AN ENGINEER has decided to quit his job and drop everything to go live on a boat for less than £2,000 a month.
Currently docked in the French Polynesia, Brian Trautman said that life out at sea is uncomfortable and more work than a house, but he’ll never go back.
A typical shopping trip in town sees Brian and his family spend about £401 on groceries that should last them between several weeks and months, depending on what’s perishable and what’s not.
They also spend about £1,525 a month on boat insurance, maintenance, fuel and utilities.
A further £200 is added to the bill every month to cover for satellite Wi-Fi.
The former software engineer, 47, decided to make the life-changing move in May 2008.
After two years of saving as much as possible, Brian sold all of his possessions, including a three-bedroom townhouse in Washington and embarked on a two-year sabbatical to sail the world.
Since he started his ocean adventure, Brian has visited over 45 countries and has racked up 70,000 ocean miles.
He told CNBC Make It: “[I thought to myself] after two years, I’m going to be ready to come back and know exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life, and I just never came back.”
Brian bought a 53-foot sailboat named the SV Delos for £319,000 with a £65,000 down payment, finally paying it all off in 2019.
In 2011, when docked in New Zealand, the adventurer met his now wife Karin.
Brian and Karin started filming their journeys and sharing on their YouTube channel.
The boat has three cabins and two bathrooms, with the back cabin used as Brian’s and his wife’s room, and the front of the vessel for their daughter.
The third cabin is used as a guest room and the boat also has a kitchen area with a convection oven, dishwasher and toaster.
“We have many modern appliances and conveniences that you might find in your own house. Everything’s just kind of on a smaller scale,” Brian said.
Despite the sailing home featuring three refrigerators, allowing them to store meat and fish, the family finds trouble in keeping fresh fruit and vegetables.
“We live and die by the weather out here, so the weather determines everything we do,” Brian said.
“This life is often uncomfortable. It’s way more work than living in a house.”
It comes after a couple spent 18 months living on ships after booking 51 cruises as it was cheaper than retirement home fees.
Marty and Jess Ansen, from Australia, spent a year-and-a-half in the sea while saving money on their rent.
The couple say they had missed cruising the oceans after the pandemic hit and the industry was brought to a standstill.
Since then, the pair have spent most of their days on a cruise ship, preferring the lifestyle to the one they would otherwise have on dry land.
Marty and Jess revealed they have been aboard the Coral Princess ship since June 2022, A Current Affair reported.
According to Marty, he told his agent to book whatever became available – which is how the couple’s cruise got to be so long.
