Are you curious about living on a sailboat? In August I published Living In A 200 Square Foot Tiny House – Could You Do It? At the end of that post I asked if anyone would agree to be interviewed about their tiny home. Someone did — and today she shares what it’s like to live on a sailboat.
I interviewed Melody from Saving To Sail. She and her partner live in a 175-square-foot sailboat with a 50-pound dog. Their story is an illuminating account of tiny-boat living — practical, honest, and full of personality. Enjoy!
Hi, I’m Melody and I live on a sailboat.
That sounds like an odd icebreaker, but it often prompts surprised reactions. When people learn that Chris (my partner), our 50 lb Dutch Shepherd, and I share less than 175 square feet inside our cabin, some assume we’ve lost our minds.
Why did you move onto a sailboat and choose to live on a sailboat?
We decided to sell our 950-square-foot house in Nashville and most of what filled it around 2011. Chris, a singer-songwriter, was stuck creatively, and I felt complacent in my job and routine. We wanted a change, so we chose a life that would let us see many places: living on a sailboat.
We listed the house, and when it sold we bought a 35-foot sailboat. We sailed from Panama City, FL to the Keys, then up the East Coast to the Chesapeake Bay. Since then we’ve cruised the East Coast four times, spending time in larger cities like Charleston, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Augustine, and in small, charming towns such as Rock Hall, Solomon’s Island, and Oriental. Each place has its own character and has felt like home in different ways.
How was downsizing to start living on a small sailboat, and joining the tiny-house movement?
The downsizing was tough at first. While I’m not materialistic, both of us had accumulated a lifetime of belongings. I had a closet full of shoes — and parting with them felt surprisingly difficult.
We all form emotional attachments to objects. Some items were easy to keep, like a quilt my grandma hand-stitched, but many things felt harder to let go of even though they held no real sentimental value. At times I felt like I was giving away pieces of my life as box after box left the house.
Over time the process became cathartic. Sorting items into trash, donate, or keep led to laughter over old photos and memories. When it was done, I felt unburdened and free. Letting go opened space both physically and mentally.
What do you do for food when living on a sailboat?
People often ask odd questions about life on a boat — the most common being, “What do you do for food?” The short answer: we go to the grocery store like anyone else.
We cook onboard most nights and explore local restaurants when we arrive in a new town. Sitting at a bar and chatting with locals over a meal or a beer has been one of our best ways to meet people and learn about a place. We’d like to say we fish often, but we’re terrible at it — though I did catch my first fish last weekend, which was thrilling.
What about privacy when your living space is so small?
Lack of privacy is part of the trade-off. Many couples wouldn’t be comfortable in such close quarters. You can’t take it personally when your partner needs space — it happens. We both understand the need for “me time”: one of us might take the dog for a walk or go on deck to read while the other has alone time.
Excellent communication is crucial when you live in a small area. Even though our interior is smaller than most tiny houses, the limited possessions we keep prevent the space from feeling cluttered. If we need more room, we go on deck and enjoy million-dollar views and dramatic sunsets. That outdoor living expands the usable space and makes the lifestyle feel large rather than cramped.
What about money when living on a sailboat?
Finances and work are the most challenging parts of this lifestyle for me. I’m in my 30s and Chris in his 40s, so we’re not at traditional retirement age. I’m fortunate that the promotional marketing company I work for allows remote work from the boat. A mobile Wi-Fi device keeps me online, and most of my work happens via email and phone, so it’s manageable technically.
Still, it’s difficult to be anchored in beautiful places and spend eight solid hours a day at a computer. The need to stay connected has kept us from sailing further afield to places like the Bahamas or Nova Scotia. A steady income is wonderful, but it has trade-offs.
That’s why I became interested in side hustles. I learned a lot from blogs about freelance income and started writing, making jewelry, and doing web design. Chris wrote a book about our transition and earns royalties from that and his music. Our supplemental income gives us more flexibility.
Ultimately my goal is to shift away from a strict 9–5 and work on my own schedule so we can explore more freely and enjoy this life fully.
Melody runs the blog Saving To Sail and crafts nautical jewelry sold under Maggie & Milly. Chris DiCroce is a singer-songwriter working on his fourth album and the author of the book You Gotta Go To Know.
Could you live in a tiny home — or on a sailboat? What would be your dream living situation?
If you have questions for us about living on a sailboat, leave them in the comments. We’ll be happy to reply and share more about this way of life.