Too Old to sail?

[Gaia]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

As your elder (by two weeks) let me wish you a happy birthday and a good cruising year to come.

Remember, old age and treachery will defeat youth and enthusiasm every time!

Jim

tx for the good wishes Jim and everyone else. have been enjoying your sensible and informative posts for a long time Jim and Ann. May you have many more.

All these encouraging responses to the OP will encourage others who understandably fear the great unknown. People seem not to understand that with a modicum of care it is really not all that difficult and immensely enjoyable for the freedom it gives.

jim

[conchaway]

Read " Ulysses" by Tennyson.

[oceanshoretiga]

The Golden Globe Race has been won by a 73 year old Frenchman.

I'm approaching 74 and still do solo sailing, although have not done long distances due to time. Hands hurt a lot but they hurt just as much on a tractor or a shovel so why not a winch. Speaking of winches, last year I replaced an excellent manual windlass (now for sale) with an electric one, partly to make lifting the anchor when solo.

I think I'll know when my yacht is too heavy for me.

[jhughes]

Originally Posted by Fiftybucks

Urgent as purchase is slated for Feb 28th, 2019

My wife and I are set to purchase 38 foot sailboat in Annapolis, and plan to gradually move it down the coast to West coast FL in stages of 3 individual 3-4 week intervals 3-5 times over the next 12-18 months. Eventually around to west coast of FL, where to be determined.

I'm going to be 67,and in good health, feeling the normal morning stiffness. The boat that we are looking at is equipped with Roller Furling, Furling Main, electric windlass, and looks to be easily single handed if required. My wife can sail also. We have owned a smaller 27' sailboat for many years.

I see on this forum that some are selling their weather gear because they are 'hanging it up'.

Are we crazy at this age to get a sailboat and not the'Trawler' crowd?

My motto; If you don't use it ("it" being your health and sailing skills) you loose it!

[LaughingWarrior]

Originally Posted by hamburking

In case you didn't know...sailing is truly the fountain of youth. By the time you get to west florida, you'll be back into your 50's.

Good 'ole Josh Slocum completed his solo circumnavigation 10 years younger than when he left.

Jean-Luc van den Heede just finished the Golden Globe Race (SOLO around the world, non-stop). He's 73. Oh-yeah....he finished FIRST too. Not bad for an old guy.

So age is not the issue. Good health (both physical and mental) is all thats needed to sail.

Not only did Van den Heede complete the GGR in first place, he was rolled and had his rig damaged en route. He jury rigged a repair, and proceeded to climb that mast 7 TIMES while at sea in order to maintain his repair.

JLVDH is certainly not the average individual, but 70's is certainly not too old to sail!

[davil]

Originally Posted by Fiftybucks

Urgent as purchase is slated for Feb 28th, 2019

My wife and I are set to purchase 38 foot sailboat in Annapolis, and plan to gradually move it down the coast to West coast FL in stages of 3 individual 3-4 week intervals 3-5 times over the next 12-18 months. Eventually around to west coast of FL, where to be determined.

I'm going to be 67,and in good health, feeling the normal morning stiffness. The boat that we are looking at is equipped with Roller Furling, Furling Main, electric windlass, and looks to be easily single handed if required. My wife can sail also. We have owned a smaller 27' sailboat for many years.

I see on this forum that some are selling their weather gear because they are 'hanging it up'.

Are we crazy at this age to get a sailboat and not the'Trawler' crowd?

================================================fr om Amazon description
"An inspiring, irreverent, and spirited manifesto for senior sailors and would-be sailors

Nearly one million recreational sailors are now over 60, and their numbers will soon swell with baby boomers. Yet, no sailing literature has addressed the needs, concerns, and dreams of senior sailors--until now!

In Call of the Ancient Mariner, 82-year-old Reese Palley proclaims that sailing is the natural sport for the

[Rac88]

Wonderful posts by wonderful people..
Happy birthday, Jim!

[belizesailor]

Its not age its physical condition. You say your in good condition, if so, no problem.

A friend of mine is almost 80, still very robust, and is planning a Pacific crossing this year.

Two friends of mine in their 70s can hike/paddle my 57 y.o. butt into the dirt!

