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jeepbluetj · 24-02-2015, 17:46

I chased the job etc... I've got a friend that basically retired at 22 and walked the earth. Went to dozens of countries, had a lifetime of experiences. Got a 'real' job at around 40 or so.

He would not trade his wonderful experiences for my "work hard and you'll succeed" experiences. But I would gladly trade for his.

rwidman · 24-02-2015, 17:49

It seems irresponsible to give a young man advice not to plan for the future but just to think about today, but if he is naïve enough to take this advice he will most likely reap what he sows.

Or, he can go on welfare and the ever diminishing percentage of the population that's productive can take care of his needs in his old age.

Sailor647 · 24-02-2015, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by JK n Smitty

Worth every penny. It's a step by step guide to doing exactly what you want to do from someone who has done it for over 50 years. He has circumnavigated multiple times on a boat he traded a guitar for that was washed up on a beach with a hole in it.

The guitar didn't have a hole in it and wasn't washed up on a beach. The boat was. The guitar was fine.

LOL

FamilyVan · 24-02-2015, 18:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwidman

It seems irresponsible to give a young man advice not to plan for the future but just to think about today, but if he is naïve enough to take this advice he will most likely reap what he sows.

Or, he can go on welfare and the ever diminishing percentage of the population that's productive can take care of his needs in his old age.

9 times out of 10 I agree with your posts rwidman- but he's 24. He can wait for his career. Jeez, I didn't join the Coast Guard until 26- that was my first real job. I'm not destitute, I have a workable pension.

hellosailor · 24-02-2015, 18:24

Van?
Maybe you've never had to BUY fuel for the engine, but no income = no money = no fuel. And if you're trying to use the engine because, perhaps, the sail tore or the rigging jammed in heavy weather? Oh, right, you go tell a new that diesel engines usually fail in those same conditions, as the crud in an old fuel tank in a cheap boat breaks loose and clogs the fuel filters. Which you have no spares for, because those cost money too.

It is all too easy to forget there's a whole long chain of dependencies, and if you have a couple of those problems, say goodbye to the boat while the nice men in the orange chopper are hoisting you away.

Chopper, yes, because once you get involved with inlets? The rescue boats don't go out in heavy weather either. "Ooops."

FamilyVan · 24-02-2015, 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Van?
Maybe you've never had to BUY fuel for the engine, but no income = no money = no fuel. And if you're trying to use the engine because, perhaps, the sail tore or the rigging jammed in heavy weather? Oh, right, you go tell a new that diesel engines usually fail in those same conditions, as the crud in an old fuel tank in a cheap boat breaks loose and clogs the fuel filters. Which you have no spares for, because those cost money too.

It is all too easy to forget there's a whole long chain of dependencies, and if you have a couple of those problems, say goodbye to the boat while the nice men in the orange chopper are hoisting you away.

Chopper, yes, because once you get involved with inlets? The rescue boats don't go out in heavy weather either. "Ooops."

I see and appreciate your point. I have never worked in air search and rescue, always been surface based. I spent one season, 2004 in Search and Rescue- the majority of my CG career was on ice breakers in remote areas- ships- I'm a navigator by trade, not a labourer.

I own my own sailboat- I'm on my third cruising sailboat (with a power driven fishing boat thrown in the middle- I am always on the line between sail and power). So I get that stuff breaks, I'm not rich- as you pointed I am a (former) Fed.

I don't know which of the Queens fleets you spent time with- but the one I spent time with- went out in heavy weather. OOPS.

FollowingCs · 24-02-2015, 19:12

Let's all not forget the OP. He said he was going to work the winter months. Heck, maybe he is software guy and he's going to make $30k in 3 months of development. Maybe he's a construction guy. I know construction guys in Ohio that work all winter and then golf all summer. I surely don't advocate signing up for welfare, or just bumming out.

Just because he isn't defining a 'career' at age 24 doesn't mean he is going to be destitute at age 50.

Sounds like he is working his way through life, doing whatever he can to save enough money to live on a boat for a while ....... hrm..... sounds like the rest of us.

My very successful uncle came down with MS at 57, and died just last year at 64. He left a crap ton of cash to his two kids.... didn't get to use much of it.

~ Following Cs ~

JK n Smitty · 24-02-2015, 19:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

Sorry, wake up. What is your education or do you have a trade, that is marketable? Working the winter months and playing all summer. What do you expect to have at 60 or 70? I believe that life style went out with being a Hippy. Get an education or a good job and then live in a marina..

