Why do so many people think cruising must be forever?

[letsgetsailing3]

It doesn't have to be forever, but it's a substantial investment of time and money.


So if you only do it for a year or two, it's pretty spendy.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I think Thomm is hinting at something that knocks quite a few people out of cruising (or boating in general). Certain things (such as going slow all the time) may sound good, but for some people, the reality of experiencing it isn't quite the same. Some people may like the lifestyle and the better parts of it, but can't handle the more challenging situations and get driven away by them. So it's not necessarily a bad idea to get exposure to some of those more challenging situations before diving in.

I was also very lucky to have gotten transferred back to the coast in my late 30's.

Before the transfer, my first step toward cruising was racing beach cats in Tennessee, Mississippi etc. with an occasional race on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

The plan being get a big boat (monohull for cruising) after retirement.

After I was transferred to Pensacola, it took me a few months to decide whether to buy a monohull or a more high tech beach cat and continue racing.

I came close to buying a Hunter 27 as my first monohull in 1996, but after speaking with a few brokers one of them said I have one question for you.

How much time do you have to sail?

I said weekends, holidays, and maybe on vacation if I take a whole week off from work which would be odd as I was the project manager.

So, he says you won't get far on a monohull on a weekend or a one week vacation.

So, after arriving in February mid 1990's I bought a Nacra 6.0 in September of that year trading in my oldest Hobie 16.

With the 6.0, I sailed a lot and was able to observe all the cruisers doing their thing and living that slow lifestyle.

At our prerace Skipper's meetings, I would be watching the cruisers anchored nearby as they slowly got their day underway.

After racing all day and at the awards ceremony, those cruisers would still be basically in the same spot.

I knew then that life wasn't for me at least not yet.

Now nearing 70 years old, I can see the benefits of a slower lifestyle which allows you not to be stuck in the country at home all the time especially during those long Winter months.

Winter though affects the places down South as well so where to go would be the question unless you sail below the equator in Winter.

Those years in the Mid 1990's through 2006 or so were very valuable as I got to see first hand folks that retired then started cruising with very little coastal sailing experience.

[thomm225]

Now that I have a cruising boat and have been sailing and cruising locally for 12 years plus, I have learned much more.

First, I had to overcome seasickness.

The monohulls have a strange motion compared to the smaller beach cats and power boats I have owned.

Also, the lower Chesapeake Bay has a mixture of ocean waves and Bay waves.

Second lesson was where to anchor.

I was lucky I didn't find myself on the beach in 45-55 degree temps at 1 am after heavy onshore winds caused my old CQR anchor to drag.

I was lucky like 5-10 times until I finally told myself to sail longer than I really wanted to for that more protected anchorage.

And it went from there with engines, batteries, solar, sails, anchors, etc.

The cruising combined things from my power boat days as a teenager and child with the beach cat ailing/racing.

I have maybe $15,000 invested over 12-13 years in this cruising thing while still working....which doesn't include the slip fee which started at $8/ft/month and is now $10/ft/month so is now $270/month. Insurance (liability) is $19/month.

Also, during this period I bought an older home which is where my ex is now. This is the place where we (my son, ex, and myself) will keep our stuff and/or live.

The best start to cruising could be simply to move to the coast, get an apartment and a small monohull and start sailing/cruising locally while you are still working.

If not cruising locally then racing locally. (as Skipper the soon as is possible)

[Shrew]

IMHO while there are many reasons to stop cruising, here are what I find to be the most common:

1) Health/Physical ability

2) Money

3) Family

4) Constant Repairs; Tired of things needing to be fixed all the time. (sometimes this is tied to 'Health/Physical ability, sometimes this is tied to 'Money')

5) Boredom

5) Major Damage/Repairs; engine replacement, beaching & salvage, severe storm damage (sometimes this is tied to 'Health/Physical ability, sometimes this is tied to 'Money')

[Shrew]

It would be naive to think any of us is going to die at the helm. Walk the docks of any marina, there are many retirees. There are very few truly elderly.

[Mike OReilly]

Well, like I said, my answer is, "I don't..." as in, I don't think cruising must be forever. I don't know anyone who says that. I the contrary has been stated on CF, I missed it.

Cruising is just another aspect of life. It's just another lifestyle. Few people are living the same lifestyle from birth till death, so why would anyone think the cruising lifestyle will be forever?

