Which type of liveaboard matches your dream?

Most of the boats tied up at a marina are owned by WEEKENDERS.  The problem is, as time goes on, they come down to their vessels less and less.  At tax time the owners may enjoy second home owners' deductions, but they seldom come down to the marina to enjoy their boats. One exception to this is a couple I met last year who were on their 28' cruiser most every weekend. Mark and Myra would faithfully drive three hours from California's Central Valley to a marina on San Francisco Bay. They enjoyed their cruiser to the fullest, taking it out in the bay, and sometimes the ocean, most every weekend. They fished, enjoyed sightseeing and relaxed on their "home away from home," as they called it.

STRADDLERS are boaters who want to test out the waters and see if living on board is a good fit. Sometimes people do this as a pre-retirement strategy. After all three of their children had left the nest, Beaux and his wife, Babs, decided to try out living aboard gradually.  Since they were both still employed, they decided to rent their spacious family home and move to an apartment. closer to their jobs. Then they purchased a boat and started spending two or three days a week on board. So far they like the lifestyle, but aren't convinced they want to move on board full-time. 

I became a BELIEVER overnight. We sailed our historic sailing ship up the coast from San Diego to Sausalito with our two children and crew, and for the next ten years it was my full-time home. My preparatory period was the two years we spent looking for a suitable vessel.  Unlike most people, I moved from a spectacular, small apartment in one of San Francisco's landmark Victorians, to a cargo ship which had been converted to a yacht, and had 1,200 sq. ft. down below!  Refer to my blog for details.

Recently I meet John and Georgia who had just purchased a brand new catamaran.  Soon they will join the ranks of CRUISERS. Their boating experience is limited and they've never lived aboard, but they have a dream. Within a very few months, they'll be sailing down the coast to Mexico. They still need to outfit their yacht and do some shakedown cruises. However, their goal is unwavering and I expect to see them set sail in the next few months.