It's like camping

It's like camping is a is an often heard phrase of derision to describe sailing on a small boat. As a sailor of small boats who equipped my sailboat with I lot of my camping gear, I can't really argue. Sleeping bags, backpacker stove, coffee pot, pans, knives, metal matches -yeah, a good part of my camping kit ends up on the boat.

Boats are supposed to be equipped with refrigeration, ice makers, 4 burner gas stoves with ovens, microwaves, washers and dryers -just picture what a well equipped condo should have and that's what they need. I've seen boats with well equipped gyms. (so the trophy wife can keep in shape.)

Then add in all the special boat equipment they must have. Electric windlasses, water makers, radar and a whole store's worth of electronics. Dingies with motors powerful enough to water ski behind have become almost common.

Then there are us little guys with the bare necessities -the “campers.” We cook on campstoves. Our refrigeration is a cooler or nothing at all. Water may come right out of jugs. Laundry involves hauling a dingy full of foul cloths to town or washing it ourselves in a bucket. Showers may be a solar shower hung from the lines or a swim in the water. We are no better than campers.

Guess what? For some of us camping is awesome! We like it. Here's the thing, we have all our needs taken care of, if at a minimal level. Life is simplified. There's a lot less stuff to worry about. We don't worry about broken water makers, refrigerators that fail, AC units on the blink, or a host of other luxuries.

Instead of chasing down tradesmen to fix all that stuff we are enjoying life on the water. That's not to say us “campers” don't enjoy a few luxuries. My lovely wife pointed out that with the money we saved by not buying a refrigeration system we could enjoy a lot of nice meals and drinks at dockside restaurants. After all, even campers go out on the town now and then.

-Sixbears