Aging out

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by rognvald

"Sorry your boat is in Florida." thomm225

?????

Lots of folks in Florida with boats (cruising boats) stay attached to the air conditioning in July, August, and parts of September.

Our 100 mile yearly race was in September back in the day and things were pretty vacant. The crowds had thinned out.

Most of the beach chairs were empty as we passed the large hotels and condos along the Gulf from Destin to Pensacola, and there weren't a lot of monohulls out on the water by that time of the year. (mid-September) Basically non outside the passes in the Gulf where we were on Beach Cats.

If the wind was light on race day though and we finished after dark, it did cool off quite a bit though, and if you were wet, you would shiver for a few hours getting back to Ft Walton Beach and the start/finish line.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Lots of folks in Florida with boats (cruising boats) stay attached to the air conditioning in July, August, and parts of September.

Our 100 mile yearly race was in September back in the day and things were pretty vacant. The crowds had thinned out.

Most of the beach chairs were empty as we passed the large hotels and condos along the Gulf from Destin to Pensacola, and there weren't a lot of monohulls out on the water by that time of the year. (mid-September) Basically non outside the passes in the Gulf where we were on Beach Cats.

If the wind was light on race day though and we finished after dark, it did cool off quite a bit though, and if you were wet, you would shiver for a few hours getting back to Ft Walton Beach and the start/finish line.

Hi, Thomm,
Are you relating your personal experience to mine? We sail 12 months a year in Florida although Summer has lighter winds. However, most boats never leave the dock.
Rognvald

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Hi, Thomm,
Are you relating your personal experience to mine? We sail 12 months a year in Florida although Summer has lighter winds. However, most boats never leave the dock.
Rognvald

Not necessarily.

We sailed from February-November on beach cats when I was in Florida which was mainly racing the last 6 years or so after doing the beach bar thing also the first few years by boat.

When it was cold though the warm urine in your wetsuit was nice at first but later turned cold and uncomfortable which you felt more between races.

Sailing 12 months out of the year is a bit much though after you have been doing it for a few years.

Up here, the offseason is a great time to do boat maintenance. I have my boat on the hard for 4 months this year.

I was hoping to paint over the holidays, but the temp barely hit 50 degrees by mid-afternoon so I decided to wait.

I scrubbed my toe rail instead. Have already sanded the entire bottom and topside hull.

Also afterward had a beer and walked the docks. Lots of nice boats at this marina.

[Calif.Ted]

Yesterday was in the 50's (Fahrenheit) with 15 kts. breeze when we passed closely by a boat on a reciprocal course. Beautiful day says he, a bit cold says I. He had no dodger and was in a T-shirt, I had a long sleeve T, long sleeve hunting shirt and fleece lined hoodie with the hood up and sat behind dodger. I hate winter, even San Diego winter, my tolerance for cold has been depleted.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Wotname

I suppose one could always post on CF whilst waiting to die

Had a break from it last year and went to another site which I found rather refreshing as my usual site tends to become a bit banal when the neo-censors respond too readily to the whingers. Fortunately the break occurred during my winter cruise when I don't participate so often.

So far I have transitioned from a power trailer boat to a steel sailing yacht to a FG sailing yacht and have plans for a sea going house boat when I become a true geriatric.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

Yesterday was in the 50's (Fahrenheit) with 15 kts. breeze when we passed closely by a boat on a reciprocal course. Beautiful day says he, a bit cold says I. He had no dodger and was in a T-shirt, I had a long sleeve T, long sleeve hunting shirt and fleece lined hoodie with the hood up and sat behind dodger. I hate winter, even San Diego winter, my tolerance for cold has been depleted.

It was 39/40 degrees here this morning, and I saw a young women going into the grocery store in nice fitting coat and shorts.

She also had in those white iPhone ear buds.

North wind comes right into that store off the Bay.

https://www.bing.com/maps?mepi=109%7...=1&FORM=MPSRPL

[elschwieb]

We too are in that stage of life (78 and 75 and with a significant life altering ailment). We have a beautiful and well maintained Brewer 44 ketch and want her to go to a new owner who will love and enjoy her as we have. Soon to list and issue is how to price and sell. There are many theories (strip her naked or leave her in clean but lived in appearance). Any suggestions that have worked?

