One morning you’re anchored in crystal-clear Bahamian water watching your kids snorkel before breakfast. The next, you’re elbow-deep in an engine room replacing a gasket before getting underway. That’s the reality of full-time cruising. It’s not a permanent vacation—it’s a lifestyle built on resilience, adventure, and unforgettable moments.
For the Sailing Wolfpack, that trade-off has been worth every challenge. Trading conventional life for life aboard their classic Leopard catamaran, this family of five has embraced ocean crossings, homeschooling, self-sufficiency, and countless anchorages that most people only dream about visiting.
Meet the Sailing Wolfpack. They are a fearless family of five, with alpha male, Derek and alpha female, Alexa, leading the pack with their three cubs aged 16, 12, and 10. Their vessel of choice is a 1998 Leopard 45, a true classic.
The Leopard 45 has long been a favorite among cruising families thanks to its spacious layout, excellent onboard storage, and comfortable living spaces designed for extended time aboard. Its stable sailing performance, easy handling, and proven offshore capability make it well suited for everything from island hopping to long-distance passages. For the Sailing Wolfpack, it provided the comfort, reliability, and versatility needed to confidently embrace full-time life on the water. Today, the Leopard 46 carries that legacy forward, building on the Leopard 45’s proven platform with enhanced performance, more living space, modern styling, and innovative features designed for today’s cruising families.
When this family does something – they go all in. From summer RV trips into the mountains, to now exploring the world by sailboat. I suppose once you’ve conquered land, those adventurous types have to ask, “What’s next?” And the Wolfpack decided that their “next” would be to conquer the sea.
Learning to Sail, One Mile at a Time
Derek recalls picking the boat up in Rhode Island after purchasing it. “I had never sailed a mile in my life. I hired a captain and we sailed it from Rhode Island to St. Augustine, and I learned a lot. I logged about 1,000 nautical miles in 6 ½ days. That was great.” While Derek was a stranger to sailing, he was no stranger to big boats, having worked on them his whole life. But he understood that sailing is different ball game.
On that same trip he woke up to some heavy weather. “On night number two we were caught in a nor’easter with wind blowing 45 knots in 12 to 15 foot seas. And I came out at two in the morning for my watch to relieve the captain and I am in a panic, but the captain with his calming voice said ‘This is lovely, we’ve got 2/3 of the jib out and two reefs in the main and we’re making 10 knots. This is nothing.'”
Saying Yes to the Dream
For Derek and Alexa, the decision to live out a dream wasn’t a question of “Should we?” Both parties were on board, and after months of searching and finding the right boat, the time was now. Of course, you might be wondering how the kids took the news. Derek explains, “Our 16 year old took it as a 16 year old would. The younger two, our 12 and 10 year old, were really excited. But, our 16 year old loves fishing, so he kept and open mind about it and its been really good. He has become an excellent free diver. He can dive 75-80 feet and hang out on the bottom for a little bit. He was our source of protein almost every day in the Bahamas. We were having grouper, snapper or lobster.”
Finding Their Rhythm at Sea
From St. Augustine, the family geared up for a cruising season in the Bahamas with the intentions to circumnavigate when the time is right. Adjusting to life on boat in the Bahamas seems like the perfect place to start. “The biggest adjustment for us has been no schedule. We never know what the day is going to bring,” Derek explains. Alexa adds, “We are home schooling on the boat and we are brand new to homeschooling. That has been our biggest challenge out of this whole adventure, the homeschooling.”
Alexa continues, “We had experience living in our motor home so we are used to living in a small space together. And we did tons of research, we knew that it was going to be a lot of work. It’s not always cocktails and floats.”
But still, for the Wolfpack, the reward is greater than the work. “When we wake up every day feels like a new adventure. Sailing to a new spot, discovering a new island, it never gets old.” Derek adds, “Some of the dead calm nights we have under a full moon when we are in the Bahamas anchored in 15 ft of water and you can see the bottom and it is just clear blue. That was really cool.”
And these are the kinds of things that motivate cruisers. Experiencing those occurrences that to a normal person would be extremely rare, but on a boat, it’s an everyday luxury.
Thinking About Full-Time Cruising?
“You need to be able to adapt to change in order to live this lifestyle. There is a lot of togetherness, and that is why we are doing this. We can go to a secluded anchorage and live off the water we make and the fish we catch, and all is good.” Derek jokes.
If you’re considering making the leap yourself, our Catamaran Buying Guide is a great place to start. And if island hopping is part of your dream, explore our guide to Cruising the Bahamas for destination inspiration, planning tips, and what to expect once you arrive.
The Greatest Reward: Growing Up on the Water
Beyond the destinations and adventures, one of the greatest rewards of full-time cruising has been the experiences shared as a family. As Alexa explains, “Boat kids live the LIFE!” From surfing, snorkeling, spearfishing, hiking, and sailing with friends, to learning independence and building lifelong friendships, every anchorage became an outdoor classroom.
Parents often wonder what life at sea is really like for children, and the Wolfpack’s story shows that the journey is about much more than sailing. If you’re considering raising a family aboard, be sure to read the owner story of a family on the Leopard 50, where you’ll find practical advice and tips for making life on the water rewarding for every member of the crew.
Charting Their Next Course
Considering the Bahamas have officially been conquered by the Wolfpack, what is next for the thrill seeking clan? Alexa reveals, “We decided to come back to the US and get boat work done. We will wait out hurricane season in Galveston. We will likely go to the Yucatan and explore that area, then cruise down the coast of Central America, then Columbia, and eventually through the Panama Canal. That’s the plan for today, but that could always change.”
FAQ
Yes. The Leopard 45 has long been a popular choice among liveaboard cruisers thanks to its spacious layout, generous storage, comfortable accommodations, and proven offshore capability. Its practical design makes it well suited for couples and families planning extended time on the water.
The Leopard 45 is well known for its family-friendly design. Multiple living areas, spacious cabins, and excellent stability provide comfort for everyday life aboard, while the boat’s easy handling makes it approachable for cruising families.
The Leopard 46 succeeded the Leopard 45, building on its proven foundation with enhanced sailing performance, more interior volume, updated styling, improved visibility, and innovative features designed for modern cruising.
Yes. The Leopard 45 has completed thousands of offshore passages around the world and has earned a reputation as a capable bluewater cruising catamaran. Its stable platform, robust construction, and comfortable accommodations make it a popular choice for long-distance cruising.
Leopard Catamarans are known for combining comfortable liveaboard layouts, practical storage, easy handling, and dependable offshore performance. These qualities have made Leopard a trusted choice for families, couples, and long-term cruisers exploring destinations around the world.
