Tracy and Andy Duncan: sailors, parents, pirate gang facilitators

Tracy and Andy Duncan are a couple living full-time aboard Another Summer, a boat they call home with their five children. (linktr.ee/SVanothersummer)

Leaving behind suburban life in Atlanta, the Duncan family embraced a life of adventure, spending their days on the open water and learning to balance work, family, and self-sufficiency. Tracy shares how COVID pushed them to rethink their lifestyle, how their time together during the lockdown led to a deeper connection and a desire for more freedom, and how homeschooling was a natural fit for their children, particularly those with special needs.

Living on a boat has its own set of challenges, from organizing a floating home with limited storage to managing basic repairs in a remote location. Andy and Tracy reflect on how their lives have become more organized than ever, driven by the necessity of dealing with the logistics of boat life—whether it’s finding the right part for a repair or packing food in small spaces. Their financial setup is unconventional, relying on adoption stipends for day-to-day expenses, while Andy’s remote IT work supports big-ticket items like boat repairs and upgrades.

The Duncan family has found an unexpected rhythm in their nomadic life, with their children thriving in an environment where they have constant access to each other and the natural world (complete with “roving pirate gangs” of teenagers). Tracy talks about how their kids have formed tight-knit relationships not only with each other but also with the broader boat community, which is a small, interconnected world of its own. Andy and Tracy also share how they balance the close quarters of boat life with the need for individual space and reflection, and how their family’s adventures continue to shape their values and sense of connection.

Full transcript: dirtbagrich.com/tracyandandy