Will you be a boater for the rest of your life?

[Tom.B]

Not really an age-related question because some of you old poops already have one foot in the grave ;-)

Nevertheless, I am curious. Will you, if you have the means, own a boat until you are unable to (or dead)? In other words--- Will a boat be in your will?

Sometimes I ponder how long I can, or better yet am willing, to keep this up. This is hard on a person if you let it. I WANT to do everything myself (or ask Bess to do it). I have no desire or means to hire someone to do all the work it takes to own a boat like ours. Therefore, I do see a sad end someday. Be it from financial or some dreadful debilitating disease that runs in the family.

Make no mistake, I love this lifestyle, but unfortunately, I see that this might have to end. Perhaps sooner... hopefully later. Just curious about the deep philosophical thoughts of our community.

Tom-

 

[koliver]

If you have salt water in your veins, as I do, there is no question to be asked.

 

[JD]

GonzoF1 wrote:
Not really an age-related question because some of you old poops already have one foot in the grave ;-)

Nevertheless, I am curious. Will you, if you have the means, own a boat until you are unable to (or dead)? In other words--- Will a boat be in your will?

Sometimes I ponder how long I can, or better yet am willing, to keep this up. This is hard on a person if you let it. I WANT to do everything myself (or ask Bess to do it). I have no desire or means to hire someone to do all the work it takes to own a boat like ours. Therefore, I do see a sad end someday. Be it from financial or some dreadful debilitating disease that runs in the family.

Make no mistake, I love this lifestyle, but unfortunately, I see that this might have to end. Perhaps sooner... hopefully later. Just curious about the deep philosophical thoughts of our community.

Tom-

Sailboat, Trawler, Motorhome and Old Age Home.

You just started one rung down the ladder.*

 

[Ocean Breeze NL]

I would have thunk you would be writing something like that Tom in about 35yrs time, not now????

Elwin*

 

[C lectric]

My wife and I hope that we can carry on untill we are carried away or finances force us out. We figure even if we can't go on the long trips up or rather west on our coast we still have the club dock to go to even if the docks suffer a few dings. Lots of folk doing that even now and some of them are in their late 80 - early 90s.

There are some things that I get others to do now rather than kill/cripple myself such as bottom painting. I learned a bunch of years ago to farm some things out. I tried to do it all and cost myself dearly, both time and money. Learned a lot but one of those lessons was don't do it all, there is still plenty to do.

So untill nature has some other ideas we will carry on as long as we can.

 

[pull]

If you have to ask the question, then you will never understand the answer.

Are you feeling burdened by your older Taiwanese trawler? There is nothing special about the problems you have had with your boat.

Fix the problems one at a time. Repeat - One at a time. At that rate you can stay ahead.

The day will come when you can cast off your dock lines and spend months at a time cruising, if that is what you want to do.

If cruising is not what you want to do then I'd sell the boat and buy a J-22 - I own one and there is no better way to spend a afternoon on the water. I'm glad I can do both.

Mike
Palm Coast FL
DeFever 40


-- Edited by Mike on Tuesday 21st of February 2012 11:24:01 PM

 

[Art]

Tom
*
The original owner of our 1977 Tolly tri cabin was carried off at 90+ years... that speaks for itself.* His 13 + year personal mechanic and shipwright (renowned in this area) kept the boat just a year at his own docks and really fixed it up for himself and family, then something occurred (divorce, I heard) where he suddenly lost interest and simply wanted to quickly sell and be done with it... I know from other boat workers in the area that he sold before he had opportunity to use it but twice.* Myself, Ive always dreamed of and hope to eventually end up dying on a boat while out in the water... my wife does not have the same dreams, so we shall see!* Good luck on your dreams!!*
*
Happy Boating Daze!* Art

-- Edited by Art on Tuesday 21st of February 2012 11:11:53 PM

 

[Woodsong]

For me, being on the water is mostly about being with family and enjoying life. There is also the inherent love of nature and being on the water but that can be accomplished with a kayak. *I really like the voyaging potential of boating though. *Before I was a boating addict I was huge into long distance backpacking (hiked the A.T. twice from GA to Maine). *Traveling by boat to me reminds me a lot of those wilderness adventures, albeit in a different format.

We had a period before we bought our trawler where we were boatless for about 7 months. After boating every weekend for literally 8 years or so before that, it was actually fun. We missed being on the water but were in no rush and enjoyed that time spent at home relaxing with the kids, grilling out, doing some home projects my wife had been waiting on for, oh...8 years, etc.

Keep it fun. Sometimes hiring some stuff out will allow you to have more fun than doing everything yourself. Yes, doing it yourself can be fun and satisfying, but after a while, it can be tiring to work at a job all week and then go work on an old boat all weekend. On our Monk refit we intentionally hired out the bigger stuff so as to be able to knock it out and let us focus on what we as a family enjoy doing and that is spending time on the water together. With our new boat our goal is to have most all of the stuff we want to do completed by spring this year so that we can just enjoy the boating part of boating.

As far as long term will we always be boaters....who knows. Right now i feel like i own so many I am likely to have a few laying around the yard somewhere that i have forgotten about so that will keep me from ever being boatless.




