Any early retirees turned cruisers with big careers have regrets?

[BuoyCall]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Early retirement is typically 60 or earlier. Why in the name of God you’d want to be on paid employment at 80 ( unless you desperately need money ) is beyond me. It’s extremely rare around here.
The vast majority go at 65 which is the state pension entitlement period. Many go earlier if they have full pension entitlements. Few professions go to full years , the police go at 55 ( full occupational pension) and teachers tend to retire at 60.( similarly full occupational pension )

You got that right!!!! I'm a 24 year and 9 month cop looking to retire in 3 months at the old age of 50 years and 4 days old. I could stay another 5 years and reap another 230k upon separation plus a mediocre pension but that is 5 years getting shot at, chasing bad guys, sitting in a car for 12 hours a day...i could go on and on. Or work from home in my new profession of yacht insurance and spend the next 5 years with my family (with teenagers) before they go off on their own in 3-4 years then the wife and I go off into the sunset on a 44-46' motor yacht.

Doing anything, even digging ditches, does not feel like work after being a cop for 25 years. I find myself blessed to be able to spend the remaining years at home an extra 50 hours a week with my family than that 230k. "You can't buy time" and to me those 5 years are priceless. We will get by on my pension and side jobs just fine....my dreams are cheap.

I love hearing of everyone elses rational for leaving the rat race behind and really enjoy hearing them tell everyone to do it early and dont wait. How right they are. Cheers!!!!

[Sdpaddler50]

Bouycall, thank you for your service. Sounds like you have earned your retirement.

I retired March 13, 2020 when Covid was just coming on line. Very thankful to have gotten out when I did. I had a good career as a consulting engineer, but was burned out and ready to throw away the alarm clock. I am now able to travel fairly extensively in our boat and very grateful for the adventures it has provided. A link to a past cruise around the Channel Islands over a couple month period this past summer (4 min Vid): https://youtu.be/OszQV2HF-u8

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by thomm225

It appears you cannot deal with a differing opinion.

This can happen when you have isolated yourself from the world.

It can also happen when certain posters ignore the title of the thread.

[BuoyCall]

Thanks...I appreciate it. Wow Great video!! I pulled up google earth and followed along, had no idea where the Channel Islands were. That is exactly how I am picturing our adventure....just on the east coast of the US and the bahamas of course.

[Sdpaddler50]

Originally Posted by BuoyCall

Thanks...I appreciate it. Wow Great video!! I pulled up google earth and followed along, had no idea where the Channel Islands were. That is exactly how I am picturing our adventure....just on the east coast of the US and the bahamas of course.

Glad you enjoyed the Vid. Retirement and boating are a good match. More time to slow down and travel further, without the pressures of needing to return home for work. Best to you and your future travels. Cheers.

[thomm225]

It seems like some folks that could easily retire and have tons of money continue to work.

Something to consider.?

Nancy Pelosi 81

Mitchell McConnell 79

Joe Biden 79

Chuck Schumer 71

Trump 75

I'll retire at 69 or 70 then maybe sail a little and maybe help out on my cousins farm some also driving tractors etc

[mako]

It’s the power they crave, not the money at this point

[wsmurdoch]

I think your post illustrates perfectly one of the reasons for a person with a "big career" to retire early. They need to get out of the way and let younger more mentally and physically able individuals who have a greater stake in the future rise up from the ranks and take their place. Society as a whole would benefit.

[thomm225]

The thing is you have to have a retirement plan. Everything gets old as you should know by the time you retire.

I've argued with folks here that say how they are enjoying sailing, swimming, diving, etc.

Please.

Those of us that have been around the water most of our lives get to do that for most of our years and we know it isn't something you will want to do for too long.

I'm thinking a mix of sailing and work but not looking forward to a long run down the ICW but as a single hander I'll have to do it some at least.....

Being home with Covid these last few days though has given me some time to think so when a person is retired the pace and schedule won't be as tight so that will be something maybe that will be nice

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by thomm225

The thing is you have to have a retirement plan. Everything gets old as you should know by the time you retire.

I've argued with folks here that say how they are enjoying sailing, swimming, diving, etc.

Please.

Those of us that have been around the water most of our lives get to do that for most of our years and we know it isn't something you will want to do for too long.

I'm thinking a mix of sailing and work but not looking forward to a long run down the ICW but as a single hander I'll have to do it some at least.....

Being home with Covid these last few days though has given me some time to think so when a person is retired the pace and schedule won't be as tight so that will be something maybe that will be nice

You've argued from the premise that everyone must be the same as you. Some of us have not only been around the water most of our lives but had careers working on the water feel differently for ourselves personally. No reflection on you, what one enjoys is often a very personal experience.

