The Essentials Of Living Aboard A Boat: The definitive Guide for Liveaboards Paperback – December 11, 2013

This is a must read for anyone contemplating living aboard a boat. Living aboard includes those wishing to do the Great Loop(you will be living aboard for 9 months afterall). However, this is not a cruising guide to doing the loop. It is a comprehensive book that I suspect everyone will take something from dealing with the boat buying process starting with common sense thoughts about what you want vs what you need, the importance of using a broker, financing, costs of operation and the whole buying process. If you are considering doing the loop or just living aboard (read, the same thing) this is where you should begin.Many have criticized the author for talking about Boston too much. In all fairness, it is well written citing real experiences and Boston is where his boat is! I would no expect him to write about Marathon if he has never lived aboard there. His cold weather principles are sound and should be helpfulI am getting closer and closer to my loop target age and I am reading and re-reading many books that will be helpful in my decisions. I highly recommend adding this to your must read list.The author seems intelligent, yet not arrogant and the book is well laid out as well as written.

This book provided an interesting level of insight from an author who lives aboard his boat but also appears to have and otherwise "normal" life in that he has a job and is not a sailing gypsy, not that there is anything wrong with living that dream, but it is not available to many of us. Thus this book fully met my expectations of many of the realities of living aboard a sailboat. While some tet is repeated apparently I suppose since many of the chapters were written at different times and then composed into a book. Still I found the topic interesting enough to get through the entire book in just a few days of spare time reading. I would strongly suggest anyone preparing themselves for this lifestyle change read this book. It is not how to prepare your boat for blue water sailing as there are books for that, but how to prepare yourself and your boat for the adjustment to living aboard a very small space. I did find it eye-opening to realize all of the possessions one has accumulated in their lives might have to be disposed of permanently or transferred into a more space efficient medium. Clearly something to reckon with before you sell your house! Overall a good and worthwhile read.! I am happy to have purchased the book and had the opportunity to share the perspective the author provided.

Great and very helpful book. I like what he writes...makes a lot of sense. He says, "Boats grow on trees." Yes, there is always a better deal out there; so never worry about not finding your special boat. I learned much from reading this book. I would recommend it to other boaters who may be thinking about living on their much loved boats.

Not a bad book not a great book I'm no life long salty dog but this is pretty basic.The book is what it say but it's not about sailing or motoring it's about living on a boat in a marina spends time even talking about boats with no motor incapable of moving.Lastly if your looking to live on a boat at the absolute minimum that you can exist on it might better suit you. I'm not rich, not poor, never been rich while I have been very poor and have no desire to squeeze every last penny out of everything I live an average life and am quite happy. I believe thr book is more geared towards the person that is young and would be happy if the boat floated.Anyway not popoing the book it just wasn't really the live aboard I am doing which is more of a cruising liveaboard and not getting up going to thr office each morning trying to figure out how to iron a suit in a small boat.

Perhaps my expectations were low, but I really enjoyed this book. The author does a nice job of detailing a number of considerable and does a nice job explaining his ideas on each matter, but is careful to point out some of the trials and tribulations of living aboard.

An excellent resource for people interested in or curious about the problems, solutions, and things to keep an eye out for in regards to living on a boat. Mostly written about living on a sailcraft (Though much of it also works for motor craft), it's funny, detailed, and I found it an educational read.