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06-09-2016, 05:27
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Vermont
Boat: TBD
Posts: 140
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The sailing dream - How many people...
How many people, on average, would you say have the dream to get into sailing but then realize it's not for them.
I'm obviously asking this because I myself have doubts.
My wife and I have lived in a 1900 sq ft house for 15 years, just wondering if we would enjoy the downsize.
I retire from the military in a little over 8 years. What we are thinking about doing in the meantime is buying a smaller boat for Lake Champlain in a few years and sailing to a friend's camp on the weekends, which is about a 5 to 7 hour sail, and spending the night on the boat (as well as other destinations).
I don't know, just so many ideas and fears running through our heads. Seems like a big risk for some reason.
As a reminder to all the miserable bastards out there - Be nice! lol
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06-09-2016, 05:36
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#2
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S/V rubber ducky
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,362
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
I don't think there are as many as sailors believe. Just from how few people who say they are interested in coming sailing with me actually ever come suggests the thought sounds better to them than the act. There's the fact that most boats at the marina are empty suggest even boat owners don't think boating as much as they thought they would.
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
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06-09-2016, 05:39
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#3
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CF Adviser Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Virginia
Boat: Island Packet 380, now sold
Posts: 8,942
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
I never had any doubts, but my wife did. So we chartered a boat identical to ours out of Red Hook, St Thomas, for two weeks. At the end of the charter, she didn't want to go home. The next fall, we were sailing from island to island in the Lesser Antilles and loving it.
__________________
Hud
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06-09-2016, 06:38
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Channel Islands, CA
Boat: 1962 Columbia 29 MK 1 #37
Posts: 14,302
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
I think there are many ways to enjoy sailing and/or powerboating. Your idea of cruising Lake Champlain sounds fun and a good way to start. You don't have to sail the world. I think Hud's idea is the right one, charter and see how you like it, where you like it. I am not living aboard now but when I did I always felt like I lived on the ocean, not just a boat. Seemed like a pretty big house that way!
__________________
DL
Pythagoras
1962 Columbia 29 MKI #37
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06-09-2016, 06:50
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#5
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 30,581
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
The military is a big risk as well to many.. unless your just a desk jockey in DC... then its the commute home thats the big risk..
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06-09-2016, 06:53
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Good question
Boat: Rafiki 37
Posts: 14,138
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
I have no idea how you'd go about answering this question. There was a thread here (or perhaps on that other forum) which asked: Where are all the newbies now? Try searching that.
As to whether you would enjoy living and cruising on a smallish sailboat, only you can answer that. And the only way I know how, is to live and cruise on a smallish sailboat for a while.
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06-09-2016, 06:54
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#7
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
Who sounds like the 'miserable bastard'?
You can't even think of what would excite you as a passtime now and into your retirement!
But you have an African elephant as your avitar? Is that an adventurous mind or an inside joke?
People here can not tell you what your passion is or will be.
Thats for you to find out and persue.
We had this thread the other day about people who spend their retirements in the park in front of their house. 'Parkers'.
Perhaps grab a piece of paper and write down all the things you would like to do (leave money out of it)... Travel, gardening, photography, BDSM, boating, sailing, mountineering...
And keep looking at that list for the next few years making additions and deletions. Until you come to some decisions. Then persue them.
And then you wont be a miserable bastard
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06-09-2016, 07:14
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,002
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
Quote:
Originally Posted by m2244
How many people, on average, would you say have the dream to get into sailing but then realize it's not for them.
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Depends what level of dreaming.
Those who have sat on a shoreline watching the sailboats - Probably 95% of the population have thought that would be nice.
Went as far as buying a book about cruising - Maybe 10-20%.
Went so far as to lay out a plan or take a class - Probably less than 5%.
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06-09-2016, 08:17
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,150
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
Quote:
Originally Posted by m2244
How many people, on average, would you say have the dream to get into sailing but then realize it's not for them.
I'm obviously asking this because I myself have doubts.
My wife and I have lived in a 1900 sq ft house for 15 years, just wondering if we would enjoy the downsize.
I retire from the military in a little over 8 years. What we are thinking about doing in the meantime is buying a smaller boat for Lake Champlain in a few years and sailing to a friend's camp on the weekends, which is about a 5 to 7 hour sail, and spending the night on the boat (as well as other destinations).
I don't know, just so many ideas and fears running through our heads. Seems like a big risk for some reason.
As a reminder to all the miserable bastards out there - Be nice! lol
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Its way more than half; most likely at least 70% give up after several months at sea. Most folks do not have a clue about how miserable it can get on a sailboat after an extended time sailing. Some, a few, thrive on adversity. Most do not. Seems to be independent of boat size. Met a lot of folks who put up their 60-100 foot yachts for sale after only one season in the Med.
The biggest problem is the extended periods away from all the fun folks are having on land. Second biggest regret seems to be the inability to go to a shopping center anytime you want. Third biggest is the fear of sinking in the middle of the night.
