The clocks ticking,
- Thread starter steveeasy
- Start date
steveeasy
Well-Known Member
steveeasy
Well-Known Member
Some of you just think too hard. Only fancied an adventure not a lifestyle change. Ive just had an adventure at home, so I would quite like to raise the bar. quite simple really. oh cant stay away for too long as ive another little project to complete on dry land. Just want to get the most from my sailing while im lucky enough to have a suitable boat.
Steveeasy
Steveeasy
dom
Well-Known Member
What a beautiful and moving post.
Yellow Ballad
Well-Known Member
Seconded.
My wife isn't really in to boats but she supports me sailing mine. I dream of sailing far and seeing new worlds (to me and ideally with her but I'm not holding my breath) but if all I do is go sailing on my own I'll miss out on the wonderful things with my wife and lad. It's all a balance, do what makes you happy and do it whilst you can but don't do it at the cost of other adventures. Obviously if you can have those other adventures at the same time fantastic, it's a short life but we can pack a lot in to it.
Life is one big adventure.
mjcoon
Well-Known Member
I think you are implying that a keen sailor cannot also be a keen DIY-er and that tending to something you love cannot be other than tedious. Not true, surely?
Mike.
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Not quite what I meant, Mike, I was thinking that mending rather than sailing, may drive someone who mostly wanted to sail, into a state of deep discontent...although I expect there are people happier than me to spend more time maintaining than sailing.
I reckon fair DIY abilities are downright essential at most levels of boat-ownership...but I reckon the cliché of sailing away into the sun (which must have as many versions as there are people picturing doing it) is primarily based on the dream of sailing - not of working through a long, self-renewing list of maintenance tasks, but in improved weather.
If I'm happy with my DIY, I sail. I doubt many people sail away, cheerfully reflecting that they'll have to toil to keep the boat safe and habitable. However capable one is at DIY, doesn't a maintenance-hungry boat absorb most of one's allegedly 'free' time on board?
But perhaps it comes down to outlook - some people would rather be busy, even if the work wasn't the reason for buying the boat.
I reckon fair DIY abilities are downright essential at most levels of boat-ownership...but I reckon the cliché of sailing away into the sun (which must have as many versions as there are people picturing doing it) is primarily based on the dream of sailing - not of working through a long, self-renewing list of maintenance tasks, but in improved weather.
If I'm happy with my DIY, I sail. I doubt many people sail away, cheerfully reflecting that they'll have to toil to keep the boat safe and habitable. However capable one is at DIY, doesn't a maintenance-hungry boat absorb most of one's allegedly 'free' time on board?
But perhaps it comes down to outlook - some people would rather be busy, even if the work wasn't the reason for buying the boat.
PhillM
Well-Known Member
Thank you.
PhillM
Well-Known Member
My wife was not into sailing. She didn't swim, really hated water sports and tbh the only things she liked about the boat was a nice river trip on a sunny day and that it made me happy. Debbie bought Paean for me as a birthday present. Debbie allowed me the freedom and money to refit her. I suspect Paean will be my first and last "big" boat.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I find it disappointing that people are in a situation that they feel that they " have to get away" I am retired now, but I do not regret my working life ( yes, I made mistakes & wish that I had made some different decisions) I never felt that I was in a grind that I needed to run away in spite of the regular stresses that one always has.---------------- In retirement I have so much to do that I hardly have any free time. I go sailing( mainly solo) for 2 bouts of about 6 weeks each season plus some short trips. However, I would never go for really long trips ( have done round UK SH twice) any more as the attraction of home is too great. I love the UK& I have no qualms about the weather; it suits me fine.------------ The wife & I did try living the " dream" but she soon got on a plane & came home, I followed. It is not all it is cracked up to be. For us at least the loss of friends & the boredom of the one "activity" every day became monotonous. ---------------By "activity" I mean that life becomes so predictable, -----Stock the boat, read books, drink some wine, wander aimlessly around some port, looking at some half rotting ruin, mend a bit of boat, talk to someone & make the same idle chat, sail to another destination & repeat it all again. -----------------The problem is that one cannot break out of it. I could not go in my shed & continue making my model traction engine, or go to the model flying club, meet up with club members & fly my model planes, or paint my house, or go to the sailing club & help fit new seating in the lounge bar, meet my family every week etc etc.
