What are your retirement plans?

[Captain Graham]

My background
I am 65 Years old and have been weekend sailing most of my life.
My wife is not a boater and really does not like sailing so living on a boat is not going to happen.
I also like a little adventure in my life which my wife does not share.
I also have been paying income taxes since 1973 and don't expect to just stop working when I retire.

So during our 38 Year marriage we compromised with our life style to fit our needs.
We have a nice home in a nice area (Northeast Ohio) for the family.
I have a job where I have traveled to remote areas in about 20 countries.
Places like Valdivia Chile, Ishinomaki Japan and Wolfsberg Austria.
These trips are normally 2-5 weeks long.
We have 3 boys and I have taken them on weekend sailing and camping trips while my wife enjoyed her time off.
My wife has been very involved in the school volunteering for almost everything.

With the boys all married the question is what are we going to do for the next 20 years.

My wife wants
1. To be within 10 hours drive from the boys.
Today Northeast Ohio is good but who know about the future
2. Have a family get together with all the boys and their families at least one per year.
3. Travel a little mostly in the US.
We have traveled to the UK and Paris but she does not like big trips.
Does not like the hassle of air travel.
Maybe a small camper or popup would fit the bill.
3. Wants a smaller house with one floor living.
She hates having the bedrooms on the 2nd floor and the laundry in the basement.
4. Wants to take some art classes like pottery, stain glass etc.

My wants
1. Something to do outside of the house.
2. Have some adventure in my life.
1 week to 1 month solo sailing or hiking trips will do nicely.

So with these different wants we think we are going to do the following
1. Downsize to a smaller ranch home in the next 5 years.
2. Most likely stay in Northeast Ohio but things my change.
3. During the Winter (Jan, Feb and March) travel around the US.
Maybe do the snowbird thing a few years, maybe get a camper and travel or maybe do a cruise or bus trips.
4. I have started 2 small boating business and expect to have them for the next 10 years.
See this thread for more info about my businesses
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ss-212463.html
5. Do more volunteer work.
I have been in the big brother program for the past 5 years and it is great fun.
My wife will do some volunteer work at the schools, when the kids were growing up she did lots of volunteer work at he schools.
6. Take some college courses on subjects I am interested in.
They are free when you are over 60.
7. My wife always wanted to learn things like pottery and I think I would like to join her.
8. And lets not forget the required retirement actively , yells at the local kids to keep off my yard.

What are your plans?

[Uricanejack]

Not a clue.

I’m not much younger, still working, sort off, off work at the moment, recovering from some health issues. Concern is I might be forced to retire.
I could have retired a couple of years ago, One of the first questions I get asked when I meet someone I haven’t seen for a while, “Have you retired yet” The next question, “when are you retiring”
Trouble is I like what I do. I enjoy the company of the people I work with.
There are times I don’t feel like going to work, or want to take more time off.
Overall I still enjoy it.

The question is what to do instead.
I used to have a vague notion to return to Sailing Instruction. ( used to be a sailing instructor)
Or what I would probably enjoy more Sail Training. (I did this a long time ago)

Both of which could be pleasant part time gigs to keep me occupied. I don’t expect I would make much. Not bothered.

Or I could just enjoy riding my bike, sailing my own boat, and doing a wee bit of traveling
My wife is not interested in taking off on a long distance cruising voyage. I’m not interested in going alone.
Kids are grown but not finished with school ect. Not sure where they will end up.
Fairly certain they don’t want to live on an island

[boatpoker]

Never planned a day in my life. was driving by a marina in 93' and spotted a very unusual boat. Bought her within 20 minutes. Went home and told my wife.
Two weeks later the two boys moved out, two weeks after that the house was sold and have lived onboard ever since

Our life philosophy has worked well for us ...
Get up in the morning and do what feels good

If you're not laughing, you're not doing it right.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Captain Graham

What are your plans?

