Have you been considering living on a boat full-time? While it is easy to romanticize living life on your boat full-time, the lifestyle requires a different approach to daily life. This article will discuss what to consider before becoming a seasonal or full-time liveaboard, including choosing the locale, utilities, onboard essentials, and safety and security.

First Step: Questions to Consider Before Making the Leap

The first step is to determine if your liveaboard period will be a seasonal or a longer-term lifestyle. What climate or locale you desire will guide you to a specific area to find the proper form of boat storage, either a boat slip or anchor point.

Essentials: Stowage, Comfort & Connectivity

Moving from a modestly sized home to a boat will lose some living space and reduce storage. Decluttering and thoughtful organization can help to make the most of the limited space on your boat. Keep what you need and carefully consider which nonessential items are worthy of taking up the limited space on your boat.

Plenty of ventilation will help keep the boat warm and dry, as well as reduce mildew and condensation. Additionally, dehumidifiers will help to reduce excess moisture and aromas.

Whether a dish for TV or marina WiFi, you will need to determine what connectivity you require for communication with work, friends and family, and entertainment.

Cost of Living on a Boat: You can save a lot of money on rent!

Boat owners in a marina pay a monthly boat slip rental. There is typically a sizable discount for a long-term contract (6 months or greater). Marinas offer additional amenities such as electricity, internet, showers, waste management, and laundry.

If you want to save even more money, you can skip the slip and live on a mooring ball or anchor within the marina, costing just a fraction of renting a home in the area.

Safety & Security

Are you reasonably self-sufficient, handy,  and able to solve problems? Boat maintenance requires monitoring the boat's plumbing and electrical systems and any points of potential leaks and addressing issues when they arise.

To keep everyone safe aboard your boat, you should install the following and check periodically:

• CO2 and smoke alarms
• Fire extinguishers
• Propane sniffers
• Monitor bilge pump activity - is it running often?
• Monitor battery levels

Daily Life & Socialization

When deciding between a marina, mooring field, or anchorage, you will find different social experiences and connectivity to the grid.

The liveaboard marina lifestyle encourages a tight sense of community of well-traveled neighbors. Your liveaboard marina neighbors will help you out when needed but be expected to lend a hand to your neighbor when they are in need.

If you would rather have a more secluded off-grid lifestyle, consider an end tie in a less congested corner of the marina or hook to a mooring ball and anchor.

Necessities Checklist for Living on a Boat

Living on a boat has many perks. Some items can adjust to liveaboard life a safer and more comfortable lifestyle; here are some to consider:

• High-quality shore power cord - to provide safe power delivery to your boat
• Dehumidifiers/moisture absorbers - placing these around your boat in storage areas help to manage moisture and reduce musty aromas
• Window curtains - to block morning sun and provide privacy
• Shade cover - to provide extra shade and reduce surface temperatures
• Hatch screen - to provide airflow into the cabin
• Collapsible rolling cart - to carry items to/from boat and shore
• Dock box - to serve as storage off boat

Living on a boat is addicting - Nautical Ventures Has All Your Boating Needs

The liveaboard lifestyle requires organization, preparation, and some hands-on problem solving and maintenance. Those efforts result in a rewarding lifestyle amongst like-minded nature lovers, world travelers, and those with a strong sense of adventure.

Located in sunny South Florida, Nautical Ventures Marine Superstore's highly trained, experienced, and caring staff is dedicated to educating and advising our customers.

Stop by any of our South Florida locations, or see our site online to see that we provide an eclectic mix of water sports products unlike any other retailer: From boats & tenders to kayaks and SUPs, submersibles to dive products, and yacht toys to land toys.

Nautical Ventures... “The go-to people for fun on the water.”