Educate yourself - Boating skills

Boating offers many opportunities for recreation:cruising, fishing and skiing are enjoyed by thousands of Americans each year. Even though boat registrations in the US fell by 1.4 per cent in 2008 compared to the previous year, there are still 12.8 million boats out there many of which are going to be involved in accidents.

From the 2000 United States Coast Guard Boating Statistics there were 7,740 accidents in the U.S. Many of these accidents were collisions, fires and skier mishaps. There were 701 deaths and 4,355 injuries. The open motor boat caused the most accidents in the United States. In 2000, 361 people were killed in accidents on this type of boat.

If you are wondering why authorities are trying to "take the fun out of boating," it's because many uneducated boaters think they have boating skills because they can drive a car. Wrong!

KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE ON THE WATER - EDUCATE YOURSELF!

U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Rules

See below for more recourses -

		DVD FORMAT

Clicker Train the Liveaboard Dog

Clicker obedience training is one of the best things you can do for your dog, your marina neighbors, and yourself. Clicker training doesn't solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem that will effect your life as a liveaboard. Training opens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want her to do. You can teach her anything from 'stay' (don't bolt out the door) to 'sit' (don't jump up on the visitors) to 'off' (don't chew the furniture).

Dogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave like animals. They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, dig holes in your yard, fight other dogs and even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal canine activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect his natural behavior to outlets that are acceptable in the domestic setting.

Obedience training is also an easy way to establish the social hierarchy. When your dog obeys a simple request of 'come here, sit,' she is showing compliance and respect for you. It is NOT necessary to establish yourself as top dog or leader of the pack by using extreme measures such as the so-called alpha roll-over. You CAN teach your dog her subordinate role by teaching her to show submission to you in a paw raise (shake hands), roll over or hand lick (give a kiss). Most dogs love performing these tricks (obedience commands) for you which also pleasantly acknowledge that you are in charge.

The Clicker training method is fun and rewarding for you and your dog. It can enrich your relationship and make living together more enjoyable. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained one. A Clicker trained dog will come when called.

Some people debate whether or not it is possible to train puppies, and others ask whether it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks. The answer to both questions is an unequivocal YES. Whatever the age of your dog, the right time to begin training is right now! The most important time in your dog's life is right now. Your dog's behavior is constantly changing. A dog that is well-behaved today will not necessarily remain that way forever. New problems can always develop. Existing problems can always get worse.

Check out the items below and start clicker training!

Day in Life of Liveaboard Dog

Bandit our rescue Border Collie who is now 15 years old!
She now needs a ramp to get on and off our boat.

This one works is perfect for a boat. Check it out!
Solvit Deluxe Telescoping Pet Ramp

You've got to see this!

Abandoned piglet is lost and hound: Giant farm dog saves baby pig’s bacon by adopting it as one of its own….

A giant farm dog and a tiny piglet cuddle up as if they were family after the baby runt was dismissed by its own mother.

Surrogate mum Katjinga, an eight-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback, took on motherly duties for grunter Paulinchen – a tiny pot-bellied pig – and seems to be taking the adoption in her stride.

Lonely Paulinchen was luckily discovered moments from death and placed in the care of the dog who gladly accepted it as one of her own. Thankfully for the two-week old mini porker, Katjinga fell in love with her at first site and saved her bacon.
Enlarge

Motherly love: Baby piglet feeds on its new surrogate mum
And the unlikely relationship has made the wrinkly piggy a genuine sausage dog. In these adorable images Paulinchen can even be seen trying to suckle from her gigantic new mum.
The two animals live together on a huge 20-acre farm in Hoerstel, Germany, where Katjinga’s owners Roland Adam, 54, and his wife Edit, 44, a bank worker, keep a pair of breeding Vietnamese pigs.





Nose place like home: The baby piglet nuzzles up to its new mum
Property developer Roland found the weak and struggling piglet after she was abandoned by the rest of her family one evening after she was born.
He said: “The pigs run wild on our land and the sow had given birth to a litter of five in our forest.
“I found Paulinchen all alone and when I lifted her up she was really cold.




Feeding time: Piglet’s new canine mother has no problem providing milk for the youngster
“I felt sure some local foxes would have taken the little pig that very night so I took it into my house and gave her to Katinga.

“She had just finished with a litter of her own, who are now 10 months, so I thought there was a chance she might take on the duties of looking after her. “Katinga is the best mother you can imagine. She immediately fell in love with the piggy. Straight away she started to clean it like it was one of her own puppies.

Doting: Caring pooch checks up on her new addition
“Days later she started lactating again and giving milk for the piggy. She obviously regards it now as her own baby.”
Mum of the year? Quite possibly.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1210909/Abandoned-piglet-lost-hound-Giant-farm-dog-saves-baby-pigs-bacon-adopting-own.html#ixzz0Q4Yn6YQ7

Dampness,Mildew&Rust:Oh,My!

