See full version: A Journey from Sailboat to Trawler
In the end, we picked the Albin 36 for its combination of a large cockpit for entertaining, with a direct walk-out from the cabin and a single engine with bow thruster. Overall, the Albin has a very open and bright interior, a top priority for us. more
I would strongly recommend hiring a trawler trainer to go out with at first. We waited too long to do this but when we did, it was worth the money. [links]
After years of driving a sailboat, driving a trawler is not intuitive. The Irwin has a cable throttle which accelerates in direct proportion to how much it is moved back and forth. The Albin has an electronic throttle, which is more sensitive but hesitates when put into gear, making a novice think that it needs to be moved up a notch. That can be a very bad idea during docking, since a 450-horsepower engine can take off like a spaceship. Crashing into a dock, which we did in the first month after buying the Albin, can be a very expensive fiberglass job, not to mention a bruising to the ego. here
So, now, after eight months of owning a trawler, would we do it again? Absolutely. Its comfort is close to that of living in a mobile condo. And after all the surprises are over, there is no boating as undemanding as motoring in a trawler. It is far less stressful than a sailboat and after a day on the water we are not exhausted, but almost ready to begin again.
John, on AfterMath, says he still misses “the exhilaration of just being powered by the wind. I have to admit, I loved the quiet of a day under sail and looking at the sails when we were wing-on-wing was always so beautiful to me.”
He acknowledges that the transformation from sail to power is usually ‘age specific’. In other words, sailing is idyllic, at least some of the time; however, it also can be labor intensive. more
So, when it came time to retire and go cruising, speed took a back seat to priorities of comfort, elbow room as well as ‘paw room’ for their two canine crew members, Jake and Kirby. “We wanted more volume to put things in and to have a longer range,” John says. “We burn a couple of gallons an hour. When you offset the costs of sails every few years, it isn’t necessarily that much different. We can cruise AfterMath at eight to nine knots, but we typically run it at six, like our sailboat days. It’s laidback; it’s easy; it sips fuel.” more
From the salon of their 48-foot Hatteras trawler, AfterMath, Debbie Daigle and her husband, John, speak wistfully but without much regret about leaving their sailing days in the wake of twin props.
Tadhana, Tom Hale’s Helmsman Pilothouse 38
There were other considerations. “We were planning to live aboard summer and winter on the [Chesapeake] Bay.” To that end, the couple wanted hot showers aboard, a washer and dryer, room to relax and easy access for the dog. [links]
Cruising the Caribbean while living in a sailboat is a lot of fun…do it the right way and remember…you are a guest. [links]
Living on a sailboat Gary Pierce is the webmaster of http://www.frugal-retirement-living.com he retired early at 49, still retired at 64. He has experience in lifestyles that are both fulfilling and frugal. It is 2009 and many are wondering if they can ever retire. Don’t give up until you check out this website. Enjoy.
P.S. – Leaving soon? These recommended links below will help you save money and book your trip:
We cruised the Caribbean living in a sailboat for 8 years. We did a lot of island hopping in the Windward’s and Leeward’s, from Trinidad and Venezuela in the south to the Virgins in the north.
You fill out the numerous forms, and present your boat registration and passport. They will stamp your passport and inform you how long you can stay. Why is this important to them? They do not want anyone coming and taking a job away from a local. They are especially strict in Trinidad. here
Be anything less than polite. The locals are very slow to anger, but rudeness real or perceived is a great way to test their patience. Island jails, are not the most pleasant places. I do not have first hand info on that situation. You are a guest act like one.
Everything in the sea is subject to quite a bit of corrosion, so things break more often than living on land. A rule of thumb is to expect to pay 10% of the value of your boat on maintenance on an annual basis. Phone and internet costs used to be extremely high for us. Now they have laid fiber optic throughout the Caribbean, the costs have gone down significantly. here
Let’s cast the line and explore the world of a live aboard Retirement.
Having chartered the Caribbean and the Med during our vacations from our jobs for over 25 years, we knew we wanted to live on a boat full time in retirement. We wanted to do it when we are still active because at some point, we will not be able to live this lifestyle. I’m 59 and my husband is 67, so it was now or never.
You love the idea of throwing the mooring lines and setting off somewhere new once a place has lost your interest.
You may have heard many good things about living on a boat– the freedom, the laid back lifestyle and being part of a vibrant community. Even if living on the ocean is not for you there is always life on a narrowboat instead.