Five “pros and cons” to figure out if life on a boat is for you

We had already talked about of these two nice girls, Katie and Jessie, two friends not yet 30 years old who completed in mid-January the America Great Loop (the circumnavigation of the eastern part of the United States of America) aboard a 1979 Cal 27 (thus a splendid #plasticfantastic) and in the company of a dog: Reggie. Their adventure is narrated on the blog katieandjessieonaboat.com.

THE TEST TO SEE IF LIFE ON A BOAT IS FOR YOU
The two sailors returned to the spotlight with a list of advantages and disadvantages of living for months aboard a small sailboat. We have translated them for you. Advantages and disadvantages on categories that … coincide, as you will see. Read on, and by seeing the glass half full or half empty, you will understand whether shipboard life is for you or you are a lounge sailor.

1. THE SIMPLICITY OF SHIPBOARD LIFE
PROS. You have with you all the bare essentials, and nothing more. The mess is behind you. The diet is simple, the wardrobe is small, you may have at most two pairs of shoes, if you have not lost one at sea. You go to sleep when the sun goes down, you wake up when it rises again. To hell with the time, the calendars, the numbers that marked your days. Is there no Internet? Read a book. M;ore the phone? Letter writing. You will perfect the art of sitting still. You will find pleasure in the simplest of things
COUNTERS. Is it raining? You get wet. Is it hot as hell? There is no air conditioning. If the blanket freezes, there are no heat sources. Are your clothes dirty? Forget the laundry, you keep them. Are you starving? Open a can of tuna with a side of brown avocado, and walk. Sometimes the physical discomfort seems to be endless!

2. YOU TAKE YOUR HOUSE WHEREVER YOU WANT
PROS. The longer you stay on board, the more alien every single square meter of a concrete apartment building will seem to you. The boat becomes your comfort zone, the walls within which you feel safe, your friend, your means of transportation and ticket to explore the world. Few restrictions, endless opportunities.
COUNTERS. Once you get used to being a nomad, you will hardly be able to go back to the old ways. You will never feel comfortable standing still in one place; it is difficult even to keep a conventional job. Not to mention a relationship! It is not easy to stay in one place with the knowledge that you can leave whenever you like, simply by letting go of your moorings. The possibility of “moving your house” trumps all. Go, keep going, continually say “goodbye” to everyone and everything

3. MOTHER NATURE.
PROS. As you can imagine, the reason is self-explanatory. Sunrises, sunsets, full moons, wild life, eagles, pelicans, herons, manatees, sharks, spiders. Brilliant stars, incredible clouds, exciting thunderstorms, beautiful rain, ever-changing landscapes, oceans, rivers.
COUNTERS. There is no way to joke or negotiate with Mother Nature. She doesn’t give a damn about you and your needs. It can change its mind at any time, day or night, forcing you to change course, take cover, or head offshore. You are always at his mercy. She is the mother-in-law you secretly despise. You are nothing but a playing card in her hands as she deviously shuffles the cards.

4. BECOME A HANDYMAN
PROS. You will find yourself playing multiple roles. If something breaks down, you will take time to understand the fault and know whether you can fix it yourself before making a hasty and spoiled phone call. When your budget is tight but you have plenty of time on your hands, you will be surprised by your DIY skills. You will become a bit of a mechanic, plumber, electrician, craftsman, sailor, navigator.
COUNTERS. Knowing how to do a little bit of everything also has disadvantages. Does the engine abandon you? They will ask about you for mechanical skills. Does salt corrode electrical wires? You will be sought out by other crew members asking for enlightenment. Does the toilet break down? You’ll have to put your hands in the m— you, plumber on board. Do you get lost? You are the navigators; you will be accountable to the crew. Dirty jobs, unfortunately, are not for ultra-skilled workers!

5. INCERTAINMENT
PROS. Every day your goal is to get from point A to point B. You don’t even know if you will make it. We believe there is nothing more exciting and motivating than a good challenge. There is a perpetual flow of questions that you have not yet answered, and you get used to being more and more curious day by day.
COUNTERS. We repeat ourselves. Every day your goal is to get from point A to point B. You don’t even know if you will make it. THE obstacles and difficulties will surely come, but you will not know when and in what form. Course changes, plan Bs, backward gears. Everything is uncertain, everything is possible.

Ghego Saggini