Boat owners, especially liveaboards, have to contend with the ravages of corrosion, rust and mildew. Mildew and mold can thrive in canvas sails or upholstery, leather seats, dark cabinets or closets. Our biggest problem is mildew, it can pop up anywhere in a liveaboard’s life; not just the bathroom, but on stateroom ceilings, walls and crevices. I have even discovered mildew in drawers that I hadn’t opened in a while.


My best friend is now bleach spray cleaner Love the stuff!



You do have to be careful when using a bleach product to keep from discoloring items. If I use it in a stateroom, I strip off the bedding and make sure I wear protective eyewear if I’m cleaning mildew off the ceiling. I also make sure to have plenty of ventilation in the room. Don’t forget to wear old clothes, as you WILL get bleach spray on them.

Everyone knows best way to prevent mildew is to keep things dry. That is not always possible on a boat. We get tons of condensation in one of our forward stateroom because of the large hatch in the ceiling. It’s not too much of a problem during the summer, but when the cold and rain comes and that hatch stays closed, it is a constant battle; thus the bleach spray.

Some boaters leave a low wattage bulb burning in a mildew-prone room. I’m not a big fan of that idea, as it is a potential fire hazard and really believe that you need to have a Dehumidifier .

When we had a smaller boat, not a liveaboard, we used Goldenrod Dehumidifier Rod that comes in various lengths.

This handy item is a great way to stop mold, mildew and dampness in your cabin and compartments. You can leave it on when you are not aboard as it is safe from fire danger and it has no moving parts to wear out and no chemicals to replace. It runs on 110V AC shore power, installs in minutes and is energy efficient.

While we are on the subject of keeping things dry and warm, I found the perfect Portable Cabin Heater for a terriffic price at Amazon.




It has 2 Heat Settings and you can Stand It Up or Lay It Down so it is easy to put just about anywhere on a boat. Adjustable Thermostat / Anti-Frost Setting and a Cool Fan Function - Can Be Used Without Heat If The boat Gets Too Hot. But the most important feature: Overheat Protection Shut-Off / Power Indicator Light /Thermal Cut-Off /Fire Retardant.
We have one in each stateroom and that is all we need during a Southern California Winter.

Another of my favorite tricks is to keep an electric blanket on our bed during cold weather. About an hour before we go to bed, I turn that baby on to High and it is an absolute treat to snuggle into that nice warm bed. P.S. if there are two of you sharing that electric blanket, be sure to get one with two (2) controls! I like it real warm and the captain does NOT.

Living on the Hard

Click here for the world's premiere source for Inflatable Boats




Have you thought about it? If you are a liveaboard, sooner or later the time will come when your boat will have to be pulled out of the water and worked on in a boat yard. Whether it’s new bottom paint or maintenance, you will need a new home for the duration. Depending upon the amount of drydock work that needs to be done, you could be homeless for days or weeks.

When this happens, it is always best to have planned ahead. Hit up all your friends and family for a place to stay. If you have been around your marina for some time, there will always be another marina tenant who will allow you to stay on their boat (If they are liveaboards, they will need the return favor some day soon.) This is where your dockmaster can help. He knows his tenants and who's boat may be available for you to use for a nominal or no cost at all.

Very few boat yards allow you to Live on the Hard while they work on your boat. If their insurance does permit you to stay aboard, what will you do with the dog? You will have to use a ladder to board, and unless Fido is a lap-dog, or an athlete, you will have to make arrangements to live elsewhere while the boat yard does work on your boat.


Last year, the diver who scrubs the bottom of our boat gave us the news that we needed to paint the bottom of our boat. We called around to the various boat yards and got the best price, within boat yards with the best reputations. We then had to figure out where we would go for the four plus days it would take to sand, repair, and paint our bottom. Fortunatly, we have connections at a few wonderful San Diego hotels, and made arrangements to get accommodations for super-bargain price. We put in for vacation time and planned to really relax and enjoy ourselves for four day at a resort!


The morning we were scheduled to cruise the boat over to the yard, San Diego had near-gale force winds and horrible wild fires. Thank goodness my husband is a professional boat captain, as I really believe that he is the only one who could have piloted our boat through those frightening high winds. We had to go through with our scheduled repairs as both of us had already arranged for the time off from our jobs, and didn’t know when we could again arrange simultaneous time off. We had planned to stay at a local pet-friendly hotel, but it was right in the middle of the fires.

Plan B - Shall I say we threw caution to the wind, and called a hotel in Las Vegas that also allowed pets

(The Red Rock Resort). They had space for us, so off we drove to Las Vegas.

