Unintended Gifts to Neptune

Everybody drops things. And unless it happens to be something fragile, liquid, or could stain the floor, it's not really a big deal. Unless, of course, you drop it near water. Deep water. And it's heavy.

I have been so careful since moving on board. My phone goes in my pocket. My gate pass and boat key are on a lanyard that I put around my neck. I take that extra second to make sure whatever I'm holding is stable before stepping on or off the boat.

The one exception has been my car keys. I've owned a purple carabiner for 20 years. I don't climb. It's just something I've used to carry my keys since college. My husband recently suggested that I get a new carabiner but I wanted this one. This special vestige of my youth. I clip the carabiner to my purse or put it inside a bag before stepping off the boat.

Except last Thursday night. The first really cold night of the season.

I was leaving to meet friends for a run. I was bundled up with thick gloves on. As I unzipped the isinglass it flew open in the wind. I immediately stuck my hand out to grab it because it's older and can crack in the cold temperatures.

I never even heard the splash.

This is my "door step":

I was hopeful that I simply couldn't see the keys in the dark. Maybe they had flown onto the dock and not into the water. But in the light of day I had to admit that they were gone. My set of two car keys (one for each of our cars) was a new gift to the sea gods. Luckily, my husband had his set so we can still use both cars.

That night my friends and I sat around creating solutions to the problem:

• Use a small floating key ring -- This may or may not have helped that evening because it was so dark and the water was moving quickly in the wind. It's highly possible that I would not have been able to see them or catch them before they drifted off into the Inner Harbor.
• Create a small Hovding (really cool inflatable bicycle helmet) for keys -- Again, it probably would have floated away before I could get to it.
• Create a small Hovding with a tiny anchor that would keep the device in one place.

Of course, I have now done what I probably should have done all along. My car key is on a lanyard. A lanyard that will go around my neck before I step off the boat.

Over the years I have heard of all sorts of unintended "gifts" including a crock pot, a full bottle of rum, and a wedding ring. What have you lost overboard?

AC Trouble

The air conditioning in my stateroom isn't working... again!

What?!?! You ask. How are you surviving in 93 degree heat with 49% humidity and very few windows that open?

Easy. I say. I have three other air conditioners.

Boats like mine are the best for having multi-zone HVAC systems. The units are spread throughout the boat: one in the main stateroom, one in the guest stateroom, and two on opposite ends of the salon. It's great. We can have a nice cool stateroom for sleeping without wasting energy cooling the rest of our home. The AC in the forward (guest) stateroom is rarely turned on because the room is closed off from the cats, the blinds are drawn, and we spend little time in there. In fact, I just checked, the forward stateroom is currently 83 degrees without AC at 3pm on a hot Baltimore day.

When I go to bed tonight, my stateroom won't be as cool as I want it to be, but it will be comfortable.

See that red circle, those two windows lead into the head attached to my stateroom. The stateroom spans the entire stern of the boat. So, while I don't have working AC, I do have things in my favor:

1. My stateroom is down a couple steps from the salon and we all know heat rises.
2. I have a fan running on the far side of the stateroom circulating air and helping that hot air find its way out of the room.
3. Part of the stateroom is below the waterline which helps keep it cool (think about your basement in the summer).
4. One of the units that cools the salon has a small vent in the master head.

I should be okay for one more night until we get a chance to solve the issue. We may have growth in our AC water strainer. That's been happening a lot this year and it restricts the amount of water going through the system. With all the debris in the water from the recent storms, we may have sucked up a plastic bag (as we've done before) that is also restricting water flow. My hope for now is that the other units continue working until tomorrow.

Living on a boat still beats living on land in my mind.

Getting Mail and Packages

When I tell people I live on a boat, "How do you get mail?" always seems to fall in the first ten questions I am asked. It's a valid question, especially since most people don't realize how many amenities are offered by marinas (and by "amenities" I mean basic necessities -- electricity, water, bathrooms, mail AND resort features -- pools, bars, boaters lounge, etc.). I also happen to live at a marina that offers a large number of amenities. Just check out my post from August 2013 to see what Harborview has to offer.

When it comes to mail it's really not that confusing if you think of the marina as a great big apartment complex. We collect our mail from a communal post box.

