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model 10 · 15-07-2017, 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

The one to whom you are responding probably wonders if it were a failure of intelligence, self-delusion, or of planning.
Ann

Yikes! are you a shrink?

Zven · 15-07-2017, 20:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I I believed I was being taxed unfairly as in I was paying more than I should have.
I believe the system if it is to be prejudiced, should reward people for living frugally and being debt free, but it is just the opposite.
So we sold it all, Retired early and have set out cruising....

Upon closer inspection, I think you will find that the tax system in your country, or any country, is neither fair nor smart in any way. It's a result of voters saying "me, me, me, give to me" .... politicians saying "me, me, me, give power to me" and a few third parties also chiming in with a bit of "me, me, me".
Money is then taken from wherever it can be extracted. Anyone working hard or having savings will be first in line.
Good on you for getting out of there. I know I did.

**JPA Cate** · 15-07-2017, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guy

Yikes! are you a shrink?

No, just a cruising woman with a lot of miles and many chats with men and women like me.

valhalla360 · 15-07-2017, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Are you running from something or running to something. If it's the former I hope you don't bring it with you. If it's the latter I hope you find it. For me cruising works because I love boats, I love boating, I love the water & I love being on the water.

The people who are just disgruntled tend to simply be disgruntled in a new location or about some new perceived injustice.

If you think bureaucracy in the USA is bad try it in a 3rd world country (people are usually great in 3rd world countries but if you expect efficient and fair, good luck).

As far as the original premise, I don't think there are really that many who get surprised by it. The couple that has never been on a boat and suddenly decide to purchase and sale off into the sunset is a strange outlyer in the data set (they just seem more common because they are so strange). A lot of the people who quit after a year or two simply did what they set out to do and are ready to move on to the next chapter.

What we do see a lot of is people who comment that they wish they could do what we do...reality, they've thought nothing beyond drinks on the stern at sunset....but 99.99% are just mouthing random platitudes and have no intention of following thru.

rossad · 16-07-2017, 00:25

Elbert Einstein said the measure of intelligence of a man is how he is able to change to a new living situation or thinking situation or doing situation. That is my take on it.
If you go cruising for a short while that is just that. You are trying to change to another situation and that is very intelligent. It doesn't mean you made the wrong or right choice it means you are trying to change and that is what counts.
Changing is what happens to everyone through out our lives. We need to adapt and think how to improve our situations. Influences are always around us. On a yacht there is more than enough. But if we are well prepared we can accomplish some goals that allow us to fulfill our lives.
If you want to go cruising then you should go cruising. Cause we will never know if we don't and that is a disappointing.

Taichungman · 16-07-2017, 01:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by softdown

Only to throw in the towel in less than a year. What were they thinking?

Moving from 2000 sq feet to 200 sq feet? Could have challenges.

Moving from land to a moving sea? Could have challenges.

Moving from a very developed nation to depending on the services of less developed nations using a different language? Could have challenges.

Moving from great utility, internet, smartphone, and television services to who knows? Could have challenges.

Moving from calling an expert to having to do most maintenance ourselves? Could have challenges.

Moving from a couple storms/year to pretty common weather threats? Could have challenges.

I remain undeterred. Not because I expect lollipops and unicorns. I seek adventure, freedom, and exploration. Escaping social/economic unrest and grotesquely unfair property taxes also squarely enter the picture.

Social/economic unrest? It will be too late when, and if, it arrives. Some see it coming. Most just want the remote with some chips and beer.

__________________________________________________ ___

I commend you for being undeterred in seeking your escape from the things you don't like and to the things you do want. I am the same and do the same. When someone passes gas, I move away.

Since there was only one question, "What were they thinking," I will comment on that since to me, it sounds like you are trying to belittle those people; I could be wrong. I was wrong once when I thought I was wrong but found out later I wasn't.

