Any early retirees turned cruisers with big careers have regrets?

[Group9]

Originally Posted by thomm225

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

I would say that quitting your job and going cruising, is only a good idea, if you are really ready to go cruising. Not everyone is, and I get that.

Buying a boat, and chucking it, to go live on it while cruising, takes some sacrifice. If it was easy to pull off, I'm sure a lot more people would be doing it.

[boom23]

Originally Posted by B23iL23

thanks.


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

I'm sorry for your loss. I can understand how important and emotional this crossing must be for you. We've communicated before, and I know you're looking for your next boat. I hope you've found it.

On a different note, it turns out I'll be sailing solo next season too... Life's full of surprises.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Group9

I would say that quitting your job and going cruising, is only a good idea, if you are really ready to go cruising. Not everyone is, and I get that.

Buying a boat, and chucking it, to go live on it while cruising, takes some sacrifice. If it was easy to pull off, I'm sure a lot more people would be doing it.

Sacrifice?

That's one way of putting it, but it all depends on how you cruise.

Are you actually sailing from place to place and learning new things, or are you immobile and stuck on a sailboat sacrificing your health?

Are you sacrificing brain stimulation since you have reduced it to simply sailing, navigating, weather, and food...…..?

Are you motoring the ICW and complaining about other boat's wakes.

When stopping at a marina, are you complaining about halyard noise?

Or are you simply cruising and happy not to be working?

I'm not sure a lot more people would want to make that sort of sacrifice for the limited return

On the other hand, a specific cruise with a goal could be a totally different thing sort of like the guy that comes here and says he's going to buy a boat and sail around the world but more realistic.

Like I'm going to buy this old boat, fix the few problems it has, and in a few years after I know it's seaworthy sail to Bermuda just ahead of the Annapolis to Bermuda Racers so maybe I can watch as they pass me.....then when I arrive splurge a bit on an over priced marina, motel, and meals!!

Then I'm going to sail back and work a bit more....and plan my next adventurous "cruise."

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Sacrifice?

That's one way of putting it, but it all depends on how you cruise.

Are you actually sailing from place to place and learning new things, or are you immobile and stuck on a sailboat sacrificing your health?

Are you sacrificing brain stimulation since you have reduced it to simply sailing, navigating, weather, and food...…..?

Are you motoring the ICW and complaining about other boat's wakes.

When stopping at a marina, are you complaining about halyard noise?

Or are you simply cruising and happy not to be working?

I'm not sure a lot more people would want to make that sort of sacrifice for the limited return

On the other hand, a specific cruise with a goal could be a totally different thing sort of like the guy that comes here and says he's going to buy a boat and sail around the world but more realistic.

Like I'm going to buy this old boat, fix the few problems it has, and in a few years sail to Bermuda just ahead of the Annapolis to Bermuda Racers so maybe I can watch as they pass me.....then when I arrive splurge a bit on an over priced marina, motel, and meals!!

Then I'm going to sail back and work a bit more....and plan my next adventurous cruise

You must hang around a lot of 'cruisers' who have a miserable lifestyle. This style has not been what I've seen in areas that have international cruisers such as the Carib, Bahamas, Mexico, South Pacific, SE Asia. Maybe you should expand your horizons before to lump all cruisers into a dark pit - literally expand your horizons.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Paul L

You must hang around a lot of 'cruisers' who have a miserable lifestyle. This style has not been what I've seen in areas that have international cruisers such as the Carib, Bahamas, Mexico, South Pacific, SE Asia. Maybe you should expand your horizons before to lump all cruisers into a dark pit - literally expand your horizons.

I don't hang around many cruisers but did observe quite a few on the Gulf Coast the 12 years I sailed there

Otherwise, I read about them and their lifestyles on here

Also I was responding to a guy that spoke of the "sacrifice' it takes to quit your job and cruise.

I'm not seeing that as a sacrifice in real world terms.

Example: It was maybe 28 degrees this morning on the way to work and the road crews were already at it building a new section of road here......are we learning yet?

[sailorboy1]

It was crappy weather today, but it was 70 degrees.

[thomm225]

Nice.

Like I said I lived on the Gulf Coast for 12 years, and I know how humdrum it gets without the seasons to enjoy

Tonight at the boat the Sun set the sky was totally clear. It was a beautiful sunset.

The max height angle of the Sun here this time of year is around 30 degrees which adds to the depth I believe of the sunsets

[nauticalnomad]

I retired at 42 and went sailing for 3 years.. I got bored, fat, depressed, bored, fat, depressed and fat and am now back working.. Depression has gone, not as fat and not bored...
I dont know why.. But i missed project management consultancy and the traveling and getting paid part.. I have a fondness for Oil/Gas.

[highside]

Retired from the Air Force as a pilot at 42 years old and sailed away. Zero debt no kids and a very nice boat.
I thought surely I would go fly for the airlines, my friends are now making $250k+. But.... after getting a taste for this life, my wife and I realized we'd rather be free while we are still young enough to enjoy it. We can still keep up with the 20 somethings (mostly) but have the boat of the 50-60 somethings. We are passing up a household income of $350k+ (probably closer to $400k), to live on my military pension and sail the world. In French Poly now. No regrets at all.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by nauticalnomad

I retired at 42 and went sailing for 3 years.. I got bored, fat, depressed, bored, fat, depressed and fat and am now back working.. Depression has gone, not as fat and not bored...
I dont know why.. But i missed project management consultancy and the traveling and getting paid part.. I have a fondness for Oil/Gas.

