Living on a boat.....

[wassupkris]

Hey out there. My husband and I are considering moving onto our boat and exploring the caribbean for a few years. We have a 5 yr old and 3 yr old. Jut wondering if any one out there is doing the same or has tips. thanks

[Mimi]

wow, i have nothing to say, but that is such a brave move! I am not sure i would do it with a 3 yo , though, mine very much needs her home, her friends she sees a lot, but, i hope you find happiness, please do let me know if you decide to do it, i would LOVE to hear more!!
<3
Miri

[konamama]

that is my dh's dream, not so much for me or dd, who is 5 (almost 6) but who knows where life will lead us...

[KavaKaya]

Dh lived on a 25' sailboat w/ his XW & their DS when DS was 1-3 yrs old. They loved it. They stayed in the Puget Sound in Wa, but explored all the islands & sailed back and forth from Seattle all the time. He said they even sailed with the Orcas when they were breeching rather (too) close to the little boat.
DH is doing worktrade for a little sailboat at the moment for us to take out and teach our kids (8,7,&3) about sailing.
I think it's a great idea. :thumb
Heres (http://zachaboard.blogspot.com) a wonderful blog that's very inspiring.
GL.

[Kelly71]

That blogger is an MDC mama. :D

[boatbaby]

That blogger is an MDC mama. :D

Hey that's me :joy:

To Wassupkris (or anyone else who is interested in the boat life) feel free to PM me of you want or just ask specific questions here to get a dialog going (though I suspect from past attempts on MDC, this is a pretty small tribe.)

There is a Sailing Kids Yahoo Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailing_Kids/) that many of us boat mamas (and papas) hang on.

And for general cruising info from those in the know check out the Cruisers Forum. (http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/)

You can do this with any age kid, rest assured. The only thing a kid needs are attentive loving parents and the chance to explore the world. Nobody "needs" a house. And your boat is your home once you plunge into this lifestyle. And believe me, there are A LOT of kids out there aboard... A LOT!!

The main thing is to make sure it is something you AND your partner want to do (nobody is getting dragged in to it for the other one's happiness) and that you take the time to live on your boat for some time period before you cast off. It's such a big adjustment, baby steps are important for mental and emotional success.

Well, if this tribe grows then yippeee! But I think ceilydhmama and are are the only ones around here... I think...?

[SandyBeachBums]

We met a family last year through a homeschool program. They sold their business, bought a cat, and are now in Mexico. You can find them by searching for Toast Floats.

They made a huge change in lifestyle to take it on. They lived on their bought for awhile before leaving to adjust a little. It's been fun to see their journey.

My husband and I have considered it, but I'm pregnant with our fourth right now and we have an idea living situation with my parents. They own a duplex and we live in one half of it.

[boatbaby]

Toast cracks me up, her blog i (http://blog.toastfloats.com/)s a great read!

[marimara]

Well I'm subbing, we have had long term plans for doing this for many years. Currently, plan is at 3-4 years before we liveaboard for a couple, then cruising. Right now just trying not to accumulate a lot of stuff that I'll have to get rid of.

[larels]

Figure I'll share my experiences with boat life!

My dad started sailing and bought an Ericson 38 when I was 7. When I was 8, I started sailing with him and when I was 10 we started living on the boat full time (just the 2 of us). That summer we went on a month long trip from San Francisco to San Diego and back. I really took the boat naturally and loved the adventure!

Over the next few years we would go out sailing doublehanded pretty frequently...I didn't quite realize that my dad was grooming me to go cruising! When I was 14 my dad and I left for three years of cruising down the coast, through the Panama Canal, around the western Caribbean and back. Despite my being a teenager, we had an amazing time and I wouldn't trade that experience with my dad for anything. I ended up living aboard until I left for college at 19.

Now I am 27 and my husband and I have been living aboard our Shannon 28 for 4 years. It is small, but very cozy. We will likely have our baby on the boat (I mean...raise, not birth...still wondering about that one!), even though a lot of people seem to think we're crazy!

I think that boat life is great for kids, especially while cruising. The kids we met cruising were all great, but those who had been living aboard and cruising since they were really little were amazing! They were adventurous, smart, had amazing communication skills with adults and looked so healthy and happy!

I could go on and on about cruising and living aboard...but I will jump off my soapbox for now!

