Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 23-03-2017, 18:35   #91
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Delray Beach, Fl
Boat: 1998 Rosborough 246 LSV
Posts: 563
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Or, you could visit Florida and sail in the Keys.
captstu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-03-2017, 19:56   #92
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Nebraska, MidWest USA
Posts: 21
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Hey! CptStu! Good to hear from you!
I'm kind of wondering if it's a bad thing if my parachute is on fire. LOL!
Lord, I'm trying to figure out if a trip to Florida is doable in the very near future. Money and time are ridiculously tight for the moment (spent all my money doing home maintenance and spent all my vacation time visiting Saugatuck, Michigan (sailboats!!!) and South Dakota. Isn't that funny? What happened was I just took off on vacation to try to de-stress and headed to Michigan. Then my sisters wanted me to come for a camping weekend in the middle of my vacation - and they were in Missouri. So, I cut the vacation short to camp with the sisters - then decided why cut it short? So I then took off for South Dakota.
So, a mini-Florida vacation right now is pretty unlikely BUT not entirely out of the question. If I decide to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire, maybe I'll just treat myself to that little vacation before I come back here and start ridding myself of everything - except my dog. Did I mention my dog? 25 pound 5 year old wire fox terrier who does not like to swim? He loves everyone and is highly prey driven. I wonder if he'd go skittering across the deck after a seagull and find himself swimming. And, could I rescue him if necessary. Lock him up below during storms? Do you hate dogs? LOL!
KeriMoonbeam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-03-2017, 13:48   #93
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Cap Sante Marina Anacortes, WA
Boat: Kettenburg 1977 32 ft.
Posts: 262
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Well Kari, you have already made more friends and potential companions here than a lot of us. I have read most of the posts to your query and it seems that you could find a 25-30 foot trawler type with a sailing dingy an electric motor and be pretty happy. You like most of us will need a storage locker. That is for all those books and out of season gear. Things you just can't bring yourself to get rid of. Yet. After a while they seem to lose their glow. Then you can downsize a bit more.

That is what I am heading for in a few more years. A trawler. Right now I can still single hand my 32' sloop. But here in the NW when the weather is warm and right there is not a lot of wind. So I motor a lot. I motor a lot. But with my 20hp. Yanmar "La Traviata" does 5 1/2 to 6 knots on 1/2 gal of diesel so I get there. Not as fast as most but a lot cheaper, than most.

Ever so often the Lord smiles down, the wind comes out and I have 10-12 knots in the right direction. So the iron sail gets shut down and the sails go up. Ahhh, and with a gentle heal I realize why I still have the sloop. Sailing on a warm day in the Salish Sea makes it all worth while.
1Sunseeker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-03-2017, 09:09   #94
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Nebraska, MidWest USA
Posts: 21
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1Sunseeker View Post
and with a gentle heal I realize why I still have the sloop.
A siren song to be sure!!
KeriMoonbeam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-03-2017, 09:21   #95
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Nebraska, MidWest USA
Posts: 21
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Quote:
Originally Posted by ebsail View Post
Put yourself in a marine enviroment and you might find a partner with the same interest and you could share the costs.
I love it!!
KeriMoonbeam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2017, 16:59   #96
Registered User
 
janice142's Avatar

Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast of Florida
Boat: Schucker mini-trawler
Posts: 353
Send a message via AIM to janice142 Send a message via MSN to janice142 Send a message via Yahoo to janice142 Send a message via Skype™ to janice142
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Quote:
Originally Posted by KeriMoonbeam View Post
Janice142, thank you for the marvelous post! Are you permitted to list your website? You didn't come close to tiring my eyes out with pictures! Quite the contrary!
Thank you Keri. I do have a lot of photos and my website is Janice aboard Seaweed, trawler cruising on a nickel budget...
Please visit.

You said: My little fur buddy is Nando (pronounced NON doe, short for Fernando). He's a 26 pound wire haired fox terrier, 5 years old, and doesn't like to swim. I'd post a picture but can't figure out how. I love the swim platform/puppy potty idea! My little guy loves to run! And he's very prey driven, so I've wondered what all this would be like for him. Could he run after sea gulls or run around the deck barking if someone goes by with a dog without flying off the boat? Do you just have to let him learn and be there to guide or rescue...

Skipper was driven by a love of dinghy rides. The problem I had is that every time she got into the dinghy she would christen it. Not fun! Finally it occurred to me to put her on the swim platform and let Algae (my dinghy) drift too far away for her to jump. As soon as she performed, LOADS OF PRAISE followed by a ride in the dink.

I wrote an article about it here: Janice142 article Pet Poop Primer (it's not horrid!)

