The Cruising attitude is more important than the boat you choose

[klee wyck]

I disagree. Once you get a boat mistakes become given no matter what

I would modify that slightly to read ‘once you buy a boat, your biggest mistake is behind you……

 

[ksanders]

Everybody uses their boats differently. I've seen folks right here on TF that have boats I drooled over, but they use them for a week or so every two or three months.

I've seen others that lead a fulfilling cruising lifestyle on less a month than my margarita bill.

So.... it's not about money.

We've already discussed that it's not about the boat. The boat is just a means to an end.

So what is it??? What is the difference between cruisers and the rest of the boating community?

I do not think it's a fear thing either, even though cases certainly exist.

I think some really want a life of adventure and exploration, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to do it. Wether I like to admit it or not, I'm in that group. To my detriment sometimes, I have been willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill the dream. Hell I gave up everything at 28 to move to Alaska, and buy a float plane. Dragged my then young son into the unknown.

To others, it's just not that important. To them using their boat locally, and perhaps socializing is plenty. Going on Vacation twice a year is enough. That's not bad, maybe it's better.

I could not live a "normal" life. But I recognize and apréciate that a cruiser, or adventurer, or explorer sacrifices a lot. Work, Love, Stability, to live that dream.

I got lucky, and when I was not looking found someone that had that same itch for adventure. But... I would have done it alone if need be, another sacrifice.

 

[PierreR]

???????

Your question marks made me go back and re read what I wrote. I came across as rather braggadocious cuz I actually did not get to my point.. Starting young before 10 years old and having an impressive background does not really save me from making mistakes today. In fact, it gives me a false sense of confidence. probably because I learned 95% of what I use prior to the internet I have relied very little on the internet for how to do things.
I am just starting to realize the real power of the internet in saving me mistakes. I have always forged ahead and tackled the job. I was aware that there is often something designed into something that has a trick to taking it apart or installing it. I now start to hesitate and see if someone else has done it before me an often times I am saved a lot of frustration and effort by and internet search. Keeping up with the speed of everything new also is much better with full use of the internet.

So the real point is that you don't have to start at 10 to make fewer mistakes at boating. In fact, anyone can get good at substituting the wrong boating habits starting at 10. Starting young is no guarantee of fewer mistakes. Older people coming into boating have the internet resource that I did not have. Older folks also have better BS meters You can certainly find the biggest land mines to avoid in long distance cruising in a short time on the internet. Something not possible 50 years ago.
That said I would like to put this whole thread back to its original title. Kevin postulated that attitude was more important than knowledge when it comes to actually leaving port and being successful on long adventures. There is no question in my mind that he is correct. Knowledge makes things less uncertain, easier and more likely to succeed. Nothing but the right attitude will allow you to untie the dock lines and leave. You can, and people do, shove off with little or no knowledge. Especially in the information age. With any common sense you can blunder along and learn with help from the internet as you go. Being connected is certainly much safer that doing the same thing 50 years ago.

 

[PierreR]

Guess I should have said

Most boat owners barely use their boats TO GO BOATING!

This is very true but I do not fault them a bit. Many I talk to simply want the marina lifestyle and social aspect along with cheap lake front property. For them it is the best of all worlds. That is especially true in our area. You have a huge marina right inside the Cedar Point Amusement Park. Dockage comes with season passes, no walking from the parking lot and early entry to rides. Many of them have mega dinghy's they take for their jaunts.
Many of them drool over what I do and the boat that I have but admit that living vicariously through me is enough.
Every marina has boats sitting that no one uses but in our area there is a high percentage of folks seeking the marina lifestyle and regularly visit their boats. 9 out of 10 are used regularly but most don't leave the dock.
The heated storage that I am in has 7 boats inside right now. The marinas close at the end of the month and their will be 170 boats in there. They do not understand why I pull early instead of joint he party but, I am not paying seasonal rates. My dockage bill is mostly daily rates because I travel a good deal of the summer. I also pull early to work on the boat when I can make some dust before all the other boats are there.

 

[Jklotz]

Everybody uses their boats differently. I've seen folks right here on TF that have boats I drooled over, but they use them for a week or so every two or three months.

I've seen others that lead a fulfilling cruising lifestyle on less a month than my margarita bill.

So.... it's not about money.

We've already discussed that it's not about the boat. The boat is just a means to an end.

So what is it??? What is the difference between cruisers and the rest of the boating community?

