Interview - Paul Hashman - Living on a Boat

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Welcome to Forrest.Chat,
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where we talk about individual endeavor in Western Australia, what it takes, what it means, and how you do it.
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I'm your host, Paul van der Mey, and in today's episode, I'm talking with Paul Hashman about living on a boat.
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Paul has been living on a boat since the beginning of 2025, and he's learned a lot about that, and it'll be in- very interesting to find out more.
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Welcome to Forrest.Chat,
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Paul.
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Good afternoon, Paul.
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Thank you for the, uh, opportunity to come on the show.
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This is cool.
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Yeah, fantastic.
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Thanks for coming on the, on the show, Paul.
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Paul, living on a boat sounds really simple, but, uh, what's involved? Well, I call it a house on, on the water.
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you know, we, we see a lot of people now who are not so much retired, but they don't want to stay fixed.
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You know, they're quite happy being mobile.
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This is just another opportunity to be living, you know, f- in a, in a full house environment, but we're portable, we're mobile.
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We don't travel the, the, the bitumen highways, we travel our own highways.
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You know, the, the, the wet highways.
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So what's involved? well, like anything, you know, boats require, you know, licenses, servicing, maintenance, et cetera, but so does your house.
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so you know, we're looking at a, a compact version of your house, but you can pack it up and move it along.
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it's a little different to packing up a caravan, for example.
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It's a different arrangement, isn't it? Very much so.
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you know, you can pack up your caravan and, you know, stop anywhere you like.
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packing up a boat, there's a lot more involved.
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You know, there's can it fit inside? Because water, you know, like anything, water gets into everything.
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caravan you can keep the water out, but a boat, you can't keep the water out.
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So everything's gotta be in its place, have its place, and be, you know, fixed in its place before you can actually go anywhere.
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And as for where you, you park your boat, you can't simply stop on the side of the road as with most, you know, gray nomads, and they do a great job of it.
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we've gotta find specific places to actually park and stop, and that's, again, that's all weather dependent and where you can find places.
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Right.
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So we're in the Bunbury area at the moment, and Bunbury has a port, and there's also facilities down at, Busselton and around the coast to Augusta and, and, and heading north as well.
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Can't re- can't forget them.
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there is a whole series of places that you could actually go and stay.
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Is that right? Correct.
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Well, I'm currently parked at the Bunbury Marina, so there's facilities there.
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There's, there's pens available so I can tie up my boat, I can get on and off quite easily.
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I've got facilities there to, to u- you know, to use and be, uh, civilized.
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and there's quite a few along the coast.
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There's Busselton has the Port Geographe Marina.
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There's marinas further around the coast down in Augusta.
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And if you get up to Perth, you know, there's Rockingham, there's Mandurah.
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Oh, sorry, Mandurah first then Rockingham, and Perth And there's quite a few marinas in, along the coast, basically.
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They're one of the safest places to park because all the facilities are there.
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You can tie your boat up, and it's safe and secure.
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There are other places you can park.
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The, I mean, there's the yacht club in Bunbury here as well.
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So they've got moorings, so no jetty access, so you've gotta have the facility to get from your boat back to shore and find some facilities to use there as y- as needed.
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but like anything, you still need to get food, groceries, the usual stuff.
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but you've got that smaller space to s- to, to pack it all into.
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So there is a little bit of preparation required.
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but all in all, it's, it's not that much different to being a gray nomad and, traveling the countryside in your, your caravan or your camper van, or even, you know, a truck or however you choose to do it.
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Yeah.
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There's all different setups that you can use.
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You see people heading around in buses.
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You see people with towing caravans.
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Mm.
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You, you know, people go out with tents.
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You can't always see them, but- Mm you know, the, so there's all different ways of, of them doing it.
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the variations that you generally see and what's available to you, like if you're gonna look at going that way? Really, the only variations are size.
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You know, a, a bigger boat's gonna have more cabin space, more storage space, et cetera.
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The smaller ones, you've just gotta be very fussy in what you actually keep on board.
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there's currently a, it's, it's an ex-ferry, and it's, it's parked out on a mooring at the Bunbury Marina, and it's huge.
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It's actually quite big.
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He's, you know, he's very well set up, and he goes back and forth from his boat in a little dinghy.
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Mm-hmm.
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Comes back to the, the jetty.
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He's got access to all the facilities, et cetera.
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But yeah, the main variations are really size.
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You know, how, how big is your boat or how small is your boat? Right.
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And then that probably determines what you can access as far as places to actually moor? Correct.
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Also, sorry, I should add one more variation.
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There are, riverboats, but, um, there's only one problem with those.
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They are restricted to a river.
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They, you can't take them out in open water because they won't survive.
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but in all, like I say, size is your, your biggest variation there.
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but certainly size can be an indication of where you can and cannot park.
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and we're in the, you know, in the, the harbor here.
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There's a, you know, there's the channel for the big freighters to come in and out.
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very, very important you don't park in a, in a channel Anywhere else is, is fair game.
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As long as you're not obstructing a, a channel or commercial boats, you're pretty much anywhere you wanna park.
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So you could have your, your anchor and be, like, off the surf beach, or you could be- You can, yep.
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I mean, as we discussed earlier was, you know, having a, a pen at the marina.
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There's, there is a cost involved, but that comes with those additional, you know, uh, facilities like, you know, uh, toilet, showers, et cetera, and having that same pen to park in every single day.
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So you've got that.
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It's like having your own parking space.
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Gives you an address almost.
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Pretty much, yes.
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Yep.
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Yeah.
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And of course, safe and secure.
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So, you know, like we, we lock the front door on our, on our house.
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You know, we lock the door on the caravan.
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We lock the security door at the, uh, the beginning of the jetty and, you know, we're quite, quite safe parked in there.
