Problem statement

I’m feeling incredibly frustrated with lockdown, and the state of the world in general. I’m 25 years old and facing a life in a concrete jungle with overpriced everything. I grew up in London and have always dreamed of leaving the city, I’m sure you’ll understand how frustrating therefore having to come back to the big smoke for work is. Every day I go for a walk and must endure the constantly worsening air pollution. A home will cost me half a million quid, at least. The golden handcuffs of a life in tech are quite real.

This is the better way.

Boats are normally considered a luxury for the rich and, when you’re also paying for a house on land and a slip in a marina they are. Oh, and boats require constant maintenance. This sounds like a recipe for disaster right? It’s not that simple, it rarely is.

The reality of the situation is that when you’re living on a boat out at anchor you’ve removed the largest monthly expense anyone will likely ever have - rent.

When you consider also that you’re generating your own power (in a renewable way) the monthly expenses drop considerably. As an example,the folks at SV Delos spend around $1000/month maintaining a 53 foot sailboat.

On the flip side, there are new costs on the water. Mooring spots and slips cost money, whether you’re a transient or a permanent liveaboard. Boats require maintenance that houses do not, and it’s always more expensive. You must haul your boat out of the water at least once a year to do annual maintenance (bottom paint, etc.), and you need somewhere to live while that’s happening - ideally near the boatyard, especially if you’re doing your own work. Sails need replacing, decks need refurbishing, masts leak, sensors fail - all of this must be accounted for while drawing up the budget.

But you can’t put a price on freedom, can you? What’s a paycheck for, anyway?

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