“If you can read, you can do anything.” That was the lesson my mother drummed into me as a kid.
Listen in to learn how this translates into DIY work on the boat. Yes, you really can do a lot of things you think you can’t.
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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.
Florian Wolf says
Good post, as we all can do it – if we try. You may fail, fall flat on your face and swear like the devil, but then you need to get up again and try harder.
We’re currently beefing up each other’s confidence and trust in our abilities, as we may upgrade from our beloved 17 metre Seascout to a 30 metre Grand Banks fishing schooner. We are a bit scared by the thought of selling our home, storing or ‘divesting’ most of our personal belongings, but the vision of futnishing this grand schooner with our beloved collection of antiques compensates for a lot. Essentially we’ll have a floating 100 sqm or so appartment with a rooftop deck (the deck), and another 50 or 60 sqm of crew accomodation below the salon, master cabin, galley and dining area that we will completely remodel while living on board.
Do we ever need a house again – don’t know, but for conservative Germans to pour the majority of their funds into a ship is a bit scary. On the other hand we’re currently torn apart between house and smaller ship, and neither of them get the attention they deserve.
Our learning from this is: do one thing at a time, and do it properly. We always wanted a schooner, so we rolled the dice, and the schooner it is. An old sea captain told me once that you don’t find your ship, your ship finds you – maybe there is some truth to that ?
Carolyn Shearlock says
I’m so excited for you! Yes, it’s scary. Most new and different things are. But life’s more interesting when you go for it (note I didn’t say easier . . . more interesting!)