How to anchor for a week?

[Benthic2]

Fishing and snorkelling/diving are great hobbies for boaters. Jigsaw puzzles, models, wood carving, learn a new knot every day.....

You're looking to kill time and you say your galley isn't what you like......remodel it.

I wouldn't suggest going to a bigger boat because your fuel budget will not go as far in a bigger boat. In fact, if its just you and the wife you might be able to get by with a smaller boat. Then you could go further or faster on the same fuel budget.

 

[Cargile]

My simple rule for staying climate comfortable is: Travel North in the Spring until you don't need air conditioning during the Summer. Travel South in the Fall until you don't need heat during the Winter.
Ted

La dolce vita!

 

[rgano]

I am quite certain that both my wife and I would go stir crazy being anchored for more than a day or two anywhere, but we did not live on the boat except for the couple of months at a time when cruising. While I could stand being aboard tending to this and that bit of maintenance, et. al, she REQUIRES to be ashore checking out the locale daily.

Living and cruising in the South, we learned that AC was never required while underway, but at anchor in the really sultry weather, the generator and all the AC it could handle came on and stayed on - hang the expense.

While running up the Mississippi in July 2017 we ended up in a no-breeze situation on a really humid and hot day. There was no hope for it, and despite not liking to run a generator while underway, we turned it on and enjoyed life once again!

 

[SteveK]

...................................

How about starting a discussion of what people do with their time, how do they deal with the heat, yeah yeah I can sit back and watch TV all day but who wants to do that after all you're on a boat! I'm not much of a reader since I'm more of a visual learner and my comprehension skills are a little off these days. I'm on oxygen, cpap, take about 30 prescriptions a day and I refuse to let that get in my way of enjoying the Boating life.

............................Share with me some of the things you guys do to enjoy your boating life better as you liverboard.

Let this thread be about anything you want to share on how and what makes your life easy. My budget is 400 gallons a month for fuel I hold 250 gallons of water I would even love to learn how to inexpensively build a water maker so any advice on that too would be great

Interesting questions that I ask myself when I finally retire. My wife shares the concern of what we will do when my work no longer consumes most of our awake time. Does it make any difference in a dirt home or liveaboard a boat, I do not think it does.
More tinkering time, get through the to do list. Take up new hobbies and/or have more time on neglected ones. I have not golfed in two years, gave up riding the motorbike, have not travelled by air in a year as the boat became the priority pastime left available after work. Spend a week at anchor in one location, maybe, have not done more than 4 days as I recall, always had to be where I was not. I am looking forward dropping the hook in one place without concern for how long, once I get off the scheduled life.
I guess we need to be thankful for what we have and make the best of it.

 

[dannc]

...
LOL again it's not that I'm not so much a reader I have a comprehension issue and I have a memory issue so when I get done reading the page I have no idea what I just read but that's part of my PTSD issues I guess which is one of the reasons why I'm 100% service connected disabled wartime veteran and thank you to the person who replied acknowledging the service.

I try to watch Shawn Ryan on Youtube. Shawn was a Navy Seal and then a CIA contractor. He interviews other Seals, Special Forces, CIA contractors, MARSOC, etc, which are some of the best interviews I have ever seen. Shawn asks the questions, often insightful questions, then does what many interviewers can't do, shut up, and let the person answer.

His interviews can run three, four, or five hours so he edits some of the videos into shorter segments. It will take me a week or more to watch one of his full interviews but they have been well worth the time.

Shwan ended up with a drinking problem and PTSD. Though, listening to his interviews with Seals and reading some Seal biographies, they seem to drink to excess as part of their culture. I was getting hung over reading and listening to some of the stories.

He and some of the people he has interviewed talk about their PTSD and what they have done to heal. There are quite a few interviews that might be of interest where they have seem to have gotten some relief. This is one that hopefully, will link in other interviews.

There are soooo many interesting YouTube channels, but these are two good history ones,

• https://www.youtube.com/@TheHistoryGuyChannel
• https://www.youtube.com/@ScotlandHistoryTours

Later,
Dan

 

[Don L]

My wife shares the concern of what we will do when my work no longer consumes most of our awake time. Does it make any difference in a dirt home or liveaboard a boat, I do not think it does.

