The sailing dream - How many people...

[m2244]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Out of every 1000 people who fancy it, 10 ever try it, maybe 1 sticks with it.

Good point.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

There is no risk in trying.

You try it.
You like it, you stay.
You do not like it, you tick sailing off, go for next best thing.

That simple.

There are multiple risks in not trying. Just imagine your father not trying to pick up your mother and all the consequences. You would not be asking this question, any question, boy!

Back to your original question though ;-)

Out of every 1000 people who fancy it, 10 ever try it, maybe 1 sticks with it.

Sailing, paragliding, gardening, pretty much the same base rates and dropout ratios.

https://www.statista.com/topics/1138...ional-boating/

BTW Why do you people have to make 8 years' life plans is somewhat beyond me. In the Soviet era, the USSR made many 5 years' plans. None of them met. The country in ruin. Learn the story.

Stop planning, start acting.

Cheers,
b.

The Soviets did make progress though with their 5 Year Plans. Their factories certainly were able to produce tons of war materials for WWII. This after they moved those factories East 1000 miles behind the Urals to put distance between themselves and the Germans. Also, many of those factories were actually up and operating before their roofs and walls were in place.

But yeah, maybe just get a small sailboat and start sailing now. The Lightning Sailboat always did look good on the water to me and it has main, jib, and spinnaker. Plus they race them (or used to) throughout these United States

https://www.google.com/search?q=ligh...JZuSG_qE9bM%3A

https://www.google.com/search?q=ligh...F2vmFq_UWvM%3A

https://www.google.com/search?q=ligh...SB9yUzEB5HM%3A

http://www.reachoo.com/ads/67870879

[Larry T.]

[QUOTE=boatman61;2206911]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

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..

Boatie: Because some body already picked Jack Ass.

[lorrie]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Dream is a marketing thing for youngsters...

Cruising and living on a boat is a goal and offers many rewards and sacrifices as well as risks.

Having a goal is good thing and you need to work toward it. I dream of being a doctor.... how charming... now get into school and study and pass exams and work toward your goal and get into the real world of adults.

I took a "sabbatical" for 4 years got rid of everything, closed my practice, sold my machinery, gave my car to a friend and sailed south. I could have followed the wakes of many others and gone round the world. It would have been interesting. I ran out of money and sailed back and started again and kept the boat. I have no regets and still am crazy about sailing and can't do it enough. But it's different. No goal to escape the land lubberly life.

My guess is that some one who dreams of cruising is probably not mentally in the right place to get on with it.

Very True!
All different levels. I had a small boat and went racing. I feel like I was living the life but never went far.



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[first wind]

Originally Posted by neophytecruiser

Based on my very limited experience, it would appear that an extremely small number of people end up living exclusively on their boats. Those who have not found themselves on boats as a result of extreme financial necessity, usually spend time taking extended land side 'vacations', leaving their boats and either enjoying time with land based family and friends or simply enjoying time away from the routine of sailing...

I would guess there are five percent or less (including those souls, who due to financial limits find themselves permanently at anchor but enjoying life on the water in a relatively inexpensive tropical paradise) who live exclusively on board. Of those, many still spend a significant time away, visiting land based friends and family.

i would have to disagree, there. on two points.

first, i don't think the financial classifications of people living aboard full time has any merit. the marina where my boat is presently berthed is relatively small. there are two live aboards who have been full time live aboards for over ten years. i am working towards adding myself to that number. neither are poor or tied to water afloat due to financial hardship. one has a very lucrative business designing sprinkler systems for commercial buildings. the other has wealth that she got from inheritance. either could have very nice homes on land in addition to their boats. they choose to live on the water because they love it. so, i don't think you can correctly profile people that way.

second, you say that people aren't full time live aboards if they take long vacations on land. i am confused as many people who live in houses take long vacations on the water and still consider themselves to live on the land.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by m2244

The funny thing is (I'm generalizing here), you talk to someone with little or no money and they worry about not having enough money for the future. You talk to someone with millions of dollars in the bank, and they worry about losing it all and not having enough money for the future.

personally, i never worry about money for the future. i spend all my time worrying about having enough for today....seriously. no joke. the future is a possibility that may never come to pass. if you can't get past the present, you won't have to worry about the future, anyway.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by Sandero

I spent virtually all of my life in close proximity to urban environments rich with culture and all manner of "things" to do... museums, galleries, concerts, opera, dance, fashion shows, libraries parts, parades, multicultarism and so on.

