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Live Aboard and Travel with Parkinson’s Disease

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by 88OY44, Jun 7, 2026.

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  1. 88OY44, Jun 7, 2026
    #1
    88OY44

    88OY44 New Member

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    Here is possibly a whole new and different question for everyone out there…
    Has anyone ever been a “Live Aboard” traveled to different places or maybe even did the loop and had say… Parkinson’s Disease?
    I see everyone chat about everything under the sun but what about those who love boating or fishing and have this disease. I’m talking motor boat not sailing. Just curious if anyone has or is currently a live aboard with such a disease and how do you handle it on a daily basis.
    Yes I have Parkinson’s and yes I miss the water very much. The ocean, the icw are in my veins. Nobody would understand this but other avid brothers and sisters that feel the same way.
    I figured if I got a sportfish I would need a swim platform and transom door to get on and off. If I got a motor yacht I would need to purchase stairs to get on up on the side of the boat. Or if push came to shove purchase or have made a folding ramp instead of stairs. I’m still able to walk and drive. I’m not dead yet. My Parkinson’s has not progressed to the point such as Michael J Fox. I have other symptoms of the disease.
    Please give me your thoughts. I could really use some advice about now!
  2. JWY, Jun 7, 2026
    #2
    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    Go for it!! I have sold several trawlers to clients who had various incapacities and limitations. Perhaps trawlers tend to attract these boaters because they tend to be roomier, are more stable under many circumstances, and cruise slower.

    I had a Cape Horn that had an electric chair lift going down to the staterooms and one going up to the flybridge. I had a Kadey Krogen that had a wheelchair lift on the aft deck and was wheelchair accessible inside. I sold a Nordhavn 40 to a stroke patient and made a film about the client's transAtlantic crossing that has won awards. I had a 55' Seahorse that had a crew cabin to include a nurse as crew and was a mini-clinic. I have had full-time liveaboards with adult children with special needs (one was cerebral palsy on a Grand Alaskan and one with Down syndrome on a Cape Horn.)

    While Parkinson's can be a debilitating disease as it progresses, as long as you have a good mate onboard and know your limitations, you should be able to find a yacht that will accommodate your needs and let you enjoy life on the water hopefully for many years.
    Nelly Medina, 88OY44, Norseman and 1 other person like this.
  3. ranger58sb, Jun 8, 2026
    #3
    ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    In the grand scheme of boat costs... stairs or ramps aren't the hugest add-ons you might encounter. And "convertibles" -- and aft-cabin motor yachts -- often have a swim platform and a transom door, so that could solve the access issues during your buying stage. (Note sportfishers and convertibles also often have low-enough bulwarks/cockpit coamings so folks can climb over the side when necessary at fixed docks (because the swim platform is too low)... but you might need stairs for that, too.)

    -Chris
  4. 88OY44, Jul 2, 2026
    #4
    88OY44

    88OY44 New Member

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    I’m ready to take the plunge but now the Mrs is getting cold feet. She’s worried about not liking it. Afraid of the motion sickness (though she has never been sick!) Afraid of the confined space. All of excuses are starting to not come out but FLY OUT OF HER MOUTH! What do we do with the dog? What do we do with the cat? What if they don’t adjust? Well then I call them free shark bait or tell them to swim faster til they finally find land.
    I said ok then I’ll get myself a 17’ Boston Whaler, or 26’ Pacemaker Wahoo, 29’ Ocean Yachts SS. But one day I’ll tell her I’m going fishing but instead I’ll start the Great Loop all alone in my small boat. I told her that I’ll call her from MD or DE to let her know how things are going! My wife wasn’t too enthusiastic hearing that sort of stuff. My runaway trip. It’s all part of the dream.
    I could be heading south instead. Down to FL. Then that great left turn heading directly towards the Bahamas! There she would never find me. To many islands.
    Oh the dreams…
  5. Capt J, Jul 2, 2026
    #5
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    DO IT. Tell the wife that you don't have much time left to do this and if it doesn't work, you'll sell the boat etc. etc.
  6. 88OY44, Jul 3, 2026
    #6
    88OY44

    88OY44 New Member

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    Ok let me ask you this… motor yacht or trawler? If trawler, single or double screw? For 2 adults and 3 pets for now… what size is best?
    Looking at motor yachts I love the 42’ Egg I found in OH. My wife liked it at one point because it has gas engines. Diesels give her a migraine.
    I would have to be there for the survey. I want to make sure there’s no delamination ANYWHERE if you thought this boat. Also what about getting on and off? I’m not wheelchair bound yet. I use a cane every now and again. Otherwise I have a spinal cord stimulator which really helps out now for my balance.
    Could you recommend some brands of boats that are reliable? We will be living on a tight budget. Gas engines I’m able to do some maintenance. Diesels I have never worked on.
    My wife put on some cold feet tonight. Small living quarters, what about the grandson, what about the children, where will we go? Will we stay here or move around? For me I want to do the loop and I want to go to FL and the Bahamas.
    Carolyn has a blog… I would like to meet up with some knowledgeable folks and travel along.
    Please give me some good advice and tips!
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2026
  7. ranger58sb, Jul 3, 2026
    #7
    ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    There's probably a hotel just next to whatever marina you might land in, for occasional visitors. Entertain 6, feed 4, sleep 2. Most travel the Loop counterclockwise... to mate up with seasonal temps.

