The Downside of Staying on a Boat

People are amazed at how inexpensive it is for me to stay on my boat in the Bay Area. They think I have things figured out when it comes to beating the high cost of housing. What they don't know is that there are some sacrifices you make when you stay on a boat instead of in an apartment or house. Most of the time I am fine with those drawbacks. This week I came down with a mild cold and the illness made my life a bit more difficult.

While I have Internet, electricity, and water on the boat, I don't really have a toilet. I do, I just never use it. If I do, I have to empty the holding tank immediately or the boat starts to smell. Instead I just make a long walk to a restroom on shore. The round trip is only about a quarter of a mile but after drinking liquids all day long, that can get to be quite a walk every 20 minutes. It is just my personal observation but warm liquids run through you much faster than cold ones.

Another difference is heating the boat. Tuesday evening I had a serious case of the chills because of my mild fever. While I have 2 electric heaters on the boat that both work well, it still takes about 10 minutes or so to get the boat from below 50 degrees Fahrenheit up to a comfortable 70. I sat with my hands outstretched towards one heater like it was a warm fire. Then I shook uncontrollably as I made one last round trip to the restroom for the evening.

There are also some benefits to staying on a boat when you are sick. For instance, everything is really close at hand. I didn't have to reach very far to get my warm soup from the stove to the dinner table. In fact, I didn't even have to get up. I also could continue playing my video game while I ate the soup because my TV and PS4 both sit on my dinner table. I just have to eat carefully and not spill anything.

My wife always encourages me to check into a hotel when the nights are stormy or I am not feeling well. This week the thought crossed my mind but I opted to stay on the boat. I like my living space and it is very comfortable. I just need to not get sick.