The Golden Years: Myth or Reality?

[rebel heart]

I'm probably one of the youngest people on this forum (34, which is saying something since I'm not exactly a spring chicken myself). For whatever it's worth I think the concept of "retirement" is completely different and it's honestly not even something that people in my generation think about. I and everyone else I know personally honestly feels that we'll be working some job forever; there's no option to just kick back and retire like "old people" do. Why not live somewhere cool, work part time doing something you enjoy, and hopefully have some savings to draw from as well?

I don't see that as a bad thing and honestly I think it's a nice view. You have to take care of yourself physically more because you know your body is going to be seeing action for a long time and you need to be able to work. You have to find ways of making money that makes you relatively happy because you're going to be doing it for a really long time.

Beyond that, voyaging around and all the psychology involved, I feel, is something they should do as early as possible. I've learned a lot about discipline and hard work. I've learned how nice a lot of people are, and I learned to see my family in a whole new way.

Putting the experience off till later in your life is a real shame.

[Jim Cate]

Golden Years???

Here's one persons view:

I can't see,
I can't pee.
I can't chew,
I can't screw.
My memory shrinks,
My hearing stinks.
No sense of smell,
I look like hell.
My body is drooping,
I have trouble pooping.
The golden years have come at last,
The golden years can kiss my ___!

At 74, following almost 26 years of full time cruising, I still love it out here. The above "poem" does NOT reflect my point of view, but, well, I gotta admit that we don't drive the boat as hard as we used to!

Cheers,

Jim

[avb3]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I'm probably one of the youngest people on this forum (34, which is saying something since I'm not exactly a spring chicken myself). For whatever it's worth I think the concept of "retirement" is completely different and it's honestly not even something that people in my generation think about. I and everyone else I know personally honestly feels that we'll be working some job forever; there's no option to just kick back and retire like "old people" do. Why not live somewhere cool, work part time doing something you enjoy, and hopefully have some savings to draw from as well?....

Interesting as my son is 33, and has his retirement all figured out when he turns 55. It helps that he is one of the last hires that qualified under a defined benefit pension at the company he works at. He definitely is planning on retiring at that age, although he may contract back to the company afterwards.

Everyone makes different choices; most are not wrong.

[capta]

For me it was "do it now"!
I got the opportunity to purchase a 50' boat at 22 & begin a 9.5 year circumnavigation. I thought I was having a lot more fun than all those "old" folks doing it with me in their "golden years"!
I was fortunate enough that my avocation became my profession & I spent the next 30 odd years as a professional captain; yachts (sail & motor), tugs, freighters, you name it.
Now I'm 65 and I know, for a fact, that all this was definitely more fun & easier then.
One really great thing is my girl; 24 years old, beautiful and a blast to be spending these last few years of sailing with.
I'm not sure why you asked, but I'd say go for it.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by avb3

Interesting as my son is 33, and has his retirement all figured out when he turns 55. It helps that he is one of the last hires that qualified under a defined benefit pension at the company he works at. He definitely is planning on retiring at that age, although he may contract back to the company afterwards.

Everyone makes different choices; most are not wrong.

I don't know anyone my age with a pension plan except for guys in the military. And even with a pension, there were pension funds that went broke in the last economic bust. Or inflation could kill it. Just way too hard to believe you can bank on anything except your abilities.

[sv Shearwater]

I find it interesting, the "fear of having find work when you are 70". Really? Can anyone give an example of someone who went cruising earlier in life (or just pursued a dream early in life) and then regretted it because they had to work later in life? I've never met such a person, but I've met many (in addition to the many posters here on this thread) that did it and are glad they did it when they could.

I have friends that are currently making their way across the South Pacific, in their late 30's, with 2 small children. Does anyone honestly believe they are going to look back on this experience when they are 70 and say, gee I wished we kept working back then instead of having the adventure of the lifetime? Seriously?

I worry about a lot of things (health, missing out, career moves, etc.), but being destitute when I am old is simply not one of them. I have the whole rest of my life to prevent that from happening and if I have the wherewithal to acquire a boat and go on a grand adventure in my younger years, I'm certain I'll have the wherewithal to get through the rest of my life when my cruising days are done (or decrease, they may never be done).