Also, you may find Dave and Jaja Martin very inspiring. Some of there writing is available here: http://www.setsail.com/s_logs/martin/martin.html
Their book (which is fabulous) is "Into the Light" and they have a movie called "Ice Blink". Check 'em out!

[Sonnenwende]

How do you make money doing this? I think I have it with an RV lifestyle, but how do you do it with a boating one?

[onandon]

I'm a future boat mama. We're planning on buying our boat and moving aboard anytime between now and October 2012 when we plan to set sail for at least a couple years. The trick here is to find legal liveaboard status because I can't see sneaking aboard with kids. My kids do not make themselves invisible or quiet very easily! Hopefully we'll meet some of you out there in the world.

We had dinner with the Martins last summer in Maine. They settled in the town that my dh's family has lived (mostly in the summer) for many generations! It was amazing to hear their stories and meet their kids. So inspiring. Although I've got to admit seeing their handbuilt, off grid house made me want a house too. :D

[boatbaby]

Holy cow -- the tribe is growing! :joy:

As for making a living --- there are so many different ways to go about it as with any traveling lifestyle. Some folks save up and save up and then quit work altogether while they are away (leaving for a set time like 2 years or whatever so they budget their savings) Then they come back when they are finished and broke and look for work again. This is how DH and I did it the first time we were out cruising before DS was around.

Some folks have businesses they can run while on the go. Some folks can work while traveling (like mechanics or writers). And some folks stop and work along the way in different countries or ports in the USA.

So glad to see a few other boat mamas here. Thanks for sharing your stories! :thumb

[ceilydhmama]

Raising my hand. We lived aboard our 28' boat for 8 years and moved off to return to Canada when dd was 14 mos. Since then we've been rebuilding a 40' Catamaran and will move back aboard over the next two months then set sail for the South Pacific come July. DD is 7 now.

[NeivaKai]

Amazing that there are other mamas on here following or wishing to follow the same path...

My ex and I lived aboard a 30' for years, crusing the pacific and after we broke up (I took the kid, he took the boat:( ) I have been looking to buy another one. I am now engaged to a wonderful sailor and we are buying a trimaran this week! We are very excited and since I am pregnant, looking very much forward to having a newborn on board. I have found that kids are good on boats at any age.

As for making money, I am a doula and help women where ever I am. My partner has an electric sailboat motor business www.solidnav.com and he is working it so he doesn't have to be around 24/7. I also find that living on a boat is much much cheaper than living on land, especially if you are actively cruising and anchoring a lot. It truly is off the grid living at it's finest. And I suggest that all you who are interested in doing it, don't wait. Now IS the time, boats are incredibly inexpensive right now and if you have a boat, you have a greater incentive to make the transition.

I am thinking I may give birth on board, but am not sure at this point, I have to see how it goes. My partner is all for it, but unless we are in a warm place (we are anticipating being in the Bay Area) I can't imagine not having warm water. He says he will build me a bathtub :joy: but it just doesn't seem realistic to me...all is an adventure!

[unlegal]

I haven't ever really considered this, but man, does this sound so lovely. I want to travel desperately, and totally want to get rid of all my things, all this stuff that feels like it is always dragging me down. I know nothing about boats - only been on a few in my life, and they were small. I think I would get sea sick, but ahhh. It sounds very romantic. I definitely want to learn more.

[boatbaby]

I am thinking I may give birth on board, but am not sure at this point, I have to see how it goes.

Here is a fabulous, inspiring boat birth (http://www.theexcellentadventure.com/birth/Aurora/BirthofAMH2.html)story for ya!

And for a good laugh, go to this BLOG (http://www.svsereia.com/) (which is fabulous overall) and click on TALL TALES and then on T.P.B.P. (it won't let me link directly) for a very well written and absurdly funny pregnancy on an ocean passage story.

[ceilydhmama]

I haven't ever really considered this, but man, does this sound so lovely. I want to travel desperately, and totally want to get rid of all my things, all this stuff that feels like it is always dragging me down. I know nothing about boats - only been on a few in my life, and they were small. I think I would get sea sick, but ahhh. It sounds very romantic. I definitely want to learn more.

I get sea sick really easily - but it's a trade off. I love the lifestyle. Our catamaran does have a different motion than our little monohull did - which makes a difference. I also really enjoy the cruising community - many of our closest friends come from the years we spent sailing in Mexico and beyond. You become friends will people for completely different reasons when you sail than when you meet them on land...

[onandon]

How do you make money doing this? I think I have it with an RV lifestyle, but how do you do it with a boating one?