I do not think it's a fear thing either, even though cases certainly exist.

I think some really want a life of adventure and exploration, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to do it. Wether I like to admit it or not, I'm in that group. To my detriment sometimes, I have been willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill the dream. Hell I gave up everything at 28 to move to Alaska, and buy a float plane. Dragged my then young son into the unknown.

To others, it's just not that important. To them using their boat locally, and perhaps socializing is plenty. Going on Vacation twice a year is enough. That's not bad, maybe it's better.

I could not live a "normal" life. But I recognize and apréciate that a cruiser, or adventurer, or explorer sacrifices a lot. Work, Love, Stability, to live that dream.

I got lucky, and when I was not looking found someone that had that same itch for adventure. But... I would have done it alone if need be, another sacrifice.

Your post resonates with me. Before boats, I did a lot of traveling with motorcycles. Crossed 17 borders on them actually. For me, the boat is not all that different. It just allows me to take everything with me, and as I get older, camping becomes less appealing. Plus, I like a waterfront view and I'm no longer single. It requires a lot more knowledge, considering my spouse, a lot more money, and more of a commitment.

I think, for me, I've always been the type of person who got an idea and decided I needed to do it. Blessing and a curse. Knowing comforts would need to be sacrificed never really played into the equation. There have been decades long hiatus throughout my life, but eventually, the bug crept back in. I doubt I'm the only one who has thought "hey, things are pretty good. Condos paid for, ton's of channels on the TV, I've got my neighborhood BBQ on Sunday's, grocery store is just down the street, life's pretty good." But no matter how much I tried to suppress it, I've always had this nagging feeling that there was something else, something more, that we are here to experience.

Everybody's different. To some, family fills that void. Nothing wrong with that. I've filled it with immersing myself in business, relationships, community, travel and learning. Today, that means life on the water. This is something I need to do. Fortunately, my spouse understands this and is adapting very well to the idea. In two years time, will I say enough is enough and sell the boat? I don't know. Today, it doesn't feel like I will. I'm just focusing on today, my upcoming cruising plans and trying my best to do it to the best of my abilities.

In some other threads, I felt like there was some sort of negative connotation to the folks who got into this absurd hobby and backed out a short time later. I don't think that way. In some abstract way, I'm a little bit envious of the folks that are fully content watching the game on Saturday and taking the kids for ice cream on Sunday. I just know that's not me. I don't judge, to each their own. I just know there is more that I have to do before I settle into the chesterfield and watch the world go by.

 

[ksanders]

In some abstract way, I'm a little bit envious of the folks that are fully content watching the game on Saturday and taking the kids for ice cream on Sunday. I just know that's not me. I don't judge, to each their own. I just know there is more that I have to do before I settle into the chesterfield and watch the world go by.

Exactly!

tonight we were in the resturant having a margarita and there was a cruiser there who has circumnavigated several times. Great conversationalist BTW.

But... He is alone. The itch he has makes him incompatible with relationships.

I am not to that level, and am glad. But I'm also glad I am not the guy watching golf on Sunday on the big screen tv.

Maybe someday, but not today. Too much to see and do.

 

[psneeld]

True that one doesn't need to start boating at 10yoa to become a cruiser, I was pointing out that I think some here that did, and many "cruisers" I have met through my own cruising, did too. I also have known a few rare ones that in a couple years went from their first boat to successful long distance cruising.

While adults can absorb faster can some youths, like everything that depends on the person and desires and ambitions. Going from boater to "cruiser" usually does take that "spark" on top of everything else, Kevin and others have mentioned.

Between my careers assisting boaters and a long time liveaboard and cruiser, I did learn that you certainly make less mistakes either by a lifetime absorbing a subject or pretty intense short period of time of study.

We often hear the great tales of those that sailed into the sunset with little experience on their first boat. Having recued or assisted many hundreds and hundreds of boaters or instructed newbies that never really got it so they never leave the dock..... gives me the confidence to say.... it takes a number of things to stay out of trouble when seriously cruising.

Casting off takes something special, but so does successfully and consistently getting to where you want to go.

