The freedom of living in a mobile home is not restricted to land. Plenty of people take to the sea. It could even be argued that more and more have done so due to the pandemic. When it broke out, being out at sea seemed like the perfect way of staying both isolated and free. But things don’t always end up as expected.
We’ve shared the stories of several couples and even individuals who have embraced the sailboat life over the past couple of years. A lot of them are young couples living onboard old boats. Full of enthusiasm and grit, they’re always sure that this is what the future will look like forever. But, as it turns out, some of them change their minds rather quickly.
One of the most surprising things about sailboat life is that most of those who choose it have no prior sailing experience or knowledge about boats. So, it’s not surprising that sometimes they end up overwhelmed by the hardships of this lifestyle. Casey Hawkins was one of them, as she recently told Insider. Only a year ago, together with her boyfriend and their dog, Casey sailed away onboard the Luna.
Luna is a vintage sailboat, more specifically a 1976 Allied 42’. But it wasn’t the boat itself that became the problem. It was the lifestyle. Sailing full- time means operating with a limited amount of water and other essential supplies.
In the long run, not having enough water for regular showers becomes hard to deal with. Casey was also tired of the alternative baths in the ocean. The thrill of discovering new destinations was also slowly drowned by the constant stress of finding the right grocery stores and stocking up.
It was also quite lonely. What looks like freedom and adventure from the outside quickly feels like isolation and homesickness when you’re actually at sea all the time.
So, after having swapped the conventional home living for living onboard a vintage sailboat, this young couple took another turn and is now living in an apartment. Sailboats are not meant to become full-time homes for everybody. For some, this will remain just a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
One of the most surprising things about sailboat life is that most of those who choose it have no prior sailing experience or knowledge about boats. So, it’s not surprising that sometimes they end up overwhelmed by the hardships of this lifestyle. Casey Hawkins was one of them, as she recently told Insider. Only a year ago, together with her boyfriend and their dog, Casey sailed away onboard the Luna.
Luna is a vintage sailboat, more specifically a 1976 Allied 42’. But it wasn’t the boat itself that became the problem. It was the lifestyle. Sailing full- time means operating with a limited amount of water and other essential supplies.
In the long run, not having enough water for regular showers becomes hard to deal with. Casey was also tired of the alternative baths in the ocean. The thrill of discovering new destinations was also slowly drowned by the constant stress of finding the right grocery stores and stocking up.
It was also quite lonely. What looks like freedom and adventure from the outside quickly feels like isolation and homesickness when you’re actually at sea all the time.
So, after having swapped the conventional home living for living onboard a vintage sailboat, this young couple took another turn and is now living in an apartment. Sailboats are not meant to become full-time homes for everybody. For some, this will remain just a once-in-a-lifetime experience.