This Is Why Your Cruising Dreams Will Fail | Sailing Video Podcast 048

There are at least seven reasons why your cruising dreams will fail. There, we’ve said it. In this video podcast we elaborate on the reasons, explaining in more detail why it is so important to think about the dangers and pitfalls of cruising. Do you have the courage?
There’s LOTS to think about before jumping onto your own boat, and we hope, if you are a would-be cruiser, you will find our insights useful in your decision to untie the lines.
This isn't any old random list, it's based on the cruising dreams we've seen fail since we began sailing and cruising in 2005.
00:00 The SEVEN CRITICAL REASONS You Will Fail
01:55 Sailing Knowledge and Experience
05:32 Couples and Families
10:38 Money
13:31 Risk Averse
17:25 Scared Of The Unknown
21:48 Perfectionist
23:42 DIY Shy
29:30 Give it a go!
We don't do sponsorships or promotions, just videos and podcasts to entertain, inform or pass the time. If you enjoy what we do, please like and subscribe. And leave us a comment, we LOVE hearing from you.
💰 Are you the generous sort? Chuck us a Dollar, a Euro, a Rupiah or even a Quid, here's how:
💳 Patreon/FTBMate - followtheboat.com/pub/
🥃 FTB Rum Fund - followtheboat.com/pub/
🦸‍♂️ KZbin's SUPER THANKS! ☝️
💬 Join our DISCORD community (it's FREE)! We chat about all things sailing, travel, photography and, of course, FTB. If you've got a question, DISCORD is the place to leave it.
/ discord
Thank you for watching! Please COMMENT, LIKE and SUBSCRIBE, it helps us get noticed.
Peace and fair winds!
Liz and Jamie
💡 USEFUL EPISODES:
🎞️ HOW TO BUY A BOAT Pt 1
• How to Buy a Boat | Be...
🎞️ HOW TO BUY A BOAT Pt2
• How to Buy a Boat | Be...
🎞️ 5 REASONS NOT TO BUY A SAILBOAT
• 5 Reasons NOT to Buy a...
🎞️ HOW WE STARTED SAILING
• How we started sailing...
🎞️ 5 REASONS YOU SHOULD BUY A SAILBOAT
• 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOU...
🎞️ HOW MUCH TO SAIL AROUND THE WORLD?
• How much does it cost ...
🎞️ ARE YOU TOO OLD TO SAIL?
• Are you too old to sai...
🎞️ THE BEST SAILBOAT TO SAIL AROUND THE WORLD?
• What is the best sailb...
🎣 Liz's Top 3 Sailboat Fishing Tips
• How to catch fish on a...
USEFUL PLAYLISTS:
🎬TOTAL REFIT SERIES - • TOTAL SAILBOAT REFIT: ...
🎬VIDEO PODCASTS - • Video Podcasts | Casti...
🛒 FTB MERCH
followtheboat.com/shop
😊 LET'S CONNECT!
FB - / followtheboat
Instagram - / followtheboat
Twitter: / followtheboat
🎹 All Music from Epidemic Sound
www.epidemicsound.com/
@epidemicsound
⛵ OUR SAILBOAT
@oysteryachts
SY Esper is a 1989 Oyster435 cutter-rigged ketch
🗺️ LOCATION
Lombok, Indonesia - 8°45'43.0"S 115°55'48.5"E
📡 FOLLOW US IN REAL-TIME WITH AIS
www.marinetraffic.com
MMSI - 235026188
#livingthedream #offgridlife #sailboat

[@georgeburns7251]

Oh great, another sailing channel. Can’t wait to watch it. I’ll just have to wait as there 9,978 channels already on KZbin. But so exciting to see you have a boating channel. Do you fish? Swim? Bath? Do you have anything original to present, or just the same old repetition?

[@followtheboat]

It's the same old shit, answering the same old wanker in the comments section.

[@seanmorrissey3103]

These two are OGs... assuming you are not just trolling for the {dubious} thrill of it all, you might consider that they've been living this life since before KZbin sailing channels were a thing. I follow them to learn; you might do the same.

[@SlowlySailing-lc1cs]

These two are OGs in liveaboard international cruising, not just sailing channel creating. They were at it when there were probably only 20 such channels, and they know what they are talking about. Show some respect!