-- Edited by Woodsong on Tuesday 21st of February 2012 11:28:55 PM

 

[markpierce]

GonzoF1 wrote:
Nevertheless, I am curious. Will you, if you have the means, own a boat until you are unable to (or dead)? In other words--- Will a boat be in your will?

*Don't worry about us.* Do what you can do.

 

[Tony B]

Generally, when someone asks themselves this question it is because they have serious doubts.

Right now my wife (71) and me (65) have not even spoken about the possibility of moving off the boat, except for of course, onto another boat. We have been living aboard since at least 1998 (I think, maybe earlier) and will remain live-aboards.

She actually attributes her good physical condition to the live-aboard lifestyle.

We do some of the maintenance ourselves and hire out some stuff. Just depends on whether I feel like messin with it or not. When you get to the point that you want to do everything yourself on*your boat, on your motor vehicles, on your home, etc., you might find that you are always working on your toys more than enjoying them for what you bought them for. Everyone is different and has different likes and dislikes. Me personally, I bought a boat to go boating. I enjoy boating way more than fixing.

 

[Marin]

GonzoF1 wrote:
Nevertheless, I am curious. Will you, if you have the means, own a boat until you are unable to (or dead)? In other words--- Will a boat be in your will?

Yes, but it will not be in our will.* What we would like to do when we*can't use it anymore is sink it for a fish habitat.* We paid cash for the boat (I don't believe in financing my toys) and we did not buy it with any intention of ever getting a dime out of it when we can no longer use it.* So we are not counting on*or depending on anything it might bring in a sale to someone else.

 

[FF]

Will a boat be in your will?

Probably 2 or 3 boats .

A boat is a TOOL and like most tools is best used at a specific task.

 

[Tom.B]

Yea... This is just a long-term question. I think that once the day comes when we cast off the lines and disappear for months to the Bahamas, it will all be worth it. :-D

(Remind me not to post crap like this after a couple of glasses of wine. ;-) )

 

[Keith]

My boats are already in my will!

 

[BaltimoreLurker]

A request for a viking funeral will be in the will.* The ship is going down with me.

 

[rwidman]

GonzoF1 wrote:
Not really an age-related question because some of you old poops already have one foot in the grave ;-)

Nevertheless, I am curious. Will you, if you have the means, own a boat until you are unable to (or dead)? In other words--- Will a boat be in your will?

Sometimes I ponder how long I can, or better yet am willing, to keep this up. This is hard on a person if you let it. I WANT to do everything myself (or ask Bess to do it). I have no desire or means to hire someone to do all the work it takes to own a boat like ours. Therefore, I do see a sad end someday. Be it from financial or some dreadful debilitating disease that runs in the family.

Make no mistake, I love this lifestyle, but unfortunately, I see that this might have to end. Perhaps sooner... hopefully later. Just curious about the deep philosophical thoughts of our community.

Tom-

My wife and I only began boating about twelve years ago, but I expect to be boating for the rest of my life if I am able to do so.*

As for a will, well, it would just be part of my estate, nothing called out specifically.* My wife can be expected to outlive me so it will go to her and she will have to decide what to do with it.

 

[JohnP]

The answer is Yes.* Will it be a trawler--probably not.

A daysailor,or a kayak or something is more like it.

I had a Stonehorse by Eddy and Duff, I swear that thing could sail itself.

It had an engine- 1 lunger Westerbeke, but I could sail it in an out of the dock and tack in the slightest breeze, not bad for a vessel with a full keel!

Anyway the price of Diesel fuel is going to do it for me..* Not the expense of it--just the princple of it.* Somewhere between 6 and 10 per gallon and I am Done!

JohnP

 

[ksanders]

As we've aged, we've specifically purchased our last boat, one that is easy to manage by an old couple, or single handed if necessary.

Boating is in our lifetime plan.

 

[Fotoman]

Not sure I will own a boat until I die but boating will definitely be part of my life until the end. One way or another. I know at some point I might have to sell Willy to free up some cash for something else, so I will propably go back to chartering once or twice a year.

 

[skipperdude]

BaltimoreLurker wrote:
A request for a viking funeral will be in the will.* The ship is going down with me.

*Is that legal?

*I would love to do that.

SD

 

[Moonstruck]

40 years and counting. *The day I don't have a boat a big part of my life will be over. *Cruising, managing the boat and planning future trips keeps one foot out of the grave. *I have known people that have cruised well into their 80's. *If I don't spend the money cruising, it will just go to the kids. They say that they would rather worry about where Dad is now than to know where he is in a cemetary. *Gotta love my kids.

Besides, it's a hook for spending time with the grandkids. *They go to the mountains with us in the summer, and a week boat trip each year. *It's nice that they are always asking where we are all going this year. *This year it's the Bahamas again. *Our time with them is precious.

 

[ARoss]

I never owned a boat until I retired, eleven years ago, and even on other peoples' boats hadn't sailed for many years. Went from sail to trawler about 5 yr ago when the First Mate tired of winches, heeling, etc. My experience living in a retirement area where most of the boat owners are 60++ is that as we age, many of the couples sell their boats because one or the other of them cannot get around any more and doesn't feel safe aboard.

