Hopefully, in the end, the new neighbor will be a good one. Really, though, he should have been the one to approach the front office about the spacing before confronting you. Good luck in your new home and I hope he ends up being a great guy. You just never know.
There is more room at Shilshole than Elliott Bay. His concern immediately makes me think that you're not a problem for him, he's going to be the problem for you. When I was at Elliot Bay I helped a gentleman dock a very old Carver. After we secured his boat he mentioned that he bought such an old boat because it was his first one and he won't be afraid to run into stuff. When he asked what my name was I said "stuff". I quietly moved from Elliott Bay to Shilshole "O" dock and haven't looked back.
You are living wisely. My favorite years were in my 20s after college when I owned nothing and traveled around the world, and now. I got caught up in consumerism, and accumulated way too much. Now, I am a professor, almost retired, and I am restoring a 50' yacht. I am overseas with the military and plan to retire back to Florida and the Caribbean, on a trawler like yours (I do appreciate Nordhavns.) We sold our property, so no more mortgage or debt, and it feels wonderful. You are living the true dream. Wealth is peace of mind. In Japan, where I live, it's "Kokoro no heiwa." Wealth is what you're about to experience. Live on!
I don't know if you have already done this, but it would be eye opening to see a side by side comparison of your living expenses in a home or apartment compared to living aboard Freedom. I'd love to see that, as I would really like to be on the water full time.
Change is good. Especially when you plan but not over-plan. The best part about life is you can always change your mind and pick up where you left off in Seattle should you desire. Your 'boat' is more luxurious and appointed better than many homes. So glad to see you back online as you were both missed.
Good luck in your new style of living. I think your neighbor was expecting that open slip to remain open. He just got used to having the extra space. My sister went through that feeling at their second home. When they moved in, there was a 280acre farm across the road and lower down the hill. It gave them a fantastic country view complete with a huge old apple tree, a weather worn wooden wagon with one wheel removed and leaning on the side of the wagon, and some old wooden crates beside the wagon. Epitome of a country life scene. Stayed that way for about ten years, till the family sold the farm to a developer. Then it became hundreds of homes on 3/4 to 1 acre lots, just like their own community. My brother in law wanted to sue for loss of his view! LOL. Like you said, change or die. Nothing stays the same.
I am SO jealous and you guys are so lucky! As someone who is wheelchair-bound and struggling every day with pain I know that I will NEVER get the opportunities that you guys have or experience the exciting changes that you two get to experience and I am so jealous. Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, learn every lesson and live every adventure because there are people who will never get to experience anything near the great things you will. Good luck :)
JimmyBe such an encouraging comment, thank you! We feel extremely fortunate every day for our life on the boat and try to live everyday like it’s our last since we know tomorrow isn’t a guarantee nor is our health and ability to actively enjoy each day. Best to you, and always remember to NEVER say NEVER 😉
Congratulations, I wish you the best of luck. I love the marina and I have had a few experiences aboard a sail boat in the bay. Thank you for again bringing back great past memories of my living for 27 years in Puget Sound.
When I was at a permanent slipIreversed my dock lines putting the eye on the dock cleat and the bitter end on board. this allowed adjustment without getting off the boat. Thanks for taking me along.
Noticed a for sale sign on your new neighbors boat - with all of your free advertising he will probably be happy when it sells and hopefully lots of folks let him know they saw it on your channel - lots of us looking for a boat with awesome new neighbors just like you!
Found freedom channel today looking at nordhavens. I have cruised on sailboats for 30 years 10s of thousands of miles solo.. Im in indonesia now sheltering on western sumatra. A old 60 something legend sailing friend told me a few years ago in phuket he traded his 80 foot sailing yacht for a nordhaven 55. Now when it rains and blows like hell he just closes the door. I have remembered that conversation and i too want to do that. Just close the door.
Congratulations, looks like a great marina to call your base. I lived on a boat in LA harbor for a year and really loved it! I would love to do it again. All the states on the west coast make it difficult to live aboard. It's been that way for the 30 years I've been in California. Good luck!