We also have the added benefit of getting packages delivered to the marina office. No worries about who is home to sign for a package. The fear of packages mysteriously walking off of a rowhouse stoop is seriously diminished. I simply go to the marina office during open hours to collect whatever has arrived for me. It's a great system.

Of course, all of this is in a perfect world and sometimes things don't follow the expected plan.

Recently a package arrived after normal marina business hours. At 8:35pm I checked on an expected package and noticed that it had been delivered at 8:15pm and "Left at glass doors." No problem, the old boater's lounge is outside the main marina gate. That must mean that the package is near those doors since the delivery company couldn't get onto the pier.

I walked up to the gate but no package was in sight. Okay, time to check the laundry room as many of us will put packages in there when we notice they are delivered off hours. Again, no package in sight. At this point there was nothing I could do before the marina office opened in the morning.

Next morning: I checked with the office on the off chance that the package has made its way in there. Nope, no package. I rechecked everything from the night before thinking I must have missed it. Still no package.

I went online prepared to claim the package as lost/stolen and found that I couldn't make any claims for another 48 hours because it "might still be out for delivery." So, why say it was delivered if it might not be? Back to the waiting game.

This is when it's great to have fantastic marina staff. A couple hours later I was returning from yoga. One of the staff members said he had found the package and it was now sitting on my boat. What? Where was it? It had made it's way through the main gate and was sitting at the top of B pier. Why B pier? Well, my address is Slip 6B. The "6B" designates my box in the communal post box, not my actual slip at the marina. The delivery person must have made it through the main gate and then assumed he/she was placing the package somewhere it would be found.

Thanks, Danny, for finding my package. By the way, the box was pretty small -- that's my iPhone 4 sitting next to it.

For those of you who are truly interested in the liveaboard lifestyle, our mail situation only works because Baltimore and Harborview are our permanent slip. People who are continuously cruising use mail forwarding services like St. Brendan's Isle. One day I'll know more about that service. :)

Sorry for the mundane topic but it sure seems that lots of people want to know how the mundane things work in this life.

More Boating, Less Fighting

"I could never live in such tight quarters with my husband."
"Do you ever get time alone?"
"Gee, you must REALLY love your husband."
"You guys are crazy. I would have killed my wife by now."

Those are the types of things I hear all the time from people that still live in houses. Yet, my husband had an neat epiphany recently -- Since moving on board two years ago, we have fought less with each other. In fact, I would say that our relationship is stronger than ever.

Now, don't let your mind go too far. We didn't argue a lot before moving on board. But we did have fights. I may have even stomped away from an argument. They were typical, low-key disagreements.

During the past two years we haven't had more than a minor tiff. I guess we could attribute this to a few things:

• With limited space communication is a must!
• If you are unhappy, you can go down to the stateroom or walk the docks but you can't stew for hours in another wing of a McMansion.
• We've now been married 14 years and have finally figured it out.
• We have less physical stuff so there isn't as much to argue about.
• A life that seems less complex.
• Life on boat is less stressful.
• And my personal favorite -- WE ARE JUST SO HAPPY IN LIVEABOARD LIFE.

I'm not saying that living on a boat is the secret to all marriage woes. If one of you doesn't like boats it may even push you further apart. But, for those of you called by the sea. Those that need to be rocked to sleep by the waves. Those that believe that flip flops, bathing suits, and maybe a pair of shorts and a t-shirt are a perfectly acceptable weekend wardrobe. Buy a boat! Move on board!

Note: I did get Doug's approval before publishing this post. We don't want the blog to start causing fights. :)

Preventing Abuse of Tasty Adult Beverages

Nobody wants to drink wine from a red solo cup. Glass or crystal seems like the preferred way to go but both are easily breakable on a boat (remember my post about new "unbreakable" dinnerware?). Many stores sell acrylic wine glasses for patio parties and picnics. Acrylic is great - it's durable and easy to store. There's one small problem:

White wine gets warm very quickly in an acrylic wine glass. Martinis are disgustingly warm within seconds (ok, maybe minutes).

When we moved aboard two years ago, the old owners left their acrylic wine and martini glasses. We used them, begrudgingly, for about eight months. All the while we were on the lookout for the perfect boat wine glass.

We finally found the solution about a year-and-a-half ago: STAINLESS STEEL!

New glasses in the front. Old acrylic glasses in the back.