The one thing almost no one enjoys is someone else telling them what they will or won't enjoy, especially when they don't even know them!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

You've argued from the premise that everyone must be the same as you. Some of us have not only been around the water most of our lives but had careers working on the water feel differently for ourselves personally. No reflection on you, what one enjoys is often a very personal experience.

The one thing almost no one enjoys is someone else telling them what they will or won't enjoy, especially when they don't even know them!

No one is telling people what they will or will not enjoy except some other retired cruisers with their "Go Now" BS.

Also, I have never said everyone should be the same as me but sometimes folks tend to paint too rosy of a picture concerning cruising and many times those folks are not cruising any more but are in the remember when stage.

All that being said, I will still be cruising a bit just not sure how far as yet. We will have 20 degrees here on Saturday night and snow again whereas Brownsville, TX at Lat 25 N will have low temps at about 49 degrees which seems much nicer

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by thomm225

No one is telling people what they will or will not enjoy except some other retired cruisers with their "Go Now" BS.

Also, I have never said everyone should be the same as me but sometimes folks tend to paint too rosy of a picture concerning cruising and many times those folks are not cruising any more but are in the remember when stage.

All that being said, I will still be cruising a bit just not sure how far as yet. We will have 20 degrees here on Saturday night and snow again whereas Brownsville, TX at Lat 25 N will have low temps at about 49 degrees which seems much nicer

It's important to realize that "Those of us that have been around the water most of our lives get to do that for most of our years and we know it isn't something you will want to do for too long." is a terribly presumptive statement that at its base asumes that everyone you're conversing with will feel the same as you. That simply isn't the case, and it tends to rub people the wrong way when you tell them what they will and won't want to do, let alone when you pull all of us who "have been around water most of our lives" into it. All we can relate is our personal experience, and with close friends we might be able to relate something to a personal experience we've shared and our memory of if they liked it or not. Anything beyond that is either hubris or a sad lack of awareness of the differences among one's fellow humans.

Again, I would strenuously disagree with your assertion about those of us who "have been around the water most of our lives" for me personally, while fully acknowledging that it could well be true for you and others. Does that make me a liar, or someone who doesn't know what I like or don't like? I hope you can see how statements like that don't have room in them for someone who meets the criteria but simply has significantly different preferences from yours. And I hope you can empathize that they would find that quite grating. Surely that's not what you're trying to accomplish, but it is in fact what you're doing.

[malbert73]

Thomm-

Let me sum up what everyone has been telling you for a lot of this 2+ year thread:

“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it”

(And even if you’re sure you wouldn’t like it, I think you’ve overstated your opinion that everyone else should feel the same way)

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

It's important to realize that "Those of us that have been around the water most of our lives get to do that for most of our years and we know it isn't something you will want to do for too long." is a terribly presumptive statement that at its base asumes that everyone you're conversing with will feel the same as you. That simply isn't the case, and it tends to rub people the wrong way when you tell them what they will and won't want to do, let alone when you pull all of us who "have been around water most of our lives" into it. All we can relate is our personal experience, and with close friends we might be able to relate something to a personal experience we've shared and our memory of if they liked it or not. Anything beyond that is either hubris or a sad lack of awareness of the differences among one's fellow humans.

Again, I would strenuously disagree with your assertion about those of us who "have been around the water most of our lives" for me personally, while fully acknowledging that it could well be true for you and others. Does that make me a liar, or someone who doesn't know what I like or don't like? I hope you can see how statements like that don't have room in them for someone who meets the criteria but simply has significantly different preferences from yours. And I hope you can empathize that they would find that quite grating. Surely that's not what you're trying to accomplish, but it is in fact what you're doing.

You're missing the point.

Point is don't sell everything you have and buy a boat and think that will be a perfect way to live for the rest of your life.

This idea get pushed here constantly, and it simply isn't true.

You have to be a certain type to want to live that lifestyle.

I have seen too many that end up simply hanging out at the dock as a sort of Walmart Greeter....

As for me, I'll always be on the water and have a boat, but I really enjoy the sound of the wind through the trees and talking long hikes in the wood.

I also enjoy when exhausted a nice secure place to sleep .....with the sound of the breeze through the trees.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by malbert73

Thomm-

Let me sum up what everyone has been telling you for a lot of this 2+ year thread:

“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it”

(And even if you’re sure you wouldn’t like it, I think you’ve overstated your opinion that everyone else should feel the same way)

til I try it?

Are you talking about the last 50 years that I have been on the water on my own boat (or the last 60 years if you count when I was on other peoples boats) , or the last 10 years "cruising" the bay locally with my $2,000 Blue Water Cruising Boat.

Photo is racing in Pensacola , FL probably around 2003.. I'm trying to steal this guys wind and pass but he made the line first....

is it my new speakers or are these ladies simply that good?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LVW95Mxv6k