You said:
Your decor is awesome! I love the brass and all the nautical things and themes. I keep hearing folks talk about doing all these things to their boats - like you hanging curtain rods and that gorgeous lantern - but most of my experience has been on fiberglass open motorboats, so I can't quite wrap my feeble little brain around installing such things. Maybe I should give storage a tad more thought before I start wholesale disposing of my most cherished posessions.


This is one of those "it depends" items. I've drilled through and found outside (oops!) but a simple repair makes the mistake invisible. It's a boat, not a perfect Bristol Yacht.

For me, comfortable is of higher importance than "beauty"

The thing is, the are family treasures that I can continue to enjoy. Now the koi were bought by a friend (Marsha) years ago at a thrift store. She spotted them first, then passed them along to me. So the koi aren't just fish, they are a memory of a friend.

Marsha lived aboard a 30' Freedom sailboat. She was a special gal who came into boating after fifty. She bought a boat knowing exactly zero except she liked it. Eventually she met another sailor and they married, bought a bigger boat and lived together until a stroke took her. All too soon I might add!


Don't wait too long Keri. For proof positive of that please read this article:
janice142 article Time Stopped

That article received 71,000 hits on the day after I posted it.
Please don't be Bob!

You said: I love stained glass and love your turtle. I've got a couple salvaged stained glass windows and a bit of an art collection and those are the most difficult to imagine parting with.

If they aren't tooooo big, or you bought a power boat... well, I'd make room for them. I might want one as the dinette table, covered with a piece of glass (stand off's might be small slices of cork so they won't bang together)

I saw an etched glass white egret as the back window of a boat once. And IF money were no object I'd have a stained glass window aft in my galley with a nautical scene. That small window is 10" x 28" tall. I think a great blue heron would be lovely there...

Your stained glass MIGHT fit if you use some creativity about the placement. Just because it was a window does not mean it permanently must always serve that purpose. Put on your thinking cap gal.

My criteria of stuff is if I love it, I find room or a use for it.

Now just a couple days ago I went though my clothes locker and threw away two bags of stuff I have not worn of late. I don't need them so out they go. I had a couple dresses I haven't worn in over a year. They are gone.

Side Note: Just because I live on a boat doesn't mean "jeans and shorts" -- I wear skirts for the most part. I did keep my LBD (little black dress) and one other that is sort of fancy. Of course I'm going to wear them with boat shoes!

You said: So, your "locker" for your sewing machine is on your boat???? I love doing various crafts. I'm working on a quilt now. I'd likely let my sewing machine go in favor of some other craft stuff for items I'm hoping to start selling on Etsy soon.

Dinette bench seats have storage. The one aft is dedicated to my craft stuff. The sewing machine is there, my silk flosses, thread crochet, cross stitch and crazy quilting pattern books plus A LOT of oil paints. I've been painting since I was ten (or younger -- I'll admit to fifty years) so they are an important part of my life.

Now rather than large canvases I paint seashells. Here's one of mine:


Frankly as to quilting I prefer to hand piece and hand quilt. I'm not very good with the sewing machine. And currently mine needs to be tensioned again. The first person that shows up with $200 can have the Featherweight. Honestly I'm getting tired of giving up that space for something I have not used in at least two years. It's got to go.

As for Etsy, a friend of mine in Key West has an Etsy shop that is doing okay for her. It's income and she makes the crochet items in her leisure time. Tina is very talented.

You said:
Thank you so very much! You have given much to think about and saved me from prematurely getting rid of my most cherished belongings. I can part with it all, but I don't want to end somewhere going "Well, darn! I shouldn't have gotten rid of that!" LOL!

Most things can be replaced with patience by shopping eBay. The items that touch your heart though, well, there is no rule that says you cannot have them aboard. Breakables, buy Quake Hold on Amazon. It works.

Those treasured items might just fit aboard your boat.

Psychologically, having your comfort items available is bound to make the whole experience happier. Figure out a way to make that happen if at all possible.

Good luck and all the best to you Keri.

J.
__________________
Janice aboard Seaweed, trawler life on a nickel budget...
janice142 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2017, 17:28   #97
Registered User
 
TooCoys's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: earth
Posts: 589
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

For what it's worth, and I have only skimmed the thread, I have a friend who is in her late 60's who has lived aboard for the last 5 or 6 years. She doesn't cruise, but that's only because she doesn't want to.

She does however live on a power boat. It's an early 90's Tiara 43' sport fisher with twin Detroit diesel's. She could very, VERY easily cruise the ICW all the way down to the Keys.

The biggest issue that she has is the regular maintenance. Cleaning out the strainers weekly, washing the decks regularly, etc. etc.

