US Army Retired trying to get into this life singlehandedly

[barnakiel]

I would advice a decommissioned submarine. This is the first thing that came to my mind when you say "...Tight spaces, rocky boats = Living in tents in bagdad, helicopter rides in combat zones,etc...." Etc.

Lacking a submarine, get something for cash. Live within you means for a year or so, buy cash in hand, go cruising with you retirement money. Avoid financing. Your financing buys the banker's yacht, not your boat.

b.

[hamburking]

Try to save up $10k as quick as you can. $20k would be better. There are lots of older sailboats, bluewater capable, in that price range. Your monthly allowance is more than adequate...but I caution against going into big time dept to get a fancy boat. Better to get a smaller/cheaper boat to start, and enjoy searching the globe for something better...while your money accumulates.

BTW, I had the boat and the dream...been sailing all my life...now just 2 years from the last kid heading out to college...thinking that would be the start of my adventure...the wife leaves me for now reason (apparently it happens a lot). Had to sell the boat. She took pretty much everything. So now I've got no boat, no wife, and my dream is down the toilet. Now I'm rethinking my sailing adventures on a pretty meager budget...rice and beans on a 40 year old sloop.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-sailboat/king...ationFlag=true

[Pete7]

Always like reading Sailor Chic's advice as she spot on. So following her lead how about this:

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/38041

[tankersteve]

Originally Posted by ashten1171

Hello all, Im about to retire from the Army in a month or so. I have a ton of questions. First mainly would be what I can afford. I know this is subjective but I dont want to buy something thats really nice yet I cant afford to enjoy countries I plan on visiting. I will have to finance my boat. Just so you have an idea my retirement will be around $3,500 a month. Zero debt however no assets (divorce took care of that). Would really love a comfortable cat but not ruling out mono either. Either way has to be a boat I can operate myself. Taking sailing lessons soon. I will probably try to link up and act as crew member just to ensure this life is for me. I am pretty sure it will be. Tight spaces, rocky boats = Living in tents in bagdad, helicopter rides in combat zones,etc. I think It will be up my alley. Anyways my plan is to get this boat live aboard full time and travel the world. Any advice would be awesome. Thank you for reading my post!
-Ashten SFC Retired US Army Ranger.

Hey brother, another recently retired Army guy here. Add a few more posts, as I believe we can't PM until you hit a magic number. There are some financial points I'd like to clarify.

Tankersteve

[ashten1171]

Tons of great info again thanks to you all. As soon as my house is sold I may have a little chunk to start with after the debt is canceled out. If for some reason the wife and I stay together I will be looking at around $4,500 a month. Nothing is certain as expected. I now have some direction. I volunteered to work as a crew member in a couple of weeks on a Morgan 365 that is going on a 4 day trip to bahamas from south florida. Also heading up to to the boat show In Maryland on the 7th of OCT. Just put in my paperwork for Dive master school down in Miami (maybe make some money doing open water certs). Then I plan on using my GI bill for marine tech school so I will be better off working on my own boat and possibly servicing others for work if needed. So thats my plan. Work as crew member on different boats, tech school so I can do rigging and engine service myself, save as much as I can to buy something outright. Thanks again everyone. FYI if you are wondering why I am retired military at 34 its because of bad landings with airborne operations. I am medically retired. Well in about a month. My orders should be here any day now.

[a64pilot]

I had assumed to get that much there was something other than regular Retirement going on.
Good luck, if you stay out of debt, you can live very well indeed, debt of course cuts into the bottom line.
Plus worst thing is to finance a big new expensive boat, and then find out that this is not for you.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[dennisjseidel]

Ashten, if you are interested, I will be taking a 32' monohull from Stuart, FL to Panama City around mid October. Anticipate a voyage of 12 days.

[ashten1171]

Im not quite out yet. Just waiting on orders my MEB case is done just waiting on orders to come back. Could be in any day now. Anyways thanks for the info. Was invited to go on a short 4 day trip in a couple weeks so I think I will start there. Also going to go to the Maryland Boat show on the 7th next month. Again thanks everyone!

[tomfl]

Good advice about USAA for finances. Not everyone has the same definition of what cruising is and you need to define what it means to you. While I understand what you mean by camping and uncomfortable chopper rides my advice is get a boat you are comfortable on. While learning the nitty gritty of maintaining the boat can't hurt part of my definition of cruising is having fun. I have a cat which to me is very comfortable.

