Unwinding: A Life Lived on the Water

Some people dream of retirement communities with golf courses and manicured lawns. Gary Reed dreamed of something different entirely—a life where his backyard changed with the seasons, where sunrise meant casting off lines instead of opening curtains, and where home was wherever the anchor dropped. Today, aboard his Kadey Krogen 58 named "Unwinding," Gary and his wife Linda have turned that dream into a reality that's been seven years in the making.

"I've been boating all my life," Gary said. "My father bought our first ski boat when I was 15 or 16 and I skied all through college. My wife and I actually got married in college. During that time I borrowed that ski boat and it was hard for my dad to get it back. I just loved being on the water." 

The Long Journey to Living Aboard

The path from weekend warrior to full-time liveaboard wasn't immediate. Like many boating enthusiasts, Gary's relationship with the water evolved over decades. After college came the practical years—careers, raising children, building a life on land. But the dream of living aboard never faded. "I literally dragged my family to boat shows for a decade or more looking for something," Gary admitted with a laugh.

The turning point came in 2016 when they made the decision to commission a new build. But it wasn't Gary who sealed the deal—it was Linda. "My wife was on the sister ship and said if you want me to live on a boat it's this or nothing." Sometimes the most important decisions happen in a single moment of clarity.

Their Kadey Krogen 58 was commissioned in late 2017, and by early 2018, they had taken the ultimate leap: selling their house and moving aboard permanently. "I was a little worried what our family would do. We have two girls with kids of their own," Gary said. "My kids told us to go for it and that they would come and visit us. It was our dream and they told us not to put it off any longer."

A Life Between Two Worlds

Today, Gary and Linda split their time between two locations. From November through May, they call Pensacola, Florida home, taking advantage of the mild winters and proximity to the Gulf. Come hurricane season, they head north to Florence, Alabama -right across from Muscle Shoals. 

This seasonal migration offers the best of both worlds: "We love getting off the boat and walking to see musicians and going to a restaurant. We have cruised to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and we have gone to Knoxville. The whole strip to Chattanooga is absolutely gorgeous."

The rhythm of their days reflects a carefully cultivated balance between adventure and routine. "When we are cruising we get up super early before first light and we can see stuff on the water and take off. An hour before sunrise," Gary explains. "I'm a fairly anal chemical engineer. I plan a lot, I have bailouts just in case. We will watch the sunrise while we are cruising up and down. Linda makes us a nice breakfast and then we spend eight to ten hours cruising.Those days are ideal for us."

The Heart of It All: Family and Memory

But ask Gary about his favorite boating memory, and he doesn't talk about spectacular sunrises or perfect weather. Instead, he goes back to the years before living aboard, when they owned an offshore fishing boat. 

"From 2000-2017 we did lobstering in the Keys. All of our family would come and we would lease a house. We would load people up on the boat to go lobstering and it was the best family time. It was a blast. I was still working full time back then and it was a great way to decompress."

This focus on family continues aboard "Unwinding." Their daughters and grandchildren regularly visit, turning the boat into a floating playground. "If we take a rest day we get all the toys out and play especially if the grandkids are there. We have paddle boards, chairs that sit on the paddle boards, the kids swim and have fun. We spend our time cooking and enjoying family."

The Name Says It All

The boat's name, "Unwinding," tells its own story. "I came up with all the nautical themes and Linda and the girls didn't like any of them," Gary laughs. "When the boat was being built I was traveling and listening to music and I was listening to a  Zach Brown Band song and it had the lyrics of unwinding. I sent it to the girls and they loved it because I am a bit of a workaholic and it's kind of aspirational in that sense."

It's more than aspirational now—it's achieved. The name captures perfectly what this life represents: a conscious decision to step away from the frenetic pace of shore-based life and embrace something more intentional.

Making the Best of New Challenges 

Of course, the liveaboard life isn't all sunrise cruises and family gatherings. Gary readily shares the challenging moments—like the time they encountered six to eight-foot seas all day long while trying to make a Miami boat show deadline, leaving Linda "green" from the rough conditions. Or the embarrassing moment when they grounded the boat and Gary had to dive to untangle rope from the propellers.

"We've had weather challenges and we have had to learn how to handle them," Gary said.  "We had a time where it was pitch black and going across a bay. You get the experience and roll through it. It’s part of living this lifestyle."

A Different Kind of Life

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To us this still feels new even though it's been since 2017," Gary muses. "People think we are sacrificing and we aren't at all. It's a super comfortable boat and it's a chance to go exploring. We walk everywhere when we are on land, especially when we are in Pensacola. It's a much different lifestyle than taking care of a yard and a home. I’d rather do boat maintenance anyday."

For someone considering a similar path, Gary's advice is characteristically practical: "Just get educated. You don't just jump on and go forward, especially with busy waterways. Make sure you get the training you need so you can be responsible out on the water.” 

Unwinding and the Custom Captain

Gary and his family discovered The Custom Captain at the Miami Boat show and have been hooked ever since. His personal favorite is the Men’s polo shirts but the entire family is always decked out in Custom Captain gear. Gary said his favorite thing to wear to a restaurant or when he is out on the town is his custom polo shirts. They also have a batch of bulk dri-fits that they love to give out to workers on the dock with their boat name on them.

“We give them as a freebie to all the dock hands. People love it when they get stuff like that and it’s fun for us to do.” Gary said.

Gary Reed has found what many spend a lifetime seeking: a perfect balance between adventure and peace, family and solitude, planning and spontaneity. In choosing to unwind from conventional life, he's wound up exactly where he belongs.