glasses. best solution. how old too old to be a charter captain?

[Howler]

Nobody mentioned progressive contact lenses. Of course you need a thorough eye exam and prescription to make sure they’re for you. But they were a life saver for sailing. No more foggy, wet, lost or broken glasses. No need for prescription sunglasses. Took a while to get used to them later in life, but if they work it’s new found freedom.

There are two kinds. Concentric ones have the reading magnification in the center of the lens and the distance magnification a little away from the center of each lens. The pupil covers both and the brain somehow sorts out what visual data to filter out and what data to use.

The other approach is to have the reading magnification in one eye and the distance magnification in the other. Again, the brain figures it out.

[sailingchiro]

I am near sighted and can see close really well but wear glasses for far sight. I wear my glasses to see far but look under them to read charts and little stuff.
Some people wear a contact for far sighted and one for near sight. But I find this extremely confusing. For me the progressive contacts are very hard to get use too. If I had problems with both near and far, I would correct far sight with contacts and have readers for near sight. Or visa versa. Cataract surgery will correct for 20/20 for far. Readers are still needed for near. I have a 50 ton master and have no problems with chartering.

[Hermia II]

I worked as a charter skipper in the 80's, taking yachts in Finland, sailing them to the Caribbean, chartering all winter, back across to Europe etc. Being a charter skipper is not so much about sailing as it is being a service person, making sure everyone aboard has a good time, cooking, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning and when you step off after the charter with a spinnaker bag full of laundry, the next guests are on the dock.
It's a job that you do if you like taking care of people, if you like entertaining them, teaching them how to snorkel, sitting waiting in the dinghy while they go shopping making sure the dinghy is clean and dry when they come back.
It's not a job that you do if you expect your guests to throw you over board should you die.

[tennis4789]

Originally Posted by Howler

Nobody mentioned progressive contact lenses. Of course you need a thorough eye exam and prescription to make sure they’re for you. But they were a life saver for sailing. No more foggy, wet, lost or broken glasses. No need for prescription sunglasses. Took a while to get used to them later in life, but if they work it’s new found freedom.

There are two kinds. Concentric ones have the reading magnification in the center of the lens and the distance magnification a little away from the center of each lens. The pupil covers both and the brain somehow sorts out what visual data to filter out and what data to use.

The other approach is to have the reading magnification in one eye and the distance magnification in the other. Again, the brain figures it out.

Thanks everyone for input. I did get an eye exam before posting this & about 7 pairs of glasses. I got progressive i guess they're called. I didn't really like them. Probably not set up quite right. So i have driving glasses. Arms length glasses & no glasses.

I was more thinking of foggy & wet glasses. When the shirt is hitting the fan or wake up & it's dark getting glasses going.

[tennis4789]

Originally Posted by Hermia II

I worked as a charter skipper in the 80's, taking yachts in Finland, sailing them to the Caribbean, chartering all winter, back across to Europe etc. Being a charter skipper is not so much about sailing as it is being a service person, making sure everyone aboard has a good time, cooking, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning and when you step off after the charter with a spinnaker bag full of laundry, the next guests are on the dock.
It's a job that you do if you like taking care of people, if you like entertaining them, teaching them how to snorkel, sitting waiting in the dinghy while they go shopping making sure the dinghy is clean and dry when they come back.
It's not a job that you do if you expect your guests to throw you over board should you die.

I know right. Pax could at least use me for bait. The disrespect these days! Ha. I was being sarcastic with the throw me overboard & keep drinking.

Cleaning cleaning & cleaning . Yes seems like many moving pieces marketing cleaning more marketing cleaning I'm a good host. Lot of moving pieces though. Ncl carnival have huge # of people to do each role.
Butlers, maids, concierge, restaurants, shore excursions, red tape. Captain kinda probably has to do it all. Or else book/manage/ communicate pax expectations to coincide with what they get. Renting rooms in my house I've really enjoyed having people from all over china, iran, india, pakistan, Cameroon, Russia, Iowa. & they always seem to stay way longer than i thought they would. Currently almkst 3 yesrs (longest I've ever had altho maybe covid related. I guess I really want people that will pitch in sharing the duties. I expected rent without chasing them. & them to have their room & enjoy all the common rooms. & them to bring enthusiasm for what they'd like to do. Snorkeling fishing beaching cooking shopping gambling. Whatever they'd like to do I'll facilitate that happening.

