Sailing or not sailing?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by maijipo

Hi guys. Just wanted to give you a feedback.

First thank you for you feedback and support. Very much appreciated.

At the end I found a job in my area of work and we are moving back to our dear NJ
Bad thing, it will be colder. Good thing, we have the ocean as well and we can sail!
So, on that side our decision has been taken. We will continue to work, buy a home in NJ with the cash and start having a passive revenue when we will start sailing for good. We are one step closer to our goal.

I am wondering now what to do with my Tartan 33. Sell her ( I put in on sell for 18k) or try to move it to NJ. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time sail her up there. I am starting Oct 1. I looked for road transport it will be around 5000-7000$. What I didn’t explore yet is to find someone to sail her. Any idea of the cost of this type of service?
Of course, here is heart against logic. My wife will say, sell the boat and buy one with the 20k. But in the other hand, I know she is a good boat.
Damnit! . Life is never simple.

Keep in mind, if you sell, you likely will lose 10-15% to brokerage and related costs. Plus if you don't under price it, you will wind up paying for slips and upkeep for 6-12 months (if you under price it you lock in losses).

Then when you buy the new boat, you will have to spend money bringing her up to your standards.

$5k may not be that much by the time you get into a new boat.

[mvweebles]

"I looked for road transport it will be around 5000-7000$. What I didn’t explore yet is to find someone to sail her. Any idea of the cost of this type of service?"

Moving this boat from FL Gulf Coast to NJ will be least expensive by truck even with yard fees on each end. When I was delivering 15+ years ago, I charged $400/day plus expenses (plus crew $100/day each), a bit less for longer deliveries which this would be. Disclosure: I mostly delivered higher end offshore capable power boats because sailboats are slow and Sailors are cheap. Overall, good general rule was captain/crew were about 50% of the delivery cost (fuel, flights, accommodations, etc took the other half). You may find a dock rat sailor with a USCG license willing to do it on the cheap. You often get what you pay for when that route is taken.

One thought : your boat may be worth more in NJ than in Florida which would subsidize part of the transport.

Congrats on your new job, especially so quickly. Best of luck in your next adventure and balancing time and money.

[markpierce]

$240,000 of capital is not sufficient to live on. (It would have been 70 years ago.) Find a job, make money, and enlarge your net worth.

[akprb]

Originally Posted by markpierce

$240,000 of capital is not sufficient to live on. (It would have been 70 years ago.) Find a job, make money, and enlarge your net worth.

I like this one :-)

[CapnBazza]

When you front up at the Pearly Gates the last thing you’ll say is “I wish I’d spent more time in the office”. Go sailing now before you get tied to doctors appointments.

[akprb]

Originally Posted by CapnBazza

When you front up at the Pearly Gates the last thing you’ll say is “I wish I’d spent more time in the office”. Go sailing now before you get tied to doctors appointments.

This is very true.......

Just do it in a way that does not ultimately burden others with paying for your doctors appointments and other sundry necessities ;-)

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by markpierce

$240,000 of capital is not sufficient to live on. (It would have been 70 years ago.) Find a job, make money, and enlarge your net worth.

Not to mention retirement, health care, spouse/partner/family... As I approach my 66th b-day (and I’m active, we’re looking for a used cat, etc...) I remember others reminding me to “save for retirement.” I wish I’d started sooner and not dismissed it so lightly.

Now that I’m figuring out our middle class retirement budget (Govt + public school employees) our allowance for a cat shrinks by the minute!

Take care of your needs, and if you can sail and still so, go for it!

Best of luck,

[split]

IMHO..you are over thinking the whole idea..take the plunge sooner than later as work is way over rated in the first place....unless you absolutely love what you currently, do then the question would be why think of changing from that lifestyle.People in general tend to look for security in the wrong things and places and unfortunately only realize this when its to late...I live in South Africa and do all right for now, but realize,
this could change tomorrow just like folk who loose everything to a hurricane or there spouse to illness etc in a split second.At 61 I have built a 40 cat and along with a wife who still has to warm to the idea we going long term cruiseing...my hard earned rands when converted to dollars changes daily for the worst and I have come to realize that its not this that is going to get me through this but my resilience to handling life as it happens, learned over the years..the things that cant be bought or sold, but become tradable always.And this is what I love about sailing ...when the sea throws a big one at you the amount of money or size and luxury of your boat goes to the back burner and one gets a reality check on how fragile and insignificant us humans actually are and that the control we have over our destinies is way less than we think....Go for it with a really basic plan and don't look back..you will always find that bottle of good wine or meal and believe you me it will be that much more appreciated....hope to meet you on the water and treat you to this at some stage ...and even if we never meet there will be thousands of us out there who will do the same....God bless and fair winds