We went to the Strictly Sailboat show in Oakland yesterday and someone asked Fatty Goodlander this same question. He's a writer (with a website and stories worth checking out) but he suggested writing, boat repair, sewing, basic computer fixing, and balloon tying. He really did say balloon tying, but it's a bit hard with him to figure out which parts of his stories are for real.

[unlegal]

Balloon tying, like balloon animals? I have heard people make good money doing that.

[ceilydhmama]

$$
For us - the first time we were out (3.5 years) we lived off of our savings. We worked from the time we graduated until we left 7 years later and saved all of my income and lived on dh's. We also did one stint of work where we flew home to our old jobs and worked like crazy for 3 months. Our expenses came to about $500 a month and that first boat was a basic little monohull which we picked up and outfitted for about 40k. After our travels we kept living aboard in MD for 4 years before selling that boat and returning home.

This time it's similar - except we're on a more expensive boat. Once we sell our condo the boat will be paid off and we'll have about a 3-year cushion in savings. But we both have also cultivated careers we can maintain while we travel - I'm a writer and Dh can work on contracts with his engineering firm. The economy has added a bit of a complication - but we know how to live really frugally when required.

And if that doesn't work dd juggles and rides a unicycle and dh makes good balloon animals - so I'll send them out busking:)

[boatbaby]

Balloon tying, like balloon animals? I have heard people make good money doing that.

Fatty is a total jokester :wink But balloons ARE easy enough to store on board just in case.
:lol :lol

[onandon]

A couple weeks ago I replied to this thread saying that we'd buy a boat anytime between now and a couple years from now. I guess I was manifesting the NOW. This weekend we found a boat we adore, a beautiful restored Columbia 38, and we are trying to work out our offer for tomorrow. :D

So, would anyone talk me out of this? We've been planning/saving/dreaming/telling everyone this is our plan for years but now that it's around the corner it seems a little crazy!

We may have found a marina where we can live at least in a transient slip if not a real legal liveaboard. Bay Area boat mamas do you have any tips about getting liveaboard status with kids? DH works in Mountain View, so although the sailing isn't great we're hoping for a south bay slip, like maybe Redwood City. We are going to give ourselves 6 months to sell all of our house stuff, store what we need to, fix up a few things, finish potty training the little one, and move aboard.

[boatbaby]

yay Onandon!

congratulations to you and your soon to be floating family.

You may find more answers to you questions HERE at the Sailing Kids (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailing_Kids?yguid=190591292) Yahoo Group.

(if that link isn't working let me know -- I am working on an old lap top that won't cut and paste. blah!)

[onandon]

Our offer is in and now we wait (a week at most, but likely we'll hear from the broker tomorrow). Boatbaby I got your PM, thanks! I'll be writing to you soon.

[mizzshannon]

Oh how I envy all of you floating families! I've only just come to know of the liveaboard life within the past year and was instantly drawn to it. Ironically for me, its DH that thinks I'm a whack-job. I would loove to raise a family on the sea.. off the grid. I think it would be a great way to raise my children too. ahhhhh... one day I'll win him over to the dark side.

But for now I'll just live vicariously through you all! Happy Sailing :D

[zakoh02]

I am so happy to find this group. My French-Canadian husband and I live aboard s/v Sea Conquest -- our 1977 41 ft. Morgan Out Island with our 3.5 month old son, Sacha. We are currently in Ventura, CA, but just gave notice on our slip and signed up for the Baja Ha Ha in the fall. We plan to cruise around So Cal for the summer before heading to Mexico in the fall. If all goes well, we plan to continue cruising for awhile. I am really excited to find other cruising mamas.

[boatbaby]

I am so happy to find this group. My French-Canadian husband and I live aboard s/v Sea Conquest -- our 1977 41 ft. Morgan Out Island with our 3.5 month old son, Sacha. We are currently in Ventura, CA, but just gave notice on our slip and signed up for the Baja Ha Ha in the fall. We plan to cruise around So Cal for the summer before heading to Mexico in the fall. If all goes well, we plan to continue cruising for awhile. I am really excited to find other cruising mamas.

Welcome! As I am sure you know, outside of MDC there is a much bigger tribe of floating mamas! We've had our son aboard since birth as well.

Drop in on the sailing kids yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailing_Kids/?yguid=190591292) for more connections including families who are also heading the same direction from the west coast.

p.s. I have a soft spot for Morgan O/I --such a lovely boat!

