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Curious about our sailing adventure? Here, at Family on the Water, we've compiled the most frequently asked questions to give you a better understanding of our journey. From our motivations to the challenges we face, get a glimpse into the life of a family learning, living, and growing on the sea.

Frequently asked questions

We understand you have questions about our journey. We hope that you can find the answers to them below. This section is designed to address the most common queries we receive about our decision to sail around the world as a family.

What's the one thing you reckon most folks wonder about your big sailing adventure?

Why did you start this journey?

We started this journey because we wanted more time together—and less rush.

Life was full, busy, and good… but fast. Between work, school, routines, and noise, it felt like time as a family was always squeezed in around everything else. Being on the water changed that. It slowed us down. It gave us shared purpose, shared challenges, and space to actually be present with one another.

We didn’t start because we were expert sailors or chasing an extreme adventure. We started because we wanted to learn something new as a family, side by side, and show our kids that it’s okay to be beginners—at any age.

Boating became a way to:

  • Reconnect as a family

  • Step outside our comfort zone together

  • Replace screens and schedules with weather, water, and teamwork

  • Build confidence through doing, not just planning

This journey isn’t about escaping life—it’s about choosing it more deliberately.

We’re learning as we go, making mistakes, adjusting plans, and figuring things out in real time. And that’s the point.

What's been the trickiest part of getting ready for this trip?

When you’re preparing for a big trip like this, there’s constant pressure to:

  • Choose the perfect boat

  • Learn everything before you go

  • Make decisions that feel final

  • Justify the dream to yourself and others

That mental load is heavier than any checklist.

You’re constantly walking a line between:

  • Being responsible and safety-focused

  • Not letting fear slow everything to a stop

Every decision feels like it carries extra weight because it affects the whole family.

If someone's thinking of doing something similar, what's the biggest worry you think they'd have?

It’s this:

“Are we actually capable of doing this?”

That worry usually shows up in a few very human ways:

  1. “What if something goes wrong and we don’t know what to do?”
    People imagine worst-case scenarios: breakdowns, bad weather, medical issues, or being far from help. The fear isn’t danger itself—it’s lack of experience and the feeling of being exposed.
  2. “Are we risking our kids’ safety?”
    This is huge for parents. Even confident adults hesitate when children are involved. The question becomes less about adventure and more about responsibility and guilt. “Is this brave… or selfish?” That internal debate stops many families before they start.
  3. “What if we’re not ‘real sailors’?”
    There’s a strong perception that cruising is only for people who:
    • Grew up sailing
    • Have ocean-crossing experience
    • Know every system onboard
    People worry they’ll be found out, make mistakes, or look naive—especially in marinas or sailing communities.
  4. “Can we afford to get it wrong?”
    It’s not just money—it’s fear of irreversible decisions:
    • Buying the wrong boat
    • Leaving jobs or routines
    • Committing publicly, then backing out
    The pressure of “this has to work” can be paralysing.
  5. “What if it’s harder on our relationship than we expect?”
    Living in close quarters, learning under pressure, and parenting onboard can magnify stress. 
    • Conflict
    • Burnout
    • Losing the joy that motivated the dream

The underlying fear (the real one)

If you strip all of that back, the biggest worry is:

“What if we try—and realise we’re not cut out for it?”

That’s scarier than storms or breakdowns.

What's the one question you wish people would ask about your journey?

Curious to know more?

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