Want to find out more about living and sailing on a boat with children before you commit to a change of lifestyle or find some tips and tricks you could use yourself if you already live aboard? Read on to find out how Christina manages it!
Christina (35) & Kevin (38) live aboard their 2011 Beneteau Oceanis 40 with their twin boys Robin & Timo (4). They began their journey in April 2019 but have had to take an unplanned stop and return home due to Covid-19. Plans are being made to get back to their boat, ‘Serenity’ to continue their journey.
Tell us a bit about yourself...
What are your names, where is home and when did you leave etc?
Our names are Christina and Kevin and we have twin boys called Robin and Timo, they are both 4.
We are from Germany and started our journey in April 2019. We started in Lorient in Brittany. We crossed Biscay Bay, sailed to Galicia and Portugal, headed to Morocco, the Canaries, the Cape Verdes, crossed the Atlantic with the ARC+ and arrived in the Caribbean in December 2019.
Due to the Corona crisis (we had to change our plans), we left our boat in April 2020, flew back to Germany and shipped (unplanned) our boat back to Europe. (Our formal plan was to be in Panama at the moment…). During our forced break, we travelled in Germany. Now, we are planning to return to our boat ‘Serenity’ and hope to stay in Madeira during wintertime. Afterwards we want to go sailing in the Med.
Serenity is an Oceanis 40, built in 2011. She has two cabins.
Why do you choose to live this lifestyle?
In Germany there is a law, that the kids have to go to school. Home schooling is forbidden. So, now we have the time slot to travel with our kids. We decided to live full-time on our boat and travel the world with our kids, because life is so precious. I nearly died giving birth to the boys and then I got very ill. Then it came out, that our first born, Robin, has Achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. We thought about our view of life. What is important? Higher, faster, wider? Career, material things? Not for us anymore. The time we have with the family and exploring the world, making memories, this is more important!
What do your friends and family think about you living and travelling on a boat?
Our friends thought that we are a bit crazy, but they were mostly pleased for us. They thought we are so brave to leave our “safe” life (regarding our jobs, the flat etc.). Our families were more afraid (it is so dangerous!), sad (we will not see you often!) and not so pleased.
Did you spend any/much time aboard while you were pregnant?
I sailed for the first time, while I was pregnant. 🙂 We chartered a sailing boat in Greece for a week. Before we became parents, we were more mountaineers.
How old were your children when they moved aboard?
3 years old. But we spent some holidays on the boat, when they were 6 months, 1.5 years and 2.5 years.
What modifications have you had to make to your boat to have your children onboard safely?
A railing net and a net in their cabin, so they cannot fall out the bed.
What pieces of equipment do you have onboard for your children that you consider to be vital?
Toys, books, snacks, life jackets with AIS and DSC MOB1 Ocean Safety.
Do you have any funny stories that involve your children you'd like to share?
It is a funny story, but also disgusting…
During our time in Morocco, our boys decided to get diaper free. Then we left Morocco to sail to The Canaries, that took about five days. On day four, Timo started vomiting and got diarrhoea. What a nightmare! It must be food poisoning or a virus from Morocco. We threw all food from Morocco overboard. Then it hit me, Robin and finally Kevin. So, new diaper free kids and diarrhoea during a several days long sailing trip…I don’t have to say more, do I? (Nope!!! Yuck! RH)
How do you keep them occupied onboard?
It is very important to involve the children as much as possible. They do not want to feel like passengers. During sailing, they can look out, practice knots… they can help with cooking.
Audio books and tiptoi books are also very helpful, if the two of us adults have to do something during sailing (set sails…).
What do you do with your children while you're on passage?
During the Atlantic crossing, we had a routine. In the morning, we did handcraft, painted, read books etc. Then after lunch, there was “free play time”. Sometimes, if it was necessary, the boys watched a movie, so one adult could sleep during daytime.
How do your little ones cope when it gets rough?
We try to only sail in good conditions, we have time to wait for good weather. But if it gets rough, they stay inside the boat, in bed, listening to an audio book or sleeping.
What are you doing to make sure your children are able to socialise with others?
In the past, there were no problems to get to know other families and children. On playgrounds or beaches, there are always families and kids. 🙂 But it was also one reason, why we decided to cross the Atlantic with the ARC+. There, we met a lot of families and got friends. All families are on one pontoon.
Have you had any surprises along the way?
Most families, which are long term sailors, have older children. Mostly German families travel with young children, because of the (not state of the art) school mandatory attendance.
And we were surprised, that we miss our friends and families so much. That is the negative side of sailing full-time.
What's the best thing about living onboard with kids?
Living full time with the kids. You get to know them really close. You see them grow up, learn things, languages, become personalities…
What's the worst thing about living onboard with kids?
Living full time with the kids. Couple-time and me-time is rare. You do not have a babysitter.
What tips and tricks have you picked up along the way to make your life easier?
It is OK if something is not perfect! Our water maker makes our life onboard easier, because we do not have to carry tons of bottles of water.
What does the future hold for you?
We hope to continue our journey in the Med. At the moment, we do not plan further than next week. 🙂
What advice would you share with a sailing Mumma-to-be?
Don’t be afraid! Charter a sailing boat for some weeks and try it out. It is possible to live on a sailboat with kids in limited space. For sure, you have to be the type to live that way of life.
Find out more...
I hope you enjoyed reading this interview and finding out more about living on a boat with children.
If you’d like to find out more about Christina and follow her on her journey, you can visit her website here and follow her on social media.