Long time sailor, going to the dark side....

[2savage]

I've owned sailboats as long as I can remember, but age and frailty has finally caught up. My current boat is a C&C 34+ but is to be hauled and sold. Thing is, I broke my back so need to avoid many of the activities a sailboat demands.

So I'm looking at downeast cruisers that can be towed. Figure a 'big dually' diesel and a boat/trailer rig weighing less than 15,000lbs. I'm thinking Albin 28 or Mainship 30.

It gets more interesting. I'm selling my house (after 28 years) and will not be buying another right away. So, cruising will range from Eastern Canada to the southern Caribbean.

Before everyone chips in pointing out that the power boat I'm planning is too small for a liveaboard or that fuel range will be an issue, my wife and I have perfected how to interject several nights ashore in a hotel to take showers and get laundry done.

I'm budgeting $5000 a month so will need to spend lots of nights on the hook to stay away from expensive marinas.

Finally, my dinghy will be bigger than one might expect; a 12' Caribe center console RIB with a 30hp O/B. It will fit on davits across the transom and will require partial deflation to reduce width for towing.

I'm 65 and once my back repairs itself (long, painful process) will be able to handle boating activities with little problem.

Does anyone see a major flaw in my plans? Once the boat swap has happened I'll have around $800,000 invested plus a two bedroom condo as a safety net that will be rented until I need it.

Did I miss anything? Is my plan flawed?

[Creedence]

My wife an I did something similar a few years back (before I broke my back coincidentally). We did it aboard a Silverton 38 Sportbridge. I bought it in Tampa, ran it up to Boston where we lived aboard for 2 years, then ran it back down to Florida once I got sick of the cold.

We made 8 hour runs each day, pulled into a marina for dinner and sundowners and did it all again the next day. Just a datapoint for you, the run back down south from Boston to Tampa cost about $9000, and that was with me burning up to 15 gallons an hour. (The run north was $20,000, but this was back when fuel prices were far more expensive than they are today).

I broke my back in a plane crash late last year, and after they got me reassembled, I was finally able to get a sailboat. So hang in there, you may find yourself whole enough to sail again. In the meantime, enjoy the “civilized” life of a powerboater for a while. (Civilized being somewhat tongue in cheek- although there was a lot to be said for having air conditioning underway!).

[Palarran]

Or buy a catamaran. Some are designed to trailer but if that isn't a deal breaker, then just go with a 36 to 40 footer. Even if you didn't sail it, the fuel costs would be way, way less.

Some day I'll probably go with a power boat also. Maybe different style or budget, but the idea that I can pull up to a marina and pin it to the dock by myself with the joystick is pretty appealing.

[tkeithlu]

I've been your basic route. Observations:

The budget seems a bit modest. Do you have a pension or Social Security/medicare to add to it? Retiring on $800,000 and no debt is OK, but not optimal. Remember that you are going to have to pull your boat from time to time.

You're going to notice a reduction in seaworthiness. Recreational trawlers have hulls that are optimized for interior space, which you will love, but which sacrifices ultimate stability, the great strength of monohull sailboats. They also have huge ports that would let a broach come in one side and out the other. Be darned careful taking a 30 ft trawler into the Carribean. The good news is that weather forcasting is a bunch better than it used to be.

I recommend that you do a thorough review of the seacocks. Sounds strange, but recreational trawlers have a seacock for every water need, even under the engine. They are a sinking waiting to happen.

If you want to stay on the hook, think about your comfort and ability to self-contain. In our case, that means that we invested in a Haier ventless washer/drier, AC, watermaker, more genset capacity, an apartment sized refrigerator, fans, and heat. The result is that our boat is also our hurricane refuge, because we can live on it (and have) for extended periods without any shore services.

Best of luck on it. It's really not all that bad to step away from sailing and shift to power. It's just as much fun with less work.

[ol1970]

So are you saying you’ll have $800k safely invested plus the paid for condo and a paid for boat to live aboard? Since you and your wife also could be collecting SS and qualify for health insurance I’d say you have a pretty solid plan. Get out there while the getting is good! My in-laws got out of life long boating at about 70, although they loved it they no longer miss it and have adjusted splendidly to retired land life.

[2savage]

I guess our budget will be augmented with rental income from the condo. It is two bedroom two bathroom with both bathrooms having been renovated last year for $30,000. It should rent for $2,000 a month, generating $1350 after expenses. The $5,000 budget precludes touching principle. So we can dip into that when major expenses are incurred. Oh, and my wife still works from time to time. She is a nurse and her experience in pulmonary ailments is much in demand.

[Stewie12]

Go for it !

[ol1970]

Originally Posted by 2savage

I guess our budget will be augmented with rental income from the condo. It is two bedroom two bathroom with both bathrooms having been renovated last year for $30,000. It should rent for $2,000 a month, generating $1350 after expenses. The $5,000 budget precludes touching principle. So we can dip into that when major expenses are incurred. Oh, and my wife still works from time to time. She is a nurse and her experience in pulmonary ailments is much in demand.

Well if you don’t have to touch the principal it’s should grow as you cruise. Only thing is i would factor in some vacancy rate into your budget when comes to rental income, especially with a single residence. I use 85% but have multiple units, it’s conservative but a good spot to start. If you are willing to work a bit and be flexible with spending you are going to be totally fine.

[Greg Mason]

Great stories and advice. On Mother's day 2007 I broke my neck mountain biking while training for a triathlon. I didn't know until July 25th. After a 9 hours of neurosurgery to replace the shattered vertebrate, I was free to go. Almost, then the 3 years of physio, learning how to walk and on and on, it wasn't safe for me to be on the boat, balance and all. 8 years on land before I drifted over to the dark side, with the Carver Voyager, galley up, twin turbo Cummins and all that comes with it. I look back, but I know the road I am on now is the proper one. To all those who switched.......

