When the Dream Ends

[Jamme]

What do you think is the most frequent cause when cruisers abandon their cruisers’ lifestyle. Health? Age? Money? The dream just fading away? A combination?

Curious to know your thoughts.

Thanks and fair winds.

[Stu Jackson]

Why does it matter?

[Grandwagoneer0]

Death

[grantmc]

The need to look after family back home for some.
Covid certainly killed the dream for many.

[OldManMirage]

In an effort to give an actual reply to the question (sheesh people !)...

...I'm going to say age is probably number one for those who are fully committed. But since everyone's story is different you're going to have a multitude of reasons. For some it may be they had a goal of some sort, say the Caribbean or Circumnavigation, and they did it and are ready to move on. And then there's going to be family issues such as kids or parents or whatever. And health will be in there too, not just age related but other things happen too.

Money could be in there too if your original boat just becomes too worn out and you don't really have the funds to refurb or trade up.

I can see lots of different scenarios playing out.

[ilenart]

health

[mvweebles]

Not sure the order, but:

1. Arrival of grandchildren.
2. To care for aging parents.
3. Harder and more expensive than planned

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Jamme

What do you think is the most frequent cause when cruisers abandon their cruisers’ lifestyle. Health? Age? Money? The dream just fading away? A combination?

Curious to know your thoughts.

Thanks and fair winds.

I have been thinking about this the last 2 years with the covid thing and some family stuff that that has caused plan issues. So currently for me "dream fading away" is on my mind. But at same time I think that category drives "cruisers" into "live aboards" a lot.

[carlosproa]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I have been thinking about this the last 2 years with the covid thing and some family stuff that that has caused plan issues. So currently for me "dream fading away" is on my mind. But at same time I think that category drives "cruisers" into "live aboards" a lot.

Here is nothing wrong with resizing dreams. Instead of thinking all or nothing, why not think of a moving scale where the end of the scale is for example actually living/cruising, on the other is do nothing. Add 10 progressive milestone that could get you there or at least makes you taste the goal.

Personally, I know that after my wife developed vertigo, I had to face the facts, sold my CAL39, downsized to an EDELCAT33 that help with the motion, and changed plans for local cruising where she can meet me by driving (FL keys) or a quick fly from Miami if going over Bahamas.
The point is that I had the choice to feel bad since a world circumnavigation was dead, or be happy to modify my goals and have her participate in it.

[SV Siren]

Statistically speaking, hard to say, I don't think this is a metric being tracked. I will venture an uninformed guess; it is for many of the reasons listed here. Everyone is different, and I am sure that the number of different reason(s) they quit are large in number.

[SVTatia]

Disapointment. Boat maintenance, too much work, fear of encountering another heavy weather, not the sail into the sunset and fun lifestyle that some were expecting.

[CaptTom]

In my search for a used trawler, I came across a lot of "broken dreams."

I'd say health was probably #1, if you include normal aging in that category.

There's another one which may beat it by sheer volume of sold or unused boats: What I call the "Jed Clampett" effect. In the opening song for The Beverly Hillbillies, Jed came into some money and the townsfolk "all said" he should move to Beverly Hills, because that's what rich people are supposed to do.

I think it's the same with buying a boat. It's something some people feel they're supposed to do. Then they find out it's not like in the movies. They still like to say they own a boat, but they don't really understand how to use a boat. They're like Jed in Beverly Hills.

The smart ones sell after a year or two. This is where we get the saying about the "two happiest days." Others cling to the dream, often neglecting maintenance after a while.

[Idaho]

I had big sailboats 25 or 30 years ago. Since then have carried the dream to cross the Pacific again.

Last September I was diagnosed with cancer, had major surgery, was told I had been 3 or 4 days away from dying. I'm 64yo.

After chemo and feeling good again, I bought a Morgan Out Island 416 in San Carlos, Mexico.

Almost dying really focuses the mind.

Why die with money? Go sailing again instead.

[goboatingnow]

Around me health is the number one decider. The next is marital discord and or the spouse having d ouch of “ boats “

[JPA Cate]

Some people, the dream doesn't fade and leave an empty space: they have a new dream they want to tackle, and leave cruising by sailboat with some reluctance, as well as pleasurable anticipation.

Ann