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it's swimming access after that.
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Correct.
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Yep.
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If you wanna s- you wanna get out there, you gotta swim.
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Absolutely.
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Actually, one thing I, I often joke about it, but it's dead serious.
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I have my own backyard swimming pool.
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So come summertime, coming back from work every day, I've got my backyard swimming pool.
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That's it.
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Low m- low maintenance as well.
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Low maintenance.
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Very low maintenance.
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Yep, I just jump in and swim.
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with that said, you know, dolphins.
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There's a lot of dolphins in Kombana Bay here in Bunbury, and there's a lot of dolphins coming to the, uh, marina as well.
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So there's a lot of life.
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You know, there's, there's, all sorts of wildlife, fish, crabs, all, you know, easily accessible.
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But the dolphins, the dolphins come in on a daily basis.
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That's very cool.
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Thinking about, living on a, on a boat then, you know, you mentioned about, you know, you still go to the shops and, that sort of thing.
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but what about stuff like, when we drove across the country, we'd sold up and we h- we bought a car, and we had to have a physical address for our car to register it.
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Yes.
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good question, actually.
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Very good question.
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I do have a, a postal address.
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So, uh, uh, it's listed as a residential address for, you know, uh, purposes of, you know, driver's license and any other important documentation to be sent to.
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so I still have that because there's no postal facilities out at the, uh, at the marina there at all Right.
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So you, you basically, you're at a post office somewhere? I do.
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I do have a post box.
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Um, I do, uh, a very dear friend has allowed me to utilize, their address as, you know, a residential address for, you know, again, the purposes of having mail, and important documentation.
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But I also have a, you know, a, A storage locker.
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Oh, okay.
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A parcel locker.
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Yep.
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So yes, I still have all of that.
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so yeah, I can still, you know, get things delivered and receive my mail, which is very important.
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in these days, like handwritten mail has gone down, but those bills still seem to arrive.
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They always seem to find you, don't they? Yeah, they do.
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Yeah.
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And al- and also I guess for things like voting and, and those sorts of things as well, so.
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Correct.
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I guess- like living in a caravan, you don't change your address, so then you just move to a different- Oh, okay.
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Yeah, yeah.
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You've, you've got one fixed, you know- Right place that you, um, anchor to, and then you just move to wherever you wish to, you know- Wow um, set up for that week, that month, that day, et cetera.
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Yeah.
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but it always, always gives you a, an address to come back to.
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Right.
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A lot, you know, I, I do say, a lot of the g- gray nomads, their residential address is most likely one of their children or one of their kids, one of their relatives, so they've always got that home base address to come back to.
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And, what's the highlight that you have of living on the boat? That's a good question, actually.
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That's a really good question.
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Um, things that I wouldn't normally be able to get to.
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I'll give you a couple of examples, actually.
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The fireworks, so the Australia Day fireworks in Bunbury here.
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for the last two years they've actually been set off from the, uh, northern side of the marina there, where they've just put in the new, breakwater.
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Mm-hmm.
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the fireworks came from there.
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So I literally had front row seats to the fireworks.
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And I had my boy that weekend, and we just set up on the top of the boat in the flybridge, and we watched the fireworks.
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Like I say, we had front row seats to it.
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Fantastic.
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No travel there, no travel, travel home.
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It was, uh- Exactly.
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Exactly.
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another highlight, and um, this was also very cool.
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Vatu'd have some concerts during the, the summer season, and they're literally only a few hundred meters away from where I'm actually parked on the jetty.
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The last two concerts, I can't remember the last one, it was a fairly sizable band, but we set up in the, again, we set up in the flybridge on the boat, up there, drinks, snacks, and we had a concert.
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It was very cool.
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Delivered to your door.
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Pretty much.
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one of my neighbors actually had a really bright idea.
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He actually moved out of the marina, moved a little bit closer to where Vatu was, put out his anchor, and he had a, a much closer seat than I did, and he just parked up there for the night.
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Come sunrise the next morning, the anchor comes up, and he comes back and parks in his spot in the marina again.
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So it was very cool.
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What's the community that you have at the marina? Well, that's, that's the, that's a very, very important part of it actually, because we're all boat owners.
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There are a few of us that actually live on board, so we've all got, you know, we have shared contact.
168
00:11:31,128.09863265 --> 00:11:34,188.09863265
and we keep an eye out for, you know, everyone else's boats.
169
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All the, the boats around me, I've got people's contact details.
170
00:11:37,808.09763265 --> 00:11:44,248.09863265
We share tips, we share, you know, if, we need assistance, you know, coming in and out in our boat.
171
00:11:44,908.09963265 --> 00:11:48,988.09963265
not always easy to get a, a larger boat in and out with- without a, a deckhand.
172
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so we're always there to help.
173
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but like I say, the, the sharing of the knowledge is the important part because we all bring something, so we all share that, um, that knowledge there.
174
00:12:00,524.76729932 --> 00:12:10,804.76629932
When I originally bought my boat, I was parked down in Port Geo, but, uh, I moved up to Bunbury for, work reasons, so it was a lot closer and, uh, a lot easier to get to.
175
00:12:11,464.76429932 --> 00:12:19,974.76429932
And, the neighbors I actually had at Port Geo have since moved up to Bunbury here, and they're about to set off on their, epic adventure around the country.
176
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They're gonna go north up across the top end.
177
00:12:23,14.76229932 --> 00:12:30,531.43396599
They've spent the last two and a half years setting up their, their sailboat, tidying it up, setting it all up for completely off-grid, living.
178
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And, so it's been a good catch up because they're up here now.
179
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So those, those friendships, those connections that originally were made have continued.
