POLL: So what is the age here? MERGED

[sailorboy1]

some of those stats creeped me out that they know, makes me wonder how paranoid people can even use the internet

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Just for interests sake...when we started cruising in the 80"s the average age of the people we met were in their 30-40's, much younger crowd than today. Also very very few people back them in their 60's.

I noticed the same thing. The baby boomers dominated the anchorages in the 80s and they were in their 30s and had kids. They still dominate the anchorages and the demographics but they are grandparents with grand kids a long way away.

They will start dying in another decade or so and there will be a glut of boats.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

I noticed the same thing. The baby boomers dominated the anchorages in the 80s and they were in their 30s and had kids. They still dominate the anchorages and the demographics but they are grandparents with grand kids a long way away.

They will start dying in another decade or so and there will be a glut of boats.

Is there any actual data to support this Jim/Robert? I'm not doubting you, but personal perspectives usually suffer from self-selecting bias. If this really is the case, then it begs the question: why? What's going on? I suspect the answer relates to the economic squeeze the middle class has faced since the mid-1970s, but maybe there's something else at play (like the shift to different kinds of play).

[Hudson Force]

I've been sailing since 1957, but I try to keep up with technology. My son-in-law was suggesting that I teather a mobile device, but I'm not sure it it's safe to put wrist straps on a walker!

[mikeguyver]

30/33......sounds better that way.

[bill good]

I used to prefer the older woman but saidly there are now none about

[Catalpa1]

Wife and I both 34 and cruising with our 7yo son and 16 month old daughter.

[BandB]

Hubby 43, Wifey 34

[Wonderinlost]

I've been told I'm 31. Can't find the rings to count nor correct papers saying I was born or hatched.

If there's a poll I don't see a way throu the mobile app to vote.

Just wondering around with no destionation to be had.

[Oregon Waterman]

Wow, it all makes sense now.

[atoll]

how old do you need to be to post on CF?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Is there any actual data to support this Jim/Robert? I'm not doubting you, but personal perspectives usually suffer from self-selecting bias. If this really is the case, then it begs the question: why? What's going on? I suspect the answer relates to the economic squeeze the middle class has faced since the mid-1970s, but maybe there's something else at play (like the shift to different kinds of play).

Mike, I have a theory that our situation might explain this.

Twenty years ago, couples with our kind of income would have considered buying a beach house or holiday home of some sort. But now, holdiay houses have become prohibitively expensive, partly due to the shift in distribution of income but mostly (in Australia) because of self funded retirees buying up the available properties and flocking to the nice bits of Oz.

So, I suspect we might be the start of a new wave of people buying boats as a kind of cheap holiday house. And before anyone points out the obvious flaw in THAT logic (Boat = cheap?) I have crunched the numbers and its a no brainer for us. Even IF we were to buy a holiday house and have it appreciate in value on par with recent trend in Australia, the cost of servicing the debt would negate all capital gain, and far outweigh the cost of keeping an older boat on a pen near home. As much as I grumble about the costs involved (factor in $8K per year to keep the boat, floating, serviceable and insured, in a pen, in a yacht club), it's nothing to the cost and risks of buying a mediocre holiday house in South Australia for around $300K and servicing the associated costs.

Matt

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by GILow

Twenty years ago, couples with our kind of income would have considered buying a beach house or holiday home of some sort. But now, holdiay houses have become prohibitively expensive, partly due to the shift in distribution of income but mostly (in Australia) because of self funded retirees buying up the available properties and flocking to the nice bits of Oz.

So, I suspect we might be the start of a new wave of people buying boats as a kind of cheap holiday house.

Interesting observations Matt. So is/was there the same kind of drop off in younger people buying into sailboats and going cruising over in Oz that Robert, Jim and others have observed over here in NA? For that matter, how does Europe look in this comparison. Have we seen the same kind of demographic shift? It seems clear that over here the economics have certainly made it harder for younger people to get into a cruising lifestyle (hence the ongoing glut of good older boats).

BTW, i hope this isn't considered too much of a drift. Seems to me the poll speaks for itself. I'm hoping we continue to collect the data. But the "why" behind it all is surely the more interesting question.

[sailorboy1]

My age has nothing to do with me, just a result of someone else's actions.

But the why I started sailing at a given age does. I started sailing at 47 and it was only as a planned way to travel more when older. At the time it was for retirement, but has now turned into an early out plan and I'm aiming at 55/56. And while I don't plan to be in the "cheap" cruising group I don't feel a land based retirement in the US would be possible with the funds of the cruising plan so would need to work at least another 7 years.

[bigjer40]

39 years