The Importance of Going Cruising NOW!

[surfingminniwinni]

Oldsalt good onya Mate! Well Said.

[GordMay]

Jon:
Glad you’re ok.
Your self-description (“CLODS”) gave me my first chuckle of the morning - Thanks.

It's a wise man who lives with money in the bank.
it's a fool who dies that way.

[Liberty28]

Originally Posted by Jon D

Old Salt -- glad you are OK..

I agree with this statement as it's not about the boat... having a reasonable well found boat is all you need. The size, level of comfort etc is a personal decision.

However.. you need to also have your house in order, financial and medical.

I had been out cruising for the past couple of years and not really following this board, however I started lurking again this spring. The reason dropped off is was out cruising but..

This past winter while in the Bahamas had a MAJOR medical issue. Luckily we were at an island that had a nurse and an airstrip AND I HAD PROPER INSURANCE.

After some phone conversations I was medevaced back to the states [in less than 12 hours] and the docs did a major surgery and saved my life. If I had not gotten to a first line surgical center within 24 hrs or so we would not be having this conversation. If I did not have reasonable insurance I'm not sure I could have afforded the cure nor would have gotten to the level of medical care I need.

So my only caution is have your house in order. If you are 30 or so medical is probably not a big deal but as you get older more can go wrong [hopefully never does for you]. So understand while there are really great things to see and do out there, also risks exists not just those the sea bring.


p.s SSCA members will see the details of my experience in the bulletin within the next couple of months.

Totally agree. I grow tired of people professing the "go now" philosophy. At the very least, the "dream" must be tempered with the reality of the financial requirements of later life when employment is impossible and health fails.

I have subscribed to Thoreau's philosophies since I was a young man. Money and possessions mean absolutely nothing to me. But, having said that, my wife and I have a healthy bank account that will see us to the end. I'm currently refitting a little 28-foot cutter for our "second" cruising sojourn. In the mean time, I'm also supporting my father who resides in a nursing home with no income except for state-support. With little thought or planning for the future, life can be less than fulfilling.

Enuff of my drivel. Live your dreams and dream the good life. None of us are going to make it out of this alive!

Cheers,
Steve

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Liberty28

Totally agree. I grow tired of people professing the "go now" philosophy. At the very least, the "dream" must be tempered with the reality of the financial requirements of later life when employment is impossible and health fails...
... None of us are going to make it out of this alive!
Cheers,
Steve

Ah, sweet temperance.

As Lin Yutang said: "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”

Which does not propose to ignore the essentials.

[ssullivan]

I often chime in on these threads with the same thoughts you have, Steve.

I tried the "go now" thing. Doesn't work even a bit if you don't have a big pile of cash and a paid off boat.

We are (as we have always been) working on having that pile of cash and paid off boat in order to be able to cruise (which to me, means travel to various countries around the globe, living in them a while, and taking in the culture and language). Can't be done without a pile of cash due to the fees of importing your boat into each country, clearing customs, breakdowns, making your boat seaworthy for ocean passages, and a buck or two if you want to go ashore and find anything at all to do - instead of just looking at the country from anchor wishing you could participate.

I strongly feel you can't just "go now" unless you have everything in order financially. Health insurance (glad you're ok, Jon!!) is a good precaution too.

Originally Posted by Liberty28

Totally agree. I grow tired of people professing the "go now" philosophy. At the very least, the "dream" must be tempered with the reality of the financial requirements of later life when employment is impossible and health fails.

I have subscribed to Thoreau's philosophies since I was a young man. Money and possessions mean absolutely nothing to me. But, having said that, my wife and I have a healthy bank account that will see us to the end. I'm currently refitting a little 28-foot cutter for our "second" cruising sojourn. In the mean time, I'm also supporting my father who resides in a nursing home with no income except for state-support. With little thought or planning for the future, life can be less than fulfilling.

Enuff of my drivel. Live your dreams and dream the good life. None of us are going to make it out of this alive!

Cheers,
Steve

[cooper]

Hobby ? lifestyle ? temporary or permanent ? responsible ? .....Regrets. Life is short. You can "not go" because you are planning for the future. You need more time. What if you are never going to have the safety net of the future ? Your income will dictate that you will always be poor. I guess a personal choice. I would rather be in that crappy nursing home with vivid , wonderful dreams that come and go of the past than to have a comfortable last few years with the grand piano and well mannered staff. Regrets....the risk of a life that could have been or the comfort of a life that is...everybody's own choice. My experience, just very recently, talking to residents, is that ...I wish I had far outweighs, I am glad I am here.......

I do understand what you are saying, but Australia still (and I will fight for it ) a universal health system.


When we are young, we take risks. We take these risks because we dont have a concept of the possible ramifications. Our parents say...thats dangerous..
A twelve year old boy in my patch died tonight. He was riding his BMX bike. He was doing dirt jumps at the local park. I am sure his parents said...get off the internet and go and ride your bike. He was not being silly.

Life can be very short.....responsibility is a very personal thing.
I say this with a serious hope that you understand my intent.

[ssullivan]

Ahhh... reading about cooper's "grand piano" retirement home, I must clarify. Nothing wrong with washing up on some shore dead-broke when you are ready to check in. My wife and I have no qualms about that at all. In fact, that is the plan. Just to suffer those last couple years away until death after cruising. No problem there.

What I mean is that you can't "go now" if you have no money to "go now" and pay for all the truly expensive things involved in owning a boat and taking a boat from country to country.