They are made by Cuisinox and work like a charm. We requested a set of four of each for Christmas that year and have been using them ever since. Frankly, I can't find anything wrong with them:

• White wine and martinis stay as cold as they would in glass vessels (perhaps even longer).
• Red wine keeps a good temperature, too.
• They look classy.
• We get lots of comments on them while walking the docks. (Some people refer to them as our "pimp glasses.")
• I would recommend these to people even if they aren't living on a boat.

We've kept a couple of the acrylic glasses around in case we want a drink while floating in the water during a raft-up. I don't want to send one of the stainless steel glasses into the deep for the fish to enjoy.

What tricks have you found to make liveaboard life more elegant?

Two Year Anniversary!

We've done it! We've been onboard for two years now.

When we first made the decision we promised each other that we would give this lifestyle at least three years. We weren't allowed to give up after the first winter no matter how bad it got.

And now? Two winters (and two glorious springs, summers, and autumns) later? We can't imagine going back to a non-floating residence.

Check out all that we have accomplished in 730 days:

Interior Renovations/Redecorating

• A home office so I can comfortably and effectively work at home.
• A full length mirror in the Master Stateroom.
• A new hot water heater.
• The purchase of new dinnerware.
• Lots of organization tricks.
• The replacement of two faucets.
• The addition of a printer nook.
• Prep work for winter condensation.
• The purchase of electric heaters for winter.
• A new mattress for the Master Stateroom.
• Fixing the washer/dryer.
• New LED lights.
• Two new HVAC units (this vessel has four).

Exterior Maintenance, Safeguards, and Fun

• The purchase of an ice-eater to protect us during an extremely cold Baltimore winter.
• Winter water prep and protection of outdoor pipes.
• A Lehr propane motor for the dinghy.
• Four short hauls.
• A few days "on the hard."
• A new name.
• Figuring out how to change the oil, fuel filters, impellers on the engines and generator.
• Four new house batteries.
• A couple fresh coats of wax.
• New LED lights (with the option of blue or white).
• Replacement helm stereo, speakers, and a new TV.
• New valves for the VacuFlush system.
• Repair of one holding tank sensor and replacement of the other (aren't you glad there aren't pictures of that?).
• Using Starbrite Waterproofing to seal the canvas against leaks.

Marina Celebrations, Activities, and Community

• A holiday party and the Baltimore Parade of Lights (perhaps 2015 is the year we finally enter our boat?).
• Movies on the dock.
• New Year's Eve.
• The Star-Spangled Spectacular.
• Trawler Fest.
• An Open Boat party.
• A total of 68 different neighbors on our 14 slip dock.

Trips

• We ventured to Annapolis, Fairlee Creek, Kent Narrows, Rock Hall, Saint Michaels, Seneca Creek, Sparrows Point, Stevensville, Sue Creek, and Tolchester for a total of 125 engine and 457 generator hours.

Curious what other projects boaters are tackling? Take a look at this list from Chicago liveaboards after their first year: http://waterwethinking.blogspot.com/2015/05/what-have-you-done-we-made-it-one-year.html?showComment=1432224545986

Making Space for a Home Office

As many of you know, I work from home as a Freelance Writer and Library Consultant (check out my webpage: http://www.juliedietzelglair.com/ - shameless self promotion done). For the past two years, this has been my office.

I'm ashamed to say that it almost always looked like that (however, they say that a messy desk is a sign of genius). It simply isn't conducive to organizational possibilities. It also became our dumping ground. So, for the past two years we have tossed around a multitude of home office ideas. The biggest ones being:

• Renovate the dinette into a cubicle-type office.
• Remove the loveseat and install a desk.

Renovating the dinette always seemed like the better option. We hardly use the dinette in the warmer months, opting instead to eat at the helm station table or on the pier (why be inside?).

The loveseat provides extra seating in the salon and also pulls out into a single sleeper giving us more space for guests. In all honesty, we've only had six people sleep on board twice since we bought the boat. Does it really make sense to keep a sleeper sofa for a once-a-year need?

Yet, the idea of a full blown reno scared us both a bit. There is already limited space onboard and a reno would take up space. We also have fear of making drastic changes no matter how much we love our floating home. So, we just continued with the status quo. I would clear off space as I needed it or just sit on the sofa and work.

