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flyingnut40 · 17-12-2019, 09:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by B23iL23

I'm in my mid fifties and retiring in the new year and starting cruising. Was supposed to be two of us but unfortunately my wife passed away in June.

Last kid is almost in college so I would have an empty house so cruising is a much better option for me. Always think would I prefer staring at 4 walls in an empty house or living on a boat (Amel 50 on the way) and all the daily challenges it will bring. Cruising should add years to my life.

Will sail solo most of the time, including across to the Carribbean next Nov. Kids will join me for some winter sun once I get there.

I don't think I'll regret leaving work for 1 second. Can't wait until the only thing in my mind is passage planning or the SOC of the batteries.

Sorry for your loss.....
You will probably want to find crew for your Atlantic crossing..... lots of sailors looking for rides!
D

B23iL23 · 17-12-2019, 09:52

thanks.

On crew - No, no crew on that trip. Doing that one solo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingnut40

Sorry for your loss.....
You will probably want to find crew for your Atlantic crossing..... lots of sailors looking for rides!
D

flyingnut40 · 17-12-2019, 09:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by B23iL23

thanks.

On crew - No, no crew on that trip. Doing that one solo.

Out of curiosity..... How many crossings have you done? Any solo?
Not being critical, just assessing practicality for my own adventures....
Dennis

B23iL23 · 17-12-2019, 10:36

Have done Atlantic and also Trans pac once but never solo along with a lot of other racing/cruising. Longest solo was Ireland to France 18 years ago. My only concern on sailing solo is being near shore/shipping lanes. Once out on the ocean it gets easier.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingnut40

Out of curiosity..... How many crossings have you done? Any solo?
Not being critical, just assessing practicality for my own adventures....
Dennis

flyingnut40 · 17-12-2019, 10:43

Fair enough...... apologies for stealing thread!!!!
Back to talking about money I could only dream of..... I'll be that NEAR shoestring budget sailor you see out there...... living large on not much!!
D

Group9 · 18-12-2019, 05:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by B23iL23 View Post
I'm in my mid fifties and retiring in the new year and starting cruising. Was supposed to be two of us but unfortunately my wife passed away in June.

Last kid is almost in college so I would have an empty house so cruising is a much better option for me. Always think would I prefer staring at 4 walls in an empty house or living on a boat (Amel 50 on the way) and all the daily challenges it will bring. Cruising should add years to my life.

Will sail solo most of the time, including across to the Carribbean next Nov. Kids will join me for some winter sun once I get there.

I don't think I'll regret leaving work for 1 second. Can't wait until the only thing in my mind is passage planning or the SOC of the batteries.

We heard a similar story the second marina we pulled into. There was a lady working at the store, who said she and her husband had talked about retiring and cruising their whole lives. Finally, they pulled the trigger and bought a boat and started getting it ready to go. Three months later, he was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away a couple of months later.

It made us glad we didn't wait, although, we're still here.

Now, that when someone asks if they should cruise now, or later, I always say, well, tell me the date you are going to die, and I can give you a better answer. But, none of us know that.

thomm225 · 18-12-2019, 05:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Group9

We heard a similar story the second marina we pulled into. There was a lady working at the store, who said she and her husband had talked about retiring and cruising their whole lives. Finally, they pulled the trigger and bought a boat and started getting it ready to go. Three months later, he was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away a couple of months later.

It made us glad we didn't wait, although, we're still here.

Now, that when someone asks if they should cruise now, or later, I always say, well, tell me the date you are going to die, and I can give you a better answer. But, none of us know that.

I'm not sure that because you might die earlier than expected is a good reason to quit your job and go cruising.

It might be a good reason to start living every day to it's fullest, and if you would like to cruise one day to buy a boat now and start the learning process while enjoying some aspects of the cruising life even if it's on a small trailerable boat like Catalina 22 on an inland lake

In Tennessee, we used to head for the lake on out Hobie 16's, 17's, and 18's whenever a strong front was coming thru to get some "heavy weather" experience

Sdpaddler50 · 18-12-2019, 06:21

It is always interesting to read other people’s perspectives on this topic.

