Age Of Cruisers

[Kai Nui]

SELL OUT! SELL OUT!!

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha All,

"After my last visit to the marina for a good dose of boat envy I was a little surprised at the age of people sailing their boats in and out of the harbor. Exactly how old is the average cruiser?"

I wonder if observing the apparent age of sailors just going in and out of the harbor would give you an idea of ages of cruisers. I think actual cruisers can extend over a very large age population but sailors extends over the whole.

??

JohnL

[slomotion]

The only part of paradise I know a little about is the Bahamas/ Caribbean . Maybe it’s different in other parts of the world, and obviously, you’ll find a wide variety of ages, lifestyles, and boats engaged in live-aboard cruising everywhere. But, it certainly ‘seems’ that the Georgetown survey is about right for the Bahamas/ Caribbean - currently, most active cruisers in this area are baby boomers, often retired.

The strange thing is that by all accounts, 15 or 20 years ago most cruisers were baby boomers - they were not necessarily the same people cruising today; they were 15 or 20 years younger than today’s crowd; and they were not officially retired. Also, the average boat was smaller and less well equipped. Maybe it takes a large population bulge to produce a significant number of cruisers, or maybe there’s something about baby boomers that makes cruising attractive to them; or maybe ...............

[rebel heart]

I'm 28, and my girlfriend is 27. It's a bit weird for us to get along with some of the other folks, because we're just not in the mindset of a 50 year old (anymore than we're in the mindset of an 18 year old). I marked us in the 30-39 category though, because by the time we leave, we'll be about that old.

[Dunkers]

Slomotion,

Your comment ties in with what I experienced in the Caribbean in the mid to late 80's and most cruisers were baby boomers. I "retired" in my late 30's to go cruising then, foolishly, went back to the rat race. Now, almost 20 years later I am planning, with my wife, to set off for blue seas and skies next year. This time I won't be going back to work!

[Weyalan]

I just turned 40, but Lisa is still a few years younger, so our average age still sneaks under the four-zero

[svTOTEM]

My wife and I sit on opposite sides of 40, though counting our kids puts our average age at 19. We leave in 08 for Mexico and then beyond.

[Alan Wheeler]

I wonder if it is because at the average of 35, many go through some sort of midlife crises. By the average of 40, most have worked out there is more to life than working and money.

[viking69]

being in the under 40 group myself i find only a few younger crusiers. i know a fair few that live on their boats and go to work at the mines and so forth but do not get out cruising as much as they would like and to be honest i am mainly in that group myself. But what does annoy me is the ones who go "Oh i wish i could do what you are doing" Well sell the house and just do it. Worked for me Now i can sit here typing this of one of the great bays in the whitsundays. Jeez wireless internet has come along way. Oh well time to get a cray for lunch.

[Kai Nui]

Looks like the 50+ crowd is gaining ground. The low 40 group is the first of the Gen Xers. 50's, baby boomers. Different generation, different priorities. I wonder if it is the stage in life (40-60) that allows us to cruise, or if it is the times in which we were raised that add that personality trait to make us adventurers. In our age group, we all grew up with Jacques Cousteau, Wild Kingdom, and other such shows about adventurers, and exotic places. Could that be the key?

[CSY Man]

Your comment ties in with what I experienced in the Caribbean in the mid to late 80's and most cruisers were baby boomers. I "retired" in my late 30's to go cruising then, foolishly, went back to the rat race. Now, almost 20 years later I am planning, with my wife, to set off for blue seas and skies next year. This time I won't be going back to work!

Yeah me too.

I was cruising the Caribe in the mid 80s, while I was in my late 20s.
Met quite a few like minded of the same age.
We were more of the vagabond mentality, like boat-hippies, than the present crowd in their luxurios, air-conditioned tubs with color radar and roller furling mains.

Nowadays folks bring electronic gizzmos you can watch movies on, or even play video games while crossing the gulf stream.
Guess plotting on paper charts and reading books are out of the question..?

Boredom sets in ultrafast in the electronic age.
Back then, and even now, I find it much more interesting to just sail, as in monitoring winds, current and sails while reading or day dreaming.

Uh, not stereo-typing or looking down any noses, just observing......

What is improtant is the water, the weather, the islands, the food, the drink and last but not least, the company....The boat is secondary and all of the above IMPORTANT factors remains the same whether yer ship cost $40,000 OR $400,000 or God Forbid $4. Million.
Guess folks are confused about that: They work hard, pay for big boats and expensive gizzmos just to make sure they won't be bored or hot or cold or something they are afraid of.
Guess the wife-factor is there as well: Wifey won't go cruising unless the boat has a washer and dryer and a plasma TV with a satelite antenna.

Back in the days the young girls couldn't care less. They were also a lot more fun cruising with than older women who are constantly complaining.

Aye, where have all the flowers gone?

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Back in the days the young girls couldn't care less. They were also a lot more fun cruising with than older women who are constantly complaining.

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Aye, where have all the flowers gone?

I've got one right here.

[NoTies]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Guess the wife-factor is there as well: Wifey won't go cruising unless the boat has a washer and dryer and a plasma TV with a satelite antenna.

Back in the days the young girls couldn't care less. They were also a lot more fun cruising with than older women who are constantly complaining.

Aye, where have all the flowers gone?

Sue would up & leave me if I had any fancy toys like that. Guess I'm lucky, our biggest "nice to have" expense before we head off to the Islands next year is having another bookshelf made.

[otgadventures]

Well from what we've seen, there are two age groups out there. The 25-30's in their first boat trying to do it on the cheap because that's the ONLY way they can do it, and the other group is the Boomers, of which we're now officially in the AARP group....55+

BUT we're all young at heart.

[PBzeer]

I think, for those who want to cruise, it isn't at what age, but at what point they are able to cast off the docklines and do it. I'll be 58 this summer, but would have left sooner if I'd been able to.

Currently at 27 28 07 N 80 19 40 W