What comes next after cruising & racing?

[Interloper]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Maybe sail small boats.

I've seriously considered that too. I've sailed on lots of boats from a Sunfish clone to a classic J/Class, but I look forward to getting away from big boat expenses one day. That's part of the reason I've had enough of racing, I've done everything I hoped to and it's costly.

I mentioned the UFO above, but I've thought about downsizing to a Lightning or the like for some daysailing and less hardcore racing. We'll see.

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I guess the first question I would ask is what type of racing did you do?

I raced beach catamarans for 15 years against some of the best sailors in the US.

I thought I was through with that and went cycling for a few years with bike racers and triathletes

Then I thought I'd like to cruise so I bought an old Bristol 27 to learn on but it is a slow way of sailing..................this cruising thing after racing beach cats with spinnakers.

Cruisers and cruising is so different than racing .........

I saw a Merit 25 for sale last week. I'm thinking that boat might be a fun thing to race singlehanded in distances races................

A decent C board A-Cat would be less than a good Merit 25.... its not a terrible option for <100nm distance races either.


All kidding aside, take a look at a Weta. A lot of fun for day sailing, cheap, and actually pretty reasonable for shorter distance stuff. Not foiling however.

[sailorboy1]

There is always "smart cruising" where you only do nice trips with good weather windows!

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by Interloper

We started out as beginners learning like everyone. We then spent about 15 years daysailing and cruising (a few days at most). And then I spent the last almost 20 years racing, but I'm finally over that. So I still enjoy sailing, but it's hard to imagine not having some sort of challenge. So what's next?

Liveaboard won't work, or I won't have an SO anymore. And I don't want to do an ocean passage, thought I might have when I was younger.

Maybe I'll be OK just daysailing and puttering around, but hard to imagine. Or maybe I'll buy a (very) small foiler and try to master that.

Why not just crew on passages all over the world.
You just fly in, sail, fly home
I can't really afford the time nor have the funds to
cruise off into the sunset, so this is what I do.
Also enjoy day sailing my little boat on a nearby lake

I flew Hang Gliders for Years (until my Daughter was born)
Give that a go
It will for sure get your blood pumping
Or try Scuba and see all the things you sailed over
Or Take up Flying Giant RC Airplanes
Thrills with your feet on the ground
So many things to do in this world
Cheers
Neil

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Interloper

We started out as beginners learning like everyone. We then spent about 15 years daysailing and cruising (a few days at most). And then I spent the last almost 20 years racing, but I'm finally over that. So I still enjoy sailing, but it's hard to imagine not having some sort of challenge. So what's next?

...

A few days of cruising at most...why not longer cruising?

If you mainly mean you want a physical challenge then small cats and foilers as suggested.

Whats your venue? What other sailing opportunities are there?

[UNCIVILIZED]

Trailer tri (Farrier, or maybe a Dragonfly). Performance dinghy with hiking racks & trapeezes. Olson 30 like Andy Evans (Foolish) who's book on solo sailing & racing is great, & downloadable gratis. Thanks to his generosity.
Trailering opens up all kinds of new venues, & the flat & fast thing rarely gets old.

[akprb]

RVing :-)

[Scot McPherson]

Charter Captain
Fishing Guide Captain
Ferry Captain
Ship Captain
Harbor Pilot (lots of training opportunities and it pays VERY well)
Round the world


Join the coast guard auxiliary (I recommend it, I am a member)


Cruise some place entirely different....Like the arctic or Antarctic. Make a northwest passage.


Teach sailing, open a sailing school and invite instructors to join your fleet.


Become a yacht surveyor...or maybe a ship surveyor, or platform surveyor and sail your self to the next job.


Join SeaTow or BOATUS tow crew.


Crew on a tug boat.


Go sailing on a tall ship.


Build a sailboat


I think I tapped myself there, I can't think of too many others.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Stumble

A decent C board A-Cat would be less than a good Merit 25.... its not a terrible option for <100nm distance races either.


All kidding aside, take a look at a Weta. A lot of fun for day sailing, cheap, and actually pretty reasonable for shorter distance stuff. Not foiling however.

I've completed several 100 mile races on beach cats. All the races were the Ft Walton Beach RTI Race.

We did two on a Nacra 6.0 in the 90's and I did 3 more singlehanded on a Nacra F-17 (Inter 17R back then) in the early 2000's

The 1997 race actually had 82 boats compete. We finished that 100 mile race at 7:30 pm after a 7:00 am start. I've also finished at 0300 the following day in some of the other races

Now days they have made that race a two day event since all the competitors have gotten old......the 1/2 way mark they use is just back inside Pensacola Pass at Ft Pickens where you can camp then complete the race the following day.

The Horn Island/Ship Island Races out of Ocean Springs are fun to do also on beach cats. I've probably done those 8X. These races are maybe 25-30 miles long I'd guess. Several guys have raced those on A-Cats. You actually go on the island and have beer and chicken for lunch.

The Horn Island Race used to feature an informal Beauty Pageant at the island to select that years Miss Horny Island..........!

A small/fast monohull may be the way to go though if you are age 60 plus......

[Capt Phil]

When I retired, I walked inland with an oar over my shoulder until someone stopped me and asked what it was... that's where I settled! Phil

[Larry Florida]

Originally Posted by Interloper

We started out as beginners learning like everyone. We then spent about 15 years daysailing and cruising (a few days at most). And then I spent the last almost 20 years racing, but I'm finally over that. So I still enjoy sailing, but it's hard to imagine not having some sort of challenge. So what's next?

That's 35 years of day sailing. Lot's more out there. Pick up a book on cruising.

[stewie]

After my cruising days were over I took up flying and found it challenging and enjoyable to learn something new. My navigation yachting skills came in handy too, but it took a while to refer to port as left and starboard as right.Try it and see, it might be for you.

[jmschmidt]

Death

[barnakiel]

Climbing. Derivatives trading. Skyrunning. Apnea. RC. etc.

There are so many ways to entertain this bored brain.

Ah, yes, posting at CF ;-)

Do not worry, options are aheaps.

Cheers,
b.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I've completed several 100 mile races on beach cats. All the races were the Ft Walton Beach RTI Race.

We did two on a Nacra 6.0 in the 90's and I did 3 more singlehanded on a Nacra F-17 (Inter 17R back then) in the early 2000's

The 1997 race actually had 82 boats compete. We finished that 100 mile race at 7:30 pm after a 7:00 am start. I've also finished at 0300 the following day in some of the other races

Now days they have made that race a two day event since all the competitors have gotten old......the 1/2 way mark they use is just back inside Pensacola Pass at Ft Pickens where you can camp then complete the race the following day.

The Horn Island/Ship Island Races out of Ocean Springs are fun to do also on beach cats. I've probably done those 8X. These races are maybe 25-30 miles long I'd guess. Several guys have raced those on A-Cats. You actually go on the island and have beer and chicken for lunch.

The Horn Island Race used to feature an informal Beauty Pageant at the island to select that years Miss Horny Island..........!

A small/fast monohull may be the way to go though if you are age 60 plus......

I thought about mentioning this earlier, but now it seems fitting:
Bring Back the Worrell 1,000!!!