All worked out, and the best part of this incident was the fact that my husband, Mr. Lucky, won enough gambling to pay for the entire trip plus a good portion of the boat yard fees!

But we did learn another lesson liveaboard lesson:
Always have a plan B.

Keeping Fit Aboard a Boat

If the dog is overweight YOU are not getting enough exercise.
Just where do you exercise when you live on a boat? You'll not have enough dedicated space for a home gym or even one piece of decent equiptment. Fear not, it can be done and I offer you some suggestions that have worked for me as a long-time liveaboard.

Biking

  I love a folding bike as part of the liveaboard exercise regime because it is light and compact, folds and unfolds for easy storage. These bikes ride like any standard road bike and looks good. I had a standard bike that I had to keep in the marina bike-stand and the dampness and salt air ruined it in just a few months - what a waste of money that was. You can keep a folding bike in your car trunk (that's what I do) or store it on the boat: perfect for the liveaboard.

Walk the dog

- Great, but what if you are out cruising and you very intelligently purchased a PETaPOTTY when you can't walk the dog. What then?
- how can you walk the dog.

Live aboards do get exercise just walking up and down the marina ramp, and the long walk to and from car to boat. Boaters have a love of outdoors and those of us with dogs do get to take long walks with our pets several times a day. Is that enough? Perhaps to feel good, but obviously not enough to keep fit or lose weight.

What does a liveaboard do? I'm no fitness nut, but I do like to keep feeling good, and over the years I've tried every way a small space will allow and I've come up with several winners.

What is a good exercise to do in a small space such, as a boat, to lose weight and keep fit?

Exercise + Liveaboard = YOGA

  In most forms of yoga there are three components to doing yoga: breathing, concentration and physical poses.

Obviously, to practice yoga, you will need to find precious space on your boat. The great thing about Yoga is you need only the space your mat and body need. In some cases, using a combination of different spaces or areas inside and outside your boat can be effective. You may have a wall in the salon where you do against-the-wall poses and another space on the deck or dock where you practice freestanding poses. Many poses are perfect with small spaces in mind.

I'm no yoga expert, and I use it mainly to stretch and keep myself flexible and moving with ease. I feel better when I do the poses at least 3 times a week, and it does help with weight control.

At our marina is a group of live aboards who get together in the morning and practice Yoga around the pool. One of the features of yoga that has helped boost its popularity with those of us who live on a boat is that it is easy to practice the routines onboard and no special equipment is necessary.


Although it's best to begin yoga in a class with a teacher who can help you make sure you're doing the postures correctly, there are also lots of videotapes, CD's, and books that can help you get started. I love Yoga Onboard;this book is absolutely perfect for the liveaboard.

Yoga Onboard offers creative alternatives to adapting yoga postures to a boat. Using various parts of the boat as props, the author demonstrates how easy it is to do yoga on whatever size boat you have.

Yoga items that you may want to purchase once you decide that yoga is for you!

Basic Level OM Yoga in a Box

use the code AFSAV15 to receive a 15% discount off purchases of $50 or more at YogaAccessories.com (expires 10/15/09)

Blue Cotton Yoga Rug

Hugger Mugger Cotton Yoga Rug

You will find it hard to put these Hugger Mugger rugs away after practice because they are so beautiful! Place these colorful cotton rugs over your yoga mat to create a comfortable, absorbent surface for practice; very useful on a boat!

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Naming Your Boat

Don't casually name your new boat…NAME IT CAREFULLY. Remember, other boaters will know you by the name of your boat. You do not want others referring to you as the guy on I'M WITH STUPID. You will also be using the boat name over the VHS radio. My husband thought it was "cute" to name our first boat SWEET CHEEKS, as that was his nickname for me. I was delighted, but I cannot tell you how embarrassed he was when ever he had to use the boat VHS radio and announce to the boating world, "Sweet Cheeks calling ABC Marina." He quickly changed that announcement by adding. "Motor craft Sweet Cheeks calling ABC Marina," but he never again felt comfortable with that boat's name. Needless to say, we gave our next boat a no nonsense name, but at that time we thought we were still stuck with that original name.

However, all was not lost, we did discover that the only cost to change the boat name was the new lettering graphics for the stern. It cost nothing to notify the Coast Guard for documentation of a boat name change. This is something that is done automatically when you purchase a boat and change its name at the time of sale.

The name of your boat will be plastered across your stern for the world to see, so be absolutely positive, it's a name you love and can live with for a long time. Nothing is worse than a 6' 4" man checking in at a new marina and telling them he is arriving on Sweet Cheeks.

BoatU.S. Top Ten Boat Names

Boat names can reveal much about the personality, lifestyle, passions or experiences of a boat owner. The BoatU.S. list of Top Ten Most Popular Boat Names is particularly revealing:

1) Black Pearl: The name of a fast, stealthy and intimidating fictional ship from the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean films, a recreational boat with this moniker was probably named by the kids.

