Plan? No Plan? A plan written on beach sand?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by weavis

I like it too... creeps up on a person... lovely..

Sounds good … but not cheap though .

Although I’m a frugal cruiser, I find there are some things not worth skimping over: good ground tackle, and tasty beer top the list.

Actually, if all I had to drink was boring mass-market beer, I’d quite drinking (beer). To me, beers like Coors or Blue or Red Stripe or Heineken are like drinking bubbly water — almost no taste, especially when they are always served so frigidly cold. At that point I might as well save some money and drink soda water.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Sounds good … but not cheap though .

Although I’m a frugal cruiser, I find there are some things not worth skimping over: good ground tackle, and tasty beer top the list.

Actually, if all I had to drink was boring mass-market beer, I’d quite drinking (beer). To me, beers like Coors or Blue or Red Stripe or Heineken are like drinking bubbly water — almost no taste, especially when they are always served so frigidly cold. At that point I might as well save some money and drink soda water.

Is still 'inexpensive' Mike... Guinness is $5 or more..

[cyan]

Good thread, Mike.
Finally, we get to the important stuff: beer!
We have very vague plans beyond critical systems.
Good beer is considered critical.

Funniest post was the “good enough” article someone posted way back. Some guy writes 10 paragraphs telling us why good enough is not enough, while including typos such as using “radicle” instead of “radical”.
Maybe relying only on a spellchecker is good enough?

Thanks for the laugh.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by boatman61

You really like to dig that word 'Cheap' into everything don't you..
As to Cheap Beer in the Med.. like everything else its 'Location, Location, Location..'

I’m presently in a location where .43 cents buys an excellent beer, and will be heading over to Croatia in a day or so where this monster costs only 2.75 euros. Yes, sometimes exploring one’s world beyond the financial boundaries set in one’s mind..... has its rewards.

BTW: Where are you these days Phil? If you end up somewhere near Southern Croatia or Western Greece, please stop by for a visit.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I’m presently in a location where .43 cents buys an excellent beer, and will be heading over to Croatia in a day or so where this monster costs only 2.75 euros. Yes, sometimes exploring one’s world beyond the financial boundaries set in one’s mind..... has its rewards.

BTW: Where are you these days Phil? If you end up somewhere near Southern Croatia or Western Greece, please stop by for a visit.

May just take you up on that if a job takes me that way Keno..
Whats with the beard

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by boatman61

May just take you up on that if a job takes me that way Keno..
Whats with the beard

The fellow with the beard is my friend Eugenio enjoying a cold one.

[GordMay]

According to RateBeer, Ozujsko Pivo appears to be rated rather mediocre.
Ozujsko Pivo, a blond beer, is Croatia’s leading brand, dating from 1893. The selection of hops and barley gives Ozujsko (5.2% ABV) a refreshing taste and fine bitter aroma. It should be served at 3°C with compact foam. Note: Dropped from 11.5° and 5.2% to 11° and 5.0% in late 2009/early 2010.
➥ https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/ozujsko-pivo/9374/
➥ https://www.ratebeer.com/ratingsqa.asp

Of course, I’ve never heard of any of RateBeer’s top 50, so ...
➥ https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/top-50/

On the other hand, their bottom 50 are pretty familiar
➥ https://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/TheWorstBeers.asp

[theDangerz]

We never even get far enough to write the plan in beach sand...
In fact - for the last 7 year since quitting our jobs we've pretty much vowed to NOT make plans.

Instead we wake up each day and decide (might just be the secret to happiness).
Do we wish we were somewhere else, we go. Do we wish we were doing something else, we do it.

Our entire boat planning/buying process lasted three whole days from first conversation to deposit/purchase. Im guessing when were done cruising that conversation will take about the same, even if selling the boat might take a bit longer.