[@shapermechanist6828]

😂@@followtheboat

[@Jhbrenner1]

It’s better to remain silent and appear ignorant than speak and remove any doubt. Mark Twain

[@robinstepanek1345]

Three years ago we bought a 42 ft DownEast cutter and spent 3 years preparing it for living on and going around the world. Two weeks ago we finally left our home port in Oregon and started sailing south. We didn’t make the first marker and the engine overheated and filled our cabin with smoke! Turned around and prepared to return when the temperature went back down the smoke decreased. We turned back around and continued on to Eureka. About 4 hours later, we almost lost the Genoa in increasing winds- gusts climbed to 17mph and we tried to furl it in, instead we discovered that the wench handle was at the mast on deck . While my husband hung onto the furling line, having lost the clew line, I crawled out onto deck, grabbed the wench handle, crawled back , handed him the wench handle, started the engine and turned into the wind. With the winch handle my husband was able to furl the sail in and finished our 15 hour sail. Our next passage was supposed to be a two day 45 hour sail to Half moon bay when we encountered 25mph gusting winds with 3+ meter breaking waves around Mendocino Point. This was completely against all weather reports and even the coast guard report! We furled in the Genoa like pros and turned on the motor about 4 pm. At 5:30pm we suddenly lost all power. Didn’t see any obvious reason and scrambled for lights and cell phones so we could navigate. I took a reading on the compass as it became dark with an almost full moon. We talked nail out options and opted not to go to shelter cove since we had no radar, no nav lights or depth. Instead we aimed for Fort Bragg. We hand sailed- no power no auto pilot in 2-3 hour shifts until about 2am when my husband switched all power over to our started battery and because we were running the motor, we once again had power for the chart plotter, AIS, and nav lights. We arrived safely at Fort Bragg where we await parts for our freezer. The electrical was caused by a power wire to our Victron overheating due to a loose connection which caused our BMS for the lithium house batteries to shut down. Easy fix but created a big issue. I just want future sailors to know that the ocean is unforgiving and you have to have redundant systems and the ability to problem solve under pressure. You also need enough experience to make informed decisions. Hers to hoping we have smooth sailing for our next legs! Fair winds! SV Dulcinea

[@followtheboat]

Hey guys. One word of advice: start a blog if you haven't already! I really enjoyed reading that account. Thank you for illustrating perfectly our point about having experience and a cool head. Fair winds to you.

[@boondockshawks]

Good luck, SV Dulcinea! Greetings from your home state.

[@vaneboating4949]

What an ordeal!

[@robinstepanek1345]

I didn’t mention the fog rolling in, and the night light on our compass decided to burnout 😡. Lessons learned? Always have your flash lights and head lamps charged and handy BEFORE an overnight sail because you never know when and if you will need them!

[@psystealth]

I believe a preventative maintenance schedule is imperative to set-up and maintain. Thanks, a great podcast.

[@billhanna8838]

I fitted a washer dryer & wow life changed for the better for both of us along with the water maker , Showers every day become normal for her , I found the best thing to keep a happy marriage is GOOD WEATHER ROUTING .... Some good advice TY

[@followtheboat]

Oh wow, a washer dryer. I'll be honest, I'm extremely jealous!

[@merryjane7558]

This is the best piece of practical advice I've come across yet for long term live aboard living. Portable, RV, and apartment sized appliances are common and available now a days, and can change comfortably exponentially.

[@Jhbrenner1]

Many years ago I was a dock boy at a marina. There was a nice older couple who purchased a beautiful ketch. They lived aboard and never left the dock. They just wanted to live the boating lifestyle, but didn’t have the wanderlust. It worked for them.

[@followtheboat]

I delivered a boat as crew from Spain to the UK with the new owner on board. The boat was an expensive Malo. He never took the helm once, and didn't ask the experienced skipper a single question about how to handle his new purchase. The whole time his wife was ringing him, asking him why he was late (bad weather delayed us). When we arrived, she was there at the dock, fuming, because the "we've got a new boat" party she organised with friends had to be cancelled. He scarpered off, tail between his legs, and didn't even thank me (I wasn't being paid)! There was someone buying a boat just to keep up with the Jones.

[@michaelholden7536]

I gave up my apartment and retired early to travel to on my boat solo. 2 years later I am working again for boat money. Not complaining though, I can still sail in my free time until I am ready to set out again. Great advice on your podcast.

[@followtheboat]

We know many people who do the same, so you're in good company. It's fair to say our budget is frequently stretched!

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

I have fond memories of my father's yacht, as a young man. The breakages, the repairs, the haul outs, THE ORBITAL SANDER!!!, the old stretched sails (hank on jibs), the eternally flat battery (hand cranking a 20hp Yanmar is not fun), cold tea, warm beer and the very occasional good day's sailing. But my yacht won't be like that! I will sit back as the captain, yelling commands at my crew as tanned young topless maidens serve me ice cold gin and tonics while carefully noting my wishes for the next meal of the day before scurrying off to prepare said cuisine. I learned much from my father, but I feel that he deprived me of many of the joys of sailing. If only dad had KZbin, he would perhaps shared my vision of sailing. Thanks for the content, guys. Always good.

