When is it too late to start living the dream?

[cavitation]

When you can't pull the sails up.

[Don C L]

"I want to educate myself on weather, navigation, sailing, maintenance, docking and so much more. I think this may take several years."

Huh? Get out and do it, take the classes, join a club and go crew on other people's boats. It won't take that long!

[chrisr]

you can't cram decades of experience into a few courses, but hell : make do with what you have, get out there and do it...it will amaze you what you pick up when hands on

test your limits all the time

as regards age, i was privileged to sail with and against one of natures true gentlemen by the name of johnny walker. john did his first sydney - hobart yachtr race at age 60...and then did 25 more, his last at 86. he was still sailing competitively shortly before he passed away at age 92

for those who don't know, the sydney - hobart is amongst the toughest sporting events in the world. if john could do this, you can go for a leisurely cruise !

you're never too old - just do it !

cheers,

[kryg]

I will be 75 this year, I just finished rebuilding my 50' sailing boat, I had for 32 years. I would have sailed to Vanuatu if it was not for VoVID-19 lock down. I will go in May next year with my arthritic knee, I just work around that issue. Sailing I find keep you young and healthy not much else does.

Originally Posted by tydickinson

I'm retiring this coming year. I've always sailed small sailboats, but never sailed a larger multihull and only up to a 26' monohull. I want to educate myself on weather, navigation, sailing, maintenance, docking and so much more. I think this may take several years. At the end if I am still enjoying it and I can convince my wife to join me, I want to buy a 45' or so multihull and cruise the world. I am 60 now. In pretty good health at the moment. Is the clock ticking? Do I have the time to do all of this education and still be fit to cruise the world?

[Kiwi.]

Originally Posted by tydickinson

I'm retiring this coming year. I've always sailed small sailboats, but never sailed a larger multihull and only up to a 26' monohull. I want to educate myself on weather, navigation, sailing, maintenance, docking and so much more. I think this may take several years. At the end if I am still enjoying it and I can convince my wife to join me, I want to buy a 45' or so multihull and cruise the world. I am 60 now. In pretty good health at the moment. Is the clock ticking? Do I have the time to do all of this education and still be fit to cruise the world?

When they are screwing the lid down on me I might consider giving up cruising!
We've got some great friends in their 70s with a Helia 44 catamaran; we're meant to be meeting up with them in New Caledonia right now, but they're stuck in NZ and we're stuck in Australia. My wife and I will probably move down from our 60ft Trawler to a 44 Helia or similar in a few years (I'm 65) when I have more time.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Kiwi.

When they are screwing the lid down on me I might consider giving up cruising!
We've got some great friends in their 70s with a Helia 44 catamaran; we're meant to be meeting up with them in New Caledonia right now, but they're stuck in NZ and we're stuck in Australia. My wife and I will probably move down from our 60ft Trawler to a 44 Helia or similar in a few years (I'm 65) when I have more time.

Would you fit one or two masts to your coffin?

[djousset]

You absolutely can do this. You certainly need a vision, followed by a plan, followed by small steps.... that become big steps. One day you look up and you're there. The clock is going to tick whether or not you pursue this, so go for it!

[jhughes]

Originally Posted by tydickinson

I'm retiring this coming year. I've always sailed small sailboats, but never sailed a larger multihull and only up to a 26' monohull. I want to educate myself on weather, navigation, sailing, maintenance, docking and so much more. I think this may take several years. At the end if I am still enjoying it and I can convince my wife to join me, I want to buy a 45' or so multihull and cruise the world. I am 60 now. In pretty good health at the moment. Is the clock ticking? Do I have the time to do all of this education and still be fit to cruise the world?

Take a look at The Britican Experience;
Briticanexperience.com. A fabulous "hands on" sailing/cruising experience for both you and your wife. Sails out of Grenada.

[tydickinson]

Originally Posted by jhughes

Take a look at The Britican Experience;
Briticanexperience.com. A fabulous "hands on" sailing/cruising experience for both you and your wife. Sails out of Grenada.

Thank you for the suggestion. I just went to their web site. Looks fascinating. They also have many YouTube videos. Due to Covid, they are not hosting people now, but hopefully that will pass soon!

