What is something that really surprised you about sailing/boating/cruising?

[Chris Cringle]

I have two contrasting observations: one, I agree with Hal Roth that with cruising under sail, one lifetime is not enough to learn it all. And two, I was surprised by how easy it is.

[sniper393]

I am a long time lurker here and hope to join the cruising scene in a few years upon retiring. I read anything that catches my interest from the headlines in the emails.

This is my absolute favorite thread so far!
Thanks to all who shared their thoughts.

[philiosophy]

THE THING THAT SURPRISED ME MOST IN THE CRUISING LIFE.....
Before I retired and went away world cruising, I was the Belle of the Ball. A si gle man with sailboat....Better than having a Lamborghini. Girls love to go saili g or just come aboard for dinner. What more could a single man ask for. THEN....I did whatI said I would do...Go to Flattery andturn left until I was too old to do it anymore. Well, I did not have a partner but figured what the he'll...There would be just as many gals out there wanting this lovely cruising life as there was around Seattle wanting to go out for a day, a week, a month or what have you.....WRONG!!!!! Turned out very few women want to go cruising long term. I mean Damn few. After 13 years of cruising half way around the world I have had two lovely women sailing partners who sailed with me fort two years each. You can come to your own conclusions like...He mus5 Bea Captain Bly, a misfit, or just socially inept. Maybe...but I think the vast majority of women really wanta nest located permanently on Terra Firma. Many like to vacation for a few months on the ocean cruising. That's pretty much it...
Something to knowing it was a surprise. As for me...This is the life for me. I now accept it for what it is. A beautiful life enjoying the different cultures of the world, cruising slowly. With constantly changing crew and occasionally single handing a crossing.....

[Chotu]

Speaking in generalities, this is the absolute truth. Remember, there’s always an exception, so someone will come on here and say I’m wrong. That’s what people like to do. But, that is the vast majority of women. That wasn’t really a surprise to me. They don’t like to do any traveling as a life. They only like it for a short little diversion. They don’t like to make a life out of it.

But it sounds like you did a lot better with your boat as a single guy than I ever did. I remember back in college when my friends and I were stupid enough to think boats would get us girls. Ha ha. Nope. You have to bring your own.

Originally Posted by philiosophy

THE THING THAT SURPRISED ME MOST IN THE CRUISING LIFE.....
Before I retired and went away world cruising, I was the Belle of the Ball. A si gle man with sailboat....Better than having a Lamborghini. Girls love to go saili g or just come aboard for dinner. What more could a single man ask for. THEN....I did whatI said I would do...Go to Flattery andturn left until I was too old to do it anymore. Well, I did not have a partner but figured what the he'll...There would be just as many gals out there wanting this lovely cruising life as there was around Seattle wanting to go out for a day, a week, a month or what have you.....WRONG!!!!! Turned out very few women want to go cruising long term. I mean Damn few. After 13 years of cruising half way around the world I have had two lovely women sailing partners who sailed with me fort two years each. You can come to your own conclusions like...He mus5 Bea Captain Bly, a misfit, or just socially inept. Maybe...but I think the vast majority of women really wanta nest located permanently on Terra Firma. Many like to vacation for a few months on the ocean cruising. That's pretty much it...
Something to knowing it was a surprise. As for me...This is the life for me. I now accept it for what it is. A beautiful life enjoying the different cultures of the world, cruising slowly. With constantly changing crew and occasionally single handing a crossing.....

[ChrisJHC]

Originally Posted by Mike Stim

I'm surprised at boats I see in marinas that are not using a proper cleat hitch.

Given that much of the sailing world doesn’t like cleat hitches I’d be interested in knowing what a “proper” one is.
[emoji3]

[Rumrace]

Just when you’re focusing and walking on solid ground the phone rings and scares you.

