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Old 08-05-2020, 21:06   #121
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

Not sure that starting sailing with an end date, or negative outlook many years from now. Get out there and have a grand time. Sailing and all that it brings, is very special.

Also, you might want to have other activities that you enjoy.

We all know that nothing lasts for ever, but maybe just enjoy sailing . There are lots of ways to do that. I actually made one of my careers sailing as a USCG merchant marine capt. Instructing, charters, deliveries, and leading flotillas the the south pacific, and caribbean and catalina .

But, when that ended, we continued sailing locally, and also once a year, bare boating world wide Australia, Tahiti, Tonga, Bahamas, French West Indies, Windwards and Grenadines, Ireland ( motor vessel ) and watch captains in the Greek Islands.

Last year was BVI sailing vacation # 17, Not sure about another, but never say never.
I will be 80 yrs old on the 23 rd of this month. I dont look , feel, talk, or act like it.
This year we just returned a few months ago , from a 2 week Eco Vaction, in the jungles of Costa Rica.

We stay fit, positive, and very much enjoy traveling, and especially enjoy natures treasures and meeting new people. Friendship is precious cargo. Not much for sitting around where ever we travel.

Here, in Dana Point, we do a lot of hiking, exercise, happy hours, date nights, bbqing,
and doing stay cations here , out to the desert, and up to the mountains.

We no longer own a boat, or belong to a sailing club, as we prefer the international sailing over day sailing at this time in our lives. And perhaps those adventures in paradise may be over.

A parallel career to sailing, was flying. That started in 1967, Flight instructor, charter pilot, corporate pilot and Air Combat Instructor flying 5 and 6 G dog fights. I loved it.
But, 1n 2005, I had to walk away from the flying due to eyes , ears, and loss of G tollerance, I could no longer pass my 2nd class FAA flight physical. Just part of life. So, at 65, we were able to charge ahead having a grand ol time and new adventures..

We moved to Kauai for 10 years , and got involved in the island, met new friends, joined the kauai athletic club, and worked there part time for a few years. We still sailed on our international bare boat trips , SCUBA dived, and hiked, snorkeled, kayaked, and volunteered for beach and river clean ups as well as
Sierra Club Hike leaders. We love kauai,and the kauai people

How a person lives life is pretty much up to the individual, what they liked to do. What interests that they have, and when something like sailing is no longer viable, for what ever reason, there are plenty of activities, and adventures and just plain fun and rewarding things to do. But, you have to find what feels good to you.

Today, we worked out at home, and then hiked 4.6 miles of some up and downs surrounded by beautiful views, then came home, had a Jamesons , and Erica fixed a great dinner.

Do we miss the sailing and the flying, and some of the other things that we no longer do. Sure, but we do not dwell on that. We are going to have good times with the things that we can do, and not worry about the things that we cannot do.

Next big adventure, once the corona mess is over with, we are busting loose and going on several 3 week road trips touring the west and south west, and experiencing the beauty of my own nation that I have not seen before. We figure probably three of those, and then one long road trip up our west coast.

Life is an Adventure....and all of us have the choice to get out there and live it in what ever way that feels good to us.

By the by....Erica is a retired supervising M.D. with the. L.A. County Health Dept,
an FAA private pilot and aerobatic pilot, qualified sailor for vessels up to 45 ft, sky diver, SCUBA Certified up thru rescue diver, etc., etc.

Point being, there are several things that we do not do any more, but we can go to plan B, or C, or D to continue having a great life.

Just our experiences to answer your question.
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Old 08-05-2020, 21:21   #122
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Originally Posted by Hudson Force View Post
I still could sail, however; my my wife lost the physical capability to be safe on deck and to move easily through the companionway or on and off the boat. Next month we will have been married fifty years and forty-five of those years we were liveaboard cruisers on our sailboats.

Sure, I miss our life aboard and sailing, but the personal motivation that causes one to take on projects and adventures is not so specific that it would stifle someone's activity if they were no longer on the water.

I bicycle often and roller skate almost every day. I'm playing clarinet in a 55 piece concert band and working daily to improve my skills. We're taking a break from travel during this pandemic, but we've were spending a few months of each year at world wide travel.

We bought our first furniture after selling our last boat and moving into a small apartment. We never lived in a home ashore as adults, so this is an adventure too. Our 1,300 square feet of living space is HUGE! My wife is also enjoying new adventures with her Alinker walking device.

