Why do cruisers quit cruising?

[Cheyne]

We can't be in a place without internet. We both work full time remotely. We can move while working, but that is because we both are sitting in meetings via Starlink. Our first year in the Bahamas we ended up having to go on vacation for a month and leave when it was over because cell coverage was so bad. Starlink was huge for us last year. We did 4 months in the Bahamas last year and 5 months this year.

Also I could really careless how it was back in the day. Small boats suck also. Our 38ft Lagoon is way to small for us after 5 years. We are selling it to get a bigger boat. Something in the 50 to mid 50ft range. We may also look at motor yachts in the 60ft range. Sailing is my wife's thing. For the most part I don't care for it. I would rather just get somewhere. If everything is perfect I will put up the sails. If not motoring is just fine by me.

Cheyne

[Kettlewell]

People get bored without their internet which can affect them while cruising.

It's funny, but I don't think I have ever spoken to anyone who said cruising is boring. I'm sure they are out there, but I think it is way down the list of why people quit cruising.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

It's funny, but I don't think I have ever spoken to anyone who said cruising is boring. I'm sure they are out there, but I think it is way down the list of why people quit cruising.

Yeah... I really don't get this. I can understand people needing Internet access if you're needing to work, but if cruising life isn't engaging to you, then why are you out here?

"What do you do all day? Don't you get bored?" are questions only asked by non-cruisers.

[Rohan]

Originally Posted by HadIt

I went in to ask WTF and the manager said I was trying to sneak a dingy in on them and that I was to leave an never come back and if I did I would be trespassed. I told her I went in and talked to her staff and dock manager, offered to buy fuel for the big boat but they ladies (one of whom was right there) wouldn't acknowledge what I said and I was accused by the manager of lying and told to leave. She said that their dingy dock fee was $20/hour; that was not posted and was never mentioned or I would have begrudgingly paid it so we could go. There here were no signs about not using the dinghy dock. Just a little taste of hospitality. I would NEVER treat a potential customer like that; I think they are fully insane.

What a nightmare! I hope you left an accurate review.

I haven't started the cruising lifestyle yet - so stories like yours serve as a cautionary tale.

I do think if you are retiring very soon you would have much more time for maintenance and then, in a more friendly area, you can start again. Generally I have found this area (Potomac/Chesapeake Bay) exceptionally friendly and helpful, but cruising here is not an option in the wintertime.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

It's funny, but I don't think I have ever spoken to anyone who said cruising is boring. I'm sure they are out there, but I think it is way down the list of why people quit cruising.

That's funny because Poster Hadit just said a few posts earlier that his wife gets bored while cruising.

If you are someone that likes to play around with stuff or work on things that really don't need to be worked on, the cruising life is definitely for you.

Or if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.

For those of us that has jobs where we are really busy, plus homes and boats to maintain, vehicles, etc. when you sail off and anchor, things are quite slow and somewhat boring especially after a day or so.

My hope is after I retire and life is slow anyway, cruising may not seem to be such a slow way of life.

We have 15 simulators here to maintain each with 60 and 400 HZ power, large UPS units, and several 100 computers, I/O units, Projectors, Graphics Processors, Hydraulic Actuators etc., Control Loading Units for the Flight Sims that we maintain so we are quite busy much of the time.

The UPS Units have from 24 to 72 twelve volt batteries.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Yeah... I really don't get this. I can understand people needing Internet access if you're needing to work, but if cruising life isn't engaging to you, then why are you out here?

"What do you do all day? Don't you get bored?" are questions only asked by non-cruisers.

It does seem strange that people can sit at anchor for days on end doing very little.

I guess some of us just always need problems to solve or something to accomplish each day.

When I cruise locally which means normally sailing North 30 to 80 miles and anchoring, it's quite different than being here near all the cities with around 1.8 million people.

Photos are from an anchorage about 55 miles or so North. One day's sail when leaving my marina in the afternoon.

If I get to my destination late say near midnight, I may stay at anchor the entire next day before heading out but usually I'm back sailing again an hour or so after daybreak.

I don't sleep much the first few nights either. It usually takes me 5 days to adjust to sleeping on the boat but by then I have to be back for work most of the times.

Maybe when I have more time after I retire it will be better. I've been waiting until I'm older to retire so I'm moving slower then it may work for cruising. I doubt I'll work past 70.

I plan to sail down to Morehead City where I used to live which is about 225 or so miles away as a first cruise.

Biggest problem is that I mainly raced sailboats (beach cats with spinnakers) for the first 15 years I sailed so cruising on a slow boat is very different, and it takes a while to adjust to not constantly being in race mode for 2-20 hours at a time and sailing at speeds under 15 -20 knots.

I've been adjusting now since I bought this boat in 2011.

I have found that maintaining and experimenting with solar systems and building a chart plotter with a Raspberry Pi Computer were fun experiences.

Plus anchoring early and catching fish for dinner.

Hiking the trails when anchored at Kiptopeke, etc. Also photos anchored at Kiptopeke.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?v...=0&vt=0&sim=11

[Kettlewell]

I guess some of us just always need problems to solve or something to accomplish each day.

Cruising has that and much more. Weekending is a lot different than cruising. Head off to the Bahamas or someplace challenging like Maine, and you will be planning your day's trips, dealing with tides and currents, checking the weather reports, adjusting on the fly as the weather changes, figuring out where to anchor, getting ashore, finding your way into town or up a local mountain and back, fixing stuff on the boat, planning your next day's mini-voyage, watching the tropical weather and plotting out where you might need to go to hide, hiking to the store for groceries and carrying them back, preparing healthy food, etc. etc. We also write on our laptops. I've written many published articles onboard. And, yes, there are also quiet days were we stay aboard and read, watch the sunset, contemplate the night sky, and get great sleep. I sleep the best onboard. I'm sorry you find it boring, but I really don't meet cruisers who say that.

