Table of Contents
Foreword 8
Introduction 10
1 In the beginning 15
Meet the crew 15
Faoin Spéir 19
Our starting point 22
2 Why do we do it? 30
3 How much will it cost? 35
How do recreational sailing and liveaboard cruising compare budget-wise? 37
Initial costs 39
4 Choosing a boat 55
What do you want from a boat? 57
5 Buying a boat 68
Boat brokerage 72
The classifieds 74
Ten questions to consider when looking for a project boat 75
6 Hands on 83
Hiring vs DIY 83
Location, location, location 85
Tooling up 88
Fitting out 89
Launch day 93
7 Equipping the boat 97
Wants vs needs 99
The great tender question 103
Emergency equipment 106
Electricity 113
Showering 117
Entertainment 123
The ship's log 126
8 Equipping the crew 131
Training and study 131
Key skills 135
Non-boat skills 143
9 A place to slop 152
Berthing 152
Mooring 156
Anchoring 157
10 Provisioning 171
The impact of the internet 172
Crew tastes and needs 173
The practical side of provisioning 176
Finding your own balance 179
11 Education on board 182
Parental worries 183
Education in all its forms 184
Embracing home schooling 185
The pros and cons of home schooling for liveaboards 195
Home schooling on Faoin Spéir 198
A word on higher education 203
Learning for all 204
Babies and toddlers 205
12 Letting go psychologically 207
The transition 208
Dealing with disbelief 210
Loss and loneliness 212
No Garden Shed 214
Whose dream is it anyway? 217
13 Letting go practically 223
Minimal living 223
Selling up 226
To let or not to let 227
The postman 228
Packing 230
14 Getting underway 236
Departure 237
Our first emergency at sea 243
To a new country 249
15 Life on board 255
Crossing the English Channel 257
Health and safety on board 258
Time for change 266
Birthdays 268
Slowing down 269
Clearing in and out of new countries 272
16 Self-sufficiency 275
Engines 278
Key skills 282
17 A woman's perspective 297
Identity 297
You're not alone 300
Fear 307
Hair 311
Changing pace 313
18 Home comforts 318
Physical space 318
Some inconvenient truths 321
19 Staying in touch 326
Mobile phones 327
Email and letters 328
AIS 329
Staying in touch in the 'analogue world" 330
20 In the end 333
Useful resources 336
Acknowledgements 345
Index 347
