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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

Nica Waters

🎧Cruising to a Schedule

Published on February 10, 2024; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

Sailboat

Everyone ends up cruising to a schedule–don’t let anyone tell you different. Here’s how to make it less stressful.

🎧Creating Privacy on the Boat

Published on January 27, 2024; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

Privacy is in short supply on a boat. Here’s a new way to think about it. And a few ideas to create it.

🎧Getting Your Bahamas Cruising Permit

Published on January 13, 2024; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

Headed to the Bahamas? Learn what you need to know to make the check-in process easy.

🎧Finding a Bahamas Weather Window

Published on January 2, 2024; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

Finding your weather window can take time. Sometimes the one you pick isn’t quite perfect.

🎧Beware of the Size Trap When Provisioning

Published on December 26, 2023; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

Buy in bulk for the boat? Well, maybe. Sometimes a large size is a false economy onboard.

🎧The Chaos of the In Between Time

Published on December 19, 2023; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

The middle zone between finishing a project and getting organized on board stretch out forever. If you’re feeling frustrated, you’re not alone.

🎧Three Reasons Exercise on a Boat is Hard 

Published on December 12, 2023; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

Exercising on a cruising boat is more challenging than you could expect. Here’s why.

🎧Balancing Power Needs on your Boat

Published on December 5, 2023; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

Do you have enough amps available for all your wants? Here are some thoughts on balancing your power needs.

🎧Best Ways to Learn How to Cruise

Published on November 28, 2023; last updated on January 10, 2025 by Nica Waters

Is the best way to just buy a boat and go? Or are there some better ways to learn how to cruise?

🎧Keep the Paperwork

Published on November 21, 2023; last updated on January 4, 2025 by Nica Waters

Installing new gear on the boat? Yes, it’s worth making room for the paper manual–here’s why.

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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.

Living on a boat

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11 courses covering every aspect of life afloat — from deciding if cruising is right for you, to moving aboard, provisioning, storage, tiny fridges, VHF radio, hurricane prep, cruising the Bahamas, boat dogs, and more.

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