[izzyforreal]

If you're a software developer you should look for a new job that will allow you to work remotely. Sail and work at the same time. (Basically)

Mark D

Tartan 40 Sister Moon

[GK_]

"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.*

Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life? What follows is not a blueprint for the man entombed; not many people find themselves in a situation paying a hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year (as if any man is worth that much). But the struggle is relative: it's a lot hard to walk away from an income like that than from a fraction thereof." - Sterling Hayden

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by maijipo

I lost my job on week ago, got 100.000 $ and have about 140.000 dollars in our bank account.

Unfortunately, when you ask questions about feasibility and finances, you almost have to tip your cards, or the entire discussion is academic.

I assume the $100K is severance. Can we assume the $140K is savings? Does that include retirement savings (e.g. pension, 401k, IRA, Roth Ira, etc)??

A lot of responses aren't able to accurately take this into account. It is a much different picture if the $100K gets you into a boat and refit, while the $140K carries you until your 59 and can start drawing from retirement accts.
If the $140K IS your retirement savings, then no, you're going to have trouble making that work over the next 20+ years.

I'm also in the software industry. Consider whether these "Go now, you can always get a job later" proponents understand the nature of this business. It isn't like other businesses. 2 years off is like 10 years off in any other business. You're in a place in your career where the start-ups look at us like we're dinosaurs. Gaps in resume give the appearance of not being up to date. Your resume and experience make you overqualified for entry and mid-level jobs.

[Carl-T705]

I say go sailing, just do a little work for other cruisers a few days a month to supplement your income. Every year there are more cruisers that are reliant on other people for everything from brightwork to unclogging toilets, it's just amazing to me. Heck get a members only website to offer advice or just to support beliefs a cruiser already has. Hey! I'm just saying!!!!

[maijipo]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Unfortunately, when you ask questions about feasibility and finances, you almost have to tip your cards, or the entire discussion is academic.

I assume the $100K is severance. Can we assume the $140K is savings? Does that include retirement savings (e.g. pension, 401k, IRA, Roth Ira, etc)??

.

Hi Shrew. No I wasn't counting 401k.

But to your point. Our 33 ft is a bit small so we will need to invest in a 38-40. Then of course healthcare is an issue that we have been looking very closely.
Also, yes in software, 50 is "old" and what we bring is experience. So having a big gap is a problem.

At this point, as I said we will keep working. I found a new job and starting in October. We will invest our saving in a home that will produce us a passive income soon. I hope in a 5 years or so we will have enough passive to start the adventure.

Our plan would be to sail in less expensive countries or going to the Mediterranean sea. We will see For the moment back to work!

And for the anecdote, I am just finishing a book (sailing adventure - under correction by a professional as we speak ) I don't think I will do a lot of cash on it, but every step is a step . And it was fun to write !

Thx all for your comments. All points of view are very interesting and definitively make you think.

[pwilletts]

I had a opportunity like this once and regret not taking it. Work will be there.

[ausnp84]

Originally Posted by Fence Man

You can shear a sheep many times, but you can only eat him once. Why not invest the $240k in a rental property with a good return? Instead of living off the savings, you could live off the profits, and retain your net worth. I realize that this is an oversimplified version of how it'll go, but it's worth taking a look at. At the urging of a fellow forum member, my wife and I have started into the multifamily rental business, and can report that it's more profitable than single family units...generally speaking. Every challenge is an opportunity, so congratulations on your unemployment!

Well said mate! With that sort of nest egg I’d invest in a rental and some peer-to-peer lending to generate $1500-$2000 a month, then take six months out and enjoy life. Worst case scenario, you don’t like full-time cruising, head back to work and have a great adventure under your belt!

N