Everything changed on a serendipitous trip to Office Depot. I found a desk that would fit and was extremely reasonably priced. If we could get the loveseat out and store it there would be no fear of drastic change.

Doug got to work taking the loveseat apart. Our biggest challenge was fitting the frame out the salon door. That is the frame sitting outside the salon door: it barely, and I mean barely, fit.

But once everything was out and the floor vacuumed we were ready to move ahead with Project Home Office. Just look at all this beautiful empty floor space!

We now have a useable desk:

I'm still working on figuring out the right seating for it. I don't want a large overbearing desk chair and the bar stool isn't the right height.

We also still have lots of salon seating on the starboard side:

Plus, the dinette is useable again (just in time for it to be ignored all summer).

In this age of technology, even if you don't work from home there are certain computer related needs on board. How do you manage your onboard "office?"

Avoiding Wardrobe Malfunctions

I have been living without a full length mirror for a year-and-a-half. That's right ladies, I apologize to anyone I have offended by wearing the wrong shoes with the wrong outfit since moving aboard. This has been something that has been driving me bonkers since April 2013. Installing a full length mirror has typically been one of the first things I have done in any place I have lived. It's simple -- I go to a chain hardware store, buy a mirror, hang it on the back of a door, and presto! I have an instant outfit checker.

One of my hanging locker doors is the ideal spot for a mirror onboard especially since I have a few feet of unobstructed floor space in front of it. Unfortunately, the door is only 14 1/2 inches wide and I have struggled with finding a mirror thin enough for the door. Instead I have made sad attempts at using two other mirrors on board for assessing outfit choices.

This is the mirror at the head of my bed. Even without the pillows I can only see how my top fits.

This mirror is in the guest head. It's a nice large mirror but I can't get far enough back to see my whole outfit.

After a year-and-a-half of complaining, I finally did something about it. I contacted Mirror Crafters, Inc. and asked if they could custom cut and install a mirror for me. I immediately liked them when they asked for more clarification about the project in relation to the boat -- they wanted to know if there would be a time constraint? Would this be a situation where the boat pulled up to the dock, they did a quick install, and then the boat pulled away? I liked that they seemed to know at least a little about boats.

We took the door off the hanging locker and I drove it to the mirror place. I then found out they have worked on glass and mirrors in boat heads. My confidence in them increased. I left the door with them and was told to come back the next day for the finished product.

I am thrilled with their work!

The price was right. The quality is wonderful. They even drilled holes through the mirror to re-attach the door pull.

The best part is the mirror is glued on. It's not going anywhere. In fact, he told me it would ruin the finish on the door to try to remove it and I'm perfectly fine with that. Seriously, if we ever try to sell this boat why wouldn't someone want another mirror? The install is much better than anything we could have accomplished on our own.

From here on out, any wardrobe malfunctions are completely my fault.

Laundry

Living on a boat isn't all sunshine and bikinis. Sure, there is lots of that. There is also real life and that means laundry. I'm one of the lucky ones. I have a washer and dryer onboard.

Yup, that's it. My washer AND my dryer. It's smaller than a typical home washer, perhaps a bit more stackable apartment-style size. It washes just fine. As for drying, well, not so much. It can take one hour to dry two dress shirts. Even if I ran the dryer 24 hours a day I don't think I could ever dry all of our clothes.

So, we go a bit old school. Bed, Bath and Beyond carries these fantastic clips.

They are just the right size for holding towels or sheets that are hanging on the bow rails.

Everything else dries on a rack at the helm station. With all the isinglass up there it turns into a greenhouse and everything dries quickly.

A few added benefits:

• It's more eco-friendly to dry clothes this way.
• Clothes last longer and don't shrink.
• Sheets hung out to dry are soft and fresh.

The Boat Galley has a post on clothespins if you want a few more ideas on drying laundry.

As the weather gets colder life will change a bit. We don't carry enough water in our tank to do laundry onboard during the winter. So, it will be back to the marina office for laundry. But I will relish these last few weeks  of "easy" laundry.

Replacing the Water Heater

How big is your hot water heater? 40 gallons? 50 gallons? Mine is 11 gallons. Yes, that is correct, eleven. And it provides plenty of hot water for dishes, laundry, and showers (even for someone with long hair).

When we discovered that our hot water heater had a leak we jumped right into problem solving mode. Seriously, who wants to take a cold shower or even just wash their hands in cold water.