180
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And that's, that's the, uh, very important part of, you know, the, the community there.
181
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You don't always meet people who are living in the same scenario, like being...
182
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I guess when you travel, like we drove across the country and we saw, people, but, we basically slept in the cars in car bays, so we were really not mixing with anybody.
183
00:13:01,694.09963265 --> 00:13:12,237.43196599
But, uh, but you could see that there were people like across the, Great Australian Bight, the, you know, the people dotted throughout the, the dunes, that sort of thing.
184
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And it was really quite interesting that you can have those groupings.
185
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They form and they disappear- Mm quite quickly sometimes.
186
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Yeah.
187
00:13:23,457.43196599 --> 00:13:28,277.42796599
And you still then build an extended, community, don't you? Well, that's it.
188
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It's that common ground.
189
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it's amazing how we all seem to find each other when we've got that common ground.
190
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and connections arise just because of that common ground.
191
00:13:39,47.42696599 --> 00:13:39,827.42596599
Yeah, absolutely.
192
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I've still got, you know, some connections from down at Port Jo because, as with any machine, it requires service, maintenance, et cetera.
193
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And I've found, you know, those, those connections, and maintaining that connection allows me to, you know, continue to maintain my boat and service, or if emergencies arise like earlier this year, I can then ensure that my boat is repaired and, and taken care of.
194
00:14:08,314.09263265 --> 00:14:12,764.09263265
You talk about an emergency, I don't know if it's related, but we did have a big storm, come through.
195
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Bureau of Meteorology said it was something like the, the highest energy weather system that had moved through, since the records started or something.
196
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But they haven't been, that, those energy records haven't been going for like all that long, but that's still a pretty significant storm come through.
197
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What, what sort of impact does that have on where you live? Uh, it's the v- it's a very important thing to be aware of.
198
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preparation is key as I may have mentioned earlier, weather is, is very important.
199
00:14:45,640.76129932 --> 00:14:51,390.75929932
Main-- You know, keeping an eye on what the weather's going to be is very important, even from a day-to-day perspective.
200
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So, uh, where I'm currently parked at the Bunbury Marina, it's actually managed by Department of Transport.
201
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I think it's, uh, DPER now.
202
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They've changed their name.
203
00:15:01,497.42696599 --> 00:15:12,17.42196599
but they're also keeping us informed of, weather changes, upcoming weather, et cetera, and advising us to ensure that we are prepared for that weather.
204
00:15:12,527.42296599 --> 00:15:25,20.76429932
Uh, we did have that interesting storm a few months ago, and, the worst damage that was, recorded at the marina here was, my next door neighbor actually lost the canvas and clears on the top of their flybridge.
205
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That was the worst damage we had because being prepared, all the boats were tied down.
206
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I saw boat owners coming down, you know, I hadn't seen them in months, but they were there a couple of days before, checking all their mooring lines, checking their connections to their boat, and making sure everything was either tied down or stowed below deck.
207
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So preparation is very important, yes.
208
00:15:47,760.76329932 --> 00:15:59,20.76029932
Weather is, um, one of the biggest variables in regards to living on a boat, so keeping an eye on the weather and making sure you're aware of what weather is coming, making sure you're prepared for it.
209
00:16:00,70.76029932 --> 00:16:03,370.75629932
And, what was the level of water and that sort of thing.
210
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How did that change? tidal changes.
211
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Oh my goodness.
212
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Um, it's interesting how much the tide changes when storms come and go.
213
00:16:13,230.75329932 --> 00:16:18,230.74529932
normally the water level in the marina doesn't go anywhere near above the jetty.
214
00:16:18,400.75129932 --> 00:16:22,940.74129932
While that storm was coming through in surges, we also had a high tide.
215
00:16:23,510.75229932 --> 00:16:27,430.74529932
The water was actually a good foot and a half above the jetty.
216
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So if you're on your boat, you are basically stuck there.
217
00:16:33,80.74429932 --> 00:16:51,552.7502993
However, with, as long as you're prepared, you know, we've, we're self-sufficient for power, we're self-sufficient for water, so we can be cut off for the day and still, you know, having food, water, and power in order to do the, the, the basic requirements So very important.
218
00:16:52,72.7502993 --> 00:16:55,642.7502993
Plus, with that said, I've got, you know, backup generator on board.
219
00:16:56,182.7502993 --> 00:17:01,662.7492993
So not only do I have battery power and an inverter, I've got a backup generator.
220
00:17:01,702.7502993 --> 00:17:10,993.416966
So when the power went off, I still had what I needed You mentioned the jetties are a fixed jetty rather than a floating jetty.
221
00:17:11,110.0836327 --> 00:17:14,280.0836327
Can you explain the difference between those two? Yeah.
222
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A fixed jetty, so a fixed height.
223
00:17:16,30.0826327 --> 00:17:21,130.0826327
So it'll stay in one place, and the tide will go up and n- down alongside it.
224
00:17:21,440.0826327 --> 00:17:29,160.0826327
So your boat can actually, you know, be at different levels, uh, you know, in regards to the, the jetty, depending on the tides.
225
00:17:29,960.0826327 --> 00:17:37,500.0826327
what I have noticed is the variation between low tide and high tide in the, the marina here can be almost a meter.
226
00:17:38,140.0846327 --> 00:17:47,20.0816327
You know, it's during some parts of the year, and then other times of the year it's, it's maybe, you know, less than half a meter variation between high and low tide.
227
00:17:47,430.0816327 --> 00:17:54,830.0836327
But bring in a storm and that variation, you know, is significantly increased, significantly amplified.
228
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So, but, um, with, floating jetties, that's a, a, a different story.
229
00:18:01,343.414966 --> 00:18:03,33.414966
They actually float on the water level.