This is true for a lot of people. Nearly everyone needs meaning in life.

[Sojourner]

Originally Posted by Chotu

This is true for a lot of people. Nearly everyone needs meaning in life.

I think what you mean to say is many people need a structured environment to find meaning in their life. With all the associated goalposts and external rewards. However if you have a little imagination, you can easily find meaning within a non-structured environment. I haven't worked in a traditional sense in 15 years. But life is hardly meaningless. Find meaning in bettering yourself, in improving the quality of life for those you encounter, in helping causes you believe in, in volunteering, in teaching english to poor kids, in making your family feel safe and happy. Just have to click your mind to a new way of thinking and then it becomes easy. Boredom is only a thing if you allow it.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Sojourner

I think what you mean to say is many people need a structured environment to find meaning in their life. With all the associated goalposts and external rewards. However if you have a little imagination, you can easily find meaning within a non-structured environment. I haven't worked in a traditional sense in 15 years. But life is hardly meaningless. Find meaning in bettering yourself, in improving the quality of life for those you encounter, in helping causes you believe in, in volunteering, in teaching english to poor kids, in making your family feel safe and happy. Just have to click your mind to a new way of thinking and then it becomes easy. Boredom is only a thing if you allow it.

No, what I mean is a lot of, if not most people need meaning in their lives. It's one reason so many retirees stuffer such a rapid decline very soon after working ends.

I haven't worked in a "job" since the turn of the century myself. I'm an entrepreneur and try out radicai lifestyles and practice self sufficiency. Being creative and having various projects that interest me gives me the excitement to get up in the morning and go. Sans alarm clock and coffee. Don't even need it.

Everyone has their own sense of purpose and meaning. For some it's volunteering. For some it's art. Fir some it's travel (that's my second). For some it's their profession.

Everyone is different and there is nothing shameful about enjoying your job and having it be a passion. Something that wakes you up and gets you going through the day. Something that brings excitement to your life.

Some people need this as opposed to less structured environments. Everyone is different. However, just as I posted..

Most people need meaning in their lives.

So the poster in the oil and gas industry finds that in his consulting gigs. He was depressed and gaining weight without it. Clearly, his work is his passion and it's good he found it. Some never even find it and feel hollow/empty.

Finally, part of my passion is owning a portfolio of small businesses. I find it fun. I love the way a small business works. I love the variety in various industries. I wake up excited to keep the small businesses in perfect shape, maintaining it like a fine diesel engine. That's why I posted here to see if anyone wanted to exit one they own. I'm looking to add one more to my portfolio. Ready to buy.

So everyone has meaning. Or should. Be it art, travel, learning languages, or yes... Even a job.

It leads to better health overall. Mentally and physically.

[dcstrng]

Hmmm… I don’t think the primary issue is what you did to earn a living, or the size of your nest-egg – at least not in absolute terms. The more practical issue is, is your cruising aspiration able to live inside your nest-egg/bank-account (or other “guaranteed” resource). If I have X number of dollars, and my perfect boat for the life-style-change is X+Y (purchase plus whatever it takes to keep it floating), then I have to concede that my life-style change has an end date – I just don’t know it yet. At age 40, I was done with my career, no debt and aiming to cruise which had been an obsession of mine for most of my post-infant life (I read Slocum in the 9th grade…). I had long wanted a modest boat that would allow me fairly complete independence with no foreseeable end date – my SO had become fascinated with sail boats, I allowed myself to get talked into buying a very nice boat that was fun enough, but over four times the displacement (etc.) I had foreseen, required way more upkeep than I was having fun with (I used to quip that I had no idea who the skipper was, but I knew who was assigned as maintenance officer). The cascade of errors eventually had me employed again to help earn enough money so we could stay tied to the dock – needless to say, we never left. Well the SO did, but that’s another story…

Bottom line – don’t dream hypotheticals, dream realities, and for goodness sake don’t confuse the two.

[daletournier]

Personality type determines how successful you are at cruising. My partner misses the security of normal! she needs the structure and is back there now, me? I enjoy the freedom. Crusing gives me something to do (the boat) and something to look forward to (the destination).

I cant imagine going back to work, I own my time, no dead lines ,no demanding customers etc. I did enjoy building a business in my 30's but don't believe I'm wired that way anymore.

I rarely get bored, I'm not fat and I dont get depressed, therefore I assume the lifestyle is working for me.

Finances worry me a tad, I'm planning on living another 30 years therefore the money must last, this of course isnt fully under my control....."its the economy stupid".

[Larimar450]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Personality type determines how successful you are at cruising. My partner misses the security of normal! she needs the structure and is back there now, me? I enjoy the freedom. Crusing gives me something to do (the boat) and something to look forward to (the destination).

I cant imagine going back to work, I own my time, no dead lines ,no demanding customers etc. I did enjoy building a business in my 30's but don't believe I'm wired that way anymore.

I rarely get bored, I'm not fat and I dont get depressed, therefore I assume the lifestyle is working for me.

Finances worry me a tad, I'm planning on living another 30 years therefore the money must last, this of course isnt fully under my control....."its the economy stupid".

I couldn't agree with you more on the "not wired that way anymore" Same with me build two businesses always worked when younger, but I am not driven by that anymore, just driven by wind now.

Keeping an eye on the money too as I think it needs to last 35 years, "lord willing" That is why it is better to just worry about the day or week ahead of you and thats all.
Funny my wife who wasn't structured while we worked now craves the structure too, she needs a plan it seems in retirement.
Funny how the roles change

good post, enjoy the journey