The leak was small. The stream of water was so fine it looked more like a spider web. The leak might not have been large but the water had good aim; it was spraying right onto an electrical box. This is where the Facebook Live Aboard Boats group came to our rescue. I put out a request for suggestions on a temporary fix and found out about JB Waterweld.

Sorry that I can't say exactly how long the patch lasted. We are fully aware that one leak just means that that the hot water heater is on its last leg. Our hope was that the leak would get us through a week or so while we researched new water heaters. I'm happy to say that it did its job.

This is where we ran into a snag. I know I bragged about my huge 11 gallon tank at the beginning of the post. Well, we actually started with a 20 gallon tank. The problem is that our water heater model is no longer being made and we struggled to find something else that would fit into the space allocated. Our old unit was tall and thin. Most of the units being made today are short and wide. After another plea for answers from the online group, we decided to take the plunge and purchase a smaller unit.

Old unit on the left. New unit on the right.

The new (smaller capacity) tank has been installed for a few months now and I really don't feel like I'm missing anything. I have literally stood in the shower waiting to see if the hot water would run out. I usually end up giving up when there is no end to warm water in sight. I often find myself wondering how I ever used all the hot water in a huge home tank.

So, how large is your hot water heater? And do you really think you need one that large?

Life on the Docks

When I was in college my social life was rather organic. Yes, there were times when things were specifically planned in advance. In reality, many gatherings were spur of the moment. I would need a break from a paper I was writing and walk into the common room to see who was around. Party invitations would happen on the way to class. And beautiful sunny days were always an excuse to hang out in the quad.

Life at the marina is quite similar. I tend to see the docks as an extension of my living room (or salon in boat speak). Doug and I frequently walk the docks with a glass of wine in hand after dinner. We may run into people to talk to or we may have a quiet stroll. There are many inviting places to sit along the main promenade and people fade in and out of conversations.

So, it was no surprise to receive an invitation to watch a movie Wednesday evening. One boat had purchased a large inflatable screen and another had projection equipment. Sounds like a perfectly acceptable reason to host a gathering.

The screen was set up on the docks:

Apologies for the picture quality.

The screen fit perfectly in between two pylons which also served to anchor the screen in place.

And after a short rain delay, ten of us watched 180 Degrees South. While not a movie I would have chosen myself, I'm very glad to have seen it. The documentary also provided me with a new favorite quote:

 

"If I don't get on that boat, I know exactly what I'm coming home to.

If I do, my future is unwritten."

Cheers! To a future unwritten!

No Pests Here

When we lived in a house on land, we would often wake up to the remains of a dismembered cricket that the cats had left for us on the kitchen floor. Baltimore Kittens (aka rats) would freely roam the alleys of the city without a fear in the world. During the 2010 Baltimore Snowpocalypse, a couple mice met their demise at the paws of my cat, Latte. The poor things had probably sought shelter from the storm and instead caused me to scream when I was surprised by one of them on the bathroom floor at midnight.

But the worst critter story was a spider that kept me out of the basement for days. I went downstairs to clean out the cat's litter and instead found a spider capable of carrying off a small child. This thing was mean and furry and I didn't care if it was "more scared of me than I was of him." I was not going back in the basement until it was gone. (Note: I'm a huge animals rights advocate but a spider entering my home is a capital offense.) Small problem -- Doug was out of town, hence the reason I didn't go into the basement for days. When Doug did return, we fogged the basement and sat outside with the cats for a few hours while the fog worked its magic. When Doug went back inside he found the spider. AND IT WAS STILL MOVING! I'm telling you this was some crazy escaped science experiment. Luckily, it was moving slow and Doug was able to do away with the heinous creature.

How does all of this relate to living on a boat? Well, I can count on one hand the number of critters we've had to deal with since moving aboard. There have been a couple dead stinkbugs attached to the canvas. I recently saved a dragonfly from Latte's curiosity. And just the other night Doug had to revive his spider demolition skills. But our critter count has drastically declined since living on the water. I guess you could count the barnacles as a pest but they don't jump out and startle me during normal everyday activities.

I know I have probably just jinxed myself. Other boaters have posted tips on preventing and getting rid of pests. Maybe the combination of my urban environment and this year's extra cold winter have produced the perfect balance of nature and an unfavorable living environment for pests. Or perhaps we've just been lucky. Whatever the cause, I love this fringe benefit of life on the water.