 

[PierreR]

I think what is difficult for the human mind to understand is that the human body seeks conservation of energy and will not let you just let your mind run wild. The human brain gobbles a lot of energy and so we unconsciously reduce the amount of energy by making up stories we believe. We drop into states of being instead of realizing that everything is a choice and the stories are not real.
I can't is almost always tied to a story and self fulfilling. Take the cruiser who believes his itch is incompatible with a relationship. That is a self fulfilling belief but it isn't really true. I have got to have a diesel trawler of 40' to do the loop is a prime example of a belief that holds people back that isn't really true. You can do it in a John boat.
I can't is almost always untrue
That is not fair is always the excuse of someone who believes they are a loser
It takes way more money than I have is another that is probably not true.
I waited too long might be true. As we age our bodies conserve more energy and the might not be enough there.

 

[Frosty]

In some other threads, I felt like there was some sort of negative connotation to the folks who got into this absurd hobby and backed out a short time later. I don't think that way.

There is (and has for many years) definitely been that connotation. It's interesting. Why? I mean, no-one looks askance if you buy a convertible sports car and keep it for two years, then sell. You can try woodworking and then change your mind. Get into photography and on to something else next year. No big deal.

Thinking about it I wonder if it harks back to something I mentioned earlier. That is, that in previous generations (meaning up until maybe 15 years ago), boating (especially any distance) required skills that took some time to learn. Years maybe. It required giving up most of your ties to people you knew/back home. You gave up your job. You basically walked everywhere (no Uber). The boat was nothing like a house (meaning conveniences). You read paper books (the same ones, over and over sometimes) by kerosene lantern, etc.

So to get to that point and then just give it up was a big deal. You were basically just tossing out years of learning, practicing, etc. (Still not saying it would have been scorn-worthy necessarily).

Now it's different though. You can buy a boat (that is almost like a home and does have all the mod cons). Deck it out with charplotters, autorouting, joystick. Buy the services of a weather router. Bring your job, phone, Facetime with you. Grab an Uber or have your groceries brought to the boat while you watch their progress on your phone/map. Thousands of books on your e-Reader. Air-conditioning!

This opens it up to people who just have a 1-year idea (from the start). They have a mission. They aren't "boat people" necessarily. It's not "in their veins." They did not spend years learning everything from weather to splicing to getting a fix. They never intended to do it for more than a year. They will be off to the next goal by then so won't even hear the scorn (they will already be on different forums for the next thing they are doing).

So I don't know. Maybe it's the meeting of two different techtonic plates, time-wise. The older generation who had to ease into it, learn a jillion skills, give up so much to head out vs. the new gen that can just "buy in" for a year and do it and get out? Will this undercurrent of negative connotation still exist in 20 years? (I don't know.)

Of course maybe it's something completely different and I just typed all that mistakenly

 

[mvweebles]

In some other threads, I felt like there was some sort of negative connotation to the folks who got into this absurd hobby and backed out a short time later. I don't think that way.

When I was delivering, quite a few Nordhavn owners I met had a 2-3 year usage horizon by plan - then sell the boat and go do something else (grand kids was a frequent distraction). They often laid down a LOT of miles during those 2-3 years.

The active contributors to forums like TF and CruisersForum are lifelong boaters. We're seriously afflicted and cannot understand why anyone would buy a boat with the intention of doing anything other than making it a lifelong vocation. To us, the only reason to stop is death or debilitating illness. Only other reason is chickening-out - it's too hard/expensive/whatever. Never occurs to us that some folks have their fun and just move on to something else.

Peter

 

[Wtrguy]

They often laid down a LOT of miles during those 2-3 years.

In looking at hundreds of boats in the last 6 months, it seem Nordhavns typically have more engine hrs. for the year than any other boats out there. The folks that buy them seem to use them for extensive travel rather than entertaining at the dock.

 

[ksanders]

The whole idea of owning a boat, cruising for a couple of years and then moving on to other things makes perfect sense for many.

You can "cruise" on a motorcycle as one person on this thread did.
You can "cruise" in a motorhome as many do.
You can "cruise" by traveling frequently as many do.

The idea here is that having adventures is not limited to boats, and the very same types of people that are cruisers exist in many forms, and the same people that are cruisers today might be RV owners tomorrow.

The commonality between all these people is the internal need to explore.

Not all boaters are cruisers, and not all cruisers are boaters.

Since I retired a bit over three years ago we have visited 14 countries on three continents in addition to exploring extensively in our boat. We have friends on the other hand that had the dream of cruising, made it to La Paz, and stopped. The life just wasn't for them. They are dedicated sailors, and liveaboards, but they are not cruisers. The quest for exploration is not in their blood.

