Nowaday, many people do spend their lives contently on a live aboard boat. If you haven’t heard of a live aboard; quite simply, it is a boat that you live on year round that gives you all the accommodations you would find in an apartment. You have bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, heat, and air conditioning. The larger boats tend to offer more amenities and designer interiors. You really can have a comfortable home with room for entertaining on a boat.

Just like hunting for an apartment, you access your needs for space. You can either live on a sailboat or a power boat. When you get into the 35 – 38′ range, the boat usually offers 2 stateroom and 2 heads, plus the galley and salon area. The bigger the boat, the roomier each of these living areas are. Down south, heat is not really an issue. All size boats come with reverse marine air conditioning/heating. Some offer electric heaters or even a little fireplace. Your stateroom provides storage for your clothing with drawers and closets, and you usually have up to a queen size bed. Adjacent to the stateroom, you’ll usually have a head with shower. The galley area usually gives you counter space and all your typical kitchen appliances. Some may be small, but you can easily cruise somewhere for dinner for the evening.

Your typical day is not so different than it would be living in an apartment. If you love the water, you have a year round view to enjoy from your deck. You have the option of taking your home to any vacation you go on and you never have to pack! You can spend your time living in one area or hop around the north in the summer and the south in the winter. The more free time you have, the more you can enjoy the way of life living on a boat offers. It’s a terrific way for a retired couple to spend their time, not having the responsibilities of a job or children to care for. Plus, you don’t pay real estate taxes like you would when living in a home. That makes your money go further. I really can’t think of any drawbacks to living on a boat. You get to change your scenery whenever you want to. It’s a great way of life.