I also spent 4 years sailing and cruising to and in the Caribe and Canaries. The experiences of the places I sailed to was interesting, but ultimately I felt starved for "culture". I returned to the States when cash ran out and to my former profession which I was prepared to abandon for some new adventure in life.

I still have the boat, spend as much time as I can with it, including living on the hook, sailing and messing about. But I now try to do as much "culture" as I can and work a bit. I would not sail off to chase rainbows in exotic places. Not enough intellectual stimulation... not enough artistic creative stimulation. Perhaps now the www... we can experience everything through a screen / you tube, FB, instagram and "live streams"... Dunno.

You never find the rainbow and if the pursuit is not enough for you then don't make the commitment to sever ties. I can see how perhaps someone who lives a more simple rural life absent lots of contact with "the arts" might find the wet more interesting than the dry... Dunno.

I think a balance might be a good approach... a long sabbatical at sea... lots of cruising but without cutting all ties to dirt life.

Maybe

wow. this post shows what a dramatic range of perspectives there are. (it also shows a distinct attitude towards simple uncultured rustics that don't live in metropolitan areas however...) i applaud this post because it points out a few really important factors.

i grew up in rural America; in an area that was traditionally agricultural. my father was raised on a farm and a much of my extended family is composed of farmers. i (personally) really hate cities. i have been forced, by the circumstances of my love life, to live in two different cities. one, the DC area.( i say the DC area because, although there are supposed to be a few different towns, there, it's really just one huge city from the heart of DC all the way to germantown. if you live on one side of western avenue, you live in DC. cross the street to your neighbors house and you are in chevy chase) the other is the baltimore area. out of the two, i prefer baltimore. nicer architecture, if you appreciate that sort of thing, and more down to earth people. DC/motgomery county has just as many bad people as baltimore but, every last one of them thinks they are better than anyone else. you can find friendly, helpful people all over the baltimore area. try chatting to the cashier in the grocery store in montomery county and they act like there is something wrong with you.

anyhow, i still hate cities. yes, museums are nice but, how much time do you really spend there? most of the things in museums can be seen in books or on-line. and, regardless of how many different groups live in a specific city, i have yet to see a lot of worthwhile cultural variety in any city....nothing like sailing off to tahiti or something. to me, cities are fun to visit once in a while but, i'm always glad to be turning my back to the lights as i head back out to places with trees where it actually gets dark at night and you don't have to worry about getting murdered by some mugger as you take the trash out.

vacations for most of my adult life have comprised of tying your stuff on the back of the chopper and hitting the back roads for a few thousand miles. forests and fields. farmland and riverbanks. small towns. anything but highways and big cities. and it's always been great. you make sure your bike is ready and reliable before you go. you make sure to take enough tools to do everything but rebuild your motor (throw in some extra chain, master links, nuts and bolts). and you depend on yourself to get you there and back. once you are two days out, there's no calling a friend to come save you if you have a problem. it's all on you. now, i am looking towards taking my sailing to it's fruition and doing the same thing on the water.

anyhow, i think the above post points out something really, really important.

if you can not see the artistry in a sunset, be inspired by the cunning design in the body of an ant on a picnic table, be in awe of the sunlight as it plays off of the waves at sunset, hear the music of the seagulls and be swept away by the dance of your vessel on the waves....if the only thing that you can see value in is the rather limited manifestations of man, choosing a life sailing away from these man made items into the world surrounded by mother nature really might not be a good choice for you.

if you don't enjoy solving your own problems, relying on your own ability, and overcoming the hardships you encounter along the way, you probably shouldn't sell the house and buy a boat to cruise in.

and that's ok. to each his own.

but, you have to know yourself and know the realities of things you have dreamt of. you can't be totally enamored with the luxuries and comforts of the modern civilized world and think that you will enjoy living aboard a boat that is sailing far from these comforts. you can't find all your enjoyments in the hustle and bustle of a city and hope to be entertained by a world without these things.

beyond learning to sail and making sure you like that activity, i think the biggest thing you should do before setting up your life as a live aboard cruiser is to really look at the realities of that life and then take a good hard look at the realities of yourself.

it's kind of like dating. a woman may be stunningly beautiful and you can lie to yourself all you want that you can be happy with her, even though you have nothing in common....until the day comes when she tells you it's her or your motorcycle. divorces are expensive so, it's best to be honest with yourself. ( i mean...you know...who'd actually choose to give up the motorcycle? that'd just be silly)

funny story along those lines:

when i was 16, i used to get a lot of guys in their 30s and 40s that would come up to me at gas stations while i was gassing up my bike. they'd get that dreamy look in their eyes and tell me how they used to ride but, then they got married or had kids and the wife made them give up motorcycles.