After 40 years of cruising, 30 of which involved long distance sailing across most of the world's oceans, think long distance cruising ranks right up there with self flagellation.
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06-09-2016, 08:18
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#10
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 30,581
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
[QUOTE=MarkJ;2206855]Who sounds like the 'miserable bastard'?
You can't even think of what would excite you as a passtime now and into your retirement!
But you have an African elephant as your avitar? Is that an adventurous mind or an inside joke?
QUOTE]
Likely means he's a 'Republican'..
Often wondered why they picked something 'Out of Africa' as their symbol..
__________________
It was a dark and stormy night and the captain of the ship said.. "Hey Jim, spin us a yarn." and the yarn began like this.. "It was a dark and stormy night.."
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06-09-2016, 08:20
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 73
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
My wife and I kinda fell into this. We began as most with short charters and then made the jump into buying our first sail boat. From there on it was a sliding pond.
For the past fifteen years we've lived between six and nine months a year aboard our 45' boat based in the BVI.
Occasionally it can be a bit difficult living in confined surrounding but the fun and beauty more than makes up for that.
We're fortunate in that we are able to keep and permanent home as well as the boat...I think that makes a large emotional difference as well.
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06-09-2016, 08:20
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,150
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike OReilly
I have no idea how you'd go about answering this question. There was a thread here (or perhaps on that other forum) which asked: Where are all the newbies now? Try searching that.
As to whether you would enjoy living and cruising on a smallish sailboat, only you can answer that. And the only way I know how, is to live and cruise on a smallish sailboat for a while.
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Yup, right on the money. If you try it, make sure you got a bail out plan so you can return to land without being penniless.
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06-09-2016, 08:22
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: On the Ocean
Boat: Lagoon 40
Posts: 273
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
My guess would be that Valhalla360 is about right. I would say the only way is to try it. You could do a charter and get your feet marginally wet, or buy a small boat and do short trips to try it out. Remember there are several version of "cruising". Full-time, part-time etc. The key is to figure out what works for you. it sounds like you have a plan to try it out - so I am not sure what all the "fears" are?
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06-09-2016, 08:23
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Texas Gulf Coast
Boat: 2019 Saona 47
Posts: 207
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
My wife and I were one of those couples who sat on the boardwalk and watched all of the boats in the bay, saying to ourselves that it would be nice to out there. So, we decided to look into it. We signed up for our ASA 101, took the class and immediately signed up for the 103/104 courses. The ASA 114 course was not far behind. We joined a fractional yachting program almost 1 year ago and have been hitting the water 3 to 4 times per month since. We are now considering making an offer on a boat of our own. While the fractional approach is a great way to sail without the additional expenses of insurance, maintenance and marina fees, it just doesn't provide for enough time on the boat to suit us.
I suppose that the moral of our story thus far is that we decided to give it a try, followed our plan to take it relatively slow to allow us to decide wether this was the lifestyle for us before making the financial commitment to actually purchase our own boat.
Like everyone else has mentioned, only you can decide if this is for you. Our home is 2700 sq ft, but honestly, I'd rather be on that 40' Jeanneau.
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06-09-2016, 08:26
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Hanging out along the Gulf Coast
Boat: 81 Hunter Cherubini 27
Posts: 372
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Re: The sailing dream - How many people...
m2244, no good answer to your question. Yes many people dream of it and many do make a go of it, whether it's weekend, coastal, or blue water cruising. I was a full-time blue water cruiser in a previous life....but that was before I retired after 20 years of cruising on big gray ships with lots of weapons. I was also a part-time coastal cruiser in my own boat when I was Stateside. Retired from the USN and my dream was to have a good paying job to support my vintage car and boating habit, which I did. But, as things happen, life gets in the way and the cars and boats are long gone as I have been living and working overseas for nearly the entire time since I have retired in 1997 (In boat and Yacht repair now). Am repatriating to the States next year with that dream to do liveaboard coastal cruising in my head once again. Have gone so far to have surveyed and purchased a boat.
But back on topic, you have 8 years until retirement...that's quite a bit of time and your priorities (and dreams) WILL change. As was stated earlier, and I did this as well years ago, make that list of things that you want to do. In my case: Diving (now a former PADI Instructor), learn archaeology (worked 6 seasons in Egypt on Roman remains), live alone in a desert (a planned month became 9 months in Egypt's Eastern Desert with my dog), overhaul a diesel engine myself (3 done so far), learn to skydive (28 or 29 jumps to date), and the list goes on and on and on.
Where I am at today is not quite where I dreamed I would be nearly 20-years after retiring from the military (am sometmes surprised I'm still breathing!) The dreams have changed many times over the years, changed who I am as well, and the dreams will continue to change again and again as time moves on.
Good Luck with your dreams! Don't let the fear of the unknown stop you! Go sail that lake, liveaboard, have fun! You'll know soon enough if it's not for you.
__________________
Cruising highly skilled Marine Electrician. Will work for beer, smokes and slip fees...and other important boat stuff
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