Dreams or Goals

[Duke 48]

According to my better half -Princess Di- the difference between dreams and goals is "a time-line". In an attempt to keep to our time-line we try to invest as much of our spare time as possible on getting Believe ready for our departure. Yet, sometimes it helps to just dream. (It's a self motivational thing.) For example, today would be a good day to dream. It is cold, about 25 deg. F; thus, not a good day to continue with the on-board remodeling.

I would like to review / dream over the cruising guide(s) covering our route south from KY Lake to Mobile Bay, but the only guide I currently have is one for the Tennessee River. Obviously, this leave me a little short of my goal.

Your recommendations for specific cruising guides and charts covering the inland waterway from the Tombigbee to Mobile bay will help me:
1) to stay inside where it is warm to research and order the materials, and 2) give Princess Di reason to think I am not wasting my time.

(Keeping busy this way may even keep me from having to go Christmas shopping - any excuse is better than none.)

Thanks, Duke

[AdamY]

I agreed with her theory... but I think it isnt a timeline, its a deadline ;-)

"We are leaving September 17th 2006 no matter what." is how we got out cruising. Stuff was broken and it wasnt easy but now 2 years later there are many dreamers in our marina who were leaving "In 07 or 08 depending on how ready the boat is" that are still there :-)

Cheers,

[Pblais]

Deadlines tend to make you rush and not think things through. On days when you can't work on the boat there are any number of things you can do to prepare yourselves and you gear off the boat. Planning provisions, checking out equipment, and making lists, Reviewing charts and studying the technical documents about your boat systems and any number of readings you might occupy yourselves. Going over procedures together and practicing knots (or splices) are all positive activities to keep your focus on being ready and continuing the work. They don't have to be critical just an activity. Some you work on together is always a better idea. There is also all the financial planning and other details that have to happen in order to leave. Maintaining a state of preparation keeps your minds active on the small details you need to sort out. Waiting for the calendar does nothing to improve you abilities to be very successful.

Great goals are reached through preparation not will power. Wanting it more does not make it possible.

[AdamY]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Deadlines tend to make you rush and not think things through. On days when you can't work on the boat there are any number of things you can do to prepare yourselves and you gear off the boat. Planning provisions, checking out equipment, and making lists, Reviewing charts and studying the technical documents about your boat systems and any number of readings you might occupy yourselves. Going over procedures together and practicing knots (or splices) are all positive activities to keep your focus on being ready and continuing the work. They don't have to be critical just an activity. Some you work on together is always a better idea. There is also all the financial planning and other details that have to happen in order to leave. Maintaining a state of preparation keeps your minds active on the small details you need to sort out. Waiting for the calendar does nothing to improve you abilities to be very successful.

Great goals are reached through preparation not will power. Wanting it more does not make it possible.

I completely agree with every word said there. theoretically.

Unfortunately in practice I never met anybody who finished their "lists". Dont get me wrong there are very wealthy people out there who bought their list done but among the unwashed masses we all have broken boats and not enough money. The rich guys get broken boats and are often lamenting that they sre stuck waiting for the yard to finish fixing whatever went wrong.

In any case, I am 100% positive as we sit here debating if we should put another 10k into Estrella or leave now that if I wanted to be completely prepared I could easily spend the next decade pouring money into her and putting whats left in the bank. I am sure that inside that decade Kristina would get pregnant since we dont get to choose when we become infertile and any number of other vairables could step in after that so we spend a decade spending money and end up going nowhere.

That said, I am sure planning a retirement is a different thing entirely ;-)

Didnt mean to hijack this thread but I dont subscribe to the "you must be this good to go cruising" dogma. Met loads of broke people with broken boats making a go and having the time of their lives.

Cheers,

[Pblais]

Part of the process is to define what being ready is to yourself. Preparation is still better than picking the date certain and just leaving with no preparation. We certainly see a fair number of obsessive compulsive preparation exercises here and many bordering on insanity too. Success is not about will power it is about preparation. Chasing a few rats down the hole can be an exercise in understanding what matters and what expectations are reasonable.

It is not a process of solving every scenario or potential problem before you go since that approach won't really work. Any scenario can always be complicated by more factors and so the search for everything never gets you ready. Sorting out what is important is a difficult process. Some never get there and some of those that leave come back quickly because they were not prepared. Real life catches up to you and the window closes and circumstances make for different choices. That happens no matter what you do. So you will be ready when you are. Leaving does not make you ready or solves very many problems. It only forces the future choices you have available for the future. You can pick the choices you have available within the limits you have imposed on you or understand before you leave.

[AdamY]

Oops, thread hijacked.

your response reminded me of something...

Until you have left, you're guessing. no amount of forum threads, books or other academic research can prepare you for what your unique experience will be.

I bought a big heavy full keel ketch because most of my research taught me that I need one to survive. If I had it to do over again I'd buy something that sails well in light air, is well balanced and agile to weather. There are people out there in lighter displacement boats who wish they had more interior space offered by big traditional designs.

I met a canadian couple in San Carlos who had a nifty 50' aluminum masthead sloop. Their first time out they had a 40' full keel ketch. they concluded after their first cruise that they preferred performance and because t hey couldnt find a smaller aluminum masthead sloop in their price range they compromised and got a much bigger boat than they originially sought. There are many different kinds of cruisers and many different kinds of cruising. Their advice to new or wannabe cruisers re:decisions is to go on what they have so they can learn what they want.

I spent much time/money on things it turned out I didnt need and missed out on some things I wish I had gotten. Ultimately had we not left on a date I dont think we would have ever left.

I totally agree though that being ready is different for different people. but we really cant know until we've been there. Our best case scenario is an educated guess and if the desire is to get out there the only way for it to happen is to do it.


Cheers,

[Duke 48]

Your recommendations for specific cruising guides and charts covering the inland waterway from the Tombigbee to Mobile bay will help me:
1) to stay inside where it is warm to research and order the materials, and 2) give Princess Di reason to think I am not wasting my time.

(Keeping busy this way may even keep me from having to go Christmas shopping - any excuse is better than none.)


OKAY, it's true, I'm not ready yet and I won't be for many months. I have managed to stay busy researching such things as:
-Batteries, wind generators, solar panels, anchor chain, dodgers, auto pilots, SSB radios, and some other things. Now, Princess Di is starting to ask questions about the cruising guides and hinting about Christmas shopping.. I'm running out of excuses.

[Duke 48]

Too late. I have run out of excuses.. P. D. says I must go Christmas shopping with her and it has nothing to do with adding new equipment to Believe. I must say I am somewhat disappointed with those who read the thread who allowed me to be trapped into this situation, but I will still welcome your recommendations for cruising guides for traveling from KY Lake to Mobile Bay.
Thanks, Duke