230
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So, unlike a fixed jetty where you've got to set your moorings so that there's a lot of flexibility and a lot of slack to allow for the tidal changes, so that your boat either doesn't end up hanging from your mooring lines or being pulled under or being tipped over, as I did notice in the last storm.
231
00:18:23,80.0826327 --> 00:18:33,473.418966
one boat was significantly on a bit of a lean 'cause the mooring lines were, They didn't have enough, slack or allowance in their mooring lines to accommodate it.
232
00:18:34,263.414966 --> 00:18:42,543.412966
But with floating jetties, what we can do is, you know, we can tie our boats relatively close because the jetty goes up and down with the tide.
233
00:18:42,753.412966 --> 00:18:43,283.412966
It does, yeah.
234
00:18:43,283.412966 --> 00:18:46,823.415966
So it allows you to tie your boat a little bit closer, keeps your boat a lot closer.
235
00:18:46,823.415966 --> 00:18:50,963.416966
Getting on and off is significantly easier with a floating jetty.
236
00:18:51,793.415966 --> 00:18:59,383.411966
And what a lot of people don't realize is a floating jetty will actually provide a buffer to that storm surge.
237
00:18:59,393.413966 --> 00:19:06,386.7422993
So where you get a lot of waves and swell and so forth, a floating jetty will actually, buffer against that.
238
00:19:06,386.7522993 --> 00:19:13,843.409966
So keeping the, the water level calm and keeping your boat, easy to get on and off is, is a lot better with a floating jetty.
239
00:19:14,493.416966 --> 00:19:17,723.405966
A lot more marinas now are implementing, floating jetties.
240
00:19:17,903.413966 --> 00:19:21,233.416966
In the old days, everything was a fixed jetty, and that's the way it was.
241
00:19:21,743.409966 --> 00:19:25,903.419966
We have technology and, and improvements now to, um, put in floating jetties.
242
00:19:26,553.406966 --> 00:19:30,313.408966
It is a little bit weird walking on a floating jetty though, because it moves.
243
00:19:30,313.408966 --> 00:19:34,123.408966
As soon as you walk it, along it, it, you can, you can feel the movement.
244
00:19:34,603.410966 --> 00:19:37,223.411966
Whereas a fixed jetty, it's still, it's rock hard.
245
00:19:37,686.7382993 --> 00:19:40,375.419966
you're effectively walking on a boat Pretty much, yeah.
246
00:19:40,375.419966 --> 00:19:41,285.419966
Well, you're floating.
247
00:19:41,285.419966 --> 00:19:41,485.419966
Yeah.
248
00:19:41,485.419966 --> 00:19:41,815.419966
Yeah.
249
00:19:41,815.419966 --> 00:20:00,351.1614626
So you're, you're, uh, at the mercy of the, the water level and the tide, et cetera what else should we be thinking about in as far as the experience of living on the boat? Again, I'll come back to that word preparation.
250
00:20:00,511.1614626 --> 00:20:05,497.8281293
So, skippering a boat, buying a boat not just as simple as buying your boat.
251
00:20:05,547.8281293 --> 00:20:08,87.8281293
It's, it's a vehicle that has to be registered.
252
00:20:08,567.8281293 --> 00:20:13,977.8281293
Insurance has to be applied, because you need that insurance, because things will break.
253
00:20:14,127.8271293 --> 00:20:15,607.8281293
You, you know, you know it.
254
00:20:15,927.8271293 --> 00:20:19,917.8271293
Every motor vehicle owner has insurance because they know they're gonna have a bingle.
255
00:20:20,811.1604626 --> 00:20:24,931.1604626
but also having the ability or the, the certification to drive and operate that boat.
256
00:20:25,81.1604626 --> 00:20:36,611.1584626
So the skipper's ticket is very important, and that was one thing I didn't have prior, up until, right up until, you know, just before the purchase of my boat, I didn't have a skipper's ticket.
257
00:20:36,711.1594626 --> 00:20:37,601.1584626
Never needed it.
258
00:20:37,741.1584626 --> 00:20:39,791.1594626
I'd spent a fair bit of time on boats.
259
00:20:39,811.1624626 --> 00:20:48,301.1614626
Um, I did a lot of scuba diving at one stage, so, and the, the dive shop was quite happy for me to, you know, take people scuba diving.
260
00:20:48,371.1594626 --> 00:20:55,31.1644626
And in trade I was, you know, deckhand or, you know, assist the, uh, the, the dive masters, et cetera, on the day.
261
00:20:55,721.1614626 --> 00:21:01,771.1614626
So I never needed a skipper's ticket 'cause as long as somebody on the boat has that skipper's ticket, we're all good.
262
00:21:02,491.1624626 --> 00:21:09,41.1564626
But I, owning your own boat, very, very smart thing to do would be get, you know, making sure you've got your recreational skipper's ticket.
263
00:21:10,131.1614626 --> 00:21:14,81.1624626
They're not difficult to get, but it teaches you the, the basics.
264
00:21:14,934.4927959 --> 00:21:18,847.8281293
and I did do some lessons with, a couple of connections I made at, uh, Port Geo.
265
00:21:19,517.8301293 --> 00:21:22,717.8271293
So learning how to operate a boat.
266
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And there's a couple of different varieties.
267
00:21:24,237.8311293 --> 00:21:32,837.8261293
You know, you see, boats with an outboard and then you'll see, you know, some boats, they're generally the bigger ones, they'll have an inboard motor with a, with a prop.
268
00:21:33,367.8291293 --> 00:21:34,517.8321293
Mine's actually a bit bigger.
269
00:21:34,617.8291293 --> 00:21:37,917.8261293
Mine actually has twin engines and twin props as well.
270
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So they all maneuver differently.
