So i just realized the acronym for boat is Break Out Another Thousand. Boats cost lot of money; Does not matter if you have brand new shiny one or a older cruddy one.
It just keeps piling on, one thing or another will break or you will see a way to make things better and before you know it you just dropped a bunch more cash. I assume it is probably what happens when you end up buying a house. Anytime I talk to someone in Florida about living on a boat they laugh and say it is way more work then you thought, isn’t it! A rhetorical question of course, anyone who has boating experience knows what a challenge it can be.
Living on a Boat
Living on a boat is really quite a bit more difficult then i thought. I sometimes wonder if this boat was a brand new yacht, if it would be a easier. I think some aspects of it would, but you still have some of your basic problems, that come with any boat. Yes I chose to live on a broken down, not even running boat, so I knew there would be some problems, but I had no idea about some of the stuff.
Basic Boat Problems that come with living aboard:
- Cockroaches: they love warm, wet, humid places. Boat=Heaven! Florida cockroaches are HUGE the size of your hand and bigger! They love tooth paste and cheese I know for sure.
- Spiders: I had one crawling on me when I woke up. It is a given they are going be on the boat, this morning was the first time I actually had one crawling on me though.
- Ants: Don’t dare leave food out. JUST DON’T DO IT!
- Never any food on the boat: With all the bug problems that come with boats, keeping food on the boat just seems like a ridiculous idea. Get ready to bust out another thousand on eating out 2 or 3 times a day. We don’t keep food on the boat or eat on the boat, drinks only, I think it is a good plan, but I’m sick of Wendys Dollar menu.
- Constant work: Boats need constant work and maintenance, things break all the time. Like air conditioning freezing over, electricity going out, no water for some reason.
- Not Comfortable: I know this isn’t true with all boats, but ours isn’t comfortable. Mike is 6′3″ so sleeping in cramped spaces sucks. Couches on boats are not as comfy as apartment sofas.
- Boats that don’t run: If you decide to buy a boat that doesn’t run, you will feel a pang of jealousy as boats next to you pull out for a ocean cruise.
- Mildew and salt water: It eats your clothes, it eats your bike or anything aluminum, constant moisture everywhere, never completely dry. I have already had to throw out one pair of pants, after that I moved all my clothes back to the car, which is now my personal closet.
- Lighting: Don’t bother with hair or makeup on the boat, the lighting will make you go out looking like a clown. The lights are not bright at all or come close to showing you what you actually look like. I have had to just give up on the thought of doing anything with my appearance.
- Smells: Boats just get stinky.
So these are some of the draw backs of living on boat. Now it isn’t all bad and in a couple days I’ll write and article about some good stuff. The main question I keep thinking on is if the bad out ways the good. The answer to this question changes daily.
Where we sleep, not much room.
Living space: This is a previous owner picture, so imagine it with out the big TV (they took it with them) and absolutely no junk or personal stuff in it, we keep it down to the bare minimum. See the “comfy” Sofa!
