5 Things I Miss Most About Living Aboard a Sailboat
- Editor
- Sep 15
- 4 min read
When you move off a boat, people often ask what you miss the most. At first, you think of the obvious things—space, comfort, or maybe the fact that land life feels more stable. But after some time on shore, I realized that what I really miss are the daily moments from the liveaboard life. They were small, ordinary things that became very special when they were part of my everyday routine.
I lived aboard a sailboat for four years, and even though it was not always easy, the lifestyle left a mark. Here are the five things I miss most about living aboard a sailboat.
1) Morning swims instead of morning coffee
One of my strongest memories is how mornings began. On land, most people start the day with coffee, traffic, or maybe a quick scroll on the phone. On a boat, my “morning routine” was very different. I opened the hatch, looked out at the sea, and often went straight into the water.
That first dive in the morning cleared the head better than any espresso. The water was usually calm, cool, and completely mine. Sometimes I swam around the boat once or twice. Other times, I just floated on my back and watched the sky.
It was not always glamorous—sometimes I had to check that the anchor chain wasn’t tangled, or that the dinghy painter was not wrapped around something. But even that felt more alive than any city morning. On land now, I miss that direct connection with nature before the day even started.
2) The sound of water all around
On shore, I often sleep with closed windows, surrounded by the hum of traffic, voices from the street, or the silence of walls. On a boat, the soundtrack was completely different.
At anchor, the gentle slap of waves against the hull was constant. The halyards sometimes tapped lightly on the mast. When the wind picked up, I could hear the change before I saw it. And some nights, when the sea was perfectly still, it felt like the boat and I were floating in complete silence.
I also remember the small surprises. The splashes of fish jumping near the bow. Even the creaks of the rigging felt like the boat was alive.
Now, on land, nights feel empty. I sometimes play recordings of waves just to fall asleep. But it’s never the same as the real thing—the mix of calm and alertness you only get when you’re sleeping on the water.
3) Spontaneous friendships
Life afloat makes people open. In marinas, people always greeted each other when passing by. At anchorages, dinghies would come over for a chat or to ask if you needed anything. Friendships grew faster because there was already a shared understanding—you were both living a life that many people only dream about.
Some of my favorite memories are small gestures. Someone lending me a spanner late at night. A neighbor inviting me for coffee the morning after we rafted up together. A quick chat on the dock that turned into a friendship lasting years.
On land, it takes more effort to meet people. Everyone is busy, everyone has a schedule. On the water, community forms naturally. It’s one of the things I miss the most.
4) Freedom to change your view
Living on a sailboat gives you the rarest form of freedom: the ability to change your surroundings whenever you want.
One week you can anchor in a bay with turquoise water and no one around. The next, you can tie up in a lively town and step ashore for fresh bread, a café, or a local festival. If you don’t like the weather, the noise, or even the neighbors—just lift the anchor and move.
I miss that feeling of control over my environment. On land, if you don’t like your view, you’re stuck with it—or you need to move house, which is a big decision. On a boat, a change of scenery was often just an hour’s sail away.
5) Simple living with less stuff
Storage on a boat is small, which at first feels like a limitation. But soon, it becomes a gift. You quickly learn what you really need and what is just “extra.”
When I lived aboard, everything I owned had a place. If something broke, it was replaced. If something was not used, it was given away. The result was a life with fewer objects but more space in the mind.
Back on land, it’s easy to collect things again. Closets fill up, drawers overflow, and yet half of it is never used. I miss the simplicity of boat life, where every item had value and purpose. It made daily life easier and lighter.
A Note to Anyone Dreaming of It
Living aboard a sailboat is not perfect. Boats break, weather interrupts plans, and sometimes you spend more time fixing than sailing. But the small joys are worth it: morning swims, the sound of the sea, friendships, freedom, and a simple life.
These are the five things I miss most about living aboard a sailboat. And even though I now live on land, I carry those memories with me—and they still shape the way I see life.
👉 If you are thinking about trying it, even for one season, I would say go for it. You don’t just travel to new places—you also discover a new way of living.
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