R U a Lifetime or seasonal boater?

Yesterday I was checking a specific trawler owners web-site which I have been following for many years. The owners were a small family that spent over eight years aboard and I had the pleasure of meeting in San Diego a couple of years ago. Yesterday they announced they were done and placing the boat for sale.

I'm not sure why but I often feel a sense of sadness when I see adventurous people place their boat for sale and say they are done. For me its hard to understand how those who have accomplished so much with trawlers can walk away. I recognize everyone has their own reason and I'm no one to question their decision but when I look at myself I believe (god willing) we will always own a boat (of some type) as long as I can walk and breath. I guess I'm a "lifer".

Curious how others feel about this "emotional" part of leaving boating. Are you a true "lifer" or more a "seasonal" trawler owner?

Should lead to some good discussion.

John T.

I once thought I was a lifetime sailor. Now look at me.

Circumstances change. It could be health, wealth, or family circumstances that cause folks to make a change. I bought my boat from a gentleman who right up front told us that he was the reason they were selling the boat. He has parksinson's and can't negotiate the boat safely any longer.

Life throws many a curve ball.

After we bought Sonas we looked through the on-board documentation and saw what the previous owners have spent during Fall 2015 maintenance and upgrades - including 6K on a new Glendenning engine control system. All of the wooden rails had been newly caulked and varnished, and other upgrades done. Obviously they had plans to keep on going.

But between November and January something happened. We were told it was an elderly parent that needed them to go back and care for, but we suspect something much worse.

It should be a reminder to us all - our days are numbered. Use them well in service to others and ourselves.

We think of ourselves as lifers but that doesn't mean till death. There comes a time for everyone when change makes sense. We're not going to stick with something that no longer makes sense for us. Now, do I think until health just says I can't, I'll have a boat of some sort? Yes. But what it or they are will change. I feel a little sadness for those forced to change and doing so against their wishes. However, for those who change because it's time for them, I smile and wish them the best and am pleased that they had the nerve.

The people I know who have given up boating after years have either had compelling financial or health reasons or have simply done all the boating they desire. They've built other interests in their lives. I also know a couple that boated with just the two of them and they no longer felt safe doing so. They realized they weren't as strong, their reactions not as quick, and their vision not what it once was.

For some it was always for a particular part of their lives too. Maybe for quality time with their kids but now their kids are grown and scattered and they'd rather have land time with grandkids than water time alone.

I fully expect our average days a year to decline at some point. Right now it's about 280. Well, I wouldn't expect it to stay that high when we're in our 60's and 70's.

These discussions always beg the question as to whether you would rather sit in your rocker and think of the dreams you had or of memories of cruises you have taken ?

We're boaters because a car accident robbed us of sea kayaking; the rules to the game of Life got changed, and we rolled with it. No telling what the future holds, but Nature will play a big role, by whatever means!

I flew ultralight aircraft for 20 years at 100hrs per year. Finally decided I'd done it enough. Most flights just got boring.

Actually the air time per maintenance time was better on the UL. And I flew more often but I lived two city blocks from the hangar most of those 20yrs.

During the twenty year flying days one boat connected the two active boating halves .... canoes. Never stopped canoeing.

Always considered myself a lifer. We've been planning on retiring early and cruising full time for years. Had planned on going all the way around. As I get somewhat older the world seems a bit larger thou. Who knows.

We bought our Mainship from a couple in their mid-80's who were done with boating. They left everything on board, dishes, bed sheets, tools. I hope my wife and I can last that long.

At 53 and my wife 44, we still think of ourselves as lifers and in fact once we retire we expect to drop the boat into open water and just sail (well, motor) away to the farthest horizon. We're still at the point where we expect our boating activity to dramatically increase, not taper off. On the other hand, I got very into the Volvo Ocean Race last year, even went to Newport to watch the arrival and departure. Watching those guys (and women) though, I thought to myself that it's already too late for me to do something like that. Even if I won the lottery and didn't have to work tomorrow, I don't have the energy or endurance for cranking winches like a 17 year old, or even more maybe, the patience or tolerance for serious, prolonged physical discomfort that goes with it. A little wistful that my serious competitive sailing window is now gone, but it's okay. Life is still good and sweet. I suppose someday I might not be able to hop from the dock to the boat without worrying I might fall into the water and break a hip and drown, but I suppose then I'll spend more money on cruise tickets and watch the ocean go by from my chair on my stateroom balcony.

Lifer... till life says... No Mo!

Living aboard and boating can be 2 different things. Something often not well covered in many TF discussions.