[David Mathis]

Yes, age has become a factor in my time on the water. I'm 76 but had a head-on motorcycle crash a few years ago (the car driver got the ticket) that added at least ten years to my actual age. My wife loved boating only until the day we were married a couple decades ago so much of the summer is spent living on the boat alone on Lake Champlain. She heads to Florida or Europe in the winter and spring. Fortunately, my 12 year old grandson has a love of boating and spends a couple weeks aboard. He has his own bedroom so it's his second home. He loves to drive and likes to cook so life is good when he's aboard, but that's only for a couple weeks as he lives in London. The tendency is to stay at the dock more often whenI'm alone as moving quickly to get the boat to the dock and tied has become more challenging, especially in the wind. Several friends who have sailboats (mine is a powerboat) often take me for a day sail and they accept a dinner invitation a couple times a week so being alone isn't a problem. It would be nice to meet someone to come aboard for a candlelight dinner once or twice a week but so far, no luck. At this point, I have no desire to get a smaller boat on the pretense that it would be easier to handle. After being anchored for a few nasty storms, having a smaller boat isn't appealing. I try to not think ahead to a plan B but age keeps presenting more problems every year.

[Giro]

She’s a beautiful vessel, to be sure.
Unless something can be done about the cruel attitude by most insurance carriers, such gorgeous sailing boats’ lives are at their mercy.
Who ever said that “age is only a number” has never tried to insure a classic sailboat.
The best of good fortune to you and your beautiful vessel.

[cottonsail]

We are 80 & 79 years old. This is our 8th season aboard. Sailing out of Key west October to May. Denver May to October. Sail-on!

[Mal Reynolds]

Originally Posted by elschwieb

We too are in that stage of life (78 and 75 and with a significant life altering ailment). We have a beautiful and well maintained Brewer 44 ketch and want her to go to a new owner who will love and enjoy her as we have. Soon to list and issue is how to price and sell. There are many theories (strip her naked or leave her in clean but lived in appearance). Any suggestions that have worked?

On the last 43' boat I sold last July, my broker said strip her naked & clean up the lockers, engine & bilges. Boat sold in a month so I'd say it worked.

You can load boat things in your garage back on after the deal goes through. I hope you find a good buyer.

[Tosov3]

Starting as a 13 year old and through college, I crewed on a Newporter ketch - Unketchable - out of Jackson Park Chicago. It was a great boat. When we weren't sailing, the owner let me use it as my summer home.
Now 73, I have been sailing Spirit, my 1979 C&C 30 for more than 30 years. Once set-up, I can manage everything (except reading the mainsail) single-handed from the cockpit.
I'm getting a new knee this spring and hopefully will have many more sailing years. If not, I will just hang out in the harbor playing my ukulele.

[tjr818]

For all of us in the "ageing" crowd, you'll not find an easier boat to sail than a Nonsuch, and there are plenty on the East coast.

[A CheeseHead]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

The concept and thoughts relative to the aging out process are becoming more acute with each passing year for my wife and myself.

[snip]

A Word from the Unwise:
53 years ago, when I wanted to learn about sailing on big water, I traveled to St. Pete & hitch-hiked my way through the SORC, and became friends with one of the professional captains. I admired the gorgeous 58' Mull custom he was in charge of, and hoped to have something like it some day. He responded "Boats are built by rich fools, for poor wise men to enjoy."

So I sailed & raced other people's boats, until the former 470 racer friends sold the boat I'd been helping move from Greece to California over a decade.

I went back to the college sailing club (where I'd learned to sail, nearly 60 years ago) and signed on as a volunteer instructor. I'm now 83+, teaching folks from ages 16-73 how to waste their lives on the water by messing about in boats.

Aging out? There's always a need to pass on what you know. I've got a crunchy knee and sore hips ... but they'll have to pry my cold, dead fingers off'n that tiller.

[Bmick]

My wife and I have sailed the SF Bay our whole lives. At 65 we sold our Catalina 36 to our son and purchased a Catalina 380 with roller furling main and jib as well as electric primaries and lots of goodies. Tons of room and sailed really great. We just sold it at age 77 and 75 and now are in partnership with our son on the 36. I expect to be sailing with him until I go to that big yacht in the sky!
Life is good!