Any Young Cruisers Setting Out Soon ?

[youmeandthed]

This is not meant to hit a nerve with fellow cruisers about the definition of young and old. I'm just curious if there are any cruisers setting out who are under 30. My wife and I are heading out soon for the Caribbean, and it would be cool to meet some other young people along the way who aren't just backpacking and living in their parents basement.

[Ishmael]

Here's a great blog; they're from Chicago, in their early 30's, expecting the first addition to the family and currently in Grenada:

www.windtraveler.blogspot.com

[youmeandthed]

Umm, yeah they have a great blog (I follow), and seem like really nice people. We won't be heading their way. We're leaving Florida near the end of February and heading through the Bahamas then towards Panama with a few stops in between.

Just seeing if anyone else is in their mid twenties doing the same this year?

[BlueSun]

Hi youmeandthed

We are in our early 30s - does that count as young? ;-)
We're not near the Caribbean (yet!) but its great to see some other younger cruisers heading out.

Also, I remember there was a thread here a while back about "young sailing blogs" or something along those lines - might help put you in touch with some others?

Good luck!
Caitlin and Michael

[rebel heart]

We're early/mid 30's on the west coast, going down to the west coast of central and south america next year. We also have a 1 1/2 year old daughter, so she's younger than you guys by a long shot.

Most of the non-retiree-aged people seem to gravitate towards each other, ditto boats with kids.

[unbusted67]

30 here and heading South this coming fall, knock on wood. We will probably only make it to the Bahamas this year but maybe further South if the kitty holds out.

[youmeandthed]

Rebel heart, the ironic thing is the age gap between your daughter and my wife and I is still smaller than that between most of the cruisers we've encountered and ourselves.

Any advice/info (the surprise stuff that comes up on a boat)on the HC 36, we just bought a Union 36 and are trying to sponge up as much info as possible.

Unbusted - I totally know where you're coming from, so much ambiguity before these trips.

Anyways it's nice to know who is going cruising soon, and who is perpetually getting ready.

-Dave

[farotherside]

Miya and I (ages 32 and 35, with me being the older) left Vancouver headed south in September. I'd lived aboard in Vancouver for three years previous, mostly squatting in False Creek. We're now in San Diego and will be crossing into Mexico in the next two weeks, then onwards to Central America and eventually the South Pacific...

[youmeandthed]

cool we plan on crossing next Feb(ish). We plan on chilling on the Pacific side of Costa rica before we cross. We're leaving Vancouver in a couple weeks, but we're driving down to Florida where we bought our boat, and heading from there. It's snowing in Vancouver right now, I guess it had to before we left.

[msponer]

The 30-somethings are taking over your thread.

The four of us are 6, 8, 35, and 35. We are heading out this year, starting in Grenada.

I also headed out for the first time in my 20s, and in the beginning was more likely to play with sailing kids than their parents. Or single handers, the other black sheep. Once we got to the coconut run it seemed like we were surrounded by kindred spirits, of every age, and felt much more a part of the sailing community.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by youmeandthed

Any advice/info (the surprise stuff that comes up on a boat)on the HC 36, we just bought a Union 36 and are trying to sponge up as much info as possible.

What year? The HC 36 and the UP 36 are almost identical.

[Matt Johnson]

We are leaving this July (9 days after I turn 30 , but the wife will still be 29) for the Caribbean and beyond. Sold our house last June with everything in it... there is no going back! We are now just doing the final saving, adding/fixing a few things and waiting until we can start towards the Erie canal.

We bought our Sabre 34 with the thought of just doing the Caribbean, but after figuring that we are going this far (selling house/ quitting jobs), we might as well go all the way. We now plan to sail around the world... I would have picked a different boat had we planned this from the beginning.

Our blog is slowly getting up to date... MJSailing.com

I wish everyone here good luck!

Matt

[youmeandthed]

rebel heart

our union is a 1984. i did my research and it looked like a lot of boat for price and size. do you have a selfsteering windvane? I trying to figure out the best way to rig one, our boat has a teak extension that kinda gets in the way on the stern.

[captain58sailin]

I am 53, but I act like I'm 17, does that count?

[SV.Maverick]

The problem with going young is you never have enough money to keep going. I had to fight the desire to go in my mid 30's but would only been able to stay gone for a short time. Now that I will go at 45 I will never have to worry about money. Thats why most cruisers are older.

Infact look at the blog Ishmael brought up windtravler. I like their blog also but they are NOT a young couple sailing around the world. They are a mid 30's couple who are livaboards and Scott has had to take a 9-5 to make ends meet.

I know of more than a few who went on a wing and a prayer meaning cheap boat and no money and it never ends good. Most of the time its not just the end of their cruising but the end of their relationship.

So after all that good luck and I hope you all have the time of your life.