[@followtheboat]

We all started out with that dream, David 😅

[@nearlynativenursery8638]

The absolutely most truthful facts about cruising and sailboat life while venturing to exotic destination. Traveling in any method opens one mind with every trip. At least for most individuals. I met a couple that that the husband was still narrow minded after sailing for a short distance and time (1 year). In this example the wife loved sailboat life but the husband said, once you seen one beach with palm trees you seen them all. That is about as narrow minded as one can be. Almost every island and every main land is a totally different ecosystem. Different marine life, birds, reptiles and so on and often different culture of people if inhabited. Jim Rodgers

[@followtheboat]

I could not agree more, there's masses to see on every island. And if they're populated will have their own mini culture. Beaches change from hour to hour. Yesterday I found a dwarf sea hare in the sand, it had been washed up by a spring tide. It's the first one I've seen. I managed to get it back into the ocean by scooping it up in a piece of bamboo and taking it into deeper water. I hope it lived! Sadly, some people don't learn from travel, despite Mark Twain's assertion that "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..."! 🤓☺️🙏 Liz

[@marcpotkin1079]

One of the best and informative podcasts I have ever watched. We are primarily coastal sailors on the US East Coast sailing our 50 foot Bruckmann. Thanks for the honest assessments and keep up the great work…. Marc S/V Surprise.

[@followtheboat]

Wow, thank you! There's probably enough coastal sailing along the US east coast to keep someone going for a lifetime! Lots of variety in all those states. 🤓👍 Liz

[@JibeTalking]

Great realistic video, thanks for sharing and giving us a sanity check! We have a 5 year plan, the first two years is sailing classes and small one week charters. As we transition to purchasing a boat, if that is what we want to do, at anytime, if one of us is not happy sailing, we will sell the boat and move back to land.

[@followtheboat]

Those one-week charters are going hold you in good stead. Nice to see a bit of forward planning 👍

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Another thing that you could have mentioned is having to give up lots of "stuff". The process of downsizing your existence from a house full of rarely-used stuff to a boat with only minimal or essential comforts aboard is something that we have seen people struggle with. Personally, we found the process of giving things away to be liberating, but it was amazing to see the reactions of others who could not take in the simple fact that we were giving up the sorts of things that they were working so hard to obtain or keep - house, cars, big telly, top-end computers, big kitchens, gardens, and "stuff". Cupboards, drawers, sheds, desks, etc full of "stuff" (aka mostly useless c#*p that at one point provided 10 seconds of amusement)

[@Sailing360]

YES YES YES - that was absolutely the hardest. a boat can't hold 10% of ones "land-living" attached stuff. you are really looking at the essentials, for grooming and cooking, and then a couple luxuries (maybe)

[@followtheboat]

Yes, it's a subject we've talked about previously, but thank you for bringing it up here. You need to see downsizing as a positive and cathartic experience. If the idea scares you, leaving behind all your trinkets, then perhaps living on a boat won't suit you. Thank you for your quote in the video, by the way.

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

@@followtheboat- I thought it was just part of the discussion on the Discord thread about ideas for the podcast. It was a bit of a surprise when Liz read it out 😄😄

[@jessicakirchoff2536]

I’m in the process of downsizing and it is very difficult. However having owned a boat I KNOW it’s worth it.❤

[@robertkowalski9906]

Where ever you are listen to the little kids playing. From early on it amazes me how no matter where I am in the world little kids playing sound exactly the same, you know I find it comforting that we all started out the same...

[@followtheboat]

Yes, love this sentiment ❤️

[@mikenagy938]

Before I even bought a boat I read everything I could get my hands on by authors like the Pardys and Hal Roth. Both said over and over to keep it simple. I did, bought a 32 foot Nicholson, with no running water, no water maker, no gps, but a new motor. I just "made do", like no shower for ten years. Yes a sink bath will keep you sweet. It comes to a mindset of fixing what must be fixed but let well enough alone

[@kurtsasse1145]

Great reality check! The maintenace & repairs list never goes away. I see more things go wrong or fall apart on newer yachts than well built older ones.

[@followtheboat]

So true. We had a big, new million dollar sailboat next to us recently with a huge list of problems. They gave up the dream and went back to Australia, not sure if they sold it. Older bluewater boats are tried, tested and cared for. Look at our Oyster or Delos's Amel, they're built to last. ♥️⛵🙏 Liz

[@reedcunningham2007]

Love this channel! I’m sick to death of influencers on here and instagram never telling it straight and only showing shots of crystal clear water and women in swimsuits on a GoPro camera

[@followtheboat]

Yeah, gotta say we've never been fans of that ourselves, and never have been. There is a market for that type of content, and it's a lot bigger than honest sailing vlogs like ours (!), but whether that paints a real picture is another question.