It might not be me that quits first, but if my Mate tires of the cruising life I will likely try something else as well. Maybe rock climbing.

Hopefully not for a while.

 

[ARoss]

Marin wrote:

Yes, but it will not be in our will.* What we would like to do when we*can't use it anymore is sink it for a fish habitat.* We paid cash for the boat (I don't believe in financing my toys) and we did not buy it with any intention of ever getting a dime out of it when we can no longer use it.* So we are not counting on*or depending on anything it might bring in a sale to someone else.

*I paid cash for my boat too, and resale isn't important, but even if I (or my heirs)* give it away, if it is still running, I wouldn't sink it. I'd hope someone might continue to enjoy the old thing.

 

[healhustler]

My Admiral and I are relatively new to boating (relative to most of you, that is). Working on my friends boats was all I needed to have a negative attitude toward ever owning a boat. Then in 2004, my new Admiral asked if we were going to do the "Miami thing" or not. When I heard that this involved having a boat, I said "NO WAY". Later that year, I gave in when I saw how important the expansive world of water was for her. I think the only way to maintain this necessary element for her is to be involved in boating. Over the next couple of years, I transformed my engineering interests to the study of boats, hulls, architects, etc.. Now, it seems I'm more hooked on the life than she is.

Since we have been entertaining many cruisers and live-aboard's at our dock, both of us have softened to the suggestion of living aboard someday. Our plan is to be full-time cruising in July 2013. I think our future in boating has so much more to do with the boating type of community than it does boat ownership, boats or even water. Among the cruising and live-aboard community, we see people with adventurous hearts, youthful spirits, a higher sense of self-responsibility, independence and curiosities that evolve the soul. I think what allures us most are being close to these elements in people, caring about one another, being considerate of one another, and sharing the experience with an enthusiastic camaraderie.

I don't mind the idea of my last breath being taken on the tidal wave that finally takes us all out, but curiously, I'd rather be at the top of the wave where I can ride it all the way to the very end. Since I'll likely do whatever I can to maintain my buoyancy, I guess that means I'm a boater (at least in intention) forever, and if the last breath turns out to be on the dirt in a wheelchair, I'll still be looking for the wave.

 

[Pineapple Girl]

I can't imagine not having a boat.* We don't have kids so we'd probably leave it in our estate and our executor can deal with it.* Hopefully we will maintain it until the end so it won't be too much of a hassle to sell.* We may have to drag along young relatives to help us when we get to where we can't handle the lines or what have you.* Or we will spend time on it at the dock, as we do a lot of now anyway...

 

[Art]

healhustler wrote:
My Admiral and I are relatively new to boating (relative to most of you, that is). Working on my friends boats was all I needed to have a negative attitude toward ever owning a boat. Then in 2004, my new Admiral asked if we were going to do the "Miami thing" or not. When I heard that this involved having a boat, I said "NO WAY". Later that year, I gave in when I saw how important the expansive world of water was for her. I think the only way to maintain this necessary element for her is to be involved in boating. Over the next couple of years, I transformed my engineering interests to the study of boats, hulls, architects, etc.. Now, it seems I'm more hooked on the life than she is.

Since we have been entertaining many cruisers and live-aboard's at our dock, both of us have softened to the suggestion of living aboard someday. Our plan is to be full-time cruising in July 2013. I think our future in boating has so much more to do with the boating type of community than it does boat ownership, boats or even water. Among the cruising and live-aboard community, we see people with adventurous hearts, youthful spirits, a higher sense of self-responsibility, independence and curiosities that evolve the soul. I think what allures us most are being close to these elements in people, caring about one another, being considerate of one another, and sharing the experience with an enthusiastic camaraderie.

I don't mind the idea of my last breath being taken on the tidal wave that finally takes us all out, but curiously, I'd rather be at the top of the wave where I can ride it all the way to the very end. Since I'll likely do whatever I can to maintain my buoyancy, I guess that means I'm a boater (at least in intention) forever, and if the last breath turns out to be on the dirt in a wheelchair, I'll still be looking for the wave.

*Healhustler - That is*poetic!* Real Nice Copy! - Art

 

[Per]

BaltimoreLurker wrote:
A request for a viking funeral will be in the will.* The ship is going down with me.

*I had to wiki that one, although I have viking blood I was not completely sure the entire meaning of that term.

As it turns out, a viking chief is cremated in his longship (on land) together with his slaves and other belongings (to enjoy in the afterlife).

 

[O C Diver]

Yup, till the day I die...........maybe longer.

 

[Boathommy]

As long as I am able . . .

 

[Phil Fill]

What do you mean by boater? *When we move off the Eagle we will sell it, but we will still have a 20 ft run which we will tow behind the land yacht, under 30 ft, *We retire in two years and will live on the Eagle in the warmer summer months, 60 to 90 days, and the land yacht in southern warmer climes during the colder winter months. We will probable have a boat of some kind until the REST HOME. ****