 

[psneeld]

In looking at hundreds of boats in the last 6 months, it seem Nordhavns typically have more engine hrs. for the year than any other boats out there. The folks that buy them seem to use them for extensive travel rather than entertaining at the dock.

Maybe that's because more than a few Nordhavn owners buy them "thinking" they are cruisers... but they aren't. They bought a boat most likely able to cross oceans but never do it. Sure they coastal cruise, but buying a Nordhavn to only coastal cruise just proves they don't really understand cruising and the different types of it.

Self fulfilling prophesies that may be factually untrue are usually pretty true to the people going through them. I have known countless people who want to do something but always find reasons not to. No matter how much advice you give them, like Alice in Wonderland....they believe what they want to and nothing shakes it.

Why I think there is a negative connotation towards people who want to become cruisers and do one year and get out is what I have been saying all along. Today's USA is way too full of people who love activities but really don't have a true hobby or two. Hobbies are something that consumes all your free time. Activity people are those that can afford bundles of equipment that fill garages, attics, storage lots, boatyards, airplane hangers, etc...etc. but do one activity for a very small part of the year. I don't have a problem with that until they start talking salty or brag about their adventure as "experienced", and so forth. They are having fun, are active and obviously (to a point) can afford all their equipment/vehicles, etc. Hurray for that, but don't kid a kidder.

As many say, it's a crazy world..... you bet ....but a lot of USA citizens forget just how fortunate they are to do dang near anything many only dream about. To the point of losing tens of thousands of dollars just to check off something as silly as the Great Loop done just to say they have done it. The bragging more than savoring the tens of thousands of great experiences other enjoy along the way as true cruisers to me is telling.

 

[kthoennes]

I think in contrast to owning a sports car or motorcycle or say a beach condo or a hobby -- woodworking, photography, whatever -- running big(ger) boats or serious boats and doing serious cruising is different in many people's minds. Buy a Corvette and then sell it, happens every day, or buy and sell the Harley. Buy or sell the beach condo or recreational property, happens every day. But there's still a glamour, an adventure, a bravery, a boldness involved in getting out there. Still smells very exceptional to a lot of people. Joshua Slocum, Robin Knox Johnston, Tania Aebi. Florence Arthaud. Look at the dozens -- hundreds -- of YouTube cruising channels with a zillion subscribers. I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky...! I try not to talk about my boat in casual conversation because it always feels like showing off to me, but when it does come up, people will usually ask, "What do you do with it in the winter, store it at your house?" Sure, yeah, behind the garage. I usually simply say, no, we let the marina store it, they take care of it. Of course what I really think is, dude, it weighs 26,000 pounds and it's 40 feet long, takes an 18-wheeler, it's not that kind of boat. But it's not even the boat per se, look at how Roberts Youens' Great Loop speed trip went viral last summer. There's still something glamorous and adventurous and exciting and brave or at least bold about getting out there. That's why people think of it differently when some of us walk away, by choice or otherwise.

 

[psneeld]

Daredevils and racers/record breakers, glory hounds, money makers and on and on are NEVER the same as people who do thing for the love of doing them.

 

[SteveK]

I am not a cruiser, that is why I am on a trawler forum.
I am a boater most of my life. I am fortunate to live in an area where another anchorage is less than an hour away (marinas too).
I have also gone 20 NM in an hour by speed boat to a better fishing ground. I also travel at Trawler speed (Hull speed) for several hours enjoying the scenery along the way because I want to get to a chosen destination.
I have chartered in Hawaii and BVI but have no desire to travel there by boat. I have gone 300 miles offshore because we wanted to test our navigation abilities to find an underwater mountain range 90 feet below.
I have been to SE Alaska by cruise ship and have no desire to go past the hundreds of anchorages just to go there with my own boat.
Cruisers are a different breed and I enjoy reading about their journeys.
I do not have the cruiser gene.

 

[mvweebles]

Maybe that's because more than a few Nordhavn owners buy them "thinking" they are cruisers... but they aren't. They bought a boat most likely able to cross oceans but never do it. Sure they coastal cruise, but buying a Nordhavn to only coastal cruise just proves they don't really understand cruising and the different types of it.

Self fulfilling prophesies that may be factually untrue are usually pretty true to the people going through them. I have known countless people who want to do something but always find reasons not to. No matter how much advice you give them, like Alice in Wonderland....they believe what they want to and nothing shakes it.