I know there are people on Earth that suffer trying to maintain food, shelter and basic needs, but missing sailing should not limit a person's joy. I think that beyond gaining the basic needs for life, the achievement remaining is a matter of choice. We are constantly in pursuit of joy!
This is wonderful, and exactly how I'd hope our adventure continues when I can't be on the water anymore. Cheers Hudson Force!!
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Old 08-05-2020, 22:20   #123
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Originally Posted by Mikentosh View Post
Thanks for your reply. You sound like an older gentlemen? You have certainly lived an envious life.

I've been working my tail off in the corporate world for nearly 45 years and now 51 years old. I am done! But my wife is much younger and just starting her career and doesn't want to go with me.

My biggest hesitation is getting older and not being able to sail anymore. I just assume I would do similar you and find a small place to live out the rest of my life. I have this idea of sailing to Vietnam and ending our journey there.
I am 70 and fully intend sailing for at least another 10 years.
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Old 08-05-2020, 22:53   #124
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

i am reminded of an old mate that i had the privileged to know & sail with / against...no longer with us : john walker.

john did his first sydney - hobart at age 60...then 25 in a row on his 3/4 tonner "Impecable". did his last hobart race at age 86, and was still actively racing not long before he passed away a few months short of 92. a genuine gentleman...

DON'T LET ANYBODY EVER TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE TOO OLD TO SAIL

cheers,
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Old 09-05-2020, 06:17   #125
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

When you can't sail anymore, you can always join the old farts club at the retirement home and play domino's on Sunday.
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Old 09-05-2020, 06:20   #126
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

I guess I will plan my exit strategy just like I planned my whole life! When I feel the need for a change, I will start looking into options. I have made the mistake before of "looking to far into the future", not again, for me anyways. It always muddies the water!!
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Old 09-05-2020, 07:50   #127
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Originally Posted by MicHughV View Post
When you can't sail anymore, you can always join the old farts club at the retirement home and play domino's on Sunday.
I went to join the local senior citizens club a few years ago now,
I asked them what they did for entertainment and so on,
Also considering I would have been one of the oldest persons there at the time,

Well, We play lawn bowls, Inside of course, We play cards, we go to the movies,
And if the weathers nice, we some times walk around the Oval outside,

Nah, Sorry, Im a bit more active than that, This wouldnt suit me at all,
Hahahahaha

Im Old, Im not Dead,
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Old 09-05-2020, 10:53   #128
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

Great question, and very timely! After having sailed 50 years on most of the 7 seas with 80,000 nm in my diary, I wonder if an RV would be a good alternative?? Close to 80 years old (both of us) we are still in good health, although things are "falling off" and a few spare parts had to be implanted recently.We have sold our last sailboat seven years ago, and have sine owned a Dutch built displacement motor boat cruising with 7 knots about 6 months every year on inland rivers/canals and coastal areas here in Europe. It has been very relaxing and great fun! Perhaps it is time now to travel a bit faster, cover longer distances (by RV) and see more of the world before our last farewell?. Any suggestions on RV pros and cons (in Europe) would be appreciated. Our boat "SURPRISE" is now for sale:https://www.devalk.nl/en/yachtbroker...SSIC-LINE.html
Cheers,
Rolf
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Old 09-05-2020, 19:53   #129
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

