3 ms·

Aw, fuck. Now I want a boat.

by Chris2048 5y ago

robfitz 5y ago
And I want you to get one ;) Sailing had always been on my "someday bucket list," but I kept putting it off since I could never make the time to take the week or two off to do the course. But once I started learning, it was so much more deeply satisfying than anything else in my life, that it immediately became a top focus. Before I'd even finished my captain's license, I had already hit "buy it now" on an ebay listing (admittedly reckless and not recommended, but I couldn't wait). That being said, boats are floating money pits (the rule of thumb is that you spend half the boat's price again, every year, in maintenance and mooring) and take a ton of upkeep, so I think it's only viable if it's a major piece of your life and you're willing to devote considerable time o it. Otherwise, it just sits there, losing money while accumulating chores. I sold mine during the first lockdown, but I'll absolutely get another someday, once I'm ready to wrap my life around it again.
- datavirtue 5y ago
  I literally bought a book about buying boats. I was really hyped about buying a boat before I read it. Still no boat years later.
- luckyscs 5y ago
  I think the key is to get a modest sail boat like a sunfish similar size. The cost are way more manageable.
  - robfitz 5y ago
    Yeah, I looked at trailer sailers (although I wanted a cabin), but it wasn't really viable for the types of travel I wanted to do. Now that my life and location are slightly more predictable, a 7m with a small cabin that could go on a trailer would be ideal. (Although I'm sure I won't end up making that sensible choice.)
    - luckyscs 5y ago
      Hey, You only live once.
Peretus 5y ago
As a software developer and team lead who's worked from and lived on a sailboat for the last two years, I'd agree with others here and encourage you to give it a shot. My wife and I both work remotely as software developers and we've been able to put thousands of miles under the keel, traveling from Mobile Alabama, to as far north as the Chesapeake Bay with multiple stops in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, all while keeping our full-time software engineering jobs. It's been a really great experience and I highly-recommend it to anyone with a remote role.
- chegra 5y ago
  Ever been to Antigua and Barbuda?
  - Peretus 5y ago
    We haven't, but it's on the list! We've mostly stuck to the US coast and Western Caribbean, visiting the Keys, the Bahamas, a bit up North, and the stuff in between. Currently anchored in Biscayne bay (Coconut Grove), but will probably be headed down to the keys in a month or so.
- ahominid 5y ago
  I’d love to hear about the logistics of how you do this because it’s something I’ve considered trying, at least for a period of time. I keep running into the idea that without consistent, reliable Internet, not to mention the other niceties of productivity like a workspace and monitors, it simply wouldn’t work for more than a few weeks.
  - throw_away 5y ago
    Not OP, but this couple has written a bit about working on tech projects while living on a sailboat: https://100r.co/site/working_offgrid_efficiently.html https://100r.co/site/working_offgrid_efficiently.html
dugmartin 5y ago
Be forewarned. My favorite quote about boats: "they are holes in the water that you throw money in".
notahacker 5y ago
I'm reading this on board my boat, getting nice warm feelings of empathy about single handing long flights of locks, and then Rob has to go and spoil the happy thoughts by talking about diesel spills and sinking :D

Aw, fuck. Now I want a boat.

And I want you to get one ;) Sailing had always been on my "someday bucket list," but I kept putting it off since I could never make the time to take the week or two off to do the course. But once I started learning, it was so much more deeply satisfying than anything else in my life, that it immediately became a top focus. Before I'd even finished my captain's license, I had already hit "buy it now" on an ebay listing (admittedly reckless and not recommended, but I couldn't wait). That being said, boats are floating money pits (the rule of thumb is that you spend half the boat's price again, every year, in maintenance and mooring) and take a ton of upkeep, so I think it's only viable if it's a major piece of your life and you're willing to devote considerable time o it. Otherwise, it just sits there, losing money while accumulating chores. I sold mine during the first lockdown, but I'll absolutely get another someday, once I'm ready to wrap my life around it again.

datavirtue 5y ago
I literally bought a book about buying boats. I was really hyped about buying a boat before I read it. Still no boat years later.
luckyscs 5y ago
I think the key is to get a modest sail boat like a sunfish similar size. The cost are way more manageable.
- robfitz 5y ago
  Yeah, I looked at trailer sailers (although I wanted a cabin), but it wasn't really viable for the types of travel I wanted to do. Now that my life and location are slightly more predictable, a 7m with a small cabin that could go on a trailer would be ideal. (Although I'm sure I won't end up making that sensible choice.)
  - luckyscs 5y ago
    Hey, You only live once.

Peretus 5y ago

As a software developer and team lead who's worked from and lived on a sailboat for the last two years, I'd agree with others here and encourage you to give it a shot. My wife and I both work remotely as software developers and we've been able to put thousands of miles under the keel, traveling from Mobile Alabama, to as far north as the Chesapeake Bay with multiple stops in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, all while keeping our full-time software engineering jobs. It's been a really great experience and I highly-recommend it to anyone with a remote role.

chegra 5y ago
Ever been to Antigua and Barbuda?
- Peretus 5y ago
  We haven't, but it's on the list! We've mostly stuck to the US coast and Western Caribbean, visiting the Keys, the Bahamas, a bit up North, and the stuff in between. Currently anchored in Biscayne bay (Coconut Grove), but will probably be headed down to the keys in a month or so.
ahominid 5y ago
I’d love to hear about the logistics of how you do this because it’s something I’ve considered trying, at least for a period of time. I keep running into the idea that without consistent, reliable Internet, not to mention the other niceties of productivity like a workspace and monitors, it simply wouldn’t work for more than a few weeks.
- throw_away 5y ago
  Not OP, but this couple has written a bit about working on tech projects while living on a sailboat: https://100r.co/site/working_offgrid_efficiently.html https://100r.co/site/working_offgrid_efficiently.html

dugmartin 5y ago

Be forewarned. My favorite quote about boats: "they are holes in the water that you throw money in".

notahacker 5y ago

I'm reading this on board my boat, getting nice warm feelings of empathy about single handing long flights of locks, and then Rob has to go and spoil the happy thoughts by talking about diesel spills and sinking :D