POLL: So what is the age here? MERGED

[keepondancin]

66 here. Started at age 6, stopped in teenage years, found girls and motorcycles. Married at an early age. Young wife, small child, rented a Hobie, and created 2 more addicts. Started sailing again, a progression of just a little bit bigger boats. Went cruising for 10 years at age 42, wife and I. At that time, either young people, retirees, or successfull dot-com-er's where in the anchorages. The latter "got into sailing",bought a boat, hired a captain, crossed the Stream, and off they went. No, or very little internet, GPS was new. Had to earn some money to make up for not earning money, just lost wife, decided to keep sailing. Knees, heart, (other than broken), back and brain (maybe), still good. I think sailing is in a serious down turn, in this age of quick, faster and overnight.

[oldragbaggers]

So sorry for your loss, keepondancin. I am sure sailing was sweeter with your other half. I'm glad you've decided to keep going. It may not cure the broken heart, but it's good for the soul.

[Roadcruiser1]

I may be 20 years old, but I love the ocean. Since I grew up around it (New York City) I naturally take to the water. To me the smell of seawater is heaven. I would love to sail, and someday circumnavigate the globe, but being that I am so young, and in school I can't do it. Even if I learned to sail I won't have the resources to get, marina, and maintain the boat. However I really want to. Learning how to drive a car, and fly a plane is also in my dreams, but they aren't as powerful as me wanting to sail. I think it's really pathetic the one boat I have been on is the Staten Island Ferry. I have some friends that have the same dreams as I do. It's too bad that I can't do it yet.........

[lifeofreilly57]

I've been on the water since I have memories, in one way or another, either on it or in it. Had boats since I was 9, until my mid 20's, family, house, etc, etc, then back into it again in my late 20's with a family sailboat, the continously since then.
Mixed in with motorcycles as another lifetime passion, I've found that most of my motorcycle compadres adapted readily to sailboats, it's a 3D thing.
One thing I've found though is that the younger, under 30 generation are not into the outdoors as much as my generation, this is across the board, skiing, motorcycles, sailing, backwoods hiking, etc, etc. All the organizations I've been involved with both past and present related to actual outdoor and challenging pursuits are seeing declining interest, and like most are looking for ways to bring in new recruits. God knows I've done my part to expose people to it. Not sure where it's going, I do know that many of the younger individuals I've exposed to the pursuit had no idea previously. Lack of marketing? Too much interest in bad reality shows?
I'm not too comfortable with the thought of aging baby boomers being the mainstay of the sport/ lifestyle, it needs fresh blood and ideas.

[oldragbaggers]

lifeoreilly57, you are so right. Our other interest, besides traveling by water, is traveling by land and especially to bicycle rail trails and other interesting paths. We love road trips but hate hotels, always preferring to be outdoors whenever possible. To that end we built a little teardrop camper as a support vehicle for our travels. A lot of people are building these as they can be towed by very light vehicles and are great do-it-yourself projects. After we completed our trailer we got very actively involved in a national group called Tearjerkers and we are finding out that at the state park and other campgrounds the demographic seems to be the same as what you are finding in the anchorages. We have a couple of younger couples in our group, but for the most part it is 50+, and a lot of retirees. We're hiking, biking, kayaking and having a great time around the campfire. Wondering what the young folks are doing??

[Showsea]

41 and Having Fun!

[Orchidius]

I'm 22 with my own 29ft steel classic. In one or two years she will be fully refitted/renovated and equipped for a one or two year Atlantic circumnavigation.

This won't be my first "adventurous" undertaking, and if I've learned one thing along the way it would be that pretty much anything you can think of is possible up to a certain extent if you believe in it, are determined, willing to put the hours into it and make some sacrefices.

I wait tables and apart from rent etc don't really spend that much (yet I don't miss anything). To keep boat costs down I spend one or two days a week at the boat and a few hours a day at home learning about and doing anything involved in boat restoration. I find it fun, educational and it saves a ton of money!

[Orchidius]

Regarding the lack of younger people in many of those activities I can only say I feel that many of my peers seem to lack the determination or willpower to seriously get involved in something that can be demanding in any way. Be it physically, mentally or just the sacrifices required. That and being a bit scared of what they don't know (much about).

Sure it can all be quite daunting, but all the magic happens outside of your comfort zone .

Luckily there are many, many youngsters that don't fall under this category. Let's hope they can be an inspiration to others .

[captainbri]

Have you taken in to account all of the childish comments

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