I will be retiring next hear at age 57. My wife still enjoys her job and plans on doing a few more years.

One of my best friends since the age of 19 died last year after a brutal battle with MSA. A very strong guy, surfer, fisherman, all around waterman. There are many factors involved, but that also had a big impact on my decision to retire.

Looking forward to longer trips and having the ability to wait for good weather windows and not being tied to a schedule.

**Dockhead** · 18-12-2019, 07:02

Well, 250k is not a "big career". It's lower middle management. A "big career" is big responsibility and autonomy.

Not saying whether mine is "big" or not, but I love my work not less than sailing, so absolutely not interested in a life without work, any more than I would be interested in a life without sex, or breathing.

sailjumanji · 18-12-2019, 07:06

IMO, a position with very high pay, no stress, and the ability to take sabbatical for several months doesn't exist. My wife and I both had very lucrative careers, spent well below our means, saved, only had one child (who we sent thru college and has her own career now), and managed to amass considerable wealth when we chose to retire at 55 and 56 years old, respectively. Although we both really enjoyed our careers, there were so many things we couldn't do with six weeks of vacation. (First on the list, take our cat to the Bahamas for a few months, which we left for the month after retiring.) Plus look at the mortality tables, think about how much of that time you will be physically able to be very active, …. is it even possible to spend your savings in that period, or are you just continuing to work to make your offspring rich? Yes, I miss the projects, the people I worked with, the international travel in business class seats! They even called about six months after I retired and asked me to come back on contract basis. Even though the money was fantastic, and 3-6 months in Australia would be a nice stint, I passed it up. We've both moved on to phase two of our lives, and no regrets. Oh, and we are not full-time cruisers, but do it for 3-5 months every other year, which works best for us. We have a house on the water, catamaran and fishing boat in the backyard, and do a lot of water-based activities. We have elderly parents that care takes a lot of time, and we travel when we can. But no, I have no desire to go back to work, regardless of the payout.

daletournier · 18-12-2019, 07:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Well, 250k is not a "big career". It's lower middle management. A "big career" is big responsibility and autonomy.

Not saying whether mine is "big" or not, but I love my work not less than sailing, so absolutely not interested in a life without work, any more than I would be interested in a life without sex, or breathing.

Reference points, it's all relative, stress is to, 250k is a big career for most of us peasants, and unimaginable for most.

sailorboy1 · 18-12-2019, 08:21

middle class boat people scum, lets unite and get the rich people's money!!!!!

wonder if the government are the people to talk to about this?????

sailjumanji · 18-12-2019, 15:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

middle class boat people scum, lets unite and get the rich people's money!!!!!

"Have nots" let us unite and take the boats from those undeserving boat-owning scum!

"Rich" is a relative term. Probably one-third to half of the US population believe people who own boats are "rich"! Careful what you wish for.

Hardhead · 18-12-2019, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Group9

.... But, my best friend, who did a lot of commuter cruising, and always planned to retire and go cruising full time (he helped me bring our boat back from the Bahamas one year). He dropped dead, two years ago, at sixty years old, while changing the lower gear case oil on his outboard motor. At least he died doing something he enjoyed. But, he left a pot full of money in the bank when he went.

So, what price do you put on experiences and memories? I think the ones I have are worth more than a couple extra million dollars. I know which is more likely to give me pleasure when I am too old to do anything but sit on a couch or lay on a bed.

That's the bottom line - dropping dead. No one knows when. Combine that - with what Sojourner also said:

I could have rolled it over and over into more, leveraged and sweated and risked, but that seemed like a waste of time since I already had enough to live okay.

That's my personal answer - enjoy the experience of your working career, but find a deeper dream in life, and get out as soon as you can - to do that.

Be happy with just enough standard of living to satisfy you, to give you that freedom, and don't lose sight that longevity is uncertain. Being happy matters.