and we've incorporated lots of features that will make your boat life easier and more organized.
Living on a boat isn’t all palm trees and tropical drinks. Learn what problems you might expect and how you can be better prepared for them.
We talk about hurricanes, fires, uninvited pests, dealing with hot and cold weather, the stresses of cruising, and much more.
Our podcast is loaded with quick bits of info and actionable tips to help you prepare to cruise. The five to 15-minute episodes are just right when you’re walking, driving or working out. We have over 600 episodes and publish two new ones every week.
Find The Boat Galley in your favorite podcast player or on Spotify, Alexa, and YouTube.
The Boat Galley
Making Boat Life Better Since 2010
Are you thinking about living on a boat? You’re curious if it would be at all like what you dream.
Maybe you’ve secretly fantasized about selling everything, moving aboard your boat, and traveling near or far. You’re wondering how to actually do it.
Or perhaps you’ve recently begun cruising and are finding the learning curve a little steep. You need help.
Great! You’re in the right place!
COURSES
The easiest way to learn about cruising. Four FREE mini-courses plus low-cost in-depth courses will help you successfully transition to life on the water.
PRODUCTS & BOOKS
Real gear that meets the real needs of liveaboards and cruisers. Frustrated that certain products just didn't exist, we created them! Cruising guides, quick references and record organizers.
ARTICLES
Over 1,000 articles, from "what is living on a boat like?" to detailed how-to's on every aspect of living aboard and cruising, plus plenty of encouragement.
PODCAST
Quick bits of info and actionable tips to help you prepare to cruise. Five to 15-minute episodes, perfect for walking, driving or working out. Over 600 episodes, and two new ones each week!
Hi! I’m Carolyn Shearlock. My husband and I have been cruising over 15 years and 13,000 miles, first on a Tayana 37 monohull and now on a 34′ Gemini catamaran. Along the way, we sold pretty much everything we owned (twice!), gained a great boat dog, had a bunch of wonderful times and some adventures . . . and learned a ton about what does and doesn’t work! Learn more about me and The Boat Galley.