Cruising before retirement with Katie and Mike
Written by Nina Frick
Cruising is no longer just a retirement dream.
During the latest Annapolis Boat Show, YCA had the opportunity to showcase a panel of members who are working from the water. Each one shared their unique story about making cruising dreams a reality, long before retirement.
Katie Kempf was one of the panelists who spoke about the highlights and challenges of working while cruising. She and her husband Mike Rybas have lived aboard, cruising the east coast of the United States and the Bahamas since 2017.
With a few compromises and creative solutions, they live aboard with their young son and have found a winning balance between work, parenting and sailing. Even if it means occasionally taking work Zoom calls from the head, Katie wouldn’t trade her cruising lifestyle for anything more traditional.
Seasonal Work
Katie and Mike own a Christmas tree business, which they run three months of the year. Seasonal work is a great way to gain freedom and flexibility for most of the year. For their first few years of cruising, this small business was their exclusive source of income.
Seasonal work comes with its own set of challenges and stressors. Katie and Mike certainly felt pressure to earn as much as possible during the season so they could afford their lifestyle the remainder of the year.
As owners of the business, they also need a reliable staff, who aren’t always easy to find. Over the years, Katie and Mike have found that fellow sailors, surfers and full-time travelers are some of the best workers because they’re similarly motivated to earn a lot during the short season to fund their travels the rest of the year. Having access to a network of like-minded people can be extremely valuable.
Remote Work
After their son was born, Katie joined a startup company with a more structured full-time schedule. She works remotely from the boat and the role gives their young family the additional stability of year-round income and insurance.
The stability has also brought with it more rigidity in their travel schedule. Weather windows don’t wait for the work week to end and weekend time has become very precious for Katie and Mike. Sometimes, Mike will sail the boat to the next destination during a weather window and Katie will fly to meet him at the next destination.
It’s also not easy to be glued to a laptop when others are out sailing or diving on a beautiful day.
“When we are in amazing places like the Bahamas, it’s hard to watch my husband and son out in the water all day when I’m stuck behind the computer. I miss out on a lot, but I live for the sunsets. It’s still better working from the boat in the Bahamas and having a few hours each day to spend in paradise.”
Like all cruisers, Katie and Mike have found some creative solutions to make things work.
The tight quarters on the boat can make working from home with a toddler challenging. When Katie has hours of Zoom calls that require a quiet workplace, she sometimes resorts to the head, which is the only place on their boat with a door. Luckily, none of her coworkers have caught on.
Future Plans
Katie and Mike have no plans to stop cruising any time soon. If anything, they have their eyes set on the future, with goals to create even more flexibility in their schedules. They’re working on several passive streams of income through real estate and developing Mike’s small business building catamarans.
Having a network of like-minded people is crucial out on the water. Whether you’re looking for discounts on materials for your next boat project or seeking connection with other cruisers who are making their dreams on the water reality, the Young Cruisers Association is the best place to start.
Become a YCA Burgee Member today to start reaping all the benefits!