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Old 16-12-2022, 06:51   #1
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Why do cruisers quit cruising?

I think it is mostly that the reality does not match the dream.

Most people when dreaming about cruising do not think about all the stress there is in cruising.
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Old 16-12-2022, 06:54   #2
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

That's definitely a factor.



For some people, cruising to certain places is just one of many things they wanted to do in life, so once they've done that, they're ready to move onto the next big thing.
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Old 16-12-2022, 07:10   #3
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pirate Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

For many it's a 'Bucket List' thing.. I've met many over the years who bought a boat to do the ARC and the Caribe for a while then sold up or sailed back to Europe to take up their old lives again.. have kids, establish a career etc.
For others it's age..
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Old 16-12-2022, 07:17   #4
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

Sometimes you've seen as much as you need to just then, and want to do other things. When my family outgrew the boat (children get bigger; bunks don't), we moved ashore so the wife and kids could have the garden and chickens and bees they've always desired.
I still get out a lot on deliveries and expeditions, and not living aboard has given me time for a nice refit, so the boat will be ready for the next mission (hopefully next summer, if a million variables all click together).
Part of me would love to still be full-time cruising, but then again part of me would like to still be a climbing bum living in a cave in Yosemite, and another part of me would like to build airplanes as a hobby: there's simply too many things to do with life to do them all at once.
So you do what's most important at the time, and work toward what will be important later.
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Old 16-12-2022, 07:18   #5
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Graham View Post
I think it is mostly that the reality does not match the dream.

Most people when dreaming about cruising do not think about all the stress there is in cruising.
or the work required between cruises. Not quite as bad as advanced helicopters (4:1) ratio of prep time to active use.
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Old 16-12-2022, 07:23   #6
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

I disagree. There are a lot of factors. First, not voyaging for a period of time or ever does not mean that person is out of the "hobby" of sailing. Some people wait for retirement to do "the trip". Younger folks have the "do it now" attitude and cut out a slice of time in their lives to go. They eventually have to come back to land and shake the money tree. The former go when they still have some energy left and fulfill the life long dream. My situation was in between those two parameters. I took of approximately 3 years and flew back home twice.
I think where most people hit the stumbling block are on forums like this one. They become immersed in opinions of what they need to go. Not everyone has the same financial opportunities and after spending hordes of unnecessary money, find themselves giving up or just local sailing.
You have to remember, cruising isn't always sailing around the world. It can be as simple as taking two weeks off a year with the family and finding a close by anchorage or marina in a different town.
And rslifkin brought up a good point...sometimes it is "Been there, done that".
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Old 16-12-2022, 08:24   #7
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

I am thinking about the people who start cruising and then in a short period of time quit.

I think many do not realize the reality of cruising life.
1. Sleeping on a sailboat in bad weather.
2. When at anchor the need to check you are not dragging your anchor.
3. Having to cook all the time on a moving platform.
4. Not having a shower anytime you want one.
Etc.
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Old 16-12-2022, 08:31   #8
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

Reasons vary widely.

20+ years ago I was a full-time delivery skipper. About half my business was delivering Nordhavns, a hi-end trawler yacht (several have circumnavigated). I met a lot of early retirees who wanted to cruise, but not forever. A pretty standard life-cycle was buy the boat, spend 2-4 years cruising, then doing something else. Often, new grandchildren played a role in returning to land.

A cousin of mine and her husband dreamed of cruising and planned for over 10-years (sailboat out of NJ). They made it about 6-months before they ran out of money and became overwhelmed with repairs. Also, they were pretty entrenched in the Yacht Club scene so liked to party a bit which can be expensive.

Another couple who lived at the same marina as I did in San Francisco had a dream to sail off on an open-ended cruise. A young couple, they spent almost 2-years getting their boat ready. Turns out they didn't care for cruising but they liked marina life, so they returned 3-months after leaving and happily lived aboard and day-sailed.

My wife and I planned on cruising back in 2002 but a killer job offer came my way so we delayed. We are now looking to re-start soon, but enthusiasm has waned a bit due to age and agility. We'll still go, but will be different.
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Old 16-12-2022, 09:02   #9
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

We cruised for 11 years and 40,000 nm. Most of our cruising friends who actually crossed oceans quit because of age, health or family commitments.

Between my wife and our friends there have been 7 total knee replacements, it is difficult to run a big keel boat, in a gale, post bilateral knee replacements when you are 66 years old

We returned to land because of knees and grandchildren!

But those 11 years were wonderful!
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Old 16-12-2022, 09:18   #10
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

This is actually a subject that I've studied closely over the past few years and discussed directly with those out doing it or who did it. Here are my findings from these conversations:

1) It is only one of the partners dream, having both be on the same page it crucial, and more importantly you get along when spending all of your time together.

2) No breaks/spending nearly 100% of your time on the boat. Those who are successful I've found a common trait to be getting off the boat a few times a year for a month or two.

3) Money - leaving young and needing to return to work or leaving later but buying too much boat for the money you have saved then having to consider money at every turn. Money is going to be a consideration, but if you have to even think about $ if you need to replace a sail or heaven forbid go to that beach bar and have a burger & beer for dinner, you probably should not go cruising.