2) Liberty: A patriotic name that first appeared on the Top Ten List just after 9-11, the owner of this vessel is clearly passionate about the freedoms enjoyed in the U.S.

3) Second Wind: Perhaps this boat owner has had a life changing experience and feels that their boat now gives them a second lease on life.

4) Amazing Grace: It could be that this boat name borrowed from a hymn provides the boat owner with a new spiritual outlet.

5) Aquaholic: This name illustrates a boater’s chronic love for the waterways. This boat is probably the first one out of the slip in the morning and the last one back in at the end of the day.

6) Knot on Call: Perhaps named by a boater in a professional field or industry with non-traditional work hours, this boat name affirms a desire break away from work pressures.

7) Second Chance: See #3, Second Wind.

8) Wanderlust: Defined as “A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel,” this boat owner clearly has a passion to cruise and explore the waterways.

9) The Dog House: Being in one (Dog House) isn’t necessarily bad for this boat owner as their vessel likely provides a “walled-off” escape away from the distractions of everyday life.

10) Carpe Diem or Seas the Day: This boat owner likely believes that boating allows them to enjoy life at its fullest.




Undoubtedly, there is indeed much in a name, and a boat, especially one large enough to be a liveaboard vessel, must be christened after careful thought.

- BOAT NAMES RESOURCE LINKS -


Boating Magazine PDF of Boat Names

10,000 boat names

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Where to Stow Your Shoes

Liveaboard life is casual, but not what I would call easy; there are many things to be taken care of that do not really affect the “land dwellers”.

Shoes! Where or where do we liveaboards keep all our shoes? That question may not sound important now, but once you become a liveaboard, it will be of utmost importance.

Marina parking lots and docks can get quite dirty, and you do not want to track all that mess onto your boat. The dog tracking in dirt is one thing that cannot be avoided; however, human shoes can be controlled. We have a basket just inside our boat entry for shoes. We either go barefoot or trudge around in socks or slippers. Now, a few words about what to do with all your shoes.

Most doors on a boat are not as thick as regular house doors, so over-the-door shoe storage bags are not suitable. We all have jobs, so here we have three people needing shoes for work, shoes for dress, shoes for play, and shoes for boating.
I love shoes! So, what to do?

I bought see-through plastic shoe boxes at the dollar store and line up the boxes against our stateroom walls and have them 2 and 3 boxes high. This works for my shoes as I can fit 2 pairs in each box, but my husband’s shoes are too big for this to work as solution for him. So, I bought several canvas shoe bags and cut them across each horizontal row. Fortunatly, our stateroom walls are covered in a material that resembles the loop layer of velcro, so I got the bright idea to attach the hook side of some heavy-duty velcro strips to the back of the canvas shoe pockets, lined them up against the wall, and, miracle upon miracle, they attached to the stateroom walls. So that was our solution to our liveaboard shoe storage. I thought I was pretty clever until I found this item in an RV supply store.

Camping and RV stores are a great place to find those perfect little storage solutions for the resourceful liveaboard. If you don’t have such a store near you, or if you prefer to shop on the internet, (yes, I’m one of those) then try CampingWorld.com.

Remember, if you just think about a liveaboard storage problem long enough, the answer will come!

Dog Water Safety Links

Dogs love boating
too... video






WATER SAFETY FOR YOUR DOG

PETS ON BOARD

TIPS FOR TAKING YOUR DOG ON A BOAT


BOATING WITH KIDS AND DOGS

PET SAFETY WHILE ON THE WATER

OFFICAL HOME OF BOBBER THE WATER SAFETY DOG

WHAT TO DO WHEN BRINGING YOUR DOG ONBOARD

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Dog Water Toys

Why do boating dogs need toys? Dogs, especially when confined in a small space, such as on a boat, can become destructive. It's your job to keep your beloved pet happy and safe. A busy dog is a happy dog and a happy dog will not chew dangerous electronics or your valuable built-in boat furniture.

Dogs and boats go together; dogs and toys go together. Water toys for your pet to enjoy while you both are enjoying the water are essential to your pet's health and well-being. Here we offer a selection of tried and true doggie toys that your dog will love as he/she keeps you amused for hours while playing on the water.


Check out these water toys and enjoy play time with your Salty Dog.

Dog Health Care Tips

Cruising with your dog can present you with some items you may not have considered. As you cruise, there will be times when you do not have access to a veterinarian.
It is your responsibility to see that your dog is in good health and top condition before you set sail.

Your Dog's Teeth

Dogs need regular dental care. Buildup of tartar can cause inflamed, swollen gums and secondary infection that can lead to serious health problems. Dogs, one to three years old, should have their teeth brushed once a week. Dogs over three years old should have their teeth brushed three times a week.