Don't believe I would want to leave my unattended boat on the hook all winter?

Haha. I believe your attitude went out when smart people started to realize they are slaves to their stuff and consumerism. But hey we are quitting 6 figure jobs in our late 30s this year to go be "hippies". But you can keep your stuff and worrying about what you will have at 60 or 70. We will just live our lives now.

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**Hudson Force** · 24-02-2015, 19:42

I see this thread has flourished since I last posted. I recall that I moved aboard when I was 24 in 1971 with more than the equivalent of $25,000, but mine was not an asset. Instead it was my college debt and I went into further debt to borrow for my first boat at 11,000 1971 dollars.

Fast forward 44 years and here I am still on the boat (different boat), 'wife and I retired for 13 years and living on less than half of our income.

I don't see one plan or one rule to live a successful life aboard, but I do see a need to consider income and plan your future. I plan for everything,- I started to plan living aboard when I was twelve and I was fortunate enough to find a woman to share my dream. We planned two children and we're planning not to burden them when we plan for our last days on our geriatric vessel. We plan to rent ashore if we can't find an assisted living marina. I plan to take care and joy! ...make a plan!

JK n Smitty · 24-02-2015, 19:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwidman

It seems irresponsible to give a young man advice not to plan for the future but just to think about today, but if he is naïve enough to take this advice he will most likely reap what he sows.

Or, he can go on welfare and the ever diminishing percentage of the population that's productive can take care of his needs in his old age.

This is going to be a bigger issue as we move forward. And I don't mean people not working and ending up on welfare. I mean people judging others based on their values of a successful life. Just because you wanted a house, stuff to put in it and a 401k doesn't mean that is the only way to live. More and more people are realizing they would rather have a life of experiences rather than stuff. This means trade offs like older, smaller boats, not owning a car or 90" TV. But you end up needing to work much less to support that life style.

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Therapy · 24-02-2015, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by FollowingCs

Let's all not forget the OP. He said he was going to work the winter months. Heck, maybe he is software guy and he's going to make $30k in 3 months of development. Maybe he's a construction guy. I know construction guys in Ohio that work all winter and then golf all summer. I surely don't advocate signing up for welfare, or just bumming out.

Just because he isn't defining a 'career' at age 24 doesn't mean he is going to be destitute at age 50.

Sounds like he is working his way through life, doing whatever he can to save enough money to live on a boat for a while ....... hrm..... sounds like the rest of us.

My very successful uncle came down with MS at 57, and died just last year at 64. He left a crap ton of cash to his two kids.... didn't get to use much of it.

~ Following Cs ~

If anybody gives a rat's patootie I am in this camp. I have enough money now and a body that will not do what I did not do back then. I did not have the courage to "just do it". I just talked about it and followed the mantra. What BS.

When I was 24 I came across a way to get a CSY 44 into charter for ....I forget how much. I had ~ 28k in 1982. That is 96.4k today according to Google. This was "back in the day" where at the end of 5 years they said they would replace standing and running rigging, sails and anything else that was not right. I read a story about an engine even! I don't know if that was hype or not but it never happened. Soooo I have been wondering my whole life what it would have been like.

I hope he does not have too many regrets when he is 59.

PS. And I have two kids out of college. No debt cause I paid it ALL (spoiled brats) but they are doing sales and tech.......like someone mentioned earlier.

It is all just a crap shoot anyway. Though they have good genes.

Therapy · 24-02-2015, 19:48

What happened to the CF mantra from a while back?

Go small.
Go now.

SimonV · 24-02-2015, 20:33

Sounds like you want to be a bum. Bums on boats don't last that long. A boat will cost you money and time, more of one or the other is up to you. If you want to travel on next to nothing then look at the video with Brad Pitt he does not have a boat...gets a motor bike then less of a bike til he's walking again. Use you money wisely. Travel the world on the hoof carrying what you need on your back, your young with a decent stake buy a decent pair of boots and a swag. Do it now and get a boat when your done.

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hellosailor · 24-02-2015, 20:47

Forget the Queen, Van. The NJ State Marine Patrol and the various USCG stations along the inlets on the NJ shore will all tell you the same thing that the USCG Shinnecock and Fire Island (NY) stations will tell you. They drive boats--not cutters--and when the wind, waves, and currents stack up the wrong way, those inlets all become impassable to all watercraft. Not just a matter of helm control, but they can bounce badly enough to hit bottom and break the boats.