The Downside of Cruising

[daddle]

Not cruising? Your body will rot into the sofa while the TV rots your brain. No?

In my opinion there's little difference. People who are happy and satisfied on land will be happy and satisfied cruising. But few people are happy anywhere. A person's sex has nothing to do with it.

[rtbates]

I kinda figured it out before I went cruising. .

It's hot, humid, salty and the bed won't stay still and worse yet, the grandson is 3k miles away.

This isn't going to work..

Much prefer weekending on the boat, vacation on the boat, spend the summer on the boat, spend the winter on the boat. BUT to live 24/7 on a boat, I don't care how big, is the best way to totally ruin sailing for me...

I'll be a part timer...

[swagman]

Originally Posted by Eleebana

I find the answers above really helpfull. For my part, I could sail off and be happy to just leave family and friends behind for a few years. However Heidi is very relational so we have to find a way to do it without totally losing contact with people at home. We will probably cruise for 6 months then come home for 6 months. We will probably have family and friends aboard from time to time.

Greg

Greg - thats a super plan. Rule no 1 is you'll not get sailing happily unless Heidi is happy also - so my response to your orginal question would be to always have a plan B for her (and you).

We've met lots cruising who claim total satisfaction with life etc but when Sue pipes in with 'I'm zipping back home to the UK to catch some pals' or 'yes were home for Xmas and back out next spring' you tend to see the other lady's eyes go misty.

There is no doubt a small boat (and for me that means borderline 45 footer) is confining for two so another trick is to get off it once in a while. We've parked Swagman up one side of Italy, hired a car, and zoomed off to the other side and hotels. Do that every month and it not only ensures you see a bit more than the sea, but allows you to release any boat fever.

We've fell under the cockpit table with so many other Aussies who are doing exactly what you suggest - summer sail - EU winter then back to Oz and the sun. Mate - its a plan that can't fail.

And just to prove a point to some of the others who do not think you can enjoy a condo and a sailboat. Our Hanse 461 is now 5 years old and still looks more like an apartment than a boat when down below - and we've slid across the Atlantic in 16 days exactly and happliy rocked along in F8/9 enjoying the ride. Some pictures here:
hanse Boats for Sale on Yachting & Boating World - ybw.com

JOHN

[Jolly Roger]

There are some astute insightful perceptions here to Eleebana’s question. I would just add, it is virtually impossible to foresee how you will react, until all the well-wishers and relatives have gone home, and you haul up the anchor on your own in the boat. The reasons for wanting to do it, and reasons for quitting are as varied as human relations can possibly be.
It is actually an alien environment for humans, so previous boating experience helps, but we had none. Still, it was a great adventure, selling our business, the house, all our belongings and moving on to a very fine forty footer. But the first time we hit foul weather frightened the life out of me. “What the hell have I done to my family,” brought a swell of remorse and worry, and we came very near to quitting—except we had nowhere to go back to.
It took me a year to, “get into it,” and we cruised for six. We finally quit for two main reasons: we were fed up with not being able to earn enough money all the time; and our children needed a more formal education. My daughters—now married with children of their own—still say it was the most memorable part of their childhood.

[jackiepitts]

Originally Posted by swagman

We've met lots cruising who claim total satisfaction with life etc but when Sue pipes in with 'I'm zipping back home to the UK to catch some pals' or 'yes were home for Xmas and back out next spring' you tend to see the other lady's eyes go misty.

Boy this is the truth. I have felt my eyes going misty as well.
We are out for our first season and I would say that approx. 90% of the cruisers here have put there boat up and headed home for the off season. I have to say that I was surprised how many cruisers are on this kind of schedule. I think this may be a good way to find balance for many and that may be our fate as well but I will have to see how our first off season goes before we make those decisions.

[Vasco]

We first started cruising in 1990 when we took a whole year off!! It was wonderful, every experience was a new one and the year went very quickly. Since then we've been cruising every winter, just six months a year. We're still doing it and being home every summer is what keeps us cruising. After six months on the boat we're ready for shoreside living again. And when fall comes we're ready to head south and go cruising again. It's a good balance and I think this is what accounts for our longevity at this cruising game. We only go to the Bahamas, the waters are great, the locals pleasant and it's usually warm. We both traveled extensively in our youth and don't yearn for foreign lands, been there. Some cruisers want to see the world, some just want to cruise in warm, crystal clear waters. And being on a boat adds enough excitement (hopefully not too much) to keep you young. I think we're going to continue cruising for a few more years. It's not as thrilling as it used to be, but what is after all these years.

Health is one of the major factors as far as when to quit. When we started health was not a consideration, never thought about it, but now, twenty years later, we realize that having good health is a blessing and should never be taken for granted. I wonder why those water jugs seem to get heavier every year?

[Sea Yawl Later]

We just finished our first 6 month "test" cruise. I loved it, but we have the right boat for us. I think that is paramount. The two main issues I had with the boat, A/C and a big bed, my husband fixed. We now have A/C away from the dock anytime I want and a king size bed that is extremely comfortable. The A/C not only makes it comfortable when the heat gets too much but it dries things out. I really get tired of the dampness.

