by Ray Fauteux

Created on: October 13, 2007

There is one very important thing you must do if you plan to live aboard a boat. Think small! Think compact!

If you plan on living aboard a boat, economy of space is the number one priority.

Envision a home in a regular sub-division, and then put exactly the same furnishings and conveniences on board your boat: Only just much smaller versions and fewer of them.

Of course everything hinges on the size of your boat, but let's just say it's an average size for a live-in cabin cruiser.

Start with the bedroom. Of course the King-size bed won't make the cut. Even a Queen size is most likely too big. The most common size for an average boat might be a double.

Dresser drawers complete with a mirror are also much too big and ideally, a bed with drawers that slide under the bed would be preferable.

As for the head(bathroom), forget about the vanity and bath-tub. Think a small cabinet on the wall and a shower built for one.

What passes for a living room on board a boat will most likely be a few comfortable chairs, a coffee table, a small t.v. and perhaps a stereo system. You may even have a small bookshelf on the wall. However, forget about the couch, end tables, big lamps and big screen t.v.

The kitchen is where you really have to be careful and it will pay to put a lot of thought into.

First of all, you won't have a lot of cupboard space, so when you purchase food, think of small packages and cans that make big meals. For instance pasta, rice, and perhaps instant potatoes instead of a 10 pound bag. Also remember that you won't have near the room in your refrigerator as you are used to. Plan your meals carefully and apart from spices and condiments, only buy enough food to last a few days at at time. It will mean shopping more often, but in the end it will be worth it, as you won't be over-crowding your food storage areas.

When it comes to dishes, don't over-do it. Do you really need a place setting for more than four people? Do you really need six coffee cups? Cooking utensils need the same careful thought. I know in my apartment, I have a cupboard full of dishes and pots and pans that I never use. As a rule, there are just 3 or 4 that I use on a daily basis.

On board a boat, you really don't have room for "anything" that you are not really going to ever use.

There are other considerations as well when living aboard a boat.

Always make sure your cell phone is charged in case of emergency. Don't count on a two-way radio in case you have battery problems.

Make a special effort to be neat, as on a boat there is just not room to be messy. Everything must have it's place.

Make sure you control your garbage and get rid of it daily if possible. In a small area like a boat, you really don't need any unpleasant odors.

Be sure to be careful when using appliances that require power. Use only what you need and avoid wasting energy and putting extra strain on your power system.

With a well thought out plan, living on board a boat could be exciting and economical as well.

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