66: Van Life vs Sailboat Life - The Best of Both Worlds?

The Wayward Home Podcast

In this episode of The Wayward Home podcast, host Kristin Hanes interviews Eddie from the Vanabond Tales blog about his experience transitioning from van life to sailboat life.

Eddie and his wife Kelly started out in van life, traveling through South America in a van they purchased, then building out their own van to continue adventures in Mexico. When Covid hit, they got stuck in Australia and decided to check sailboat living off their bucket list.

They ended up falling in love with sail life, purchasing a 29-foot boat in Croatia. Eddie shares the learning curve of sailing as beginners, having to dock repeatedly for 10 days straight to get the hang of maneuvering their new boat.

Kristin and Eddie compare notes on the differences between van life and sail life - the sense of space, costs, finding community, and facing the elements. They agree both lifestyles have their pros and cons, and complement each other well.

Eddie has continued doing some van trips between sailing seasons. He offers advice for van lifers considering switching to sailboats - overcoming fears around storms, seasickness, and learning to sail.

Kristin and Eddie remark on how rewarding it is to be self-sufficient and explore beautiful, remote areas by wind power. Listen in and be inspired to explore the world, whether on the roads or on the waves.
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Chapters

1. Van Life and Boat Life Crossover (00:00:00)

2. Sailing and Docking a Boat (00:10:08)

3. Adriatic Sailing and Boat vs. Van (00:13:21)

4. Van Life and Sail Life Comparison (00:22:21)

5. Sailboat Living and Van Life Appeal (00:30:02)