Following My Dream-7 Years Out

[biker6977]

Originally Posted by Enrique100

BUT... and don't take this the wrong way, I don't mean to be insensitive or really grim about this whole thing - but 7 years, that's probably about a fifth of the time you have left on this planet. I *might* consider bumping that up a bit while you are in good health, husband is in good health, etc. Maybe get an extra job for now - sell off a few things if necessary, live a simpler life, reduce your expenses as much as possible, do what you can to move things up financially. Things happen, just saying. Best wishes.

Not taken the wrong way and totally spot on. I already have/ had health issues- brain tumor going on three years ago- two years next month since finished with chemo, shoulder surgery 3 months ago. I have taken a holistic approach and know that time is limited. We are selling everything that won't fit on the boat other than hunting stuff and other items that will be used up until the time we leave. We put over $6000 on debt just this month and paid off two other loans last month. We have a plan to be debt free totally in two years. Hubby is taking on contract work which pays more. We spoke this evening and are now shooting to leave in 5 years so we've taken two years off the goal all ready!!!!!
We feel that if we stay on track we can possibly move it up closer as well. Once we finish our first sailing cert. and study a little more we are going to look for a boat. I can't believe how fast everything is happening to be honest. It's only been a couple weeks since hubs came on board with the idea and it's going fast now that we are both focused. He has even offered to sell his big fishing boat which will get us out of debt in less than 6 months!!! I will leave that up to him as he does fish a lot and I won't ask him to give it up (though I do have my fingers crossed he will) If that happens the time line will be more like two years. It is so freeing to know there is little at the end of the tunnel.

[chuckr]

On my tablet so bear with the typing.
First on the cost issue. We live on our ss alone, well almost. on 6yrs I have taken 7k out of savings to pay off credit card. we put all and I mean all our costs out there for all to see under the dollar and cents page on this forum under the title 5years of cost. we keep the boat in good condition and try to upgrade something each year. unfortunately we will put on a new main as we blew ours out crossing the boot of Italy.
That brings me to the next point of a new boat. when we got ready to leave there were a number of boats getting ready to leave and all were purchased used and they were going to fix them. took them a lot long nada at more expense than they had planned. like the posting above, new exhaust elbow and pull the pedestal and redo it. Personally that is nice if you want to but there is only so much time God gives us and I chose to cruise and not sit and fix. Oh and the boats getting ready to leave when I did only one left and he did almost 2yrs of work from electrical to some deck work and he lost his a/p and started having other problems and had to get rescued off Bermuda. We have seen other and helped other folks fix or try to fix their boats underway in say the Bahamas or Panama with limited parts and they sit and we move on.
Is it a lot of money up front, yes. but you will be sailing sooner and longer with less problems.
Good luck and look at our cost data. of the work we had done in one year was a water maker, extra fuel tank, more solar, and something else that I can not remember .

[biker6977]

Thank you chuckr, we are looking at all possibilities and appreciate every example and idea. I have been looking at boats for a while, now looking with the real thought in mind of what would need done, how much will it cost etc. I have a few good books on boat maintenance, out fitting etc. I"m reading those while also reading Voyagers Handbook and a navigation book. So much to learn and think about-

[biker6977]

Well, paid for the sailing lessons- we are now officially signed up for the first ASA class Sept. 6, 13 and 14! It is going to be a long 6ish weeks but I will be doing lots of studying on terminology and practicing knots. Along with learning as much as I can from the wonderful people here on CF!!! I don't know of the last time I had such a giddy feeling. It seems as if all is right with the world- I know it won't be all rainbows and puppies but to know that I am actually working toward what I always thought was a dream, something that would only be real while dreaming at night- and now to know that even if I get hit by a car tomorrow I am at least working to make it a reality- it is a wonderful feeling!!!!!!!!

[Turnone]

I think you will find many people planning something similar. Thank you WWW and CF.

I have a 19' Flying Scot that I recently started sailing and racing.

I'm 42 single dad. Two kids still at home. Planning to depart between ages 50-52 at the latest.

I do plan to keep the house at this point. Would like to come back for a couple or a few months at a time to visit kids/grandkids. Plus I won't have to get rid of everything. Yes, I already have a granddaughter (not my choice) but love her dearly. She's 11 months old.
My youngest is going into 7th grade in a few weeks. So technically I could go in 6-8 years. GF's youngest has 8 years of primary school left.

I read a lot of books, read CF and other info. I still have other hobbies. Ride and race motorcycles (small, medium and large).

Debt is all paid off except some recent medical bills for me and my youngest son. Still waiting on those totals.

Passive rental income and no debt is my plan.

Chris

[biker6977]

Good for you Chris!!! Grandkids are great- I got my first grandchild at 38, a college momento - now I have 2- grandson is 11 and grand daughter is 9. I am hoping they will want to join us during the summers.