Humans are inquisitive, adventurous, daring and sometimes reckless and foolhardy. (There are many more synonyms, thank you Thesaurus) So, we experiment with new ideas all the time. Some of the new endeavors work out and some don't; that doesn't mean they are a failure or throw in the towel or were stupid in the first place. They might have just tried it for a while and decided it wasn't for them. I also commend them for trying; either way they made progress.

I like this and I quote from Helen Keller,
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

Pelagic · 16-07-2017, 03:25

I think the "satisfaction factor" of any lifestyle is about coming to understand and accept what you:

Can Control AND Cannot Control

Most sedatory landbased lifestyles have a subtle way of compromising your expectations.

Whereas, a cruiser is faced with a far simpler decision process:

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Perhaps that is akin to grabbing the Unicorn by the horn![emoji123]

dwedeking2 · 16-07-2017, 04:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by valhalla360

The people who are just disgruntled tend to simply be disgruntled in a new location or about some new perceived injustice.

I call these professional victims and have seen it many times in my travels

Quote:

If you think bureaucracy in the USA is bad try it in a 3rd world country (people are usually great in 3rd world countries but if you expect efficient and fair, good luck).

I don't think 1st world bureaucracy is any worse or better than 3rd world. I just think the 1st world has a better marketing department

Quote:

What we do see a lot of is people who comment that they wish they could do what we do...reality, they've thought nothing beyond drinks on the stern at sunset....but 99.99% are just mouthing random platitudes and have no intention of following thru.

I see this a lot. "I've always wanted to do that" is the last positive comment then there are a million items stated on why they can't which mask the real reasons. Fear of the unkown, inability to leave the herd, afraid of losing creature comforts, etc.

I'm inline with A64pilot's ideas on taxation. Owning assets with fixed locations put you at risk of losing all the value of those assets as you have little control at how much the system can take from you (and it's my belief that as the system tackles pension and debt issues, property owners are an easy mark with little say in how it's handled). The flexibility to move on gives you the ability to minimize interaction with a system you don't agree with.

Zven · 16-07-2017, 07:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

I don't think 1st world bureaucracy is any worse or better than 3rd world.....

I see you have never tried starting a company in India .. or registering a car in the Philippines :-)

Liam Wald · 16-07-2017, 08:01

It has been my experience over the last 40 years that the people who are most likely to be unhappy with living aboard a boat are those who move aboard and continue to live a conventional lifestyle (working a 9-5 job etc etc).
It seems to me that people who have sailing experience to begin with and move aboard to actually go cruising are generally pretty happy with the outcome.

softdown · 16-07-2017, 10:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

I call these professional victims and have seen it many times in my travels

I don't think 1st world bureaucracy is any worse or better than 3rd world. I just think the 1st world has a better marketing department

I see this a lot. "I've always wanted to do that" is the last positive comment then there are a million items stated on why they can't which mask the real reasons. Fear of the unkown, inability to leave the herd, afraid of losing creature comforts, etc.

I'm inline with A64pilot's ideas on taxation. Owning assets with fixed locations put you at risk of losing all the value of those assets as you have little control at how much the system can take from you (and it's my belief that as the system tackles pension and debt issues, property owners are an easy mark with little say in how it's handled). The flexibility to move on gives you the ability to minimize interaction with a system you don't agree with.

Some great and interesting insights and perspectives here and from others. Along with the requisite jabs from Big Brothers extremely overstaffed PR department.

Sailing is, I think, more than perhaps anything else....a grand adventure. It may be a challenge to find more uncertainty than that found in an ~ 40' boat bobbing around on endless oceans while contained by an ~ 50 pound hook in the sand. A+ for freedom, F- for security.

Cruising may someday be a more "comfortable" endeavor for many. Perhaps we will realize significant breakthroughs in:
Sail durability
Watermaker dependability
Solar battery reliability and longevity
Durable bottom coatings that are affordable
Global internet services
Weather warnings
Reduction of piracy threat
Filling scuba tanks or flexibility of optional technologies
A/C
Refrigeration
Solar
Motion sickness
Boat security
Durable sailing equipment
Etc....I am sure that I missed many current and common challenges