Hello everyone!
Here’s a little introduction as well as looking for recommendations.
I am from New England and I hate snow. I am a single mother to a 7 year old boy. I got a taste of the liveaboard lifestyle a few years ago when I dated a guy with a 37 foot sailboat and we spent most of a summer on the sailboat. I am not confident enough to try to single hand a sailboat. I have been around boats my entire life, and in the past year I have decided I want to liveaboard with my son.
My goal is to get an older trawler in the next few years. I want one that is structurally and mechanically sound that I can rehab the interior to make my own. I am saving money, hoping to be able to find one that I wouldn’t need to finance. Yes, I’m aware that anything I find cheaper will need a lot of work. I would do all the major work up here where I can take advantage of family and tools to assist when needed. I would hopefully learn more about the mechanical aspects of running a boat and get familiar with what I buy. When the major stuff is done and I’m comfortable running the boat alone, my son and I would start south. Our end location is TBD. I would go until I find someplace I want to stay. Ideally, somewhere I could dive year round without a drysuit.
I don’t seem to see a lot of single people doing the liveaboard lifestyle, never mind single parents. Any blogs I can find are usually couples or couples with their kids. I already know my dad will be overprotective and be the hardest one to get onboard with my plans. He will worry about our safety.
Are there any other single parents that liveaboard? Are there areas where this is more common? Tips? I don’t have to contend with limitations due to custody/visitation. I have sole legal/physical custody and there is no visitation.
Realistically, What size trawler would I want to be looking at? I know I want us both to have our own space, as well as space for family to visit (pull out couch?). I know I don’t want to go too big because of slip fees. I want to live on it full time. Somewhere I can send my son to school and I can work, but on weekends/vacations we can just go cruising.
Here’s a little introduction as well as looking for recommendations.
I am from New England and I hate snow. I am a single mother to a 7 year old boy. I got a taste of the liveaboard lifestyle a few years ago when I dated a guy with a 37 foot sailboat and we spent most of a summer on the sailboat. I am not confident enough to try to single hand a sailboat. I have been around boats my entire life, and in the past year I have decided I want to liveaboard with my son.
My goal is to get an older trawler in the next few years. I want one that is structurally and mechanically sound that I can rehab the interior to make my own. I am saving money, hoping to be able to find one that I wouldn’t need to finance. Yes, I’m aware that anything I find cheaper will need a lot of work. I would do all the major work up here where I can take advantage of family and tools to assist when needed. I would hopefully learn more about the mechanical aspects of running a boat and get familiar with what I buy. When the major stuff is done and I’m comfortable running the boat alone, my son and I would start south. Our end location is TBD. I would go until I find someplace I want to stay. Ideally, somewhere I could dive year round without a drysuit.
I don’t seem to see a lot of single people doing the liveaboard lifestyle, never mind single parents. Any blogs I can find are usually couples or couples with their kids. I already know my dad will be overprotective and be the hardest one to get onboard with my plans. He will worry about our safety.
Are there any other single parents that liveaboard? Are there areas where this is more common? Tips? I don’t have to contend with limitations due to custody/visitation. I have sole legal/physical custody and there is no visitation.
Realistically, What size trawler would I want to be looking at? I know I want us both to have our own space, as well as space for family to visit (pull out couch?). I know I don’t want to go too big because of slip fees. I want to live on it full time. Somewhere I can send my son to school and I can work, but on weekends/vacations we can just go cruising.