Any early retirees turned cruisers with big careers have regrets?

[BuoyCall]

Originally Posted by Paul L

You probably cut out most responders when you say a $250k annual income with very low stress pace. Not sure their are a lot of those low stress positions around.

Retiring cop.....that’s the truth. Lol

[KLo]

Don’t put it off. Live the dream. I just got biopsy results. Not good. If your passion is life at sea just do it at any level you can.

[BuoyCall]

Originally Posted by KLo

Don’t put it off. Live the dream. I just got biopsy results. Not good. If your passion is life at sea just do it at any level you can.

Sorry to hear about your results, wish we could go sooner. Kicking kids out soon, youngest has 4 years to move out and we are gone. Best quote...you can’t buy time, enjoy it while u still have it. Prayers for your results.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by thomm225

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."

Why do you think a cruiser at anchor is stuck on his boat 24/7/365 unless somebody stole his dinghy or he has hermit tendencies and wants to be alone, just like a hermit on land would do? I agree that wouldn't be a very healthy lifestyle on land or on the water, but I've met very few cruisers who weren't active and regularly either working on their boat or going ashore to work, socialize, get supplies, enjoy recreation activities, or explore the local area. As far as exercising goes, I get a fair amount just moving around and maintaining my boat and often having to walk a mile or two for grocery shopping where on land I'd take my car.

You can also exercise pretty strenuously on a boat with just a few relatively small dumbbells and get your aerobic exercise with a kayak or paddleboard or going ashore for hikes or fetching groceries, etc. As for the running you mentioned in an earlier post, I think it's a bad idea for 65 year olds. I ran for years and loved it, up until I had to have one knee scoped to remove torn cartilage that had become painful. The surgeon told me it was common amongst runners so I stopped running and 10 years later my knees are both pain free and I can enjoy vigorous hikes much more than if I were still running and my knees were hurting like they used to. Lots of older runners have had torn cartilage removed from their knees or their knees replaced, something I hope to avoid if possible.

Living aboard isn't for everyone but it doesn't cause a lack of exercise any more than living on land does. Those who want to keep themselves in good shape will find a way to do it, no matter where they live and those who would rather veg out will find an excuse why they can't exercise, also no matter where they live.

[mako]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

You can also exercise pretty strenuously on a boat with just a few relatively small dumbbells and get your aerobic exercise with a kayak or paddleboard or going ashore for hikes or fetching groceries, etc.

I'd recommend away from dumbbells. For the typical age bracket here, goto Walmart and buy some kettlebells. At the least, a 10lb and a 35lb. A couple more if you can find them. A couple of thick rubber door mats to lay on your deck for the 'bells.

Start a program of kettlebell H.I.I.T., even just 15 minutes of non-stop strenuous workout, 3 times a week, will do wonders for your heart and muscles.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by thomm225

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."

You clearly simply don’t understand or “ get it “ your perspective is entirely based on a lack of understanding

I’ve never been busier , active or more productive since I retired onboard. You simply don’t “ get it”. Each day I’m up early , active all day long , fall into bed tired but happy. Days are full of swimming, exploring , provisioning , maintenance , socialising , and even some sailing.

Any day on the water beats the best day in an office.

[mako]

If you’re concerned about being bored while retired on a boat then I’d advise to buy a bigger boat. And if you really want lots of exercise then buy a wood boat [emoji846]

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

As for the running you mentioned in an earlier post, I think it's a bad idea for 65 year olds. I ran for years and loved it, up until I had to have one knee scoped to remove torn cartilage that had become painful. The surgeon told me it was common amongst runners so I stopped running and 10 years later my knees are both pain free and I can enjoy vigorous hikes much more than if I were still running and my knees were hurting like they used to. Lots of older runners have had torn cartilage removed from their knees or their knees replaced, something I hope to avoid if possible.

I offset the running with cycling when I was doing both several times per week. The cycling helped the knees and shins heel.

I'd run at least 3-5 miles once sometimes twice a week and cycle on average 100-150 miles per week most of which was done on the weekends with the bike racers and triathletes

I was in Florida when I was doing this and the weather helped. This was when I was mid 40's- mid 50's.

These days up here I hopefully get in a 3.5 mile run/jog/walk once a week and some weight workouts plus cycling here and there.

I'm over 65 now.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You clearly simply don’t understand or “ get it “ your perspective is entirely based on a lack of understanding

I’ve never been busier , active or more productive since I retired onboard. You simply don’t “ get it”. Each day I’m up early , active all day long , fall into bed tired but happy. Days are full of swimming, exploring , provisioning , maintenance , socialising , and even some sailing.

Any day on the water beats the best day in an office.

I spend most weekends on the boat during the season. I enjoy it, but it is quite the slow lifestyle as compared to on land.