[Jolly Roger]

I don’t see any reason why you should not have “all to comforts of home” nowadays, on a modern cruising boat. Producing electric power used to be the limitation, but not any more. Provided you can make space, what's wrong with washing machines, air conditioning, freezers, TV’s, and proper beds? I even have my eye on a small dishwasher. Cruiser’s are mostly stationary anyway, so what’s wrong with a floating condo, so long as you accept the more equipment you have, the more maintenance there will be?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

I even have my eye on a small dishwasher.

yeah.


So do I. Shes about 5'8" so not that small. Damn she's cute, but.



.

[Jolly Roger]

But what! Please send me details, yours might have other uses.

[zeehag]

you guys have mentioned everything from learning to do dishes and clothes by hand to being bored out of your skin at some gorgeous place you ccant figger out what to do in--lol--why DO anything--a lil boredom is awsome stimulus to the brain---makes ye get into the kayak and explore he area some and maybe catch some fish or take a short swim or walk or bicycle ride or whatever or just DO nothing--lol-----is fun!!!!cruising is merely changing the locale of your home. home is where the boat is.....go figger---when one grows tired of same scenery, one moves along to somewhere new..or just different.....

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by EllanVannin

I asked my hubby this question re coming back home from cruising in the South Pacific about fifteen years ago.....in his words

"I was sick of waking up next to women who couldn't speak english"

I am hoping this will not be the reason he is terminated during our venture into cruising life together

There, I fixed it for you.

[w1651]

I am ready to take the plunge and go to the extremes of sailing. But to say boredom is a problem??????
I don't understand how you can travel by wind to a destination somewhere none of your friends have been or are ever going to see and not feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. Not to mention the work,sacrifice,and just plain hootspa you have to have to get you there. Come On People!
I plan on walking the islands I go to and seeing the highest point of each. I will bring a tank,mask,fins, and regulator to dive the reefs or just to see what's down there. Hmmmm maybe get some dinner while Im there too. When I have seen it or have to move on I will leave the right way. With a bow in the waves, a rail in the sea, and a 30knot breaching wind in the sails. Yelling and screaming Hasta La Vista Baby!
On those long endless voyages I'll grab my sextant and learn (trial by error) how the great sailors before me got to their destination without GPS or charts, but by a look at the sun and a timepiece. I'll read Hawthorn, Poe, Thurough, and Melville. I'll see the stars no one else sees like the southern cross at night and shake Moby Dicks Flipper if I want to. (He's still alive you know)
I'm gonna hop skip and jump across the world at a whim and a on a prayer. Another port means new friends or more scoundrels keeping it interesting. Another island means new adventures and things to see and do.
And if I happen to meet someone along the way all the better but if not at 8am you'll here a resounding GET THE HELL OFF MY BOAT through the islands or port of call. Freedom is my ultimate goal. Forget the job and the government and the electric bill from now on. Just me the sea and my boat.
And if you land lubbers in front of your tv or computers here or see of a guy leaving someplace after the countries crisis and the peoples uprising is over yelling VIVA LE REVOLUTION from the cockpit of his boat !

Then you'll know where I was...:-)


---------------
If you ain't got good dreams you got nightmares

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by w1651

. . . . I'm gonna hop skip and jump across the world at a whim and a on a prayer. Another port means new friends or more scoundrels keeping it interesting. Another island means new adventures and things to see and do.
And if I happen to meet someone along the way all the better but if not at 8am you'll here a resounding GET THE HELL OFF MY BOAT through the islands or port of call. Freedom is my ultimate goal. Forget the job and the government and the electric bill from now on. Just me the sea and my boat. . . . Then you'll know where I was...:-). . . .

Love it! Go for it! I've been there, done it, got a closet full of tee-shirts . . .
I especially love the part about - "Forget the job and the government and the electric bill from now on."
- - Unfortunately, reality is an ugly mistress that you cannot scream at the morning "GET THE HELL OFF MY BOAT" . . .
- - What I am saying is that you will find your dream - to the maximum possible extent - if you keep a little corner of your attention on the reality of the cruising life. If you heed the "downers" mentioned here and use them as a starting point to adjust your thoughts and attitudes to deal with them effectively - then the rest of your experience will be that "ideal dream experience" - most of the time! And to cruise long term you definitely need to massage your attitude to deal with normal human psychology as best expressed as "the grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence."
- - Learning to stop and smell the roses and enjoy the experience is not something that is normal to the majority of 1st World citizens. It takes some adjusting and slowing down. But after awhile the constant supply of new "roses" and gorgeous honeys to wake up with starts to get tedious.
- - How long you last out there is pretty much determined by how flexible your attitude is and how much you pay attention to all of the pesky little bureaucratic B.S. and stuff you have to swallow to be allowed into the various "gardens of eden." Entry is not free. It costs money and flexibility to deal with the various owners of each "paradise."

[zeehag]

i truly didnt realize there WAS a downside to cruising-----i have read this thread and i still donot know what the down side to cruising could possibly be.......