Hello, and welcome! Ken and I have been live-aboards for the past 10 years. In a nutshell, in 1997 we decided that we had both had enough of the rat race and needed a significant change. Our mid-life crisis had begun! We quit our day jobs in Oregon, sold most of our belongings and put the rest into storage, and purchased a 33 foot trawler in Florida. At the time I knew absolutely nothing about boating other than what I'd seen in the movies and Ken's experience was limited, but a true 'salty dog' took us under his wing and showed us the ropes. After provisioning and studying charts for a month we headed South, with no particular destination in mind other than vaguely aiming for the U.S. Virgin Islands. (In retrospect, Chester probably thought we'd never get further than the Keys.) One day along the voyage a fierce storm appeared out of nowhere and Ken said to me, "We've got to get out of this - what's nearby?" The closest sanctuary was a place called La Parguera, a tranquil seaside village on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. We initially thought we would just stop for a few days, pick up a some supplies and continue on, but days turned into weeks, then months. Ken opened a kite-and-flag shop, and I pursued my hobby of painting, eventually becoming a certified P.R. artesan and thus began our second careers.

Having said all that, you're probably wondering ,"OK, so what's the boat like? " Let's start off with the technical stuff.

Specs
Fiberglass Hull #001
Wood Cabin
Length: 33'
Beam: 11' 9"
Draft: 2' 10"
Engine: Ford Lehman 120 HP
300 gallon diesel capacity
75 gallon water capacity
15 gal. water tank w/separate pump
Dual Station
Mahogany Interior
Teak Trim

Equipment
Wind Generator
Inverter 800 watt
Inverter 3500/6000 watt
Link 10 Battery Monitor
Electric head
Cybernet 4 Station Hailer
Standard VHF
Datamarine Total Distance
Datamarine Depth Sounder/Alarm
Datamarine Chart Link
Raytheon Color Echo Sounder
Apelco Sat Nav
Robertson Auto Pilot
4 bilge pumps(3 automatic; 1 manual emergency)

Comforts of Home
Norcold Upright Fridge/Freezer AC/DC
Microwave Oven
Electric Oven/Range
Color TV/VCR AC/DC
DVD player AC/DC
House and Flybridge built-in stereo system
Air Conditioning 15,000 BTU
Swim Platform with Swim Ladder
Canvas Window Covers
Bimini - Flybridge
Bimini - Lazarette

Why are we giving up this fabulous lifestyle? Well there are a couple of reasons, the main one being the care of elderly parents, and our families live on opposite coasts. The other is because we would like to pursue art shows and exhibitions around the Continental U.S. For both, it would be easier with four wheels, minimum.

How come the boat is so inexpensive? Good question, and we'll be honest. Ruff Life needs some work, mostly cosmetic, but a minimal investment is needed to fix her up, starting with bottom painting. The good news is that local labor and materials costs are lower than other Caribbean locales. Send an email to us on Ruff Life with your name and telephone number, and we will be glad to call you to discuss particulars. Have your list of questions ready.

The next thought might be How do I get there to see it? It's easier than you think. There are daily flights in and out of the main airport in San Juan, and early morning flights in and out of Ponce, a closer airport. From the N.Y. metro area, for example, round-trip flights can run as low as $129, tax included. If you do decide to fly down to take a look, we can arrange to have you picked up at either airport and delivered to La Parguera (a 2.5 hr. drive from San Juan; 45 minutes from Ponce), and we can supply you with the names and numbers of local hotels and guesthouses.

A boating friend of ours made an excellent point when we discussed selling the boat: Jack pointed out that many potential buyers have been burned by misrepresentations, details omitted, and so forth. Is there someone who could be a neutral intermediary to speak to if a buyer was interested? Absolutely. I always thought it was odd that in some of the really important things in life (like shopping for potential partners), no one thinks to ask for references. We can supply several, so don't be shy about asking. We'll also make sure that you have plenty of hands-on time with Ken to become thoroughly acquainted with Ruff Life.

This has been a fabulous 10 years. It's the longest amount of time either Ken or I have spent in one place since high school, and Ruff Life has just been a jem. A solid, comfortable floating home for a single-hander or couple looking for adventure or a great way to retire. Whether you stay here in Puerto Rico, which as a Commonwealth is practically like being in another state (see the Tourism Department's official website www.gotopuertorico.com) or explore deeper into the Caribbean (the U.S. Virgin Islands are a hop-skip-and-jump), you'll love life aboard Ruff Life!!