When is it too late to start living the dream?

[Leighpilot]

Well you can already sail so that’s not a big deal.

But I think a 45ft cat is going to be a problem without crew. Why not a nice 33ft Gemini? Big enough to be comfortable and safe , small enough to be handled easily. Lots if them on the market at less than 25% of what you’d pay for a 45ft boat. Plus the operating costs are way lower.

I’ve just bought a 33ft Woods Eclipse which should be delivered next week. My first cat after years of monohull sailing.

[jim King]

At 74 I am into my second 45' cat in charter. This may be a good way for you to have your cake and eat it to. I have sailed Croatia twice along its Dalmation coast, Greece twice, Bahamas three times, Belize four times Turkey twice, St. Lucia to Grenada, and the BVI (where our boat is in charter) every year for a month at the end every year. You might consider buying a boat in charter so you don't need to do any long blue water sails where you or your wife might be uncomfortable. You can pull your boat from charter at anytime and part with the charter company when you think you'd like to do the full time live aboard.
First you need to get your bareboat license or more and do a charter with some friends to determine what boat works best for you. My Leopard 45 works great for me and is set up for single handed sailing, but I usually sail with a crew of eight. I have, in the past, chartered several 50' mono-hulls and in the end found the catamaran a more stable platform both under sail as well as anchor. No rolling with the swells. At 74 I can't imagine not sailing up to and past my 80s. At that point I'll consider bringing some younger crew on board. I have had over 100 different crew on board and will never run out of new young friends who will want to crew for me. I am sure you will discover the same.
cheers,
Jim

[j.g.evans]

I have a different take on the comments so far. My wife and I have made 12 six months cruises to the Bahamas on a 36' and then a 40' mono-hull when we were in our 60s and 70s. I would not worry about the sailing training. You will get plenty of experience as you go cruising. I suggest a benign territory like the Bahamas at first. The real experience you will need is self learning when things go wrong. If you are handy and can fix most things then you will be fine and love cruising.

If you get too big a boat then you may have trouble going places. I recommend a draft of 5' and not more than 6'. Be careful of mast height. My 40' boat had a 64' mast and I lost instruments going under bridges on the Intracoastal Waterway. 63' or less will lead to more relaxed cruising. I also did not want a boat so big that my wife could not handle her in a emergency. My wife can handle most systems and motor us to safety if needed.

I have not had catamaran experience other than rescuing a few. Many of my cruising friends do have catamarans and love them except when they have to have them hauled out. Very few boat yards can haul a wide catamaran. Watch the mast height too.

[KSosnow]

Originally Posted by tydickinson

I'm retiring this coming year. I've always sailed small sailboats, but never sailed a larger multihull and only up to a 26' monohull. I want to educate myself on weather, navigation, sailing, maintenance, docking and so much more. I think this may take several years. At the end if I am still enjoying it and I can convince my wife to join me, I want to buy a 45' or so multihull and cruise the world. I am 60 now. In pretty good health at the moment. Is the clock ticking? Do I have the time to do all of this education and still be fit to cruise the world?

Enjoy learning about weather, navigation, etc. Take one day at a time. Charter a 45’ Cat and see if it works for you.

[merrydolphin]

Assuming that you are in good health and reasonably fit, it is definitely not too late. The next largest and most critical aspect of your goal is gaining the knowledge and experience to do this.

As a US Sailing cruising instructor I have trained hundreds of persons to do this endeavor. I have met many cruising the world while I was in a foreign port myself. You can learn on your own and with some mentor help. That’s how I learned originally. BUT, I started and age 10, full time lived aboard at 20. So have a lifetime of experience. You don’t have that kind of time. So I highly recommend professions training. This will significantly accelerate you learning process. And is the safest most enjoyable way.

No this is not a sales pitch. I am no longer in the business and have not seriously been connected to the industry for a number of years.

I taught for Club Nautique of San Francisco. They certify the most offshore and costal sailors. Their primary focus is this and have a fleet of serious offshore boats that sail as far as Hawaii. The program is well thought out and thorough. They don’t cut corners in getting you experience. I Couldn’t recommend them enough. The waters of San Francisco Bay are a challenging area to sail where you will gain rapid experience. And the Pacific just outside the bay, even more so. If you can’t get to the SFO area, look for a US Sailing school that is more Cruise oriented and not so much racing.
Do not get sucked into a program where they will take you from zero to hero in a week or two of live aboard classes. You just cant do it that way. And you just can’t absorb that much information, especially along with the minimal experience that you will get. I am also a SCUBA instructor and crash scuba classes like that are a good way to get yourself killed. With sailing you may take your whole family with you. Sure, they can cram you through. “Rubber stamp you”.

