Though life aboard a modestly sized sailboat is generally one of minimalism, the perks include being able to change the scenery while dining. Photo by Chris Birch
May 2023
By Christopher Birch
“I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than to be crowded on a velvet cushion” – H.D. Thoreau
If Henry David Thoreau chose to live aboard a yacht, he’d surely get it right. His boat would be simple. The demands of the boat would dictate the living arrangements of her crew. The boat would be just big enough, and equipped with only the essential gear. Her name would be Walden, and sailing her would be Hank’s – I’ve always thought he preferred this name – greatest pleasure.
In my former capacity as a yacht-care provider, I witnessed scores of people giving the liveaboard lifestyle a try. Some deemed it the perfect way to live. Others were sorely disappointed and quickly gave it up. There is a clear pattern to what works and what fails: People who embrace the simplicity offered by life on a boat are the ones who enjoy it the most.
Prioritizing the needs of the boat ahead of the wants of her owner is a good way to get to simple. Aboard Walden there’s little room for clutter. Instead of trying to turn his boat into a well-furnished apartment, Hank strives to make himself into good crew for the boat. He keeps her clean and dry with all systems in good working order. He lives by the maxim that there’s a place for everything onboard and everything must be kept in its place.
When there isn’t a place for something, it shouldn’t be onboard. I once solved a problem with a customer’s autopilot by simply moving an electric piano containing a large speaker magnet away from the autopilot compass. I suggested that a harmonica would be a more suitable musical instrument to keep aboard.
Small is simple. It may be counterintuitive, but for living aboard, a small boat almost always works better than a large one. Small boats are easier to sail, easier to maintain, and easier to afford. The complexity, expense and demands of an oversized boat are what usually send unhappy liveaboards back up onto the beach.
Going “small” is where the real fun in the adventure is hidden. Hank follows the “Rule of Elsewhere”: Bathe elsewhere, store your stuff elsewhere, house your overnight guests elsewhere, have your mail delivered elsewhere. A house in Montana is good for “roomy” living. On a boat, “roomy” just isn’t the idea.
Minimalism waits in the small boat, ready for the liveaboard to embrace it. Happy Hank insists that all his personal belongings fit easily into one dock cart. When space is tight, he lets the boat decide what he keeps and what he doesn’t. “Yes” to the spare bilge pump and “no” to the spare pair of shoes. “Yes” to the sextant and “no” to the rolling suitcase. “Yes” to the tool bag and “no” to anything with a plug.
Boats are needy and can be expensive to own. It’s easy for a sailor to rationalize skipping regular maintenance and boat repairs so that time and money can be spent in other ways. To make such a choice would be a false economy. The demands of naval architecture are inflexible and Mother Nature is a hanging judge. The prudent mariner standard requires a sailor to select a boat they can and will maintain properly. If the boat budget is tight, it’s always smarter to opt for a smaller, simpler boat from the outset than to cut corners on maintenance and repairs later on. Provide for the boat and the boat will provide for you.
People are also needy and can become such clutter on a boat. A sailor should think long and hard before inviting someone to join them in a life afloat. I lived on a boat for a while as a young, single man and am now enjoying a second stint living aboard full time as a happily married older man. The contours of my marriage fit the liveaboard lifestyle nicely, but I think my wife, Alex, and I are the exception to the rule. From what I have observed, single people have a much better chance of success as liveaboards.
Less stuff, smaller boat, fewer people. Take it from Hank: That’s how you live aboard a boat.
Christopher Birch is the founder of Birch Marine Inc. on Long Wharf in Boston. He is now out cruising full-time with his wife, Alex, aboard their 36-foot Morris Justine. Follow their voyage at EagleSevenSailing.com.
