Too Old to sail?

[KadeyKrogen38]

Sit around your house or sit while driving a trawler and you will die faster than when being active sailing your new boat.

[Gaia]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I'm 81 and still cruising full time. We don't drive the boat as hard as we used to, but still manage 3-4000 miles a year. The aches and pains will getcha on board or dirt dwelling... might as well suffer where you really wanna be!

Jim

Unusually I agree with all the posts and could have quoted many. We, on a junk rigged Gazelle called GAIA ,just completed a 23 yr long circumnavigation and are right this moment battling cold fronts in the Bahamas. I am 81. Helen a little younger. We still enjoy the freedom the boat gives us and would love to go around again as we passed through the Pacific too fast. Of course I must add that a junk rigged boat like ours makes the sailing simpler and easier. We need not be, nor are we, gorrilas to handle the sails and it is all done without winches. From the shelter of a see all the way around pilot house.

I might add as well that being able to swim every day is immeasurably beneficial to ones aches and pains and general health as is all the movement required on a sailboat. Stop moving and you will seize up.

jim

[ebsail]

I'm curretly 79 and on my 9th sailboat. The only problem is that my wife won't let me sail by myself. She said she didn't want to wait 7 years to collect my life insurance. Many younger people die suddenly. Go do whatever you want to now. You're young enough to do what you like for another 20 years

[Hardhead]

If the thought of doing it makes you excited, that's how old you really are.

Don't fall into the numbers trap. Too many good people have talked themselves out of things, based on voices in their head previously spoken by others, who do not know.

[Gaia]

i could have added that I am 81 today here in the protected anchorage of Royal Island on Eleutherra so if some one wants to wish me a happy birthday go right ahead (-:

Hope that does not qualify as stealing a thread but also hope that the OP makes a good decision, ie buys a sailboat, based on all these good posts. You can always buy a trawler when and if your body gives up on you and you need to roll around in a wheelchair. (-: Or if really desperate but not quite at the trawler stage of being desperate, buy a catamaran.

Jim

[Hardhead]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIM!! You are a testament to the real power of humankind. Spirit is everything.

[Fiftybucks]

Happy Birthday Jim, and we are headed to Eleutherra also. I will PM you when down near Royal Island.
I already have been looking at when and where to cross the Gulf Stream. Steal away!
I really have been inspired by these comments.

[Canarios]

Originally Posted by Fiftybucks

Urgent as purchase is slated for Feb 28th, 2019

My wife and I are set to purchase 38 foot sailboat in Annapolis, and plan to gradually move it down the coast to West coast FL in stages of 3 individual 3-4 week intervals 3-5 times over the next 12-18 months. Eventually around to west coast of FL, where to be determined.

I'm going to be 67,and in good health, feeling the normal morning stiffness. The boat that we are looking at is equipped with Roller Furling, Furling Main, electric windlass, and looks to be easily single handed if required. My wife can sail also. We have owned a smaller 27' sailboat for many years.

I see on this forum that some are selling their weather gear because they are 'hanging it up'.

Are we crazy at this age to get a sailboat and not the'Trawler' crowd?

I am 72, and I sailed my Lagoon 38 from Sweden to Gran Canaria this summer. You are never to old to sail is my policy, however somecday I understand I have to leave. My Wife is disabled with difficulties to move around on the boat. We had help when we needed to sail over night such as at the North Sea and from Portugal to Gran Canaria. Otherwise I handle everything by myself. Even sailing singlehanded with the spinnaker. A good advice is to look for a catamaran Laggon 380. We have had this boat for Eleven years no and we.love it. Good space easy to manoever and sail. Good luck.

[Tomoonifly]

I’m 67 also and ditto all the affirmative responses. I plan to start my sailing career next year.

[01kiwijohn]

Old? 67? Yerkidding?

[AZUS]

I'm retiring in a year because my 66-year-old wife wants to cruise for years while we still can. Our boat's in the Med, where we took it transatlantic when she was 64. Lot's of people older than her cruising in the Med.

The nice thing about extended cruising is that you don't need to rush around (as opposed to charters or weekend cruising). Take it your own pace, be safe, enjoy this time of your life. You'll know when it's time to do something different.

[Tayana42]

Happy Birthday Jim!!! You are an inspiration to us youngsters still in our 70s.

[Jimroda06]

74 and starting the loop in June out of Michigan, two knee replacements and getting real excited, must be the Vin Rouge!!! get out there and go for it.

[Fiftybucks]

We are flying to Annapolis on Monday and straight to the Broker for seatrial. If all meets our expectations, then survey will be arranged and is expected to go very very well. this is not a 'fixer upper project boat'. Contract is to close by Feb 28th... You that have responded to this have contributed to the decision to move forward. Frankly, this morning, Saturday, I was on Youtube searching for videos on sailing on the ICW and the Bahamas and after an hour of only 20 something year old experts with NO vids by seasoned sailors. I was increasingly concerned. In the middle of watching the 'swimming pigs of the Bahamas' my phone buzzed let me know someone had replied to my original post. Perhaps veterans don't have time to take and post all the videos as do people in their 20s. Yes I can row a dinghy, and kayak, and do 2 miles every day at 7000 ft elevation at our home in Idaho. Happy Birthday Jim!

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Fiftybucks

Urgent as purchase is slated for Feb 28th, 2019

My wife and I are set to purchase 38 foot sailboat in Annapolis, and plan to gradually move it down the coast to West coast FL in stages of 3 individual 3-4 week intervals 3-5 times over the next 12-18 months. Eventually around to west coast of FL, where to be determined.

I'm going to be 67,and in good health, feeling the normal morning stiffness. The boat that we are looking at is equipped with Roller Furling, Furling Main, electric windlass, and looks to be easily single handed if required. My wife can sail also. We have owned a smaller 27' sailboat for many years.

I see on this forum that some are selling their weather gear because they are 'hanging it up'.

Are we crazy at this age to get a sailboat and not the'Trawler' crowd?

When you reach retirement age,one of the perks is that you can motor as much as you like-to make up for physical things that may cause you more discomfort or annoyance than you like. If anyone complains about it,just motor on by in your sailboat & pay them no heed.
Check the engine out carefully. Make sure it has enough power to drive the boat at hull speed in headwinds that you may feel like encountering & that the fuel tank is large enough to take you farther than your body,mind & wife will ever want to go in one stretch.
Sailboats typically burn less fuel than trawler style boats,if that matters.


Plus-if the conditions are reasonable,you & crew feel like it, & any other variables that us retired people have earned-you can still sail Len