Caution for Liveaboards: Now a House is Too Big

[Captain Smollett]

We have had our family of four on a 30 ft boat for about a year and half, now.  With the exception of a few nights in motels (which are likewise smallish living spaces) and no more than an overnight or two at family houses, we have spent the virtually all of our 'living time' (meals, sleeping, etc) in about 180 square feet.

This past week, I have been at a family member's house serving the duel role of house sitting and taking care of an elderly family member.  I encountered something that I was not expecting at all.

The extra space is JUST TOO MUCH.  The house, with all its rooms, is too spread out, and even the kitchen itself requires as many steps to traverse as my entire boat cabin.

After about two days, I found myself being exhausted from all the walking just to get from Pt A to Pt B.  Some numbers:

It takes about 4 or 5 steps max to get from one extreme of the boat cabin to another - the companionway to the v-berth.

That's the distance from the sink to the fridge in the house kitchen.

To get from icebox to galley sink on the boat, I merely have to turn around.

From living room to the nearest bathroom is probably 10-15 steps vs to the 1-2 from my settee in the main cabin.

My clothes on the boat are under the main salon settee.  To get something to wear, I stand up, lift the cushion, get what I want out of the plastic tub.

At the house, my 'room' is upstairs.  To change clothes, brush teeth (my bathroom is also up there), get something out of my backpack, etc that's a long way to go.

Watching something on the laptop on the boat means scooting over on the settee to put in the disk.  At the house, the 'entertainment center' is in a room almost as big as the entire boat.

To summarize:  I'm worn out just from all the extra walking I have to do just to get around in the house.  It's pointless walking, I guess (though a bit of exercise I suppose), since it's just to GET to where I want/need to be. 

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this reverse "living space shock" going from a small space to a much larger one.  I have to get used to it, because we will be house sitting for some friends in a few weeks.

[Mario G]

LOL John while staying aboard at the marina I find the walk to the bathroom has increased expedentially, not that bothers me much its just the waitting line

[SV Wind Dancer]

We've got the same line, 20something liveaboards; one bathroom.  Remarkable how people who will have crazy fits over differences in opinion become very civilized about who has precedence in line for the toilet..."After you, sir" "Oh no, after you" "Thank you so much, I will fan the door to ventilate when I depart" "Very kind of you"...maybe the secret to world peace is to invite all the leaders to a sauerkraut festival with one bathroom...

[AdriftAtSea]

LOL... I guess that really points out how your perspectives can change depending on what you're used to.

[bobnlesley]

I know exactly where you're coming from, as we too are currently stuck in a house for thee months.

I mowed the lawns last Thursday, a job I've not had to do in over ten years; I can't think of a better incentive for living on a boat!

Even when I was permanently living shoreside, my preference always tended toward small houses/apartments - I think I'm perhaps a closet agrophobic? But there again, if you are agrophobic, then a closet's as good a place as any to be. ;)

[marujo_sortudo]

I forget where, but I remember reading about a family that raised their daughter on a boat.  When she went off to college and moved into the dorm, it was her first experience living on land.  The dorm room seemed way too big to her, so she made a small tent over her bed so she could sleep more comfortably....

As for me, I live in a 500 sq. ft. house which often seems too big to me.  I could use more space to work on boats, but for myself, I don't need so much...

[Auspicious]

... and the people move around too much.

[geneWj]

Well, we went from TPIII which is a quite roomy 32' liveaboard to a Mobile home.

I find the extra space unnecessary.  Would prefer to live aboard again.  Wife has a difference of opinion so here we are in a small but comfortable home over looking a nice creek. At least for the time being!
geneWj

[w00dy]

In between long distance hiking trips and living aboard our 35' ketch for a year, my girlfriend Rachel and I have become fairly comfortable with minimalistic living situations. After selling the boat and moving back ashore, we have managed to take advantage of that acclimation by progressively renting smaller and simpler living spaces and saving a lot of money along the way.

When we first moved to Austin, it took some effort to find someone who would rent out a single room to a couple, but we found a 10x10 room in a small house and split the $400 a month rent for a while. We shared kitchen and bathroom space with two others in the house. It seemed a bit crowded at times, but it was never the physical space that felt confining, but more our high strung roommates who had a hard time reconciling our relatively radical lifestyle (more on this later) with their more traditional one.

