A family's sea change

[RandyMoon]

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper

It's the voyage of a lifetime: The Andrades of Keller will leave suburbia behind and sail from port to port for a year or more.

By Dave Ferman

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

KELLER - You sell all your worldly possessions, leave the hustle and bustle and traffic behind, pull up anchor and sail into the sunset, letting the waves lull you to sleep at night.

It's a common enough fantasy, a sweet little slice of daydream escapism.

But next month the Andrade family (Ken and Mary, and kids Anthony, 14, and Adrianna, 9) will do exactly that. They will trade life in suburbia for living on their 41-foot boat, the Primavera, for at least the next year, and probably longer.

They have sold their land, large home and many possessions, including their sport utility vehicle, yard equipment, and dining and living room sets.

"I can't wait -- it's been a long process," Mary Andrade, 46, said last week, sitting at the kitchen table of the small rent house the family moved to in January. "I'm very anxious to go. Things that never bothered me are bothering me -- traffic and crowds. I'm looking forward to us testing ourselves."

Adrianna stands next to her, stroking her 6-month-old ferret, Chewbacca, who will be in charge of keeping the Primavera free of rodents. Adrianna, too, is ready for life on the water.

"I'm happy about it," she says. "It's a good excuse to get a new pet."

Ken Andrade, 51, says he and Mary decided seven years ago that they would someday live on the water. The question for years, though, was whether it would be with the kids or after they went off to college.

Ken Andrade's pension after 30 years as an air traffic controller will largely finance the journey, which will take the family from Port Aransas to New Orleans to Florida and then points south -- Belize, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and more.

"It's not going to be like a cruise ship," he says. "We have a lot of challenges ahead of us. It's going to be a lot of difficult times. It will take a lot of hard work, and hopefully, we can carry it through."

Having spent much of their courtship sailing around San Francisco Bay, the couple has "always dreamed" of living on the water, Mary Andrade said. The big if, she said, was how the kids would do.

In 2001, the family flew to Mangareva Island, in the Gambier Islands chain in French Polynesia, about 900 miles from Tahiti. There, she said, they saw happy, healthy children who knew several languages, including French and Tahitian. Their fears calmed, the couple began preparing in earnest.

"I don't want to stop until we go back there," Anthony said. "That place is awesome."

Financing their new life, Ken Andrade said, will cost about $15,000 per year. Banking and much of the family business will be done online; his check will be deposited into a checking account, and the funds will be accessible online and through automated teller machines. Mail will be forwarded to a friend who will send it to them about once a month at their ports of call.

Ken Andrade speaks Spanish; they plan for the entire family to learn French. The couple will home-school the children.

But where exactly they will go, Mary Andrade said, is up in the air. After several weeks in Port Aransas "getting acquainted" with life onboard, they plan to stay flexible while adjusting to their new life.

"Most people doing this last three months," said Mary Andrade, who has worked as an air traffic controller and a massage therapist. "They can't handle doing their laundry in a bucket, doing dishes by hand, people getting sick. They think it's a vacation cruise, and it's not -- it's a lifestyle."

And, the Andrades agree, it's one that they believe will be better than living in suburbia.

Though she says she loves Texas and Keller, she also says that "everybody is caught up in the rat race here. We're living very stressful lives. I want my kids to see that happiness is inside you and feeling good about yourself and not about a big house and a swimming pool and making $300,000 per year."

The neighbors who think the idea is a bad one have long ago distanced themselves, she said. Of those that remain, two are optimistic the trip will be good for the family.

Longtime family friend Mavis Kislingbury said Andrade is "not your typical little suburban fashion-conscious housewife" and predicted that the journey will give the children "more perspective on life."

"I really admire their guts, let's put it that way," she said.

Former neighbor Dawn Neuman said that she was "a little upset" when she first heard the plans, but said: "Now it's an adventure and if they decide they don't like it, they can stop. She better stay in touch with me."

Mary Andrade says the family will stay in touch with friends; their Web site www.andradesafloat.com will be online soon. If they need extra money, she said, her husband can weld, and she can work as a massage therapist at spas.

