Working Remotely on a Sailboat Using Starlink
The first question people ask when they meet me and find out I live on our sailboat for at least half the year and work full-time is, “How do you do that?” Then, after I explain the circumstances of my professional life post-Covid—where everyone not only understands how to Zoom and make video calls but accepts the reality of remote work—the conversation always segues into something like, “Wait, Starlink works for you in the middle of the ocean?”
The answer to that question is a resounding “yes.”
The Realities of Living and Working on a Boat
Two weeks into our maiden voyage in 2019 from Morro Bay, California, to Mexico, I had dragged out our mattress topper for the second time. After washing it again, I hung it on our boat’s boom to dry. We had sailed about 60 nautical miles after leaving San Diego to stop in Ensenada, Mexico. We needed to check into the country and hit the grocery stores (we followed the Mexican guidelines of not bringing in food items like fresh meat, nuts, and produce). Unfortunately, the local taquerias on the streets of Ensenada didn’t agree with my husband’s stomach, hence the cleaning.
Starlink Internet on a Sailboat: Power Consumption and Efficiency
Dreaming of working at a secluded bay surrounded by crystal blue water?
You can imagine how excited we were with the arrival of Starlink Internet service. However, like all good things, this cutting-edge service comes with its own set of challenges, primarily concerning energy consumption and costs. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into how our Starlink consumes power and what we do to conserve power aboard SV Flying Free, our Amel Super Maramu.
From single mom to nomadic sailor working remotely full-time...
About ME
Hi, my name is Stacy. I have worked remotely from my sailboat and lived half the year abroad with my husband, Kevin, for almost 4 years now.
Before I met Kevin, I was a single mom working as a full-time college instructor. I was the sole supporter of my two young boys. I worked overloads (teaching extra courses) every semester and every summer for almost 14 years when I met my adventure partner.
Kevin began teaching me how to sail a 23-foot Compac sailboat almost immediately after we started dating as we both have a love of water, travel, and adventure.
We upgraded to a 53-foot Amel Super Maramu and when Kevin retired in 2019, I took a semester off so we could sail from Morro Bay, California to the Sea of Cortez. On the cusp of the pandemic (we finished our sailing season in January of 2020), I had no idea how much our sailing would impact my personal and professional world.
Both Covid and Starlink ushered in my nomadic teaching life as I live completely off-grid with Zoom in my foreground and remote beautiful anchorages in my background.
Now that I have lived the reality of a hybrid life, sailing and continuing to teach 112 students every semester, I hope to inspire others to create their own hybrid nomadic life.
My desire is to share both the sacrifices and the highlights of maintaining financial independence while living a post-pandemic lifestyle of freedom and constant movement.