i determined that would never be me.

so, for all of the major relationships i have been in, when it was obvious things were getting serious, i'd sit my girlfriend down and i'd say these words:

"i grew up on motorcycles and i have ridden all my life. i love you but, if you ever try to make me stop riding, i will be gone so fast the wind of my passing will mess up your hair."

lol. i thought it up before i ever even had a real girlfriend and had it in the back of my mind, waiting.

it's best, when starting any endeavor, that all parties know exactly what to expect. no delusions; self inflicted or otherwise.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by Sofie B

It could be psychological. It could be that he /she values stuff he/she has read here and wants feelings about experiences to guide their own decision. I know reading this forum helps me immensely. I am a noobie on boats. I am an inexperienced sailor so all opinions mean something and I like the disagreements just as much. Please don't forget that what may seem an obvious answer to what may seem like an amateur question could be because, as a noobie we don't know **** about the detail. Even the paranoid stuff. I feel great that I don't sweat the small stuff and feel sad for those that keep waiting for nirvana, but, all in all ,I suspect, if someone asks a simple question, it may just be because all you guys out there have some serious experience worth listening to and it is of great value.

if people are waiting for nirvana, they will be waiting for quite some time because, their lead singer shot himself....and he swore he didn't have a gun

seriously, though, i think the OPs question was worded the way it was worded for a real reason. like so many people, i'd say that the OP is afraid of risk...at least to some point.

leaving the land behind for a life on the water is a huge change. it's not just simple, like deciding to try a new dish at your regular restaurant. you can easily decide you don't like that dish and order something else the next time you go to that restaurant. it's only one meal. but, selling the house and tossing off the lines isn't so easily walked away from. returning to a life on land will take some time and effort as you get re-established. and, that will most likely be uncomfortable and, maybe, even difficult.

people tend to like to limit the risks they take. by posting this thread here, he might find out something that will either allay his fears and reduce the perceived risk or he might discover his fears are well founded and he can avoid the risk of trying the cruising life out and discovering he doesn't like it. it's kind of like going into a restaurant and asking the waitress how a dish tastes before you order. hopefully, her opinion can save you from a bad dining experience. of course, she may have very different tastes than you do and relying on her opinion might make you miss a delightful meal.

and, i'm not knocking the OP by saying that.

it's a very common attitude in our world; where everyone feels so secure in their lives (although, that feeling of security is an illusion. one good personal disaster or economic crisis and all that security can be gone like yesterday's breakfast). that's why the custom chrome catalog is so full of 'custom' mass produced parts that some guy at a big company designed as a bolt on replacement for some stock part on your bike. it's pretty much risk free. you know it will fit and work on your bike (pretty much) and, if you don't like it, you can simply take it back off and put the stock stuff back on.

those of us who gladly pick up the sawzall and start cutting the frame up and welding it back together in a new form don't have an easy fallback. you can't just unbolt it and put it back to stock with a few hours work. you're pretty much committed to your course of action.

it takes uncommon courage to fully commit yourself to something that is an unknown....as long as you believe there is real safety and security in what is known.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Thats right sell your house, buy a boat for $100K and $50K more for gear. If you don't like it, you can sell it after it sitting on the market for 1 1/2 years, all the while paying rent ($34K for 1 1/2 years), then try buying back into the market after prices have gone back up and a higher property tax. That's if a bank will help someone who is retired.
Yup...good plan

i don't think he was suggesting to sell the house just to sail the boat.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

BTW Why do you people have to make 8 years' life plans is somewhat beyond me. In the Soviet era, the USSR made many 5 years' plans. None of them met. The country in ruin. Learn the story.

Stop planning, start acting.

Cheers,
b.

true words of wisdom!

[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by m2244

I live in a small town, hope to sell for close to $200k. Taxes are about 3200/yr but most towns are well above that. If you wanna play, you gotta pay.

Lately we've been thinking it would be nice to live in a marina close to a quaint town where you don't need a car, or at least go down to one car. Get rid of that damn cable bill, get rid of that damn lawn (not a lover of walking back and forth mindlessly for an hour or so). Let's see, the only other big expense is wifey, but she's cute so...

Many regions offer reduced or totally eliminate property taxes if you have served in a war zone during military service. Surely you are aware of this.


I like to make the analogy, perhaps slightly exaggerated, of home ownership being the same as owning a wood boat. And if you want to hire out all the work the expenses can be off the charts.