271
00:21:40,387.8261293 --> 00:21:45,537.8291293
So it's learning to, be able to maneuver that particular boat in, in the water.
272
00:21:46,107.8261293 --> 00:21:50,977.8291293
And a-again, weather conditions can have a big effect on how the boat maneuvers in the water as well.
273
00:21:51,347.8291293 --> 00:21:55,277.8211293
And then there's the option of sail as well, isn't there? Oh, yes.
274
00:21:55,337.8271293 --> 00:21:55,667.8271293
Yeah.
275
00:21:55,787.8241293 --> 00:21:57,487.8231293
I mean, my boat's a, a power boat.
276
00:21:57,867.8261293 --> 00:21:59,737.8321293
I did look at a sailboat at one stage.
277
00:21:59,777.8301293 --> 00:22:02,807.8301293
That was one of the first options that I had a look at.
278
00:22:03,457.8231293 --> 00:22:06,637.8271293
sailboat, obviously more, you need more of a crew.
279
00:22:06,857.8321293 --> 00:22:13,567.8391293
you know, two to three on the boat generally is, is ideal for, you know, on a sailboat, and that's a different kettle of fish again.
280
00:22:13,777.8311293 --> 00:22:15,797.8421293
You know, you're at the mercy of the wind.
281
00:22:16,407.8361293 --> 00:22:23,837.8281293
but most sailboats also have inboard engines, so they, they can travel under motor if weather conditions aren't suitable.
282
00:22:24,271.1694626 --> 00:22:27,641.1574626
it's a big thing to choose the right sort of boat, I would imagine.
283
00:22:28,271.1694626 --> 00:22:28,711.1694626
Correct.
284
00:22:28,901.1594626 --> 00:22:39,819.1684626
And you, you know, you gotta choose the boat that actually suits what your, your end purpose is You know, I, I did look at a sailboat, but it wasn't gonna suit the purpose that I was gonna use it for.
285
00:22:40,369.1684626 --> 00:22:42,789.1684626
Whereas the powerboat fits perfectly.
286
00:22:42,789.1684626 --> 00:22:50,859.1684626
I can go in and out from where I am, go out overnight, come back the next day, and, and that's pretty much how I use my boat.
287
00:22:51,829.1674626 --> 00:22:52,959.1674626
I don't go on long trips.
288
00:22:53,9.1674626 --> 00:22:57,509.1674626
the longest trip I've done so far is just between Bunbury and Busselton.
289
00:22:57,509.1674626 --> 00:23:01,739.1684626
But there are plans to, to go, you know, Mandurah, Freo, et cetera.
290
00:23:02,115.8331293 --> 00:23:03,565.8341293
but they're, they're not long journeys.
291
00:23:03,565.8341293 --> 00:23:05,975.8351293
They can be easily done on a, on a powerboat, no problem.
292
00:23:06,459.1684626 --> 00:23:09,779.1664626
Having your own power makes a big, a big difference.
293
00:23:10,889.1684626 --> 00:23:11,659.1674626
Well, that's it.
294
00:23:11,969.1664626 --> 00:23:19,209.1674626
Um, and a sailboat, there's, there's a lot more training and skill required in order to, to, to get the best out of it.
295
00:23:19,619.1684626 --> 00:23:23,479.1664626
And there's, you know, to be honest, there's a lot more that can go wrong.
296
00:23:24,329.1664626 --> 00:23:31,49.1684626
with that said, under- with the right crew and the right preparation, it's, you know, again, comes down to your purpose.
297
00:23:31,569.1644626 --> 00:23:42,175.8301293
So if someone wanted to do what you've done and go and live on a, on a boat, what would they need to think about before they even started to do that? Great question.
298
00:23:42,395.8331293 --> 00:23:43,415.8261293
it's gotta be a choice.
299
00:23:43,415.8291293 --> 00:23:47,845.8261293
I mean, my mindset at the, at the time was simply to downsize.
300
00:23:48,115.8261293 --> 00:23:52,345.8241293
move away from, you know, big house, big sheds, a big yard.
301
00:23:52,375.8201293 --> 00:24:00,295.8241293
Don't get me wrong, they were all great things, and they were all things that I wanted at that time when I, you know, I, I, I did that.
302
00:24:00,775.8221293 --> 00:24:08,45.8201293
but I was looking for, the option to downsize, go smaller and simplify, and I think I've achieved that.
303
00:24:09,195.8221293 --> 00:24:12,875.8231293
But if somebody else was thinking of doing it, it's, it's a big step.
304
00:24:12,975.8211293 --> 00:24:17,485.8211293
It's gotta be a, a, a well-researched choice on what you're gonna do.
305
00:24:17,795.8211293 --> 00:24:23,82.4907959
I mean, I looked at boat, bus, or caravan and four-wheel drive.
306
00:24:23,132.4887959 --> 00:24:36,225.1594626
So I looked at three options to, to downsize and simplify, and the boat option just seemed to keep coming back up they are similar but different, aren't they, those three options? They are indeed.
307
00:24:36,465.1594626 --> 00:24:38,535.1594626
very, very similar and all very, very different.
308
00:24:38,595.1594626 --> 00:24:55,661.8251293
you know, I, my, my thought process in looking at a bus was it, it's great, but you've got to tow around a- another vehicle 'cause buses just don't fit in shopping center car parks, and you can't really maneuver them terribly well through the, the middle of, you know, the CBD or the, the busy part of town.
309
00:24:55,661.8261293 --> 00:24:59,221.8261293
So you've got to park away and get into town another way.
310
00:25:00,411.8261293 --> 00:25:02,831.8261293
Uh, four-wheel drive and caravan, again, very similar.
