SPECIAL REPORT

Whether you're new to cruising or are a seasoned liveaboard, welcoming family, friends or new crew aboard can be both a joy and a challenge.

- BY JOSHUA SHANKLE

MANAGING GUESTS ABOARD

On the one hand you want your guests to feel at home and comfortable. On the other, you need them to respect the boat, follow the rules, and stay flexible. It's a delicate dance, especially in the first few days, balancing the role of both host and captain.

Over the last 10 years of cruising we've hosted nearly 100 individuals aboard, first on our monohull Agápe, a 42ft 1984 Tayana Vancouver, and now Agápe Nui, our 46ft Leopard catamaran. Many have returned multiple times, with stays ranging from a week to three months. My wife Rachel and I love sharing our alternative, chosen lifestyle - so much so that we transitioned from a monohull to a catamaran to make it both more sustainable for ourselves and also for hosting.

Seeing the amazement and wonder on our family and friends' faces when we drop the hook in crystal-clear water, or share morning coffee watching eagle rays dance under the boat, is one of the things that keeps us going.

That's not to say there are no frustrations and growing pains when hosting for so long and so often, but we have found a few tips to make things run smoothly.

SET GROUND RULES