[IamNabil]

Originally Posted by desertsailor

I was on my way to earning my private pilot's license when I stumbled onto sailing shortly after retirement. Fell in love with the freedom and exhilaration of being on the water. First exposure was an into to sailing class on one of Oregon's Lakes. When I started sailing on the open ocean the sense of freedom and exhilaration just waved over me, and I never looked back at any other type of endeavor. Gave up on flying planes.

It's funny, I am the opposite. I started sailing on a family friends' boat when I was 17, but didn't start flying until 32. Us sailors often joke about the high cost of boating, but I bought my Pearson to save money over flying.

The thing that surprises me most about sailing is how my family has responded to it. My wife, whom I expected to hate it, seems to really enjoy the challenge of it. My 7 year old daughter loves the idea of a giant swim platform, which is all she sees in the boat, and my 15 year old son hates sailing and everything that isn't hanging out on discord with his friends.

[unbusted67]

I was surprised by how little access you have to things by boat. Once you are ashore, you have no car so you are on foot for groceries, supplies and parts. Everything becomes very hard, inconvenient and expensive.

[Grith]

What surprised me was actually recently finding a lady who enjoyed cruising after my first mate (late life daughter) finished school and flew off the explore the world on her own. I feel for those who haven’t found a partner to sail with ( and would like one) as I find sharing my sailing so much more fun.
Perhaps staying inshore or inland doing basically day sails between beautiful destinations helps as distinct from long watches where you often barely see each other on sleep depriving watches?
Also having a yacht which can go right onto many shores means her passion for walking is also very accessible.
I surprises me how many cruisers dismiss this type of sailing/cruising as a way to get your sailing jollies whilst keeping your companion.

[thomm225]

So I have owned boats off and on for the last 50 years both power and sail, but this Bristol 27 is the first boat I have owned that you could stay on for a few days to a few months or more.

The biggest surprise for me is the need to be patient.

Sometimes you simply cannot just leave a place when you want.

This could be something like an exposed anchorage with heavy onshore breeze or just to much weather to make your normal sail or motor home trip.

It's been a big lesson.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Every other form of transport includes continuous links to the rest of the world. Once out of sight of land, the world contracts to the horizon around you, and is empty save waves and clouds.

Drive across south Texas some time.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by mojoman2

Starlink is still a future prospect for cruising sailors. They are just now applying to the FCC for the licensing in the US. They plan to market an RV model at competitive rates that you might be able to use in US waters. However, I read that the pricing for international offshore usage was going to be something like $1,000/mth.

We are currently cruising the United States and Canada. We use Verizon with their plan that covers both countries. We have a hot spot that is connected to a very high gain antenna. It has been a 90% or better solution. A friend of ours is sailing the US east coast and using a Starlink RV system. He says it works well for him. I know it is off-label and controversial, and I also know it is geofenced to the continental/coastal United States. But it does work!

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

For me it still amazes me now much stuff breaks. Something every day.

My father taught me that "while you are sleeping, your boat is breaking."

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by thomm225

So I have owned boats off and on for the last 50 years both power and sail, but this Bristol 27 is the first boat I have owned that you could stay on for a few days to a few months or more.

A friend of mine owns and single hands a Bristol 30. Last year, she started thinking about upgrading to a slightly larger and newer boat. Larger and newer wasn't an upgrade! She's fallen in love with her Bristol 30 again.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Drive across south Texas some time.

That was a big eye opener for me.

I'll never forget how everything changed as we drove through West Texas on the way to Yuma, AZ back in the day.

Lucky our 1975 Plymouth Duster held together for me at 22 and my wife at 18 years old.

Another lesson was gas for this vehicle. Here on the East Coats there are plenty of gas stations but at one point I looked at the gauge and it was under 1/4 of a tank.

All I could see ahead for miles or to the horizon were the telephone poles along the interstate.

Luckily just before running out of gas there was a sign that said GAS. This was about 7 - 8 pm.

I pulled off to this single pump station. Filled up and bought a 6 pack of Coors. Then paid thru the 2" thick glass window where there was a little hole