I have to say, we’ve loved on time on the east coast of Florida! However, as I write this, we’re slowly working our way back to Marathon (in the Keys) for the heart of hurricane season.
As with every trip, we’ve had a few things break. Early in our cruising, we’d get SO frustrated when that happened. Now, we react a little better:
- We’ve learned to differentiate between annoyances and serious problems. Serious problems are things that affect the overall safety of the boat – fire hazards, sinking, inability to steer, propulsion, and the like.
- Serious problems have to be addressed immediately, at least enough to make things safe even if the permanent solution takes longer.
- Annoyances can be fixed at our leisure.
When we first started cruising, we felt that everything had to be fixed immediately and consequently it seemed like we were always dealing with something. It was crushing.
The reality is that the majority of things that pop up on a boat aren’t serious. We don’t want to ignore them, but we don’t necessarily have to change our plans to deal with them.
Realizing that not everything has to be dealt with immediately has taken a lot of stress out of our cruising. Realizing that “fixing the boat” doesn’t dictate our lives is huge to enjoying the lifestyle. Yes, we still have to deal with things. But we do it on our schedule.
As always, I’m glad that you’re part of The Boat Galley!
P.S. Removing repair stress is a key feature of my Outboard Troubleshooting for Non-Mechanics (Amazon) guide. Designed to be kept right in the dinghy, any problem that doesn’t have a quick solution has a temporary fix that will get you to a safe place.
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
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Sandy says
Wow, best article ever. Bless you!