Use a toothbrush that is made especially for dogs. They have long handles which allow you to brush the dog's back teeth. Never use human toothpaste, use an enzyme toothpaste specifically made for your dog.

There are specially treated dental cleaning pads which can be wiped over the surface of the dog's teeth. The enzymes in the pad do the cleaning.

Ear Care

Ear care is an often overlooked, but important area. Dirt and debris in the ear canal can lead to inflammation and infection. Routine ear care, using products which cleanse the ear of debris, help to dry the ear canal and assist in preventing otitis, a chronic inflammation and infection of the external ear canal.

Ear mites are small parasites which can invade your dog's ears. These mites typically cause a dry, dark brown debris to form in the ears of dogs. Ear mite treatments kills only the adult mites, not the nymphs, (pre-adults). Effective ear mite treatment includes an initial series of treatments to kill the adult mites followed 10 to 14 days later by a second series of treatments to kill the newly matured adults.

Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements

On occasion your dog may benefit from vitamins and nutritional supplements. Older or sick pets may not consume enough food to provide adequate nutrition. Dogs recovering from surgery or chronic illness may need nutritional supplements in order to heal well. Even hard working dogs, such as guide dogs, may require supplements to say at their best level of fitness.

Sore and Irritated Skin

Dogs can suffer from skin problems associated with allergic reactions, skin diseases or wounds. We recommend the use of a "complete healing system" to provide deep healing for sore or irritated skin. This system is as follows:

Your dog should be shampooed with an anti-itch shampoo to cleanse and soothe the affected area and to prevent the spread of skin disease through bacterial infection. To start the healing process, it is vital that the scab or flaking skin be gently removed by using a medicated cleansing product. Trimming the hair from around the area allows the medication to reach the skin.

Watch for the formation of new tissue which will appear shiny and pink in color. This is an indication that the healing process is well under way. However, as the skin begins to heal, itching will increase. Use a skin relief spray to stop the itching and pain so that the delicate new tissue is not damaged by scratching.

Continue to promote deep healing with the use of hydrocortisone cream containing aloe vera and vitamins B and E which soothes and nourishes the healing skin.

Hot Spots

Hot spots are localized areas of acute, moist and inflamed skin. Hot spots are usually set off by flea bite irritation, allergies or Survey with an irritating substance such as chemicals or harsh soaps. These spots are extremely itchy, causing the dog to constantly lick and scratch, making the spot worse.

The most important step in treatment of hot spots is to immediately stop your dog from further licking and chewing of the spot. A skin relief spray will help stop the itching and pain.

Moderate to severe hot spots, as well as re-occurring hot spots require veterinary attention.

Note: You should not rely on the veterinary advice or information provided on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any specific situation. Always consult your own veterinarian for specific advice concerning the medical condition or treatment of your own pet or animal.

Getting the Dog Boat-Ready

You may feel ready to abandon life on land, cut the lines and move onboard a boat. Knowing what you want, does not mean your dog is automatically ready to cruise, and for liveaboard life. Before you take your dog onboard, you will need to learn a lot about yourselves, your boat, and your relationship with your dog.

Cabin Train Your Dog -Begin by bringing the dog to your boat long before you make the big move. Have a designated place for the dog's bed, food, water, and a few water toys.



We use this Dog Food Kit and did not have to lug bags of dog food and bowls when first boating with our dog.Storing enough dog food for a long cruise could be a problem on some boats, so do have a fall-back plan, such as boiled rice with some meat.


Once the dog is comfortable with the inside of your boat, start up the engines or if a sail boat, turn on the motor, so doggie can get used to the sound and feel of being underway.
Deck Train Your Dog before you go cruising. Some liveaboards try a little box of sod or a fake grass mat for the dog to use when they cannot get the dog to land; nothing worked with our dog until we got a heads up from a liveaboard with 3 dogs. She put us on to the Pet-a-Potty.

   

 We purchased one on the internet, and it worked right away. We keep it topside, and when Bandit needs it, she does use it. What a relief! This wonderful item allows us to cruise to Catalina Island and other wonderful spots where there are no slips, just moorings.
For small dogs get the PETaPOTTY Mini.
We would not cruise without it.

If your dog will be playing in the water, rig a ramp that the dog can use to get back on the boat. Train the dog to use it. Leave the ramp down (except when you are underway) so if the dog falls in, it can self-rescue.

Click Here to Check it Out

SEE RAMP IN ACTION - WATCH VIDEO -

Rig a tether to keep your dog from going overboard accidentally. This is especially important if you leave the dog on the deck when you are not aboard, and when you are cruising. You must have a dog life jacket that fits and use it when appropriate. If the life jacket is off, a harness is a better handle than a collar. I had to rescue a neighbor's dog who jumped off his boat and fell in when the owners were not there. Because the frightened dog was trapped between the side of the boat and the dock, I could not get him out of the water without help. If he'd had on a life vest with a handle or harness, I could have rescued him myself.