For those of you with pest issues (and for my future reference which I'm sure I will need at some point), here are a few posts from the handy Boat Galley on pests:

How to Get Rid of Ants
How to Store Food on a Boat, Part 3: Avoiding Critters
Preparing the Galley to Leave the Boat

New Dinnerware and a Memorial Day Double Raft-Up

After being onboard for an entire year, it was finally time to purchase new dinnerware so we could stop using the stuff left onboard by the previous owners. Ooh! China? Crystal? No and no! This is not the first class dining room of the Titanic. We need something durable. Something that won't shatter easily. And, of course, something fun (we are on Boat Time after all). Enter the Happy Chic line from JCPenney.

I wanted something "nautical" without being all anchors or knots so I was ecstatic to find waves and fish and, yes I know, anchors. The bowls are part of another set (the JCPenney Home Collection) but they fit the rest of my set so nicely. We've been using everything for a couple of weeks and love the entire set so far. Plus, the highball glasses and the salad plates remind me of the Norwegian Cruise Line fish logo which makes me think vacation thoughts.

There is one issue with so many of these types of plates -- they are not recommended for use in the microwave. Easy solution: keep a few regular plates around. This is where you say I thought you wanted plates that weren't breakable. Yes, but I also want to be able to microwave leftovers. So, I have a small set of microwave-happy plates stored in a drawer. To further protect them from an jostling that may occur when are underway, I kept the cardboard pieces that came with the set and they sit in between each plate. Since they aren't our everyday plates it's not much of a hassle.

This past weekend was the unofficial start of summer. And if it's Memorial Day it must be Fairlee Creek. We both took Friday off and took a slow cruise over. At 10 mph it took us about 2 1/2 hours to get there but that also allows for pictures of majestic herons in flight.

It also meant we were passed by our friends that left after us. But look how pretty Elisa's Ring looks out on the water.

We had a three boat raft-up for the night.

Bliss, Elisa's Ring, and Luv'n Life IV

Living in the middle of Baltimore, there is so much light pollution it can be difficult to see the stars. Fairlee Creek on the other hand is much darker. Knowing this might be one of my few chances this year to see a meteor shower, I set my alarm for 2 am, laid out on the bow, and watched the stars sit perfectly still. The highly anticipated shower was a bust.

Here's a fun storage idea seen at Fairlee. No room for your kayaks on board? Tie them onto your dinghy and tow them to your destination.

We stayed until 3 pm the next day then set off for Sue Creek for a raft-up with more friends. We were the first to arrive and it took a little time to decide on a spot large enough for the number of boats that would be coming. Sue Creek is a popular anchorage spot in Middle River. It's quiet, it's protected, and it's easy to get into. Because of this, there were already many boats and we were lucky to find a spot.

No sooner had we set our bow and stern anchors when our radio started blowing up with ETAs of the rest of the raft-up. We may have set a record for how quickly we grew from one to six boats (and then three more).

Serenity Now... Insanity Later, Let's Go O's, Bad Influence, Almost Home, Toy Yot, Luv'n Life IV, (unnamed), Grand Passion, and Vida Boa.

We had two more nights of "forced relaxation" before it was time to head home. (Or, in our case, bring our home back home.) Summer is taking off in the right direction.

One Year Anniversary!

Sunday was our one year anniversary living on Luv'n Life IV! We celebrated Saturday evening by having dinner with boating friends and on Sunday by waxing the transom. Apparently, boat waxing is a holiday tradition for us and it's the only thing the Easter Bunny left in our baskets.

Here's a quick recap of some of the things we've learned in the past year:

• There are lots of places to ask questions, share triumphs, and read the stories of other boaters.
• Tips on organizing space. Although I'm sure we still have lots to learn.
• How to survive with rationed water.
• That I miss my bathtub.
• How to change the name without an onslaught of bad luck. And how to apply a new name.
• How to replace an oddly shaped mattress.
• It's lots of fun to have a constant rotation of neighbors. I can't wait to see who visits us in 2014.
• To always be prepared for unexpected guests.
• Just how cold a Maryland winter can be. However, snow can be a convenient wine chiller.
• That plastic bags aren't friends for the environment or air conditioning systems.
• Travel via dinghy is fun even if you might get wet.
• How shipyards manage to safely secure a boat on land.
• When visiting a small marina town, always check the town's calendar because a dance recital may shut down all of the shops.
• How to hail and safely pass through the drawbridges on Bear Creek and in Kent Narrows (twice).
• To watch cats carefully in the first few months so they don't end up in the engine compartment or in the water.
• That people often think we are crazy but are equally envious of our lifestyle.
• How wonderful it is to live with less stuff.
• That we choose the right marina for our first year (and years to come). Thanks Harborview staff and friends.
• That we can't imagine going back to life on land.