I with you luck. And no Sixty is NOT too old. Just don’t dawdle about doing it, you don’t have the time. Enjoy the whole process!

[Erasmus]

Slightly older, 62, but have had the same thoughts. My wife and I did take the plunge and purchased a cruising ketch when we were 60. We both just try to keep limber with stretching and swimming and hope that we can go for the next ten years.

I like the line that Clint Eastwood, 88, said to Tobey Keith when they were playing golf. Tobey asked how Clint kept on being so active. Clint: “Everyday I get up and don’t let the old man in.”

If your health is good, go for it.

[AnnieG]

Never too late... but you need to be sure your body can stand the activity. If you haven't already, start a body training program.. preferably with a trainer. Even a 60 year old body can be strengthened and it will make everything easier if you are in good shape!

AnnieG... 74 yrs young and a water rat all my life!

[caeghost]

Never too late. I bought my catamaran at age 75 and now at 91 am still sailing. (Cleaned the "waterway beard" today) Only problem is my balance but the catamaran is hugely forgiving in that department. Grab onto something all the time. I admit I really need youngish (anyone under 80 qualifies) male muscle aboard to do the heavy lifting; like the anchor and getting the dinghy into the davits.

[daletournier]

I must say that you old guys and gals just impress me!!

I'm only 52, been doing this for quite sometime and at times it's just not easy...you "oldies"( meant with respect) that are getting started 20 years from where I am now are just made of the right stuff, I think I need to harden up...lol.

[sail4evr]

If you have all the money to buy a boat, I would suggest chartering with a capt. and a chef, take your wife, wherever it is you might want to go. Buying a boat is such a major commitment. If you are chartering and you have had enough it is easy to back off. If you have bought a boat it is not so easy. Top it off with an unsupportive other half, it may be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Joe
Sea Of Love
L440, BVI

[tiMoun]

IMO - Yesterday made it almost too late, hurry up, you can still catch up. When living in Haiti I met a 90 year old cruising a 30 ft something, his only concession to age? He had a younger companion (friend) along with a simple deal - "I die, the boats yours, don't bother taking me home ..."

[JimmyDarci]

You never know how much time you have so do it now. In our 50s and wife and I co-captain a 46’ cat. Two observations to share:
1. Take charters with your wife first. This helps you decide on cat v monohull. 45’ by 23’ is a half a tennis court floating on the water and a lot to handle on a bad day. — can also be nirvana on a good day. It also helps wife decide on whether she will embrace the experience.
2. Consider a newer and smaller boat. Repairs, time, maintenance, money and associates stressors related to all of these elements are all part of ownership. Do you like fixing and maintaining things? Does your spouse expect you to spend many hours a week doing the maintenance or paying high prices for the same? Have the conversations with her and then consider a smaller boat. Many terrific 30+ foot cats (and monohulls) that are much easier to single hand. I am fortunate to have a trained and licensed spouse that is willing to sail with me - part of my plan for retirement was (and remains) chartering and buying smaller boats with spouse for years to build up to a 46’ cat. Cooperation and tolerance from spouse is essential. And kids rarely show as much interest in our sailing joys. Friends too can be fair weathered due to their own jobs and spousal obligations.

This, my friend will likely fall squarely upon your broad shoulders. That said, you can do it and you should go for it if this is your dream. In summary, I suggest first chartering extensively and take spouse to boat shows or at least involve her in the process.

[captwylie]

I am 70 and I am retiring in a month. I am looking forward to doing a lot more sailing than I had time to do while I was working. When I turned 60 I got really depressed at the thought of how few active years I had left. Then I decided I am going to live all my years to the fullest and when it's over it's over. I hope to die with my boots on or bare foot if that be the case. Never the less I plan to reach for all the gusto I can and when I go I hope it is because I over did it and not in bed wishing I had done it. I also like s
rbigham"s quote!

[Jacque33]

We are about to embark on the same journey. What we have done is to look at what we feel are our limitations and find a boat to suit. So we have bought a 40’ monohull, with twin wheel and a sugar scoop stern, for ease of handling and getting around the cockpit. My husband, 67, is not an experienced sailor and after having both hips and both knees replaced, not as agile as he was, so we’ve gone for in mast furling so we can reef easily and early without having to go on deck in bad weather. Post COVID, we’ll see how it goes! Frustratingly we are locked in Australia and our boat on the hard in the Ionian!

[chriskilmer]

I’m 59 and about to find out. House goes on the market tomorrow. Plan on finding the right 33-38 ft monohull. After that, cruise the east coast for the next year, dodging cold weather and hurricanes, until she and I are comfortable heading beyond the horizen.