Age of trawler dudes and dudettes...

62 Quit work last Sept.,still trying to get into the full retirement mode. Got my retirement home in Feb.(32' Eagle). Now waiting for spring weather to calm down to really get to enjoy it.

85 but still delivering boats,but slowed down quite a bit,getting ready to pack it in

63 - Retired from the Army after 27 yrs, 17 yrs ago I think? Built up a ranch. Bought our trawler 2 yrs ago. Working both. The Boat is a lot of work, but not near as bad as what I do here in Montana. We are selling off the livestock, the place is on the market & we are both looking forward to sailing to Mexico.

Both early 60's. Retiring permanently in a year or so. Both tried retirement in our early 50's when we quit our jobs and went for a summer cruise. Looking forward to making that an annual event.

We're 67 & 66 and mostly retired. retired early (53) and have worked at some things that are mostly fun.
Bought a heavy duty machine and started doing my own canvas work (2 boats & motorhome) - that lead to doing it for friends & others.
Mostly a hobby business now... especially since buying a boat with NO CANVAS.
I also continue part time consulting (20-30 days / yr) instructing 3-4 project mgmt courses for my previous employer.
IMHO retiring early and continuing to work ON YOUR OWN TERMS is attractive!

40 and the admiral is 39. Our oldest is in college, and our youngest has 6 years to get there. We have always planned on retiring and cruising on a sailboat. Wisdom comes with age, and here we are with a trawler. All we need is to retire, which will come in 10-15 years.

Bacchus said:

IMHO retiring early and continuing to work ON YOUR OWN TERMS is attractive!

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Wifey B: Oh I think you hit something there. We were going to retire. I didn't see hubby doing it completely. He loved his work and he always balanced it. But he's a businessman at heart in so many ways. So...ummm...it was well, consult maybe a day or so every month or two for ex boss, then...ok, maybe one or two very small businesses, just owning them and someone else running them. Inside I giggled. Went from one or two....up and up, not about to say how far up. But hired great people and we've been able to do it all our way. Meanwhile I still love helping put in reading programs, in schools, for groups, wherever and I do it strictly on volunteer for free basis. But now our businesses are just his way of mentoring others, of proving some points, and one great hobby. That's what it can be when ON YOUR OWN TERMS, a hobby.

It's like our avocation is boating. Our hobbies are music, tennis, basketball, business owner, consulting, reading program developer.

It's fun being able to pick your spots. Just one caveat. Got to remember to say "no" too.

I'm 50, the admiral is 54.
We sold up what we had 2 1/2 years ago to buy the boat, and go cruising. We're empty nesters, although this is the first time I have ever used that term, or written it down, or even thought about it?? So yeah, more cruising lies ahead, Inshallah.
I seem to go through $$ like it's water, so I guess I'll always be working some time of the year. I enjoy what I do (working offshore on a boat) so we'll keep things going like this for as long as they'll have me.

Seventy and flunking retirement. Retired 5 years ago and was approached by another company and took an interesting job. Plan to retire again at the end of this year. If I want to be single all I need to do is mention the age of my Admiral.

I am 60 and Michelle is 48, both retired when I was 52. The pay sucks but the hours are great! Full time cruising the last year or two and will continue to do so until I can no longer safely get around the boat or the beer runs out. Whichever comes first.

Dimer,

Love the Jarvis Newman. I owned one that had been in Senator Olympia Snow's family originally. It was called the Olypmian, I did a major rebuild in 2003 and sold it to a guy that just had to have. Often wish I had keep the boat.

Ken

I am 63 and wife is 70. We both retired when I was 48. The first winter I was bored so I started a small business. I am now scaling that down and will end it completely at the end of 2016.

capt jerry said:

85 but still delivering boats,but slowed down quite a bit,getting ready to pack it in

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Awesome!~

BandB said:

Wifey B: Oh I think you hit something there....But hired great people and we've been able to do it all our way...

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He's definitely struck gold on that point, as have you and your husband!
It's not about working hard, it's about working smart! It took me a long time after leaving the government teet, to figure that one out.
Hiring the "right" people makes all the difference in the world. Dave Ramsey espouses that theory on his show regularly.

Meanwhile I still love helping put in reading programs, in schools, for groups, wherever and I do it strictly on volunteer for free basis. But now our businesses are just his way of mentoring others, of proving some points, and one great hobby. That's what it can be when ON YOUR OWN TERMS, a hobby.

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Amen!
I like the way you operate.
being able to volunteer your time, and not have to worry about the cash flow is a true blessing! For years I ran personal safety and self defense classes for a variety of groups, all for free. If we had overhead, it was a tax write off

Still do a lot of volunteer work with various youth, veterans and disabled groups. Working on being able to have more time soon

It's like our avocation is boating. Our hobbies are music, tennis, basketball, business owner, consulting, reading program developer.

It's fun being able to pick your spots. Just one caveat. Got to remember to say "no" too.

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Never met either of you, but you both sound like stand up folks!
Kudos for what you do.

OD

39, this week. Admiral 38, started dating in high school. 4 kids under 13.


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BandB said:

Wifey B:
It's fun being able to pick your spots. Just one caveat. Got to remember to say "no" too.