Things to learn in 2014:

• How to dock the boat. Obviously we've been safely docking the boat for a year now. 2013 was Doug's year to learn. Now I need to try.
• If it's possible for a 14 year old cat to get over motion sickness. We tried medication but trying to force him to take it stressed him out even more.
• A whole wealth of things that I'm not ever aware of yet.

Using Space Effectively

We all know there is limited space on a boat. Everything must have a space or things can get cluttered quickly. It's not like I can go buy a new storage cabinet so I have to use space creatively.

Making Best Use of the Space Provided
Boat designers are pretty good at making the most of every nook, cranny, and corner. If a space is available it is finished off and given a door.

Last week I showed you how we adjusted the stereo space in the master stateroom into a place for our printer. Underneath that spot is a very large space.

On the positive side it's a lot of space. On the negative side it's almost unruly. Clothes on the bottom would get lost in a mountainous pile. But I've figured out how to keep 23 pairs of shoes (relatively) organized in the space.

Both closets in the master stateroom have two bars on the inside of the doors.

Those bars are perfect for belts:

Or scarves:

Lastly, the large mirror in the guest stateroom...

Opens to reveal a cavernous "medicine cabinet" that holds our beach towels, extra bath towels, and toilet paper.

Repurposing Space
While boat designers have tons of great ideas some of them just don't fit our needs so we use some spaces a little differently than originally intended.

We have a little cabinet on the stairway into the master stateroom. It was originally used for the central vacuum but we use a dust buster instead. So this empty space:

Became the perfect linen closet.

You could say that I only need one set of sheets (the ones currently on the bed) but a girl needs flannel sheets! Remember how cold it got this winter.

 

The galley has a dedicated space for a coffee maker. They thought of everything -- there is an outlet inside the space.

Small problem - I don't drink coffee. Doug does but we rarely need an entire pot. Pull out the coffee maker, add a cabinet organizer.

And the space becomes a spice rack.

When we are underway, a cooling rack and bottle of dish detergent acts as a makeshift cabinet door.

The window wells in the salon could be seen as dead space but they are just the right size for storing my yoga mat.

Or for a cat sunning himself.

 

Additional Storage

We brought only two pieces of furniture with us onto the boat. Both pieces that made the cut have storage space. My hope chest serves double duty as coffee table and storage.

This little ottoman:

Holds tealights, votives, and a couple small games.

I'm open to new suggestions. What tricks have you found for making the best use of space in your home?

Home Improvements

Now that we've been aboard for almost a year, we are ready to start making subtle changes to Luv'n Life IV based on personal preference, practical use of space, and things that need fixed. For example, our master stateroom had this stereo under the TV:

I love music more than the average person but I do not own any cassettes or CDs so this unit was all but useless to me. And since space is at a premium we could surely find a better use for the space. We took off the cover...

And discovered that the stereo and speakers were glued and strapped down but managed to remove them. Yuck! 10 year old dust!

Once everything was cleaned up it was like a beautiful, expansive piece of new real estate...

That was just the perfect size for the printer.

But the project didn't quite look complete. So we took the old cover:

And cut out the middle to create a "frame."

Part entertainment, part office, all practical:

Things also break on a 10-year-old boat. Doug tried but the leaky cold water faucet in the master head did not want to be fixed. We got to the point where we would only use hot water so we wouldn't have to mess with it. I don't mind brushing my teeth in warm water but found it mighty difficult to wash my face in water so hot I could barely touch it. (Plus, I really didn't like the gold accents on the current faucet and couldn't wait to switch it out.)

Luckily it came out just like the faucet in a house and we have a lovely, new, fully functional faucet.

Living on a boat isn't that different from living on land.