Luckily, we found another living situation that has worked out much better.
We are currently sharing a large warehouse space that has been subdivided into several small units. Although we're definitely breaking city code by dwelling here, it's the perfect temporary set up for us. Our room is literally a closet. 6x16, no windows, ventilation, outlets or lights. Just enough room for our futon pad, a table, shelves, and a rack of clothes. I installed an AC window unit, a smoke alarm, and ran an extension cord in to power an overhead light. Outside our room, there is an open shop, an ad hoc kitchen, and a shared restroom. Plenty of space for our few belongings, a comfortable bedroom, and a huge shop space for projects.

And the best part.....my share is only $75 a month, so the cruising kitty is growing even faster.

Still, there is a limit to the space you can cram yourself in to. My new boat is much smaller than my old one and I find myself missing luxuries such as standing headroom (or a berth big enough so that I can snuggle up to Rachel. The Aleutka doesn't have a V berth, only a single bunk on each side. It's simply maddening to cruise with your girlfriend and not be able to sleep next to her).  Anyway, I don't think I could see myself spending much time in anything smaller.

Then again....ask me again next year ;)

[Manannan]

I always thought it is better to have a small home with a big back yard or garden (no lawn...). And I believe it is better to have a smaller boat that can take you anywhere. We have all seen big boats that could not get to nice anchorage because of their draft. Though, when you are two on a boat, or on a house, you need to have your own personal space, where you can read, write, do handicraft or isolate yourself. Small = less to clean, less to maintain but less to move around too... which is good but you can become a potato couch and have atrophy of the legs... :o
Big houses have big empty spaces never used. I cannot sleep in a big bedroom, I become like a scared little kid who sees monsters in every corners  ;D
But to be honest, after months or years in the boat, I can enjoy spending sometimes in a house, knowing it is not mine  ;)and it will be for the time of a visit. Then I indulge myself in luxury. But soon enough, I miss the boat again.

[wallo9]

I have a bit of clusterphobia so twice while in the service I was on large ships one was of the coast of Korea on maneuvers I found that I had to take my sleeping bag and go on deck in order to sleep. The sweepers would wake me in the morning. While i spent a great deal of time in the field while in Korea I always slept out side ,i would dig a hole in the sand and climb in my bag and cover it over with sand this was warm . twelve men in a squad tent especially when they caught on fire didn't make it. Coming home on  a twelve hundred man troop ship found me again sleeping on deck. When I bought my venture my partner looked at the V-berth and just groaned, the way the V-berth is now is roomy and great she likes it also but i won't be living aboard it would get to me then. A friend of mine lives aboard a sixty footer for years with his girl friend but wanted to move off he said his knees were going from making short angled turns.

[Chattcatdaddy]

We are currently sharing a large warehouse space that has been subdivided into several small units. Although we're definitely breaking city code by dwelling here, it's the perfect temporary set up for us. Our room is literally a closet. 6x16, no windows, ventilation, outlets or lights. Just enough room for our futon pad, a table, shelves, and a rack of clothes.

I need to find me a set-up like that. heck I would rent a climate controlled storage and live there if I thought I could get away with it. So for now I live in a one room eff in an extended stay motel. Saving a little money not getting an apartment but no that much. Still able to put a little away for the kitty.

[Manannan]

What about in a container ? They are used now in some countries to make living quarters for students. Well insulated, and ventilated they are perfect and can be removable. I think it is a great idea for refugees camps or very low budgets, it is a good reconversion for those big boxes.

[Chattcatdaddy]

What about in a container ? They are used now in some countries to make living quarters for students. Well insulated, and ventilated they are perfect and can be removable. I think it is a great idea for refugees camps or very low budgets, it is a good reconversion for those big boxes.

Don`t put those thoughts in my head! ;D Right now I save about 1/3 of my salary to put in the kitty. Now if I had a container I bet I could up that to about 90%! ;)

[Manannan]

you may be able to find an old one wrecked on a beach !!! And if lucky full of goodies inside ;D