If you are going to choose a liveaboard dog, consider some desirable attributes. A small dog is easier to get on and off the boat and requires less food to store. All dogs need exercise, but a breed that doesn’t require a lot or an older pet might be preferable. A toy breed might get enough exercise just playing with a toy in the cabin.


A female or neutered male may get along better with new dogs they meet. A non-shedding breed would be a good idea. Poodles, Schnauzers, and Portuguese Waterdogs are some of these breeds.

Check with your vet to be sure the dog is healthy enough to go cruising.  Be sure to get a Serious First Aid Kit For Your Pet. Hopefully you will never need it, but it is best to be prepared, especially if you are off cruising and days away from a veterinarian.

Becoming a Galley Cook

Forget most things you know about cooking; it's a whole new world preparing meals on a boat. First of all, you will have a smaller stove, a Galley Range has
fewer burners and a much smaller oven and if you're lucky, a broiler. Most likely, you will not have a dishwasher other than yourself, so you will need kitchen items that clean up easily. I picked up a dish scrubber that holds dishsoap in the handle and it works well. Buy a mini dish drainer at a Target or WalMart and not at a boat supply store where it will cost much more.

Remember, counter and kitchen storage space will be at a premium, so whenever possible, search for items that can serve more than one purpose; I have done much of the work for you, and will direct you to the best kitchen items it took me years to discover.

It took me over 5 years to get the cooking-in-a-galley thing down to a smooth science, and now I pass the hard-earned wisdom on to you.

As a galley cook, you must submit to two important new culinary rules:

(1)   glass baking pans, mixing bowls and anything breakable are not a boating cook's friend.

(2)  a pot can also be used as a pan.

You may have to buy new cookware, dishware, and some small appliances. Pack away anything breakable, and start over. Keep in mind that some galley items should be purchased at a boating supply store and not a discount store, because you need non-skid bottoms on mixing bowls and dishware and you will only be able to get them at a boating supply store.



  My wedding china is now packed away and maybe I'll see it again some day, but Lenox China has no place in a galley kitchen. What you will need is a set of non-breakable plates with a rubber rim bottoms.

Acrylic, glassware can be found anywhere, however, I prefer unbreakable Makrolon, a polycarbonate that's molded into thick, heavy forms and specially hand finished to stand up to the hard use it will get on a boat.

I cannot stress enough how important storage space is in the galley. Instead of putting my chef's knives away in a drawer, I use this


Stainless Steel 10-in. Magnetic Knife Holder

It comes in different lengths from 10-in to 20-in depending on how many knives you have and how much space you can find to put it up. This knife holder is a clever use of space, and a great safety factor when the boat is a-rockin'.



At first, I found preparing larger meals on my 3-burner electric range to be an inconvenience because I have only three small burners. While some feel no big pans will fit the stovetop properly, I have learned to adapt. However, one great plus is the bi-fold cover that when up provides a handy shelf, and when the stovetop is not in use, folds down to provide extra counter space. If I need to cook several things at the same time, I use the main burner (in back) for my largest pot or pan, and cook the additional items in other liveaboard necessities: An Electric Fry Pan, a Toaster Oven and a Crock-Pot. I could not keep my family well-fed without these appliances.


Now that I have imparted my galley set-up wisdom and experience upon you, I have several cookbooks you may find useful, I know I did:  

Cruising Chef Cookbook

The Great Cruising Cookbook: An International Galley Guide

Bon Appetit!

Liveaboard Lifestyle

Are you flexible? Flexible, not of body, but of mind and spirit; If change is your thing, living aboard a boat may just be the right fit for you. One of the best parts of living on a boat for the humans is No Yard Work.


The best part for the dog is tons of birds and ducks on the dock to chase. One of the worst parts of liveaboard life for you is lack of storage space. The worst part for the dog is no grass or bushes right outside the door.

If you, your family, and your dog can cope with those items - Welcome Aboard -

Almost everyone, after another hard week in the corporate pressure cooker of a polluted and over-crowded city, has thought about trying the liveaboard lifestyle. A few will do it, and love it and would never go back to land. Some will try and hate it. Some will never try at all.

This rush of urbanites seeking a home on the water is a becoming a worldwide phenomenon, and studies show that a good half of those wanting to buy into a dockside lifestyle have never even owned a boat.

If you never try, you will never know what joy and freedom awaits.live on a Boat Blog is here to inform you about the good and the bad and to guide you over, under, around, and through the pitfalls, so your liveaboard adventure will be a soaring success.

