This Couple Are Realizing the Dream of Living on a Sailboat in Mexico

Simplify
by Simplify

For Kayleen and Tyler, a professional scuba diver and a paralympic athlete, living on a sailboat in Mexico is the dream.


In the meantime, they are already living on a sailboat, while they renovate it and work towards that dream.


They first met each other when Tyler was living in a van and Kayleen was looking into buying a boat, and were drawn to each other’s love of adventure and alternative lifestyles. In this video, they share their journey:

Kayleen is a professional scuba diver and chose that profession in part because it is portable and compatible with boat life. For Kayleen, living on a boat comes naturally, since she grew up around boats and spent part of her childhood living on one.


Tyler is a double below-the-knee amputee and a professional Para Snowboarding athlete who is training with the Canadian Paralympic team. He also works as a skydiving instructor.


Living on a sailboat comes with certain challenges for him as an amputee. The boat wobbles, and he struggles with balance. He also needs a shower he can sit in, and the modified boat shower can be uncomfortable, while the nearby shower at the marina isn’t wheelchair accessible.

Living on a sailboat

In addition, he does need to take a wheelchair when traveling, which can be heavy. The couple is currently looking into lighter wheelchair options as they get ready for their Mexico adventure.


Life on the boat comes with other challenges as well, such as having an ice box instead of a fridge, or the boat rocking a lot during winter storms.


Living on a sailboat

Despite the challenges, Kayleen and Tyler love living on a sailboat and can’t wait to fulfill their dream of sailing to Mexico and beyond.


For more boat life stories, discover this DIY tiny houseboat renovated from a derelict vessel or why this former journalist is living on a narrowboat along the UK's canal system.


To see more videos, check out the Exploring Alternatives YouTube channel.

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