Is Cruising Boring?

[cabo]

My wife and I have been planning to go cruising for a number of years. We recently went on a trip to the Caribbean on a large cruise ship. We got to wondering if any of you cruisers ever got bored. I know the cruising mags tend to only write about the good aspects of cruising.

I have read at times that some cruisers do have some drinking problems. I assume that being bored might be a contributing factor.

I would hate to spend the time and money in preparation only to be disappointed by being bored while cruising. We both read alot and like to explore the local areas. I also know that there is always things that need to be done on the boat. I know about cruisers get-togethers etc.

Are we both being paranoid?

[skipmac]

Well, my theory is that people are like snowflakes. No two are alike. So, what may bore one person could thrill another.

For me it would be hard to become bored cruising. After all, you have the entire globe at your doorstep. If you do get bored of one locale then sail off to another country, culture, language, climate.

Add to that the constant need to maintain, repair and upgrade the boat.

Then one could always get involved in volunteering in areas where there the people are less advantaged than the average cruiser.

I think I could find plenty to keep me interested for the rest of my life, but that's just me.

[S/V Illusion]

If you like to read, watch the ocean, not see anything except the horizon all day and the stars all night, like to live in a moving cave and have no need for possessions, cruising is great. I neglect the constant maintenance and attention to bad weather.
If you don't like those things, it is the price many pay to be able to travel the world on a shoestring budget.
A personal choice no one but you can answer.

I should probably note that we have cruised to Pacific for a year and although I am happy to have done it, I'd never do it again.

[rustypirate]

If things get really boring you can allways hand-steer for a while.......

[Captain Bill]

I think it depends on what the individual wants and expects. I would compare it to fishing. Some people find it boring and some people find it relaxing. It's like fishing in that somedays nothing is happening and you can sit back and relax. Other days the action is fast and furious. If you can't handle fishing when the fish aren't biting, then cruising might not be for you.

[READY2GO]

I can not imagine being bored. Although we are not full time cruisers yet, we do spend almost every weekend, and several weeks each year on our boat. November 1rst is the target date for full time status. I would say if you get really bored at home you will get bored wherever you are. If you are the type of person to make things happen and to entertain yourself at home you will do the same cruising.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by cabo

I have read at times that some cruisers do have some drinking problems. I assume that being bored might be a contributing factor.

I would hate to spend the time and money in preparation only to be disappointed by being bored while cruising. We both read alot and like to explore the local areas. I also know that there is always things that need to be done on the boat. I know about cruisers get-togethers etc.

Are we both being paranoid?

If you are an alcoholic on shore, I doubt cruising will cure you. If you are not an alcoholic I doubt cruising will make you one.

I see you have a 33 foot boat. I don't know where you are but I recommend you untie it from the dock, take two weeks vacation and drop a hook somewhere.

If two weeks on-board bores you, well...

[Bash]

In my experience there are two types of cruisers. Some watch a lot of television, and others never get bored enough to mess with the device.

There's a wind-down period at the beginning of every cruise. Once you make it through that, if my experience is any indicator, you can spend hours in the cockpit utterly fascinated by the pelicans feeding in your cove. You start doing crazy stuff like teaching yourself to play the guitar, and composing poetry, and figuring out how to make the perfect ceviche.

Dan (ex-Calif) makes a great point. Get out there and find out, starting with one-week and two-week cruises. If you want to simulate full-time cruising, find a great cove, drop the hook, and then don't move the boat for a week. If, by the end of the week, you're going stir-crazy, you've got your answer. Conversely, if, by the end of the week you're wondering what's the rush to move on, you've got your answer.

[cabo]

All good information. My wife and I did briefly cruise in the early 90's in our Searunner tri. We did this for about 6 months and enjoyed it. However we wanted to hear other peoples opinion on the subject. It has been almost 20 years since we were "out there". Ex-Cal mentioned the fact that we have a 33' boat. Not a problem. 1. That is what we can afford. 2. I am in my early 60's and was brought up with the Pardeys and with Hal Roth. When I got interested in sailing 33' was a good sized boat. I still think that way. Also it is a question of handling the sails, anchor equipment etc. The largest problem for me is squeezing into tight places. We looked at a Pearson 422 and I loved the space. But it need to much work.

Keep the information coming I am sure other people are reading this with interest.

[cabo]

By the way hand steering to me is like a gentleman sailing to weather. We don't do that!

[jkleins]

We found that the daily activities of living on the boat (finding food and supplies, cooking, repairs, anchoring, dinghying to shore to walk around, exploring, visiting friends on other boats) took up much more time when we were cruising then they did before we left.

It was a big deal to just go grocery shopping in a new town without car or clue as to where everything is located. It was something we found became the main activity for the day. Finding a boat part in town might also occupy a whole day. By the time we had done our "activity" for the day the rest was relaxing and puttering around the boat. The sun also goes down earlier as you get closer to the equator (in summer) so we found we didn't stay up as late.

Our biggest problem was when we had stayed in any place too long. We did get bored a little. The good thing was we usually just pulled up anchor and moved on.

Jim

[Ram]

I cant remember the last time I was bored, onboard or on land- I think it has a lot to do with your adatude-

[limmer]

we left last Aug. and we are cruising mexico. yes we do get bored and it is usually because we have overstayed in one place or waiting out weather and ready to go. There really isn't ant reason to allow yourself to get to that point because your in control, most of the time. One thing we have discovered is that we are not long term cruisers and by that I mean we now realize that we want to cruise for 4 to 6 months each year.

[speakeasy]

Having these thoughts just after being on a large cruise ship may be connected. I've never been on one, but from what friends have told me, they are factories of boredom, overeating and drinking. And when you disembark for a day at a local port, you must move within a large herd through a hawkers' minefield. Cruising your own boat is a world apart from that reality.

[Randy]

Cruise ships are cattle boats, people are herded from one place to another then to the feeding troughs at least three times a day. It's digusting to me however we have some nice retired neighbors how can't get enough of their cruises.
At any rate there is just no comparison between a cruise ship and having the freedom of having your own boat.
Freedom can't get boring for me!