Living in a machine

Ahh, boat life......for the uninitiated, living on a boat amounts to living inside a machine.........a machine that is your vehicle, powerplant, kitchen, bathroom, shower, communications center, shelter, and toolbox. Being in an environment characterized by salt water, salt air, and the relentless UV rays of the sun.......(you guessed it).......things break.

Our boat (an Amel Supermaramu 2000) is among the most systems-heavy of cruising yachts. This boat was intended to make a cruising couple as independent of land as possible.........huge fuel and water capacity (and the ability to make fresh water out of sea water); 3 refrigerators, lots of storage, etc. But most of all, everything is designed for convenience (and it seems complexity)..........example- the toilets flush electrically !!!

To maintain our domicile, we've had to become engineers, electricians, plumbers, woodworkers, fiberglass guys, painters, and tech-geeks. After 4 years aboard, you learn to pick your battles. Case in point.......the endless watermaker battle............we have a very nice reverse osmosis water maker........it blows high pressure sea water through a membrane and out comes fresh water. But, there is a drip, drip, drip coming out of the membrane (one drip every 10 seconds). I've taken it apart, replaced everything relevant, and it still drips...........so, you pick your battles.............I now live with the drip since it works perfectly otherwise.

Other examples abound, but our maintenance mantra has a caveat.........our goal is 100% of systems working with 100% efficiency..........but we've learned to settle for "works well enough". This keeps us sane and results in more happy hours.