    -Chris
  8. Pascal, Jul 3, 2026
    #8
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I woudl not have gas engines especially for the loop. Diesel are much safer (no fumes to go kaboom), more economical (use less fuel) and much easier to maintain (no ignition system).

    Since you re looking at used boats, maintenance history and current condition is as important as brand when it comes to reliability.

    layout is critical especially when getting older or having mobility issues. A big engine room with good access to system is absolutely critical. A deck layout with as few steps as possible is also a must. Having a pilot house with side doors is another must have for easy access to lines when docking or locking. Good side decks too.

    sportfishes are not ideal for that reason. The FB is a long way from the lines and the narrow catwalks around can be risky with mobility issues.

    MY or trawler doenst matter as both can be run at hull speed, about 9kts in the size you re likely to consider pretty economically. Twin is a must for easy handling and redundancy in my opinion.

    all of these criteria will probably lead you to something in the 50-60 range.

    i ve had my 53 Hatteras MY for well over 20 years mostly as a live aboard and weeks end cruisers. Last year we moved the boat to eastern TN about 1500 nm which is part of the loop. It was really a perfect boat for this trip (included 18 locks) You could also look at some of the older Bertram, Chris Craft, Tolly and Viking MYs.
    Capt Ralph likes this.
  9. 88OY44, Jul 3, 2026
    #9
    88OY44

    88OY44 New Member

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    Pascal you have brought up many more questions that I now need to present to the BOSS in order to make a really solid and valid point.

    Any boat we look at I’m going to have surveyed. That’s a given. I would also have all oil samples sent out and tested. Is it true or myth that the more hours on a diesel people tend to sell their boat cheaper because they themselves couldn’t afford the maintenance? Diesels take double the oil, double the filters, double the parts to change at certain intervals. I’m only going on what I’ve heard and read. I know the Detroit diesel has been around forever and is bulletproof. How are cats? I’ve read to really stay away from Yamar. Pretty cheap engine. Not as robust as the others.

    That is only where part of worries come from. I’m used to running a 36’ SF. I have run a MY or trawler before. I have never run anything so big 36’+. That seems a bit intimidating. I guess the bigger the better so she has more space to run away from me? Is that the whole idea? The 42’ does not have a bow thruster. I thought one would be a wise investment? Your thoughts.

    Speed is not my concern. Even if I the ability to go faster is there any real reason to go faster? There would be so much to miss out on. In 1976 we took our 36’ SF up to Montreal to the Olympics (when the Olympics were still the Olympics). We went through the locks and Lake Champlain. A trip I will never forget. We rushed! My father had 2 weeks then needed to be back in Atlantic City for a Tuna Tournament. If I did this again I want to live on Southport, NC time or Smith or Tanger Island time, or even Jack O’Neil Cay time! Where time stands still and no need to rush anywhere!

    What does everyone do about transportation? Does everyone sell their cars? Rely solely on public transportation? How do most do their laundry? Does anyone stay in one place long enough to take on a part time job if needed? What does everyone do for medication?

    Do you have any recommendations on brand names when it comes to trawlers? I know Grand Banks comes to mind. Anyone else good for the job?

    I was thinking of keeping the house. Rent it for 6 months to a year lease. Take the loan from the equity of the house buy the boat. The house has no mortgage. Take the rent payment the taxes and pay the boat off super quick. The rent would all be free and clear. Then we would have a place to come back to. Me I want to sell it and never come look back.

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  10. 88OY44, Jul 3, 2026
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    88OY44

    88OY44 New Member

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    Rest of photos

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  11. ranger58sb, Jul 3, 2026
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    ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    @88OY44

    In case you didn't see my imbedded comments above. -C


    Ok let me ask you this… motor yacht or trawler? If trawler, single or double screw? For 2 adults and 3 pets for now… what size is best?

    Yes. Yes. And whatever suits you. Having an extra stateroom can be useful, as is an extra head. Otherwise, whatever strikes your fancy. Many select trawlers and go slow, partly for size/shape and partly for reduced fuel consumption. Others select whatever, go whatever speed (but with a bias toward slow), and manage fuel however. There's nuance about slow speed versus hull shape versus sea states, but all are basically manageable (especially with the "weather not great, we're sting in port" solution).