It has twin 9.9 Yamaha outboards which are much easier and cheaper to work on (and replace) than inboards. Also have a composting head which is more expensive to buy but a lot cheaper to maintain; not to mention other advantages like no through hull fittings and no pump outs. Point is replacing engines, or even fixing problems with them can add up fast; same for head problems and paying for pump outs. Sometimes paying more up front can save money later on.

You mentioned diving. I have lots of certifications but carry a hooka on my boat. Problem with SCUBA is getting tanks refilled is not always possible and carrying more than two or three tanks can get to be a problem. For many places in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas there is plenty of good diving in 30 feet or less and the hooka is also helpful in cleaning the hull. Remember when I said a big part of my definition of cruising is having fun. Using a hooka lets me have more fun than carrying tanks and looking for a place to fill them up.

I am not saying everything I do or like applies to everyone. I know some guys who love to literally dive head first into a cramped, dirty, musty, foul smelling, often hot engine compartment and skin up their knuckles working on engines. More power to them. What I am saying is that you need to figure out what having fun means to you and proceed accordingly.

You also need to get a few more posts so you can send and receive PMs. I am a retired vet and live in Tallahassee during hurricane season. The rest of the year I cruise and will probably be sailing the Big Bend in a month or so.

[Teknishn]

Ashton, Thank you Sir for your service (Ret. USN in '97). As others here have already stated, start small and get some experience. I can't reiterate that enough. You mentioned that you have no assets or debt...look at that as a good thing. You've got nothing to pay storage for, transport somewhere else (what a hassle that can be), and you can start with a clean slate. I've done that twice (once by divorce as well). I slagged off everything except for a couple of pair jeans, pair of shoes, a few shirts, tools, and moved on. The feeling is absolutely emancipating in some ways. With your retirement income (Mine is less that half of yours as I was an enlisted, and I get by). You should be able to do just fine.

[Privilege]

Ashten,

Here's another option for your consideration...there are websites like crewbay.com where people advertise for crew. There is everything on there from oil tanker drivers looking for work, to teenagers looking to crew during a break-year from college.

There are also people like me who already have a boat and intend to sail off around the world and want someone to do it with who are financially independent and can contribute to boat expenses. There is also the occasional owner willing to pay for expenses.

IMHO, $3.5k a month is plenty to cruise on but if you add in the cost of buying your own boat it gets a little harder. This might be a good fit for you even if as a temporary measure until you have enough experience to figure out what you want.

David.

[barnakiel]

Why is it that retiring US military personnel have no savings?

I am asking because I have a friend who is an ex UK militant. He was able to buy a small (but new and very well build - a Rustler 42) sailing boat with the money he saved during his job. He retired very early too (50).

He was also given a very good med cover package for his future life. I sometimes think, compared to other jobs, he made a smart job choice.

I would not go kill people in a foreign country and risk getting killed without getting well paid for that.

b.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Why is it that retiring US military personnel have no savings?

I am asking because I have a friend who is an ex UK militant. He was able to buy a small (but new and very well build - a Rustler 42) sailing boat with the money he saved during his job. He retired very early too (50).

He was also given a very good med cover package for his future life. I sometimes think, compared to other jobs, he made a smart job choice.

I would not go kill people in a foreign country and risk getting killed without getting well paid for that.

b.

You do get paid well, but not as much as a Civilian equivalent, but you can Retire early and start a second career if you like. I Retired with significant savings, and although my retirement is only about $2,500 a month because I didn't try for disabilities that I have, I do have Medical for life, although that comes and goes in it's worth as Politicians change it.
When I joined I was to have Medical, Dental and Vision, but by the time I retired its just Medical.

However some go through a Divorce, and that has a tendency to make savings disappear, whether your Military or not, but it seems that the Military member takes it in the shorts in a Divorce more often than their Civilian counterpart as Income is a matter of public record.

Then sometimes due to injury etc, you don't get to pick your Retirement date either.

[barnakiel]

Divorce. Damn. Sure. I did not think. Stupid me.

Good news the retirement money is a round figure. And since it is a regular pay, you can actually finance the boat and start living in it right away. Esp. in areas where housing more expensive than berthage.

Good luck to the OP! This is definitely a 'do it' case. IMHO

b.

[dridas]

Hopefully you are a resident of a state that doesn't tax retirement pay.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app