After liveaboards, there are longer term cruisers...like snowbirders...

Then there are the somewhere in between all the way to weekend dockqueeners.

Watching liveaboards go to long term cruisers seems natural as one gets older. Smaller boat to care and pay for....and life on a rainy, windy dock can get old after 10 to 15 yeats. If you don't want to move the liveaboard to a friendlier environment...then a transition is probable.

So watching the different evolutions really dosent suprised me as I have made half of them, and already see another on the horizon.

We have been boating for 27 years, most of it as "weekenders and vacationers". That's because we work, well I am right now.
Probably after a few more years I'll be ready to hang it up. I'll be close to 70.
So how about "lifetime seasonal"?

jleonard said:

We have been boating for 27 years, most of it as "weekenders and vacationers". That's because we work, well I am right now.
Probably after a few more years I'll be ready to hang it up. I'll be close to 70.
So how about "lifetime seasonal"?

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Have been and will continue as basically seasonal - w/ some 1-2 mos "extended" cruises
We're getting close to 70 now but not ready to give it up yet.
We keep saying maybe 10 more but realize we will have to adjust to circumstances as they change.
We've known others that down sized instead of going out cold turkey. We've known others that held on too long.
Our goal is to adjust appropriately and graciously instead of fighting it...hope to find reasonable alternatives...charters...cruise w others...small commercial cruises????
Bottom line we can't control the situation only how we respond...

Probably will always own a boat of some sort. This will likely be the only cruising boat I will own. Plan to keep it until I can't or don't want to cruise any more. But then you never know what tomorrow will bring....

Ted

jleonard said:

We have been boating for 27 years, most of it as "weekenders and vacationers". That's because we work, well I am right now.
Probably after a few more years I'll be ready to hang it up. I'll be close to 70.
So how about "lifetime seasonal"?

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With the unparalleled charm of Mystic Connecticut... how about "lifetime regional". I love Mystic and have its ambiance deep in my soul from many boat-visits while growing up. I've made a point to stop by since as a land-tourist while traveling on business or for family/friend visits.

We have been in boats our whole lives, and I don't see that changing. However the types of boat and boating has evolved quite a bit, and I expect it will continue. Currently we are doing the big cruising thing, but I admit to being torn between that and other interesting and fun activities back at home and elsewhere. But we decided that cruising was best done while we have our health and are still relatively young. I expect that after our long-range cruising is done, we will return to coastal cruising in the east. Then at some point just return to local boating. But who knows. I can contemplate 5+ years out, but typically plan for a 1-5 year horizon, and even then there are lots of uncontrolled external factors.

I have always lived by the water and played on it. Now I both live and play on it and I will continue to do so until it is no longer fun. Ain't life great when it's simple!

Currently summer live-aboards. Both ready to get back to the dirt digs at about the three month mark. I could be a lifer if I had my shop and toys nearby. Spouse on the other hand....

Regarding how long to boat?!?!


One of my dearest wishes is to (i.e. God willing - still being able to, health wise) go out on a boat and simply disappear - but not until I feel the time becomes right! I have carefully planned on this since my young years and can think of no better way to put an End-O Exclamation Point to life. Obviously I have no fear of what is coming in the "next step". As is often said... "It will be as it will be!"

My plans include epirb left activated on deactivated boat in some relatively calm off shore waters (30 to 40 miles out). Email, text, snail mail and other forms of communication available by then will that day simultaneously occur. On helm will be a nice note. My legal-will takes care of next boat ownership and because boat should be easily located for bringing her back into shore, under her own power... the boat should be able to be saved. No muss no fuss left aboard. Well, maybe a 357 mag if it happens to flip aboard while I fly backwards off gunnel or swim step! You got the picture...

At 64 yrs and good health I feel there is chance for 20 to 30 more years before my plan may need to be accomplished. I hope dear Linda can traverse all these years with me. Up to her how she may want to go out. But, she is surely invited aboard my last journey to sea, however, that is only if she wants to end-o in the same fashion at the same time; otherwise... it's me alone. She's soon to be 67.

Till that fateful day I (we) plan to live life to the hilt... boating, swimming, playing, inventing, working, reading, writing, loving, traveling and all else that's included. Well, I see it's time for me to go into my weight lifting exercise room - to keep in shape for all the great years yet to come!

