Is Being A Dock Queen So Bad?

[SteeringSailor]

My father is over 70 and operates an eighteen wheeler cross country. My Grandfather lived to his upper 80's and regularly took his boat out fishing. I used to hang out where an 89 year old arthritic man would go windsurfing everyday the weather was good.

The fact is that everyone feels old and nobody wants to. As others in the 50 to 70' and up age range have written in here, go out and do something and then write about it in your own style. I can't wait to see one of your posts where you have gotten out and explored, even if they are places that you have already seen before. Maybe you can grab another idle sailor and take them with you.

[capngeo]

I spent 25 years as a firefighter/paramedic and treated thousands of patients in that time. Sarasota (FL) is a bit geriatric in nature, so most of my patients were 50+ years old. It never failed to amaze me at the number of people who were "old" in their late 40's and yet more amazing was the number of "young" 80 year olds.

Age is merely a number; it means nothing. Lifestyle, genes, and attitude dictate one's physical age "equivalent" with attitude seemingly having the most influence. I retired at 53 from the Fire Dept. Up to the end, I could keep up with the "young bucks" on the fireground and in most cases outperform them.... the difference of course was I got off shift and went home to bed; they went waterskiing!

Whether or not you choose to move your boat, or are content just being aboard at the slip, is not a factor of your chronologic age, but is one of preference. The important part is YOU HAVE A BOAT!

[susanna reiter]

I just re-read this thread a little bit and caught where the OP has a trailer for his Ketch....Gary, load 'er up and take her( your Ketch) to the East Coast...FLA or Georgia( gosh even the Great Lakes) and escape the doldrums....and then there is always the ICW....don't wait the ten years you spoke about...do it now or soon..I wish I still had my little 23.5 Hunter trailer sailor....now that is freedom....w/that kind of flexibility there are so many fun places to sail available to you.....happy sails to you...

[Capt Phil]

Have had a fortunate life that just keeps getting better and better. First 50 years spent commercially on the water until a heart attack caught me up short. Changed my life style, slowed down on the drink, watched my diet and began exercising regularly. Bought a 50 footer and lived aboard for 5 years with my new bride until my back gave out and traded for a 54 foot power boat that was easier on my back. Cruised and lived aboard for another 5 years and kept up my delivery business until it was impossible to move around without a lot of pain. At 70 years of age had a 5 joint fusion and am now giving lessons in boat handling and leave later in the week on a delivery/ cruise with the owners on a 65 footer for 2 weeks. Life has never been better, just a little slower. Life is meant to be lived, not sitting in a cockpit slurping minty drinks waiting for death. Get out and live it like bobconnie and many others. The alternative is to be sitting looking out the window of your rest home slowly wasting away thinking of what might have been. Capt Phil

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by susanna reiter

I just re-read this thread a little bit and caught where the OP has a trailer for his Ketch....Gary, load 'er up and take her( your Ketch) to the East Coast...FLA or Georgia( gosh even the Great Lakes) and escape the doldrums....and then there is always the ICW....don't wait the ten years you spoke about...do it now or soon..I wish I still had my little 23.5 Hunter trailer sailor....now that is freedom....w/that kind of flexibility there are so many fun places to sail available to you.....happy sails to you...

I wish I could. I get frozen in time. First girl that asked me to kiss her, froze in time. Whole life has pretty much followed that pattern. I procrastinate everything. Why do today, what you can put off forever.

If I had more balls, I would take you up on that advice. As the saying goes, maybe someday.

My wife of 30 years looks at sailing like getting teeth drilled. She is not a fan.

[GaryMayo]

Sailed 9 hours or so yesterday. 15 sailboats plus powerboats on small lake. Most boats I have seen out at one time. Weather was perfect.

[susanna reiter]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

Sailed 9 hours or so yesterday. 15 sailboats plus powerboats on small lake. Most boats I have seen out at one time. Weather was perfect.

YEA !!!!! way to go...some years back, when I was in my late 50s...I had my Hunter up on ClearLake CA......lake sailing can be such fun..whether single handing or with friends its pretty do-able...good to hear your out and at it...S

[capngeo]

My wife of 30 years looks at sailing like getting teeth drilled. She is not a fan.

Ah... the root of the dock queen issue! Enjoy your wife's company dockside.... sounds reasonable to me!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Ah... the root of the dock queen issue! Enjoy your wife's company dockside.... sounds reasonable to me!

+1

[susanna reiter]

Thanks for the pictures Gary..Looks like you were having a ball..chute and all......good on ya

[MikeinLA]

I'm 60 now and I often singlehand my Cat 36 as well as sailing with friends when they want to come. However, I own a busy business that takes a lot of my time. I often spend the day on the boat writing reports instead of doing it at the office. I just enjoy being on the boat whenever I can, whether sailing or not. In Santa Monica Bay on the busiest Saturday/Sunday I can remember there were maybe 100-200 boats out sailing thoughout the day. Maybe another 100 went to Catalina that weekend. There are 4,500 boats in Marina del Rey. Do the math, you're not alone.

Mike

[GaryMayo]

Got in a race or two, naturally. A daysailor. Kicked my butt. Looked like a movie prop from a Viking movie.

The race I remember is the 28 Catalina She had the wind, I had what was left over. We were a football field apart, sometimes basketball field apart. I was able to walk away from her. Newer boat as well, with all the bells and whistles. I felt pretty good about that. She had two sails up, I had the same plus a small mizzen. Her beam is pretty wide ???, mine is only 8' plus I am 32 foot long. Not an apples to apples contest.

The catamarans were out yesterday. Half a dozen or so. Lightning quick.

When I got back to my business, I must have been showing some signs of sun stroke. Took a long bath and slept all night and all day. Fever is down now. Over did it a bit, but had fun. The mizzen arrangement is not conducive to putting up shade. Too much rigging all over the place

[Don Novello]

Cut out the soda and start gyming...

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by Don Novello

Cut out the soda and start gyming...

You think! Purchased a gym membership two years ago. Wallet is a lot thinner now. I quit pop about three times a month, then just start again. I have quit the stuff for years at a time and then just start doing it again.

Must be a strong hook in the stuff that just reels a person back in again.

If I were hooked on crack cocane or heroine, people would understand better. But soda pop is sold at macdonalds in 32 ounce cups everyone hands their kids. It is highly addictive and very hard on the health and fitness of anyone that drinks the stuff. Diet pop has even worse health risks including blindness.