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Chotu · 31-07-2020, 08:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Chotu, It took close on 3 years to build my boat. To this day, I can say, it was probably the 3 happiest years of my life. Many ups and downs indeed. I didn't have a choice, if I wanted to go sailing, I had to build it as I could not afford to buy one. Sailing was and is a lot of fun, but building a dream out of thin air belongs in a league of itself. I wrote a book about how it all began....let me if you are interested.

3 years?????

You’re a machine!

I’ve felt plenty of downs. Only a few ups. I definitely don’t like building boats. I just do it because I have to.

I’m at about the 10 year mark after several personal and professional setbacks as well as needing a break from the project had me just leave the boat be.

I was trying for a reasonable time frame, but life got in the way.

MicHughV · 31-07-2020, 08:55

yes, very true, some home built boat projects remain a project. By design ??? I sometimes wonder, some folks just enjoy the whole " boat building" thing, have no interest in sailing, but building. It's a hobby...has no defined end...

MicHughV · 31-07-2020, 09:09

when I started building my boat.....I thought I could build a 38' boat with $9k ( all the money I had) and do it in one year....
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...yep, hilarious...but I didn't know better at the time....
from start to launch day was about 3 years, but work never stopped.....I was continuously adding to it as money flow allowed...

Ndavies · 31-07-2020, 09:32

I have a couple of observations:

1. Boat sales in general in the SE USA are way up. More people on the water spending vacation money on boats and RVs because its currently a more acceptable way to travel. Downside is I think there may be some firesales once people have to make payments!

2. Seeing more people out at anchor, more sailboats out for multiple days.....now I'm not sure that will necessarily qualify someone as a "cruiser", but more people are out on the water for sure.

3. Average age of the "older group" (OK I am in it) is getting older because people foolishly fool themselves into thinking working one or two more years will really make a difference.......and somehow think they are immune from aging. Then 1 or 2 years becomes 3 or 4,; then arthritis, heart conditions (you name it) kick in and "poof" opportunity gone!...
However, there's a nouveau cruising group - the young couple or young family that takes off in their late 20s or 30s with the intent of going back to work, or working remotely. I admire them...wish I had thought of that. I am not sure how their future will track, but they are enjoying life and giving their family the benefit of travel. I have met some great families in this category in the last 2-3 years and really admire their guts and enthusiasm.

Mike OReilly · 31-07-2020, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicHughV

yes, very true, some home built boat projects remain a project. By design ??? I sometimes wonder, some folks just enjoy the whole " boat building" thing, have no interest in sailing, but building. It's a hobby...has no defined end...

My observation as well. It's just like the person who's just has one more system to install, or one more thing to improve, before they can cut the lines. I think some people just like to work on boats.

It reminds me of a song by former cruiser Eileen Quinn:

Building a Boat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zUlSa-Uj8

Chotu · 31-07-2020, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

My observation as well. It's just like the person who's just has one more system to install, or one more thing to improve, before they can cut the lines. I think some people just like to work on boats.

It reminds me of a song by former cruiser Eileen Quinn:

Building a Boat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zUlSa-Uj8

I would like to meet these people. I have a much less expensive hobby for them. Ha ha ha

barnakiel · 31-07-2020, 12:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by killyourguitar

Naw man I'm not trying to die out there on purpose! D: I'm cold just thinking about it! Lol

Yo. You prefer warm water, eh? Just like us!

MICRONESIA

barnakiel

MicHughV · 31-07-2020, 13:52

yes, my dad was a classic at building " forever"....he was an electrical engineer...built his own stereo system...started off in his workshop as a relatively small scale project, but grew to enormous proportions....started building his own amplifiers...speakers....woofers, etc...and more stuff.....there was never an end to it....he'd have guests in his living room and put on an LP...remember those...and then ask if they could tell where the sound was coming from....not satisfied with his concert hall audio....he started to experiment with other stuff....day in....day out....always something...just looking for that " perfect" sound....

then he started in on me...." you'll never finish that" he'd begin......but I did...eventually

Lou-In-NJ · 01-08-2020, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ndavies

I have a couple of observations:

1. Boat sales in general in the SE USA are way up. More people on the water spending vacation money on boats and RVs because its currently a more acceptable way to travel. Downside is I think there may be some firesales once people have to make payments!

