Being close due to Coronavirus or just being on a boat

If you have ever wondered or thought about going cruising on a sailboat for an extended time now is the chance to test that theory.  Not talking about sailing, or storms, or navigation.  Nope, talking about can you spend that amount of time close to your loved ones. Back in February people had the normal routine of going to work or school in the daytime, coming home for dinner, and then moving into bedrooms or family rooms to finish out the day.  This allowed for people to have space around them and to interact with a variety of people throughout the day.

Now you are stuck in your house/apartment for the full 24 hours and are seeing the same people for the entire day.  When working and not confined to your home you are around many people even if you do not interact them, they are around you and it breaks your day up.   With the Covid19 pandemic, forcing us to stay home we can watch television, or go on the internet to see people but for the most part we are just spending time with the ones we love.  It is nice but  we have been forced to do this and a good thing can often go bad as well.

So many people have the dream of going off into the sunset with the family on a sailboat and enjoying life.  It is a great dream and can happen but you need to be aware that the boat, weather, food, sailing skill, and everything else is just a small part of the trip.  The biggest is spending time with the ones you love in a confined space and enjoying it.

A normal house is 2,000 sq ft while a typical mono hull sail boat is 300 sq ft and a multi-hull go up to 400.  There are larger houses and larger boats but the ratio is probably the same, you are living in 80% less space.  While this square footage isn't bad for a weekend or even a week trip it does start to get small when you live in that space for  months/years.  

But you say this is with the people we love and want to spend time with, yes but 100% does tend to push the limits.  Sometimes the little things start to become major issues, how someone breaths, if they walk loudly, putting away things, and even how you take a nap.

We know of many people who have started off on a family cruise and after six months are ready to give the boat away and head back to a normal life.  Like a new marriage it takes adjustment, give and take, compromise, and long walks on the beach.  In the end you can't beat the family time, sunsets shared, and new people you meet - but it isn't for everyone.

So if your family is really enjoying all the forced time together, you too may be the right personality for a long term cruiser.   We'll see you out there.