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 23-10-2016, 14:37   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 13
Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas?

New to the forums and searched for this but didn't see any previous threads. I'm 41 with about a 5 year plan until the wife and I can start cruising at least seasonally and eventually full time. Live the PNW so I'll start in the Seattle area for a few weeks a year and eventually move south to warmer weather when the kids all graduate and are off to college. If you feel inclined to respond I'm interested to know the age of all the cruisers out there docking, anchoring and mooring around the high seas. If you would rather not say then an age range would be fine too. Just curious to know how many other similar aged cruisers we will encounter. I anticipate learning a ton on this forum before I set off to the next destination and roll into a new port just in time for a sundowner with some new friends! 🍻

1. Age of boat occupants?

2. Location currently cruising or prefer to cruise?

3. How many days you cruise per year on average?

4. Power boat or sail?


Thanks in advance to everyone.
Kjbraman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 15:29   #2
Moderator Emeritus
 
a64pilot's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

I'll take a swag, it seems on average most are retirement age, I guess that means 60's and older.
I see many on YouTube that are much younger, but have not run into them, I think their generation is more towards taking selfies and making videos of themselves than the older generations, so I'm thinking they are out there, but are not the average. Some of course do start out young.
It would seem that many that start out in sailboats but want to continue the lifestyle eventually lean towards trawlers if they can afford to do so.
I'm not yet a cruiser, we are on the short timers list though, youngest start college next year, so we are off soon after she graduates High School this year.
I will be 57 then, and I think about average age for a beginning cruiser.
a64pilot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 15:33   #3
Moderator Emeritus
 
a64pilot's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

I believe finances and family commitments drive when people begin to cruise more than anything, for most of us, it means we are no longer working, some can work from the boat of course, but I think they are in the minority.
a64pilot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 15:41   #4
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Diego, California - Read about our circumnavigation at www.rutea.com
Boat: Contest 48
Posts: 1,056
Images: 1
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

My wife and I are both 62 and we're in the sixth year of our circumnavigation - this year we sailed from South Africa to Tobago in the Caribbean, logging over 6,000 miles. Our boat is old and has no electric winches, other than our windlass; I have to go forward to tuck a reef in or shake one out and we almost always sail without a crew. We feel good about sailing for another five or six years but we know of people who are well into their seventies who are still making significant ocean passages, maintaining their boats and enjoying the cruising lifestyle.

However, cruising is an extremely personal choice and many people who anticipate it find they hate it once they actually cast off the dock lines. Obviously, there are no guarantees.

Good luck, fair winds and calm seas.
nhschneider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 15:41   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Easton, MD
Boat: 15' Catboat, Bristol 35.5
Posts: 3,510
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

At 46 years old you will be below the pack as far as age goes. I would guess most long term cruisers are between 55 and 70. Don't let age stop you though. A lot more would be out there earlier if they could afford to do so. Risk tolerance also comes into play. If you spend too much in early retirement what will happen if you live longer than you planned for?
kmacdonald is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 15:56   #6
Registered User
 
thomm225's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay Area
Boat: Bristol 27
Posts: 10,460
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

Quote:
Originally Posted by kmacdonald View Post
At 46 years old you will be below the pack as far as age goes. I would guess most long term cruisers are between 55 and 70. Don't let age stop you though. A lot more would be out there earlier if they could afford to do so. Risk tolerance also comes into play. If you spend too much in early retirement what will happen if you live longer than you planned for?
I'm still not sure about this part:

A lot more would be out there earlier if they could afford to do so.

When you go cruising on a boat, you really are limiting the things you can do. It's a tough decision and isn't for everyone.

I was lucky to be able to experience life on the water so to speak while living in an apartment 100' from the water in Florida.

Long story short, I found that after 5 years it because a bit hum drum except for the new girls moving in to the complex which was a good thing for me at the time being a divorced 41 year old single parent.

Anyway, I found that after we moved to another apartment closer to my son's college and away from the water it was so much more fun to visit my boats. (2 beach cats tied down just above the high water mark or on their trailers)

Many cruisers that I have followed and known personally usually last between 6 months to 2 years which is why I always recommend not selling the house and cars at first

As a beach cat racer, a normal distance race of 30 miles to 100 miles could usually sate our appetite for sailing for a week or two while we went back to work, went cycling, went to the movies, or took a drive and ended up at a nice restaurant.


I remember one time this young lady at the apartment and I drove over to Pirate's Cove Marina and restaurant in Alabama. It was interesting watching the cruisers hanging out....
thomm225 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 16:00   #7
Registered User
 
Sea Dreaming's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Whoo! Finally made it back to Mexico!
Boat: Cheoy Lee Offshore 38
Posts: 1,458
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

We start in just a few weeks. I'm 49 and he is 53. Sea of Cortez for a start. I wouldn't worry about age though. Just cruising gives you loads in common with folk of all ages.
__________________
If toast always lands butter side down, and cats always land on their feet, what would happen if you strapped toast to a cat's back and dropped it? - Steven Wright
Sea Dreaming is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 16:03   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Easton, MD
Boat: 15' Catboat, Bristol 35.5
Posts: 3,510
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

Quote:
Originally Posted by thomm225 View Post
I'm still not sure about this part:

A lot more would be out there earlier if they could afford to do so.