[@sailingmurdina]

Think you've got to pick the ones that you like or believe. Parlay Revival is excellent, We Sail is pretty good also. Some of the old favorites have become too family orientated for me as their journey has progressed. I enjoyed listening to this chat and have subscribed.

[@TheExumRidge]

After a winter of solo sailing in Caribbean. 1) My wife didn't want to go. She wasn't needed. 2) The workload of a solo sailor is fairly large. All tasks are there, you do them serial fashion - no parallel work. 3) Not as lonely as I thought I would be. The cruising community is wonderfully fun to know. 4) Resourcefulness. I found I could do anything.. when I had to. 5) Safety at sea. I never felt at risk. In fact in some ways I felt safer because I didn't cut corners assuming a partner would save me. After one season I put my boat up for sale. I would love to do this again, and will gladly do so. But if someone buys my boat I will enjoy staying home with the family all winter. Both are wonderful futures for me. If my wife were an avid sailor... yes we would be live aboards. Not worth getting a divorce over though.

[@followtheboat]

It's great to hear what a positive experience you had! Sounds wonderful. But I'm also glad you don't think it's worth getting a divorce over. 🤓♥️ Liz

[@carltontweedle5724]

Love the term half a hour to sail, that is a good thing.

[@followtheboat]

It's a good one to live by 👍

[@christiepooh]

We are in our second season of cruising Pacific Mexico. I was def more his dream than mine (I dreamt of RVing). While I'm still don't enjoy some aspects of actually sailing (much like one doesn't enjoy all aspects of land and corporate life), I love living on a boat and taking my home to amazing places. The part that has surprised me the most is how much I missed home (the boat) last summer when we hauled out for hurricane season. This year, we are trying to be away from the boat/home less.

[@charlesbird7921]

Thank you. Very sage advice, particularly on not being judgemental of other peoples or cultures. It’s valid advice for all, not just cruisers. A subdivision of the “get some experience” advice might be to be realistic about your vessel’s capabilities and ensure you have the right level of equipment for what you intend to do. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice, the answer to the question you were too embarrassed to ask might just save your life (or your boat). Once again, many thanks for a great channel.

[@followtheboat]

Thanks, Charles. Yes, never be afraid to ask questions. I still do it after all these years. You never stop learning.

[@danielboughton3624]

My experience with my partner was she didn't like sailing a smaller boat but really likes the bigger cruising boat. She also likes the going somewhere more than the spending a bunch of time somewhere. A suggestion for would be cruisers where one or both have little or no experience is to charter. If you don't find it enjoyable even when the boat and meals are someone else's problem then it is unlikely you will be happy doing it all yourself. The other things are baby steps. Emphasize it is an adventure and start simple and enjoyable not with a rough cruise to some distant location.

[@followtheboat]

Excellent advice, Daniel, thank you.

[@Andre-yu3qs]

As they say: "Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best!". Ps. We can use the example of Lord Nelson, he got seasick in calm seas, but he had a great maritime career!

[@followtheboat]

One very experienced boat owner I sailed with used to get seasick immediately after weighing anchor. He loved his boat so much he put up with it!

[@damage_control_sailing]

Damn, the truth hurts! I’m sure a lot of folks who watched this are looking in the mirror and feeling like you guys were talking about them. Thanks for this hardcore truth. ❤❤❤

[@followtheboat]

Great response! I hope our home truths will help people to make an informed decision, and only put off those who wouldn't enjoy this life. 🙏👍 Liz

[@millzee60]

So much of what you talk about rings true with me. I'm in it now and having to deal with everything. Had I seen this before I started or with the experience I now have, would I have started in the first place? Not sure. But to do I want to go back to the way things were? No.

[@followtheboat]

Keep doing what you're doing. It's challenging but rewarding and you won't regret it!

[@sailinghjem]

It’s thanks to OGs such as you guys that us newbies can watch an episode like this and say “yep, we’ve got that covered,” giving us the best possible chance of enjoying the cruising experience. The tendency these days is to want instant gratification, which isn’t possible when undertaking a challenge such as this when it’s so different from a ‘normal’ existence. We’ve taken four years to get ready for our adventure, putting to the test many of the points you raise here to make sure we’re ready financially, mentally and physically. I used to wonder what was going through the minds of content creators like you when you create your videos… do you appreciate that you’re actually helping to make peoples dreams come true? You should and we thank you!