What made u decide to stop charter skippering?

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by tennis4789

Ncl carnival have huge # of people to do each role.

I guess I really want people that will pitch in sharing the duties.

What made u decide to stop charter skippering?

What is "Ncl"? Sodium chloride?

Anyway, I think your vision of charterers (customers) doesn't really align with reality.

Usually:
When it comes to "duties" they will expect you to do everything, themselves to do nothing. They will make a mess, and expect you to clean it up. They expect the fee they pay covers all that.

And then too, chartering on a relatively small boat is no way on the same planet with being on one of the big cruise ships.

You have no "time off" when you're hosting charterers. Ever.

Finally, there's usually no huge money in crewed charters unless you don't count your own time as a labor cost. You might be able to convince yourself you've gotten other people (customers) to help you pay for you boat... and if you can put up with the customers 100% OF THE TIME it all might work for you.

-Chris

[MicHughV]

Some years back, my eye doc said my cataracts were becoming a problem, and advised cataract surgery, where the entire lens is replaced.

This sounded a bit scary to me, as in the past, scalpels were used to do the procedure, but these days it is all done by laser.

I signed up to do one eye....it's an outpatient procedure, and the whole process is very quick and painless and requires only a few days of sleeping with an eye patch.

I was stunned at the results, simply stunned.....and followed by having the other eye done as well. I never realized quite how bad my vision was.

Today my vision is better than 20/20....I can count the hairs on a fly's butt at 500 yards.

I do need reading glasses for up close stuff, 12-18" from eye, but you can pick these up by the dozen at any dollar store.

I've worn glasses or contacts for most of my life, so this was a wildly liberating moment.

Cataract surgery is done worldwide now.

You can have the option of having multi-focus lenses inserted, but I chose to go single focus as it takes care of 99.9% of all my vision issues.

You don't necessarily have to have cataracts to get this procedure done.

That this can even be done is miraculous to me.

[capt jgw]

I'm 68 and just renewed my 200 ton Master credential. There is a physical exam required for the initial and every renewal. When you get to the point you can't pass it, whether you're 18 or 90, you're too old. You can go to USCG.mil/nmc to see the requirements. Form CG-719K is the medical and lists all the things they check for. Big disqualifiers are insulin dependant diabetes, epilepsy, BP over 160/100, etc. Overweight is not a problem unless your BMI is 40 or above, then you have to demonstrate a bunch of tasks related to passenger rescue. That test looks pretty tough. BMI 40 is really fat though, not many people trying this are that big. Vision requirements are 20-200 uncorrected, 20-40 corrected as I recall with no color blindness. The vision test is just reading a chart on the wall, no reading vision test. I have mild stigmatism and presbyopia and passed no problem. I also pass my driver license exams with no glasses. A tip there, the day I go in to test I don't wear my glasses at all and test late in the day. By then I'm used to not wearing them and can see a little better. So far so good, the last time I had to go in was probably ten years ago, they only make you do it every third renewal or something like that. (That's the Michigan driver licence, not the CG Capt test, you have to take that test at every five year renewal).

[Beneteau2011]

Many here are advocating for progressive lenses — that’s what I’ve found successful. But, all progressive lenses are not created equal. For me, the key is in the height of the lenses as opposed to the width. I have a pair that has a height of 1 1/4” and they are challenging for almost any application. My current sailing glasses are Oakley Holbrook, the lense height is about 1 3/4”, and they have transition lenses — so, I can wear them to the yacht in the morning when it’s dark out and I’m driving; wear them sailing; and wear them home. The fact that I only have to deal with one pair of eyeglasses vs 7 helps keep things ship shape. In my sailbag I also keep a pair of Oakley Split Shot Deep Water Prizm as backup and when I’m at anchor and don’t need/want a prescription. I have just a normal sized head and both pairs fit well — I don’t need a landyard on them, and never need to take them off topsides. Lastly, not every optician gets them right — I was going to a high-end boutique here in Los Angeles and had poorer results (because they do it manually) then at lower cost Lenscrafters where they put a device on your noggin and everything gets calculated from there. Hope that helps!