[zakoh02]

Thanks for the warm welcome. Things have been pretty easy with the baby thus far, but I expect the challenges will emerge once he becomes more mobile. I must say that I am nervous about life afloat with a baby who can move about.

[unlegal]

Hi again, guys!

I posted a little while ago about being excited about the idea of living aboard and cruising. I told my husband about it, and he got all excited, too! Right now we are getting ready to put our house up for sale and really do this. We can't wait :joy:

We are planning on living aboard for about a year in Portland, then cruising for awhile, probably just going south down to Mexico, as we ease our way into all of this. Both of us have not even been on a sailboat, so we have no idea what we're doing ;)

Eventually, when we feel comfortable, we want to travel all over.

Right now, our kids are 5 and 2.

I think they will have a blast. Right now, my daughter (5) is having a really hard time parting with her stuff. I'm trying to get ready for a big garage sale, and she's right behind me, putting everything back.

[onandon]

Unlegal- Yah! Good luck with your house sale and boat search! Sadly, our offer didn't get accepted on the boat we love. We're still hoping it'll stay on the market and they'll call us and tell us they can sell it for less. :wink But, anyway, one thing we did was contract with Bob Perry to help review some of the boats we are interested in. Since he's been designing boats for longer than I've been alive he has great insight into sailing characteristics of boats that we just wouldn't know until we've been around another few decades. There is also a book we keep referring to called "Twenty Affordable Sailboats to Take you Anywhere" that has been a good source. If there are "beer can" races in your area you can usually volunteer to crew on boats and get to learn in the process.

[cushsb]

this sounds really neat...
how much money do you think someone looking to do the same would need to start off?

where do you learn to sail? and is it safe for kids to go along with you on the journey? sorry for the 20questions. it's always been a dream of mine to go sailing around the world :D

[SamGroom]

Glad to see so many of you on here. My dh is active duty Coast Guard and we have always planned on sailing away with the kids. We are saving away for when he is done. He gets 30 days + between transfers so we are hoping for a few practice runs soon.

[boatbaby]

Hi again, guys!

I posted a little while ago about being excited about the idea of living aboard and cruising. I told my husband about it, and he got all excited, too! Right now we are getting ready to put our house up for sale and really do this. We can't wait :joy:

We are planning on living aboard for about a year in Portland, then cruising for awhile, probably just going south down to Mexico, as we ease our way into all of this. Both of us have not even been on a sailboat, so we have no idea what we're doing ;)

Eventually, when we feel comfortable, we want to travel all over.

Right now, our kids are 5 and 2.

I think they will have a blast. Right now, my daughter (5) is having a really hard time parting with her stuff. I'm trying to get ready for a big garage sale, and she's right behind me, putting everything back.

congrats on getting ready. boat shopping is tons of fun, DH and I joke that if we had lots of $$ we'd buy a new boat every few years just because we are boat nerds and love going through them all. Let me know if you have any questions that maybe I can help with.


Unlegal- Yah! Good luck with your house sale and boat search! Sadly, our offer didn't get accepted on the boat we love. We're still hoping it'll stay on the market and they'll call us and tell us they can sell it for less. :wink But, anyway, one thing we did was contract with Bob Perry to help review some of the boats we are interested in. Since he's been designing boats for longer than I've been alive he has great insight into sailing characteristics of boats that we just wouldn't know until we've been around another few decades. There is also a book we keep referring to called "Twenty Affordable Sailboats to Take you Anywhere" that has been a good source. If there are "beer can" races in your area you can usually volunteer to crew on boats and get to learn in the process.

So sorry your offer fell through. The right boat is waiting out there for you. crewing in races is a great way to get your feet wet in sailing. Aside from a little sailing as a kid, that's how I got started (and met my husband!)

this sounds really neat...
how much money do you think someone looking to do the same would need to start off?

where do you learn to sail? and is it safe for kids to go along with you on the journey? sorry for the 20questions. it's always been a dream of mine to go sailing around the world :D

You spend what you have. Just like a house. Learning to sail, you need to find people who have boats and bring them food and booze :lol And yes, bring the kids along! They will pick it all up faster than you do. :wink

[MomInFlux]

I found my new tribe! :joy:

Hubby and I are on the hunt for the perfect sailboat for our family of 5. We already have a live-aboard slip arranged in Marina Del Rey, California, so we just need to find the boat. The plan is to be moved aboard by the end of the summer; hopefully the timing will work with selling our house. I think we'll live aboard for a year to 18 months while I keep working (I'll be working in downtown Los Angeles and DH will upgrade the boat while staying home with the kids) and we learn to sail the new boat. After that, we're taking off. The kids are 2, 5, and 8, and they're ready to go.

