What is it and when to quit?

[SaltyTanned]

What is it that attracts us to the sea? Is it the immense feeling of freedom? The closeness to nature? The continual change of scenery, of cultures, of language? When is this attraction to wear out?

When do we know we are too old to sail? Are there guidelines for this extreme decision?

These questions I am addressing to the real nomads of the sea. Those who have lived aboard a number of years and sailed frequently to always changing scenery, cultures and languages. Will you stop someday? Why? When?

[boatman61]

When dolphins dancing on my bow fail to raise my spirits..
When a blow brings fear instead of adrenalin..

[Teknav]

Hi! As long as you are in a "relatively" good health, you should keep on doing what you like to do; that's the way to remain healthy. Old age ailments creep up on us sometimes incrementally or all of the sudden. The sea makes us think that life is worth living to the max. A Bedouin once said: "There will be more sea waves coming ashore than outgoing ones." <Don't think of death!>

To determine when to quit requires examining oneself. If you're continuously feeling tired or taking a lot of time to do what you used to do not long ago...you'll need to scale back. Take a look at folks who sail the seven seas...how many of them are in their 90's, 80's or 70's? While your individual health limitations will play a role in distance cruising, you can always sail locally; just reduce your love of the sea incrementally until your end of time. There is no magic formula to follow.

Mauritz

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by SaltyTanned

What is it that attracts us to the sea? Is it the immense feeling of freedom? The closeness to nature? The continual change of scenery, of cultures, of language? When is this attraction to wear out?

Originally Posted by boatman61

When dolphins dancing on my bow fail to raise my spirits..
When a blow brings fear instead of adrenalin..

Could not have put it better myself .

Originally Posted by SaltyTanned

When do we know we are too old to sail? Are there guidelines for this extreme decision?

When ill health rears its ugly head.

Originally Posted by SaltyTanned

These questions I am addressing to the real nomads of the sea. Those who have lived aboard a number of years and sailed frequently to always changing scenery, cultures and languages. Will you stop someday? Why? When?

See above .
6 years full time at sea out of the last 6.5 have only strengthened my pleasure in being afloat. Even with all the luxuries I could desire when we are briefly ashore during haul out every second year, and all the enjoyment in catching up with family and friends, I am itching to get back on board .

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by SaltyTanned

What is it that attracts us to the sea?

There is something that calls to a sailor to go out to sea. I'm still more of a dreamer but I do feel the attraction to the water. The idea of setting off with nothing but the wind to propel me to far off places that was done for hundreds of years before is appealing. The desire to go out could be different for everyone but for those of us who feel the pull to the sea have to deal with it in our own ways and in due time. I like that it is a way to come closer to nature and to experience the world around, enjoying the voyage, rather than just going quickly to the destination and missing things. It's a wonderful get-away from the stress of daily life. Out there, you are not set to a schedule (or shouldn't be) or have to be in a hurry.

Originally Posted by SaltyTanned

Will you stop someday? When?

"When men come to like a sea-life, they are not fit to live on land." - Samuel Johnson

When this quote no longer holds true.

[Celestialsailor]

See quote below...

[BandB]

When to quit driving a car? When should an athlete retire? All good questions. Boating is some combination of the two I think. Like a car, safety can become an issue. Like an athlete, the time comes when the effort, struggle, pain even is greater than the pleasure received in return. So fine to continue when no longer safe if you have someone else captain. But when you no longer find yourself looking forward to it, then it's time to quit.

And that time can't be predicted. Injuries can speed that time up. Just lack of energy, fatigue can. You can even just grow tired of it. Maybe you just find you like being somewhere else, such as home, better. Now the worst thing you could do would be reach that time but refuse to admit it because you were afraid it made you look old or it was surrendering to age.

[SaltyTanned]

Originally Posted by BandB

When to quit driving a car? When should an athlete retire? All good questions. Boating is some combination of the two I think. Like a car, safety can become an issue. Like an athlete, the time comes when the effort, struggle, pain even is greater than the pleasure received in return. So fine to continue when no longer safe if you have someone else captain. But when you no longer find yourself looking forward to it, then it's time to quit.

And that time can't be predicted. Injuries can speed that time up. Just lack of energy, fatigue can. You can even just grow tired of it. Maybe you just find you like being somewhere else, such as home, better. Now the worst thing you could do would be reach that time but refuse to admit it because you were afraid it made you look old or it was surrendering to age.

