The Essentials of Living Aboard a Boat (Paperback)

by Mark Nicholas (Author) "So you want to he a liveaboard..." (more)
Key Phrases: space heaters, Chris Birch, Volt Single Phase, Don Stonehill (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
An absolute "must-have" for anyone considering making a boat one's permanent dwelling. -- Midwest Book Review - October 2004

Before you [liveaboard], read this well balanced look at the subject. You'll encounter fewer surprises. -- Lin Pardey, Author, Educator and World Cruiser

It's straight talk from a liveaboard sailor who made the mistakes so you won't have to. -- Linda Ridihalgh, Editor, Living Aboard Magazine

Product Description
The Essentials of Living Aboard educates both dreamers and explorers with information about this wonderful and rewarding lifestyle. Mark Nicholas has combined his experience of life aboard with the advice of other liveaboards, marina owners, technicians, boat manufacturers and advocates in order to detail the challenges and offer real advice for success. This lifestyle, typically thought to be out of reach or "for other people," is now available to all who dream.

Essentials explains, among other things how to:
•Figure out your needs
•Choose the right boat
•Buy your boat
•Choose the right marina
•Prepare for the lifestyle
•Outfit your boat
•Plan for all climates
•Forecast your costs
•and more!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: Paradise Cay Publications (April 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939837668
• ISBN-13: 978-0939837663
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,024 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Sailing > Instructional
  #3 in	Books > Nonfiction > Transportation > Ships > Repair & Maintenance
  #9 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Boating

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone aspiring to enjoy life aboard any kind of boat , October 12, 2004

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essentials Of Living Aboard A Boat (Paperback)

A seasoned and experienced sailor, Mark Nicholas has written an ideal introduction for anyone aspiring to enjoy life aboard any kind of boat in The Essentials Of Living Aboard: The Definitive Guide For New Liveaboards. The reader will learn how to choose and buy a boat that is appropriate for one's needs, including the finesse of the buying process, negotiations, insurance, and financing, amenities aboard a boat, navigation and safety matters, sanitation issues, legal issues, tips, tricks, and techniques, and more. Of special interest is the warnings about search, seizure, and forfeiture - even though a boat may be one's home, it does not have the same protections against search and seizure as a landbound home. Furthermore, forfeiturelaws mean that the government can seize property (including the boat one lives upon!) and never return it, even if the owner is never accused or convicted of any crime. An absolute "must-have" for anyone considering making a boat one's permanent dwelling.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The wanabe's Definitive Guide for Living Aboard, January 8, 2006

By	Daniel H. Grant (Richmond Hill, GA.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had initially read Mark's first edition of Living Aboard prior to reading this edition. I enjoyed and found the first edition so informative and helpful that I acquired and resd this edition. Mark has truly tried to write, "the Definitive Guide for Liveaboards." The areas covered amount to the A to Z coverage with much depth to each of the areas. Mark includes how to choose a boat, estimating the cost of purchasing, selecting a marina, maintaining, preparing to live on a boat, Amenities ( communications, entertainment, refrigeration) safety, sanitation and many more. He also discusses the liveaboard issues and accomidations for families, children and pets. Mark has chapters on many issues that are often not considered by the first time liveaboard and I found some issues and ideas about livingaboard related to cruising that I had not considered myself even though I often cruise both inshore and offshore. I have recommended Living Aboard to many friends and individuals on websites for liveaboards and cruisers. Many have emailed me to let me know they found the book beneficial in their decision making process.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saved Me $$$$$$ and Lots of Stress, July 17, 2006

By	Morris "S.V. Charity" (Somewhere in the Intercoastal) - See all my reviews

Without any question, this book helped me save thousands of dollars and really keep perspective when I chose and bought my boat. If I had to sum it up, this book is mostly about perspective on a lot of things, such as the lifestyle of living on a boat, and also on choosing a boat, buying a boat and upgrading a boat. I walked away from 2 boats because of this. And the cost table is like one big myth buster revealing all of the tons of hidden costs of boating. It not only should be read by every liveaboard but I recommend this book for every boater too.