Our goal is to live lightly and frugally, and prepare for a post-oil future. That means being able to maneuver the boat without an engine, as well as not have engine dependent systems (refrigeration, water maker, etc.).

We're pretty excited about divesting ourselves of "stuff" and making our lives about experiences rather than things.

[LeoneLover13]

I'm so excited to find this!! :joy:

A quick background....
DH is Navy and we just moved to Guam 6 months ago with our baby girl, now 11 months. He tried to talk me into moving on a boat a few years ago when we were first together and I was not interested :o but now...I am SO excited by the idea! I wish we would have done it earlier, but now we are trying to figure out the funds for our dream.

We essentially plan to buy a boat, fix it up and move aboard whilst on our 3-4 year tour here in Guam.
We elected not to tell anyone about our plan yet (except our new close friends here) for obviously reasons i'm sure. I figure i'll call my Mom one day and just tell her we moved on a boat and plan to sail back to the mainland...:p....:thumb

boatbaby- HI!!! I feel like I am meeting a celebrity! :wink
My husband found your incredible blog last week and was reading it for 3 days straight, told me about it and since then we have both been inspired to really get started on our dream together. :love

I'm sure I have 4000 questions (and once DH finds out he will too!) but i'll start with...

1. How big is too big? DH says past 40' would be too much for just the two of us to handle.
2. Is a Cat or a monohull more spacious at the same length? We have been debating this. I think I would prefer a cat (just based off your blog boatbaby!) because of space, but DH says they are harder to sail and WAY more expensive.?
3. We are considering buying a boat that needs fixing up so we can customize to our needs/wants. Smart or crazy? :wink
4. I am most concerned about not having the following: a shower/bath, internet (I work online) and a washer (I really enjoy doing laundry and I'm cloth diapering so I use it ten times a day right now). How do you deal?
5. Are there any Military Mama's living aboard? How does the Military deal with your living situation?

I'll have more q's don't worry :p but i'm so happy to be here! :D

[iris777888]

Hello there! We've been strongly considering living aboard too, so I'm interested to see the answers and will eventually have more questions as well. It seems like all the families I'm reading about seem to live in Cats.

BTW boatbaby, congrats on the great article! :thumb

[HiBethany]

Hi all,

We're still in the 'dreaming' phase, but will make the liveaboard cruising life our reality in a few years. Right now dh is making the money and I'm doing the research. We're living in England temporarily and moving back to Marina del Rey CA in March 2010. We're adopting and hope to have a wee one home shortly thereafter. I recognize a few of you on here via your sail/kid blogs! I blog at http://lifeonplanetearth.wordpress.com/. If any of you are passing by Marina del Rey, please do get in touch. I'd love to have you around for tea or dinner and hear more about your exotic lifestyle!

[Oliversmommy]

Hi all!

This is exciting to see an MDC thread on this! My DH and I can't WAIT to start sailing. We have two boys (almost three and just turned one) and are hoping to get #3 started soon. We wanted a larger family AND to be able to sail, so we decided to go for small spacing.

Here's our 5(or maybe 7) year plan---which we've already started. First, we bought a house in a great neighborhood, and have been doing a lot of fixing up ourselves. We live in Philadelphia. We are saving everything we can, including any bonus DH makes. I teach childbirth classes and we save that money too. Once the kids are all in school, probably pre-K, I will go back to teaching (I have a Master's degree)---all that money will be saved.

We should be able to pay off our house entirely, and then buy a boat (this is why it may be a 7 year plan, not 5). We may buy the boat first though, we'll see.

THEN we can RENT our house out---and make close to $2000 a month, which would allow us to sail---FOREVER!

I got this idea from Embarrassment of Mangoes (http://www.amazon.com/Embarrassment-Mangoes-Caribbean-Interlude/dp/0767914279)

We'll see how this all works. My DH a former Navy submarine guy and is in the energy business, so there's a slight chance he could consult from the sea, but most likely, we're going to need to find a way to fund this without work.

I will start practicing my balloon animals though. Maybe we MDC mom's can corner the market?

