The Boat Life Knowledge Base
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We’re Matt and Lucy Claiborne. We’re experienced boat owners (25+ years), living aboard (10+ years), and cruising full-time (8+ years). We want to share some of the tips and tricks we’ve learned along the way. On this site, you’ll find…
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How Not to Drag Anchor: Lessons Learned from Ten Years Living Aboard
The internet (along with every dock-tail party and cruiser potluck) is chock full of anchoring advice. Most of it centers around one anchor being better than another. Curiously, nearly all participants believe that their anchor is the best choice. Sounds…
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Navigation Notes: Picking an Anchorage
How do you choose an anchorage? At first, it seems an easy question, but experienced boaters will tell you that it’s one of the most complex skills you’ll have to learn during your first year of cruising. Day boaters seldom…
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Thoughts on Fire Prevention and Safety for Boaters
When you hear about something crazy happening in the boating world, some accident, tragedy, or close call, what do you do? Do you shake your head and say, “What an idiot, that’ll never happen to me!” Or do you say,…
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Navigation Notes — A Guide to US East Coast Inlets
Depending on where you are in the world, inlets have different names. In the Bahamas, they call them cuts. Out West, they refer to the ‘bar crossing’ when coming in and out to sea through the mouth of a river.…
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Navigation Notes — Crossing the Gulf Stream for the First Time
For boaters trekking to The Bahamas for the first time, the Gulf Stream can seem like the most intimidating stretch of ocean imaginable. It is, after all, one of the most powerful forces on earth, churning billions of gallons of…
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Getting Ready to Boat to The Bahamas Checklist
Traveling to a new cruising destination can be stressful, but going across the Gulf Stream and legally getting into a new country is another matter. Cruising The Islands of The Bahamas is a magical experience, but there’s a lot to…
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Boater’s Guide to Florida — East Coast
Even the state motto, “The Sunshine State,” speaks to glorious beaches and warm winters. As places go, Florida is a little bit wacky and eccentric. There’s a sometimes uncomfortable mix of retirees, snowbirds, college students, working families, and vacationers coming…
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ICW Side Trips Worth Taking
Looking to spice up your trip along the Ditch this year? One of the things we love about the ICW is how we’re always discovering new stuff. Sometimes we’re in a rush, and sometimes we’re not. And when the weather…
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Most Popular Great Loop Boats, According to Loopers
The Great Loop is a dream of many. Some folks who discover that the Great Loop is their dream have never boated before and are just beginning to familiarize themselves with the world of boats and all things nautical. It’s…
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6 Places for Nature Along the ICW
One of the things we love about the ICW is how much of it is undeveloped wilderness. Coming from South Florida, the ICW meant concrete canals lined with high-rise condo buildings to us. When we lived there, we longed to…
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