Knotyourwife
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2019
- Messages
- 25
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Knot Your Wife
- Vessel Make
- Marine Trader
Long story short I have been fascinated with this idea for years, and have spent many an afternoon strolling docks in my area and meeting folks who live aboard-hearing the stories, admiring the culture and attitudes on life they all had. I would read, watch videos, plan and dream some more. I have always been a low key prepper and love perfecting my bug out plans and gear. Living on a boat was the holy grail of all my plans combined.
Fast forward to present day with adult children gone and working on their own dreams , an opportunity to downsize, sell my home and pay off my sons student debt-timing was perfect and the nudge I needed was more like a tap on the shoulder and a whisper "it's time".
After searching for the perfect vessel I found a 36 ft 1979 Marine Trader and it was love and first sight even though she needs some work. I was mostly dealing with brokers, and the broker representing the Marine Trader seemed to think I cared more about the aesthetics of the boat than the nuts and bolts of it all. I found this to be the case with many of the brokers. Honestly "I don't know what I don't know" so I was hoping for education, direction, and so on as I would do for a first time buyer on a home being a Realtor. Well that was not the case, I ended up locating the owner; a retired female firefighter, and having a sit down with her ( we sealed the deal ) I am currently typing from my floating home it is amazing and terrifying in the same breathe. *Yes I had a survey .
I have already experienced:
Having to tighten a screw in the stuffing box
(thank you google-not what I thought a stuffing box would look like) that was leaking causing my bilge to run several times a day-I thought I was going to sink literally. Imagine a frantic Realtor giving her dockmates her card in the event the "ship" literally goes down. Now once I understood everything I realized the bilge was doing its job and it would take ALOT of water and no bilge action to sink my baby. And my dockmates are wonderful and informed me no ones ship will go down on their watch. I imagine they must giggle at this newbie.
Chasing a drip from the upper deck and eventually tarping it off until I can redo the fiberglass. Drip gone but its source location remains a mystery.
After breaking down and getting over my fear to use the head, tank odor in the aft cabin. My first thought was panic-is my tank leaking? Anything I run into, my first thought is panic.
Every noise, every smell, every new experience I have to address is again terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. There is so much to learn before I can even begin to think about taking her out. As I sit here typing, I am grinning ear to ear and scared shitless. ( but would prefer not to smell it )
So AHOY! Stay tuned.
Fast forward to present day with adult children gone and working on their own dreams , an opportunity to downsize, sell my home and pay off my sons student debt-timing was perfect and the nudge I needed was more like a tap on the shoulder and a whisper "it's time".
After searching for the perfect vessel I found a 36 ft 1979 Marine Trader and it was love and first sight even though she needs some work. I was mostly dealing with brokers, and the broker representing the Marine Trader seemed to think I cared more about the aesthetics of the boat than the nuts and bolts of it all. I found this to be the case with many of the brokers. Honestly "I don't know what I don't know" so I was hoping for education, direction, and so on as I would do for a first time buyer on a home being a Realtor. Well that was not the case, I ended up locating the owner; a retired female firefighter, and having a sit down with her ( we sealed the deal ) I am currently typing from my floating home it is amazing and terrifying in the same breathe. *Yes I had a survey .
I have already experienced:
Having to tighten a screw in the stuffing box
(thank you google-not what I thought a stuffing box would look like) that was leaking causing my bilge to run several times a day-I thought I was going to sink literally. Imagine a frantic Realtor giving her dockmates her card in the event the "ship" literally goes down. Now once I understood everything I realized the bilge was doing its job and it would take ALOT of water and no bilge action to sink my baby. And my dockmates are wonderful and informed me no ones ship will go down on their watch. I imagine they must giggle at this newbie.
Chasing a drip from the upper deck and eventually tarping it off until I can redo the fiberglass. Drip gone but its source location remains a mystery.
After breaking down and getting over my fear to use the head, tank odor in the aft cabin. My first thought was panic-is my tank leaking? Anything I run into, my first thought is panic.
Every noise, every smell, every new experience I have to address is again terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. There is so much to learn before I can even begin to think about taking her out. As I sit here typing, I am grinning ear to ear and scared shitless. ( but would prefer not to smell it )
So AHOY! Stay tuned.
I won't tell you what to do or how to do it. You will learn what you need to know in your own good time. Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.
