The Cruising attitude is more important than the boat you choose

[Jklotz]

Those Harley guys! If you see my bmw on a trailer, call the cops. It's been stolen.

Hope it's not bad form to comment on my own post, but the beauty of traveling by motorcycle is you smell the smells, feel the air, hear the sounds and understand weather patterns. Your so much more in touch with the environment your in, as opposed to a car or a van. A lot of folks are interested in what you are doing and will engage in conversation. It's so much richer of an experience, a way to experience cultures different than your own. IMHO, a car or plane is the most boring way to travel. They isolate you from the experience. Boating is kind of like a bike. The only downside, again, IMHO, is that a lot of folks assume you are rich if you have a boat, which isn't always true, but that changes how folks interact with you.

 

[mvweebles]

Those Harley guys! If you see my bmw on a trailer, call the cops. It's been stolen.

Storytime. I was in a bar one summer afternoon 30-ish years ago in a small town in the hills west of Denver. The three other guys there were chatting-up the bar maid, all of whom had a 'fake biker veneer' to them (costume leather vest and all). I'm minding my own business but eavesdropping on their conversation.

They're planning their trip to Sturgis, and the tattooed barmaid, a strikingly tall Lynda Carter type with gravely smoker's voice despite being in her 30's, will be driving the chase-van with trailer.

Me: "Why do you need a chase van?"​

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Fake Biker Guy: "If one of our bikes breakdown, we don't want to waste time getting it fixed."​

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Me: "How far is Sturgis?"​

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FBG: "Over 400 miles!"​

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Me: "400 miles? Why not ride a bike that can go 400 miles without breaking down?"​

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FBG: "I ride an old Shovelhead - love the older bikes!"​

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Me: "When were those made?"​

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FBG: "1970's so they're pretty old."​

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Me: "Huh....doesn't seem very old to me. I wouldn't hesitate to hop on my bike and ride 400-miles and back the next day."​

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FBG: (with a sarcastic twang) "Yea....right. I'd put my bike against anything it's age. Whatcha got?"​

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Me: "1967 BMW R69S."​

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FBG: <cough....clears throat>....."hey, that's a nice bike. If I didn't ride a Harley, that's what I'd have."​

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Me: "yea, I know. My brother traded his Sportster for a BMW when he got tired of breaking down and pissing away his weekend......"​

Peter

 

[Jklotz]

Someday I might try a trailer for something like a lawnmower? Bought my current 10 year old BMW R1200GS with only 7,235 miles on her a few months ago. Put over 10,000 more on her so far. Last 2 BMW's circuited Antarctic to Arctic along both oceans before Covid. Had a pretty Rune who saw 8,000 before she found my driveway. I miss her, She and the first BMW burned with my house in 2014. "Rubber side down!"

Yessir, that's how it's done. I miss my old 1200gs. Mine had the solid wheels. I pancaked them going down to Ushuaia. She really should have had spoke wheels, but she got me there and back. Sort of, but that's a story for another day. Sure was glad I had an electric jacket once I got south of Rio Gallaos! But my goal was to ride until I saw penguins, and I did. I did do Alaska, but didn't make it all the way to Deadhorse. Hat's off to ya!

 

[PierreR]

Never got into the motorcycles but my bicycles cost as much as a motorcycle. You can hear the sounds of nature even more at 15-20 mph and the adventure is magnified just like cruising in a small boat.

 

[Mako]

the beauty of traveling by motorcycle is you smell the smells, feel the air, hear the sounds and understand weather patterns. Your so much more in touch with the environment your in, as opposed to a car or a van.

Interesting point. However you could easily say the same thing about sailboats vs motorboats.

 

[psneeld]

How about convertible cars/jeeps?

Having done them all, I think being tuned in is less about the vehicle and more about the mindset.

After a lifetime of outdoor activities, it was pretty nice to drive a workboat with a pilothouse. No it wasn't silent or airconditioned... but being partially out of the wind, rain, etc was a pleasant change.

Kevin even described, that someday sitting back and turning your focus from distant adventure to the mindset of enjoying what's close by in a different "mindset" should give similar pleasures.