I chose (we chose) the cruising lifestyle because it allows us to live the way we currently desire. It's about simplicity, and freedom, exploration and learning. And it's about living lighter on this planet. These are our reasons, and NONE of them are specific to cruising.

There are lots of ways to achieve the same goals. For me, I expect to keep up this cruising lifestyle until something better comes along. Or possibly till we're forced to change due to other factors.

Point is, nothing last forever... and that's OK. There's no shame. You're not a "quitter" if you move on to something else. You're just human.

[Kettlewell]

Finally, there are those for whom it's in their blood. They've always owned boats, and always will. They might be full-time cruisers or weekend warriors. If you're not one of them, I can't explain it. If you are, I don't have to.

^^This is me.^^ From when I was a tiny baby my parents took me to the beach, and we have an ancient photo of me in a basket on my parents' wooden sailboat. I was always building model and toy boats when young, and I sketched boat designs endlessly. I still have the kids version of Kon Tiki I read in grade school. I read every single National Geographic article about Robin Lee Graham and Dove. I read every boating book in our local library, then rode my bicycle up to 30 miles away to other libraries to check out their books. Built my first sailboat out of an old aluminum skiff. Boats and water are where I feel good and right.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

^^This is me.^^ From when I was a tiny baby my parents took me to the beach, and we have an ancient photo of me in a basket on my parents' wooden sailboat. I was always building model and toy boats when young, and I sketched boat designs endlessly. I still have the kids version of Kon Tiki I read in grade school. I read every single National Geographic article about Robin Lee Graham and Dove. I read every boating book in our local library, then rode my bicycle up to 30 miles away to other libraries to check out their books. Built my first sailboat out of an old aluminum skiff. Boats and water are where I feel good and right.

Nobody is questioning the motivation to start. The scope of the thread is the catalyst that causes you to STOP.

All the want and will in the world will not help you when you need a walker.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

^^This is me.^^ From when I was a tiny baby my parents took me to the beach, and we have an ancient photo of me in a basket on my parents' wooden sailboat. I was always building model and toy boats when young, and I sketched boat designs endlessly. I still have the kids version of Kon Tiki I read in grade school. I read every single National Geographic article about Robin Lee Graham and Dove. I read every boating book in our local library, then rode my bicycle up to 30 miles away to other libraries to check out their books. Built my first sailboat out of an old aluminum skiff. Boats and water are where I feel good and right.

I have a similar beach experience as a child, but the book I read (okay I looked at the pictures) was a Donald Duck Golden Book.

The chipmunks borrowed Donald's Toy Sailboat to get some acorns that were in the middle of a lake.

As far as Robin Lee Graham and those National Geographics, I found all three for sale at a library in Tennessee in the 80's for 50 cents each and bought them.

Robin Graham's best book though was the one about what happened after he sailed Round the World.

He got a new car I believe with the sale of the boat or National Geographic money but wrecked it very soon after since he had never driven before even though he was 21 years old.

He tried college but dropped out.

He and Patti ended up moving to Montana of all places for a sailor and bought some land and built a cabin on it.

He would sailed offshore maybe one more time and that was it for him.

The movie is still on youtube with Ranger 23 as the Dove. Best thing about the movie though is any part with Deborah Raffin in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHuxntY4hIM

[blue-eyes]

Very interesting thread.

Originally Posted by Shrew

IMHO while there are many reasons to stop cruising, here are what I find to be the most common:

1) Health/Physical ability

2) Money

3) Family

4) Constant Repairs; Tired of things needing to be fixed all the time. (sometimes this is tied to 'Health/Physical ability, sometimes this is tied to 'Money')

I would put 1) lack of free time / longer vacations.

A 30 to 35 ft sailboat from the 80´s is fairly cheap.



But most people who have to work only have 1 month of vacation in Europe or 10-14 days in the USA.

The other 11 months you still have to pay all your maintenance, all while the sailboat is almost not getting any use those 11 months.

I love sailing and it´s really hard for me to accept this




For me the ideal compromise if you are in working age would be 3 months of vacation for sailing and 9 months of work to fill your pockets.

Having 3 months off instead of 1 allows you to "triple" the use of your boat all with more or less the same dock fees, maintenance, etc.

So the balance "boat expenses vs enjoyment" is much healthier.


A 4 day workweek is of no use because you need much more than 3 days to get far away on a sailboat.


Quite a lot of people are working 11 months a year but could live with 9/11 of their current income.