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Absolutely agree with Wifey B... you really have to try hard to say NO when it doesn't work as you'd like. The hardest NO is the first one... then you realize how powerful & enlightening saying NO can be.
I've gone back to meet w/ folks that asked me to came back for a "project" -
My response: was the assignment didn't sound like part time and I said NO - Their Response: "you retirees only want to do the fun stuff"
My response: "you're right and it's great being able to choose the assignments that are fun"

also agree with Wifey B that volunteering etc fits the caveat ON YOUR OWN TERMS

Off Duty...thanks for the compliments but..

We're just two people who learned how to enjoy life. As my wife would say, "what turns us on." I was a horrible workaholic before I met her and not a happy man. I cut back my hours, took my vacations, after she came into my life, compartmentalized my career as just part of life and I learned how to have fun and be happy.

I read about retirement and the one thing I continuously see cited is the freedom it affords. Well, we all had that freedom long before but just didn't know it. We just have to free our minds.

W

Perfect!

44 and the Admiral is 50, empty nesters. I retired from the Navy 5 years ago after 22 years and still work as a Government contractor and the wife is an office manager, Have no idea when I will be able to retire again, all I do know is it won't be soon enough and I will never have enough money to support my boating habit,

Just turned 65 and retired 3 years ago from the electric utility industry. Walked out the door and into my current job the following week--same industry but 760 miles from home. One point five years before I hang it up for good. Wife is 61 and a retired psychotherapist. We plan to keep our home for awhile and divide our time between it and cruising. Can almost taste it.

I am in my fifties and quit working for other people in my mid-30's. I've always been below the poverty line and still, somehow, I have managed to have a small trawler, and live aboard her in Florida.

Boating is accessible for everyone who wishes it. Those that say they can't afford to boat are lying to themselves. Maybe I cannot boat on the scale of some however I am having a wonderful time on my little boat.

It's about accepting what is possible and enjoying same. I'm glad I "retired" (quit working for other people) young though daddy beat me. He was 31 when he said "kiss my transom" to the world. I was too slow.

If I single woman on a limited budget can live this life, why can't anyone else do so? Only determination decides who will or will not be a boater. Little else matters in the ultimate outcome.

Okay, physical health and strength do play a role. My advice is thus: Don't wait for the perfect boat and moment. Neither happen on schedules determined by man.

Addendum: I know I'm fortunate. That said, I do live without some things others find critical to their happiness quotient. I have not owned an automobile since 1997 nor a television since 1993.

The choices I made then make it possible for me to live aboard Seaweed. Of course I wish for more (who doesn't?!) however I am satisfied working towards goals: tuna door, more solar, batts, watermaker, bigger MPPT controller, etc..

See? I am woman, and I could spend money!

Looking forward to my 78th Birthday, and a trip up the Tennessee river later this month. Have been boating for more than fifty years and owned 7 different trawlers. Enjoying good health and very lucky to have a great wife that loves boating.


Ray

58, Retired from a large fire department at 55. I don't exactly have a trawler but I usually cruise at trawler speeds. Does that count?

Jim Gandee said:

58, Retired from a large fire department at 55. I don't exactly have a trawler but I usually cruise at trawler speeds. Does that count?

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Yup

Jim Gandee said:

58, Retired from a large fire department at 55. I don't exactly have a trawler but I usually cruise at trawler speeds. Does that count?

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Wifey B: We don't exactly have a trawler and don't typically cruise at trawler speeds but we have a trawler attitude of wanting to see a lot of places and take them all in, enjoying each of them.

Ray said:

Looking forward to my 78th Birthday, and a trip up the Tennessee river later this month. Have been boating for more than fifty years and owned 7 different trawlers. Enjoying good health and very lucky to have a great wife that loves boating.


Ray

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Outstanding!

I'll be happy if my kids let me go boating when I'm 70.

Ted

BandB said:

Wifey B: Trying again....won't be too quick on trigger this time...

Ok, I thought it might be interesting to know the ages of the group in general. No need for anyone to openly reveal their age unless they want to, but just in the poll. Seems some discussions may be reflections of the age groups and age differences. I'm sure or hopeful all of us do try to understand there are different generations even reflected here and respect them all...

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Turning 80 by june 2 2015, and happy with it..
for as Al. in Alaska sendt me:

Do not regret growing old. Its a privilege denied to many.

Happy boating to anyone.. from Happy Clam in Denmark.

Hi Ray, we are blessed to be in the 2% Trawler Dudes Club and while on active duty the 1% club. We plan a shake down cruise this coming week in preps for the Tennessee river cruise. I think our better halves keep us young at 78, and that's a REAL Blessing.
Bill

Wifey B: I think it's soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo freakin' awesomecalidocious that we have boaters here over 75. I look up to you. And I watch and think when I get that age what I'll do to stay active, assuming physically I can and I think the active part really helps the physical part. We're not exercise freaks but we are just very active. We arrive somewhere new and we walk.....and walk....and walk. We swim. We play tennis and basketball. And one think you don't think of as physical, we sing, and that can be really great for your respiratory conditioning. Now at 75 perhaps the tennis and basketball get cut out but all the other stuff can be done by many. Just the best we can do within whatever our own limits are. So thanks for you guys being mentors for young brats like me. At home we're surrounded by some active older people and it helps aging not be scary. And aging sure as all heck beats the alternatives. I'm shooting for 100, which means hubby has to shoot for 109 or so.