New roof ? New kitchen ? DIY ? Maybe not. Break out the ten thousand

dollar bills. Plus all the smaller stuff.

The sailboat thing though; I don't see it happening for ya.

[Sofie B]

Originally Posted by first wind

if people are waiting for nirvana, they will be waiting for quite some time because, their lead singer shot himself....and he swore he didn't have a gun

seriously, though, i think the OPs question was worded the way it was worded for a real reason. like so many people, i'd say that the OP is afraid of risk...at least to some point.

leaving the land behind for a life on the water is a huge change. it's not just simple, like deciding to try a new dish at your regular restaurant. you can easily decide you don't like that dish and order something else the next time you go to that restaurant. it's only one meal. but, selling the house and tossing off the lines isn't so easily walked away from. returning to a life on land will take some time and effort as you get re-established. and, that will most likely be uncomfortable and, maybe, even difficult.

people tend to like to limit the risks they take. by posting this thread here, he might find out something that will either allay his fears and reduce the perceived risk or he might discover his fears are well founded and he can avoid the risk of trying the cruising life out and discovering he doesn't like it. it's kind of like going into a restaurant and asking the waitress how a dish tastes before you order. hopefully, her opinion can save you from a bad dining experience. of course, she may have very different tastes than you do and relying on her opinion might make you miss a delightful meal.

and, i'm not knocking the OP by saying that.

it's a very common attitude in our world; where everyone feels so secure in their lives (although, that feeling of security is an illusion. one good personal disaster or economic crisis and all that security can be gone like yesterday's breakfast). that's why the custom chrome catalog is so full of 'custom' mass produced parts that some guy at a big company designed as a bolt on replacement for some stock part on your bike. it's pretty much risk free. you know it will fit and work on your bike (pretty much) and, if you don't like it, you can simply take it back off and put the stock stuff back on.

those of us who gladly pick up the sawzall and start cutting the frame up and welding it back together in a new form don't have an easy fallback. you can't just unbolt it and put it back to stock with a few hours work. you're pretty much committed to your course of action.

it takes uncommon courage to fully commit yourself to something that is an unknown....as long as you believe there is real safety and security in what is known.

Leaving the whole quote in there First Wind, to acknowledge your thoughts . I do hear you and agree. Well said. It was my t'other who said to me one day that he wanted to get out of the City. It was actually t'other that said , let's get a boat. Both times I thought great! Both of us are practical types that build and fix and create and I love that we can. Having said that I realise that I couldn't live aboard because I love plants . Moving to a bit of native bush with very few neighbours ( we look 14 kms to the Taipa Beach ,Doubtless Bay area (NZ)and we can spot one house about 5km away. The rest is just valleys of native bush. I love that peace. The night skies (actually sunset ,sunrise, starry nights ,any time really) are vast and without street lights, what a fantastic difference we have. The luxury we have is we've built our own home and the boat was his
need to step away from the build and have fun and let's face it, the fact that one wall isn't fully lined yet means nothing in the grand plan called living Unfortunately but no problem,he didn't think he'd have to rebuild the motor on her swing mooring and we didn't anticipate that the boat is considered too heavy to haul out where she is moored but hey ,just means a trip to the Bay of Islands soon and why not ? I'm thoroughly enjoying the best of both worlds and I'll blast Nirvana tonight because we can.
I do think once one can get away from the need for "stuff" life takes on a whole new meaning.

[lorrie]

Originally Posted by first wind

personally, i never worry about money for the future. i spend all my time worrying about having enough for today....seriously. no joke. the future is a possibility that may never come to pass. if you can't get past the present, you won't have to worry about the future, anyway.

This is how I think most the time.
Every once in a while I think about the possibility that I might just make it long term. Them I think about a term my friend likes to use, "Jump and the net shall appear."
Sharon retired on a limited pension and has no regrets. She now has time to help her parents.



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[Bulawayo]

Never heard that expression but its great. Thank you.

Originally Posted by lorrie

This is how I think most the time.
Every once in a while I think about the possibility that I might just make it long term. Them I think about a term my friend likes to use, "Jump and the net shall appear."
Sharon retired on a limited pension and has no regrets. She now has time to help her parents.



Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Sofie B]

Originally Posted by lorrie

Sharon retired on a limited pension and has no regrets. She now has time to help her parents.



Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

And ain't that the most precious thing of all. Time. There is just something deeply satisfying when being able to help takes nothing but your time. Budget doesn't even come into it because.... well because it's priceless.