311
00:25:03,391.8261293 --> 00:25:11,471.8241293
but at least you've got the option to detach vehicle, park the caravan somewhere secure, and then knowing you can come back to it.
312
00:25:12,231.8221293 --> 00:25:18,111.8201293
but with the boat, sure, I've got my, my van, so I can get around and do what I need to do.
313
00:25:18,591.8191293 --> 00:25:20,791.8191293
but my, my boat is my house.
314
00:25:21,441.8171293 --> 00:25:35,385.1524626
and it parks on the water, and it's, it's over- actually opened up a few other opportunities for things to do and a, a few other connections that I'd made in regards to, if I didn't have the boat, I may never have made those connections, so.
315
00:25:35,971.8151293 --> 00:25:36,731.8151293
Opportunities.
316
00:25:37,311.8191293 --> 00:25:40,601.8171293
Oh, that's a different, perspective, the opening up different opportunities.
317
00:25:40,611.8231293 --> 00:25:40,621.8231293
Mm.
318
00:25:40,671.8201293 --> 00:25:43,321.8171293
How does, how does that work? interesting.
319
00:25:43,521.8201293 --> 00:25:55,71.8221293
Um, back in the days when I do, used to do a lot of scuba diving, one of the, the boat skippers who used to assist the dive shop, I made friends with him way back then and, you know, we stayed in contact, et cetera.
320
00:25:55,671.8211293 --> 00:26:07,541.8151293
And then when I needed to get my skipper's ticket, well, he was the first person I went to because he's a, um, he's authorized to, to do the training and, and certification on, recreational skipper's tickets.
321
00:26:08,251.8191293 --> 00:26:15,511.8211293
And then when I moved up to Bunbury, I then found out he actually owns and operates the, Dolphin Discovery boats.
322
00:26:16,371.8221293 --> 00:26:23,601.8231293
So again, I've moved locations and I've stayed in contact with a particular connection.
323
00:26:23,601.8251293 --> 00:26:29,421.8211293
So I just keep an eye on his Dolphin Discovery boats over the weekends or overnight while they're, they're parked there.
324
00:26:29,841.8231293 --> 00:26:36,541.8181293
At the moment, they're not being used a lot because weather, again, it's not ideal conditions to go out looking for, for dolphins.
325
00:26:37,11.8211293 --> 00:26:40,691.8251293
But come the summer season, they'll, they'll be going out a lot more often.
326
00:26:41,151.8211293 --> 00:26:43,85.1534626
And, I just keep an eye on it.
327
00:26:43,125.1594626 --> 00:26:48,215.1494626
If there's any troubles with them, I can then give him a call and say, "Hey, this is what's happened.
328
00:26:48,385.1544626 --> 00:26:55,485.1494626
I've tied it up or I've done something to, to, to keep it from harm until he can come and res- and resolve it."
329
00:26:55,901.8141293 --> 00:26:56,891.8211293
nice connection there.
330
00:26:57,351.8111293 --> 00:26:58,191.8121293
Yeah, absolutely.
331
00:26:58,601.8111293 --> 00:27:00,91.8111293
And, um, he's also another Paul.
332
00:27:01,101.8111293 --> 00:27:01,981.8111293
Oh, well, perfect.
333
00:27:02,699.8201293 --> 00:27:02,949.8201293
Yeah.
334
00:27:03,39.8201293 --> 00:27:05,153.1534626
We've been, meeting Pauls all over the place.
335
00:27:05,163.1534626 --> 00:27:11,966.4857959
So, in another circle, there's another two Pauls in that circle, so I used to work with another Paul, also a good guy.
336
00:27:12,216.4857959 --> 00:27:13,346.4857959
Uh, he was a great dude.
337
00:27:13,356.4867959 --> 00:27:15,96.4867959
Still in contact with him, believe it or not.
338
00:27:15,116.4867959 --> 00:27:19,976.4857959
So I haven't spoken with him very often, but, uh, I worked with him over 20 years ago now.
339
00:27:20,379.8201293 --> 00:27:21,659.8201293
All us Pauls, we're good guys.
340
00:27:21,729.8191293 --> 00:27:22,299.8191293
Exactly.
341
00:27:22,639.8191293 --> 00:27:23,209.8191293
Exactly.
342
00:27:23,824.4867959 --> 00:27:30,354.4867959
I- is there anything else about living in a boat that you think that people would want to know? Ah, maintenance.
343
00:27:30,944.4877959 --> 00:27:34,934.4857959
Yeah, there's, there's a- another, interesting can of worms.
344
00:27:35,334.4867959 --> 00:27:42,614.4857959
but with, like I say, with the right people around, I mean, the same with your car, you know, you, you work out what you can do in maintenance with your, your car.
345
00:27:42,644.4867959 --> 00:27:49,444.4877959
You do the, the maintenance you're capable of doing, and you hand it over to your mechanic when it's out of your scope and it's not your superpower.
346
00:27:49,994.4877959 --> 00:27:51,74.4877959
same applies to a boat.
347
00:27:51,794.4907959 --> 00:28:04,761.1564626
The difference can be though, some repairs require the boat to come out of the water, in which case it's then inaccessible or it's just not accessible as, uh, as my house while it's out of the water.
348
00:28:05,611.1564626 --> 00:28:07,491.1544626
So there's always gotta be a plan B.
349
00:28:08,647.8231293 --> 00:28:12,821.1524626
but there's, you know, there's always, having that plan ready to go.
350
00:28:13,171.1534626 --> 00:28:19,624.4887959
but maintenance like that, I mean, once a year it's gotta come out of the water for, we clean the hull, antifoul paint.
351
00:28:20,44.4897959 --> 00:28:27,684.4867959
And while it's out of the water, that gives us the opportunity to check other things that were inaccessible while it sits in the water.