Any smaller decision, like which island to go to and when to leave... takes seconds at best (and often changes along the way to get there) =)

[SV Fraser J]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

People often come to cruising with a plan to sail around the world, or to visit all the “must-see” sights of an area. Some have plans and schedules and goals and objectives. Many make detailed financial plans and budgets. They plan for retirement, for healthcare, for the end of cruising.

Obviously we all make plans. I’m not suggesting it’s wrong or anything. Clearly some level of planning is always necessary. It’s just that I don’t tend to plan a lot. Or rather, the plans I make tend to be written in sand.

Just curious how others approach this.

Ours is a detailed financial plan that started with becoming debt free.
With a sustainable budget to give cruising a go for no set period, a realistic upgrade and maintenance budget and all the time in the world.
No set plans for cruising besides our local bay and broadwater and some hopes and dreams of visiting certain places along the east coast of Aus.
We're in the process of purchasing a cheap boat, which will be named after Nina's dad Jim. that's the plan.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by theDangerz

We never even get far enough to write the plan in beach sand...
In fact - for the last 7 year since quitting our jobs we've pretty much vowed to NOT make plans.

Instead we wake up each day and decide (might just be the secret to happiness).
Do we wish we were somewhere else, we go. Do we wish we were doing something else, we do it.

Our entire boat planning/buying process lasted three whole days from first conversation to deposit/purchase. Im guessing when were done cruising that conversation will take about the same, even if selling the boat might take a bit longer.

Any smaller decision, like which island to go to and when to leave... takes seconds at best (and often changes along the way to get there) =)

I guess we’re (me and she) somewhere in the middle. We do have plans; mostly short or mid-term plans, and I have a grand vision of where I think I’d like to be in 10-15 years. But mostly we just make it up as we go.

For example, we’re cruising Newfoundland these years. For how long? Who knows… Until we go somewhere else. Where after this? Who knows… south to the Bahamas probably, maybe east to Europe, possibly north to the NW Passage. And maybe we’ll move on to something else. Who knows…

However, I do have a plan to install a new fridge (short term), and to sail around to the NE side of The Rock before winter descends here. But if it doesn’t happen this year, then maybe next. Last year I had plans to explore a wide area of the west coast, but instead we found a beautiful remote anchorage and stayed put for two months.

So who knows… .

Originally Posted by SV Fraser J

Ours is a detailed financial plan that started with becoming debt free. With a sustainable budget to give cruising a go for no set period, a realistic upgrade and maintenance budget and all the time in the world.

Sounds like our approach. Becoming debt free is the first wise financial decision I’ve ever made. The second was to work on the expense side of the ledger. Instead of chasing higher revenue/returns, I (we) fashioned our lives so that we don’t need a lot of income. This allows my spouse and I to live quite comfortably on a very modest income.

Most people seem to focus on getting more (more money, more boat, more equipment, more …). I prefer to work on the other side of the balance sheet. Works for us (so far).

[belizesailor]

Before I fired myself, I led large IT projects, my world was intensely schedule driven. One of the things I enjoyed most about cruising was not having a scheduled.

I havent had a detailed plan for 15 years now. Usually there is a general plan with the understanding that it is highly maleable and there are of course life events that come up occasaionally which require more detailed planning and focus.

These days if I start feeling rushed or beset by too many plan details...I stop, sit down, have a beer and contemplate how we can do whatever it is differently.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

I don't know if he still feels this way, but Jim once said he hoped he'd die jumping out of a whore house window at the age of 106.....

Or a variation...shot by a jealous husband while making love to his beautiful young wife. [emoji6]

[Fishbone 1]

I would just like to point out to all of the OCD Planners out there, That if you re truly OCD you would be CDO. It has to be in Alphabetical Order!!

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Fishbone 1

I would just like to point out to all of the OCD Planners out there, That if you re truly OCD you would be CDO. It has to be in Alphabetical Order!!

That explains it..
All us OCD'rs are dyslexic![emoji2]

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

That explains it..
All us OCD'rs are dyslexic![emoji2]

Sounds more like someone on the autistic spectrum to me .