It’s often said that buying a boat is like buying a house that is simultaneously vibrating itself apart, constantly corroding in salt, and actively trying to sink… all while you’re living on it. So how do you keep the maintenance headaches to a minimum while still living the dream and exploring the big blue?

I have been cruising full time with my wife, Brioni, onboard our 2005 Leopard 47 for the past five years. Much of that time has been spent in the far-flung reaches of the South Pacific, where self-sufficiency isn’t a lifestyle choice – it’s a necessity. There aren’t many chandleries when you’re several thousand miles from civilisation, after all. Along the way, we’ve picked up a few habits, shortcuts and hard-won lessons that have helped keep us moving and, for the most part, out of trouble.

The first thing worth understanding is the difference between preventative and corrective maintenance. In an ideal world, all our time would be spent on the former. In reality, boats are living, creaking, corroding beasts with a remarkable talent for springing surprises at the worst possible moment. So while prevention is always the goal, much of what follows applies just as much to dealing with failures when they inevitably occur – ideally with less swearing and fewer midnight bilge dives.

With that in mind, here are a few principles that have served us well.

Read the full article here:

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/research/ocean-crossing-short-handed/