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Old 17-09-2009, 09:11   #16
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I think boating is healthy because you are in a totally different environment from your normal daily life. Being on the water relieves stress and has a calming effect.
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Old 17-09-2009, 12:06   #17
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A 2001 survey, conducted by Impulse Research Corporation, found that boaters are healthier and happier than their non-boating counterparts. The online survey was conducted with a random sample of 1,029 men and women selected to closely match U.S. population demographics (542 boat owners and 536 non-boat owners).

Boaters average nearly seven and a half hours per week in active recreation, compared to less than five and a half hours for non-boaters. Landlubbers have been hospitalized slightly more than boat owners (14 percent to 11 percent) and tend to be more overweight than their boating counterparts.

In addition to physical benefits, when asked about the overall quality of their lives, boat owners rated it about five percent better than did non-boat owners. Boat owners expressed greater satisfaction with their accomplishments, relations with their families and their ability to enjoy life. Non- boat owners are more prone to feeling useless, lonely, unhappy or excessively fatigued. Here are few of the findings:

* More boat owners said their health is excellent or good (83 percent) than did non-boat owners (77 percent).
* Sixty-seven percent of boat owners said having a boat has contributed to their well-being.
* Boat owners experience greater self-esteem (+10 percent), ability to enjoy life (+9 percent) and a better sex life (+7 percent).
* Non-boat owners are more prone to feeling useless (+8 percent), lonely (+7 percent) unhappy (+5 percent) and fatigued (+4 percent).
* Nearly two-thirds of boat owners said owning a boat has brought their family closer.
* Most boat owners said the benefits of owning a boat include being outdoors (89 percent), spending time on the water (85 percent), being able to unwind and leave pressures behind (79 percent), and finding tranquility (71 percent).

More ➥ Boaters Do It Better - World Maritime Exchange
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Old 17-09-2009, 15:55   #18
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It is really great reading all these diverse opinions on the health aspects of boating, both positive and negative. There are many more factors than I had thought. I have never thought of boating as being hazardous but some do. It would seem to be low risk compared to driving to work, having a bath and cleaning the gutters on your roof at home.

Thanks Gord for the link to World Maritime Exchange. A lot of interesting stuff.

In the last 6 months down here in Mexico we have come across boaters with heart trouble, arthritis, Parkinson's, high tech joints, diabetes, cancer and many other problems. Most of them are hanging on better out sailing than resting at home.
A lot of people are loosing weight too.

Now I had better get in the water and clean the bottom. Great exercise.

Gary
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Old 17-09-2009, 16:35   #19
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26 footer, two crew, round the world. Age 35 and 32.

I can't say our health improved in any way.

We lost weight (we were on the skinny side before anyway). We lost plenty of muscle during long passages - to the extent that it was impossible to climb relatively low peaks of Polynesia before we got back into shape (we are keen climbers as well). None of conditions we had before lessened (allergy, i.a. - sure it was absent when at sea but came back when in the islands). Our sight did not improve, nor worsened.

Back home we discovered we brought two minor health issues and a serious one (all three - skin problems).

It is very hard to say whether sailing helps or kills because one cannot sail and live ashore at the same time and then compare results. It is either / or and we never learn the other side of the story.

On the mental side no wonders either - mostly negative (?) reflections - lost touch with most of my landside friends who went ahead with having goods and children - I believe most of my friends / family started considering me and my mate as freaks. On the other hand, we met many fantastic people and made new friendships - so it sort of balances out.

Well, I believe, in our case sailing could be just a bit less healthy than living ashore would have been (mostly because of worse diet, less regular sleep and insufficient amount of exercise).

If you are interested in second hand knowledge, then I did not see any wonders among my friends either - people mostly just do better or worse, there are some accidents - some drown, some fall from the masts, etc.. Some people develop serious conditions (freak out, get divorced, start preaching, etc.) - but then again, as stated above - impossible to say whether they would have developed the same ashore or would have not.

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Old 17-09-2009, 22:05   #20
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My biggest negative health consideration since moving aboard is I've found I have had "tennis" elbow going on 4 or 5 months now. I know if I go to the doc he'll just say give it rest and let it heal....but winter will be here soon enough!
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Old 17-09-2009, 23:06   #21
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Your using muscles even when bunked or sitting in a seaway.
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Old 18-09-2009, 07:31   #22
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Your using muscles even when sitting in the cubicle. But is this enough to remain healthy?