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by tennis4789

I got progressive i guess they're called. I didn't really like them. Probably not set up quite right.

They require a learning curve. You have to retrain your eye and your head. You'll need to learn which portion of the glass to look through to get a clear image based on distance. It takes time. You'll need to tip your head up or down slightly until the image becomes clear.

It will eventually become a subconscious thing, but it takes a while to get used to. You'll be able to tell whether the reading portion is right, just based on how far you have to hold something for it to become clear.

Give it time.

[NormanMartin]

Ha! I am a charter skipper. Now 71. One eye for past 8 years. I sail and skipper fine. The problem is my wife who says I am a hazard to myself and others. My employer says I am the best and wants to book me as often as possible. That's the problem.... others.

[MicHughV]

When I had cataract surgery...I was surprised to learn that some people only get one eye done and leave the other alone..this give them both long range and short range eyesight, as the brain apparently, can decide which eye to use for what task.

After I had my first eye done, I tried this....and damn it, it does works....but I eventually got both eyes done, preferring to wear reading glasses for the close up stuff. My reading glasses are 1.25 which seems more than adequate for my purposes.

Bless those that are charter skippers. You really need to be a "people person" to pull that off and I'm not one of them. My wife is a "people person"...she could strike up a conversation with a lamp pole...but I simply do not have this skill....

[AKA-None]

I find the non reflective lenses tend to smear when dirty making it harder to see when wet or foggy

[tennis4789]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

What is "Ncl"? Sodium chloride?

Anyway, I think your vision of charterers (customers) doesn't really align with reality.

Usually:
When it comes to "duties" they will expect you to do everything, themselves to do nothing. They will make a mess, and expect you to clean it up. They expect the fee they pay covers all that.

And then too, chartering on a relatively small boat is no way on the same planet with being on one of the big cruise ships.

You have no "time off" when you're hosting charterers. Ever.

Finally, there's usually no huge money in crewed charters unless you don't count your own time as a labor cost. You might be able to convince yourself you've gotten other people (customers) to help you pay for you boat... and if you can put up with the customers 100% OF THE TIME it all might work for you.

-Chris

Thanks Chris.

NCL = norwegian cruise line. I've got 4 more ncl cruises this year & 1 carnival. Already did 2 ncl this month. No one wants to cruise? I'm willing to sacrifice! Ha

Renting out rooms in my house has definitely not been get Rich quickly. But over 10+ years I've enjoyed the journey.

Pax expectations that everything is done for them is probably spot on. I paid you you! You need to put on my socks. Ok Karen.

So I'm not a fan of cleaning & going 24/7 butler service /concierge for pax. I probably need to plan for having 4 crew. 4 pax. Which maybe could be my gf n I. & then a couple to cover cooking/cleaning/& giving me a break from captaining.

[tennis4789]

Originally Posted by capt jgw

I'm 68 and just renewed my 200 ton Master credential. There is a physical exam required for the initial and every renewal. When you get to the point you can't pass it, whether you're 18 or 90, you're too old. You can go to USCG.mil/nmc to see the requirements. Form CG-719K is the medical and lists all the things they check for. Big disqualifiers are insulin dependant diabetes, epilepsy, BP over 160/100, etc. Overweight is not a problem unless your BMI is 40 or above, then you have to demonstrate a bunch of tasks related to passenger rescue. That test looks pretty tough. BMI 40 is really fat though, not many people trying this are that big. Vision requirements are 20-200 uncorrected, 20-40 corrected as I recall with no color blindness. The vision test is just reading a chart on the wall, no reading vision test. I have mild stigmatism and presbyopia and passed no problem. I also pass my driver license exams with no glasses. A tip there, the day I go in to test I don't wear my glasses at all and test late in the day. By then I'm used to not wearing them and can see a little better. So far so good, the last time I had to go in was probably ten years ago, they only make you do it every third renewal or something like that. (That's the Michigan driver licence, not the CG Capt test, you have to take that test at every five year renewal).

Thank you for sharing. Great info. Pretty much answers my question about how old is too old for me even though i don't know if I'll need a 200 ton. Thinking that will be my guideline.