Floating free
It used to be that living on a boat was something men dreamed of doing, and their female partners reluctantly tagged along for the ride. But that stereotype isn't true anymore, at least not for me. What changed? Like most women, I grew up having my own adventures (no boys required). And a boat, from the time I was very young, seemed a bit like a magic carpet. When I hit adulthood, the live aboard life offered even greater appeal - not only could I see the world, but I could do it from the comfort of home.
Buying into the dream
I'm not alone in my desire to live on a boat. Victoria, BC boat broker Sue Adams has noticed the trend in her recent boat sales. While boat purchases used to be spearheaded by the man of the family, she says boat buying has become a team effort. "Women are well-versed in what it means to live on a boat, they know what they're looking for," she says. What they're looking for is a chance to step out of the mainstream: "It’s a simpler lifestyle and a more adventurous one."
The toughest part of moving aboard is downsizing. But Eileen Quinn, a former chief of staff to an Ontario cabinet minister (and late blooming singing sensation with five CDs) who chucked it all to go sailing, says once she got over the fear letting go of her possessions she had a moment of enlightenment. "I realized it was just stuff, stuff I didn't need," she says. The trade off was freedom. Vacuuming a big house and shopping for work clothes gave way to exploring to new harbours and beachcombing.
Life on a boat tends to be a pretty down-to-earth one. The focus of each day is the simple tasks of daily living. Physically it can be demanding (hauling water and using a scrub board is more challenging than you might think). But creatively it can be freeing.