[boatbaby]

boatbaby- HI!!! I feel like I am meeting a celebrity! :wink
My husband found your incredible blog last week and was reading it for 3 days straight, told me about it and since then we have both been inspired to really get started on our dream together. :love

I'm sure I have 4000 questions (and once DH finds out he will too!) but i'll start with...

1. How big is too big? DH says past 40' would be too much for just the two of us to handle.
2. Is a Cat or a monohull more spacious at the same length? We have been debating this. I think I would prefer a cat (just based off your blog boatbaby!) because of space, but DH says they are harder to sail and WAY more expensive.?
3. We are considering buying a boat that needs fixing up so we can customize to our needs/wants. Smart or crazy? :wink
4. I am most concerned about not having the following: a shower/bath, internet (I work online) and a washer (I really enjoy doing laundry and I'm cloth diapering so I use it ten times a day right now). How do you deal?
5. Are there any Military Mama's living aboard? How does the Military deal with your living situation?

I'll have more q's don't worry :p but i'm so happy to be here! :D

Hi LeoneLover! Cats are great, but monos make a lot of sense too. We happen to get our cat for a steal considering the size. Dumb luck on our part. Getting a monohull that you can pay for free & clear is a smart move. But if you plan to live aboard and work and can manage a small mortgage then having the space of a cat is nice.

Your husband is right (sorry to say!) Past 40 feet isn't unmanageable, but if we didn't have a kid or weren't living aboard in a 4-season climate before casting off again, we wouldn't have gone more than 40 feet. Our first boat was an old PDQ36 that was perfection in almost every way. We went bigger when I got pregnant. Looking back, there are some 40-foot cats that would have done just as nicely as this big mama at 44-feet.

Your husband is wrong in that they are harder to sail. No way. Much easier in every way. I have done both extensively. You and your husband NEED to charter or take lessons or bum rides on both to see what suits you. There's no perfect boat. It's just what works for you.

Buying a new boat is never a guarantee that everything will be right. But a fixer upper can be a nightmare too unless you are VERY HANDY and have the time and patience to tackle it. A boat that's had one or two owners who have worked out the kinks is great, especially if the owner is willing to go over the boat with you after purchase. But being pre-owned it will need upgrading in every major system, so there's your chance to make it how you want it.

If you are living aboard -- the marina will have laundry facilities. It's a pain to walk over load after load, but you manage. All cruising boat will have some set up for you to bathe. usually a shower. We are lucky with 2 bath tubs, very unusual. They are wee tubs for kids, we stand in them to shower. we only use the tubs when we have free & clear access to fresh water. So we have a "bath season" (http://zachaboard.blogspot.com/2008/12/bath-season-is-over.html). :lol

Thanks for the kind words and feel free to email me with any questions. No question is too silly. I don't check here to often, so send me a PM and I can send you my email address.

It seems like all the families I'm reading about seem to live in Cats.

BTW boatbaby, congrats on the great article! :thumb

Thanks for the congrats on the article! :love We're pretty excited over here. Cats are catching on. But I wouldn't discount monos either. Depends on your budget, long term plans, and short term living ideas.



Hi all,

I'd love to have you around for tea or dinner and hear more about your exotic lifestyle!

Hi Bethany! I'll be right over :)


Hi all!

This is exciting to see an MDC thread on this! My DH and I can't WAIT to start sailing.
I will start practicing my balloon animals though. Maybe we MDC mom's can corner the market?

When you say start sailing , do you mean as a lifestyle or learning? Definitely get out and sail as much as you can on various boats before you think about buying anything. And once you buy a boat, live on it for AT LEAST one full year before you cast off and cruise. There's a steep learning curve.

But yes, balloon animals are in our future!

If anyone plans to come out to the Annapolis Boat Show, drop me a line and we can get together. Cheers!

[Oliversmommy]

By "start sailing" it would be learning for the kids, but my DH grew up sailing on the water and raced in college. I have less experience but I know I'll pick it up fast. We'll definitely start slow, before hopping in full time!

[searcher]

Hey everyone. I am so excited to find this. We live seasonally(summer in Maine) on a Watkins 27 and are refitting (rebuilding might be more accurate) a 40 foot Morgan design. The hope is to cruise for a few years once the boys are a little older. We work on the boat as time and money allow and sail the 27 as much as we can. Unfortunately, our engine is being rebuilt so we are hauled for the winter already. Perhaps I can live vicariously through those of you in other climates.

What fun to find other sailing mamas