[ttex]

My dick head uncle used to always say that only boring people get bored.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Cruising has that and much more. Weekending is a lot different than cruising. Head off to the Bahamas or someplace challenging like Maine, and you will be planning your day's trips, dealing with tides and currents, checking the weather reports, adjusting on the fly as the weather changes, figuring out where to anchor, getting ashore, finding your way into town or up a local mountain and back, fixing stuff on the boat, planning your next day's mini-voyage, watching the tropical weather and plotting out where you might need to go to hide, hiking to the store for groceries and carrying them back, preparing healthy food, etc. etc. We also write on our laptops. I've written many published articles onboard. And, yes, there are also quiet days were we stay aboard and read, watch the sunset, contemplate the night sky, and get great sleep. I sleep the best onboard. I'm sorry you find it boring, but I really don't meet cruisers who say that.

Sounds like that takes about an hour or so.

That helps, but there are 24 hours in a day.

Those of us that run large maintenance contracts have to knock out things like that quickly then be ready for the day.

With 30-45 employees to deal with and 15 large simulators the above work list will be at least something to do on a cruise.

I'm thinking good books and hoping as I get older maybe I can nap in the afternoon so I can sail overnight easier.

Then maybe I can sail/cruise for a month or two at a time.

As far as boredom, I see it mention here on CF quite a lot.

Then there is the lack of physical activity.

I'd definitely gain weight if stuck on a boat for weeks or months at a time. That isn't healthy as you age especially.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by thomm225

It does seem strange that people can sit at anchor for days on end doing very little.

I guess some of us just always need problems to solve or something to accomplish each day.

This just illustrates that you've not gone cruising. Either that, or it's not a life for you.

I'm never bored because there's so much to do, even while sitting at the same anchorage for days, weeks, even months. There's always plenty to do. It might mean you have to be a bit more self-motivating than other lifestyles. It's not structured, or laid out for you. It's up to you.

As I say, it's not a life for everyone.

[Kettlewell]

Sounds like that takes about an hour or so.

You've obviously never done it. But, if you don't like it, don't do it. It's not for everyone.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This just illustrates that you've not gone cruising. Either that, or it's not a life for you.

I'm never bored because there's so much to do, even while sitting at the same anchorage for days, weeks, even months. There's always plenty to do. It might mean you have to be a bit more self-motivating than other lifestyles. It's not structured, or laid out for you. It's up to you.

As I say, it's not a life for everyone.

There's a lot to do at anchor?

Not sure what you mean by a lot to do at anchor or maybe you just do things a lot more slowly than I do.

Let's see anchor, warm up some food or fish.

Row ashore and hike or get supplies.

Read.

Drink.

Look at the scenery for a few minutes.

That's maybe 2-4 hours if you go about it very slowly.

Maybe I've been on boats and around the water too long.

I drove my first boat at age 6 or 7 on the Bay Side.

Fished with a man whose grass I cut at age 10-12 on Seaside for flounder.

Bought my own boat at age 16.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

You've obviously never done it. But, if you don't like it, don't do it. It's not for everyone.

I wouldn't spend much time doing those few things.

I know how folks work after hiring and supervising over 120 employees since 1995. (after being a Tech myself for 20 years).

Some work very slowly while others knock out things very fast.

Everyone is different which I try and get across to my supervisors when they don't like the work ethic or lack of production from some employees and want me to get rid of them.

[Mike OReilly]

Thomm, I think you're missing the point. And you don't seem willing to listen to others who have actual experience.

I don't think this life is for you. That's OK. It's not for everyone. Stick to day sailing, and short stints. Clearly you'll be happier that way.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Thomm, I think you're missing the point. And you don't seem willing to listen to others who have actual experience.

I don't think this life is for you. That's OK. It's not for everyone. Stick to day sailing, and short stints. Clearly you'll be happier that way.

I'm still working and running a site as project manager.

I'll try the long distance cruising thing when I retire which will be when I'm somewhere around 70 years old.

Cruising can't be much more boring than sitting around the house not working.

I do have to paint the outside of the house though after I retire. It's 2100 sq. ft. with 2 gables.

Plus, I plan to get a small Jon boat for fishing and exploring the Barrier Islands again.

I may also cruise South in Winter.

The house is an old drafty house in the country. I've been in cities for the last 50 years so retiring back to the country may not be the best since I don't hunt anymore. (And my ex is there!)

This is one reason I still cruise locally and am prepping the boat for cruising.

I'm replacing the rigging one piece at a time now, then will just need to add an AIS transponder.

I have AIS receive now going to my computer and chart plotter I built coming in via an RS485/NMEA0183 to USB adapter from my SH GX2200 VHF..

Video below is with the RPi running the plotter. (around 2020 or so) I'm using Windows 10 and a Laptop now for the chart plotter with the RPi's as backups. The HDTV is for TV only now, but can be used as a monitor if needed.

I'll get something like In-Reach before I cruise long distance though.

I just completed painting the bottom with 3 coats of ACT Interlux Ablative, and repainted the topside hull, deck, cockpit sole, and cabin sole.

Also replaced the backstay and left the old one attached as well. Added a chainplate. Lowers are next.

Replaced all shroud chainplates last year.

Replaced bolts on forestay chainplate.

Bought new main and jib last year. (Sail Warehouse/Rolly Tasker)

New main has three sets of reef points unlike the last main I had made in 2012 with one set.

Sails cost more than I paid for the boat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TOdSCDHb2s