The biggest thing is a live aboard does not have the space to store things for "hobbies".

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Move your shore side hobbies aboard, if possible. If your primary shore side activity was picking up dog poop and then mowing the lawn, that doesn't work on a boat (well, some retain a dog). Many other hobbies also don't fit on a boat, so your choices are 1) row ashore and offer to mow a lawn, clean a gutter, wash a car, etc. or 2) find hobbies and activities that fit onboard.

Not reading would make time onboard difficult to fill for me. That's how we spend our evenings. Given that the book problem seems to be related to attention, and I am getting to the age where I'm experiencing that, you might try what I'm doing. Short stories are good and Mark Twain wrote a summer's supply of them. Books that form a series (like the Master and Commander series shown above as a movie) keep the same characters from novel to novel. Instead of a 90 minute movie, the books (14?) provide 90 days of better quality entertainment. I don't dislike Russel Crowe as an actor, but I'm not concerned if he catches some Hollywood grape shot. I find the books more suspenseful. To keep focused, make a simple "ship's log" of characters and plot twists tucked in as your bookmarker. That is the only way I can easily pick up a book after a week ashore and not require reading a couple of chapters before I remember some of what went on before.

Speaking of ship's log, sketching, as mentioned above, is great. Include them in your log book or keep a separate notebook. I love taking photographs, but a little drawing or painting makes me remember so much more about that day, weather, location, company, etc. Sketch first and then "colorize" with a simple portable water color kit. Soon you will start with the paint and add a little sketching to finish. Every good anchorage is surrounded by 10 good painting ideas.

I've done some whittling (carefully). I remind myself that a suture at sea wouldn't be any fun. Also keep the shavings cleaned up. Probably nothing stops a bilge pump better than wood shavings. Most places where we cruise the shoreline is littered with inspiring driftwood. I also take some pieces with me. Below is a piece of Holly I cut at home and took with me to Nootka Sound. It's a talisman that fits into the beard of a mask carving that I did at home.

This next summer I'm going to pack along some basket weaving materials. I'm not kidding. I know basket weaving is traditionally seen as a time-consuming activity for imbeciles, but I recently found it is fun (a neighbor is into it) and the baskets seem to be well received as gifts. Materials are easily stored. This is another activity that can be done listening to music, weather report, baseball game, etc.

My wife can't tease me about baskets as one of her favorite activities is knitting. I can't see my self knitting. But I do have the Ashley Book of Knots onboard. That book, and a piece of small stuff, can keep you occupied for a few years.

 

[Simi 60]

The biggest thing is a live aboard does not have the space to store things for "hobbies".

Clearly, you do not have the right boat.

Sure, I could not take up elephant training as a hobby but.....

 

[Don L]

well not everyone is going to get a 60' boat

But meanwhile today in Jacksonville Fl on my 41' sailboat I have the air conditioning on and it is very nice in the boat needing no extra adjectives to make the statement correct . It is very nice after the last 5 months on anchor.

 

[Simi 60]

well not everyone is going to get a 60' boat

I stored things for hobbies on our very first 22ft keelboat

 

[SoWhat]

I'm now looking at a 48 foot trawler because it has a lot better counter space for the kitchen but do I actually want to spend the money because of the kitchen LOL well it also holds 800 gallons of diesel so that's a big plus

Not sure moving from a 41' boat to a 48' will solve anything. It will cut your time/distance traveled per day to just about nothing if your budget is that tight.

The key to a successful retirement is to have a lot of interests and friends.
Learn a language, take up golf, teach a cooking course at a CC, Join a fleet and do the loop again, get a PhD online. Most of these activities require a connection to land and aren't really compatible with being anchored 24/7.

I have accepted my ADHD and acknowledge I would go nuts cruising full time. I can handle the summer but that's my limit. I don't have any budget restrictions so my only constraint is mental. I have a fully equipped shop in the basement and I can disappear for days. Only have space for a few tool bags while cruising. My wife would not be happy if I started rebuilding a starter in the middle of the salon.

