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Old 30-04-2020, 08:39   #1
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what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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?
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Old 30-04-2020, 08:44   #2
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

Sail model boats in a pond or the tub...whatever it takes!
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Old 30-04-2020, 08:48   #3
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Sail model boats in a pond or the tub...whatever it takes!
You can't live on a model boat.
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Old 30-04-2020, 10:37   #4
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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!
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Old 30-04-2020, 10:45   #5
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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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!
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.
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Old 30-04-2020, 11:22   #6
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

IMHO anyone who plans to sell their worldly possessions and cast lines needs to have an exit plan. There are only two inevitable outcomes:

1) You die while living on the boat
2) You need to move back onto land

One major illness can potentially end the dream, or turn it into a nightmare. If I were planning on selling it all and chasing sunsets (which I am), I would invest a chunk to be used for real estate, or I would actually invest in some real estate.

I'd anticipate mobility issues, so that means either ground floor or an elevator with a single floor residence. You can always rent the property until you're ready to come back. A condo or small house with low real estate taxes and a low HOA fee. A house requires you be responsible building and grounds maintenance, which can be costly if you're an absentee landlord. As an absentee landlord, a property management company to handle the day to day would be best.

Otherwise you risk sailing back and selling the boat and walking away with nothing.

BTW- Social Security checks would be present (provided SS remains solvent) regardless of whether you're on land or sea.
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Old 30-04-2020, 11:27   #7
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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.
Started at 6 years old in the office? Wow. Lol

To the topic, you just have to move ashore again once you physically can't be on boats anymore. Everyone does at some point, unless you get a dock for the last part of your life.

Just more changes to roll with, exactly as Hudson Force mentions. If you have food, water and shelter, you'll be ok. Enjoyment can be had from any style of life. Happiness comes from within.
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Old 30-04-2020, 11:32   #8
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

buy a car? Seriously though, we all get different pleasures from sailing. It is becoming similar to golf... a day on the course is a good one. A day on the water is likewise!
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Old 30-04-2020, 11:44   #9
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Originally Posted by Shrew View Post
IMHO anyone who plans to sell their worldly possessions and cast lines needs to have an exit plan. There are only two inevitable outcomes:

1) You die while living on the boat
2) You need to move back onto land

One major illness can potentially end the dream, or turn it into a nightmare. If I were planning on selling it all and chasing sunsets (which I am), I would invest a chunk to be used for real estate, or I would actually invest in some real estate.

I'd anticipate mobility issues, so that means either ground floor or an elevator with a single floor residence. You can always rent the property until you're ready to come back. A condo or small house with low real estate taxes and a low HOA fee. A house requires you be responsible building and grounds maintenance, which can be costly if you're an absentee landlord. As an absentee landlord, a property management company to handle the day to day would be best.

Otherwise you risk sailing back and selling the boat and walking away with nothing.

BTW- Social Security checks would be present (provided SS remains solvent) regardless of whether you're on land or sea.
I like that plan. Buy a condo now and rent it out. It would be comforting knowing there is a lifeboat waiting when the end is near. I have two houses right now but I would not rent them when I am not here since I can't keep tabs on them. All I need to do now is convince my wife to do this
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Old 30-04-2020, 11:47   #10
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Started at 6 years old in the office? Wow. Lol

To the topic, you just have to move ashore again once you physically can't be on boats anymore. Everyone does at some point, unless you get a dock for the last part of your life.

Just more changes to roll with, exactly as Hudson Force mentions. If you have food, water and shelter, you'll be ok. Enjoyment can be had from any style of life. Happiness comes from within.
Nah, I started working when i was about 13 years old on a ranch. Never stopped. I think buying a condo before I leave and renting it out is the best option then I have something to come back to and not worry about buying it later at a higher price.
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Old 30-04-2020, 11:52   #11
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

For many, sailing (as in cruising) gets old pretty fast (made 5 years) unless you just like the slow lifestyle and doing boat and boat systems maintenance (and over doing it)

If you race and are highly competitve, your interest in sailing may last longer.

Point is there's lots to do when you aren't sailing.

Workouts, long runs and long bike (as in cyling) rides. Raise dogs. Fix up an old house or an old car, plan a garden .....

Then there's day sailing and weekend cruising.

Learn Linux and start playing around with a Raspberry Pi Computer at home and/or on the boat. Or build your own PC with a Linux OS.

Or build a powerful PC and become a Gamer.

When sailing or when on a boat a lot you are limited in what you can do especially if you are sailing well offshore.
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Old 30-04-2020, 12:15   #12
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

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Originally Posted by thomm225 View Post
For many, sailing (as in cruising) gets old pretty fast (made 5 years) unless you just like the slow lifestyle and doing boat and boat systems maintenance (and over doing it)

If you race and are highly competitve, your interest in sailing may last longer.

Point is there's lots to do when you aren't sailing.

Workouts, long runs and long bike (as in cyling) rides. Raise dogs. Fix up an old house or an old car, plan a garden .....

Then there's day sailing and weekend cruising.

Learn Linux and start playing around with a Raspberry Pi Computer at home and/or on the boat. Or build your own PC with a Linux OS.

Or build a powerful PC and become a Gamer.

When sailing or when on a boat a lot you are limited in what you can do especially if you are sailing well offshore.
I've been moving at rocket speed too long. I'm looking forward to doing NOTHING!! At least a year of doing absolutely nothing. I'd be happy to just staring out into the abyss for a while.
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Old 30-04-2020, 12:28   #13
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

My finca in the mountains in a small town outside Medellin Colombia - ride the moto - take care of the animals teach English at local school and drink aguardiente with the family and amigos.
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Old 30-04-2020, 13:10   #14
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

Stare fixedly up at the inside of your coffin lid...

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Old 30-04-2020, 13:16   #15
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Re: what do you do when you can't sail anymore?

It seems you are glossing over a major barrier: your wife does not want to sail full time until one or both of you cannot. My partner and I quit corporate race at 50, and he was reluctant to take off on a boat, so we compromised and decided to sail for 5-6 months and stay in our house for the northern summers, taking the late fall October, November December to travel before heading back to the boat. Works really well. Neither of us would ever want to be full-time cruisers, although there are many people who love it!. And we have a house that we can fall back on if for some reason we cannot or do not want to sail. I would carefully consider whether you really want to be a full time cruiser, and carefully and thoroughly discuss this with your wife. And also, if you are a corporate go-getter type you will last about two weeks with nothing to do! You will need to channel that energy into something else or you will go crazy...even if its manic engine maintenance, stainless polishing, learning new skills, writing a blog, splicing or organizing charitable activities.
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