[johnrseager]

A 73 year old has just come second in the Golden Globe Race, so I guess you are still quite young! Plenty of people sail considerable distances well into their seventies. Most of the time things happen fairly slowly on sailing boats - so long as you plan ahead.

I am also 67 and love to sail solo on my 36 foot Lavranos Tosca, from time to time, and that's in the waters around Cape Town, which can be quite challenging. I'd say go for it. If it gets too much you can always sell.

[colinalleck]

If you think you are too old you probably are

Or

If you think you can do it you probably will

Go for it your a long time dead

[franksingleton]

Probably not a show-stopper. A lady called Helen Tew (a Brit, of course) did a two-handed trans-Atlantic with her grandson when she was 90. She died not long after - cancer.

[newhaul]

Dad finally called it quits at 92 wanted to try dirt living . Now 2 years later he's looking at boats again.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Dad finally called it quits at 92 wanted to try dirt living . Now 2 years later he's looking at boats again.

That’s the ticket !!

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by Checkswrecks

My mother in law's 86 and hard to keep up with. She likes to take off and kayak on her own.

My great aunt was 85 when she decided to get out a sledge hammer to take down a wall and change the inside of her house.

But as Shrew said, I know a lot of people in their 40s and 50s who have diabetes, are going for joint replacements, etc.

Totally agree with rbk's comment: "Keep in shape, eat well and don't stop moving"

I'm 65 and sail single-handed in some pretty wild stuff in the Pacific out of Half Moon Bay, CA. I am not, and have never been, an athlete. In fact, I have a childhood spinal injury that - if I asserted it - would qualify me as "disabled" (I just ignore it).

I imagine my little Pearson Ariel (26 feet) as a surfboard with a sail, and I don't feel I've "sailed" unless I come back soaking wet and exhausted. As I age, I get to the exhausted stage sooner, but I have just as much fun. All I have are single speed winches - no power assistance.

My boat's freeboard is just 24 inches amidships. I suggest getting a boat that isn't so high sided that you can't step from the deck to the dock without steps or a ladder, or so large you can't muscle it around when docking/undocking. Choose the smallest boat you feel will suffice. Besides, the smaller the boat, the greater the thrill and connection to the sea. Big boats are for extending egos (and other parts).

The advice to: "Keep in shape, eat well and don't stop moving," is absolutely sound and essential. In the cited case above, of: "people in their 40s and 50s who have diabetes, are going for joint replacements, etc.," ...those are usually diseases of obesity. Keep you weight down, and you'll avoid what the docs like to nickname "diabesity' (diabetes caused by obesity) and joint problems (knees especially) caused by the loads of too much weight.

Sailing offers many health advantages: exercise (you can burn 500 extra calories a day just maintaining your balance at sea), fresh air, positive mental challenges with continual novelty, and control of your diet (there're no fast food joints in the ocean). Plus, it can be accomplished on a restricted budget without hardship, if you choose your vessel wisely.

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by Fiftybucks

We are flying to Annapolis on Monday and straight to the Broker for seatrial. If all meets our expectations, then survey will be arranged and is expected to go very very well. this is not a 'fixer upper project boat'. Contract is to close by Feb 28th... You that have responded to this have contributed to the decision to move forward. Frankly, this morning, Saturday, I was on Youtube searching for videos on sailing on the ICW and the Bahamas and after an hour of only 20 something year old experts with NO vids by seasoned sailors. I was increasingly concerned. In the middle of watching the 'swimming pigs of the Bahamas' my phone buzzed let me know someone had replied to my original post. Perhaps veterans don't have time to take and post all the videos as do people in their 20s. Yes I can row a dinghy, and kayak, and do 2 miles every day at 7000 ft elevation at our home in Idaho. Happy Birthday Jim!

Interesting on the videos -- We have done a few videos but nothing like the 20s something experts who go to get lengths for the "publicity" and facetime. Our videos are mainly sailing videos with a few clips of what we are doing under sail. We have never tried to make one with a script on how to do this or that. We have written a bit about where we have been and what is costs and how we have done this for the past 12 years.
I did a couple of videos in the really old days when I worked and the work to put it out was beyond what I want to do now - script, takes, editing ect ect --