How to Prepare for Life as a Sea Nomad
More Than a Lifestyle, It’s a Mindset Shift.
Retiring doesn’t mean anchoring in one spot. If the thought of sailing into the horizon, with the wind as your travel agent and the sea as your street, fills you with excitement, you’re not alone. But this lifestyle, romantic as it sounds, isn’t all sunsets and sundowners.
It’s also about preparation, adaptability, and learning to live differently. So, how do you prepare to retire as a sea nomad? Let’s hoist the metaphorical sails and explore how to turn the dream into a durable, liveable, and soul-fulfilling reality.
Start with the Dream and Ground It in Reality
Before you buy a boat or plot a course to the Caribbean, it helps to pause and reflect. Why do you want this lifestyle? What do you hope to feel, learn, or achieve? Is it about freedom, discovery, simplicity, or all of the above? Sea nomad life is intoxicating but also raw and often hard work. You’re not just buying into a lifestyle, you’re stepping into a new rhythm, where you live by nature’s rules. And that’s part of the magic.
Get Comfortable with Less
Downsizing is inevitable. And honestly? It’s liberating. Clothes become ‘what works at sea’ and are often optional, especially in the tropical heat and remote locations. Books become digital (though we still keep a few dog-eared favourites) and swapping books ïs an awakening as you read genres you would not generally read in the real world. The espresso machine might (must) make the cut… or not. You start asking: what do we really need? Does this spark joy, or take up valuable cabin space? Living aboard a yacht teaches you that less stuff often means more freedom. More space to move, improve mental clarity, and appreciate what matters. And yes, you will become an expert in moving your life to storage containers.
Learn the Skills (and Keep Learning)
No, you don’t need to be a professional sailor. But you need to be willing to learn and problem-solve on the fly. Here’s a non-exhaustive but crucial list of what sea nomads tend to pick up.
Sailing and seamanship: Weather reading, sail trimming, anchoring techniques.
Navigation: Old school and electronic, think paper charts and Navionics. You must recognise the danger water markers and understand the international maritime law.
Mechanical skills: You will learn how to fix your toilet in an exotic, remote anchorage.
Electrical and solar knowledge: Batteries, inverters, charging cycles—it’s part of daily life.
Safety: How do you perform a man overboard, EPIRBS, and deploy your life raft? Plan for the worst but hope for the best.
Creative cooking: Local markets and grocery stores have limited supplies.
Languages or at least polite phrases: Always appreciated, often rewarded
Radio etiquette: VHF calls, marina chatter, hazards/emergencies.
We’ve learned most of this the same way others do, by doing it. When we started, we were green and inexperienced. Our new sailing friends, who had years of sailing experience, didn't think we'd cross the Caribbean Sea, let alone the Pacific Ocean, back to Australia. We made it and now laugh about it as we reminisce about our first sea voyage.
Test the Waters (Literally)
Before you go full nomad, consider a trial run. Join a yacht club, take lessons, charter a yacht for a few weeks or volunteer as crew. Try sailing at night. If you have a boat, live in a marina for a month. Why? Because it lets you see what fits, and what doesn’t, while you’re still in decision mode. And it will help you answer the big question: Do we love this enough to make it our life? Spoiler: You're probably ready if you’re still smiling while reefing sails in sideways rain.
Find the Right Boat for You
The “perfect boat” doesn’t exist, but the right boat for your lifestyle and budget does. Make a list of what's important to you. Sail or motor yacht? A traditional long-distance ocean-going yacht? Think sturdy blue water cruiser (we've crossed oceans on production yachts built for the charter market). Do you enjoy entertaining? Prioritise cockpit layout and galley space. Today, many cruisers choose a catamaran, as most of their time is spent at anchor. Need speed? Think performance catamaran. Your yacht isn’t just a vessel; it’s your home, office, transport, and refuge. Choose wisely based on how you want to live, not just how you dream. Beware of building a ‘project boat’, many start the project and never set sail.
Join the Cruiser Community
One of the best things about this life is the people you meet. Cruisers are generous with knowledge, quick to help, and always up for a shared meal or weather discussion. Join sailing forums, attend boat shows, listen to cruising podcasts, and follow liveaboards on YouTube. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, everyone was a beginner once. There’s a unique camaraderie out here. It’s one of the things we cherish most.
We joined the OCC - https://www.oceancruisingclub.org
Check the Bureaucracy (Yes, You Still Need Paperwork)
Retiring as a sea nomad means managing life across borders. You’ll want to get comfortable with: Visas and cruising permits. Boat registration and insurance. Health insurance and vaccinations. Banking and international access to funds. Mail forwarding and digital document management. Cruising the Med as a non-EU citizen, for example, brings the 90/180-day Schengen rule into play. The Caribbean? Less red tape. Asia? Varied but generally friendly. Plan, stay flexible, and always check the latest rules, especially post-pandemic, as things change.
Where to Begin?
Start learning. Start dreaming. Start talking to people who’ve done it. Then start planning, slowly, intentionally, but with a wide-open heart. The sea nomad life is waiting, and trust us: the horizon has never looked so inviting.