I wanted to clarify this because there are a couple different types of things keeping people from "going now." If you can pay for the "going now" it works just fine. Some of us can't afford the "going now" OR the nursing home later. I was talking about paying for the actual cruising and all the enormous expenses that entails.

Felt the other post wasn't clear on that.

[cooper]

got it Sully...and I understand.....I guess what I a saying is that there is a few young people who I am in contact with who "are going to do it anyway" . Who are happy with their financial situations. Perhaps a whole lot less than you or I would live with. I would hate for them and this web site to create an impression that you need a $200K to go cruising. Sadly the cruising world could end up being the land of the grey nomad (as we here in Australia call them). Cashed up baby boomers. Lucky intelligent people. To give you an analogy, To do a land based circumnavigation of Australia requires nothing more than an old station wagon and an ability to be inventive. Our grey nomads do it with very large four wheel drives and caravans. The impression is created that, that is what you need. It is simply not the case if you are willing to take the risk of your old station wagon breaking down and at worst finding your way back home. I am not advocating irresponsible seaman ship. I do understand the costs..particularly the misunderstood costs...(harbour dues...crew bonds (legal or otherwise) cruising permits...local "taxes") and I think it wise of you to point this out. To that extent...."dudes....check where you are going before you get there"...(now they all hate me.... !!)

[Delezynski]

When I was about 30 I went to a company sponsered retirement plan. I learned a few things there. First I looked around and found that ALL of the people there were to old to do anything that would change what they had.


The second thing was the first thing that the presenter said, speaking financially wise, something like;
“If you live your life correctly and do everything right, the check for your funeral will bounce”.


I understand the back and forth about the “Go now” idea. I did not exactly follow it myself.. But I did go before a lot of others. I think that idea MUST be tempered by the other parts of the saying. As I first heard it, it was “Go small and go now”.


So, if you are waiting to get and outfit that 40 to 60 foot boat, STOP, get a smaller boat, outfit it better an go. The other part is, where are you going with that boat. If you don't have a circumnavigation in mind, you don't NEED all that much of a boat! Voss cruised in a canoe.


I have seen a number of people who sold out everything, bought a 40 + foot boat, spent years outfitting it. Then set off and got the crap scared out of them and QUIT. I doubt if they will ever recover more than 70% of the invested money and NONE of the time.


So, “GO small and GO now”. If it turns out that you like it, you can always move up in size. If you are young, you can come back and work. If you are older, you stand to loose a lot less money.


And I can tell you, the sunset/sunrise view from the deck of our 27 foot boat is ever bit as sweet as from a Princess cruise ship. And the view of the dolphins is MUCH sweeter!!!!!


Greg

[Morgan Paul]

So, “GO small and GO now”. If it turns out that you like it, you can always move up in size. If you are young, you can come back and work. If you are older, you stand to loose a lot less money.

Greg, this sounds like good sound advice. BTW nice web site.
I like that small table that stows up and out of the way.

Paul

[oldsalt_1942]

Words to ponder in regards to "Going NOW!"

"'I've always wanted to sail to the South Seas, but I can't afford it.' What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of 'security.' And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine--and before we know it our lives are gone.
"What does a man need--really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in--and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all--in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
"The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it the tomb is sealed."
Sterling Hayden
Wanderer

[oldsalt_1942]

And as true as Hayden's sentiments is this:

And the bright horizon calls! Many a thing will keep till the world's work is done, and youth is only a memory. When the old enchanter came to my door laden with dreams, I reached out with both hands. For I knew that he would not be lured with the gold that I might later offer, when age had come upon me.
Richard MacCullough
Viking's Wake

[gonesail]

we have no guarantee of tomorrow that is true. but when and if it comes we can predict a lot about what will come with it. either way: cheers and good luck to the folks who are going now.

[oldsalt_1942]

Been doing some subconscious rumination on the subject and realize there are certain kinds of boaters beyond blow boaters and consumers of dead dinosaurs.

There are people who love the idea of chucking it all and going cruising...when they have the right boat, the right insurance at the right price, etc. They're the ones who always have a "project" going whether on board or ashore that prevents them from actually casting off the lines and going. They read, and they dream, and they pontificate and they nurture the idea but know deep down that it's never really going to happen. And that's all right, in the end. Everyone needs a hobby and why not have one involving boats.

Then there are the lunatics amongst boaters who go out and see new places and repair broken things with inadequate parts and tools in exotic locations because the idea became an all-consuming compulsion.

It's not to say that one idea is good and the other bad. It is what it has to be for each individual.

[Delezynski]

Oldsalt,

You are SOOOOO CORRECT!

We were docked next to a guy who could not head out because he was having problems with his electrical system. The next year, he could not depart because he was having a problem with his head! I asked about a bucket, but was snubbed. That's all I remember because I stopped asking and his boat was still there when we departed.

As long as they are happy, thats GREAT by me.

The ones I feel bad about are people who spend years planning, selling out everything and heading out only to find out that the reality of cruising is something they don't like or can't live with! Or, the people who have a solid stated goal. Like a specific destination, and then don't make it. I am happy that they got the chance to go, but feel a bit sad that they stopped early!

So I see a big advantage to “go small, go now” as a test. After all, most of us do a “mockup” of an item before we drill into the boat, what's different with the act of cruising? Do a mockup on a small boat and see if it works first!

We are about 4 years now, we will see if it works for us???

Greg