I'm still working by the way and manage a pretty good size workforce doing hardware, software, preventive, and cyber security maintenance on Simulators (flight and tactical )

I came from a sailboat racing background also so the change to cruising on slow boats is an adjustment that I am still working on ......since owning my cruising monohull for the last 10 years. When racing many times the spinnaker runs on flat water would be at speed in the 20 knot area or above.

I raced the beach cats for about 15 years and had 4 different ones the last being for single handers with a spinnaker which made the downwind mark rounding pretty intense since besides the normal transition to upwind you had to also get the spinnaker down first!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by mako

If you’re concerned about being bored while retired on a boat then I’d advise to buy a bigger boat. And if you really want lots of exercise then buy a wood boat [emoji846]

Wooden boats are beautiful, but I'm not that guy that would maintain one properly.

I had 3 wooden power boats the first being a Chincoteague scow. Local type work boat

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by thomm225

These days up here I hopefully get in a 3.5 mile run/jog/walk once a week and some weight workouts plus cycling here and there.



I'm over 65 now.

There’s no reason you can’t do those same workouts while living on a boat.

I think you envision a more boring lifestyle on a boat because you only visit your boat for relatively short periods of time so don’t have the same sort of connection to the lifestyle or the cruising community that a full time liveaboard does. Most of your life is elsewhere so most of the activities you engage in are also elsewhere but if you moved aboard for at least a few months you’d make connections and start to realize all there is to do on your boat and around your harbor. But as long as you’re pretty much just a weekend visitor you’re never really going to learn what the lifestyle has to offer. Nothing wrong with the lifestyle and priorities you’ve chosen but it doesn’t qualify you to tell others what the full time cruising or liveaboard lifestyle has to offer. You’re obviously unfamiliar with that subject because you haven’t lived it.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

There’s no reason you can’t do those same workouts while living on a boat.

I think you envision a more boring lifestyle on a boat because you only visit your boat for relatively short periods of time so don’t have the same sort of connection to the lifestyle or the cruising community that a full time liveaboard does. Most of your life is elsewhere so most of the activities you engage in are also elsewhere but if you moved aboard for at least a few months you’d make connections and start to realize all there is to do on your boat and around your harbor. But as long as you’re pretty much just a weekend visitor you’re never really going to learn what the lifestyle has to offer. Nothing wrong with the lifestyle and priorities you’ve chosen but it doesn’t qualify you to tell others what the full time cruising or liveaboard lifestyle has to offer. You’re obviously unfamiliar with that subject because you haven’t lived it.

Actually, I'm at the boat everyday.

I get greeted by the liveaboard(s).

They believe it is important to update anyone that shows up at the dock with the latest of which boat went out or of any mishap by a skipper whether you want to hear it or not.

I also lived at an apartment that was located on the water in Pensacola, FL. We had our own dock. It was very similar with a few cruisers / liveaboards hanging out all day on the dock.

The drinking usually started around 10 am, and by the time I joined them at 5 or so, they were Hammered Drunk!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cehwiHIlho

[mako]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Wooden boats are beautiful, but I'm not that guy that would maintain one properly.

I had 3 wooden power boats the first being a Chincoteague scow. Local type work boat

I was actually quite close to building a new carvel vessel from one of many small fishing boat builders in a village called Veraval in India. A heavy "trawler" of about 50ft which would have served me for bluewater cruising during my retirement. I figured that a new construction in wood would be the only way to go as I had no desire to ever buy a used one in wood.

There was a local builder of similar vessels in fiberglass, but the quality of the FG was nowhere near as close as the wood vessels, where generations of workmen were still hard at work.

In the end there were too many obstacles and factors that prevented the plan from coming together - I'm probably better off anyway

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You clearly simply don’t understand or “ get it “ your perspective is entirely based on a lack of understanding

I’ve never been busier , active or more productive since I retired onboard. You simply don’t “ get it”. Each day I’m up early , active all day long , fall into bed tired but happy. Days are full of swimming, exploring , provisioning , maintenance , socialising , and even some sailing.

Any day on the water beats the best day in an office.

Yep.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

You clearly simply don’t understand or “ get it “ your perspective is entirely based on a lack of understanding

I’ve never been busier , active or more productive since I retired onboard. You simply don’t “ get it”. Each day I’m up early , active all day long , fall into bed tired but happy. Days are full of swimming, exploring , provisioning , maintenance , socialising , and even some sailing.

Any day on the water beats the best day in an office.

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Yep.

Right!

I can see that some folks living the cruising life are very "active" all day and "socializing" especially those with almost 18,000 posts on CF

Btw, what sort of maintenance are you doing every day? Running a virus scan with McAfee?

I do maintenance like once or twice a year to keep my boat up.