LIVING ABOARD II

We will officially start our 5th year aboard Terratima at the end of June.  We took delivery of her on the  30th of June 2009.  So what have we learned over the last 4 years?

• Living Aboard is wonderful
• We miss nothing of the stuff we put into storage 4 years ago (in fact, we have a problem looming as to how to get rid of it all).
• I don't know how other boats work for day-to-day life at the dock and under sail, but the Island Packet 465 is OUTSTANDING in every way.
• People still believe we are living aboard because :

• We're nuts. I doubt it (although my mother never had me tested like Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory).  This was a decision about how we wanted to live and the idea that we would travel far afield by sailboat when we have the opportunity.
• We can't afford to live in a house. Wrong.  Ask yourself why you buy a house on a lot apart from other lots and why you go to and fro in a  car.  Our land development approach is unsustainable.  Were we on land, it would be in a high density land setting because we like cities.
• You never sail, it's just a trailer with sails  Wrong.  It has been suggested to us in the past that we were not only nuts but "Maritime Trailer Trash".  Why is it so hard to understand this is a lifestyle choice.  It's like living in a resort with geese, ducks, eagles, swans and the occasional ribbon seal believe it or not.  And we sail.  This boat is EXPENSIVE - and the reason it is has to do with the simple fact she is intended to go places and cross oceans.  As a result, the construction is heavy and strong, as is the rigging and systems.  So match that to the people aboard her who intend to take her places.  many of our neighbours are hard working professional people.  This is about choice. 
• It's uncomfortable.  Wrong.  This boat is full of light, warm and comfortable and a home in every sense of the word. 
• You'll tire of it .  Wrong.  We love it more now than when we started out.

There is lots to learn.  It has taken us four years to understand who to ask to get certain things done, how long it takes to get those things done and what are the maintenance items on a boat.  If we have had any issues, it is with the complexity of marine systems and understanding who does this best.  Examples:

• We had difficulties with our Wabasto hydronic heating system.  Not the entire system, but the furnace unit itself.  It ran spewing bits of black junk and messed up our dinghy.  We asked the guys who commissioned the boat to fix it and they charged us a lot of money to not fix the problem.  We called the manufacturer and they said the best guys in my area were in Seattle, so we sailed down to Seattle and it was fixed PERMANENTLY in 20 minutes.  Cause of problem: a less than ideal installation location and a cracked electronic control board.  Replaced board and made allowances to allow maximum air to get to the intake opening and it has worked flawlessly since.  
• Electrical systems - either AC or DC are not to be messed with.  We had to have work done by a really good marine electrician on the AC SIDE  there are ways to ensure wiring is soundly installed and ways not to.  The problems we had related back to the original commissioning and was not in the hands of the best people.  
• Aside from electrical and specialty (marine electronics) - Learn how to do the maintenance yourself.  Changing the engine oil, oiling and varnishing teak, polishing the gelcoat, polishing the brightwork.  It will keep you busy, believe me.  
• Learn to sew and buy a really good walking foot sewing machine.  Sails are a huge issue and we have repaired our sails more than once.