Boy, I remember when we were first thinking about cruising. Four of us – two couples – had signed up for a bareboat charter in the BVIs and it suddenly hit us that while we all knew how to sail, there was an awful lot about living on a boat for a week that we didn’t know.
The problem? We didn’t even know what we didn’t know. This was back in the days before Google, but even if Google had existed, I wouldn’t have had a clue what to search for.
A friend invited us to his boat for a weekend and gave us a crash course: how the toilet worked, how to adjust the hatches (aka “windows”) so they would stay open, monitoring the batteries, how to turn on the propane stove, and more.
Did it teach us everything? No way! But did it give us enough of a base to understand the boat briefing the first day of our charter? Absolutely.
Sailing or powerboat schools teach operating the boat, navigating, and watching the weather. But there is a lot more to living on a boat – even just for the weekend.
The first month and even the first year, the learning curve just goes straight up. And sometimes you don’t realize that you don’t know something until a situation arises. “What do I do about THIS?”
I remember the first tropical storm that hit us. We had about two days’ warning. A local fisherman told us to head to a particular hurricane hole muy pronto; on the way there, Dave and I read the books we had aboard to learn how to anchor and prepare the boat for sustained 50-knot winds.
But it was lesser stuff as well. How did I keep the glasses from clanking against one another with the movement of the boat? Why didn’t the battery monitor ever show that the batteries were fully charged? How in the world did I “arrange” stuff in this big pit of a top-loading refrigerator?
If you’re new to living on a boat, I have several tips that I wish someone had told me:
There’s going to be a lot to learn.
When you’re overwhelmed by it all, take a break. Whether it’s spending time in a marina or actually leaving the boat for a shore excursion, slow down and get your feet back under you.
Realize that not everyone aboard will adjust at the same pace. Some things will come easier to one person than another, but it’s important that everyone understand the boat.
Other boaters can help you immensely. Whether it’s us here at The Boat Galley, the folks down the dock, or your charter captain, we all want to help flatten out that learning curve. Here at TBG, there is no such thing as a stupid question – ask away if you don’t understand something in an article, podcast, Facebook or Instagram post, or at one of our in-person gatherings.
The whole reason I’ve posted over 1,100 articles on the website and created all our courses is to pass on all the stuff I (and the rest of the team) had to learn.
Living on a boat is a big change if you’ve never done it before. But you’re not alone. Your land-based friends and family may not get it, but your boating friends? We’ve got your back, even if we’ve never met.
We love boat life and we want you to, also!
Here’s your “Quick Start” to everything you need to know when living on a boat:
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