Ive been asked many questions about this trip, and the ones that have come up repeatedly are listed below. If you have a different question, please feel free to contact us.
Why?
Because life is too damn short to live like everyone else. The world is full of interesting places, and we want to experience them. We (wife and I) had planned on sailing around the world after we retired, but it dawned on me that we could also do this while the kids are growing up. We could fill the children with amazing life experiences, create an environment for true family bonding, and at the same time feed our desire to see the entire world. Plus, living on your own boat is like living in your own country. It is all about your rules, your way. Influences on my children will solely be of my choosing. There wont be an issue of my kids hanging out late at a drugged out party because there simply wont be a drug party. There will be plenty of party times for the children after theyve grown up. By living aboard the boat, and experiencing new people and cultures, the influences and values brainwashed into the masses will be significantly less upon my children. This in turn will help my children fulfill the true goal of life: become an individual. As noted already, living aboard the boat will also ensure lots of family time. There wont be as many distractions. The family will have to work and live together to survive, in a confined space. Of course, there are more reasons ... but these are the key ones.
How much does it cost?
Probably not as much as you expect, unless you want to act like you're living on a giant ship enjoying every amenity. Once you own the boat, the money spend isn't much different than life on land. If you live expensively on land, then you will probably live expensively on the boat.
While traveling, we expect to spend on average $1700 a month. There are many folks sailing around the world for much less (around $500 a month), and there are some spending more ($2500 and up). Our budget is $20,600 per year.
We expect the bulk of the money to be divided between boat maintenance and land excursions. Food and other things are truly a minor portion of the money.
How will you fund the trip?
This took us over a year to figure out, but we've got it sorted now! Our approach won't require us to do any work we don't want to do during the whole voyage and we won't be going into debt. In fact, what we've done sets us up for full on retirement!
What about pirates?
Pirates are real and active around the world, and they are a legitimate concern. However, like bad parts of any large city, if you avoid the places bad elements frequent and/or go in groups into those places during the daytime, issues rarely occur. Quite frankly, Id be more worried about some parts of DC, Detroit, NY, or Atlanta than pirates at sea.
Will you have guns?
Reading the various blogs of people who sail around the world, of those who speak about this topic, nearly all say they dont carry guns for fear of escalating a situation. I respect their right to their perspective. Those who know me know the answer to this FAQ.
What about schooling?
Boat Schooling! With all the folks home schooling, I see no reason why we cant do boat schooling. Imagine reading about a foreign place and actually visiting it. Imagine learning about the weather, and really experiencing it. Imagine studying astronomy, and gazing up at a truly starry sky at night. Boat schooling. That is what we will be doing. We are also not to worried about college for our daughters. If they decide they want to go, Im sure they will do just fine on entrance exams. With all things being equal between our daughters and another student, whom do you think the admissions officer would rather have? Suzie who was in drama, or a kid who has sailed around the world? Easy answer to us.
What size/kind of boat?
A Gemini 3200. It is a 32 foot catamaran with 14 foot beam and an 18 inch draft. Our catamaran has 3 sleeping quarters, 1 head, a kitchen, and a family common area.
Why the Gemini 3200?
This boat is of the exact right size for our needs. The trick for this type of exploring is to have a boat big enough for ocean swells, big enough for our family, but small enough to not draw too much attention, small enough that we can navigate inland water ways (rivers, etc.), small enough to be serviced in the boating facilities we are likely to find in remote 3rd world countries not frequented by tourists, and small enough that we can handle it by ourselves. The catamaran choice was not too difficult as we are not sailing purists. We were more interested in the draft of the boat than the "feel" of the ocean. We also wanted to minimize healing as much as possible. Further, the cost of this boat doesn't break the bank.
Where will you go?
Everywhere! There are so many places we want to visit with our boat. Here are a few: Easter Island, Fiji, Alaska, Africa, Australia, Florida Keys, Aruba, Thailand, Amazon River, Nile River, Hong Kong, New York, Bombay, Galapagos, and more!
What about TV?
No TV. We will probably have a TV on board for DVDs (or whatever technology is appropriate when we set sail), but there certainly wont be any regular shows that we will watch.
Arent you worried about your family?
Yes. And it is our concern for our family that is helping drive this decision. In the normal existence of our society, families are exposed to all sorts of negative influences. Drugs, violence, brainwashing by mass media, etc. Our life aboard the boat will create a nice little universe that will allow us to raise our daughters in an environment of our choosing, not one created by others.
What about safety at sea?
The sea is an awesome powerful entity that, when not respected, can take your life in a heart beat. We respect the ocean, and we have been privy to its awesomeness many many times. We feel we can be safe at sea as long as we dont take unnecessary risks, and remain humble and respectful towards it. We will only sail when the weather appears to be good for sailing, and when we do get caught in a storm we will ride it out like thousands before us. We are on no time table, and that alone puts us in a safe position. If it's bad out, we don't have to go anywhere we don't want to.
What about your job?
We will be leaving them. We simply wont have paying jobs anymore, other than gigs we want to pick up as we sail the world to expand our life experience.
Won't you get bored?
Yes, there will be times of boredom. But when they occur, it will be because we are being lazy. The universe is such an interesting place that there really is no reason to be bored. On the boat there will always be at least four unique individuals, and any one of us should be able to stir up enough thoughts/conversations/interactions that we dont have to be bored. Not to mention any stimulation we receive from those things we meet along the way (people, animals, etc.), places we visit, and books we read.
Are you crazy?!?!
:) Various friends have noted that if they didn't know us and saw this site, they would think we were crazy. Somehow knowing us makes us not crazy. That's crazy! No, we're not crazy. We are ordinary folks with a perspective on life that enables us to live it differently than most. We aren't the first to do this (pack the kids on a boat and sail the world), and we won't be the last. Crazy to me is toiling away at a job everyday and spending that hard earned money on stuff you only think you need because of some marketing scheme. I'd rather toil away at a job everyday knowing that all my money is going to fund a lifestyle change that will enable me to spend every day with my family seeing the world. To not do that would be crazy.
What are you doing down here? You must be bored! ;)
As long as you are here, why don't you donate $5 to our trip? It's easy and I will send you a thank you gift.
Click here -> Yeah I wanna Donate $5 because you're so cool!