Waiting until the Golden Years, is to me, one the riskiest decisions a person can make. So many things can happen that are out of your control.

As the saying goes, "Nobody ever said, while laying on their deathbed, I wish I'd worked more."

[TomandAnitas34]

I've never seen a plan that could survive 15 years without a major revision or three, rendering it unrecognizable from it's original form. I'm setting up the cruise complete with an exit plan. I do not have exact details worked out, because you can never be sure how things will change. I have four pensions, two from companies that went bankrupt with pensions turned over to the government pension guarantee corporation, one from a utility which I expect will stay solvent, and SS. Three out of four from a government which is 16 trillion in debt. Not good. I will be able to exit when the checks stop or the hyper inflation renders the checks worthless. That means I go ASAP while I can. While any major health issue will " sink " the plan, now days major health issues will sink ANY plan. Money wise, we all have dark days ahead. I'm wise enough not to sell all my assets to invest in a boat I might not be able to give away, later. I'm flexible enough to be able to move to anywhere I can find work and a low cost of living. I have no idea what kind of world and what kinds of challenges we may be facing in ten years when I plan to get back on land. I'm in fairly good shape for 58. In 3 1/2 years I go.
I'll tell you what. I'm not sure I understand the concept of golden years. All my years, sweet and sad, have been golden. I love life and I love my life. All of it. I've learned many things, become modestly wise, and learned how to be mostly free. Sailing is, in this context, simply a choice. It affirms nothing. Riding a Harley, living on a mountain top, sailing off into the sunset are romantic visions. You want to live cheap ? Backpacking puts sailing to shame. You want a challenge ? Grow enough food on a 3/4 acre garden to feed yourself for a year. I guess my point is that, being the person you want to be is what gives all endeavors value. I've been told that cruising is simply boat repair in exotic places without access to spare parts. Been a mechanic all my life. Bring it on , LOL. The irony of people being slaves to their houses, as mentioned earlier in the thread, is not changed by becoming a slave to your boat !
The subject of this thread, "The golden years, myth or reality ?". Sadly, if you are thinking in this frame of reference, you will be disappointed. All your years are golden and if you discount the wonder and joy of this day, the days you are looking to, will be no different.

[Coops]

Depends on what you figure is golden. I was lucky and went cruising for a couple of years when i was 30. Loved it and went back to work for 10 years still daysailing or weeks away. Stopped full time work and then dropped out of sailing at 50 because i lived too far from the water but hoped to buy another cruising yacht eventually. Now 63 and did not buy the cruising yacht and not too sure if i will, depends on my lovely lady who really likes a home. We have one on 12 acres in the country and have a 20' trailer sailer, stored mast up a one hour drive away, plus a John Welsford navigator, a cruising dinghy with weighted board, and a few Land Rovers, our other passion. I work two days a week at a yacht chandlery, she does not work, and we go driving or sailing whenever the mood takes us, which is often. The days may not be golden, but they are full of fun and laughter, and that is what is important to us.

Coops.

[Steve W]

Go sooner than later. Our plans are toast at 56 years old. The admiral developed osteoarthritis and scoliosis, resulting in knee and shoulder replacements, with more to follow since this is progressive, making getting on and off the boat or dinghy difficult and sometimes impossible. Wheelchair inevitable. Mother in law moved in with us 3 years ago due to dementia, which is now stage 5 Alzheimers and just broke her hip. Cannot ever be left alone and neurologist projects her living for 8-9 years since her health is otherwise good. Financially, I could retire, keep the house, buy the bigger boat we planned for and cruise but that will never happen now. So I putter about in my Newport 28 on weekends and enjoy learnng something new every day on this forum. I am very thankful for all the wonderful places around the world we have traveled and so glad we did that early and were able to take our kids. Go soon, age-related health issues are more likely to kill your plans than money.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Steve W

