Any early retirees turned cruisers with big careers have regrets?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Azul

One thing people don't think about is to look up how much Social Security they will get at 62-65-67-70, factoring in that number will be based on your 20 or 30 highest paid years so maybe not good to quit too early. The average is $1500. Social security will never "go broke" as it will always be funded by current workers and is tied to inflation. I walked away from a prestigious, very high paying career at age 52 to fix up an old boat and live on it. Everyone thought I was nuts. No regrets even though there were a lot of challenges- for example most women do not understand this type of Thoreau minimalist thinking. My apologies to the rare unicorn female that likes to live this way, one of my girlfriends said I was "living like a barbarian" even though I was in a nice marina with a pool, hut tub, laundry, tv room etc. Learning to live on a lot less money is an acquirable skill and one that no financial advisor will ever mention. But after essentially being a boat bum for 12 years and hardly doing any meaningful work (sanding is therapy for me) I still have too much stuff. My social security alone would provide an easy life living on a boat. If the boat thing doesn't work out, many expats live pretty well on $1500 a month in places like Thailand, Mexico, or the Philippines. Heck, my pinay girlfriend lives happily on $600 a month.

If you are delaying gratification until age 65, check out the statistics on disability after age 50. It skyrockets. If you are going to quit working at a young age you had better pay attention to your health and especially your weight. Healthy food, good sleep, exercise, and avoiding toxic stress is the best medicine. In the same way rotten cores are boat killers, obesity and bad knees are retirement buzz killers. Learn to do almost everything for yourself and be willing to give up luxuries. You will be just as happy, or moreso. As Thoreau said "superfluous wealth can only buy superfluous luxuries."

Yeah Thoreau said a lot, but he never had to deal with cyber threats. Plus, he didn't have Netflicks which many of our "cruisers" today couldn't live without.

I think we are living in a different world these days, and if you are lucky enough and take care of your body, you can enjoy both a working life then later a part or full time cruising life.

If you just must sail/cruise but aren't sure a total detachment from work is a good idea, my suggestion is move to the coast and get a job.

You can get in lots of sailing and cruising also.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Group9

Why does no one want to get retirement advice from a guy who doesn't know how to retire?

Exactly

I liken it to taking advice from "financial advisors" who are still working.

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by Azul

One thing people don't think about is to look up how much Social Security they will get at 62-65-67-70, factoring in that number will be based on your 20 or 30 highest paid years so maybe not good to quit too early. The average is $1500. Social security will never "go broke" as it will always be funded by current workers and is tied to inflation. I walked away from a prestigious, very high paying career at age 52 to fix up an old boat and live on it. Everyone thought I was nuts. No regrets even though there were a lot of challenges- for example most women do not understand this type of Thoreau minimalist thinking. My apologies to the rare unicorn female that likes to live this way, one of my girlfriends said I was "living like a barbarian" even though I was in a nice marina with a pool, hut tub, laundry, tv room etc. Learning to live on a lot less money is an acquirable skill and one that no financial advisor will ever mention. But after essentially being a boat bum for 12 years and hardly doing any meaningful work (sanding is therapy for me) I still have too much stuff. My social security alone would provide an easy life living on a boat. If the boat thing doesn't work out, many expats live pretty well on $1500 a month in places like Thailand, Mexico, or the Philippines. Heck, my pinay girlfriend lives happily on $600 a month.

If you are delaying gratification until age 65, check out the statistics on disability after age 50. It skyrockets. If you are going to quit working at a young age you had better pay attention to your health and especially your weight. Healthy food, good sleep, exercise, and avoiding toxic stress is the best medicine. In the same way rotten cores are boat killers, obesity and bad knees are retirement buzz killers. Learn to do almost everything for yourself and be willing to give up luxuries. You will be just as happy, or moreso. As Thoreau said "superfluous wealth can only buy superfluous luxuries."

Very true. at 65 if you are full healthy, you have miserical 3 years of full health left according to stats. After we moved on boat, i have lost 6 kg and blood pressure is now fully below 120/80. Wasnt that long ago that chinese doctor threatened me with lifelong pills against high pressure.