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[CaptainAR]

Originally Posted by chuckr

You are where we were over 10 years ago. Never been on sailboat and on a lark took a lesson in dec 2000. Liked it. So in March of 2001 went to Fla Yachts and Charters and took 2 more lessons and the capt chris made us work as a team - not capt and crew - and we learned to sail a bit better - then chartered a couple of times and in 2003 bought a new Jeanneau DS40. We had moved to miami by then and sailed Biscayne Bay almost every weekend.
at age 60 i lost my job and did some part time consulting and took SS at age 62, sold the house and got rid of the cars and all the stuff, paid off the boat and set out. That was 7 years ago. Since then we have sailed the east coast of the usa 2 1/2 times, all the Bahamas twice, then fla to mexico and south to colombia, across the caribb to jamaica and down to trinidad and on the way back up took a right at antigua and ended up in the azores. Now in the med for the 2nd year we are in albania and headed to croatia.
as you we did a lot of planning and looking but the smartest thing we did was get a new boat. Our boat is now 10 years old and still going strong but we keep her up.
good luck and any way we can help please let us know as we have been there done that

Chuckr
Just wanted to say thank you for the inspiration. I am 49 years old and dream of a day when my wife and I can retire and become full time sailors. The problem is that when the reality set in of how old I'd actually be at that point I became discouraged thinking that we would be to old to actually do that kinda of sailing and would be reliant on others to take me to those destinations. Hearing you speak of your age and what you've accomplished has given me new hope in my dream to one day retire and sail the open ocean.

[u4ea32]

It can be a LOT cheaper to live aboard and cruise than to stay home and work. The articles in Money saying you need 80% of your working income to retire are utter BS.

Let's say your employer collapses, or outsources everything overseas, in 5 years. If you already have a boat, you can go. Go!

But that means you may well be cruising for three or four decades. If you buy a 1975 boat today, its going to be 80 years old... you want to be working on an 80 year old boat when you are 80?

So I am with the "buy new" contingent. That is what I am doing -- building new.

[Greenhand]

Even on 30-40 year old boat, things need replaced overtime. I doubt that an 80 year off fiberglass boat will be much different than one half its age.


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[biker6977]

We will not be buying new, we will be buying used for the first boat. Once we can officially retire we have money we can use at that time or later to purchase new if we decide to go that route, which we might. But right now we will do the used boat and go from there. Classes are scheduled- hubby and I will be taking them together. It's really going to happen!

[biker6977]

I mentioned earlier that my father in law was supposed to move down with us but did not and when my hubby mentioned our plans got a bit miffed. Well- guess who showed up this weekend to measure doors to see if his gun safe will fit into the house??? Yep the father in law. We were in the midst of the yard sale and up he pulls- our plans have been the elephant in the room so to speak. Hubby and I discussed in private that we would not let this deter us from our plans. FIL (father In Law) is welcome to move down anytime. He and the youngest can stay in the house while we head out if they'd like. It will crimp our plans to rent the house out but that's ok, we can take contract position if need be through out the years. I've also decided to sell my BMW Z3 and get a decent used car for half what I make off it and put the other half toward getting out of debt. We WILL make this dream happen- finding so much good info on this forum and through the books I'm reading. I realized last night that I'm reading 4 books at once-Buy, outfit and sail, Voyagers handbook, Riggers apprentice, and cost constience cruiser. I"m highlighting and underlining and tabbing them as I go. So much info to learn but all those are very helpful!!!

[biker6977]

Well, the third week of the yard sale is over- hubby hauled all left over stuff away to charity. Father in law is still hanging around- hubby is none too happy and it appears father in laws plan may have back fired as hubby is now ready to leave as soon as possible (they tend to push each others buttons) I am continuing to read and learn. Working on the Snark sail boat now that we have room in the yard. Also will be working on my Z3 to get it sold. Decided to purchase a motorcycle instead of another car- better fuel milage and cheaper cost. Plus I am having motorcycle withdraw :-)

[Scott Berg]

One suggestion... Crew, crew, crew. Sail on a range of boats. Cross an ocean on vacation. It is easier to learn how to fix an head or bleed an engine. Learning how to sail well takes more time and is the fun part so do a lot of it...
S


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[biker6977]

@Scott Berg- We plan to do just that. We want to have at least 2 years with our boat to but also want to crew as much as possible to learn from others. Once we have a little training and basic certification we will be looking to crew for anyone looking.

[biker6977]

Keep your fingers crossed for me. I have a job interview today for a dream job- lots of travel- that would allow me to get a small live aboard and start living my dream early!!!! Continuing to down size, pay off debt, read and learn about sailing. Ran into a friend last night in the grocery, she has been reading my facebook posts about our plans to sail- she has had numerous sailboats (I didn't know this) and she is now preparing herself to get another boat and take off for parts warmer. Ripple effect people- ripple effect!