The problem with this 9 month working scheme is you completely **** your professional career/business.

That flexibility is extremelly hard to achieve.

Greetings from the other side of the pond

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by blue-eyes

I would put 1) lack of free time / longer vacations.

A 30 to 35 ft sailboat from the 80´s is fairly cheap.

But most people who have to work only have 1 month of vacation in Europe or 10-14 days in the USA.

The other 11 months you still have to pay all your maintenance, all while the sailboat is almost not getting any use those 11 months.

I love sailing and it´s really hard for me to accept this

For me the ideal compromise if you are in working age would be 3 months of vacation for sailing and 9 months of work to fill your pockets.

Having 3 months off instead of 1 allows you to "triple" the use of your boat all with more or less the same dock fees, maintenance, etc.

So the balance "boat expenses vs enjoyment" is much healthier.

A 4 day workweek is of no use because you need much more than 3 days to get far away on a sailboat.

Quite a lot of people are working 11 months a year but could live with 9/11 of their current income.

The problem with this 9 month working scheme is you completely **** your professional career/business.

That flexibility is extremely hard to achieve.

Greetings from the other side of the pond

It's different here on the Chesapeake Bay as far as getting far away.

I live in the Hampton Roads area population 1.8 Million.

I can be in an isolated anchorage in an unpopulated area in a 3-5 hour sail.

Or a 10 hour sail for even fewer people.

Or a one hour drive.

[Kettlewell]

It's different here on the Chesapeake Bay as far as getting far away.
I live in the Hampton Roads area population 1.8 Million.
I can be in an isolated anchorage in an unpopulated area in a 3-5 hours sail.
Or a 10 hour sail for even fewer people.
Or a one hour drive.

If you really like it and you really want to do it you can find ways to make it work, but it takes sacrifices just like everything worth doing. When I was working fulltime we were on the boat probably every weekend for the six-month sailing season, and I usually negotiated at least a 3-week vacation. In my career I often gave up greater pay for longer vacations. I also quit and went cruising for a few years several times, and took a leave of absence for another couple of years. You only live once! In New England too I can be at anchor within an hour of leaving my mooring, but 3-4 hours takes me to a really lovely anchorage, and 6-8hours takes me to an island I love. I've been cruising southern New England since 1980 and still love it, and even last year I went to some anchorages I had never done before. After you've been doing it awhile, things become easier and you use your brain instead of your brawn. I see quite a few people in the octogenarian class out cruising. Sure, they might not being rounding Cape Horn, but they're on the water enjoying it.

[blue-eyes]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I can be in an isolated anchorage in an unpopulated area in a 3-5 hour sail.

Or a 10 hour sail for even fewer people.

Or a one hour drive.

It´s hard to get the same feel of adventure with a 40 mile day sail than a biscay crossing but it is 1000 times better than going to the office in a luxury car.

I enjoy longer legs, 250-500 mile crossings, night summer sailing, etc.

Southern Ireland, western France, northern Spain, Madeira/Canaries, Azores etc.

For me there´s nothing worse about owning a sailboat than having it sit at the dock 11 months of the year.

The rest is easier to navigate if you follow the KISS principle

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by blue-eyes

It´s hard to get the same feel of adventure with a 40 mile day sail than a biscay crossing but it is 1000 times better than going to the office in a luxury car.

I enjoy longer legs, 250-500 mile crossings, night summer sailing, etc.

Southern Ireland, western France, northern Spain, Madeira/Canaries, Azores etc.

For me there´s nothing worse about owning a sailboat than having it sit at the dock 11 months of the year.

The rest is easier to navigate if you follow the KISS principle

A 250-500 mile crossing to me wouldn't be too enjoyable.

Stuck in a small space for a long period of time with very little to do would be mind numbing.

Better for some of us to have shorter hops then to be able to hike and explore at the end of the day or if on a 4-5 hour sail right after anchoring.

That way you have some variety in your day rather than just poking along on a sailboat for a few days to a week with nothing much happening.

Also, it's bad for your health especially if you are older. Older folks need to move not sit around all day.

[blue-eyes]

Originally Posted by thomm225

A 250-500 mile crossing to me wouldn't be too enjoyable.

Fair enough

Thing is on weekends you have to go back to the same port the day after. It is in fact not much more than 24 h on the way out, 24 h on the way back.

If you have 2 months off you can split those 300 mile crossings