When you go cruising on a boat, you really are limiting the things you can do. It's a tough decision.

It's not for everyone.


Many cruisers that I have followed usually last between 6 months to 2 years
You could be right. Grandchildren seem to be the biggest deterrent to long term cruising. My wife was interested in long term cruising until the grand kids. Just have to be flexible and settle for part time.
kmacdonald is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 16:29   #9
CLOD
 
sailorboy1's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: being planted in Jacksonville Fl
Boat: none
Posts: 20,364
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kjbraman View Post

1. Age of boat occupants? 56 & 55

2. Location currently cruising or prefer to cruise? currently going down the ICW to warmer waters

3. How many days you cruise per year on average? as of1 month ago 365 days or until my liver fails

4. Power boat or sail? power boat with sails (kidding kind of, a sail boat that has been motoring because cruising isn't about sailing)


Thanks in advance to everyone.
good luck
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
sailorboy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 20:07   #10
Now on the Dark Side: Stink Potter.
 
CSY Man's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Palm Coast, Florida
Boat: Sea Hunt 234 Ultra
Posts: 3,962
Images: 124
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

I started the live aboard thingy and part time cruising at age 28.
No planning, no experience, just bought a boat in the Virgin Islands and moved aboard within a few weeks. Never sailed before. 44' yawl, steep learning curve.
More guts and less to lose at that age I guess.
Best time of my life.
Later on in life I moved ashore and got my first house, mortgage, etc.
Had a sailboat later and cruised the Bahamas in my 40s and 50s but also had a house.
Felt like being home again on the sailboat.
Would sell everything and go full time once more but present wife is not into it to say the least.
59 now, who knows what the future will bring.?
__________________
Life is sexually transmitted
CSY Man is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 21:29   #11
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Oregon
Boat: 57' Laurent Giles Yawl
Posts: 755
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

We are 40, 40, 13, 10. We are in the South Pacific, and plan to commuter cruise the PNW and Baja when we circle back to America.

I feel that people who sail far tend to be cool. Or maybe sailing far makes them grow as individuals. Anyway, there are a lot of fun people to know out here, and while I think age is a factor in friendships-- the tempo and topics are usually different-- we have more fun hanging out with sailors, as a whole, than any other group of people.
__________________
our blog
msponer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 22:39   #12
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,433
Images: 7
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

When I get my life over I am going to buy the boat first and go find the woman after so that I don't have the problem of the non seafaring partner.
RaymondR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 23:18   #13
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Victoria BC
Boat: Rafiki 37
Posts: 1,390
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

Moved onto boat at 32, will leave to circumnavigate next year when I'm 35. I have no property, kids or partner so I can go now.
__________________
www.saildivefish.ca
alctel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2016, 23:42   #14
Registered User
 
epiic's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Boat: Jeanneau 409
Posts: 246
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

I am 37 and my girlfriend is 34.

We recently sold everything and bought a boat to live aboard. We are moving onto the boat in 2 weeks (having the boat shipped to Charleston, SC).

Planning to sail the Caribbean this winter. Not sure where we will end up when hurricane season starts.
__________________
2015 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 - 3 Cabin / 2 Head, Shoal Keel, Furling Main, Performance Genoa 135% with Tracks, Folding Prop, Bow Thruster, Air Conditioning, B&G Zeus2 Chartplotter, B&G Autopilot, B&G 4G Radar, B&G ForwardScan Sonar.
epiic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-10-2016, 04:03   #15
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,480
Re: Average Age of all you cruisers out there living on the seas???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kjbraman View Post
...

1. Age of boat occupants?

2. Location currently cruising or prefer to cruise?

3. How many days you cruise per year on average?

4. Power boat or sail?


Thanks in advance to everyone.
1. I fired myself at 40 and took off cruising with my late wife of about the same age. Current wife and I are now 56 and 62. Glad I punched out early, I see a lot of aging cruisers who are clearly stuggling physically.

2. Since 2005 in the W Carib from Belize to Panama. Have been cruising Panama, mostly the San Blas, for several seasons now.

3. Usually about 4 months (~120 days). We like a mix of activities so remainder of year enjoy life ashore and travel....now in Peru.

4. Sail
belizesailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
cruise, cruiser

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
One of those hey there, hi there, ho there posts Noreasta Meets & Greets 13 25-09-2013 11:44
Age old question.. or is an old question of age? xeon_tsd Dollars & Cents 27 24-02-2013 05:47
To All You Sailmakers and Riggers Out There ! Southbound Monohull Sailboats 4 02-09-2010 09:56
Living in the Computer Age TaoJones Flotsam & Sailing Miscellany 6 09-12-2007 21:36

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:57.


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.