[@followtheboat]

One of the joys of putting out useful content is the feedback we get from people like yourselves. It's great to know that people who are about to start their own journey afloat get something out of our experience, so thank you for the positive feedback, it is always appreciated!

[@Carlos_Verhaak80]

Hi guys you're great! I've been living in a 35 sailboat in the Netherlands for four years now, and really like it. Winters are less of a good time, but I cannot live ashore (job reasons) and enjoy better weather those months. I also highly recommend trying living in a boat. For sure!

[@sailingwiththeerros9139]

I think its a priority that both people in the relationship knows how to sail and use the equipment. That way if one is incapacitated, dead or gone overboard the other can sail the boat and use the communications. The couples sailing where one doesn't understand or hasn't been taught to do anything must be scared a lot of the time due to what ifs running through their mind.

[@followtheboat]

Yes, and it's probably the ones with the knowledge who are scared, "ignorance is bliss"! 😑 We know a woman who was off-shore when her husband died (heart attack) so she had to single-hand back to shore for days. It took guts and an iron-will to do that with her husband's corpse on board. We've met some crew who have no idea what's going on, and no interest in learning. Crazy! 🤦🏼🤓 Liz

[@dennisfano2574]

You guys are fantastic. Thank you for providing such great content.

[@followtheboat]

Thanks for watching and commenting, we're nothing without our viewers. 🙏👍 Liz

[@jeromehebert3184]

This is some really good topics to bring up about the reality of giving it all up for the sailing life.

[@followtheboat]

You know us, Jerome, we like to keep it real!

[@markc3717]

Very good advice - well done you two.

[@nearlynativenursery8638]

Millions of Thumbs Up to you both. Jim Rodgers

[@followtheboat]

And to you! 😃 Liz

[@jeffgriglack9624]

Yeah, I didn't figure I would be able to start a KZbin channel because I have two strikes against me. First, I know how to sail. A lot of channels seem to be "We bought a boat to sail around the world, and we don't know how to sail." Second, I don't have a girl in a bikini to go sailing with me. There are a couple of channels that I like to watch (including you) that give a more realistic view of things, but I have noticed that some don't have as many views. I guess people like to be sold the fantasy.

[@followtheboat]

Yes, I think many channels appeal to viewers who like the dream (and bikinis and nudity) but have no real interest in sailing, or even travel. Some get huge views, which is fine by us, it's a totally different audience. Channels like ours speak to real sailors and travellers. We are about the nitty-gritty, and (quite literally!) nuts and bolts of cruising on a boat. Not glamorous at all. 😃🛠️🤓 Liz

[@williambunting803]

You’ve made some good points, realistic points. Even though I’ve been living on my boat for 5 years I’m facing the scary reality of having to sail it from Europe to Australia….soon. That fortunately is a relatively safe route, hurricanes aside, so I’m not that worried. It’s a good solid boat and I’m replacing the main things that could fail except the engine. Regarding people and places I’ve enjoyed seeing Indonesia through your experiences and everything you say about friendliness and helpfulness stacks up. Should I get as far as Australia, though I have the option of doing a hard right or a hard left,…….or just stay put at the Barrier Reef. The big worry in Australia is bitey things particularly crocs in the extreme hard right turn option. And that is a point, sailing around the Caribbean or hanging out in Mexico West side is something you could spend years doing very safely. There is a lot to be said for buying a cheap small boat, a boat you can afford to lose, and some of the best adventure vloggers have done just that, while being extremely hands on DIYers (Beau and Brandy)(Wind Hippy, though she is in a category all of her own). I think that there is still scope for a few more vloggers though, and I would enjoy a creative writing couple who can put together a weekly entertainment based on wit. Do you remember that 60’s British show that all took place in a flat (“Man About the House” just looked it up)? Well a boat is the perfect stage for that sort of idea. You guys are most the way there with your podcast and staged niggles, very British. The boating part is more of a backdrop and source material, not the main reason for watching at all.

[@followtheboat]

You have a good plan, William. Stick with it. Some of my earlier blog posts were as you described, before I met Liz and before we started the videos. Back then I had the time to write creatively. Hopefully with our new blog setup we can spend more time recording our witty observations!

[@williambunting803]

@@followtheboat It was the Seventies not the Sixties, I got that wrong. I just watched an episode of Man About the House……still funny after all these years. Actually I realised what I suggested is exactly what you have done. It’s really good and continues to develop. I remember when you built the dodger and thought several times, “ooh, that’s not going so well”,… but then it came out perfectly, and works so well as your “stage”. A steady supply of creative material is the difficult bit. Maybe you could have a funny anecdotes box. Every boater has their stories of when things go from “managed chaos” to inevitable and hilarious slow failure,…….all too often with a lesson learned. I’ve got a few of those when I think about it, all involving how boats move when least necessary. You already do some of this, and I look forward to more, the sillier the better. Bill.

