Case Studies & Interviews
Kim
Interview Date
July 2024
Current Location
Charleston, SC
Age Range
Between 50 & 59 years
Profession
Director of
AGLCA
How long have you been
working remotely from your boat?
2.5 years.
What type of boat do you live and work on?
🛥️ Silverton 410 Cockpit Motor Yacht
Workspace Setup
Describe your typical workspace setup on your boat.
I typically work at our dinette. Because the Galley/Dinette area is raised (up a few steps from the salon), it gives me a beautiful view out the front windows when I'm working aboard.
What internet solutions do you use to stay connected?
We initially had hot spots from 3 different providers and switched between them depending on which had the best coverage where we were at the time.
This worked most of the time, but we occasionally experienced slow speeds.
We knew things might get more challenging and expensive when we crossed into Canada, so we switched to Starlink about six months into our journey and never looked back.
Starlink has been a game-changer! It's easy to set up, reliable, fast, and not terribly expensive.
LINKS
Many boaters will use the Starlink Roam (starlink.com/roam) options.
What productivity tools or apps do you rely on?
Same as I would use in my office -- email, calendar, to-do list software.
What communication tools do you find most effective for remote work?
Zoom, cell phone, VoIP phone service with voice and texting.
LINKS
Work-Life Balance
What strategies do you use to manage your time effectively?
Planning ahead and keeping my eye on the prize (being able to live this lifestyle).
How do you balance work and leisure time while living on your boat?
This is the biggest challenge!
When moving the boat, we typically try to get an early start.
Michael drives while I work on the flybridge so I can assist as needed and still have a sense of what's going on even though I'm on my laptop.
When we get to a new place (ideally early afternoon), I explore while Michael catches up on work.
After getting the “lay of the land,” I sometimes catch up on email before the two of us head out together.
We will often work in the evening if needed, and there is no “weekend.”
When Michael travels off the boat for work, which is frequent, I use that as “catch-up” time.
How do you handle business travel or meetings that require your physical presence?
Most of my business travel is related to my job, so that makes it easy.
For Michael, we try to arrange his off-boat travel so that he can take a few client trips back-to-back while he's already off the boat.
The biggest challenges are when we are not near an airport when he has to go.
We have learned to expect some hoops to jump through in order for him to get to the airport, including rental cars, Ubers, borrowed cars, long drives, and more.
Challenges & Solutions
How do you overcome these challenges?
Plan ahead, remembering why we're doing this and how much we love the lifestyle, and giving myself some grace on the days it's painfully obvious that I cannot do it all.
What are the biggest challenges you face working remotely from a boat?
Maintaining work/life balance and ensuring I'm getting everything done that I need to.
Can you share a specific incident where you had to troubleshoot a major issue related to remote work on your boat?
I had a new laptop that was not working properly.
Thankfully, it was under warranty, which meant Dell would send out a tech to repair it.
Getting Dell, and then their local tech, to understand the nature of our travel and where to meet us took some doing, but he eventually caught up with us at a marina on the Tennessee River.
Personal Experience
How has this lifestyle change impacted your personal and professional life?
It's helped my professional life since Looping means I'm seeing members and visiting sponsors.
On the personal side, I have a whole new set of Looping friends, and it is fun to share this experience and lifestyle with them.
What do you enjoy most about working remotely from your boat?
Being in different places all the time and the flexibility in when I work.
Do you have any tips for others considering remote work from a boat?
I think if my job required me to adhere to strict hours, it would be really tough, so the best tip is to ensure your job will grant you the flexibility for your working hours to be all over the board.
That doesn't mean I can't commit to meetings during regular business hours when needed, but if I had to be at my computer from 9 to 5 Monday through Friday, that would likely make this lifestyle more stressful and challenging.
Also, give yourself a couple of months to find your groove. It won't be easy at first (actually, it might not ever be easy), but it will be worth it once you settle into a routine and figure out what works for you.
Future Plans
Would you recommend this lifestyle to others? Why or why not?
I would definitely recommend this lifestyle to those with flexible work hours and an adventurous spirit.
I have found it to be “life simplified.” There are fewer external obligations and pressures on our time when we're aboard.
We find we can be our authentic selves more often and focus on work and the things we truly enjoy.
What are your future plans for continuing to work remotely from your boat?
I've been back on “dirt” for about five months, but I'm still working remotely since I've grown accustomed to it.
I go to my office about once a week.
We'll depart Charleston in the fall aboard The Perch for more extended cruising.
Learn more about Kim and her work by visiting the AGLCA website at GreatLoop.org.