If your budget is the main concern, the boat you buy should be the smallest one that meets your needs, not the biggest one you can afford. Don't overestimate the space you will need for a comfortable living situation. Buy your boat for the space you and your family needs, not for the needs of guests. Guests will love to have you cruise them around, cook them a meal, but then send them to a hotel.

It is cheaper to buy a boat than to buy a house, although you cannot just compare the cost of boat vs. the cost of a house. You also must consider the cost of running a boat and its upkeep. The average couple thinking about life aboard may feel they will need a boat in the 35-40 foot range. However, a boat this size, especially a power boat may be excessive for just two people, even with a dog, A well designed 25-30 footer might do just as well, once you understand the real essentials of living aboard.

 
 
 
 

There is a couple in our marina who raised 2 kids on a 35' sailboat. All worked out well, the kids just graduated from college and doing well in their chosen professions, and the parents still live on that same small boat and all the money they have saved over the years is being salted away for a wonderful retirement.

We have yet another liveaboard couple here in our marina who bought a 70' wooden motor-yacht, 1950's vintage for almost nothing, and are restoring it themselves. It has a huge living space, yet I must admit, I would not be up to the restoration work that they seem to love. So you see, if money is keeping you from realizing your liveaboard dream, the dream can be realized for less financial burden than you might suspect.

Yet, no matter how much or how little you are able to invest in your liveaboard boat, you will truly be buying a wonderful and unique new lifestyle. Liveaboards are a community unto themselves, a friendly and helpful group who are always accepting of a newcomer.

While the realization of your liveaboard aspirations may be a few years off, now is the time to make your plans, save your dollars, and bring those dreams
to fruition. Unlike those adolescent fantasies of an adventure on a island paradise, this is one dream from which you’ll never have to wake.

How We Did it

How It All Began

"Honey, it's not just a boat...it's a lifestyle!" That quote came from my husband the day he came home with what turned out to be the first of three boats we would own along our journey to becoming a liveaboard family.

I came face-to-face with my future "lifestyle" on a boat trailer hitched to the back of our truck. It was a 17' SeaRay Sundancer bowrider. It was cute, and my husband got it for a great price, but he had never owned a boat or done much boating.

Granted, we loved this little boat, drove it to every lake or ocean boat-ramp within hundreds of miles, but soon we outgrew it. It was during this trial marriage, my spouse decided he wanted "more power" and off to the various boat shows we went in the pursuit of power.

"Honey, it's not such a little a boat...this one really is a lifestyle!" That quote came from my husband the day he drove me to a marina about 80 miles from our home, stood me in front of another Sea Ray and grinned and pointed. Indeed, this boat was larger, it was a 30'Sea Ray Sundancer with the outrageously arrogant name of "Bodacious".



We bought it He bought it, and soon my husband became the captain of "more power." Now this boating thing was getting serious; by serious, I mean monthly payments, slip fees, and upkeep. Our new and bigger lifestyle could not sit on a trailer in the yard; this baby needed a slip

We soon learned an important lesson:secure a slip before you buy the boat. Thank goodness the boat brokerage that sold us the boat was able to keep the boat at their sales dock until we got a slip. We had known the size boat we wanted and the area we liked long before we bought, if we had just made sure there was a slip available, we would have saved a lot of time and worry.

We did manage to get a slip at a local hotel resort marina.
Now we were in the big-time of boat ownership. We had to find professionals to help us with day-to-day upkeep and rely on the marina dockmaster. Learning about the boat and how to operate her kept us busy for quite awhile.

In the beginning we loved having our boat at the hotel marina but this was only a temporary solution, although a good one, because we were only able to sublease the slip (via the dockmaster) from a boat owner who had his boat in Mexico for the winter and would return in a few months.

Again, we began the hunt for a boat slip. We put ourselves on every waiting list for a permanent slip and the waiting game began. The hotel marina was great, lots of sweet amenities and full use of all hotel facilities such as the pool, discounts at the restaurants and bars and lots of grassy areas for the dog. This was where we spent our weekends and holidays living on our new (yet previously owned) 30' floating condo. I learned how to cook on a miniature stove, how to sleep in a V-berth, and deal with little closet or storage space. And Loved it.

Our name finally cleared a waitlist and we were offered a permanent slip at a huge marina. It took us about 30 minutes to pack up, stow stuff below deck, rev up the engines and cruise our floating condo to our new neighborhood. The new marina was wonderful, although quite large with over 500 slips; it too had a hotel and restaurants and tons of amenities. At this point, I think our dog Bandit was the most pleased with the move as this place boasted 11 acres of lush grounds and plenty of dog friendly space.

