Getting Ready

[Don1500]

I am about to become 1. Single again (age 62, not by design and not happy) and 2. Retired, by design.

Single being due to my wife being terminal, sad story but so it goes.

Retired because since my wife's stroke I have figured tomorrow I could have one and I have to get on with living.

Up till I went in the AF I lived on boats and sailed whatever I could get my hands on. Hobies to cruisers. Although I know navigation and sailing I have never taken it seriously enough to go to a school or take a course. Learned it by osmosis. I can't teach you how to sail but I know enough to get myself in trouble. Some things I do know is how to work glass and electronics. Worked as an engineer for Sperry Marine for a few years, spent a lot of time at sea on oil tankers. Then went into avionics. So I'll be able to do most of the maintaining work and only the big stuff will be jobbed out. I have a radio station license so I can even fix the radar and radios myself, legally.

I plan on buying a medium size sloop (27-35 ft), pay cash, and live aboard. This plan is set to begin in about 6-8 months, taking to sea about April of 2011. 6 Months after that I plan on a trip to the Bahamas and after about 1 year Europe does not feel out of reach.

Until I go I am reading everything I can find about sailing, from knots to radio installation (Boat installations are different from aircraft), to the rules of the road. I have read Slocum (Sailing Alone Around The World - Voyage of the Liberdade) and am working my way through the "Annapolis Seamanship" series. I also found " The Marine Crewman's Handbook" A military marine seaman's training book, it's full of ways and means to get anything done on a ship. You may not need everything in this book but what it tells you, it tells you right. I figure by the time I start looking for a boat I'll at least look like I know what I'm doing. Heck, I can even make a bosun's chair. I just found a free download of "Ahsley's Book of Knots"

[Ex-Calif]

Don - So sad to hear about you wife. That's tragic.

Spend you time with her (of course) and fill your time with learning.

The community of cruisers is a great place to heal.

[maxingout]

Losing a spouse or a loved one is tough, and a powerful reminder of our own mortality. In the past year and a half, we had three of our parents get their promtion to the next life. It certainly got my attention, and affected my perspective on life.

Such events have a way of sharpening my focus and claifying my purpose. I am 62 and am committed to living my dreams and finishing well (which has nothing at all to do with money).

Time is now my most valuable asset, and getting in shorter supply. Every day I feel the urgency of living my dreams. It's not a bad place to be, but it is a challenging place to be. I try to make every day count for something good, and I try to laugh a lot. After being a physician for more than 35 years, I still believe that laughter is the best medicine, and I try to do it many times a day - the more the better.

Keep on trucking, keep on laughing, and live your dream.

[SaucySailoress]

I am sorry to hear about your wife being terminally ill. I can't imagine how it must feel to know that these days remaining with your loved one are soon to be over. It sounds as though you have a truly great relationship with your wife, and I am sure you will treasure the remaining time, and of course your memories.

I had my own brush with mortality last year, so I recently quit work to spend more time doing the things I want to do - my mission now is to persuade the husband to quit work as well - it was timetabled for one year from now; it looks as though he's trying to wheedle his way into another year of work though... I wish he would quit worrying about making his retirement nest and just come, be poor, and enjoy the cruising life that we both dream of.

Please stick around - there is no better place to spark your dream than CF!!! It's kinda useful for Handy Hints as well, and there's some great company here!

[SaucySailoress]

Which link did you use to download Ashley's Book of Knots? I've searched for a few, but can only find ones which need a credit card number, and I never give that out for free stuff!!!

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by Aaza Dana

Which link did you use to download Ashley's Book of Knots? I've searched for a few, but can only find ones which need a credit card number, and I never give that out for free stuff!!!

I knew someone would ask that, and I thought I should have included the link, but forgot to save it.

Not to worry, I dug it up again.

Ashley Book of Knots - Free eBooks Download

One thing about this, It downloads thru a phoney page that will try to sell you a faster download time, don't fall for it. I have a fast cable connection and it said the slow normal time to download is 16 hrs. and the fast pay for it time is 3 minutes. I downloaded in about 5 minutes, no charge. There is a 1 minute delay before you can download, be patient. It's a 600+ page book. And it was scanned in, no search or cut & paste.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Don and welcome aboard!
Sorry about your spouse.
Thanks for your military service.
I think your goals are very good indeed and you've picked the right sizes of boats to seek.
kind regards,