How many does this apply to

[Madhatter]

You need to understand that I’ve always planned to sail off over the horizon some day, you know the dream. . .cross oceans, see tropical islands, find flying fish in the cockpit. . . but one way or another I got to be rather old, fat and tired without ever quite managing even to find the boat to sail away in.

 

[Athene V30]

Everyday life gets in the way of dreams. Mortgage, Kids, helping with Uni bills, redundancy....

 

[oldbilbo]

Tropical islands and flying fish, eh! That's not what you told me you were after.... after your third pint! e.g..... http://tinyurl.com/cpo6uw6

And you said you were taking on a 'prentice to help with the unloading/re-loading and erections..... http://tinyurl.com/cacq4kj

 

[C08]

Yes me too but my elderly parents in poor health, then wife's elderly parent in poor health and then SWMBO needing 6 weekly blood tests and regular consultant input...... Life just got in the way.

 

[Contest1]

Got the boat, got the silver hand shake, maybe next year if things go well.
Just a year or two in the Med, Canaries before last orders, PG.

 

[sailorman]

You need to understand that I’ve always planned to sail off over the horizon some day, you know the dream. . .cross oceans, see tropical islands, find flying fish in the cockpit. . . but one way or another I got to be rather old, fat and tired without ever quite managing even to find the boat to sail away in.

40 yrs in so far with my own boat, there is a mirror dinghy in there somewhere..
we are only now constrained by ourselves. i have no desires to travel great distances non stop, i / we enjoy the stopping off & poking about bit.

 

[stranded]

Just got the boat. 2 1/2 years til I can take my pension but am hopeful that redundancy will come sooner than that. Plan on going a fair way but scaredy-cat so planning on hopping round coastlines rather than striding across oceans except when unavoidable. Wife may have something to say about that though - she doesn't know fear. Mark

 

[TQA]

You lot just stay there in the snow and rain and gas shortages and NHS cuts.

We don't want you coming out here cluttering up the anchorages.

 

[stav]

Have the boat but SWMBO not interested had a real opportunity to a couple of years ago. Now stuck on Jersey with a giant mortgage paying school fees, wife thinks we have everything. Will I when older? Well actually probably not seems a lot of effort and feel tired of trying to achieve things. Also I actually just love a really good sail whether it is an hour, an afternoon, a day or a week bashing around the channel as long as the sailing is with some wind moderately warm and you have managed to go somewhere and come back under sail. Do you know just thinking about it makes me feel good!

 

[nimbusgb]

Got the boat, SWMBO gets motion sickness though. Oh well.

 

[Chrissie]

Ive got the boat and gradually getting it ready, I even changed my occupation some years ago, so as a self employed Yacht Surveyor I can work anywhere, kids have left home. What I have discovered about myself over the last few years of preparation and single handed sailing, is that Its not as much fun on my own.

Will I still go? I think I will continue to go off for months at a time, but keep my base at Gosport so that I can come 'home' and enjoy having friends arround to bore them all with my adventures!

 

[dylanwinter]

I realised that it would never happen

never earn enough for the big boat - too frightened to sell the house - kids full time students

so I started KTL - so far loving my sailing more than I ever have

Dylan

 

[sailorman]

Ive got the boat and gradually getting it ready, I even changed my occupation some years ago, so as a self employed Yacht Surveyor I can work anywhere, kids have left home. What I have discovered about myself over the last few years of preparation and single handed sailing, is that Its not as much fun on my own.

Will I still go? I think I will continue to go off for months at a time, but keep my base at Gosport so that I can come 'home' and enjoy having friends around to bore them all with my adventures!

i think that is right, i dont think i could just go off as a water gypsy ( in the nicest way ) cutting all ties. one needs a base & a group of friends to have the craic with, i like home too pottering about then back o/b for a while. i could not live o/b here in the winter, no way,too bleedin cold.

 

[lustyd]

Got the boat, SWMBO gets motion sickness though. Oh well.

oh well you'll miss her, or oh well you'll never go?

 

[lustyd]

Is that Its not as much fun on my own.

Then take someone with you, or meet people on the way The more we dwell on reasons not to go the less likely we are to go. I've realised over the years (admittedly not all that many) that I'm happiest when I ignore everything and do what I want to do. To be fair this is not long term thinking but it's worked so far.

 

[obmij]

I did it when I was young and didn't have a boat or any other responsibilities. Cheating I know, and I was supposed to be working towards a career but I thought fk it, live for the moment.

Good job I did. Now I have the funds to buy the boat, and a job that gives me reasonable freedom BUT I have a wife I love more than life itself WHO GETS INCREDIBLY SEASICK and yes she has tried, more than 2k miles over the years. Still, you can have a blast on land and sail coastal.

Mice and men and all that

 

[lustyd]

I did it when I was young and didn't have a boat or any other responsibilities. Cheating I know, and I was supposed to be working towards a career but I thought fk it, live for the moment.

Good job I did. Now I have the funds to buy the boat, and a job that gives me reasonable freedom BUT I have a wife I love more than life itself WHO GETS INCREDIBLY SEASICK and yes she has tried, more than 2k miles over the years. Still, you can have a blast on land and sail coastal.

Mice and men and all that

Are you saying that true bliss is a wife (or husband!!!!) that like caravans and train journeys?

 

[Tricia]

We bought our boat, decided to use her for holidays, weekends etc until we knew more and knew what we wanted in a bigger boat. Then realized we'd never be able to afford a bigger boat without loans, mortgages etc. so went with what we have. 12 years later we are still living aboard and travelling and loving it. Bluet may be small, but we get where we are going eventually. I love my boat and my life.

 

[Chrissie]

We bought our boat, decided to use her for holidays, weekends etc until we knew more and knew what we wanted in a bigger boat. Then realized we'd never be able to afford a bigger boat without loans, mortgages etc. so went with what we have. 12 years later we are still living aboard and travelling and loving it. Bluet may be small, but we get where we are going eventually. I love my boat and my life.

Sounds like you lucky guys have achieved what most of us dream about, so any tips? what were the biggest compromises? and what did you miss the most?

 

[Wansworth]

The personelmanager of a dredging company I worked for said the captains of his ships where attracted to the job as they liked the comings and goings in harbour and the close quarters shiphandling.I have a nagging feeling that Iquite like coastalsailing and fiddling about as oppossed to the wonders of the deep.