Heh. I'm in almost exactly the same boat. I officially "retired" a year ago; my wife is retiring end of this year. I also have a retirement marine gig -ABYC-certified marine electrician- but am currently undecided about how involved I want to be (truck, inventory, insurance...). We have a nice house (a 10 min walk from the boat club ) that we could stay in indefinitely, but would also consider downsizing to a smaller place, in a smaller community, if it was on/near a decent-sized lake.

I have a steady volunteer gig, and I'm also looking to get more involved in my other more selfish interests and hobbies. One difference here - my wife shares my passion for boating; she's not inclined to sell everything and sail the world, but she very much has enjoyed the cruising and the one bareboat charter we've done to date, so we intend to do more of that. We also hope to do some "RVing", with our trailerable microcruiser in tow. Would love to visit the Gulf Coast and the Florida Keys like this.

When 'normal' returns, we want to do some more travelling.

My wants
1. Something to do outside of the house.
2. Have some adventure in my life.
1 week to 1 month solo sailing or hiking trips will do nicely.

I hear you. I have some sailing buddies who have invited me as crew for such adventures, and these have been great fun. I hope to do more. I have some ambitions to do some solo biking adventures, especially on the many rail-trails we have. And so on.

All in all, life is good for us, and our retirement looks promising.

Your plans, and your approach both seem very sound. Good luck and good health.

[kayakerChuck]

Sheila was against me buying a bigger boat when I bought our 30 O'Day. About 3 days into our 2 week trip this summer, she was HOOKED.

This fall she asked if we could just sail away when we retire. Both of us suffer from wanderlust, so extended travel has always been the plan. I come from a long line of Polish-Catholic workaholic types, so I'll need to find new ways or create a portable job.

[Mrs.]

Ok,your wife and I are like this [emoji1696]

We sold our home in Texas and came out to Cali
and bought a sailboat. This has been his life long dream long before we met. We currently live on board and I hate it. Been on here for 2mos. I would like to move back to Texas where my kids are(we married 5yrs ago and my kids are grown).
I considered getting an apt here so he wouldn't feel like I'm leaving him. But things here are VERY expensive, so that's out.

So,staying here for the time being [emoji17]

[sailingabe41ds]

I am 62 ..few more years before slowing down...retire. My wife of 31 years and I did lots of travelling knowingly that one day the boogieman (ill health covid financial losses) could be waiting around the corner. Sure enough I lost her 13 yesrs ago. Now remarried...but little dedire to travel abroad at this time specially with all the restrictions.
The way I figure...sailboat to motorboat..motorboat to motorhome...motorhome to nursing home..and nursing home to final resting home.
We too plan on enjoying kids and future grand kids but we will not chase them half way around the country as they move place to place.
Currently in So Cal...probably move to northern Idaho and have our boat in the NW to explore that area and Alaska...God willing.

abe

[carlosproa]

Seems like your marriage is strong enough to have some planned separation. What I mean is this, say you like to try cruising, you should plan to do it and have your wife meet you at places she will enjoy, continue to build memories while respecting each other’s wishes. Seems to me the FL keys might be a baby step as they are in the US and flights to Miami or Key West to meet are doable. If you follow your path to Bahamas, DR and cross I to Puerto Rico, that is another place to meet, and so forth. You get the cruising out of your system while you still have the health to fully enjoy it

[Mrs.]

Originally Posted by sailingabe41ds

I am 62 ..few more years before slowing down...retire. My wife of 31 years and I did lots of travelling knowingly that one day the boogieman (ill health covid financial losses) could be waiting around the corner. Sure enough I lost her 13 yesrs ago. Now remarried...but little dedire to travel abroad at this time specially with all the restrictions.

The way I figure...sailboat to motorboat..motorboat to motorhome...motorhome to nursing home..and nursing home to final resting home.

We too plan on enjoying kids and future grand kids but we will not chase them half way around the country as they move place to place.

