What's it like to live aboard?

Life aboard is simple, close to nature, and community-driven. Expect sun, wind, saltwater and plenty of teamwork. The catamaran is comfortable and practical, but space is shared, so mutual respect makes everything smoother. We don't have a fixed schedule and a lot depends on the people on board. We do things together all the time, but we also each appreciate a little me time, on land or up on the sun deck.

Not necessarily. I'll explain everything you need to know and make sure you feel confident. If you already have experience, you'll get to practice navigation, sail handling and watchkeeping. Of course, a general interest in sailing and learning the ropes should be there, it's always a team effort and everyone has to contribute when we make a passage. I'm a licensed skipper and instructor, and used to teaching greenhorns how to handle a boat. If you're planning on becoming a skipper yourself and are collecting miles, we'll happily sign your logbook!

Cabins are private, but most of life happens in shared spaces like the cockpit, galley and deck. Think of it like a small floating home, where consideration is key. You can always close your door and go to your cabin. You have a private bathroom that you share with your bunk buddy, and although the walls are thin, the layout of a catamaran means you usually don't hear the others in their cabins. Since we spend a lot of time anchored, you'll also usually be able to go ashore for a bit, for example if you want to make a private phone call.

Most trips are pretty long, and that's for a reason. We take our time exploring the islands instead of rushing from port to port like a cruise ship. We explore remote areas and use the independence and freedom of our sailing yacht. So it's not possible to join later than the start date, or leave earlier than the arrival date. It would change the entire trip if we had to meet deadlines at certain airports every week, and it would take away our freedom to sail only in favorable conditions. The effort for us to coordinate crew coming and leaving the boat would also be exponentially higher. These trips are about the true liveaboard lifestyle and slow, sustainable travel. If you have to be back in the office on Monday, these trips are not for you.

We cook together, rotating responsibilities. The galley is well equipped, with a gas stove and oven, and there are two fridges on the boat. We talk about what we'd like to eat and then go shopping together, probably once a week. Every once in a while we'll go to a restaurant or beach bar, and hopefully we'll catch a fish or two that we can roast over the bonfire. Many of the islands have coconuts and tropical fruit too.

Everyone helps. A tidy boat is a safe boat. We keep things stowed, wash dishes right after meals and do daily quick clean-ups. Thursday is cleaning day, we take the morning, deep clean the boat for two or three hours while blasting loud music, and reward ourselves with a cold beer (or coke) afterwards!

At sea, we run a watch system, usually 2-4 hours per shift. At anchor or in port there's no fixed schedule. It's up to us how, and with whom, we'd like to spend the day (and night).

We have a Starlink antenna onboard with an unlimited subscription, so if you like, you can facetime family or work a little. At sea or during the night the antenna is sometimes switched off, to preserve power, but if you have an important call, we can always turn it back on.

Each double cabin has its own head (bathroom) with a little shower, although they're pretty narrow and warm during the day. Thanks to our watermaker we make our own drinking water from seawater, so we're not dependent on marinas to refill our tanks. We still like to shower with salt water at the back of the boat, followed by a quick fresh water rinse, it's just a nice habit and the view is unbeatable. And before you know it, you'll miss the freedom of a shower in the sun at the back of the boat.