92-year old Navy veteran on boat delivery.

[roland stockham]

Age alone is not the criteria. In the UK my next door neighbour was still making extended solo passages around the Celtic sea with no problems. I have also met 90yr olds running marathons at sub 5hr times. So just make an assessment on ability not age.

[Ken Z]

I would take him, and do icw, a port to port trip, longer but whats time.... don t live with the possibility of regrets, esp. with family, it could be his thrill of a lifetime, but he has to understand he needs to take orders. I wouldn t feel he is shelfish, seems he still has a pair, I salute him....

[olddog57]

It surely depends on him, and I guess, if he really wants it, he can make it!
Why do I think so?
Last fall in Portugal we met a 85 years young Britt who sailed his elderly 36-footer from England to Med SINGLEHANDED! The guy took everyday his bicycle to go to a supermarket and was not handicapped in any respect.
So, why your father cannot go with you if he feels like it?

[Ferrari]

You owe it to your father but wife complicates! Annoying habits are exacerbated in confined spaces and challenging circumstance, (which will occur)
Some good observations above but still your call.

[bensolomon]

Here goes:
Richard 5...loved the Kobiashi Maru reference...change the parameters of the test or trip in this case.

I have a similar situation. My 83 year old mother who is not physically fit. She insists on coming aboard and I persistently refuse because I know she will trip, fall and get hurt.

Then, I have her brother, my 81year old uncle, who sails with me once every year for a weekend. He does what he can physically....usually raises the fully battened main sail once the whole trip, some occasional jib trimming and takes some helm time. Then he reads, or takes in the sights and smells. His contribution is his companionship and knowledge. He has more miles under is keel than I may ever have. I usually learn one tidbit per trip.

I put those first two paragraphs to give context to my response...I understand your predicament. If this is a boat that you and your wife are looking to start a journey on, I could certainly understand your wife's desire to have the two of you on board with a captain to get used to the boat and to get as much instruction as possible from the captain without being distracted by someone else. In this case, "someone else" just happens to be your dad.

I am a pulmonary and critical care physician and I can help you with mitigating the potential health risks, if you wish. The medical care of your dad is very easy. I would take that out of the equation.

The real decision is going to be a philosophic one regarding a new boat and new-ish life afloat with your wife versus her perception of this new start with you and your father aboard. Not knowing the circumstance, is it possible that your wife feels that she may have been taking care of your dad for all these years and she just wants a week alone with her husband on your new boat?

My apologies for the verbose response, but you asked a very complicated question.

Ben

[bensolomon]

I reread my post. Where I stated I can help with the medical care of your dad, I didn't mean sailing with you guys. I simply meant I can help you with information to make his care easy.

Ben

[DSIMMIE]

Navy vet, father, 92 years old. Wishs to go on the trip.....take him! Just know the ports along the way to make a stop if needed. If not, you will regret it...in my opinion. Congrats on the boat BTW. jealous!!!!

[tmccaffery]

I a) own a current Leopard 40, b) have a 90 y/o father and c) am a Navy veteran. All other things being equal I think that you really need to consider this overall mobility, especially going up and down the ladder (stairs) from the main salon to the pontoons. Further, the heads are really not designed for people whose mobility is impaired even slightly. Finally, while I don't know about your father, my father while still very mobile for his age, is also clearly frail. My biggest concern would be your father falling, breaking a bone and thereby creating a serious medical emergency with a geriatric patient.


Take him day sailing on the Chesapeake otherwise, he will be endangering the mission which is to bring the boat quickly and safely to the Chesapeake.


BTW, what are the circumstances that necessitate getting the boat into the Chesapeake so quick -- insurance? That is solvable.

[MartinR]

Originally Posted by Ken Z

but he has to understand he needs to take orders.

I do not think 92 year olds like to take orders
Easy to work around

[Moontide]

I say take him.



Cats are easy to move around on (as long as you hold on due to the sometimes quick/jerky motion).



The first couple of hundred miles you can be fairly close to shore and still be in the Gulf Stream. Would give all of you a chance to see how it is going. If all is good you can keep going, and if not you can drop him off without doing a lot of extra miles. After that there are still lots of bail out points along the way if that becomes necessary.


Sounds like his mental attitude is good. Since he has spent time on the water in small boats he probably also knows what he is getting into.


Go for it.



Bill

[hatteras53]

K.I.S.S.


Keep It Simple Shipmates !


Come up the I.C.W. so you will be nearby to a port or other piece of land in case of an emergency. Assume you have an inflatable. This is really a not a big deal shipmates. Make the trip up the ditch one of a lifetime for all 3 of you. Give your wife and father enough space to do whatever they think is best including not deciding to come at the last minute. If your wife decides not to come, then bring someone else to crew with you. People die on boats and the land every day. Better it be done while doing something you really love ! Again, K.I.S.S. All will work out for the best for everyone.

[ChesapeakeRich]

I was about to post saying that there are just too many ifs/variables/unknowns about your dad, your relationships with Dad and wife, circumstances of your need to go now, costs, etc for a bunch of keyboard sailors to help you make the right decision here. But Think Moontide summed it up well in the post above. I'm guessing your dad made a ton of accommodations for you as you were growing up; now might be a great time to be a bit flexible and do something for him.

[flyingfin]

June weather will be great, I am with the others, short hops, hug the coast, run just offshore. It is not a Mars Mission! You will never be more than 5 miles from first world EMT & Hospitals.

If he doesnt like it pull in and get him rental car or Amtrak ticket home. Worse comes to worse and he gets injured (or just as likely, one of your other passengers gets injured) and needs immediate medical attention, just hail a passing center console or TowBoat for that 30 minute ride to the next inlet.

[TarponChaser]

If he can be comfortable on board, take him.

10 years ago my father insisted on continuing to move firewood with his kubota tractor, 3-5 cords per year. My brother and I were worried the he at age 85 might fall victim to an accident running the tractor by himself. We considered taking away his tractor keys... That would have been a fight...

THEN we realized that this was what he wanted to do, that he had made it through WWII as a POW, through 85 years of life, and if he WANTED to drive his tractor, who were we to argue with him. For the past 11 years we have had a great relationship with him, no arguing over the tractor, later when he decided to stop driving his car at 94, we supported his decision on that to.

Your Dad is going to die, we all do, and if it happens underway on this trip, so be it. If the trip goes smoothly think of the memories you have added to his bucket list. Think also how he was doing what he wanted to at age 92, and you as his son gave him that gift.

Spend 10 minutes thinking about how you would handle him passing away during the trip (nearest port, transport of remains, place of death) THEN GET ON WITH LIFE... IT HAS WORKED FOR HIM FOR 92 YEARS... Perhaps that's the gift he is trying to give you....

Woops I gotta run... Dad (96) wants to go grocery shopping and then to the drug store.

[jmschmidt]

Take him over to Grand Bahama for a few days. See how it works out. He can fly home for there easily. Let him make the decision. Good Luck.