Forgive me for asking, I know you have mentioned before. Have you and Captain Cool 😎 retired, semi retired or still doing the working gig? Absolutely love your vids. Your writing and narratives are top draw professional.
good on you both great that you have the opportunity to live aboard full time, go and make some memories , friends , extend that knowledge we all strive for , you are young have fun and I look forward to all you videos
Thanks for sharing! Enjoyed the scenery! My grandfather had 60’ slip on Shilshole G dock in the 60’s & 70’s. He had a house just upstream from Ray’s Boathouse on the port side up-bound for Ballard Locks. Enjoyed many afternoons watching boats go by. We are currently awaiting awaiting more favorable times to resume our “great loop” in Florida. Keep the videos coming. Very well done!
These are the times we live in. If I were the existing neighbor, I would have inquired at the office and asked them to simply check the space to see if it is within standard as they assigned the slip. His approach set up a less favorable dynamic - 1st impressions matter. Maybe he is the local self-appointed Marina Owners Association (MOA) Chairman and wanted maintain 'law and order' .
Anthony C Brown Nearly everyone at that marina is a self appointed MOA chairman, and the marina office itself isn’t much better. That’s the leftist culture of Washington.
Happy move. I live in Seattle and am in awe of how much that apt must have been eating your moolah. We live in the land of 2K studio apts. I wish you the best! Thanks for sharing your happy adventure.
We are in the process of doing the same thing. I was going to make a joke about shilshoal but you already met the kind of person that sometimes occupies a marina. You can't really blame him. He is trying to sell a Bayliner and you pull in with a Nordy... Doesn't help his value. Lol.. The joke was people at Shilshoal fart, Elliott Bay they don't. If your from Milwaukee I'm sure you'll fit in. You are going to save a ton of $$$ living aboard. It will also test your love. You are going to become very close, literally... Cheers Freedom..
Greetings from Northern California. Good for you, I envy you, especially since I was in the USN and lived on a 600 ft. cruiser for 2 years. Sometimes I miss the call of the sea, but not on a USN ship. You have the ideal situation on this beautiful boat. Good luck to you. By the way the most dangerous thing I do every day is drive on the freeways around here.
Congrats and well done you two! Love watching your videos and seeing how much my hometown has grown. Since living in Kodiak,Alaska and in the commercial fishing community life on and around vessels is home. I am looking for a Nordhavn(1st choice) to do just that wherever we may drop the hook. Consider it all a new adventure and soak up as much as you can on your way to Freedom!
Great move guys , we’ve just done it and should have done it years ago , life becomes simple and stress free ,you don’t realize how much crap you accumulate that you don’t nee d
Of course, you're excited to meet people in the new marina and the first one you meet is your neighbor and he basically yells you to F. O. Gotta love those salty old hermits.
My wife and I live in northern Canada above the 60th Parallel in a small town of Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. I have recently become an avid yacht follower. I really love your site. As a young man I was in the Canadian Navy in Esquimalt, on Vancouver Island. I know the area you boat in and like your episodes. Thank you for sharing. You are an impressive couple. I wonder what you do to generate the necessary income to keep a boat in the water. Maybe you have addressed this in a former episode. Regardless, keep on doing what you are doing. Love it!
We moved onto our boat 5 years ago....it was so cleansing to downsize our lives. Getting rid of all the stuff, and getting down to basic needs was absolutely the best decision we every made. Also if we don’t like our neighbors we just move and take our home with us.
There is always those people who like to be the policy police and that disease is usually aggravated with money. I think that guy should take a trip to the MED and see what 8 inches looks like on 20-50 million dollar boats.
You guys are actually living out my dreams. I'm an older gentleman and don't have the resources so I follow your adventures with a twinge of jealousy. The bottom line I'm very happy for you. If at all possible keep posting. Finally, you used to have a sweet lab, any plans to increase your family?
Sooooo exciting for you. Love all your Videos. Big changes coming. Can't wait to see more. Hi to Mr Sully. After taking to you we have a new boy as well. Maltese. He is doing so well. Talk soon. CHERYL-ANNE from Queensland Australia.
Love the Nordhavn's. Would undoubtedly be my choice for a boat to live on. Extremely comfortable and able to cross oceans safely if desired. I am jealous.
Part of living in a "neighborhood" is that you have "neighbors" that my not be thrilled that they don't have an empty slip beside them or a boat that dwarfs theirs. :-). Good luck!
I envy your lifestyle and love watching your adventures. I hope you haven’t gotten off on the wrong side of your new neighbor regarding the clearance between the boats. That could be awkward.
Congrats! Can you guys do a cook/ meal prep video to get an idea of how much food & different types you get like for 3 or 7 days at sea when traveling or docked? Thanks! I subbed.