What is it REALLY like living full-time on a boat with kids?
What is it REALLY like living full-time on a boat with kids?
From the outside, boat life can look pretty idyllic — waking up in beautiful places, swimming off the boat, exploring islands and having adventures as a family.
But the reality is… it’s not always that simple.
Living on a 38-foot sailboat with two kids comes with its own challenges. There’s no backyard to send the kids out to, very little personal space, everything takes longer, the boat gets messy FAST, and even something as simple as a blocked toilet can turn into a major problem. 😂
And then there are the rough nights, changing weather, difficult errands and those days when the kids are simply… bored.
But there’s one thing I’ve found harder than all of those things — and it’s something you probably wouldn’t think about when you imagine life on a boat with kids.
So in this video, we’re sharing the REALITY of full-time boat life with children — the good, the difficult, and why, despite all of it, we still choose this life.
Because maybe a different childhood doesn’t mean a worse one. ❤️
Thanks so much for watching and being part of our journey.
If you’re new here, we’re a family of four living full-time aboard our sailboat and sharing the highs, lows, chaos and adventures along the way.
#BoatLife #SailingFamily #Liveaboard #FamilySailing #BoatLifeWithKids #Sailing
A Life Awry Sailing
Kieran and Leeann Raftery traded 4x4 adventures for a Swanson 38. Follow their 2026 sailing relaunch from Brisbane to the East Coast of Australia.
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What is it REALLY like living full-time on a boat with kids?
What is it REALLY like living full-time on a boat with kids? From the outside, boat life can look pretty idyllic — waking up in beautiful places, swimming off the boat, exploring islands and having adventures as a family. But the reality is… it’s not always that simple. Living on a 38-foot sailbo...
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