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Crisby
Well-Known Member
For us it’s not a case of having to get away but wanting to get away. I started in my chosen career 30 years ago because it was something I loved doing and was lucky to meet my wife through it in the hard early years and we have shared many adventures through it. As the years have gone on the industry became increasingly competitive and a race to the bottom, something I once had a real passion for became “ just a job”.
So we now have the opportunity to follow a dream sooner, (on a smaller budget perhaps) than we originally thought but rather than escaping and running away we are chasing a different life to one which has become stale for us.
So I still say, if you want to and if you can then just do it!
So we now have the opportunity to follow a dream sooner, (on a smaller budget perhaps) than we originally thought but rather than escaping and running away we are chasing a different life to one which has become stale for us.
So I still say, if you want to and if you can then just do it!
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davidej
Well-Known Member
Do it. Go around the 1,700 Greek islands and then hug the coast line of the mainland; it will keep you busy for many years and you will meet lots of new people; unfortunately mostly Greek.
Really? From the news you might think they would mainly be Syrian/ Somali/ Nigerian/pick any other sub Saharan country.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
That is one of the points I was making- Is it not sad that it is " just a job". Never got to that stage myself. But the construction industry was a good choice, even though it was made for me!!!!
Simon__
Well-Known Member
I think there’s a few different points at play:
1) Go now.. we can’t predict what the future holds, so if the circumstances are right to “go now” it’s worth considering as the chance may not come again.
2) Retirement affords you freedoms few people still in work can obtain - 12 weeks cruising a year would be a fantastic compromise for a lot of people, I’m sure, but it would be hard to achieve while maintaining a steady income. With that in mind, the best option I’ve found is to consider a sabbatical.
3) Cruising can’t be that bad! You mentioned in the ‘broken dreams’ thread you were away a year and it didn’t sound like it entirely ended in your own terms. Could it not be that the way it ended soured your memory of the experience? You seem to still enjoy relatively long cruises so there must be some positives?
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
No disrespect but if what you want out of life is to to go to the model fly club and paint your house then moving on the boat and going off cruising isn't for you .
Many start being liveaboard after reading books , blogs or seeing films but not many will last the year out , others won't make two years because like you they miss out of the things they like doing or again like that they partner hates it .
Which for the likes of me , that's great other wise the seas be full of liveaboard.
For then that do enjoy cruising, the way you describe it , is nothing like most of us would . Boring and monotonous isn't two word that come to mind unless I was describing flying plane model or playing with model traction engine .
So there you are , thank god we not all the same , other wise we all be in our garden shed banging away .
People really need to think carefully, before leaving there land life , many who write here and on other forum , just do it , at time are the same people that wouldn't do it them self , so why encourage others I don't under stand .
Those who are considering it , should first make sure their own circumstances is right and just as important, the timing right , before encountering in such a big change in there life's.
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Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Of course not everyone wants to paint their house ( I have the painters in this week)- It was an example- The point being that if one leads a full life with plenty of variation then just going sailing as a liveaboard can restrict that "variation"
Your comment about blogs & books is very true. It was what lead us to go & we soon found that it was a mistake & that we should have read between the words-
Part of your post is very true & applies to many threads on this forum. the " just do it" brigade would never do it themselves but are happy to encourage others
Finally you suggest that it needs very careful consideration. You are dead right.
Your post is very relevant
Crisby
Well-Known Member
Please, don’t get me wrong, the majority of my career (in aviation) has been very fulfilling and has given me a lot of opportunities but now we have different adventures to pursue!
PhillM
Well-Known Member
I wonder if you mean the "just do it if you want to" brigade .....
Offering encouragement for an endeavour that the OP would like to do, is no bad thing.
Many people encouraged me during the refit of my old wooden boat, which frankly is an endeavour that most who were offering advice would not take on. Nor by the way, did I expect them to. Simply offering encouragement and sharing their knowledge was wonderful and one of the best parts of this forum.
GHA
Well-Known Member
And on the other side of the coin probably the most common sentiment chatting with cruisers at happy hour is "We just wish we'd done it sooner.." The one's I meet anyway.
The timing is never right on a a boat, people need to think carefully before watching the years go by wondering what if we'd gone cruising..
davethedog
Well-Known Member
We are looking to do this next year, will be 46 years old and retired.....initial plan is the Med for a protracted period and then wider afield. Prepping the boat now (extra solar, mossy nets etc).
Everyone's circumstances are different though, as so many have said.
Everyone's circumstances are different though, as so many have said.