Dock of the Bay - military couple lives on boat

Berths and beaches have replaced beds and backyards for two officers living near Travis Air Force Base

On a summer evening in the San Francisco Bay, the sun kissed the horizon, and James Taylor's voice danced on the ocean breeze. Maj. Doug and Kathleen Engelke sat on the deck of a sailboat letting the tide wash away the day's concerns. But this wasn't a vacation or weekend getaway, it was the Engelkes' version of off-base housing.

Although it was a change of pace from traditional homes, the couple wasn't new to the idea of spending time on a seafaring vessel. Both practically grew up on boats and couldn't remember when their parents weren't spending family time on the lakes. But before the couple arrived in Northern California, life on the water meant an afternoon with an inboard motor and a pair of skis. In fact each of them owned a ski boat when they started dating.

Learning the ropes

In 1998, a week into their marriage, Doug asked Kathleen to slow the pace with a sailing lesson at the Travis Sailing Center on the north end of the bay. The staff at the military recreation facility took the students off the coast and taught them the ropes. Once the sun set beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, they didn't want to leave.

As a C-5 Galaxy pilot in the 21st Airlift Squadron, Doug was an expert in maneuvering monoliths. So several months later, the newlyweds sold almost everything they owned and invested in a floating giant -- a 50-foot Hans Christian cutter. For about the same price as a three-bedroom house near the base, they traded their driveway for a dock. It's been two years since the welcome mat hit the teak deck -- and it's been smooth sailing ever since.

Well, almost smooth. Kathleen, who was expecting their first child last month, got seasick in rough seas during her second trimester, so trips into open waters were limited to calm days. But with the view just outside the porthole, keeping their home called "Wonderful Life" and their dinghy named "It's a" in the marina didn't seem too intolerable. The names of the buoyant pair not only created the title of their favorite movie, they quietly advertised the couple's contentment.

Sea sights and sounds

Despite the fact the Engelkes lived in the heart of one of America's largest cities, the subtle seaside sounds made the bustling skyscraper backdrop seem surreal. Even the marina "neighborhood," with more than 60 other boats docked, didn't stir much beyond the gentle movement of the tides or an occasional screeching seagull.

The decades-old military recreation facility, operated by the 60th Services Squadron, has seen its share of saltwater. But the Engelkes and many of the 600 other club members fear if it were to dissolve, the picturesque property would no longer be available to military members.

"This is the last Air Force sailing recreation facility on the West Coast," Doug said. "We've got to do what we can to keep it going."

Volunteer skippers kept busy last summer navigating the yacht club fleet. For a fraction of the cost of renting a civilian vessel ($75 versus $300), military people could enjoy a day of bay breezes on one of eight 20- to 30-foot sailboats.

That's why -- when the couple wasn't sanding or varnishing the boat -- they sometimes sanded or varnished the yacht club facilities and boats. But they're not the only ones taking up the maintenance cause. Others formed a volunteer work force providing a labor pool for periodic weekend projects.

Doug takes this off-duty mission so seriously that he dedicated himself as the club's rear commodore. And despite the fact that they moved closer to Travis, mooring at a marina in Benecia until the baby was born, he continued to volunteer at the sailing center.

Pier pressure

The Engelkes' enthusiasm for the yacht club and the nautical lifestyle appeared contagious at Travis. Capt. Chip Primoli, another C-5 pilot, started looking into the idea of living afloat and discussed the plan with Doug.

Chip had spent eight months looking for an airplane to purchase without success. But while in Oregon, an afternoon on his brother-in-law's new boat got the 31-year-old thinking about an alternate purchase. He liked the idea of combining residence and recreation on the water. It was a visit with a college friend that clinched the decision.

"He was diagnosed with third-stage Hodgkins disease," he said. The friend had undergone chemotherapy and went into remission twice. "He'd been told several times he had only six months left to live, and was living a lifetime in what he thought he had left,"

On the drive back to Travis, Chip decided he wanted to live life to the fullest.

"I don't want to be 55, 65 or 70 saying 'woulda, shoulda, coulda,' "he said about living on the boat. "I'm not living the life my parents lived. They had four kids by the time my mom was 28. They kinda think I'm a nut."

So with Doug's help he researched options and instead of a sailboat, which can be difficult to maneuver, Chip selected a 38-foot PT trawler as his mobile mansion.