    Also what about getting on and off? I’m not wheelchair bound yet. I use a cane every now and again.

    Solve this in the shopping phase. Often a swim platform and a door to the cockpit solves floating docks. You can get stairs, either attached to the boat, or portable to set on the dock, for fixed docks if necessary.

    Could you recommend some brands of boats that are reliable? We will be living on a tight budget. Gas engines I’m able to do some maintenance. Diesels I have never worked on.

    There's a Great Loop site: ALGCA. See there for example of boats that have already traveled the Loop. Diesels are easier.

    My wife put on some cold feet tonight. Small living quarters, what about the grandson, what about the children, where will we go? Will we stay here or move around? For me I want to do the loop and I want to go to FL and the Bahamas.

    There's probably a hotel just next to whatever marina you might land in, for occasional visitors. Entertain 6, feed 4, sleep 2. Most travel the Loop counterclockwise... to mate up with seasonal temps.
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2026
  12. ranger58sb, Jul 3, 2026
    #12
    ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    More myth than true, I'd say, although probably with a grain of truth for underfunded pocketbooks. Likely if somebody can't afford maintenance on a typical "trawler" kind of diesel, they can't (or won't) afford maintenance on a big gas engine either. In general 4-5000 hours on a well-cared-for and well-treated diesel is pretty easy to do. Or even more, often much more. (That's not the same as a diesel in a sportfish that's been flogged to death getting back and forth from fishing grounds on the pins at rocket speeds.)

    The only diesels I've consistently read about to avoid are DDEC. Everything else -- 2-stroke DDs, Cats, Cummins, Yanmar, MTU, MAN, Volvo, Ford Lehman, Perkins and probably 5-10 others -- might have their mis-steps or even their lemons, but in general range from outstanding to pretty good to acceptable. Better to evaluate specific engine models, once you've homed in on suitable boats, not broad brush whole brands. I say once you've homed in because within specific used boat models, you usually have only a few (if any) engine options available.

    SOME diesels take twice the oil, etc., sometimes in part 'cause they might be significantly larger, sometimes 2x, than a 7-liter (for example) gas engine. OTOH an older 7-liter Ford Lehman or Perkins, or 10-liter Cat 3208, typical in some of the older trawlers out there for example, probably won't be all that much different from a big gasser.

    -Chris
  13. 88OY44, Jul 3, 2026
    #13
    88OY44

    88OY44 New Member

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    ouch I’m getting from all over today. I’m sorry if I’m messing up. I really don’t mean to. If I’m not doing some repetitive things such as posting I tend to forget exactly how things work. It sucks how Parkinson’s works. I was asked yesterday can I drive? Sure I can but I choose not to drive long distances. Driving is very simple because my brain knows it must concentrate on speed and the road. So there things become simple because I have my brain stimulated. Boating, water, staying in the channel, looking for buoys, checking depth…. All are stimulates for me. Boating and safety are very good. Otherwise things I don’t do on a repetitive basis I do draw blank especially on words. Boy I hate it when it comes to words, speaking or writing. Very frustrating for me! So please bare with me I will try to do better…

    By the way I did check out the site, thank you very much! It seems as though MYs and trawlers are neck and neck. Now the convincing a bit more. I sent my wife pages from the club app. The app is very informative. I suggested to my wife that next year we should grab up the grandson for a six week trip…. Now that will get her wheels turning. Memories the memories he will have with us!
    Thank you!!!
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2026
  14. SplashFl, Jul 5, 2026
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    SplashFl

    SplashFl Senior Member

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    Something you may want to keep in mind; built by Pipe Welders in Ft. Laud. although I've read they have other locations.
    Pipe Welders 2.jpg

    Pipe Welders 3.jpg

    Pipe Welders 4.jpg
    JWY likes this.
  15. Capt J, Jul 5, 2026
    #15
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I don't think Pipewelders is building anything anymore. Bradford turned them into a foot note of what they were.
  16. 88OY44, Jul 6, 2026
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    88OY44

    88OY44 New Member

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    Splash I couldn’t thank you enough for those pictures. Are those ladders pretty expensive? Just curious! B.O.A.T. Break out those thousands! What does Pipe Welders offer in respect to getting on/off a sport fish or motor yacht? Any clue? If you could send me some pictures I would greatly appreciate it.

    Since you are in real estate… what do most people do with their homes and cars if they become full time living aboard? Do they keep their cars in a storage unit? At a family members home? Sell it? Is there a general rule of thumb?

