Top 5 Boat Jobs I Actually Enjoy While Living Aboard -

Let’s face it: boats require upkeep – and lots of it! Boat jobs while living aboard aren’t always glamorous, but they keep Happy Days running smoothly, and it takes all six of us to keep on top of them. There are definitely a few boat jobs I do my best to avoid (ahem, toilets…), but some of them are actually super satisfying and I enjoy them. So what would my five favourite boat jobs be? Well, let’s dive in!

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1. Polishing the Topsides

Ohh, this is definitely top of the rewarding list—I mean, transforming the chalky side of the boat into a shiny reflecting mirror… what more could you want?

No, really. This is a hard job because you have to rub the wax into the fiberglass (we usually do it by hand), but then at the end you can turn around and see how glassy and shiny it looks.

So this is one of my favourites because it’s relatively clean and has a very high reward factor!

2. Oil Changes

Surprised? Yeah. Let me explain! I’m the one who jumps in the engine bay and helps Dad whenever it’s time for an oil change or fuel filter replacement. It has to be said—oil is way nicer than diesel for the simple fact that it doesn’t smell!

So, when we reach however many hours on the engines, I’ll throw on some old clothes, grab some paper towel, and start pumping the oil out. This is also a rewarding job—you get to see the old oil come out and replace it with the new stuff. I also love driving the boat, so knowing the engines will work as I want them to is a big factor as well.

3. Scrubbing the Hull

Just to clarify, these aren’t everyday jobs—they’re the bigger ones we do maybe once or twice a month. But… yesterday, Mum, Dad, and I were in the water scrubbing away at the growth on the hull (the other three can help with something else).

To be fair, I’m not always stoked to do this job, but once I’m in the water I kinda find a rhythm: dive down, scrub with the cloth, scrape with the plastic tool, come up for air, and repeat. It gives me good thinking time and is once again pretty rewarding as you watch the green scungy-ness wash away. Oh, and it makes us go faster when we have a clean bottom.

4. Logging Progress on Passage

Whenever we’re on passage, I keep a log of several different stats like engine hours, how many miles we did, etc. This is a fun job because I get to see how much we achieved and track things like fuel use and sailing hours. So it’s important, but also pretty fun. If you’re looking for a place to log your stats too, I’ve got a log page here you can use!

I’m not sure if being on watch is counted as a job—I’m not going to count it—but if it was, it would be my favourite. I read, keep an eye on the sails, make sure the engine doesn’t overheat, and make sure we don’t hit anything. But being on watch is just part of passage life and expected to happen. Anyway, logging our progress is one of my tasks when we’re sailing, and it’s an enjoyable one.

5. Splicing Lines

This is my specialty on board! We have fids and everything, and it’s really fun joining the lines together and making soft shackles or continuous loops. It’s a once-in-a-while sort of thing, but I’m the go-to when it’s needed, so it’s worth adding here.

For those still wondering what splicing a line means: it’s pretty much when you use metal tools (called fids) to adjust the rope by removing the core from the casing and then… okay, it’s kinda complicated—hence I’m the only one who’s ended up learning it. But it’s pretty important, and I like the fact that I can transform a line into whatever I want—whether it’s a continuous circle or a simple loop at the end.

Splicing might not be on everyone’s list of favourite boat jobs while living aboard, but it’s definitely one of mine.

Summary

Well, here we are! I hope you’ve gained some insight into my favourite jobs. Just a reminder—these are jobs and definitely not the glamorous side of boat life, but it’s all part of it nonetheless. It’s not all palm trees and surfing!

So there you have it—the top 5 boat jobs I actually enjoy while living aboard! If you’re wondering what other jobs we do or what my worst five would be, then please comment and let me know!