Last summer, I decided that apartment life isn't for me and moved onto a boat. The idea did not formulate overnight, nor was purchasing a sailboat an super-easy-simple process. It took lots of time and research. Even more so, it took commitment.
It all started after I returned from a 6-month work project in San Francisco. My friend who I flew Cessna 152 with had just moved away from New York City and I was looking for something new. I haven't sailed in ages, so I started exploring options in NYC. You could take classes, but it seemed like owning a sailboat was out of the question. Luckily, we live in the 21st century and there is tons of information online when it comes to sailing. After many hours on the internet, I discovered the subreddit r/liveaboard where users would explore alternative living.
Alternative living seems like a trendy-hipster-fad right now, but tiny-homes, off-grid living, vandwelling, and even liveaboard were all concepts that were new to me. At the time, I would never consider living such a lifestyle. I mean... it requires rearranging your entire life!
Fast forward about a month. I'm on this epic vacation in Italy and the south of France. I remember each time I look off into the Mediterranean Sea and see the sailboats, it made me desire to live on the sea even more. I knew when I got back, I had to research and take this new adventure seriously if all these were to work out.
The rest is history. Six months later, as I sit and and reflect back, I'm happier than now than in any Manhattan apartment I've ever lived in. If anyone is deciding to make this jump to live in tiny home, a van, be off-grid, or even move onto a sailboat, I strongly urge everyone to seriously consider it. There are some drawbacks, but I promise you its worth it.