"Driving a C-5 on the ground is harder than driving this boat," he said. "Besides, how many people live on a boat -- since I don't have a wife, why not?"

Vacation sensation

He spends approximately half of the year on temporary duty, so coming home to the boat is like going on vacation.

"It's very relaxing," Chip said. "Plus when I want to go somewhere on the bay I don't have to worry about getting a hotel if I decide to stay overnight."

Beyond avoiding expensive hotel rates, there's another financial benefit of living on the boat in California. The basic allowance for housing covers not only his 15-year loan, but the monthly slip fee. And an unexpected perk -- he's avoided the exorbitant utility hikes because water and electricity are included in the fee.

Of his six assignments in nine years, he would have been able to dock the boat at just three. He's hoping his next assignment will be on the East Coast so he can cruise through the Panama Canal during the move. But he plans to live on the boat wherever the Air Force sends him, even if it's in a trailer park. Except if he goes overseas, then he'll let his family use it in Puget Sound.

The Engelkes have other plans when Doug reports to Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., this month. During the week, they'll live in a furnished apartment in Montgomery. On weekends they'll stay on the boat in Mobile Bay so they can get the baby acclimated to boat living.

Ebb tide

But there are a few negatives about this lifestyle. "Your house is a boat, so if anything goes wrong your house can sink," Chip said. "And things are damp. I haven't adjusted to that. My books all have this little wave in the pages. But that's OK; it gives them character."

With all the moisture and diesel fuel, the boat can have a musty odor. "Smell is an issue," he said. "Most men don't own a simmering potpourri pot, but I do." He admits every once in a while he shows up to work smelling like diesel fuel.

The Engelkes agree it's been an adjustment.

"You really have to want to do this. It's not an easy lifestyle choice. You give up some modern conveniences," admitted Doug. "But if you get seasick or you need a lot of room to walk around, then this isn't for you."

Kathleen agreed.

"You're in tight quarters, so you're close all the time," she said. "But it forces us to communicate. Because of it, we're a lot closer."

Less is more

Conservation became a priority for the on-the-water residents because everything from trash to wastewater had to be removed from the boat. Items coming aboard, like laundry and groceries, have to be hauled from the parking lot to the slip.

"If you live on a boat, it's surprising what you learn to go without. You realize that you don't need extra stuff." Chip said. "I've got my uniforms, six pairs of slacks, a suit, 25 pairs of underwear and 25 shirts. It a simpler life."

Although it's simpler, he's got a few conveniences: espresso machine, bread machine, microwave, television, videocassette recorder and a cellular phone to keep him in touch for recalls. But he's got to be careful because if he runs the microwave, television, heater and lights at the same time the circuit breaker has to be reset.

It's these peculiarities that have kept the Engelkes interested in waking up seaside.

"Owning a boat teaches self reliance. I am the pilot, navigator, engineer and crew chief," Doug said. "Whenever you're on the boat, it's an adventure."

And the adventure's just getting started. Doug's dreamed of sailing his family around the world once he's collecting his military retirement.

"We have a headwind wherever we go," Kathleen said. "We always joke about getting away from the headwinds. Once Doug retires from the Air Force, we're going to go wherever the wind blows us."

Keepin' your head above water

Just a few basics on relocating with a boat:

* If the vessel is used as a principal residence it's treated as a mobile home.

* The boat may be moved over water or towed over land.

* Reimbursement only covers actual transportation costs and is subject to limitations.

* The automobile mileage rate per over land mile for the official distance between stations is authorized.

* Reimbursement cannot exceed the cost of moving the member's weight allowance over land using a mobile home allowance factor.

* Member must sign a statement to accept payment for mobile home transportation in lieu of unaccompanied baggage and household goods transportation for moves within the States (except to/from Hawaii).

Over land reimbursable expenses may include: carriers' charges for transportation, ferry fares, tolls, taxes, charges or fees for permits to transport, carrier service charges for obtaining permits, charges for flag car services, temporary storage costs and over-dimension charges.

Over water costs may include: temporary dry storage costs, fuel, oil, parking, docking fees and en route.

Your local traffic management office can provide more information on how to move a boat.

Data from Joint Federal Travel Regulations

COPYRIGHT 2001 U.S. Air Force, Air Force News Agency
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group