Why I think there is a negative connotation towards people who want to become cruisers and do one year and get out is what I have been saying all along. Today's USA is way too full of people who love activities but really don't have a true hobby or two. Hobbies are something that consumes all your free time. Activity people are those that can afford bundles of equipment that fill garages, attics, storage lots, boatyards, airplane hangers, etc...etc. but do one activity for a very small part of the year. I don't have a problem with that until they start talking salty or brag about their adventure as "experienced", and so forth. They are having fun, are active and obviously (to a point) can afford all their equipment/vehicles, etc. Hurray for that, but don't kid a kidder.

As many say, it's a crazy world..... you bet ....but a lot of USA citizens forget just how fortunate they are to do dang near anything many only dream about. To the point of losing tens of thousands of dollars just to check off something as silly as the Great Loop done just to say they have done it. The bragging more than savoring the tens of thousands of great experiences other enjoy along the way as true cruisers to me is telling.

Some buyers select Nordhavn with the slightly misguided thought that if it can cross an ocean, it can do whatever they need it to do. Or a close cousin of thinking: someday I might want to cross an ocean so buy a capable boat now.

But I think the majority of Nordhavn owners select them because (1) they are well constructed boats; (2) they are well thought out designs and comfortable spaces; (3) factory/owner support is superlative; and (4) strong resale value mitigates the upfront costs. For me, I've never had a desire to cross an ocean but if we decided to liveaboard and cruise full time (or even for a few years), a Nordhavn 57 would be a top contender....even if we just did the snowbird run up/down the East Coast and Bahamas (but not The Loop). It's a great sized boat for a couple and immensely liveable.

Peter

 

[ksanders]

I am not a cruiser, that is why I am on a trawler forum.
I am a boater most of my life. I am fortunate to live in an area where another anchorage is less than an hour away (marinas too).
I have also gone 20 NM in an hour by speed boat to a better fishing ground. I also travel at Trawler speed (Hull speed) for several hours enjoying the scenery along the way because I want to get to a chosen destination.
I have chartered in Hawaii and BVI but have no desire to travel there by boat. I have gone 300 miles offshore because we wanted to test our navigation abilities to find an underwater mountain range 90 feet below.
I have been to SE Alaska by cruise ship and have no desire to go past the hundreds of anchorages just to go there with my own boat.
Cruisers are a different breed and I enjoy reading about their journeys.
I do not have the cruiser gene.

I think you are the fortunate one.

Watch this video please. I have been reading these words since I was a boy, and have lived my life like this.

"The men that don't fit in" By Robert Service

 

[Nick14]

The philosopher Confucius said,

“A person has two lives. The second one begins when you realize you only have one.”

 

[Mambo42]

Most boat owner barely use their boats!!!!

That is true. We are now in Greece, we see all the dry docks full with thousands of boats and most of them have not even been into the water at all this year. It is still busy with charter boat, but in about a month we will be left with only the people who also spend winter on the boat. We have decided that this year we will cruise around in winter time, our boat has everything it needs to be comfortable in the colder temperatures, so instead of 9 months of the year on the boat we will be 12 months of the year on the boat.
However, when I see the amount of boats that are on the dry at this moment I can only be happy that they are on the dry ! Just imagine all those boats would be out on the water..........it would be total chaos.

 

[Barking Sands]

Great post and discussion. I hope to be retired (or retired enough) very soon at mid 50s. I dont know how far I will go when I have the time. I wasnt really motivated to "cruise". My main motivation to purchase a larger boat that had some capabilities and comforts was much simpler. Every time I went boating on the west coast of Florida to the various barrier islands in my various runabouts, Tritoons or Waverunners, etc ...I just didnt want to leave as night fell. I saw all the "regular" boats head home near dark. I was always the last to go. I am just looking forward to not having to leave the islands at night and to also be present again as the sun rises...lol. Simple pleasures. From there any additional exploration is a welcome bonus.

Some of you guys are on level 10 on the adventure scale. Ill be glad to be a 5

 

[Mac2]

Cruisers attitude? Not sure. Grew up on a lake with every form of floating object, including my first “boat “ which was 2x6’s on four 55 gallon drums. Fast forward to adulthood and the concept of living/cruising wasn’t even in my thought process until I went for a short cruise on my buddy’s 36 foot Carver. I was instantly hooked. I could care less where I go, how far I go, or what type of boat I go in. Whatever category that is, I will do it as long as I can.

 

[JackConnick]

Not to mention that, unless things have changed in the last 25 years, you don't even need to go through Dent Rapids to go from Washington to Alaska via the Inside Passage.