Dealing with a problem head on will result in a solution. Eventually.

 

[psneeld]

Clearly, you do not have the right boat.

Sure, I could not take up elephant training as a hobby but.....

Agreed, pick the right boat and a hobby as well as a significant other can move aboard wifhout cramping your style.

But some experience with boats is definitely necessary and despite what many say on TF, they just dont have it. Easy to see from their posts.

 

[ofer]

that's why i have a wood boat. never run out of projects.

 

[BruceK]

If you are going to anchor for a week, you need a good anchor. Discuss?

 

[jleonard]

If you are going to anchor for a week, you need a good anchor. Discuss?

LOL BUT if you had 7 anchors you could test each one for one night, write a report, and that could keep you occupied.
Personally, I had no problem being anchored out for a week.....or more.

 

[Art]

Indigents living on/in non functional boats anchor out for years in bays... often with a row boat lashed to their live-aboard to paddle ashore for provisions.

 

[Gdavid]

I have to be somewhat temperature control as i dont sweat and can easily overheat after 31 years of marriage my wife is more relaxed than I am and can handle no heat better than me LOL

Have you looked into a misting system? I've never used one first hand but it seems like a possible solution for someone who cannot sweat to aid in cooling off while on deck.

Planning your route is probably most important to having a comfortable, enjoyable as well as affordable lifestyle. I would focus on finding cruising grounds with lots of anchorages in close proximity, a small change in location can keep a trip interesting while limiting your fuel expenses. Exploring backwaters on kayaks or dinghies is always interesting to me, fishing off the boat and talking to the local crabbers/fishermen is also interesting. Since you have completed the loop, you can probably come up with a few regions you would have enjoyed spending more time in.

Cruising in the summer in comfort, on a budget is pretty hard even if you go pretty far north. Finding an anchorage with a balance of protection while still getting enough breeze for comfort requires a lot of local knowledge, especially when local wetlands provide habitat for biting flies and mosquitoes. On a whole, sailboats tend to be less electrical power hungry than powerboats, with smaller windows/deadlights/portholes, they have less greenhouse effect heating the cabin. They also don't have the very significant head radiating from large diesel engines after running all day, this is a major factor that I don't see addressed very often.

The idea of cruising on a budget is very relative, to many, it may mean taking a transient slip and eating out every other night. On the other end of the spectrum, there are boats that stay anchored in a single spot all season, rowing to shore and walking to the cheapest grocery store, there has to be a sweet spot that you can afford somewhere.

Speaking for the mid-atlantic region, it is easier to cruise in comfort in the spring and fall than the summer, you might want to find a land-based alternative for the summer months. Perhaps entering your boat in charter service or renting it as an Airbnb (strictly while moored to a dock) would generate enough revenue to offset your land based living during the summer.

 

[twistedtree]

Not sure this will be helpful, but....


Given your financial constraints and how they restrict your boat operating time, your need for a mild climate or climate control, and your desire for activities on days when you are anchored... it sounds like RVing might be a better way to explore in your situation. Cost per hour or mile of operation is surely a lot lower so you could travel more/further. There are still lots of places to explore. Climate management is probably easier. And activities are more accessible on non-travel days.


Of course it's not being on the water, and all of us know that's a significant difference, but maybe it's a set of compromises that would better?

 

[Hyperion]

Anchor close fun

My family and I did the loop a few years ago and the longest anchoring we did was at Annapolis. We were there for a month. We timed it so that both boat shows and other events were happening. We had no issues with boredom. That said, the longest we have been anchored in the wilderness was a week but I have had an 8yo daughter with me so it was scouting activities, fishing, swimming every day. I don't know how feasible that might be. If I could not do the active things I would likely find a way to either launch business ventures online for the challenge and the money or find ways to assist people online with the skills I poses. Maybe tutoring kids remotely (any skill, not just school stuff) or some variation thereof.

 

[Gdavid]

If I was living onboard and looking to supplement my income and had plenty of time to kill, I would get a small, heavy duty sewing machine, some basic supplies and learn how to use it. There is always someone looking for canvas work done.