Also, do you know you can learn to sail better. This can improve performance of your boat for 20-30%. Instead of forking out extra 1M, you can buy mainstream condo just learn at your leisure and get free way sooner. So instead of 3 years of healthy living you will have 20 years. Worth it ?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

Very true. at 65 if you are full healthy, you have miserical 3 years of full health left according to stats. After we moved on boat, i have lost 6 kg and blood pressure is now fully below 120/80. Wasnt that long ago that chinese doctor threatened me with lifelong pills against high pressure.

If you are near 65 years old, you may not want to be stuck on a boat all the time because you cannot exercise properly.

You need to be hitting the weights once or twice a week and try to get in a 2-3 mile run also once or twice/week. Then while you are recovering form those thing you can take a nice long bike ride or hike.

Sailing is great exercise for us older folks, but you need the other also.

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by thomm225

If you are near 65 years old, you may not want to be stuck on a boat all the time because you cannot exercise properly.

You need to be hitting the weights once or twice a week and try to get in a 2-3 mile run also once or twice/week. Then while you are recovering form those thing you can take a nice long bike ride or hike.

Sailing is great exercise for us older folks, but you need the other also.

why would you be stuck on boat ? One sails 5-10 % of time. Rest is anchored in places of choice that have best walks, food, diving, views, climbing etc, etc. Cant imagine healthier lifestyle for <anyage> years old.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

why would you be stuck on boat ? One sails 5-10 % of time. Rest is anchored in places of choice that have best walks, food, diving, views, climbing etc, etc. Cant imagine healthier lifestyle for <anyage> years old.

I think it's the being stuck at anchor part that gets old.

Soon as I get up and take care of morning business and maybe take a hike, I'm ready to move on off my anchorage and this only after one night.

Walks, food, diving is ho hum and gets old quick especially if you are not learning anything new.

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I think it's the being stuck at anchor part that gets old.

Soon as I get up and take care of morning business and maybe take a hike, I'm ready to move on off my anchorage and this only after one night.

Walks, food, diving is ho hum and gets old quick especially if you are not learning anything new.

luckily we are not all the same. also difference in boat comfort matters. Ours provides equivalent of 85m2 appartment on water with unmatched views from every room, especially kitchen, view that can be changed at will.

[Greg K]

Originally Posted by thomm225

If you are near 65 years old, you may not want to be stuck on a boat all the time because you cannot exercise properly.

You need to be hitting the weights once or twice a week and try to get in a 2-3 mile run also once or twice/week. Then while you are recovering form those thing you can take a nice long bike ride or hike.

Sailing is great exercise for us older folks, but you need the other also.

Your arguments against a cruising lifestyle (at any age) are getting beyond the ridiculous.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

luckily we are not all the same. also difference in boat comfort matters. Ours provides equivalent of 85m2 appartment on water with unmatched views from every room, especially kitchen, view that can be changed at will.

Well, it's happening!

Boats now have kitchens instead of galleys.

A home on the water.

[Belezar]

Originally Posted by Greg K

Your arguments against a cruising lifestyle (at any age) are getting beyond the ridiculous.

For real. That attitude is a hole that couldn’t be filled by much. If I felt that way I’d sell the boat!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Greg K

Your arguments against a cruising lifestyle (at any age) are getting beyond the ridiculous.

I'm not arguing against cruising.

I'm arguing against the lack of being engaged, busy, productive.

Maybe you simply didn't comprehend that in my statements.

Simply being stuck on a boat 24/7/365 does get old if you aren't "cruising."

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Belezar

That attitude is a hole that couldn’t be filled by much. If I felt that way I’d sell the boat!

Why would you sell your boat because you don't like being at anchor for days on end?

There's a simple solution.

Pull the anchor and sail away.

Sometimes even when everyone else stays put to be out of the weather, some of us make a run for it.

I had been at anchor for two nights before I crossed the bay for home knowing the winds might just get over 30 knots.