[Cpt Mark]

I feel your pain, literally. Thought I'd never sail again. Guess what? I am and single handing departing for French Polynesia in the spring.

Late 20's drunk driver rear ended me while I was driving an 18 wheeler. 2.5 years of sheer agony Finally found a Dr. that could diagnose and repair the issue. The ligaments had been torn off the vertebrae so the vertabrae was free to move into the spinal cord. Oh joy. Surgery was to fuze the vertabrae. Told I could never lift more than 10 pounds for life blah blah blah. Disregarded the instructions and went on teach scuba 7 days a week in the Caribbean lifting tanks and doing in the water full blown rescues of divers who got into trouble.

Fast forward. Age 45. Broke my neck snowboarding. Paralyzed neck down initially. Had more surgery, more fusions. C3-C7 are fused.

Sometime in my 40's I also threw my back out.Surgery on L4-5.

Age 60. Fell while backpacking. Paralyzed from the neck down...again. Sigh. Airlifted out and had a bruised spinal cord. More surgery. Removed all the bone they could to open up the spinal cord to allow it to heal. Could barely walk again. Tripping and falling regularly until age 65.

Lower back had been bothering me a lot so after 18 months of other therapy it was time for surgery. Turned out that the reason my walking was so bad was because L 3-5 had collapsed and L 4-5 nerves were barely functioning. Because of the earlier lower back surgery this one was major involving rods and screws. Spent this past summer recovering and not being able to bend, lift or especially twist. Crappy summer.90 days before I could move. Healing from this surgery is a one year process.

Forgot to mention the right knee surgeries. 6 of them including two total knee replacements because the first one was put in wrong and the wrong size. Blew it out in 9 months.

Physical therapy has done me wonders and not refusing to continue to live my life as active as I want has kept me going. I like powerboats too but love sailing so much more. I now have a 35' catamaran that is stable and comfortable to sail. Take my story for want it's worth. Your body will heal and adjust to a new normal. Use it or lose it. I'm 65 now and still going strong. A bit of pain and a bit slower but still going. Best of luck.

[Scrimshaw4]

With the cruising plan you have, which will be dependent of COVID-19 status, I was wondering why the boat needs to be trailerable. That seems to be limiting your boat options to the skinny side for getting down to the Caribbean.

[Clivevon]

My basic recommendation is that what you want to do is doable - so do it if you want to. Just be ready to deal with the consequences - what ever they turn out to be.

I cannot comment on your itinerary but I was a financial planner for over 40 years until recent retirement so the question of how much money is enough always interests me. Of course there are big differences between UK & USA but many issues are similar.

Financially, everything is relative. Everything. No matter how much money you have, plenty of people will have more & plenty of people will have less. So there are no absolutes - only indications & what suits you or what you can accept.

First - we live in interesting times. Next - the investment world is full of charlatans & people who know exactly what you should do with your money..... Be aware. Beware.

You said you have $800,000 to invest (I saw someone thought you had that safely invested (whats that these days??) but that isnt what you said.

By invest, I am assuming you mean in a spread, balanced portfolio of funds, stocks & shares. You can either run it yourself - are you qualified to do that - or pay someone else to do it for you - or go passive, such as Vanguard.

REMEMBER - THE INVESTMENT MARKETS ARE A ROLLER COASTER. UP DOWN UP DOWN DOWN MAYBE MORE DOWN, CAN YOU WAIT FOR THE UP?? It is all about the long term - ie: the rest of your life... Can you live with that & still enjoy life - or will it cost you lost sleep? Only you can tell.

One possible useful rule of thumb is to take say 4% per year income from investments (not cash on deposit these days, obviously) on the basis that should leave your capital intact & hopefully grow with long term inflation. (There are plenty of people who will argue now that 4% is too much.)

That gives you $32,000 dollars a year. Plus your condo profits - lets be positive - plus your wifes earnings. Does that add up to $60,000 a year - just about.

The other way to look at this venture is different. Call it a capital expenditure. $60,000 a year for say 3 years is $180,000. Then you recalibrate & reassess where you are & what you are going to do.

Good luck. Enjoy life!

[Ken Z]

I see nothing wrong with your plan. Go for it capt. I m older than you, have 5 vertebras fused still sail but htinking of selling the big boat and day sail a 20’ and have a 20’ fishing boat. Your still with your love, the water. I would try to go diesel engines. Best of luck, walk a lot after the operation.

[hgd137]

To help making your dream a reality checkout the Seapiper35. Www.seapiper.com

[Curmugeon]

About 10 years ago I also thought about going to the dark side. I had owned and primarily lived aboard a Cabot 36 for 25 years, and sold it in Thailand after returning from Oman after recrossing the Indian Ocean. The Cabot is Brewer designed full keel, keel stepped mast and skeg hung rudder. I say this because you cannot compare the seagoing comfort of a properly designed offshore boat to a tender C&C34. I know because I have sailed C&Cs and had friends who have cruised the caribbean and crossed the Pacific in C&C's, even Landfalls, who have had uncomfortable cruises and crossings, which we found it more easily manageable. Not as comfortable as friends with catamarans. But catamarans are a whole other issue. I would suggest that you look for a properly found offshore boat or motor cruiser before selecting a rolling, fuel guzzling cruiser. Incidently at 65 you have years of sailing still to go. After taking four year off to spend time out of the country with grandchildren I bought an O'Day 27 a couple of years ago and sail it on Lake Erie, we were last weekend, in October. By the way I am 79 and my wife is 78. Never give up. A friend had a plaque on his boat which stated " God does not include the the lifespan of a man the time spent sailing"