 

[mvweebles]

If I was living onboard and looking to supplement my income and had plenty of time to kill, I would get a small, heavy duty sewing machine, some basic supplies and learn how to use it. There is always someone looking for canvas work done.

I wonder if people still earn while they cruise? YouTube seems to have displaced this type of cruiser which is a shame.

I wonder if the old-school traditional cruisers still exist, or is there a black hole between the Starlink-equipped remote worker and derelict anchor-out? I met a talented South African cruiser who had built his own sailboat and was halfway through his second circumnavigation who did repair work. Another cruiser who did very nice canvas work. Another guy in Isla Mujeres (MX, near Cancun) who was a welder by trade and stayed very busy. Rich at CruiseRO (La Paz) funds his cruising via his watermaker store.

"Nantucket Nectars" got its start by a guys who would deliver juice concoctions to cruisers anchored near Nantucket. Maybe get an Ooni Pizza Oven and sell fresh pizzas to fellow anchored cruisers for $15-$20 each.

I have to wonder if YouTube has displaced this type of cruiser.

Peter

 

[rslifkin]

I wonder if people still earn while they cruise? YouTube seems to have displaced this type of cruiser which is a shame. I met a talented South African cruiser who had built his own sailboat and was halfway through his second circumnavigation who did repair work. Another cruiser who did very nice canvas work. Another guy in Isla Mujeres (MX, near Cancun) who was a welder by trade and stayed very busy. Rich at CruiseRO (La Paz) funds his cruising via his watermaker store.

"Nantucket Nectars" got its start by a guys who would deliver juice concoctions to cruisers anchored near Nantucket. Maybe get an Ooni Pizza Oven and sell fresh pizzas to fellow anchored cruisers for $15-$20 each.

I have to wonder if YouTube has displaced this type of cruiser.

Peter

I expect people still do things like this. But with better internet connectivity, there are more options for making money while cruising, so the people doing work like that are no longer the only ones. Now you can do work like you described, or YouTube, or you can work a job that can be done remotely, etc.

 

[gilbertpark]

I know how you feel - very old age is galloping towards me!

For staying cool have you thought of Transcool here is the UK site https://www.transcool-uk.com

For boredom have you thought of rope work? Make your own fenders, splice loops, make a bridle using a Brummell splice - friend of mine used to make key rings and decorate bottles (most boats for some reason have a few empties) that he turned into Christmas presents. I find it absorbing and fascinating,

Gilbert

 

[dannc]

...
For boredom have you thought of rope work? Make your own fenders, splice loops, make a bridle using a Brummell splice - friend of mine used to make key rings and decorate bottles (most boats for some reason have a few empties) that he turned into Christmas presents. I find it absorbing and fascinating,

Gilbert

I like to make soft shackles, though it is tedious at times, it is fun and mostly meditative, unless I really have a problem with the Brian Toss stopper knot....

There is some UK guy with a YouTube channel showing how to make fenders and such from hemp rope. I assume he was doing this for canal boat usage and I found it really interesting to watch him work. It is obvious he is doing this to make a living, even though the videos could negatively impact his sales, but he seems to be trying to teach people so the craft is not lost. Hope he is still doing the show since I have not watched it in years.

I think of him every time I touch an inflatable fender....

Later,
Dan

 

[bowball]

that's why i have a wood boat. never run out of projects.

Very funny!

 

[rgano]

I know how you feel - very old age is galloping towards me!

For staying cool have you thought of Transcool here is the UK site https://www.transcool-uk.com

For boredom have you thought of rope work? Make your own fenders, splice loops, make a bridle using a Brummell splice - friend of mine used to make key rings and decorate bottles (most boats for some reason have a few empties) that he turned into Christmas presents. I find it absorbing and fascinating,

Gilbert

The transcool unit looks to me to operate on the same principle as the old desert coolers people in hot dry climates of the western US used to strap to their cars. It would not work in the more humid climates.

 

[Byekurman]

I have read some great suggestions. How about a pet, like a cat. Low maintenance, litter box! Another idea might be a drone with camera to fly around!