Currently in So Cal...probably move to northern Idaho and have our boat in the NW to explore that area and Alaska...God willing.



abe

Hey we're in SO California too!!

[sailingabe41ds]

hi mrs..
should spend some time in the channel islands. it is very different than catalina. we are blessed to have year round sailing.
abe

[Mrs.]

Originally Posted by sailingabe41ds

hi mrs..

should spend some time in the channel islands. it is very different than catalina. we are blessed to have year round sailing.

abe

Yeah,my husband wants to,but I'm still not on 'board' yet.

[NPCampbell]

I plan on buying a piece of undeveloped lake front property after the Covid craziness. Then, when I hit 62, in 7 years, I plan on selling my home and buying an RV or camper and a catamaran. I figure we'll sail half the year, RV 1/4 of the year and the remaining 1/4 of a year I'll build a house.

Taxes, inflation and lower returns from buffered investments, in that order, are the largest hindrances to my plan.

[Captain Graham]

Originally Posted by carlosproa

Seems like your marriage is strong enough to have some planned separation. What I mean is this, say you like to try cruising, you should plan to do it and have your wife meet you at places she will enjoy, continue to build memories while respecting each other’s wishes. Seems to me the FL keys might be a baby step as they are in the US and flights to Miami or Key West to meet are doable. If you follow your path to Bahamas, DR and cross I to Puerto Rico, that is another place to meet, and so forth. You get the cruising out of your system while you still have the health to fully enjoy it

All marriages are different.
In our case I have been traveling for business 4-5 months each year for 20 years doing 2-5 week long projects.
Coming home I would take a few days off and spend time doing anything she wanted me to do. On the weekends I would get the boys out of the house so she could have some time off.

This developed both of us as independent people so we both know not to push the other to do something they hate.
But we are open to compromise if the other person wants to do something that is important to then.

So I would never push her into living on a sailboat and she would never push me into living someplace where I could not sail.

PS Because she does not like boating in any way my sailboats have always been cheap craigslist boats that I fixed up. My current sailboat is a Watkin27 that I paid $4,000. Before this boat I was sailing an Alacrity 19 that I paid $500.

[CarolinaChris]

I just retired a couple months ago after 32 years in law enforcement. We are in the process of a move from Charlotte, NC to Charleston, SC. We should complete that move by March 2022. I don’t yet have any sailing experience, but actually picked up a fantastic crew opportunity right here in CF from an experienced delivery skipper so I’m looking forward to a very long crossing of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico starting January 2. My hope is that initial experience will be the first of many sailing adventures!

My wife has no current interest in sailing but she shares my interest in camping and travel. Right after we move to Charleston we plan to buy an off road capable pop up trailer so we can get to very wild places all over the United States.

I will probably get some kind of job that has lots of flexibility as I’m just 56 right now. But my immediate priority is to have some fun and make memories. I will continue to be in volunteer activities as well. I’ve got two kids that will be graduating from college in the next year or two. Lots of thrifty decisions over the years mean that we are fairly debt free.

I doubt owning a boat is in my future. Right now I’m pretty sure I’ll be content crewing for others. Retirement has been fantastic for these first couple months.

[davil]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Never planned a day in my life. was driving by a marina in 93' and spotted a very unusual boat. Bought her within 20 minutes. Went home and told my wife.
Two weeks later the two boys moved out, two weeks after that the house was sold and have lived onboard ever since

Our life philosophy has worked well for us ...
Get up in the morning and do what feels good

If you're not laughing, you're not doing it right.

==========================================
you got that right!

Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.
John Lennon

I do not like the word RETIREMENT, sounds like a death sentence.
Sometime late 1990s woke up, open the window and shout out "I QUIT".
Outfit my old Tartan 34 and went cruising for 4 years with my wife.
Glad I did, the best years of my life.
Since then at 80 miss her enormously, and yes they are the best memories of my life.
Still sailing.