You know how it is for us sailors: life on a sailboat means there’s always work to be done. It’s just part of the lifestyle, and we’re all in.
But sometimes, things get a bit out of whack. Take this time, for example. We’ve only got a few weeks left before we have to give up our spot in the marina, and suddenly, we’ll be without a base. Our boat becomes our one and only home, wherever we go.
But before we can set sail, the boat needs to be in tip-top shape. That means all maintenance has to be up to date.
On the dry
Some tasks can only be tackled out of the water. Think sanding and coating the hull, or servicing the propellers. And that means hauling the boat out every two years.
We had it all planned for the end of February, just before our next adventure. Originally, Kay and I were supposed to tackle it together. But with nobody available to watch the kids, we had to switch things up. So, I stayed back with the little ones while Kay dove into the work with the guys. Reality hit hard—while I was busy painting Easter eggs with the kids, Kay was barely holding on, on he Luna.
In one of the following vlogs, I will tell you what we precisely did and why this is important.
Family dynamics
Every day on dry dock sets us back about 500 euros. Time is literally money in this scenario. Despite having chosen this scenario ourselves, it started to feel strained. The contrast between peaceful, cozy days with the children versus hectic days of working hard without breaks was too significant. And so, we had to adjust our strategy. You’ll see this reflected in the next vlog, as I’ll be helping out more frequently on the Luna boat.
Being fully engaged with the children is, however, a welcome change, especially for me. Life on a boat with the four of us is quite unique, but we are completely reliant on each other. The children, in particular, rely on me. And that’s a role and responsibility I take very seriously. They didn’t choose this lifestyle, so they should never have to pay the price. In this context, this week was a positive development for them, as I had the whole day to spend with them. Homeschooling with Lewis had a difficult start; it’s strange for a child that suddenly mom is the teacher. But we’ve found a good rhythm now, where she’s putting in a lot of effort and enjoying it as well. That makes it enjoyable for me too, especially since I don’t have a background as a teacher. Lewis’s biggest struggle was understanding that she doesn’t have to get it right the first time. We’re learning something, so it’s okay to make mistakes. Fortunately, that’s going much better now!
It was a stressful, frustrating week. But sometimes, you have to get pass the dark clouds to see the sun!
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