What to do??? What to do?? It is all uncharted waters as we get older. As a health care worker since 1984 I have seen what happens to people as they age. A lot of how we are able to enjoy our 'golden years' has to do with how we have looked after ourselves over the years…. Even that is not always a guarantee…
The other point is that living on the water once one becomes older, more set in their ways, accustomed/habituated to life on land is not always easy. The reality is that stuff on boats always needs tending to… everything. Unless one has a huge pile of money stashed away and remain tied to the dock, you need to become an ‘expert’ at keeping stuff going. Money can buy stuff but it does one no good when gear stops working in the middle of the ocean. IMHO unless one is prepared for the ‘work’ that goes with the lifestyle, you will sooner or later tire of it. For guys who want to share the dream with their partners/wives, the experience onboard needs to be ‘comfortable’… otherwise it will/can seem like camping out and the partner (who went along with the whole thing because you wanted to do it) will leave… seen it happen a thousand times…..
I have a whole story (like everyone does) about why I sold up and left cruising/sailing in 1989-90. For me, I was young enough then to adapt to the lifestyle and it’s demands. I was motivated to learn how to keep stuff going because I really had no other choice out in the middle of no where. If it is a matter of simply ‘getting it out of your system’ then sure, one can buy a boat, have some adventures, and go back to the security of their land dwelling (what ever that may be).
But what about those of us who have truly ‘burned that bridge’ by not having ever saved for the ‘rainy day’, ‘invested’ in a future that may never come, purchased a ‘Condo’…. I mean really? What guarantee do any of us really have that we will continue on as if time only applies to others? Having money in the bank, real-estate, annuities…ect… it doesn’t do one any good if you are not around to use it…. All of this 'security' stuff comes at a cost…. Time….. it takes time to labour to the point where one can accrue ‘possessions’ and money.... 'security' ... Unfortunately no one of can buy this back.
So…sorry for the sermon…
I left America almost 31 years ago. I thought that after 5 years cruising I would return and ‘start over’…. At 5 years into the life, I was living on the island of Raiatea in French Polynesia. I met my wife there… The last thing I wanted to do was go back.
I have read in this Poste/Thread the viewpoint that once a few years go by, the whole thing gets ‘boring’… I have heard this before from others as well…
For my part I have never been bored… never… there is simply no time to be bored when there is so much life to be experienced! The sceneries, the diving, the people, the laughter, the food, the parties, the helping of others, the books… I could go on and on….
As Henry David Thoreau wrote a long time ago “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation” …. some people convince themselves they are happier (?) chasing the dream rather than living it.
So… sorry again…
My plan as I/we continue aging onboard is simple: stay healthy….. With this all things can be achieved. I/we have been upgrading stuff onboard with this in mind.
Health wise, ‘we are all just a doctor’s visit away from a death sentence’… so why waste anytime? This lifestyle is one that keeps a person very healthy. It is active both physically & mentally ….It is not guarantee of longevity or health, but it is preferable to living in a ‘condo’ somewhere, watching TV and waiting for that ‘doctor’s visit’. ….
To those who have written about the fear/ ‘nightmare’ of losing one’s health while onboard all I can write is this: we are all of us going to have face our demise one day, someplace…. It is a matter of time…. I'm sorry but it is true... How do you wish to spend it (your life) in the meantime? If your not already doing this, why not?
So… sorry once more….
I was working a few years back as locum provider here in New Zealand at a medical centre. One still must carry on with some type of employment… Groceries, parts, fuel …etc….Many of the clients we looked after were retired people. We heard a lot of stories: many of these people have no one except their grown children waiting to inherit … this is a very common story…. Some of them would ask us when we were going to ‘settle down’ and but a house! It would make me laugh: I would reply that "‘I’m already living the dream’… why on earth would I want to live in a house??" The more elderly of these clients who could no longer really look after themselves unassisted would look at us wistfully and murmur support….. Some would say they wished they had done what we were doing when they were younger and could have…..
That’s it….
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Old 09-05-2020, 21:18   #130
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Thumbs up Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

My Dad sailed around Vancouver Island 14 times, the last trip at age 89 with my sister Jane as crew. He got home, she painted up her trip photos of light houses and shore high lights, put on an art show for friends. Then he called my son Lawrence to bring down a dollar, and he gave Lawrence the boat. Dad continued to putter around the house, attend sailing club does, and ham radio meetings until he died at 99.
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Old 09-05-2020, 21:46   #131
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Then he called my son Lawrence to bring down a dollar, and he gave Lawrence the boat. Dad continued to putter around the house, attend sailing club does, and ham radio meetings until he died at 99.
Well done, your Dad! My hero...

Jim
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Old 10-05-2020, 09:12   #132
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

This has to be one of the best reply's to a question that I have read on these forums. Sailing and living aboard for that many years, you have to have some great stories.
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Old 12-05-2020, 09:44   #133
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Originally Posted by Mikentosh View Post
I can't help but wonder what the exit strategy is for many full time sailers.

Do you plan to sail until you can't?

Once you can't sail anymore what will you do? Social Security checks?

All you need is money!

This is what I'm thinking about before I start my full time sailing life at age 55, where will I go once I can't do this anymore?
Some friends ran into this situation due to a health issue. They replaced full time boating with full time RV-ing. Seems like a rational plan.
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Old 12-05-2020, 13:01   #134
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

We never had plans to sail off forever. Quit work at 38 and cruised for 3 years. Had to back to work because I was out of money. I suppose it I could be a good engine mechanic, cut a straight line with a saw, or some other handy thing. I could have gone on. I'm able to maintain my own boat ,but would not touch any others. Before we left we did 8 years of local sailing off the coast of southern California, channel islands down to northern Mexico. almost every weekend, holidays, and 4 weeks of vacation.

Once we returned lived on the boat and went back to work. I was finally forced to sell her because I got a real bad case of vertigo and couldn't keep my balance anymore.
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Old 13-05-2020, 07:05   #135
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Originally Posted by Cloroxbottle View Post
Some friends ran into this situation due to a health issue. They replaced full time boating with full time RV-ing. Seems like a rational plan.
Hence the old saw: "Sailboat, Motorboat, Motor Home, Rest Home".

Still at phase 2 on that list!
~Alan
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