She did fall off the boat once, and couldn't get back up. I think she spent an hour in the water at the dock, holding on to the exhaust because she couldn't pull herself up the ladder.
TooCoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-03-2017, 17:50   #98
Registered User
 
janice142's Avatar

Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast of Florida
Boat: Schucker mini-trawler
Posts: 353
Send a message via AIM to janice142 Send a message via MSN to janice142 Send a message via Yahoo to janice142 Send a message via Skype™ to janice142
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Quote:
Originally Posted by KeriMoonbeam View Post
treat myself to that little vacation before I come back here and start ridding myself of everything - except my dog. Did I mention my dog? 25 pound 5 year old wire fox terrier who does not like to swim? He loves everyone and is highly prey driven. I wonder if he'd go skittering across the deck after a seagull and find himself swimming. And, could I rescue him if necessary. Lock him up below during storms? Do you hate dogs? LOL!
Nope but a tether or leash securely fastened someplace so Nando cannot fall overboard will be an ALWAYS when underway. Otherwise keep a large dip net (fisherman) and hoist him out. With your boy weighing more than my Skipper you'll have to lift him out with the handle straight up and down.

When underway Skipper prefers to be on the side deck. I'll be adding netting to my lifelines so that she can stay in the boat. You could net around the edge of your boat to give added protection to your Nando.

I looked and cannot find a picture of a sailboat with the netting. The same netting I put up on my pilothouse doorways when underway. I cannot fall overboard as there's no one to come back for me. This net keeps me safely inside. I'll be ordering 40' to go around from my cabin to the bowsprit and back.

Net:


Start looking for a "decent" (read OLD and sturdy) version of a dip net. Then fasten the netting on with extra line around the loop part. For Skip I used little wire ties and they are starting to break. I'm going to do it properly next time with some small stuff (1/8" braided twine)

Good luck Keri.
__________________
Janice aboard Seaweed, trawler life on a nickel budget...
janice142 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-03-2017, 06:13   #99
Moderator Emeritus
 
Hudson Force's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Lived aboard & cruised for 45 years,- now on a chair in my walk-in closet.
Boat: Morgan OI 413 1973 - Aythya
Posts: 8,455
Images: 1
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

A harness for the dog rather than a collar is the better choice for being able to lift the dog from the water and this is far easier than using a dip net. The harness can be hooked with a boat hook for lifting, but it is best to have the dog tethered at the risky times.

We tethered our dog when we were in harsh weather, strong currents or at times when our maneuverability was restricted.

We couldn't bring ourselves to consider perimeter netting for our dog. How could we face explaining this to our children after having raised them aboard from infancy without any netting? (LOL)
__________________
Take care and joy, Aythya crew
Hudson Force is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-03-2017, 09:48   #100
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: San Carlos Mexico
Boat: PDQ 36
Posts: 146
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

I, too, have a little dog with strong prey drive. I will have to keep an eye on her so that she doesn't chase a seagull and run over the side of the boat. I'll have perimeter netting, and will probably have to rig up some kind of restraining system for her to keep her in the cockpit, until she learns what it's all about.

She's kinda' a sausage and can wiggle out of most harnesses. There are some very good pfd for dogs too. Outward Hound is one and REI also has some that seem good quality. The fit will be the important thing for my sausage shaped girl.
KiminAK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-03-2017, 10:56   #101
Registered User
 
xwavemaker's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Sacramento
Boat: 2001 Beneteau 331, 34
Posts: 10
Talking Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Hi Keri!

First off congrats on your decision! Step one, check! I agree that finding a Cat for your price range will be challenging, but keep looking. It took me literally years to find my boat and am just now in process of buying.
I did see a 1974 cat on line recently in the 40K range, so keep looking!
I'm 10 years your junior & not able to retire yet, but after chatting with other aging sailors, decided start now, live aboard & learn. Figure the rest as it comes.
I recently met a sailor/author who didn't set sail on his epic 4 year adventure until age 72! "A Voyage of Consequence."
I suggest taking some classes while your looking for your boat, get some certifications & join a sailing club like GoSail to gain experience.
Your boat will come in, don't rush it!

