How Many "Blue Water Cruisers" are There

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Ryban

If true, I think it's too bad that people feel they need a big expensive boat to go cruising. It can be done very affordably if you're willing to forego the luxuries a larger boat brings to the table. I was able to cruise for 3 years on a 27-foot boat with 70K to my name, including the purchase of the vessel and refit -- and if I had been smarter about certain unnecessary expenses, it could have stretched another year or two. Granted -- 70K in savings is still a luxury for a lot of young people, especially if they're carrying debt.

I'll never regret taking breaks in my career to go cruising while I'm young. There's nothing guranteeing I'll live that long or that the world will be as pleasant to cruise by then.

Yes, fully agree. But people are pack animals, and are driven by what they see around them. If what they see are people cruising in big, expensive, boats, then that will be the benchmark. Certainly the standard boat here on CF is big, expensive and all tricked-out.

[JPA Cate]

There are still young people coming through, and on small boats: within the last 2 yrs., a 27 ft Django came in here, with a European couple, under 30 yrs. of age, and they had come via Cape Horn! It was lovely!

Mike, what you say about "tricked out" is really interesting. We sort of mentored some friends before they went cruising, and I was amazed: the lady insisted on a huge watermaker and a washing machine--and this was over 20 yrs. ago. I think the women's expectations have changed, and possibly the men's as well. It seems odd to me, but with more women coming up through club racing, now, perhaps the mod cons won't be so important to them? Something about racing seems to discourage pampered princesses.

Our friends used to use watermaker water to wash down the boat, so as to be spic and span when arriving in port. Amazed me.

Ann

[heron237]

Prices have gone up for everything, housing is an investment vehicle, not a place to live, the only thing that hasn't gone up are real wages. Upwardly mobile is a rarity, most of us are downwardly mobile in this country. The wealth created in our country since Reagan has overwhelmingly gone to the top 2 percent. This has created modern serfdom. And unless we have a major shakeup I see no end in sight, sorry Dad

[MicHughV]

I think some thought has to be given in what year these trips were made.

To put this in perspective, I hit the road...so to speak...some 45 plus years ago....

My boat was as basic as one could think....no a/c, no solar, no fridge, no autopilot, etc, etc. Very few frills. Hanked on sails and wind vane for steering assist was as modern as I could wish for.

Navigation was all by hand and eye.

Weather forecasts....ha ha ha....what's that ??

No cell phones. Ham radio was it.

My cruising budget was marginal at best, around $10/day, which I supplement by diving and selling my catch to other sailors.

Boat insurance and health insurance was simple not in the cards.

Most other boats and skippers I met during this time were all in the same boat...no pun intended. We all managed to do just fine with little.

Simply no comparison between then and now, but there were many of us out there.

[thomm225]

It's not all about money though.

Most younger folks wouldn't want to be stuck out some place on a boat especially at anchor.

Many are working on their careers which means trying to stay abreast of the latest new thing especially in the electronics and computer field.

They also enjoy nice new cars and traveling on the weekends.

Some still make really good money. A computer tech with a few Cyber Security Certs can start at $90,000 plus which isn't bad for someone in their mid to late 20's.

If younger folks did go cruising are racing long distance, I'm thinking Starlink is a must for them not a perk.

Young folks always have their noses in their phones even when sailing/racing round the world.

[rslifkin]

Working remotely and cruising is an option now that better connectivity is available in much of the world (compared to 10+ years ago). But for many jobs (like mine), the challenge is coordinating working time vs traveling time. That's often tough for coastal cruising, as the prime cruising hours are the same as my working hours (except for weekends).

[El Pinguino]

Arrived back in Pto Montt 2 days ago.
An observation - the boats passing through are bigger and there are more of them.
20 Years ago my 39 footer would have been bigger than most.
Today we have at Club Nautico 3 x Amels 50~54 feet, an Oyster about 42 foot, a J46, a dutch boat in the low 40s - all up from the south - and me.

[barcoMeCasa]

Originally Posted by thomm225

It's not all about money though.

Most younger folks wouldn't want to be stuck out some place on a boat especially at anchor.

Many are working on their careers which means trying to stay abreast of the latest new thing especially in the electronics and computer field.

They also enjoy nice new cars and traveling on the weekends.