Also, Ken Andrade is an airplane mechanic, a skill that could provide extra income and supplement his pension if the family returns to Texas.

That decision, she said, is a group one, and at least a year away. Asked what would tip them landward, she points at Anthony.

Anthony has no qualms.

"I want to keep going," he says without a moment's hesitation. "I'm pretty sure I will."

[Billy]

Randy, your post remined me of a family I met March 2004 in Bimini while waiting on the stream. The father had built his home, then his boat, then his dinghy. Took off with his family from one of the NE states, went south, then over to the Bahamas, and on south -- I think on past the Exumas. He and his wife had home schooled the kids and were living on a fixed budget. He felt the experience would benefit the kids more than sitting in a classroom. After a year or so, they were on the way back to the states, but in no hurry. Here's his boat & dinghy. Kind of reminds you of a covered wagon, doesn't it. (And some of you guys are concerned about taking a Mac offshore?) This is outside Alicetown. About a month later, someone I know was in Florida and took a picture of this unusal boat----so I know he made it back across the stream.

[RandyMoon]

It looks like there are still some pioneers out there. These would be some interesting people to talk to.

This is something the wife and I are thinking about when we retire. The last great adventure, something to tell the grandkids about.

[Idle Time]

It's really amazing how much money you can save when you figure there is no satellite dish, cell phones, on line service, phone, elec, gas, heat etc bills. No TV dinners, probably not much junk food or snacks. No car payments, rent or mortgage, auto ins. I'll bet theres some other stuff you can throw out too. We have no mortgage or rent and no car payment but I'm always shocked when I figure up the monthly cost of the electronics etc.
Sounds good to me...except the lack of the internet But still not a bad trade off.

Jim would be lost without his old car shows though.

[Catigale]

(No sailing content)

I have a psychotic existence of travel on company dime (as well as using every electronic gadget known to humanity) but being a cheapskate at heart - we are one of 2 families in our town that still use antenna TV..

The Millionaire Next Door has some good stuff in it about watching your middle line as well as your top line...

When we critically looked at our budget a few years back, it wasnt all the gadgeteria that was the shocker, it was the epsresso and sandwich bill totaled up every month...easily financed my boat habit once I scaled it back. I got used to eating on the road travelling for the company and then translated those habits to personal life over the years....

[Mark Prouty]

This would certainly take a certain family chemistry and is a big gamble. In Florida, I briefly met a husband and wife with a son. The son was about 10. They were on an extended cruise. When the couple was showing me their boat, the boy huffed past. Seeing that I noticed this attitude, the couple explained that their son hated this adventure.

In close quarters, it is amazing how people can get on each other's nerves. I chartered a 46 foot sailboat with 7 others. We were all practically strangers to each other. I did have two friends on board. I had convinced them to join me on this adventure.

Woa, the fur started flying. One of the women started having an affair with the captain, the other women got pi$$. It was an adventure in itself just watching them interact. Then it was my turn. In Bimini, it was raining and hot. We were all aboard except the captain. I turned on the fans. One of the women said I couldn't do that without the captains permission and her husband agreed. Well, I became their enemy when I convinced most of the others that it was ok to turn the fans on.

In retrospect, it was a great trip. One of my friends even found a wife. However, I don't think I'd do it again with so many people.

[elia]

As a submariner I know the challenges that an extended voyage in close quarters with lots of people can exert. The first person the USN sends you to see after you volunteer is a "Shrink". They have learned over many years that being able to get thru sub school is a waste of time if you can not live in extremely close quarters for long periods of time under stressful conditions and still remain calm. A good task for a psychiatrist (If there are any on the board) would be to develop a short questionnaire that everybody on an upcoming charter could take to see if they are a good match or a match destined to turn the cruise into a living hull.

[Steve]

Last night I had some friends/neighbors out on the Mac, six adults and three children. Pretty crowded, but the women stayed below and chatted, while the three of us guys just chilled on deck under the bimini, watching the sunset and eating meatloaf, scallopped potatos, green beans and biscuits. Of couse the kids (all little), went up then down, up then down, up then down, the whole three hours....

