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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

Nica Waters

🎧The Weirdness of Nothing

Published on June 8, 2021; last updated on April 12, 2024 by Nica Waters

Musings on the echoing memories left behind in empty spaces

🎧Deadlines and Prioritizations

Published on June 1, 2021; last updated on April 12, 2024 by Nica Waters

When moving aboard doesn’t mean the same thing as splashing the boat, the priority list gets tighter. We’ve got 2 main lists going these days, with some wiggle room in terms of the “going cruising” list.

🎧The Mysterious All of a Suddens

Published on May 25, 2021; last updated on May 28, 2023 by Nica Waters

A look at some of the endless work that culminated in finishing a lot of projects in one weekend.

🎧Coffee Problems

Published on May 18, 2021; last updated on May 19, 2023 by Nica Waters

After a lot of tasty trial and error, we’ve found our onboard coffee. It’s still better to spend more to get smaller size bags.

🎧Redoing the Whole Boat

Published on May 11, 2021; last updated on May 25, 2023 by Nica Waters

A question from a friend leads us to list out everything that we’re tackling aboard. It’s extensive and exhausting. We’d still do it again.

🎧Three Varnishing Tips

Published on May 4, 2021; last updated on May 25, 2023 by Nica Waters

Besides the basics of “spend time prepping and cleaning”, we’ve figured out some new strategies lately that are making varnish time go much more smoothly.

🎧To Bread Machine or Not to Bread Machine

Published on April 27, 2021; last updated on May 17, 2023 by Nica Waters

I love making bread by hand. We still bought a machine – here’s why.

🎧Tabbing Games

Published on April 20, 2021; last updated on May 28, 2023 by Nica Waters

It takes more time than you think to create support for counters!

🎧Hardest Parts of Any Project

Published on April 13, 2021; last updated on May 28, 2023 by Nica Waters

Getting started is hard. Finishing is even harder. They both mean nothing gets crossed off the list.

🎧Rudder Woes

Published on April 6, 2021; last updated on September 29, 2024 by Nica Waters

How much work have we just caused ourselves by wanting a new wind vane?

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Welcome

Carolyn Shearlock

Hi! I'm Carolyn Shearlock. My husband and I have been living on a boat and cruising over 17 years and 13,000 miles, first on a Tayana 37 monohull and then 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!

How Can We Help You?

I'm curious about the cruising life What is it, who does it, and what's it really like day to day?
I'm tempted — but is it realistic for my situation? My budget, my health, my partner, my life, my skills (or lack thereof)
I'm getting ready to go Buying a boat, getting insurance, planning to move aboard
I'm aboard and navigating the learning curve How do I make it the life I dreamed of?

Latest Articles

A man and woman wearing 2Talk Bluetooth marine intercom headsets — known as "Marriage Savers" — on a boat in a marina, both with behind-the-neck headbands and boom microphones positioned at their mouths.

Boat Communication Headsets: The Marriage Savers

July 24, 2026

Good headsets transform the most stressful moments aboard. Here’s why they’re essential gear and what we actually use.

Doing the design and installation work on our DIY vinyl boat name lettering was easier than we expected and VERY cost-effective!

Why We DIY on the Boat

July 24, 2026

Saving money is just one of the reasons we do most work on our boat ourselves. Learn the other reasons we prefer to do things ourselves.

Boat hull on the hard showing ground-out area being filled in with fiberglass and epoxy

Filling In a Thru-Hull: What We Wish We’d Known

July 23, 2026

We filled in two thru-hulls and learned a lot the hard way. Here’s everything we wish someone had told us before we started.

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