Public opinion

[roverhi]

A 28' shouldn't have you needing electronic muscle except for the anchor rode. A windlass for that size should set you back less than 2 boat units, installed. If you are primarily daysailing wouldn't worry about it. I'm a bit younger, 75, but with no heart issues just diabetes but my stamina isn't what I used to be. Downsized from a Pearson 35 to a Sabre 28 more for geography than physical need but do find the smaller boat much more to my abilities.

Definitely say don't wait. At our age, the next minute let alone the next year isn't guaranteed. Not sure the kids appreciate me spending their inheritance on a boat, though.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Limpet

If you feel able, then do it. But don't do it alone. There must be a Grandson ready to go?

Or granddaughter.

[Adelie]

Quality of life vs quantity. Unless you have reason to believe you’ll live to 100 if you don’t.
There are things in life worse than dying while following you dreams.

Go if you want. I’d go at 77 even if I knew it’d kill me at 78.

[Lake-Effect]

I've only read some of the responses, but I would say that the only outside opinion that matters is that of your healthcare team. If your Dr says ok, then it's all up to you. The point of the bypass was to fix you up for living, not to turn you into a houseplant.

Do look into anything that will make your sailing more pleasant, from powered winch-handles, to pressganging younger crewmembers.

[MicHughV]

To the OP....

A few years back I got whammied with back to back strokes...Dr's told me it's a wheelchair and nursing home for you. My wife said...uh oh...I don't think so...Dr's scoffed at her, get him to walk around the nurses station and he can go home. She yelled, raged and ranted at me to get my fat lazy butt outa dat comfy hospital bed...and yes, it was comfy.....so I did, I got my fat lazy butt outa dat comfy bed. took a few steps the first day, a few more the next day and one week later I walked outa dere on my own steam.

And I'm still going. That was about 5 years. Still going strong, not as strong as I used to be for sure, but still going.

The human spirit is a remarkable thing. I've been to nursing homes before. No way am I going to live out my days in one of those places.

I'm grateful in having a wonderful wife who supports me in every way possible and refuses for me to sink into lethargy.

I spent all day fishing in the Atlantic yesterday. Yep, can still run around with the youngsters that fish with me.

Without knowing your exact circumstances, I hope this tale motivates you to keep going!!

I'm comfortably in my social security years...but don't feel a day over 20.

[Tayana42]

To the OP... you didn’t mention physical therapy. I’m only a youngster at 71 and I don’t have a cardiac history ( I’ll never stop sailing as long as I am able) but I have had a knee replacement surgery. It took more out of me and took longer to recover from than I would have believed. Sailing your own boat still will be a physically demanding activity. How much physical therapy did you do following your surgery? How much gym time to regain overall fitness after your PT? If you’ve rehabbed your body and you feel able, don’t let anyone tell you not to live your own life. But do get yourself as ready as possible.

[AndyEss]

Right angle drill for winches - check.
Autopilot - check.
Good, reliable engine - check.
Electric anchor winch and good ground tackle - check.

The only addition I would consider is a young-ish, hottie to bring cold beers up from the fridge - you can’t be too careful going up and down the companionway with that ticker.

[Trawler2016]

My first wife died after 49 years together.
I went though 3 years of being lonely and finally decided enough.
Went to an on line dating site and sifted through the 400+ photos and profiles of women.
Found one that really caught my fancy; we communicated and have been married almost a year. She was a widow for 15 years.
Shocked my son and other family members.
I am 78 and never been happier and she feels the same.

In short life is too short, go for the gusto!
Just do it.
Bill

[TravelinLight]

Do it, no need to die in a Lazy Boy chair, if you are going to may at least be doing something you love.

[MicHughV]

Yep, like some above posters have suggested, some physical therapy will do wonders. I have always been fit as a fiddle and strong as a horse....ok, a small horse :-), but a month long stay in the hospital can suck the life out you like nothing can. I went thru' about 6 months of physical therapy...1 hr a day, 3 times a week, in addition to daily walks, home exercises, home aerobics, etc. Therapist was as cute as a button, they all seem that way, so going to therapy was never a chore, ha, but my wife tagged along from time to time to let them know who was boss.
Like they say back home...my home...you can only eat the elephant one bite at a time...so physical therapy was a good decision, I actually enjoyed going there as I felt 100% better every time I left there.
I was told, I would likely never walk again.
Just came back from a 3 mile jaunt on the beach.
You are only as old as you feel !!....in my mind...I'm 20 !!