[David B]

Originally Posted by tydickinson

I'm retiring this coming year. I've always sailed small sailboats, but never sailed a larger multihull and only up to a 26' monohull. I want to educate myself on weather, navigation, sailing, maintenance, docking and so much more. I think this may take several years. At the end if I am still enjoying it and I can convince my wife to join me, I want to buy a 45' or so multihull and cruise the world. I am 60 now. In pretty good health at the moment. Is the clock ticking? Do I have the time to do all of this education and still be fit to cruise the world?

While I have been 'messing about in boats' (small ones - just dinghies etc off the beach), since I was a youngster, and my wife and I had talked for many years about buying a cruising yacht, it was only cancer that focussed us on how fragile life is, and how little there may be left of it.

So, when we were both nudging 60, we bought a 50' monohull (our first yacht) on the other side of the world from us - no try before buy, no charter first to see if we liked it. We just bought a new boat in the Med, while one of us was still recovering, and while we were still running a business back in Australia.

Could have been a situation of a dream turning into a nightmare, but that year - even though we only got to go sailing for a little over a week (a lot to do getting a new boat ready) before we had to return to Australia, was a magic year, and our decision was the best thing other than getting married.

Nine years on (we both turn 67 this year) we have had great experiences during the few weeks we manage to grab each year, and we are intending to sail into our eighties.

So I say, if you have the desire, and have what it takes, just go for it. Even if you get halfway there, at least you will have that experience, and also know that you gave your dream a go, rather than always wondering 'what it'.

Also, I disagree regarding your suggestion that it would take you years to work up to competence. Common sense and an affinity for the subject are the foundation you need. After that you will learn quickly - from others and from yourself.

As earlier, our first year consisted of just over a week actually sailing the boat. That meant navigation as well. The next year, after another few weeks in the water, we sailed to North Africa, and all was well.

Don't be discouraged by age, don't be discouraged by lack of experience, and don't be discouraged by what others may say. Give your dream wings, and see how far it can fly!

[David B]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

Bingo. I couldn't have said it better myself. I'd like to add that if one can maybe afford a cat in 5-10 more years of working then why not quit right now and fo cruising with the money you do have and actually be able to be a bit looser with the budget with a much more affordable monohull?

The smaller you go the easier the boat will be to handle short and single-handed. I see so many struggling newbies with way more boat than their skills and sometimes even strength can handle. Sure there are power this and power that but $$$$ for both initial purchase and maintenance.

Go small go now. Use the extra money you save for luxuries on shore now and again. Also, learn to anchor out mostly. I can't believe the money many cruisers throw at transient dockage on an nearly daily basis -also something that goes way up with larger footage and often even more again for multi-hulls.

Each to their own - and that includes budgets, but we went from nothing (unless you count dinghies and a 22' daysailer) to a new 50' mono. Handling is a breeze, and single handing her is also very doable - including Med mooring. We wanted to be comfortable, and have our boat as our 'floating apartment'. That meant a reasonable amount of room for us, and good stowage.

Autopilot, bowthruster, all lines aft, windlass control in the cockpit, and in-mast furling, main make her very easy for just one, let alone a couple to sail.

We are in our late sixties by the way.

[David B]

Originally Posted by Larry Florida

Get yourself something bigger than the 26 ASAP. 45 is too big. 30 to 34 and start learning about the systems etc. Can't imagine you ever needing a 45.

Cant agree - 50 is a nice size for a couple if the budget allows - even as a first yacht as it was for us.
We come across many couples on 50-55' monos.

Each to their own, but I would not recommend ruling out a larger boat if affordable - they shrink quickly.

[Mauruuru]

At 60 I retired (sort of) and sailed to the Caribbean via the Bahamas. at 65 returned to South FL where I have a house on a canal one bridge from Atlantic. As I turn 70 this year thinking about heading over to the gulf for a little exploration on that side. You are only as old as your body tells you----go for it.

[Ndavies]

Don't miss the window!....Its probably too late when you convince yourself that you need to work another year or so. Do it while you have good health. Do a charter to be sure its what you want to do, take some lessons or better still get involved with a local club and sail some different boats. Then buy the boat you intend to cruise on as it will take you time to learn systems, fix it, and get it cruise ready.

PS - I write this from my boat, not my armchair!

[obtusewillie]

Do it and never look back