Living on a Sailboat

My blogging stopped because I couldn't get a reliable WIFI connection with my laptop when on my boat. Today I will try once again. My daughter Jayne started blogging years ago and I followed in her footsteps. After a while of early boring post I started blogging about my speedway racing adventures. That was a lot of fun and work but I was living in a house in Lake Forest, California and had a DSL line with reasonable speed and after the races I would stay up late blogging.

Main Channel in Wilmington

When my son Dylan turned 18 he decided to move out of Plastic Land and he moved to Portland where bicycles rule the nest. This left me with the decision to vacate also and move to my sailboat where I spent every weekend.

Galley after I purchased the boat

A recent change in "live aboard" status allowed for a higher percentage and I signed up for an inspection. My sailboat was docked in San Pedro and the marina is part of the Port of Los Angeles. I was given the number of the agent that does the boat inspection which I called and made an appointment for a later date as I was sailing up to San Francisco with a friend who was doing the Single Handed Transpac.

At this time I was still racing speedway and was using a trailer with my Nissan to haul the bike to the tracks. I also had our family Westfalia which also could carry a motorcycle.

The Hondas and Jawa Bye Bye

Bye Bye to lost Van

If your are moving onto a boat you must downsize or pay for lots of storage. Or both. Several bicycles and motorcycles had to go. The trailer had to go. The VW van went to South Pasadena and the Nissan to San Pedro where the boat was. My daughter's already over crowded garage became stuffed. After the racing season was over the Jawa went on the auction block but I kept my street bike in South Pasadena.

Riding the 110 Freeway from one end to the other is scary on a street bike so that went went on Craigslist too. Bye Bye Suzuki.

After two weekend of garage sales and lots of give away I got a storage unit in Mission Viejo.
Then I had stuff (space consumers) in South Pasadena, on my boat, in a marina locker, in my Nissan and VW van plus storage in Orange County.

On a boat space can't expand unless you get a larger boat.

Marina cost are a function of the length of the boat so a 40 foot boat cost more that a 30 foot boat.

Live aboard users play additional charges usually a percentage of standard fee.

My sailboat has a 10 foot beam  and is 35 foot long bow to stern.

There wasn't any room for music records, books and their book cases. Bye bye.

Before I left a roof over my head and a sidewalk in front I often wondered how I was going to downsize. The big screen TV, speakers, desktop, washer and dryer: all bye bye.

Two remaining bicycles went to daughters garage, one to a storage unit so I was suddenly without a bicycle to ride. So to go shopping one had to either walk or drive. Well walking is good for you so I started walking to the store unless the groceries  got too heavy.

But the good part (maybe) was I still had our dog Dede. Who was not a fan of sailing or boats.

Dede with her old bed and pillow