If only it was that simple. Grow bored? Not happened yet and I am beginning my 20th year aboard and for the last ten have been single-handing.

Other places I'd prefer to be? Well yes but simply for a few hours with my sons and grandchildren. Sailing is probably an effort but I really don't feel it when it has to be done I simply do it and realise after that it was a strain.

The symptoms you mention, I think, only happen if you stop for a long while. What changes with age is how long that while has to be to produce them. My curiosity does not seem to wear out, looking at the horizon I still wonder what is out there and hanker to go see.

The more I sail the more I want to sail. Could it be a drug?

[SaltyTanned]

Originally Posted by boatman61

When dolphins dancing on my bow fail to raise my spirits..
When a blow brings fear instead of adrenalin..

You are right and I can see we share the same love of the sea. It's OK I'm not jealous.

When it blows harder the boat accelerates and so does my pulse. Maybe this comes from years of racing dinghies. Will this ever change you think?

[chuckr]

interesting question - and very philosphical(SP) - we knew when we cut the dock lines we could not do this forever and someplace will have to quit -- when is the question and at this time not yet

but a quick story -- at one time i climbed big mountains and was rescue certified in mountain search and rescue -- living of the east coast i was the head tester of folks who wanted to become rescue qualifed - but every 2 years i had to recert - after a day of testing some people and all but one failed - the evalutation is done by a panel of certified people and after each testing the panel has an open discussion on the persons performance and things done right and wrong - i had to recert that day and i did all that was asked of me -- the panels few comments were that there should have been a movie made because it was a perfect performance - i got in my car with my sons who raved about how great dad was on that day and i told them i would never climb again - they were astonished and asked why - i told them i had put everything into it and if there was one tiny mistake on that vertical rock it could have been a disaster - i had nothing left in the tank - i have not climbed since - i knew when to quit -
i hope i have the same sense when it come to sailing -

[casual]

Boatman say's it best. Only one knows when to redirect there pursuits. However testing yourself as others have found may be too late to find out. If you are starting to think that way you probably are. Ask yourself are you putting others in harms way crew, rescue resources other boats. All questions I ask myself after living a very active life.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by SaltyTanned

If only it was that simple. Grow bored? Not happened yet and I am beginning my 20th year aboard and for the last ten have been single-handing.

Other places I'd prefer to be? Well yes but simply for a few hours with my sons and grandchildren. Sailing is probably an effort but I really don't feel it when it has to be done I simply do it and realise after that it was a strain.

The symptoms you mention, I think, only happen if you stop for a long while. What changes with age is how long that while has to be to produce them. My curiosity does not seem to wear out, looking at the horizon I still wonder what is out there and hanker to go see.

The more I sail the more I want to sail. Could it be a drug?

I think you clearly know the feeling that keeps you sailing. And it's when that feeling is no longer that it's time to change.

I know a sailor who switched to power when his shoulders just wouldn't take it anymore. He'd already had surgeries and still was in pain.

I also know a beautiful older couple, by older I mean deep into their 80's. The had a captain and crew, but just getting on the boat, loading up their meds, fear of something happening on the sea, let them to give boating up.

[capt-couillon]

3 years ago I decided I was done... 30 years of full time cruising, raised 3 kids on the boat and watched them move ashore, 5 more years of single handing. Decided sooner or later, mother nature and the odds were gonna catch up so I swallowed the anchor. Sold the boat, moved ashore far from my old haunts and got on with it.

After 2 years, decided the hell with the odds. This shore life isn't working. Bought a smaller boat (no kids, no wife) moved back aboard and the refit should be done by spring. Then I'm outta here! Good enough for Chichester, good enough for me.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by chuckr

...and i told them i would never climb again - they were astonished and asked why - i told them i had put everything into it and if there was one tiny mistake on that vertical rock it could have been a disaster - i had nothing left in the tank - i have not climbed since - i knew when to quit -
i hope i have the same sense when it come to sailing -

Originally Posted by SaltyTanned

The more I sail the more I want to sail. Could it be a drug?

Yup. Fatal attraction.

[Neptune's Gear]

Time to stop when they shovel dirt on you!