[@Sailing360]

Love you guys - and "Please spend at least a week on a boat". thats shockingly great advice

[@followtheboat]

We think it's important as it'll just give you a little flavour.

[@Sailing360]

@@followtheboat "little flavour". my parents sailed down Europe from Denmark, with 4 kids in the seventies, nothing like everybody please turn away while sis use the portapotty, and taking turns helming a tiller in gusty soaked days where frankly im still shocked the boat did not sail straight into heaven.. discovered that sailboat sporting in the right weather is somewhat related to free-diving, hold on and keep your mouth closed until the cockpit clears. Then find a public bath and everybody jump in the pool.. BEST TIME of my childhood - but pretty sure it was my father's dream and my mother cooked for 6 on a camp stove. she was less than enthused.

[@followtheboat]

Your poor mum! ♥️ 🥺 Liz

[@moonhand8311]

Great points for debate. All true I reckon. Personally, cruising in Europe, I find there are now too many lightweights, so to speak, doing it for just a few seasons/ years, clogging up the place, creating situations of over-demand (and thus supplier price exploitation), who just don't understand or really care about the issues you raise....since a significant majority DO have surplus £££, so can overcome practically all the blocks by just using their greater resources....moreso where they are just doing it for the 'adventure' for a year or two. Well, that's what I see mostly (but that doesn't, of course, mean everyone - just the majority of newbies, I'd say).

[@followtheboat]

There's newbies and there's weekend sailors, and I suspect most weekends sailors are just as experienced as us, to be honest! I wouldn't want to tar all sailors this way, however, you'll always get those few who are in it just for the kudos, maybe with more money than sense. I think that's the same in any walk of life.

[@SailingSVSojourn]

We enjoy your channel very much

[@followtheboat]

Thanks for letting us know, it's much appreciated. 👍 Liz

[@dubuandmore7907]

Great Podcast with important points.

[@followtheboat]

Thanks for listening and taking the time to comment. ☺️🙏 Liz

[@davidholman8118]

My wife and I really enjoy your channel.

[@followtheboat]

That's kind of you to let us know, thank you! Liz 🙏

[@daviddecker1994]

Have not watched yet, but already know the topic is perfect for discussion...:)😮😅

[@followtheboat]

Let us know if you agree with us or not, David!

[@daviddecker1994]

@@followtheboat perfect point list. We bought a swedish built steel ketch nearly 1 year ago. Wife is the admiral but working abroad so I'm living on board finding all kinds of work, as if building/remodeling a 30 year old house, but this time on water. (Teak deck is good but it's rusting underneath..... (Never should have had teak) but small price to pay for repairs it is caught in time, no structural damage to chain plates or deck thickness. The savings drain out but living on land is far more expensive and more costs than a boat if traveling between countries to find warm weather seasons. Keep going with this channel, your way..... Cheers.

[@Tantura_1948]

My sailing dreams ended with the crew not wanting to sail. I am now in the process of buying a small stinky, which the crew and family say they will join me for days out and marina hops!

[@followtheboat]

Sorry to hear that but happy that you've found a compromise. We miss having friends and family come to visit.

[@jimmyhvy2277]

The Endless Maintenance /Repairs get to me .

[@followtheboat]

They do me too 🤷

[@murphyrp01]

Really good video. So many good tips

[@followtheboat]

Glad you think so! 🙏 We've said much of it before, but felt it was about time to put our observations all in one place as a reference for would-be cruisers. Cheers! ☺️ Liz

[@followtheboat]

Very happy to hear you found it useful, thank you. 🙏🤓 Liz

[@V8guy3500]

Love my boat but no way I’d consider living aboard, what happens when you reach the age of not being agile enough to move around and you’ve blown everything you own to maintain the live aboard life. I’d hope most people keep a property rented to retire too. I know of a few people who are struggling to get out of the live aboard life as the boat has become almost worthless and they can’t afford to buy property now.

[@followtheboat]

Yes, one thing you can be sure of is that your boat is NOT an investment. I'd never suggest selling your home to go sailing, you need a solid plan B if you do that. 🫣😱 Liz

[@espenbjerke665]

fear of "parking boat in Tight slips. this stopped me for almost 9 months.

[@javidell]

I never had any intention to buy a boat, I think you have to be crazy to live in a boat... however I watched the whole video anyway. Something is probably wrong with me 😀. Anyway I love my inflatable kayak, more than enough excitement.

[@followtheboat]

Hehe! Well thank you for watching anyway. We're currently kayaking every morning. We love it.