Luckily the old boat held together. (almost) Only the dodger frame got broken and the bow lights no longer worked after the crossing as the bow had spent a lot of time underwater.

I do need to replace that old rigging though. And get more reef points in the main

I've only been a few years in my life without a boat having had 12 of them so it would be quite weird for me not to have one........so I won't be selling this one at least not for a while......until I find a replacement

Got in this short video after I was almost home......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nXfjcCuiPk

[Midwesterner]

Originally Posted by Greg K

Your arguments against a cruising lifestyle (at any age) are getting beyond the ridiculous.

I won't let Thom225's comments dissuade me from going cruising, but he's right about the staying in shape and fitness point. I just bought the boat, and I'm still working, getting ready to pull the trigger on full retirement.

I find that life on land, with a full-time job, and a house to maintain, makes it difficult for me to keep the right muscles in shape for my planned retirement activities.

I took my kayak out on an estuary the other day, for the first time in a long time, and my kayaking muscles did not last long. In previous decades, my first spring canoeing or kayaking outing, was enough to get me in shape for the rest of the season. Now it's clear that I am going to have to improve my winter workout routine to keep everything in shape. I am experiencing the same thing with only being able to get out sailing occasionally. I now have to workout to prepare, finding some way to simulate cranking winches and hauling halyards, or I risk hurting myself the first day back on the boat.

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I think it's the being stuck at anchor part that gets old.

Soon as I get up and take care of morning business and maybe take a hike, I'm ready to move on off my anchorage and this only after one night.

Walks, food, diving is ho hum and gets old quick especially if you are not learning anything new.

Yeah I’m a part time cruiser due to youth, career, kids, etc. but in every other way I disagree. Nothing gets old about life on the water from my perspective. Swim, paddleboard, dive, fish, hike, explore etc. Change locations, rinse wash and repeat. Sprinkle in boat projects, books, maybe learn guitar, some meditation, some deck yoga etc... it’s endless. And after cruising for 2-3 weeks straight (my current maximum) I come back fitter, happier, more relaxed. And every time if not for external pressures current to my stage in life, I could keep going. No desire to get off the boat at end of those extended coastal cruises.

Thomm we are fellow bay cruisers and your videos are cool, but I think seriously you are off the mark with your insistence that cruising cannot/should not be done full time. Your perspective obviously works for you but not for most cruisers I think

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by malbert73

Yeah I’m a part time cruiser due to youth, career, kids, etc. but in every other way I disagree. Nothing gets old about life on the water from my perspective. Swim, paddleboard, dive, fish, hike, explore etc. Change locations, rinse wash and repeat. Sprinkle in boat projects, books, maybe learn guitar, some meditation, some deck yoga etc... it’s endless. And after cruising for 2-3 weeks straight (my current maximum) I come back fitter, happier, more relaxed. And every time if not for external pressures current to my stage in life, I could keep going. No desire to get off the boat at end of those extended coastal cruises.

Thomm we are fellow bay cruisers and your videos are cool, but I think seriously you are off the mark with your insistence that cruising cannot/should not be done full time. Your perspective obviously works for you but not for most cruisers I think

Well, I'm still working on it, and it's an adjustment from the boats I used to have.

9 years so far sailing on this old, slow cruising boat. Chesapeake Bay/Atlantic Ocean.

Slow sailing/cruising/racing before that was around 10-15 knots. (beach cats mainly in Tennessee, Mississippi, and the Gulf Coast) 1992-2006 or so

And before that power boats. (bayside/seaside Eastern Shore and North Carolina, Morehead City area (Cape Lookout - Swansboro, NC) 1970's

I had a 14' aluminum V boat with a 25 HP Evinrude when I was in high school that could get my friends and I to Tangier in less than an hour.....1970's

Before that friend's parents boats....bayside and seaside fishing.

So it's an adjustment.

Quick sail home from near the York River.......

I like a nice wind when I'm ready to be off the boat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agtdrmAqojs