Good Luck!
xwavemaker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-03-2017, 12:20   #102
Registered User
 
leftbrainstuff's Avatar

Join Date: May 2011
Location: San Diego CA
Boat: Liberty 458
Posts: 2,205
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Check out nine of cups. They went from zero to world cruisers.
leftbrainstuff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2017, 12:13   #103
Registered User
 
janice142's Avatar

Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast of Florida
Boat: Schucker mini-trawler
Posts: 353
Send a message via AIM to janice142 Send a message via MSN to janice142 Send a message via Yahoo to janice142 Send a message via Skype™ to janice142
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hudson Force View Post
We couldn't bring ourselves to consider perimeter netting for our dog. How could we face explaining this to our children after having raised them aboard from infancy without any netting? (LOL)
We didn't have netting on our 40'er either. I want it on my boat because Skipper prefers to be on the side deck watching for dolphin. Just east of Pensacola we were surrounded by a pod of dolphin while anchored. Skipper and I sat on the swim platform and so enjoyed the afternoon show the wild ones out on for us.

They chattered, jumped and it felt like our own private performance. How blessed I am to lead this simple life...

It was one of those moments that stand out in my memory as Top Notch. I treasure that experience. Since then Skipper has been rather enamored by dolphin. Me too!
janice142 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2017, 15:17   #104
Registered User
 
jemini's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Hi, Kerimoonbeam,
I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to see your post and all the fabulous responses!! I just joined the forum because I, too, am wondering if living on a boat when I retire is a pipedream or not. My main question to myself has been, “Am I too old?” I will be 64 next month, and for the past year or so, have had the crazy desire to live aboard a boat again. It’s been many years since I lived on a power boat, but I loved, loved, loved it. It was my favorite abode and I have lived in a lot of abodes.
Financially, I have no savings (thanks to a lousy tax man last year), but will begin again. Money for a boat will come from the sale of my house, car and whatever else I can sell. I’m thinking cruising the ICW, the Keys, the Gulf, and the Caribbean will keep me happy for years to come. Honestly, the thought of sailing across an ocean by myself scares the fire out of me at this point, but it’s early days yet. I do not know how to sail, but plan to remedy that when I have the time away from the house and my duties.
I am also excited to check out the other threads on the forum, since I’m not even sure what type of boat I want. I have been doing some reading and researching online; basically, just absorbing all the information I can get at this point. I took tons of notes just from your thread!
I love the idea of a catamaran and checked out the sites boatman61 recommended and was very encouraged by what I saw. That Iroquois Mark II for less than $23,000 looked absolutely adorable and totally doable for me. I did not contact anyone for specifics, so have no idea of the condition of the boat, but the 4-5 pictures they had up were awesome. I thought, I could so live in that!
As for janice142, I was amazed at her lovely little trawler! (Went to her website and will be contacting her as I have tons of questions!) I wasn’t even considering a power boat, figuring the fuel cost would be prohibitive, but she has definitely got me re-thinking that.
Right now caring for my parents does not allow much free time away from the house, but I can certainly get in all the book learning I need. When time allows I will be able to get out and actually do, so until then, will dream and save and figure things out.
I have been reading a fabulous book called “Get Real, Get Gone” by Rick Page and Jasna Tuta. It’s “how to become a modern sea gypsy and sail away forever”. It has tons of useful, down to earth information and I love their attitude toward life and cruising. The first thing they recommend is to “buy a boat somewhere nice, where it is cheap to live, that has lots of easy sailing and move aboard”. The rest of the book is about choosing your boat wisely and how to live aboard as inexpensively as possible. Not sure if becoming a world cruising gypsy is what I actually want or am capable of, but I’m still learning a lot from the book.
Another favorite is the first book I read when I started thinking about this idea; “The Cruising Multihull” by Chris White. This book gave me more understanding of multihulls and dispelled some commonly held myths about them. I pretty much love everything about the stability and ease of sailing a catamaran. My original thinking was, if I must have someone along, they can have one hull and I’ll take the other. With any boat I choose, though, I absolutely want to be able to handle it by myself.
Anyway, thanks for starting this conversation. I’m eagerly anticipating the journey to get where we really want to be; it’ll be fun!

Julie
__________________
"Life's a journey, not a destination." Aerosmith
jemini is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2017, 19:18   #105
Moderator Emeritus
 
Hudson Force's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Lived aboard & cruised for 45 years,- now on a chair in my walk-in closet.
Boat: Morgan OI 413 1973 - Aythya
Posts: 8,455
Images: 1
Re: Aging Newbie Needs Reality Check from Experienced Sailors

Jemini - Julie, Welcome to the community. Your goals are not outside the common practice for many of us here. 'plenty of fish in the sea and room for a few more!
__________________
Take care and joy, Aythya crew
Hudson Force is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
enc, sail

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Reality Check for Sailboat Process for Newbie zehnmm Monohull Sailboats 14 03-09-2008 13:48
Diesel Gunk Reality Check Microship Engines and Propulsion Systems 14 17-07-2008 17:10
Newbie Needs Sanity Check leekirk711 General Sailing Forum 10 03-10-2005 20:23

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 19:37.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.