    Do you find that people sell their homes rather than rent them out? This way to get of the burden. Would you please throw your nickel into this. I would have said two cents but we no longer make pennies…
    Thank you very much!
  17. SplashFl, Jul 7, 2026
    #17
    SplashFl

    SplashFl Senior Member

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    Sorry; only photos I have. Last time I got a quote for a new tower from them wound up using another who is no longer around.
  18. ranger58sb, Jul 7, 2026
    #18
    ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    FWIW, some other fora -- with significant liveaboard communities -- might be able to give you more insight into answers to questions like that. See cruisersforum.com, trawlerforum.com, and the AGLCA website for examples. (I did re-check the rules; think I can mention those here...)

    I'd expect the various solutions to be all over the map, based on individual situations and requirements.

    -Chris
  19. 88OY44, Jul 7, 2026
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    88OY44

    88OY44 New Member

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    I’m in the same boat.
    - We need thoughts on what to do with the house? I guess that this is our biggest concern. Once sold we know that there would never be anyway to turn back. Buying another house is just to expensive anymore. This house is paid for free and clear and was willed over to us.
    - The cars? One car we own outright and the other we owe one more year.
    - Should save a car here in NC in storage for when we return?
    - We would sell everything except the few things we bring with us on the boat.
    - Since it would be the two of us I was thinking about a 42’ to 48’ max.
    - We are both going to renew our USCG Safety Certificate. And we are going to the USCG Nav class after that. I want my wife to have some knowledge as we chug along.
    - Are the Ford diesels any good?
    - Are the Ford Ford Diesels anything like the Detroit Diesels and spit oil all over the place?
    - We were only considering a Motor Yacht because of the size bed some of them have. A king size bed works best for us with my Parkinson’s. We have not seen any trawlers yet that offer a king. Only queen.
    - with my spinal cord stimulator I’m still able to get around pretty good. I chose the stimulator over the brain probes. I’ll get those things only as a last resort.
    - I haven’t lost my speech yet. My memory for words is so-so. But my mouth gets really full of salvation when food is coming. I can blow my nose and brush my teeth all day but there is nothing I can do to stop it.
    - My walking can be unstable at times. I do use a cane if necessary. I do keep a walker around just in case.
    - I can still drive. But I will only do short distances. I know my limitations.
    So this is us in a nutshell. We need as much input from others as possible. For me… I’m all in. In miss the water, the tranquillity, the sunrises, the sunsets. I will miss big game fishing but I must be realistic here. For the Mrs. she’s afraid. Afraid of the unknown. Afraid of something happening to me and who will be there. I do understand her concerns. We aren’t spring chickens anymore.
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2026
  20. incoming, Jul 13, 2026
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    incoming

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    Would you think about chartering first? It’s a great way to see exotic places like the USVI and Croatia while also learning the ins and outs of piloting and living aboard a boat without having to make irreversible decisions like selling a house. You would probably want to start with a captain and learn your limits and abilities before setting off on your own. It may seem a bit expensive but since you may have some flexibility on scheduling you can shop around and pick locations/times that are off-peak to get a good value. And owning a boat is always more expensive than it seems it will be in comparison- with chartering costs are pretty transparent. Perhaps also a way to ease your wife into the experience as well.

    There aren’t easy answers to all these questions and IMO many will be best answered once you’ve spent a few weeks living on a boat. And it won’t be wasted time if you are also getting to explore some gorgeous locations that are out of reach for most recreational boaters based in the continental US.

    Like the others on this forum I think you should follow your dreams and live your best life. Perhaps consider there are ways to do that with a bit less stress all at once than jumping straight into a full time cruising lifestyle.

    If you are dead set on owning a boat (I can relate), another option would be to pick a spot in a great location into keep it for a while. Maybe a spot that has a beautiful marina you like to spend time at and is easy to travel to with lots of cruising destinations nearby. Chesapeake bay maybe? There are so many amazing harbor towns to visit on the bay, with everything from empty anchorages to town docks to gorgeous resort marinas to big city harbors. And you have Virginia Beach for ocean fishing and bluer/clearer water, along with access to the ICW via Norfolk for diverse spots like bellhaven, cape Hatteras, Beaufort, and wrightsville beach all very accessible in trips of just a few days. Most of these locations you can get to with only needing to run the boat a few hours a day given all the stopover points along the way.

    You can hire a captain to help you relocate it to where you want it then go start spending more and more time on the boat. Get used to spending a bunch of time on the boat (even if you don’t go anywhere) and work in some short trips, expanding to longer as you learn the boat, find all the hidden broken things that didn’t turn up in the survey, and find what works for you. Maybe even once you are very comfortable running the boat, you still hire a captain for the more ambitious trips.

    Point being - if it feels overwhelming to go straight from limited boating to selling all your earthly possessions and committing to full time cruising - it’s because it is a giant leap. You don’t have to do it all at once. You can get a huge amount of the joys and adventures with a small fraction of the stress if you ease into it.
    d_meister and motoryachtlover like this.
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