We moved aboard our 30 foot Cal on December 21, 2006. I thought it would be easy but I learned quickly that living aboard is not easy at all! Or at least it wasn't at first. The major points I had to deal with were:

Seasickness. I thought I had a strong stomach until I spent three days rocking and swaying. The next few days on shore were recovering and gaining color back in my face.

Boats move. I know this should have been a no brainer, but I thought it would be easy to put things away and then be done with it. It's not. When you put something away it's not as easy as "will it slide off?" You really have to make sure it is secure and won't fly out in the most violent rocking.

Small spaces. I am okay with small spaces but after a week of rain, I was ready to move back onshore. I had to find a way to make it worth living on a boat during rainy days by sewing, writing, drawing, checking the internet for items and other things to keep my brain active. It's not just that it's small. But it's like locking yourself into a large walk in closet with your children for a week. I've learned a lot about entertaining ourselves since that week.

Cooking and refrigeration. I can't bulk buy frozen meats anymore since my entire refrigerator is only about 20 cubic feet. We have learned how to cram 30 cubic feet of groceries into the fridge but we still have to shop more often. Surprisingly, cooking isn't much different. We have gas instead of electric and the stove swings on an axis but other than that, it's pretty much the same. I do have less space to prepare, but we don't eat large meals anymore so it isn't an issue.

Bedrooms are non-existant. Each boy has their own berth which is like a long tunnel. At first, I felt we were being unfair and they wouldn't have any space, then I figured out that they can cram a quarter berth full with enough stuff to fill the main cabin. We figured this out when the boat kept listing to one side. We had the boys clean out their racks to see what was causing this. After our 12 year old emptied his rack, we couldn't move in the boat and it wasn't listing anymore.

It has made for an interesting year and a half. I love it now. But the transition was difficult. I wouldn't go back to land for anything.