Trawler Live Aboard Tips - New to the Lifestyle

Good morning everyone.

It was a good weekend around the Patricia Ann. I finished her brightwork and applied a new coat of paint to 3/4 of her decks; I must turn her around next week when it is safe to walk on the paint to allow me to complete the project. It takes 4 days for the paint to fully cure.

I got an email from Steven telling me he found the Paradise Yachts website and he and his wife were retiring and considering entering the live aboard trawler lifestyle. I responded that I would be honored to help them with their goal.

But to adopt a completely different lifestyle that you have known for years take some guts; hey I know, Mary and I did it almost 10 years ago. And that was before there was an Internet and people like me writing articles on how to go about doing it.



So I got to thinking, what would be the pearls of wisdom I would wish someone to share with me if I were starting out? Here is my list to help you determine if this is right for you.

1. Do you wish to wake up everyday and see the sun rising over the water; we do it everyday. It's great!
   
2. If you don't like your neighborhood, you just untie the lines and move.
3. No it's not a full time Jimmy Buffet lifestyle but it comes close. We do enjoy our cocktail hours aboard. Cooking on the grill on our sundeck is heavenly!
   
4. If you do not know, don't be afraid to ask us veterans out here. We all had to learn from someone or from our mistakes along the way. And mistakes can be costly!
   
5. Trawlers and motor yachts require lots of work to keep them healthy; you must have a ton of money or have a knack for fixing things.
6. There is always something to do on a boat.
   
7. To live aboard you must be a Captain, navigator, plumber, painter, electrician, mechanic, chef, and much more I probably cannot remember.
8. Learn to live aboard using all of your senses. Every boat has its own set of noises; learn to recognize what they are and what they mean
   
9. You cannot know everything about your new trawler or motor yacht when you get her; its taken me 8 years to slowly trace every line, and every hose to figure the Patricia Ann out. Plan on spending time doing just that.
   
10. Listen to the sounds the boat makes; if you hear the bilge pump or battery charger come on more than once during the night, that's your signal to investigate.
11. How about that popping noise under the boat you hear while in bed; no the boats not sinking, its only shrimp feeding.
12. If you smell something that's unusual, like diesel, its time to take a look in the bilge
13. While underway, if you feel a vibration, you may have some growth on the running gear; better get a diver down below to see if there is anything.
14. Make sure your spouse is in it for the long haul and not just along for the ride; if Mama ain't happy nobody is happy
15. Be willing to make some sacrifices like a washer and dryer
    
16. Boaters in general are very good people; I rarely meet one I do not like.
    

Well that ought to give you a good idea of what to expect. As I think of more, I'll add them to the list.

Mike