Happy Eventual-Endo-Life Daze! - Art

PS: I and my brother helped care for my 90 yr old mom during her end months. It was not pretty, at all. Gruesome is the word that comes to mind. Currently, Linda and I are caring for her 92 yr old mom's end months. Once again... It's not pretty, at all. I firmly believe that the actual "end" month do not need to be this much torture to oneself and to one's family members. Sooooo... I do not feel that a person should cling onto life for to up to the very last second, especially when outcome is obvious and there is no upside possible. I am happily planning my own eventual "End-O"... as stated above! No muss - No fuss!!

Life long... so far
My hope is that the end of my boating comes with me in my 90's sitting on the aft deck of my latest expedition yacht after watching a perfect sunset while sitting in some atoll somewhere in the Pacific.

Preferably after my 30 year old well endowed Scandinavian "nurse" has just fluffed my pillow and filled up my margarita glass..
One can dream.
HOLLYWOOD

semi-planing said:

Currently summer live-aboards. Both ready to get back to the dirt digs at about the three month mark. I could be a lifer if I had my shop and toys nearby. Spouse on the other hand....

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I think we each have durations that work for us. For my wife and myself it is around six weeks, occasionally stretched to two months. Then we want to spend a couple or three weeks at home, catching up. We spend about 240 days a year on extended cruises of three weeks or more and actually boat about 280 days a year. However, we still need that regular shot of home.

You might be shocked how much less lengthy the three months would seem with a week or two break in the middle to fly home.

The previous caretaker of our boat owned it for many years. It traveled the east coast from NJ to Florida a few times. He enjoyed it for sure...Until he died. Everything stayed on the boat including his 100 ton certificates and most of the logs going back more than ten years. I'll often just sit and read them. I'm a lifer too, having been on the water all my life, but our usage has changed to casual cruising 2-5 days at a time. Works for us at this stage in life and likely will for the near term future until we just can't do it anymore...

Art; said:

One of my dearest wishes is to...go out on a boat and simply disappear

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Ooooh, Art.
If only you knew how much I grinned and nodded along with you.

When biking, the kids always said when I could no longer put the left leg down without falling over, they would make a seatbelt from an old rode, tie me in the Mustang saddle, duct tape my hands to the bars, kick 'er in gear and give me a Thelma and Louise send off into an ocean below.
Best of both worlds.

My dad went from good to gone in 7 weeks.
He was in a training hospital.
Became a guinea pig.
Sat with him every day.
Cruelest thing I ever saw.
Not me, thank you.


Dad did boat right up to the day before he encountered that god awful gale, though.

I'll go down with a big heavy single use anchor.
Unless I have a stroke later today...

Last summer I sold my 13' Whaler so I now own only 4 boats. 1 in NJ and 3 in FL. Getting tired of maintaining them all. Yes, call me a Lifer. Cylinder index is down to 33.

I would have to be in pretty bad shape to not have a boat. (I have visions of using my crane, which has a wireless remote, to get myself on board and up to the flybridge.) My daughters have all remarked that they can't imagine not owning a boat, so I suspect the boat (or at least some boat) is here to stay. If anything, we may get a second boat -- I am thinking about a 36' ish center console with 2 or 3 big outboards for when I want to either get somewhere in a hurry or fish locally (in a hurry).

I am 50yo and am fortunate to have elders around me. They are in their 70s. Have cruised extensively on both sailboats and trawlers. One had a Krogen 54 that they sold when they got back...allegedly quitting. He wasn't done. He figured he would go looking for a Mainship Pilot type boat just to cruise around and do day trips. He came home with a Grand Harbour 59. And went cruising again. He just recently sold it. He said it was because he likes to do his own maintenance and he is getting too old for that. For his age he is in excellent health.

One of our other brothers came home from cruising and sold his beloved DeFever 49 CPMY and thought he wanted to buy some land in East Texas and spend the rest of his life on a tractor. That didn't last long. He still has that land but felt the sea calling and impulsively bought a new Carver 43. He never really liked the boat. It is a 2007 model and has 80 hours on it and he still owns it but is for sale. About 5 years ago he bought a new DeFever 53 Pilothouse. He has cruised on it for a few years and I saw him Sunday and he said he was leaving again!!! I was ecstatic when I heard the news. Very happy for him!!!!

The reason I tell these tales is because it got me to thinking....when will I know it is time to hang it up??? I don't think it will be any time soon. I am all ate up with the boating bug and have been for 30 years. I have a lil girlie that would move aboard tomorrow if I gave the word....so I think she's on board wherever and whatever we do. I think I will do it until I am physically unable.

How do we know we are done?

Never a live-a-board, but boating for 50 years. Does that count? How much longer is debatable.