Go sooner than later. Our plans are toast at 56 years old. The admiral developed osteoarthritis and scoliosis, resulting in knee and shoulder replacements, with more to follow since this is progressive, making getting on and off the boat or dinghy difficult and sometimes impossible. Wheelchair inevitable. Mother in law moved in with us 3 years ago due to dementia, which is now stage 5 Alzheimers and just broke her hip. Cannot ever be left alone and neurologist projects her living for 8-9 years since her health is otherwise good. Financially, I could retire, keep the house, buy the bigger boat we planned for and cruise but that will never happen now. So I putter about in my Newport 28 on weekends and enjoy learnng something new every day on this forum. I am very thankful for all the wonderful places around the world we have traveled and so glad we did that early and were able to take our kids. Go soon, age-related health issues are more likely to kill your plans than money.

That's a big reason we're doing it in our 30's: because we physically can. Won't always be the case and big dreams are a terrible things to waste.

[Mark Johnson]

Go smaller, cheaper, and younger is my life's story and advice!

Continuing to cruise after retirement years, as I hope to still do now that it approaches, is a great goal, but a long shot.
M.

[Sailormantx]

I'm probably one of the youngest people on this forum (34, which is saying something since I'm not exactly a spring chicken myself). For whatever it's worth I think the concept of "retirement" is completely different

Rebel heart, I was your age the first time I went cruising for an extended time. The first thing I noticed in most cruising anchorages was that I was the youngest one there and there were few others my age "doing it". IMO, spending the best years of your life working so you can sail away the few years of life leftover without ever having to work again is totally backwards. Sail now while you can, work when you need to, you won't regret it. When you get too old to sail is the time for a desk job, not when you are young and fit! Yes it can be challenging sometimes but the adventures and memories are irreplaceable and worth far more than any illusion of financial security".

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by sv Shearwater

I find it interesting, the "fear of having find work when you are 70". Really? Can anyone give an example of someone who went cruising earlier in life (or just pursued a dream early in life) and then regretted it because they had to work later in life? I've never met such a person, but I've met many (in addition to the many posters here on this thread) that did it and are glad they did it when they could.

I have friends that are currently making their way across the South Pacific, in their late 30's, with 2 small children. Does anyone honestly believe they are going to look back on this experience when they are 70 and say, gee I wished we kept working back then instead of having the adventure of the lifetime? Seriously?

I worry about a lot of things (health, missing out, career moves, etc.), but being destitute when I am old is simply not one of them. I have the whole rest of my life to prevent that from happening and if I have the wherewithal to acquire a boat and go on a grand adventure in my younger years, I'm certain I'll have the wherewithal to get through the rest of my life when my cruising days are done (or decrease, they may never be done).

Waiting until the Golden Years, is to me, one the riskiest decisions a person can make. So many things can happen that are out of your control.

As the saying goes, "Nobody ever said, while laying on their deathbed, I wish I'd worked more."

I really do know someone like that. He spent it as fast as it came in and never planned for his retirement. He's in his 70's now and working hard. His SS isn't enough to live on.

[bottomend]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Golden Years???

Here's one persons view:

I can't see,
I can't pee.
I can't chew,
I can't screw.
My memory shrinks,
My hearing stinks.
No sense of smell,
I look like hell.
My body is drooping,
I have trouble pooping.
The golden years have come at last ,should have done this in the past.....
At 74, following almost 26 years of full time cruising, I still love it out here. The above "poem" does NOT reflect my point of view, but, well, I gotta admit that we don't drive the boat as hard as we used to!

Cheers,

Jim

Did some liveaboard sailing cruising in my 20s and many i met who were in their50s-60s said "stay out here " "dont go back to the ratrace" "hey, we will pay you to help us sail" But alas the lure of easy money brought me back to the dirt and now after i am totally "possesed by my posessions" i wonder from time to time how much fun it would be to once again have a life of few possessions except the bank account and a boat to live on. Perhaps ill get the courage to do it again before i die. Allready got one titanium joint and thank god for viagra. cheers

[TomandAnitas34]

My Uncle is in that situation. His SS is like $650 a month.