When bestselling author Charlie Wing decided to drop everything and chronicle his life living aboard a boat, millions took interest. While this is a terrific read when it comes to what you'll need and what you'll experience when living aboard, those looking for a more technical read will probably be disappointed. However, this is a great book, especially if you're thinking about making that switch towards living life on the open waters.

The book goes into great detail on the type of equipment and supplies that you're going to need to make your experience a good one while living aboard. The author really paid attention to every conceivable detail and it was fun to learn from his mistakes and experiences to see what really matters and what doesn't. Since you will be dealing with a lot less space than the average house, it's really vital to have a sort of shopping list of what you're going to need and what you really won't have to have with you.

Overall, this is a fun read, but like we mentioned before, it's not very technical. The main issue that many readers had with the book was that it really didn't cover living aboard a powered boat. Since thousands prefer the luxury of having a powered boat, this was an area that could have been improved upon. However, the book is really more of a chronicle of one man's journey, so in that event, it still covered the points that the author felt were necessary.

If you're looking for a fun and enjoyable read about the whole process of adapting to life on the water, this is the quintessential memoir that really goes into depth on everything you'll need to know. Even if your plans for living aboard are years in the future, it's still well worth the purchase price and it may even convince you to rethink your position. It's not always easy to live aboard and there are times when you'll wish that hadn't made that choice.

Many readers come away with a lot of food for thought and it's probably a good idea to test out some of the advice before going in whole hog and moving aboard. We recommend trying it for a weekend, then a week and seeing how you adapt to life on the water before you completely sell your home and give it a try. There will be some moments that you wish you hadn't made that decision, but much like the author, at the end of the day, you'll come to the conclusion that it is all worth it.

We'll recommend this book on the basis that it is an entertaining and semi-informative read. There are other books that go into the more technical side of life aboard your boat, and both kinds of books deserve their own special place on your shelf, and of course, on your boat.

Originally posted 2008-11-14 11:18:09. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Boating, Book Review

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