 

[a_real_journey]

If you enjoy camping/backpacking, you’re going to absolutely love boating.

I’ve decided to take comfort in this comment and to pass it along to my wife. We’re still in the dreaming —> planning phase of buying a trawler or tug. Both of us love backpacking. I’m glad to hear some cruisers say they’re similar or scratch a similar itch.

 

[kthoennes]

Similar in some ways, but our boat is so much more comfortable than hiking/camping. Rocking to sleep on a cold night in a comfortable bed, water slapping the hull, waking up to coffee in the morning, sunrise on the upper deck. Beats sleeping in a tent on a rock or a tree root under your sleeping bag.

 

[psneeld]

Similar in some ways, but our boat is so much more comfortable than hiking/camping. Rocking to sleep on a cold night in a comfortable bed, water slapping the hull, waking up to coffee in the morning, sunrise on the upper deck. Beats sleeping in a tent on a rock or a tree root under your sleeping bag.

Yep, you can "Cruise Camp" or cruise in luxury.... it's a choice.

If you have to carry it for a bit, luxury becomes only part of the equation.

Have done plenty of both, the real teacher is survival training if you need reminding of how nice luxury cruising or glamping can be.

 

[mvweebles]

I think the similarity is independence and proximity to nature. A good friend has a beautiful power car with all sorts of creature comforts controlled off an iPad. For our tastes, the plushness is empty calories. We prefer the austerity of Weebles and being close to waterline when lounging (vs a sundeck layout or fly bridge).

We once drove a Miata from San Francisco to Florida. It reminded me a lot of my motorcycle days - couldn't carry much, but also met a lot of people. In our RAV4, nobody gives us a second glance at a gas station. Not so on a Miata (even more so with an old BMW).

For us, old, smaller, a bit austere is part of the overall experience.

Peter

 

[PierreR]

I’ve decided to take comfort in this comment and to pass it along to my wife. We’re still in the dreaming —> planning phase of buying a trawler or tug. Both of us love backpacking. I’m glad to hear some cruisers say they’re similar or scratch a similar itch.

You have the perfect opportunity to rethink what boat you want.
My boat is really comfortable and running stabilizers we generally don't put much away before embarking. My bicycle packing kit is very light, about 35 pounds plus 10 pounds for the dog and all of her stuff. Bicycle packing is on the expensive end of the scale but certainly I don't put comfort at the fore front.
I can say without a doubt that both scratch the explorer/travel inch quite nicely. While traveling on the boat I can say that I really don't get enough exercise and tend to eat too much. The opposite is true on the bicycle. Slow boats are even worse for getting exercise because you sit longer getting to where you are going. My wife has the same issue with our boat but is very balance challenged leaving us with little choice but a slow ultra stable boat that is set up for handicap.
The right boat for my wife is very different than the right boat for me to do the loop. We have the right boat for my wife. Me liking austere and adventure would be happier is something smaller and faster with far less complicated systems. Something like a small down east design. I have also toyed with the idea of an electric solar covered kayak with a long water line length.
There is no question if my wife was able to back pack and was adventurous we would be is a very different boat than the grandma/grampa trawler we have now.

 

[Jeff F]

I’ve decided to take comfort in this comment and to pass it along to my wife. We’re still in the dreaming —> planning phase of buying a trawler or tug. Both of us love backpacking. I’m glad to hear some cruisers say they’re similar or scratch a similar itch.

It's liberating. My observation is that many spend inordinate amounts of time and money trying to bring all the comforts of home. That's OK for some, but sets the bar to entry pretty high.

The lower the number of 'must have' items you have, the sooner you'll get there.

 

[Mac2]

I’ve decided to take comfort in this comment and to pass it along to my wife. We’re still in the dreaming —> planning phase of buying a trawler or tug. Both of us love backpacking. I’m glad to hear some cruisers say they’re similar or scratch a similar itch.

I have many pictures of myself sitting in my camp chair reading passagemaker magazine. I should have known my destiny back then. I had a trail raft and my best memories were floating around in the middle of an alpine lake. Good luck chasing your dream (half the fun).