All these rapids should run at or near slack anyway. Even with some current against us my GB36 has had no problems. We do have twin Cummins 210s, but I've run these in my old sailboat which maxed out at about 5.5 knts.
I agree Seymore Narrows is easy, wide and much easier than Dent/Yaculta. The only issue is traffic. Heck, I've even dove the west edge of it a couple of times at slack...

 

[guy with a boat]

Daredevils and racers/record breakers, glory hounds, money makers and on and on are NEVER the same as people who do thing for the love of doing them.

They are very much doing those things for the love of doing them. They are just doing different things in different ways than what appeals to you.

None of the things you listed are on my list either, but I can fully support that they are legitimate pursuits for those that want to do them. There are lots of ways to have fun and people like different things. Doesn’t make one better than another.

 

[Frosty]

None of the things you listed are on my list either, but I can fully support that they are legitimate pursuits for those that want to do them. There are lots of ways to have fun and people like different things. Doesn’t make one better than another.

The line I draw is when people (such as recent looper trying to break a record) do things that are openly flouting rules and putting others in danger. eg: running fast (or at all!) while sleeping in inland waterways, planning to break speed limits in canals by bending the rules, etc. That's just tacky.

Of course you could point to the "old-fashioned" single-hander snoozing for ten minutes between look-arounds while crossing an ocean. That's not technically correct. But.... odds in their favor (and they are likely to come out worse if there is a problem).

Doing similar while zipping through populated inland waterways.... come on, just no. Seems like people trying to break records tend to do that sort of thing more.

 

[Frosty]

Every time I went boating on the west coast of Florida to the various barrier islands in my various runabouts, Tritoons or Waverunners, etc ...I just didnt want to leave as night fell.

That's similar to what got me. I grew up with smaller boats in inland lakes. That's what I knew (and they were great fun). The minute I found out there were boats you could sleep on... even live on?!

I knew I would have one as soon as I could.

 

[psneeld]

I may have over simplified my position. I was probably discussing the more extreme types in situation.

Sure they may have loved what they do at some point, now they love something more like the adrenaline rush, notoriety, money, etc...etc....

I am not saying any of those pursuits necessarily mean they don't love the activity, but some in each one or the people who do them all to an extreme/record/etc aren't doing it at least that time for the love of it.

They are very much doing those things for the love of doing them. They are just doing different things in different ways than what appeals to you.

None of the things you listed are on my list either, but I can fully support that they are legitimate pursuits for those that want to do them. There are lots of ways to have fun and people like different things. Doesn’t make one better than another.

 

[ranger58sb]

I think I've noticed there's a specific category of Loopers who heard of it, decided to do it, bought a boat with no experience, set out and maybe or maybe not made the whole trip, sold the boat, headed on to different pastures.

I think I'd not immediately categorize them as actual "boaters" except while actually during the process. Seems to me the destinations -- and the whole idea -- are the draw, not boating per se. (No criticism intended.)

Different from boaters who decide to make the Loop trip.

Maybe...

-Chris

 

[PierreR]

Well, you guys have gotten me to thinking. I have found lately to be in more of a flux state of change. For me it's not really about boating and I guess I don't fully understand what that is. As far as the boat goes my sense of satisfaction comes from a beautiful restoration. The older I get the more cruising is about the people and the destinations.
The current boat at 7-8 knots is just about the fastest boat I have owned for any period of time. Fast boats have all been under 20'. As of late, I am tending towards wanting to try much faster and slightly smaller.
The current ideal boat for my wife is probably a 55-60' Pluckebaum and her car nearby. For me it's probably a Hinkley picnic boat or a mid 30's Whisper Jet.
Funny how things changed for me when I realized I have aged out of remote long distance travel. Combine that with information at your finger tips to stay out of marginal weather and the current boat no longer looks ideal.

 

[Jeff F]

I think I'd not immediately categorize them as actual "boaters" except while actually during the process. Seems to me the destinations -- and the whole idea -- are the draw, not boating per se. (No criticism intended.)

Different from boaters who decide to make the Loop trip.

Maybe...

I'd make a distinction between 'boaters' and cruisers. But yeah, many are new to trawlers and extended cruising.

It's a huge undertaking and a steep learning curve when starting from scratch. For some that's part of the appeal I think. I have trouble putting myself in their shoes, being a lifelong boater and cruiser.