Why Do Cruising Couples Quit

[sailorboy1]

Not being a "cruiser" yet I can tell what the worries are that could cause us to stop once we start:

wife's - crossing a big ocean, money
my - boredom, money

If you think about it, having more money could address all of them.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Real world.....paperwork on a rainy day here in Morro Bay.
Doesn't get any more real.

I've never liked the term "real world" because your world is what you make of it...real...fake...etc.

[SV THIRD DAY]

The money issue...well isn't from what we have seen.
It's more the relationship issues. Not everyone likes each other enough to live on a boat with the other person and people find that out fast! Which is why the first stop destination always have good deals on boats.

[Cadence]

My Mother and Father lived onboard for 17 years, until upkeep became to much for the age. So it does work for so people.

[Hudson Force]

During our first thirty years of living aboard we worked 190 days each year and had plenty of cruising time, but still many daytimes apart for our jobs.

I was concerned about the retirement and more fulltime cruising with all of our time together. It was sooo.... easy!

I can't say if it was a matter of luck or skill, but we can be on the same boat for weeks with time together and individual space. We take on different roles for maintaining and operating our boat, we read different types of books, we have some different goals when we come to a port, but it all meshes well or at least it's happened well for our recent thirteen retired years.

[KNoel]

I think that people's priorities change. Whether it's family, safety (or perceived safety) social life, entertainment, whatever. Some people just cruise awhile, then move on to the next phase of life. Not a thing wrong with that!

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I bet the real reason people stop cruising, especially within the first year, is that they get bored. A lot why a lot of retired people get part time jobs.

a couple thoughts on this.

First when we were on land i did get bored a bit with little. But once we got on the boat and headed out that stopped in a hurry. We think that if you get bored on the boat you have parked it and are using it as a condo on the water.

Second we have had to sit through hurricane seasons, winter seasons and waiting on boat parts shipments season. We stay busy with boat work, sightseeing, meeting other cruisers, taking language lessons, and generally enjoying life. Once you get into it a bit it is a full time job that will keep you going.

OH, by the way i am really bored right now. After rupturing a shoulder tendon and having surgery and 2 screws inserted i can do very little and fortunately the admiral was smart enough to hide all sharp objects so she would not take one and use it on me as i can be a pain in the tail now verses when we lived on terra firma and had similar surgery on the other shoulder. And i still got a month or more of pt before she digs the sharp objects out again and i get over my boredom.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Emmalina

What a silly thread you may as well ask Why do couples divorce !

YOU may find it silly, but I sure as hell don't. This thread has been quite illuminating, and I'm personally grateful to all the sailors here that have taken the time to share their stories, insights and experiences.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

YOU may find it silly, but I sure as hell don't. It's been quite interesting reading, and I again am grateful for the sailors that took the time to share their stories, insights and experiences.

It was a legitimate question.

[Bulawayo]

Originally Posted by Cadence

It was a legitimate question.

Hmmmm.....its been interesting but possibly Emmalina also has a point. People watch the news and most of that is bad. People buy newspapers which are full of doom & gloom - human nature being what it is? This is really about detailing experiences and there is such a spectrum of thoughts and opinions that I am not sure we can really learn anything new. Is it not about tolerance and understanding? But try practicing that in the middle of the surf. a lee shore, a failed engine and blown sails.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Emmalina

What a silly thread you may as well ask Why do couples divorce !

I agree that the question has merit. Why couples divorce would be a legitimate question on a marriage forum and why couples quit cruising is a legitimate question on a cruising forum.

.....and it's not all "doom and gloom". Many have spoken of their end of cruising as a timely end with accomplishing their goals.

[Bulawayo]

So, pray tell, what is the answer? You are about to make a fortune if you have the correct response. Emmalina point was an observation - that should have been obvious. There is no wrong answer and there is no right answer and the debate shall continue whilst mankind continues with such recreation. So, let the thread continue for those that are interested but I for one shall not bother to continue reading about other peoples misfortune. Perhaps I should post what makes for a sucessfull marriage aboard a boat - well, now, is that really any different from any marriage else where?

[Cap Erict3]

What makes one stop hunting, rock climbing, traveling, carousing, ad infinitum? When wants or fantasies have been fulfilled some are sated and some look to new horizons.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[Cadence]

I'll bet this long thread just comes down to the ability of a couple to live in tight quarters?

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Bulawayo

So, pray tell, what is the answer? You are about to make a fortune if you have the correct response. Emmalina point was an observation - that should have been obvious. There is no wrong answer and there is no right answer and the debate shall continue whilst mankind continues with such recreation. So, let the thread continue for those that are interested but I for one shall not bother to continue reading about other peoples misfortune. Perhaps I should post what makes for a sucessfull marriage aboard a boat - well, now, is that really any different from any marriage else where?

I was surprised by noticing your comment, "I for one shall not bother to continue reading about other peoples misfortune." Seeing this caused me to scan through the entire thread. I noticed that there were only two first hand accounts of couples quiting cruising out of these many posts. One was due to chronic sea sickness and the other was due to a financial crisis.

They were many conjectures about what might be the cause for "those" that quit and what "they" experience. Many cases of "we knew of couple that.....", but for those that actually read the thread, it's not a story of misfortune. Instead it's a testament of success.