[@user-be2md6kr1h]

My sailing dream was dashed by my disposition to get horrible motion sickness.

[@followtheboat]

That's unfortunate, I'm sorry to hear that. I did sail with a boat owner who used to get seasick every time we left port. He just rode it out till he was over it, but that could take a couple of days 🤷

[@user-be2md6kr1h]

@@followtheboat No, don't feel bad for me. I got to travel and explore the Carribean chasing the dream. When Im ready to quit I have half a dozen beaches picked out that have places for me to spend my time in tropics, and always have some meaning.

[@Sam_Sung_White]

We need to remember that our views are shaped by a very, very small sampling. The size of the sampling varies considerably from one person to another of course. The dangers are different from one country to another and there are likely very few places with no danger. Indonesia is not on the danger free list as many visitors can testify. But it's certainly no worse than most Western countries.

[@stephanguitar9778]

All true. Only I have the ambition, nothing radical, just traipsing around the Ionian, however wife hates sailing boats and "needs" 12 hours of TV a day. Plan B that she was happy with, was for us to retire to an apartment in Greece or maybe Spain and I have a smaller yacht, however brexit says no. I gave up coastal sailing in the UK on account of the 1/2 tide ramshackle marina berth only giving me 2 hours either side of high tide at spring tides and almost none at neaps, never mind the ever increasing costs.

[@followtheboat]

Ugh, Brexit put the kibosh on a lot of plans. 🤬 Sounds like "compromise" is the word for you two, but I'm struggling to come up with a solution... How about keeping the boat in the Med (expensive?) and flying out together for holidays? Or maybe going on charter boats where you get the fun of sailing and she gets the swish sunshine holiday (also expensive)! Our keep the boat in Ireland? Stunning country, good sailing... Good luck, fella! 🤓😶 Liz

[@stephanguitar9778]

@followtheboat Also, have just been to Indonesia, Java as well as Bali and the people are the nicest of anywhere I've ever been, and that's a lot of countries.

[@BrianM0OAB]

Our dreams never got off the planning stage since Boo had her heart attacks and having a ICD fitted and then recently had a stroke, at best we could only do coastal sailing around the UK but has it's risks increased ever so much more now.

[@followtheboat]

Sorry to hear that, Brian. There's some great stretches of water around that east coat, some great day hops and rivers.

[@BrianM0OAB]

@@followtheboat I was thinking all round the south coast and only being a max of an hour from shore, ( Boo has high risk of strokes from thrombosis ) and time is critical for recovery, I did send you a DM on discord, no idea if you read it.

[@RokyPalmor]

Hello and thank you for your superb videos, I am almost 63 years old and my wife is 57, we plan to live on a sailboat like you, what do you think of our age to begin with?

[@followtheboat]

It's probably the average age of most cruisers. Don't go making the northwest passage immediately and you should be fine! 😃 Liz

[@rolfsvensson5777]

Risks vs reward~ Your choice people!

[@followtheboat]

Indeed!

[@expeditioncalypsowind]

#facts #truth

[@followtheboat]

#thanks

[@Ian-dl2rf]

Could anyone please tell me of a good uk solicitor who deals with disputes with ports? Thanks..

[@waynedahl6904]

Nahoa had an episode where some guy in a backstreet repair shop fixed an electric motor that would have been junked in the US.

[@followtheboat]

That happens all the time in this part of the world. It's rare for anything to be thrown away, even if it's broken. It will be cannibalised for parts or turned into something else if they can't mend it... A "backstreet" here is equivalent to an industrial estate or high street in the west. 🤓 Liz

[@basildraws]

1. If you are the type of person who runs to the pub when you encounter a problem, then sailing is the last of your problems. 2. If you are the type of person who drags your spouse along (or is willing to be dragged along by your spouse), then sailing is the last of your problems. 3. If you are the type of person who has no income and no plans for acquiring an income, then sailing is the last of your problems. 4. If you are the type of person who doesn't understand that being surrounded on all sides by extreme danger is a risk, then sailing is the last of your problems. 5. If you are the type of person who is afraid of everything, then sailing is the last of your problems. 6. If you are the type of person who requires perfection and is inflexible, then sailing is the last of your problems. 7. If you are the type of person who can't fend for themselves, is unwilling to learn, is unwilling to get dirty, is unaware that things break, is unable to swing a hammer or turn a wrench, then sailing is the last of your problems. Sailing isn't significantly different than any other thing in life. A person who was born at sea and spent their whole life sailing would encounter this exact same list if and when they decide to go live on land. DOING things in life is hard; standing still is easy. Everyone needs to go out and do things, even if it ends in tears.