 

[Capt Ray]

Great topic, Vandeusen...

I am still working for a living, so with repairs / improvements / provisioning / sight-seeing / photography / blogging [https://shellerina.com / organizing "stuff" I don't seem to have your same concern.

You can obviously write, so think of a blog, or writing a BOOK! There is almost enough "stuff" in our blog to write a book, but what publisher would pay for content that is already in the public domain?

What would YOUR book be about? Fiction, non-fiction, the possibilities are endless.

Contributing to the cruising guides with all your experiences is a way to pay it forward to several years of cruisers with your advice and observations. I find that to be very satisfying.

There are a LOT of newbies just in the planning stages for doing the LOOP or starting the cruising life style. So you can have a lot of fun simply helping out those folks to finish their Plan or advice along the way.

There are certainly lots of places within your reach you have not explored yet. So make your list.

If you have good Internet and good Solar aboard, there is a lot of crap (good and bad) to keep you entertained there.

Following the seasons north and south is our plan, so that we [almost] NEVER have to run the generator for A/C or heat.

I could keep on going here... but I think you've got the idea.

Let us know how we all can follow you?!??!!? You've got us curious now about how you solve your problem! <grin>

Also, get NEBO if you don't have it for the social networking side of things. Other humans are the best form of natural wildlife we interact with in our cruising travels. Nebo helps us stay in touch.

Here's another idea: I am in the very early stages of starting a non-profit organization that would raise money from boaters and home-owners organizations in Florida to get rid of all the abandoned pleasure boat wrecks in FL (to start). Locating and prioritizing the locations of these wrecks to get the best bang for our buck in getting them hauled out, picked for salvage parts, then permanently demolished is going to be a project for many boaters to get involved with. There is no shortage for volunteerism, fund-raising, and improvement for our waterways.

Ray & Shelly
Shellerina.com

 

[Vandeusen]

Sounds like your budget can absorb around 150-200 gals of diesel per month; or roughly 500nms. Is there some sort of 'side-hustle' you can do? Would help with the budget and absorb your free time. Do you have any hobbies you can expand?

Peter

Budget is 400 gallons a month and i was never one to have a hobby... i enjoy cooking but not in a tiny kitchen..

 

[Vandeusen]

Indeed i have a 41lb anchor on 100ft on chain and 100 feet rode. I hild pretty well but still nervous about all of us getting off the trawler for more tjhen a cpl hrs.i was thinking of a misting system.. after getting out the army i drove 18 wheel fot 20yrs so bofed with the land.

Remember i am disabled and find that I'm more healthier when I'm on the water then I'm on land so I would rather stay on water. I have Nebo but no one ever sends me a message and I don't really meet people to exchange info and occasional boater here and there but eventually those phone calls and text messages lose interest.

I don't really need to supplement my income 4000 a month seems to be a happy medium for me not too rich not too poor I'm definitely not hungry. I would love to learn how to make my own canvas so I considered getting a sewing machine my daughter knows how to sew just very lazy hoping she can work with me I'm making new canvas and teaching me I try to YouTube channel and after doing the loop last year I might have had like 14 subscribers LOL so that didn't work out well to keep my interest peaked. I did look at that website for trans cool it is a evaporated cooler wouldn't that just make it more humid inside the vessel? I do have a little doggy that I take care of and as far as a drone it'd be my luck I'll spend that money on it and then fly it right into the river LOL. When I was activated in the 90s to go to War I started to write a book and just gave up on it maybe I'll go back to thinking about writing. One thing that wasn't mentioned yet was that prior to lying to New York and jumping onto my first vessel we had never been on the ocean or in the Gulf before so that was pretty interesting it was a challenge for the first month to say the least. My daughter decided to take over YouTube and she started the channel called Sabrina's toy and we tried to post even a short video at least a few times a week now that we're on the hard for the month working the next videos that are going to be posted will be in showing some of what we're doing to the vessel I do love all your guys ideas now I need to work on motivation to make something else happen for utilization of spare time. But let's keep the conversation alive this conversation is good for everyone that comes across it