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Old 18-09-2009, 09:12   #23
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Uncounted Years

God looked down on day to see
A curious ship on a glorious sea.

"My God (that's Me) by Jesus," quoth He,
"Mine eyes have seen the glory of Me.

"What I see is more glory for Me ---
A Sailor gliding on my shining Sea.

"So caring is he
Of the nature of Me
I'll not take away years he
Spends at Sea."

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Old 20-09-2009, 02:07   #24
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i noticed my blood pressure dropped considerably after extended periods without sleep, most recently a 3 day gulf crossing in adverse conditions, during which sleep was not an option. mentally i was imagining a lot of rubbish, several years ago during extended sleepless days in the tasman sea i would resent the sun rising, the ropes stopped talking to me then.

during the last 5months sailing i've lost 20kgs, which wasnt a bad thing but when my yacht sank (2weeks ago) i actually had to sleep on land for the first time in 5 years, that didnt go down well, thankfully i'm back afloat albeit just looking after a friend's fizz boat in a marina, depressing stuff....

here in the tropics i would always wear what we locally call 'stinger suits' a synthetic wrist/neck/ankle skin that provides excellent sun protection. (it only makes it easier to remove a stingers tentacles, doesnt stop the burning pain from them) (hmm probably stops that death thing also) other than the sun protection benefit of the stinger suit there was a significant benefit when i did the washing every two weeks, 14 pair of jocks and a stinger suit fits nicely in my washing bucket!

cheers
bruce

hmm there was something else i noted from an earlier post. that survey said boat owners & non boat owners, sounds like rubbish, it should have been live-aboard sailors and the rest of the world.
ohh there is one other thing my ileostomy, when they released me from hospital the dietician said i would do myself a favour by drinking salty water.
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Old 20-09-2009, 06:27   #25
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One way to get more exercise while cruising is to row the dinghy. Since I was last cruising some 26 years ago I notice that more boats now have inflatables instead of hard dinghies. since inflatables as so difficult to row they buy an outboard( or two ) which eliminates exercise by rowing.
Most seem to have followed the trend to inflatables without thinking this out. this seems to be the sequence of inflatable thought.
First; get inflatable because they store in a small space.
Second; This glorified inner tube will not row in anything but flat calm. Ahhh. Buy an outboard.
Third; the other dinghies are going faster them me with 2HP. Buy bigger OB.
Fourth; this dinghy does not plane well. Trade in for RIB.
Fifth; Have to tow dinghy because it won't fold up and fit on deck.

It seems to me that we are right back to a glorified expensive hard dinghy with tubes around the gunnel. Why not get a good nesting hard dinghy that is light, will row well, can sail with mast kit, will go fast with 9.9 OB and will stow on deck?

I notice very few sailer actually deflate their dinghies when they sail but tow them. The boat anchored next to us has two inflatables; one that leaks and one that floats. How long do these last in the tropics.

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Old 21-09-2009, 08:11   #26
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Apolima I share your feeling about being in a better physical and mental health situation when I've been on the boat for a couple of weeks. I alway have a small reduction in weight but increase tone and have less giggle about the middle! After a couple of months no giggle! My overall feeling of well being is always better even before the sundowners are made up!

I'm sure lots has to do with my increased physical activities such as snorkeling, swimming and hiking in addition to sailing. I probably do eat better and more regularly while living aboard and cruising. Love the fresh air and warm seas. Air Conditions environments and desk with computers and file cabinets are just not the same thing!

I've been doing a couple of trips of 2 to 3 months each year for a while. Now looking forward to going full time in the Caribbean as of December this year. I really believe it will add years on my life and if not it will at least make them far more pleasant and interesting and worth living.

In a song by Jim Morris's on "Seafood Platter" he has a line that goes "I want to live until I die" and "not lay on my death bed thinking of things I never did". Live is a one way street afterall... so travel it well and in the direction and mode you find best for you.
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Old 21-09-2009, 08:53   #27
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definitions

Arghhh, now I can see my mistake!

The question was 'boating'. And I read 'sailing'.

So the other take would be that yes it is, if boating is what your heart desires. Along the lines that if we do what we love, within some body limits, it brings more balance to our life, a slower tempo, etc.. Thus any activity like dance, climbing, painting or any other pastime or passion may have benefits for the wearer.

And I jumped to sailing - like being in the ocean for extended periods of time, away from the civi and the soci.

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