Worked out ok for the short time (only out 2-3 hours), I couldn't imagine more than four adults and maybe a couple kids on the Mac at once in an extended trip.

Steve

[Randy Smith]

Steve, I have overnighted with my family, two adults and two young teen girls and my first grader boy. Tight, it is good if the water is warm and the kids can play all day, then crash at night........The best times on the Mac have been with the Admiral, or with one or two of the kids.... 26 X 8 is still a small living space.....cruising has been enjoyed with two..The Admiral and I. I must say, when the kids were little, the boat was bigger! Randy

[Chip Hindes]

...six adults and three children.

The Mac that rolled on Lake Champlain three years ago, killing two of the kids, had, as I recall eight adults and three kids aboard. It seems to me almost everybody agreed that boat was overloaded. The boat was unballasted and there was some question as to how many might actually have been riding on the top deck when the boat rolled, but it was in calm seas and speed was apparently not a factor.

Knowing that one boat rolled with eleven aboard, is nine OK? I would be at least "concerned." I sure hope you had the ballast in.

BTW, the tendency to roll at the dock is only slightly lower than the tendency to roll when underway.

[Randy Smith]

From Steve's description, it was three adults up and three down, with little ones up and down. That would be proper weight placement with or without ballast.....you are right though Chip, the Mac can't take weight too far above the deck.........I remember something about 250lbs at the mast can pull the boat over without ballast. Any skipper needs to pay attention to the weight and where people are. I have done 10, but 7(4kids) were down, three in the cockpit, ballast in......the craft seemed very safe @ 3-4 foot following swells. Thanks again for bringing it up...we all must be dilligent...... Randy

[Catigale]

To really KISS

Kids = Ballast at all times

[Zavala]

Kids = Ballast at all times

That's a good rule. Same one we use on the M19.

[joncon17]

I have some experience in the charter biz both owning & chartering. My advice is, get qualified for a 35 to 45' multi-hull/mono, not hard & fun to do with your sig. other/boss. Take along only immediate family/kids "unless they are at the stage of; I no more than you do, what do you call them? teens" or 2 people = 1 couple close friends very close friends. Open-ended charters no matter how big, beautiful or great the cursing grounds, deal or the boat is with 4, 6, 8 people you dont know sucks & is a waste of money. Its even worse with that many people that you do know "try having a 5 or 7 day cocktail party with this many people at you house then eliminate the patio, yard & garage" charting is expensive and more than worth the money if done right. From the other post "cruising the water-world oceans/seas on a cheap boat with a 15K/25K budget per year especially with your most valuable assets young children "make sure they are of legal age so they have some say in the dangers & fate of their lives GOTTA BE FREAKING NUTS. But like every human I have an opinion and am entitled to it although I have no right to expose my loved ones to satisfy MY dreams without the money & boat to back-it-up...
Just my 2 bits worth.

[Divecoz]

I have seen kids with bad attitude's everywhere BTW havent most of us? I had to try and teach some of them Scuba on the island Cozumel. . . .go figure .
My Dad was offered a job after WWII on the big Island , but He and Mom wanted to start a family so they came back to CHICAGO . . .what were they thinking?? I have meet numerous TRAVELERS who happened upon Cozumel, most with kids, most seemed to be well adjusted and actually having a great time . One who sticks out was a lady named Willow . .with a Son and a Daughter, as I recall she was a writer from the Puget Sound area , again from where I stood they seemed to have a very special relationship.
At 54 . .I think it would have been wonderful to have grownup in an exotic location and to have had the chance to return to here or stay there. I have meet many successful business men who have choosen to live in and work in the Caribbean and they first where introduced because Dad relocated or Mom and Dad decided on a family Adventure. No doubt there are some I have never meet who would feel differently. One last scenario . Haden and Shirley( friends of ours) traveled much of the World. . . Africa India and a couple other places as well, for Canada Hydro(?) I believe. two sons one daughter . Lance is a friend of mine (oldest son ) though he now lives in Canada he said the trips and experiences thought not always positive were the chance of a life time and all for free even the boarding school's from time to time in France England and Canada.I for one , wish I had seen what he saw . lived what he lived and had the memories he has now ....