Some still make really good money. A computer tech with a few Cyber Security Certs can start at $90,000 plus which isn't bad for someone in their mid to late 20's.

If younger folks did go cruising are racing long distance, I'm thinking Starlink is a must for them not a perk.

Young folks always have their noses in their phones even when sailing/racing round the world.

Very cultural, head off the beaten track & plenty young french/dutch kids cruising on pennies in boats which few here would see as possible to even live on.

[thomm225]

Speaking of connectivity, this would be the way to go for any single handed offshore cruising sailor on whichever boat he or she chose.

Plus she has Starlink Internet.

One of the most interesting things I have found with a cruising boat is the electronics you can build or buy to support your sailing home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQhdIDosik0

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by barcoMeCasa

Very cultural, head off the beaten track & plenty young french/dutch kids cruising on pennies in boats which few here would see as possible to even live on.

Well different strokes.

My young guys and girls are buying Teslas and comparing those to other tech's Mercedes or even a new Toyota 4 Runner.

I had one tech that bought a $89,000 late model Shelby Mustang with like 700 HP plus and later sold it for a similar amount.

These young folks don't bat an eye when buying a $40,000 - $50,000 automobile while at the same time owning a home and have kids.

The ones that have boats use those to go to a secluded spot where the young drink and play volleyball all day and much of the night without being bothered by law enforcement, etc.

[thomm225]

Btw she also has a hydrogenerator plus her solar which is a very nice addition along with the rest of her electronics.

This is the way to go these days if you can that is with the entire package.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTwHyOGPDbY

[MicHughV]

Well, certainly one has to factor in "youth"
I was quite young, when the bug first hit...in High School in fact, no money.....etc..

Parental boat buying money was a non event, and if I was going to own a boat, I was going to have to build it first, which I did.
Back in the day, building your own boat was a " thing" and homebuilt boats were to be seen all over the place.
Very rare to see today. Today it requires a pocket full of cash...a large pocket at that.

I had youth on my side and there was no mountain I was not willing to climb. I became a certified scrounger and could whiff out a good deal from 100 miles away.
Seems like the "average" age of your modern day cruiser is " retired" or close to it.

Communication in my day was by "post restante", whereby a post office would hold your mail for you. Months would go by before I saw any mail, which was equally outdated by the time I got it. Communication with friends and family was by postcard.
Your modern day cruiser is glued to his cell phone, GPS, etc.

True, I'm an old fart, but my opinion would be based on things I know.

Finally, there are the intangibles. too many to list here, politics, sky high prices, etc, etc, etc.

Are there more blue water sailors than 45 years ago.....hmmm.....hard to say. I never counted, but seemed like a lot.

[mvweebles]

I'm sitting in Huatulco waiting for the T-Pec to blow itself out. It's a decent snapshot of cruising - up north (Banderas Bay) seems to be shinier newer boats who take a sabbatical for 6 months and go back to work or something. Californians and Canadians.

There are about 10 boats here. A German/Canadian couple just arrived on a Beneteau 40-ish and they'll spend a week or two and travel inland to Oaxaca. There are two Nordhavn trawler yachts with a couple on each who are on open ended cruises. One has no house or land based home and plans to cross to the South Pacific next year. There is a French boat (www.breskell.com) who's owner built her in 38 years ago - he's headed back to France because he misses his wife.

Then there are a half dozen sailboats. Several with 20/30 somethings. These are eclectic boats of unknown origin. They're here because the marina is cheap and they need to provision. Some things never change.

Finally my wife and I on a 54 year old 36-foot long trawler we've owned for 25 years. For us, a lazy delivery to Florida. Having a great time.

I know cruising has changed, but probably not as much as many think.

[Jammer]

I understand that there are now substantial numbers of fly-in cruisers, who cruise for a few weeks at a time then return home (using commercial air travel) for a period of months -- a practice that was almost unheard of 20 years ago.


Some of them pay other people to move their boats for them.

[thomm225]

I met quite a few cruisers at my apartment dock in Florida in the 1990's and they had the stories and the boats to back up what they said. Plus they still lived on their boats.

Slip fee was $50.

Today at my dock which holds tons of boat there are the racers and the folks with newer boats that go day sailing.

Maybe 1 or 2 cruisers, but I haven't met them.