retirement

[JMaav]

For me, at 66 retiring, The-same kind of decision has been based around the following ‘priorities’: safety, comfort, speed, water depth required, ease of maintenance (Which includes both availability of parts and ease of substituting or manufacturing a replacement). I have tried out (bought, leased) three boats, and looked hard at about 22 (hard includes a cruise)… I have settled on one I did not expect to at first, A J-Boats J-112e has fit my bill and is coming my way soon. The only restriction I have placed on my self in selecting this boat is that it draws almost 7 feet… And I was hoping for five or less… But I have decided with all the other factors covered, that this is something I can work around in my plan for travels. More to follow… But I recommend basically making up a list of goals, reviewing as many boats as you can, checking off the pros and cons of each… And then digging into what would happen in each location you plan to cruise if something went wrong with the particular model about which you were starting to settle on. It answers a lot of questions very quickly and helps reduce your focus.

[sailian89]

Their book is a quick read and very helpful
Www.twocansail.com
All about defining your cruising style and selecting the right boat

[thomm225]

Best advice for you would probably be to ship your 27' Fantasia to a marina along the Chesapeake Bay. (or buy something similar here)

The Southern part being the best since it's the toughest to sail.

https://cobbsmarina.com/

Sail and live there for a couple years living on and off the boat and learn.

Errrr............

Wait.

What I buy and why?

Nothing if I were you because I wouldn't know enough yet about sailing in coastal waters. (You are living in Jefferson City, MO so you simply aren't ready yet)

I would do the above.

[Captain Graham]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

This is an approach not nearly enough people think about. So they end up struggling to find anchorages for their bluewater boat in the shallow waters of Florida or the Bahamas.

Most long term sailors have owned a few sailboats over their lifetime.
In my case I have owned 6 different sailboats.
Each one was perfect for what I wanted at the time but life changes and what I wanted in a sailboat changes.

Just wanted the OP to think about how his current wants in a sailboat will most likely change.

[captstu]

I retired at 58, took about 1/2 my savings and purchased a new Voyage 43 in Cape Town, SA. Even with significant sailing experience (USCG Masters/sailing endorsement, plus ASA instructor ticket), I still took 4 months in South Africa to commission the new boat and learn to sail her.

Commission, touring SA, and learning complete, 3 other experienced sailors (married to one, also USCG Master) and I sailed her from S.A. to the Caribbean. The trip was a life memory - second only to the birth of my kids.

Well, my wife left for a guy with a bigger boat and nicer car.

I downsized to a Gemini, did several coastal and Bahamas trips and downsized again to a Ranger Tug. Now I have a 16' Jet.

So, the answer: Companionship is probably more important than the actual boat - but the Voyage was so good, it is close.

Have a plan. My Father told me at 11 that if I saved part of each paycheck, I could do whatever I wanted. 10% of EVER paycheck went toward the Vouage fund. It was worth it.

20 years have passed - after my wife left for a large cabin cruises, I've been sort of adrift. My plan was to sail my Voyage as my health permitted - I'd still be sailing after 20 years - and eventually dock her someplace and wait to die happy.

Well, that didn't happen. I am now in a travel trailer on Lake Buchanan near my kids - happy, but not on plan.

I don't know the lesson. And, most likely, whatever you plan won't happen as you planned it.

So, walk the docks, look at boats, and fall in love as I did with the Voyage. Learn as much as you can - I had to rebuild both engines after 5000+ hours and considered it part of the adventure.

Think about what you will do when your plans fall outside your control and a life changing event collapses your world.

Good luck - while it won't work out as you had planned or hoped, you will feel better for living your dream than you might have if you just sat in your warm, safe home and waited 25 years for the result.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by captstu

I retired at 58, took about 1/2 my savings and purchased a new Voyage 43 in Cape Town, SA. Even with significant sailing experience (USCG Masters/sailing endorsement, plus ASA instructor ticket), I still took 4 months in South Africa to commission the new boat and learn to sail her.

Commission, touring SA, and learning complete, 3 other experienced sailors (married to one, also USCG Master) and I sailed her from S.A. to the Caribbean. The trip was a life memory - second only to the birth of my kids.

Well, my wife left for a guy with a bigger boat and nicer car.

I downsized to a Gemini, did several coastal and Bahamas trips and downsized again to a Ranger Tug. Now I have a 16' Jet.

So, the answer: Companionship is probably more important than the actual boat - but the Voyage was so good, it is close.

Have a plan. My Father told me at 11 that if I saved part of each paycheck, I could do whatever I wanted. 10% of EVER paycheck went toward the Vouage fund. It was worth it.

20 years have passed - after my wife left for a large cabin cruises, I've been sort of adrift. My plan was to sail my Voyage as my health permitted - I'd still be sailing after 20 years - and eventually dock her someplace and wait to die happy.

Well, that didn't happen. I am now in a travel trailer on Lake Buchanan near my kids - happy, but not on plan.

I don't know the lesson. And, most likely, whatever you plan won't happen as you planned it.

So, walk the docks, look at boats, and fall in love as I did with the Voyage. Learn as much as you can - I had to rebuild both engines after 5000+ hours and considered it part of the adventure.

Think about what you will do when your plans fall outside your control and a life changing event collapses your world.

Good luck - while it won't work out as you had planned or hoped, you will feel better for living your dream than you might have if you just sat in your warm, safe home and waited 25 years for the result.