4) Boat is just too damn slow or have to motor too much- This is one that was mentioned by almost every single couple I spoke with that quit, they hated that they had a big heavy slow beast of a boat that needed 20knots of wind to sail and it took the fun aspect out of the actual sailing part of it. Also on the flip side those who are still out there doing it have switched over to boats that can sail in light wind and make faster than average passage times.

5) Health - the common theme was "I wish I would have started sooner" Cancer, arthritis, hell you name your ailment, I heard or read them all. There is a balance of going too late and too soon, but nobody regretted going.

6) Not being able to afford a nice boat - this sort of goes along with 3 & 4, but was a common theme that if you were on a boat that is just one notch above camping and it was constantly breaking (more so than the normal 50% of the time lol), it was a recipe for cruising not lasting very long. Keep in mind I'm not talking about the 20- and 30-year-old somethings out there vlogging, I'm talking about the 40-50 somethings that made a go of it with what they had.

7) Bad seamanship - this is sort of a catch all, but Captains who yell or don't get along with their crew, sailing out of season, not picking proper weather windows, in-ability to perform even basic boat repairs. Lack of experience prior to starting. Lack of confidence is also a biggie here.

8) Family - kids having grandkids or parents aging drew some back.

9) Turns out you just are not that into it after all once you got the taste.

I'm sure I omitted a few items, but it was super important when my wife and I started down this path to set us up for success. Even with all of that, life happens when you are busy making plans. Good stuff to keep in mind though.
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Old 16-12-2022, 09:34   #11
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

Pretty hard to generalize. I’m sure there are dozens or hundreds of reasons why people stop cruising. Likely there are broad categories of causes or reasons, but I’m sure every story is somewhat unique.

I tend to go with the Pardey view: Keep going as long as it’s still fun.

From my perspective, it matters as to why one gets into cruising. For me (and my partner), it’s not about circumnavigating, or indeed, going anywhere in particular. It’s about learning, freedom and adventure. It’s a lifestyle that lets us live simpler, inexpensively and with a lighter touch.

I’m quite sure we will move on to something else at some point, but for now, our hybrid cruising life* is still fun.

* We’re on the boat for about 1/2 of the year. The other half we do other things; mostly house sitting.
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Old 16-12-2022, 09:54   #12
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

For me, it will be a temporary lifestyle. I'll buy a cruising boat, shake it down for a year or two, and then go cruising for a year or two. When I come home, I'll sell it. Maybe I'll buy a smaller boat, maybe not. Already like my current sailboat for my lake.
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Old 16-12-2022, 10:05   #13
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

Implicit in the original question is the fallacy that cruising is a forever thing. It almost never is.
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Old 16-12-2022, 10:07   #14
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

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Originally Posted by S/V Illusion View Post
Implicit in the original question is the fallacy that cruising is a forever thing. It almost never is.

...and let me add to that, that some people who go voyaging for a few years and relocate in another country and liveaboard, still like to call it cruising.
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Old 16-12-2022, 10:28   #15
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Re: Why do cruisers quit cruising?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kinkircating View Post
This is actually a subject that I've studied closely over the past few years and discussed directly with those out doing it or who did it. Here are my findings from these conversations:

1) It is only one of the partners dream, having both be on the same page it crucial, and more importantly you get along when spending all of your time together.

2) No breaks/spending nearly 100% of your time on the boat. Those who are successful I've found a common trait to be getting off the boat a few times a year for a month or two.

3) Money - leaving young and needing to return to work or leaving later but buying too much boat for the money you have saved then having to consider money at every turn. Money is going to be a consideration, but if you have to even think about $ if you need to replace a sail or heaven forbid go to that beach bar and have a burger & beer for dinner, you probably should not go cruising.

4) Boat is just too damn slow or have to motor too much- This is one that was mentioned by almost every single couple I spoke with that quit, they hated that they had a big heavy slow beast of a boat that needed 20knots of wind to sail and it took the fun aspect out of the actual sailing part of it. Also on the flip side those who are still out there doing it have switched over to boats that can sail in light wind and make faster than average passage times.

5) Health - the common theme was "I wish I would have started sooner" Cancer, arthritis, hell you name your ailment, I heard or read them all. There is a balance of going too late and too soon, but nobody regretted going.

6) Not being able to afford a nice boat - this sort of goes along with 3 & 4, but was a common theme that if you were on a boat that is just one notch above camping and it was constantly breaking (more so than the normal 50% of the time lol), it was a recipe for cruising not lasting very long. Keep in mind I'm not talking about the 20- and 30-year-old somethings out there vlogging, I'm talking about the 40-50 somethings that made a go of it with what they had.

7) Bad seamanship - this is sort of a catch all, but Captains who yell or don't get along with their crew, sailing out of season, not picking proper weather windows, in-ability to perform even basic boat repairs. Lack of experience prior to starting. Lack of confidence is also a biggie here.

8) Family - kids having grandkids or parents aging drew some back.

9) Turns out you just are not that into it after all once you got the taste.

I'm sure I omitted a few items, but it was super important when my wife and I started down this path to set us up for success. Even with all of that, life happens when you are busy making plans. Good stuff to keep in mind though.
Thank you for your post.

Last night I was reading a book about cruising (yes I can read) and Larry Pardey commented that many people quit cruising early because of the stresses they impose on themselves.

For example they have a set schedule and get frustrated when the weather or repairs get in the way of a schedule.

He suggested people should just say I am going cruising for x amount of time and I lets see where the wind blows us.
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