[@followtheboat]

Hi, thanks for your comment. I agree with some of your sentiment but I'm interested to know if you have experience of living on the ocean. Having done both I can tell you living on a boat puts you in situations nothing like what you'd encounter on land. Being woken up at 3am by a 40 knot squall with a dragging fishing boat bearing down on you so you have to race to weigh anchor to get out its way doesn't happen too often on land! And fixing an essential system like the engine in a remote location with no spares is very different to calling up a mechanic from the comfort of your home. These are the kind of situations people should consider before purchasing a boat.

[@basildraws]

@@followtheboat I'm not saying liveaboard life is easy; I know it's hard. All I'm saying is that there exists a list of factors just as frought with perils in virtually every environment. The country has bears, the city has mortgages, the sea has squals... I think that any sufficiently resourceful and adventurous person (or couple) can find a way to survive anywhere. I do appreciate your take though. Been watching a long time and find all your videos highly informative and entertaining (though the West Indies aren't my cup of tea). Leaving civilization for my own adventure in 5 days. Swallow tattoo incoming ;)

[@followtheboat]

Good luck on your own adventure and fair winds to you! Thank you for commenting, though I should point out we are in Indonesia, not the West Indies, much as we'd love to be there 😁

[@basildraws]

@@followtheboat lol, my mistake. :)

[@HRB-1221]

The only likeable sailiing couple.

[@followtheboat]

You are too kind 🤗 Thank you!

[@TheDiverJim]

My stocks tanking is what’s causing my dreams to fail.

[@followtheboat]

Yep. Money is fundamental in realising your cruising dreams. Liz 💰

[@anthonyferrara2222]

You didn’t mention it but wouldn’t some navigationial skills or at least know how to read charts be critical?

[@millzee60]

With modern GPS, chart plotters and electronic charts, I think it has become easier. Or has it? Only the other day someone was recounting a storey of someone who lost their boat on a reef in a well charted area because they had not zoomed in enough of their chart plotter to see it.

[@followtheboat]

That's kinda what we meant by getting sailing experience, Anthony, but it's worth reiterating here, thank you.

[@anthonyferrara2222]

@@followtheboat I enjoy your videos. Safe travels.

[@sailingyoumeandjosapea6770]

@@millzee60I did the same luckily on mud in Essex I’ll never do that again I missed last orders at the pub😅

[@dracey1778]

COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT he says commenting

[@followtheboat]

🤦

[@daomingjin]

if the boat is cramped.... get a bigger boat... simple as that. Any boat that's less than 30 feet wide is a no-go for me. too cramped

[@followtheboat]

Whatever they're size, all boats are too small, there's never enough storage for a liveaboard! De-cluttering and minimalist living are the watchwords... Liz 🤓

[@NortyNige]

I just say for f-ck sake a lot more these days.

[@followtheboat]

😅😅 that applies to most things in my life, Nige 😉

[@NortyNige]

@@followtheboat Well if it floats, especially so.

[@exkinky]

medical.

[@followtheboat]

Does your one word comment mean that health may be a factor? Liz

[@exkinky]

@@followtheboat yes when you need to stay close to medical providers and in my case I just pass out at random so I think I am done especially with solo sailing just when I am done getting my boat the way I want it. Should have started before retirement I guess.

[@followtheboat]

Oh no, that's rotten luck. 🥺 But I wish you joy in your next phase (and a soft landing) ♥️ Liz

[@AnthonyParr-do5jk]

Just traid him or her for someone who does 😉

[@followtheboat]

Brutal! 😯 Liz

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

I don't like the expression "Money is the root of all evil." What is the "root of money"? What are you expounding as "evil"?

[@followtheboat]

The expression "the love of money is the root of all evil" means making money is your priority in life. Greed is the evil.

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

@@followtheboat Then say "Greed is the root of all evil". Don't tarnish money. Money is good. Read Atlas Shrugged. Fair winds.

[@followtheboat]

It's just a saying, which I repeated here because Money is one of our reasons. Nothing more. Next time I'll say the full quote. 🤓 Liz

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

@@followtheboat Hi Liz, I understand it's "just a saying", but it's a horrible saying that tries to undermine and diminish people who work hard. Money takes people's hard work and transforms it into an abstract number that they can use to trade for other people's money. It's a way to trade your "best effort" for someone else's "best effort". This is a wonderful thing. We work hard all our lives to earn money and save it so we can enjoy it one day. So what is the root of all of that money? Your life's hard work. So according to that saying, your hard work is evil. What a horrible thing to say. There's a fiction book called "Atlas Shrugged". I think it's one of the best books ever written. Please consider reading it. It talks about "the root of money" among many other things. Fair winds.