Jonathan sewed me new cushions! Ah, so much better. Here they are:
New Settees!
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Category Archives: S/V Libby
So You’re Thinking of Living Aboard a Boat
Congratulations! You’re researching your next adventure, and I applaud you. Living aboard a boat is incredible, and I’m sure you’re just peeing your pants with excitement. When I was in your stage, I would lose sleep thinking about my boat, wondering what she was like, and what adventures me and her would embark upon together.
Land-Locked Lessons
Last week I housesat for my parents as they traveled to California to, among other things, spend a day at Disneyland. I haven’t been to Disneyland in nearly ten years, so I’m a little bitter that they got to go and I remained behind to care for their house/zoo. But it wasn’t all bad, and I admit that there were aspects of living on land which I enjoyed.
Where I Live
Since I started this blog, I’ve gotten a few emails from folks asking where I live/moor. Before living on a boat, I noticed that people found my website by searching “Courtney Kirchoff address,” which I admit, freaked me out just a bit. Though I believe most people are good and decent, I’m not naive, and know some people in this world are not to be trusted. Anyone and everyone uses the web, both good and not so good. I deliberately avoid talking about my current location for my own safety. Most people asking for my location are doing so for innocent reasons: just wanting to connect with another liveaboard, become friends, whatever. But it’s always the weirdos who ruin it for everyone else. While I’d love to say “I live here, come and meet for coffee and tales of windy adventures,” I will always refrain. So if you’ve emailed me asking where I live, please don’t take it personally if I never respond to your inquiry. I’m being safe. Avid kick boxer and believer in the second amendment though I may be, it’s still unwise for anyone on the web to proclaim their current location. I shake my head at people who always update their Twitter or Facebook feeds with things like “Visiting family in wherever,” or “I miss my husband so much, can’t wait for him to come home,” etc. Such trusting individuals have made it that much easier to be robbed, stalked, or something far worse.
To my family and friends who read this blog: I absolutely love getting comments from you, but please keep my whereabouts private.
Blake Island Adventure
Though we’re approaching winter here in the Pacific Northwest, I felt it was prudent to go on an overnight sailing adventure to somewhere. What’s the point of living on a sailboat, I said, if one doesn’t sail it anywhere to stay the night? I couldn’t have had this spurring thought in early September, when the sun shone warmly–no, no, I had to get the cruising bug well after the cold temperatures had caught hold. I have a propensity to make life a little harder for myself. Oh well.
Time to get ready!
Status
So I just posted a new blog post over at True Northe, called “How Websites Work: A Housing Analogy.” The analogy has helped my clients understand how the pieces of the web work together. Now that I’ve done something helpful and productive, it’s time to get ready to sail away! I must strap everything down, get some diesel, check charts, and head out for a few days. I’ve never had an overnight sail, so this should be interesting.
Winter Sailing
I’m living on a sailboat for a few good reasons:
- It’s cheaper (a LOT cheaper), so I don’t have to bite my nails every month to make rent.
- It has an undeniable coolness factor of ten, as I get to say “I’m a novelist and graphic designer who lives on a sailboat.” Hard to top that one.
- I can own my home outright before I die without having to make large payments every month.
- It’s mobile, so I don’t have an address. Continue reading
Too Nice Out to be Sick
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It’s Monday, which always signifies the beginning of the work week, but for me it reminds me that I’m not 100% well. Being sick is always a drag, but today I’ve decided to try my best to shelf it. It’s way too pretty outside to be sick, and Libby wants to go sailing. Who am I to deny my home her wishes? If the wind picks up, we’re out of here!
Dock Life
When I first moved to my sailboat, I was anchored out, or “living on the hook.” For winter, though, I’m living on a dock. Like anything, it has benefits and drawbacks.
D-Day
Today was docking day. I’ve been looking forward to this day for weeks, thinking longingly of having as much electricity as I needed, being able to walk into downtown under the power of my own legs (and just my legs), not having to deal with the tumultuous weather, and never agonizing over leaving something on my boat, and then having to jump back into the dinghy to go out into the bay to retrieve it. The weather has also encouraged the big move. The past few days have been incredibly windy, with gusts over 30 mph. The howling wind made 30 foot Libby a wave jumper, and while the anchor line was incredibly secure, the noise and the rocking were getting old.
Red sky in morning, sailors warning
Yesterday I happily posted photos and gloated about the amazing morning view. Even my neighbor, who’s been living aboard and sailing for years, was out of his boat going ga-ga over the painterly display. It was too beautiful not to share, and based on the comments, I know it made people jealous. So, to help you get over the jealousy, I wanted to share the rest of the day with you 
Trust me, you won’t be envious.
A Million Dollar View from a Five Figure Home
On September 21, 2011, while enjoying my morning coffee, I looked outside the window of my sailboat and was dazzled by the spectacular sunrise. The photos below are completely unaltered and untouched. They were taken between six and seven a.m. I’m a early morning riser, preferring to work while it’s dark and I’m totally refreshed. Boy am I glad I was awake for this amazing display.
Windy Tales
If you like sailing, wind is always something you want. But there are times when the wind is just too much to handle, especially if you’re new to sailing. Then there are times when the wind is strong enough to send boats skipping across the bay, their useless anchors hopping the muddy bottom. That happened this past weekend.
From Land to Sea ~ Part Two: Decor and Construction Projects
The S/V Libby is a girl, and a girl lives within. When she sailed under a different name, she was a liveaboard boat for 30 years, and I have to assume that she was inhabited by a y-chromosomed individual, one who didn’t put a great deal of thought into her interior. When I first saw and fell in love with my boat, I saw so much potential for beauty, and lots of work to be done to make her look amazing. Now that I’m living here, it’s time to start making plans for how to bring her out of the seventies and into the new millennium.
Solo Sailing
I can count the number of times I’ve been sailing, which means I haven’t gone out much. And today, with winds billowing at 15 knots, I certainly won’t be heading out to add to my paltry experience. I’ll leave these sorts of winds for later days, when I’ll need a calculator, not my fingers, to count the number of sails I’ve made. Continue reading