352
00:28:28,477.8181293 --> 00:28:40,677.8171293
I did have a, an incident earlier this year where there was, uh, damage caused by, well, previous maintenance that hadn't been kept up by, from the, the previous owner.
353
00:28:41,197.8191293 --> 00:28:45,557.8191293
so it had to come out of the water again, and, and that was easily rectified.
354
00:28:46,837.8221293 --> 00:28:48,741.1514626
But, again, learning experience.
355
00:28:49,121.1514626 --> 00:28:50,771.1574626
Prepared to learn, absolutely.
356
00:28:50,811.1544626 --> 00:28:52,421.1564626
This will be a great journey.
357
00:28:52,891.1564626 --> 00:28:59,741.1554626
If you, if you're not prepared to, you know, a- adapt, adapt and, and learn your environment, then it can be challenging.
358
00:29:00,251.1564626 --> 00:29:01,601.1564626
It can be very, very challenging.
359
00:29:02,64.4877959 --> 00:29:03,754.4857959
you talked a lot about preparation.
360
00:29:03,884.4877959 --> 00:29:06,814.4837959
That's all about being ahead of the curve, isn't it? Correct.
361
00:29:07,77.8181293 --> 00:29:07,397.8181293
yeah.
362
00:29:07,887.8231293 --> 00:29:10,687.8161293
Preventative maintenance is your best friend.
363
00:29:10,987.8141293 --> 00:29:17,537.8251293
If you wait for something to go wrong, it s- and being a boat, it's, it's sitting on water, it can go drastically wrong.
364
00:29:18,217.8251293 --> 00:29:30,581.1294626
So that, that incident I spoke of earlier, required, assistance from the Marine Rescue to get back to my pen so I could get a temporary repair and get it down to Port Geo to be lifted out of the water.
365
00:29:31,391.1414626 --> 00:29:39,737.1394626
So on land, it's a bit like having an accident in, in the car and you've gotta actually make good.
366
00:29:40,417.1394626 --> 00:29:41,207.1394626
Well, that's it.
367
00:29:41,207.1394626 --> 00:30:03,853.8091293
You know, if your car breaks down, do you have a backup plan so you can still get to work, pick up the kids, go shopping, et cetera? I've, you know, I've gotta have that backup plan because if the, the boat's out of action, where am I gonna live? where am I, you know, how am I gonna, you know, do what I normally do? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's, it's my house, but I, I do use it as my office, but I tend to get distracted.
368
00:30:04,503.8081293 --> 00:30:07,413.8061293
You know, I'll be working away and, oh, look, dolphins.
369
00:30:07,463.8071293 --> 00:30:10,883.8061293
Oh, go out and say hello, and then, you know, I don't get any work done.
370
00:30:10,953.8051293 --> 00:30:13,743.8061293
So it can be a distraction.
371
00:30:14,197.1414626 --> 00:30:17,357.1384626
you're a mobile worker as such, aren't you? Pretty much, yeah.
372
00:30:17,357.1414626 --> 00:30:22,190.4747959
My office can be, any cafe, any, well, any parking spot.
373
00:30:22,190.4747959 --> 00:30:27,590.4737959
I've, I've done, um, Microsoft Teams meetings with clients in my van.
374
00:30:28,250.4727959 --> 00:30:31,560.4737959
You know, sit in the back of the van, feet up, notebook.
375
00:30:32,200.4747959 --> 00:30:32,670.4747959
easy done.
376
00:30:33,93.8081293 --> 00:30:41,910.4737959
So that's a, that's another consideration you know, maybe if you're fly in, fly out, that might, cause a few, issues if you're not around and something needs to be done, I guess.
377
00:30:42,490.4707959 --> 00:30:46,270.4727959
Well, that, and that's good 'cause that's where, that's where that community comes back in.
378
00:30:46,540.4737959 --> 00:30:50,860.4767959
as I s- mentioned earlier, I've, you know, got contact with the boats around me.
379
00:30:51,363.8141293 --> 00:30:59,53.8141293
not all of them live on board, so they might come down and see their boat every, every month or every week or, you know, whatever their schedule is.
380
00:30:59,603.8111293 --> 00:31:05,623.8141293
So if something does go wrong, we've got that means to make contact and say, "Hey, this is going wrong.
381
00:31:05,723.8141293 --> 00:31:09,217.1434626
What would you like me to do?" another great community connection.
382
00:31:09,227.1414626 --> 00:31:09,447.1414626
Yeah.
383
00:31:09,837.1414626 --> 00:31:10,427.1414626
Exactly.
384
00:31:10,907.1414626 --> 00:31:11,37.1474626
All right.
385
00:31:11,37.1474626 --> 00:31:12,277.1444626
Very, very important actually.
386
00:31:12,377.1424626 --> 00:31:13,67.1454626
Very important.
387
00:31:13,450.4797959 --> 00:31:23,105.8131293
is there anything else you think we should talk about? Actually, one of the, the biggest considerations I, I had, when getting the boat was I have a now teenage boy.
388
00:31:23,992.4797959 --> 00:31:30,602.4797959
and I mean, our relationship has always been built on adventures, you know, the things we do in the, the time that we spend together.
389
00:31:31,152.4787959 --> 00:31:42,75.8111293
So it was important for this decision to be made with him in mind and understanding the challenges that are associated with doing so.
390
00:31:42,855.8121293 --> 00:31:47,415.8131293
There was one major hurdle that I thought could have been an issue, but turns out it wasn't.
391
00:31:48,325.8111293 --> 00:32:00,385.8111293
But the main, the main part was I had basically full approval from, you know, my teenage boy to, um, you know, move out of dad's house and we're gonna move into dad's boat.
