Living on a Boat (Step 1)

Living on a Boat

As I search the web to ensure my take on the subject is unique, I see many exaggerated comments that are headline-grabbing hooks to get you to click and read. I would like you to read my article, but I will not say anything I have not experienced.

I have another post called Liveaboard a Boat that you might also find interesting.

Mindset to liveaboard

Lots to consider as to why you would choose a liveaboard lifestyle. You can probably step forward or backwards towards living on a boat if you question your motives carefully.

Do you suffer from depression or a phobia if you sleep in closed or small spaces? Most of us who enjoy boating is not worried; we find sleeping in a small cabin great, apart from sitting up in bed reading or getting in and out with a low ceiling.

If living in a confined space frightens you or triggers an alarm in your head, proceed with caution. You can overcome natural fears with logical thoughts, but if a fear of confined spaces turns you off, think again if living on a boat is for you.
My answer “I can very happily dig a hole in the ground and sleep, so long as I am warm, have a good airflow, I am happy and snug. I don’t need so much space when I am sleeping”.

Do you need lots of stuff on a boat?

This one is not so straightforward because most of us who live aboard accumulate loads of junk. Lockers fill before you know it”! The point is, can you live without your junk? “I don’t throw things away, I become very attached to my stuff, but I can live without it”. “I find the more I have, the more I want.” Strip back in your mind to the absolute minimum of what you need to survive. The answer should come back to a few food calories a day, access to clean, fresh water, and a feeling of healthy being. A feeling of the well is the goal for life aboard a boat.
Ok, apart from the obvious question, do I get seasick when I am in a confined place? Then, in my opinion, if the answer to that question is no, I don’t get seasick, you are good to go!

Plan A Location for your boat.

Based on considerations of your personal needs, for this article’s sake, not becoming a book, let’s say you don’t have any other location needs than to be near your work. On that assumption, you can live on a boat for a considerable time before you declare this a permanent life choice. When I lived on a boat, I gave myself six months. I was fortunate a friend gave me the use of an almost new 15-metre Jeanneau Yacht. The cost was nothing but looking after it while trying to sell it. I felt happy I had achieved my personal goal when I moved on. Could you have just moved back home anytime? The answer to that question is no. I didn’t have a home then and was transitioning from the UK to Spain. I make no apologies for never eating alone on the yacht. I went out to eat two or three times a day. Life was good!

Not to move away from the topic, but this is the point. I never considered telling the Marina I was a liveaboard. Somebody might have said something in a year or so, but maybe not. There are lots of ways to consider a timeline for your liveaboard declaration. Suppose you are a so-called “professional” who gets up and goes to a job away from a Marina daily for work and keeps a reasonably tidy profile. In that case, you can easily manage a couple of seasons without issues. The only issue is getting a post box, which can be tricky. Indeed, you need to register as a resident if you are abroad to stay legal.

Location Location Location

The location of your boat is an interesting point that we can dwell on a little. Living on a Boat can be much like living in a busy neighbourhood. You might be someone who keeps yourself reasonably quiet. At some point, you will start talking to others around the Marina. The odd thing is how long it takes to get to know people. And how uninterested people are with each other. You will surely notice others on boats when most are away or living at home (most mid-week times), but again, a few months R&R away from home is perfectly normal. Marina operators become aware of individuals who appear to be different. Perhaps your boat starts to acquire a liveaboard look. Lots of unused stuff lying around on the deck or looks a little untidy. The Marina might then question you about living aboard, but that could be a year or two from when you decided to make the boat your home. Have in your mind living on board is temporary, or be prepared to be rejected by many Marina if you declare this from the beginning.

What is the problem with living on my boat in the Marina?

Almost all Marina operations provide temporary space for individuals. Marinas could not cope if nobody went home. At peak times, almost every Marina struggles to provide adequate facilities for all berth holders. Therefore, if you are permanently living on board, you might be ejected and not understand why. On the positive side, most Marina operators look the other way to live aboard’s. As you become part of the Marina community, if you fit in with the look and feel of the space you occupy, you will most likely find no one cares or questions how long you stay on your boat. After all, it is not a concern, provided the Marina operator does not get complaints.

We have a very active liveaboard population in Port Ginesta, Barcelona. The Marina is close enough to the city for travelling to work each day, giving space and distance from the bustling city.

We recently moved to a bigger office and can now be found in the new part of Port Ginsta amongst the bigger yachts. If you want to become a yacht broker by joining our Group, please get in touch with us to learn more.

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