If there were a "best post in this thread" award, I'd give it to you.

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by captstu

I am now in a travel trailer on Lake Buchanan near my kids - happy, but not on plan.

I don't have plans, I have vague intentions.

[MicHughV]

I've seen countless people...old and young, untie the dock lines to begin their "dream voyage", being totally unaware that the minute you untie your last dock lines, all plans will change. The reasons are many and varied, but the bottom line is that most "dream voyages" don't last very long. Some fade within a week.

Reality is a great equalizer.

A succesful cruise requires experience, and experience is usually only gained by going to the College of Hard Knocks. For some the curriculum is 6 months, for others it might by years, and many opt out.

In the same breath, I have met round-the-world cruisers, who have managed to accomplish much with very little. Their trip thru' the College of Hard Knocks being very successful.

It takes a determined effort with plenty of "gung ho" spirit, to climb back on the horse sometimes.

[Jdege]

I'm only determined to get on the boat and to go wherever seems interesting at the time.

[outbound_308]

Thanks everyone for their great posts. This was more of what I was asking, just hearing your stories and what worked for you and what didn't, I think there is a ton of knowledge there and I think I and most others really enjoy reading about your plans and experiences.

some observations:
we used to have a saying in the infantry, that you must have a plan but that's only good till the first bullet flies. After that you better be able to adjust your plan to still accomplish your goal. As with all things and life and especially my retirement plans I expect to be flexible and adaptable as a requirement.

On experience, Understanding that lake sailing and chartering in the BVI are not the same as the move aboard, I absolutely agree and have looked at (and mentioned) that I will probably crew and paid crew 59 degrees north was mentioned as well as the swan program offered by sailing OPO. While I agree that these things are necessary to develop skills, I find the hardest skills for most people to learn when doing something new is the decision making process, and you really only learn that by doing it by yourself. As was mentioned in one of the posts you just can't get away from your time in the school of hard knocks.

On the numbers:
maybe I should have been more clear but I didn't think it was that complicated. If you had 250,000 in income.

I should have also specified
no debt
and about 300,000 liquid to start.

More interested in the boat you would buy for yourself and why, rather than what you think I should buy, though I think I would like to keep it under 400,000

The rest are expenses we would all have in this situation and are assumed, so no need to go down a rabbit hole. Taxes, health insurance etc that everyone has at this age have been accounted for.

[PaulCrawhorn]

Start small for learning, cheap is good, or maybe a "cult classic" that will minimally depreciate.

You will likely change boats 3+ times in the first few thousand hours, and continue to do so less frequently after the 10,000 hour mark.

So don't waste resources (TIME) trying to get "the" right one in early days

Priority One - just GET OUT THERE ASAP

on the water, accumulating hard knocks efficiently

Life is short

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by PaulCrawhorn

Start small for learning, cheap is good, or maybe a "cult classic" that will minimally depreciate.

You will likely change boats 3+ times in the first few thousand hours, and continue to do so less frequently after the 10,000 hour mark.

So don't waste resources (TIME) trying to get "the" right one in early days

Priority One - just GET OUT THERE ASAP

on the water, accumulating hard knocks efficiently

Life is short

But that's the hardest part!!!

[outbound_308]

That was the point in having my 27. I get to learn about maintenance, redid the wiring on her and, added and in boom reefing system etc.

Have to sail where I can, as much as I can. Race a few times a month, sometimes I leave my boat at home and just crew with the more experienced guys. Try to hit the bvi at least once a year for charter.

Always flexible, just want to get out there and go see interesting places no set plans. if sailing gets to be to much as I age, I'm not opposed to considering a trawler. Though that seems to be a matter of just staying healthy. lots of people out there still sailing well into their seventies.

for the go now crowd that's just not the place I am right now. I didn't even know this was possible until later in life. I mean my dad lived on sailboats but that was before us kids came along. I'm going to retire early in about 5 years so I figure that gives me time to have a five year plan. Honestly it would have been better to just take off in my twenties but that's not where I'm at so here we are and we will just deal with my current reality. But thank you.

[NavyDave_andMe]

Originally Posted by mikecambrai

Retire now and get sailing even if it is only around the LOOP. Getting rid of the stress of working and starting a new life will alter your whole world for the better. I did it at 55 with very little savings and cruised the inland waterways of Europe making many new friends and having many geriatric adventures.
It is easy to top up your income with the occasional work, but as long as you have no mortgage then your expenses will lower significantly.

Thanks, Mike, for this positive push! I definitely don't want to be an armchair sailor. "Geriatric adventures" - love it. Interesting how so many posts point to the fact that the OP, with a huge budget, should plan carefully. Seems like two very different perspectives: get out there now vs. get out there in "x" years.

Originally Posted by Kintala

You said you wanted to know what we would do if we were in your situation with your income? I would buy a piece of property in the Bahamas and spend the rest of my life going back and forth for cruising season and H season. I could spend an entire lifetime there and be perfectly happy.

This plan gets my vote!

--Cheryl

[PaulCrawhorn]

Aha, sorry had the impression the time was nigh.

Personally, I'd get a short sabbatical going on the cheap sooner, say within the year, long enough to see if I truly wanted that as my goal.

I've known so many fellows that dropped dead very shortly after "retiring" that, even if I stopped earning any income for decades, I'm superstitious about the whole concept of declaring that I've sworn off "working" completely.

$250K income is certainly not "required" to make it work.