392
00:32:01,335.8131293 --> 00:32:07,435.8131293
so it's become a talking point with him and, uh, those in his world outside of dad's house.
393
00:32:08,32.4787959 --> 00:32:10,982.4797959
they are quite actually surprised that he's taken to it so well.
394
00:32:12,42.4807959 --> 00:32:16,442.4827959
But, um, you know, if we go for a, for a ride in dad's boat, he, he knows the rules.
395
00:32:16,542.4767959 --> 00:32:23,342.4787959
He's gotta put his life jacket on, and he's gotta sit up in the flybridge with dad, normally with a big silly grin on his face.
396
00:32:24,282.4817959 --> 00:32:32,212.4777959
I've still yet to teach him to be my deckhand, but there are some challenges in, you know, associated with using him as a, a deckhand.
397
00:32:32,242.4807959 --> 00:32:34,252.4767959
But he's definitely keen to live on dad's boat.
398
00:32:34,772.4797959 --> 00:32:36,902.4817959
N- absolutely no qualms there whatsoever.
399
00:32:37,372.4787959 --> 00:32:37,962.4787959
Fantastic.
400
00:32:37,962.4827959 --> 00:32:41,609.6215102
He's very comfortable by the sound of it.
401
00:32:41,609.6215102 --> 00:32:42,322.4807959
I've got this photo of him.
402
00:32:42,362.4757959 --> 00:32:51,782.4777959
Um, since the day he was born, I've, I've had letters, so the, the letters of his name, and they were stuck on the side of his bed.
403
00:32:51,792.4767959 --> 00:32:55,452.4757959
He had this double-decker bed, and it's been the greatest thing for him.
404
00:32:56,152.4767959 --> 00:33:01,112.4757959
But of course, moving out of the house and moving into the boat, he couldn't take his bed.
405
00:33:02,2.4757959 --> 00:33:06,532.4777959
But I took the letters and we reset it on the cabin just above his bed.
406
00:33:07,92.4807959 --> 00:33:15,562.4717959
And I've got this photo of him, his name on the bunk of his bed, him sitting there, big silly grin just after we put the letters up.
407
00:33:16,242.4707959 --> 00:33:19,902.4717959
So yeah, he's, he's definitely taken to, uh, living on dad's boat.
408
00:33:20,612.4817959 --> 00:33:23,342.4817959
In fact, it's our current adventure.
409
00:33:23,912.4847959 --> 00:33:25,466.4807959
Isn't it, mister? Yes.
410
00:33:26,353.1464626 --> 00:33:27,623.1454626
I'd say it was a big change.
411
00:33:27,923.1474626 --> 00:33:36,313.1474626
it was, definitely a, a, a choice, and something I had to look into and do some research before making that choice.
412
00:33:36,623.1454626 --> 00:33:41,13.1494626
You know, having an understanding of what you're, you're getting into, like anything.
413
00:33:41,806.4787959 --> 00:33:44,806.4797959
I mean, my motivation for downsizing was very simple.
414
00:33:44,946.4817959 --> 00:33:47,656.4827959
it was very, uh, focused on me.
415
00:33:47,826.4787959 --> 00:33:49,586.4817959
It was s- to give me more time.
416
00:33:50,896.4787959 --> 00:34:00,596.4777959
You know, watching my boy grow up and trying to develop a business at the same time, something had to give and I, I found it in downsizing and simplifying.
417
00:34:01,416.4807959 --> 00:34:05,116.4797959
Quite often we complicate our lives with too much stuff and go, "Oh, yeah, but it'll be fine."
418
00:34:05,976.4787959 --> 00:34:06,336.4787959
No.
419
00:34:06,656.4787959 --> 00:34:08,546.4797959
I've now taken away my distractions.
420
00:34:09,456.4817959 --> 00:34:10,696.4777959
And except the dolphins.
421
00:34:11,366.4777959 --> 00:34:13,146.4827959
Oh, well, that's, that's a different story.
422
00:34:13,216.4767959 --> 00:34:15,146.4827959
You know, that's, that's an acceptable distraction.
423
00:34:15,466.4787959 --> 00:34:18,676.4797959
Well, thank you very much, Paul, for being on Forest.Chat.
424
00:34:18,946.4817959 --> 00:34:20,96.4837959
And all Forest.Chat
425
00:34:20,96.4837959 --> 00:34:22,686.4827959
listeners wish you the best with your future endeavors.
426
00:34:23,396.4787959 --> 00:34:23,786.4787959
Awesome.
427
00:34:23,796.4797959 --> 00:34:24,326.4807959
Thank you, Paul.
428
00:34:24,336.4807959 --> 00:34:25,416.4777959
Thank you for the opportunity.
429
00:34:25,446.4817959 --> 00:34:26,246.4787959
Great to have a chat.
430
00:34:26,636.4767959 --> 00:34:27,516.4797959
Great to have you on.
431
00:34:28,326.4787959 --> 00:34:30,316.4817959
You've been listening to Forest.Chat,
432
00:34:30,366.4797959 --> 00:34:37,56.4767959
where we talk about individual endeavor in Western Australia, what it takes, what it means, and how you do it.
433
00:34:37,506.4797959 --> 00:34:39,176.4817959
I'm your host, Paul van der Mey.
434
00:34:39,446.4817959 --> 00:34:44,226.4777959
And in today's episode, we've been talking with Paul Hashman about living on a boat.
435
00:34:44,699.8111293 --> 00:34:47,909.8131293
Remember, there are four ways to get involved with Forest.Chat.
436
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437
00:34:49,996.4807959 --> 00:34:52,66.4797959
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438
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441
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442
00:35:17,871.8141293 --> 00:35:20,861.8151293
Until then, enjoy making it happen.