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

To the OP....

A few years back I got whammied with back to back strokes...Dr's told me it's a wheelchair and nursing home for you. My wife said...uh oh...I don't think so...Dr's scoffed at her, get him to walk around the nurses station and he can go home. She yelled, raged and ranted at me to get my fat lazy butt outa dat comfy hospital bed...and yes, it was comfy.....so I did, I got my fat lazy butt outa dat comfy bed. took a few steps the first day, a few more the next day and one week later I walked outa dere on my own steam.

And I'm still going. That was about 5 years. Still going strong, not as strong as I used to be for sure, but still going.

The human spirit is a remarkable thing. I've been to nursing homes before. No way am I going to live out my days in one of those places.

I'm grateful in having a wonderful wife who supports me in every way possible and refuses for me to sink into lethargy.

I spent all day fishing in the Atlantic yesterday. Yep, can still run around with the youngsters that fish with me.

Without knowing your exact circumstances, I hope this tale motivates you to keep going!!

I'm comfortably in my social security years...but don't feel a day over 20.

I have to say this reminds me of my father and mother. My Dad was in ICU for two months on life support. I'm ashamed to say even I believed this was the end. Not my Mom, who didn't drive then. She yelled at my Dad and the nurses every day about he needs to get out of that damned bed and take her shopping. Every one thought her cold and selfish. Multiple doctors were writing him off. He fought, and he lived another five years and took her shopping every day before she passed before him. Never doubt the human spirit. Or a wife that needs her shopping fix.

[MicHughV]

I have to give total credit to my wife, without whom I would have been toast.

Interestingly, I was on a floor that catered only to stroke patients, I believe there were 150 of us on that floor. All ages, a mix of male and female.

That floor had a built-in house, so stroke patients could be taught how to move around a house plus a variety of outdoor exercises, and other physical therapy rooms, etc. Most of the stroke patients were wheeled from one place to another. The nurses, doctors and therapists were all great, truly devoted people.

But....
Out of the 150 beds in there, I think there was perhaps three patients that had visits from family, friends, spouses, etc. the rest didn't have squat.

Without that kind of support, you are basically screwed. My wife was by my side 24/7. She slept on a makeshift couch in my room. She was there when I woke up and there when I fell asleep. The only time, she was not there, when she went downstairs to get some coffee.

When the Dr. came in and more or less outlined my future, my wife said to hell with this, and started her program of yelling, ranting and raging. "You owe me, bucko, you still owe me 20 years of married life and I ain't gonna let you off the hook".....and with that pronouncement, started kicking me out of bed and down the hall.

The nursing and Dr. staff were awed by her tenacity.....ha, and so was I ...

Y'know, a lot of men take women for granted, but let me tell y'all sumptin'!!

We are blessed to have women on this planet, truly blessed !!

I am doubly blessed, My wife is a prize, I am so incredibly fortunate to have had the good fortune to marry her. A friend, first mate and a gazillion more adjectives I could easily apply.

A week after I left, she made me go back with a large box of chocolates for the staff.
Ha, that was a trip, I walked in on my own, much to the amazement of everybody.

The above story by Tellie is remarkably similar to mine.

I take my hat off to the women of the world !!!!!!!

[Checkswrecks]

Lots of great advice already given, so I'll just say that I agree in going.

For local sailing don't forget that there are a lot of kids you could take along who'd otherwise never have the opportunity. Think about who you or somebody else in the family knows who could connect you with a high school teacher or counselor.

I've got a buddy who teaches art in an inner city high school in Baltimore. With the boat being re-painted, I gave him $50 as a prize for a student to come up with a design for painting the new name I want on on the stern. When done they'll get another $50 and to sail with a couple of friends. (I know better than to take a single kid one on one.) The kids are loving it and it's the kind of thing that can change a life.

[Lepke]

I'm in my 70s and have several disabilities left over from the military. I made them work all my life, and it's much more fun on a boat than sitting in a house like dead meat.

[denverd0n]

And I have to say it... I wonder how many of those who say, "get up and go!" in this case, are cowering in their homes with a huge stockpile of toilet paper, afraid to go outside for fear of COVID-19.


Just sayin'.