Reply To: Living Aboard a Boat

Lior, Goq, since I’m new here, I don’t know if you’re being factious or serious. So, I’m going to assume the latter.

I do all of my own maintenance, as most plumbers wouldn’t know how to service the piping aboard a boat as it can get fairly complicated.

Goq, I use the ship’s wheel to steer her. If you mean how do I keep her kosher, well that’s a little harder. As I said we daven aboard when we can’t get to a shul. Once, after walking for over 8 miles to get to a shul one Shabbos (I know- far beyond the 2000 paces), I was talking to the Rabbi after services. He asked why we didn’t ride bicycles. I thought, “Ride bicycles? Is that allowed?” He assured me it was. Since he was a Chabad Rabbi, I figured he would know. He did caution us that we could not repair the bikes, so make sure they were in good condition before erev Shabbos. So whenever we’re away from our home berth, we locate a shul (if there’s one around), within at least bicycle distance.

The lights are on timers that activate just before Shabbos. Our galley (kitchen) is dairy, and most of out meals are dairy. When we do eat meat, it’s prepared on a covered gas grill that attaches to our forward railing. It also has a burner, so we can also make stews, chilli, and soups. We can also turn the flame down low and it functions as a blech. We have a large stock pot that we wash our meat dishes in so we don’t violate our dairy sink. We also fry whole chickens and turkeys in it. (I did mention I was from the South, didn’t I? We fry a lot of turkeys down here.)

And all of our doors have mezuzahs on them. If we’re anchored offshore, I and my sons liked to daven out in the open on our upper deck. Interestingly, we’ve had a number of boats come alongside and ask if they could daven with us. (We never got enough for a minyan though, except when we had a party back at the boat. You know any Yidden to ever turn down free food?) 😉

And, well, that’s our home. We’ve lived aboard her for over 20 years now, and we almost can’t remember any different.We have two staterooms aboard, one for us, and one for the boys. (Well, just one boy now. The other’s in college now. But we do have a new baby daughter who’s less than a year old. I’m 52, and my wife’s 48. Let me tell you, we weren’t expecting this. So we call her “Our Little Surprise Package”. When she graduates high school, I’ll be hitting my 70’s. OY!) :0