2. Seeing more people out at anchor, more sailboats out for multiple days.....now I'm not sure that will necessarily qualify someone as a "cruiser", but more people are out on the water for sure.

3. Average age of the "older group" (OK I am in it) is getting older because people foolishly fool themselves into thinking working one or two more years will really make a difference.......and somehow think they are immune from aging. Then 1 or 2 years becomes 3 or 4,; then arthritis, heart conditions (you name it) kick in and "poof" opportunity gone!...
However, there's a nouveau cruising group - the young couple or young family that takes off in their late 20s or 30s with the intent of going back to work, or working remotely. I admire them...wish I had thought of that. I am not sure how their future will track, but they are enjoying life and giving their family the benefit of travel. I have met some great families in this category in the last 2-3 years and really admire their guts and enthusiasm.

It's funny Ndavies, I have a buddy looking for a used day-sailer @20' or less, and I've been poking around eBay & Craigslist just for fun to see what he is seeing, and I believe there are fewer boats available this year, and I get the sense that their opening ask is higher than just a year ago...if anyone has a better sense about this, or data, please share... As to your question about who is considered a cruiser, it seems to be a consensus here that they're people who spend months, if not years, in their boats, and moving fairly regularly.

I am heartened to hear that younger folks are seeing it as an option. This wasn't around when I was in my 20s and maybe not even in my 30s, although the digital nomad was just becoming an option at that time I'd say, if you worked for the right company, or had good connections, or were sought after for a particular specialty. Anyway, I still have time (according to the actuarial tables..hahaha), and now have a goal to structure my professional life, to allow me to work and service clients remotely as time goes on. So I hope I don't become someone who waits until I collect my first Social Security check to begin to move in that direction!

MicHughV · 01-08-2020, 14:20

I could not tell you why, but I have a friend in the boat brokerage business..new and used.....he tells me business has never been so good...it seems to fly in the face of all the doom and gloom one hears today... not just your average $50K fishing boat, but $500K plus boats....will it last...only time will tell.

Mike OReilly · 01-08-2020, 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I could not tell you why, but I have a friend in the boat brokerage business..new and used.....he tells me business has never been so good...it seems to fly in the face of all the doom and gloom one hears today... not just your average $50K fishing boat, but $500K plus boats....will it last...only time will tell.

I think the reason is Covid Confinement. Now that we're all more limited in where and how we can vacation people are turning to parks, RVs and boats.

Unless this pandemic becomes a permanent normal I expect this will be a short-lived blip. Actually, there will likely be some excellent deals on RVs and boats a year or two out when (if?) things get back to normal.

barnakiel · 01-08-2020, 14:53

The fact that (in some parts of the world) second hand boat market is booming has little to do with what will happen to cruising next. Very very few boats that we buy ever go cruising (I think < 1%), whatever times we think of. Boats mostly live in marinas these days.

By the way, I am pretty shocked somewhere people buy like mad (anything, except gold maybe). All wild animals and businessmen stock up before a long winter. With plenty of uncertainty ahead and horrible economy data (they say worst since the great recession) only a fool jumps head first into yet another cost.

I am 99% sure 99% of these buyers have not read the news yesterday.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...second-quarter

barnakiel

rslifkin · 01-08-2020, 16:18

I have a feeling a lot of the buyers right now are people who had the money and were thinking about a boat. Then when they had nothing else to do, they said screw it, let's buy one.

Chotu · 01-08-2020, 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I have a feeling a lot of the buyers right now are people who had the money and were thinking about a boat. Then when they had nothing else to do, they said screw it, let's buy one.

Are you ever wrong about anything??? Ha ha ha.

Absolutely right.

Most of the people who looked at buying my monohull had cash. It went under offer and is set to close mid August. Cash.

Most of the people were just realizing they only have one life to live, so it was time to get living.