Our family loved coming to the boat for weekends during the year, and full weeks during the summer when school was out. We loved staying on the boat, and adapted to it so well an idea began to germinate: maybe we should think about getting a bigger boat and live on it. The game of "what if", became a part of our cruising weekends and over a period of several years, we were actually making plans to become liveaboards.

Slowly, we began learning how to actually become a liveaboard family and seeking information on the best type of boat for the three of us and our dog. My husband took every boating course he could find and, once again, we began attending boat shows. We sought advice from every liveaboard family we could find and questioned every boat broker around.

We finally settled on the perfect type of boat:
a Bluewater Motor Yacht and knowing a brand new boat was out of the question, we finally located a boat broker in San Francisco who bought and sold previous owned Bluewater boats. Knowing our search for the right size (we wanted 50' at least) at the right price (must be practically a give-away) would take a long time, we set our liveaboard plan in motion.

To become liveaboards, we could no longer live on our working horse ranch. We sold off our livestock, lined up a property management company as we would lease out our ranch, not sell it, until we knew for sure the liveaboard life was totally for us. At this point, my husband became so involved in the boating world that he decided not only to change our lifestyle, but to change his career as well.

He became a professional boat captain! Now that may be a bit of overkill for the average person who wants to liveaboard, but my husband went back to school and earned his
U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Captain's license. He then lined up a part-time boat captain's job here in San Diego and worked weekends, while using our 30' boat as his base. We were nearly ready to go, all we now had to do was wait until we found the right boat and for our son to graduate middle school.

In the Winter of 2000 our broker found our boat, on a lake in Texas of all places, and off we flew to check it out. We loved it, the price was right (to this day it is still worth more that we originally paid), and at 60' it was much bigger than we ever hoped.

The deal was made, our 30' Sea Ray sold and our new boat was trucked from Texas to a boat yard in San Diego.

Once the boat got new bottom paint and a few fixes at the boat yard, we motored it to our new, and bigger liveaboard slip in the same marina. This time we did plan ahead and made arrangements for the slip in advance of the purchase. Once you are actually in a marina and proven to be a good tenant, it is much easier to move your slip around and change your status to liveaboard.

In the Summer of 2001, with our ranch leased, our furniture in storage (where it still is to this day), our son signed up for high school in San Diego, and our Captain now working full-time, we officially moved aboard and have been enjoying our new "lifestyle" ever since.

Best Liveaboard Books

Below is a selection of books that I recommend for liveaboards.

- LIVE ON A BOAT BOOKSTORE - THE ESSENTIALS of LIVING ABOARD A BOAT
Mark Nicholas	ISBN: 0939837668, Paperback - BUY The Definitive guide for liveaboards

STAYING AFLOAT: Life Aboard Houseboats, Barges, and Liveaboards
Jeri Callahan	ISBN: 159404001X, Paperback - BUY "...informative material about life afloat."--John Purcell, Houseboater

ALL IN THE SAME BOAT:Living Aboard and Cruising
Tom Neale	ISBN: 0071427910, Paperback - BUY "...pratctical step-by-step manual to help you prepare for the cruising livestyle."

Damn the Torpedoes:and Other Tales of Liveaboard Life
Catherine Dook	ISBN: 1894898060, Hardcover - BUY Tales of Liveaboard Life

THE LIVEABOARD REPORT
Charlie Wing	ISBN: 0070710910, Paperback - BUY A Boat Dweller's Guide to What Works and What Doesn't

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Boating and Sailing, Third Edition
Frank Sargeant	ISBN: 1592573231, Paperback - BUY Excellent overview of power boating and sailing. Solid material on buying a boat, the cost of ownership, technology and weather, safety, navigation, and boat handling. Don’t leave the dock without it!

CHANGING COURSE : A Woman's Guide to Choosing the Cruising Life
Debra Ann Cantrell	ISBN: 0071427899, Hardcover - BUY "Changing Course is the first book that honestly evaluates the transition to life afloat."--Beth Leonard, author of The Voyager's Handbook

Twenty Affordable Sailboats To Take You Anywhere
Gregg Nestor	ISBN: 0939837722, Hardcover - BUY ...truly helpful tool for those of you wading with trepidation into the murky waters of boat-buying. --John Vigor- Author,Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere"

THE ONBOARD MEDICAL GUIDE
Paul G. Gil	ISBN: 0070242747, Hardcover - BUY Complete Guide of First Aid and Emergency Medicine Afloat

100 FAST & EASY BOAT IMPROVEMENTS
Don Casey	ISBN: 0071440550, Hardcover - BUY Fast, Frugal, and Functional Boat Improvements Anyone Can Make

BOAT NAMING MADE SIMPLE - 3rd edtion
Susan D. Artof	ISBN: 1889198064, Paperback - BUY The most popular Boat Naming book available. How to document your boat, how to add graphics to your boat and the boat naming ceremony.