What you need to think about before cruising

Bull****. Just do it.

You'll soon find out what you can and can't cope with. What's the point in scaring the willies out of people before they've even tried it?

Cruising isn't some elite exercise that only the properly anointed can undertake. It's not rocket science and anyone can do it, though it does need some training and education before hand.

We should be encouraging people to go cruising instead of scaring the hell out of them before they start. IMO of course.
 
>Well worth a read and contemplation.

It's utter nonsense we went long distance saiinng with no sailing qualications but over 50 chartes from the Seychells to the Caribbean and Bahamas.
 
Personally I found this quite thought provoking. I didn't read it as a list of instructions but more as an individual assesment of what to expect from cruising and the different solutions to accomodating your personal wants and needs.
I didn't see it as scare mongering or 'elitist' but more a look at how two very different couples sail in the same challenging enviroment in very individual styles.

I see no harm in encouraging new or wannabe cruisers to think carefully about their charactars and requirements in order to tailor a cruising life that enables them to achieve their dreams. Seems wise to me!
 
Have to disagree with most of the above...

What the piece was saying was to take a good look at yourself, are you really up for this cruising lifestyle?
Heading south the first time I met a load of people who weren't - boats for sale when the reality was very different from the vague dream or quite often settled down in a nice spot. "We got fed up moving and liked it here so stayed"

Some people can't handle the insecurity, the constant change and lack of a base, it's a very good idea to have a good look at yourself. Nothing to do with sailing qualifications or any elitist rubbish.

Most cruisers revel in it.

I love it to bits :cool:
 
Just go for it. we went from both of us working to being retired and living on a boat just about overnight, no great lead in times, not much in the way of planing...... Made it up as we went along, found help where needed and had no regrets at all. Spending too much time thinking things through stops you doing it and then you find its too late.
 
duncan99210 said:
Just go for it. we went from both of us working to being retired and living on a boat just about overnight, no great lead in times, not much in the way of planing...... Made it up as we went along, found help where needed and had no regrets at all. Spending too much time thinking things through stops you doing it and then you find its too late.
Click to expand...

"Life is what happens while you are busy making plans......"

John Lennon.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

Roger Waters.
 
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Robih said:
"Life is what happens while you are busy making plans......"

John Lennon.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

Roger Waters.
Click to expand...
The grass may be greener on the other side , but you still going to have to cut it .
Sailaboutvic
 
I wasn't going to reply to this thread as I thought that was another "whats the best anchor thread", but I love the Morgans Cloud website and have real respect for John and Phyllis.

So i've just finished reading the Mogans Cloud write up on what you need to be made of to cruise. What I took away from the article was "You need to think about you as much as the boat and what you are capable of".

My Wife and I have a 1981 55ft Ketch, there are no electric winches (except the windlass), there's no inmast furling, reefing is traditional slab reefing, she carries a lot of sail for her size and weight and consequently can be quite tender. BUT...... we have sailed her over 6000 miles in the last couple of years and have just completed a 1200 mile trip with just the two of us.

I think like everything in life, its about the way you approach things, not what you have to deal with. What i took away from the article was know yourself and know your limits, then choose a boat and a cruising lifestyle that suits both of those things.

We recently met a French couple who bought their boat in the South of France 10 years ago with the plan of sailing the world but found out after not too long that maybe they were not capable of doing a circumnavigation and have stayed in the Med. ever since and are very happy, and you know what, that's fine, in fact good on them.

So my two cents on the subject rather agrees with MC, know yourself and choose a cruising plan that works for you and be happy to change your plans. Finally don't be put off by all the "you must have........" sentences that people spout, it's your boat, it's your plan, you're the skipper, you decide what you must have!! (except in some countries where the laws says different ;) )
 
GHA said:
Have to disagree with most of the above...

What the piece was saying was to take a good look at yourself, are you really up for this cruising lifestyle?
Heading south the first time I met a load of people who weren't - boats for sale when the reality was very different from the vague dream or quite often settled down in a nice spot. "We got fed up moving and liked it here so stayed"

Some people can't handle the insecurity, the constant change and lack of a base, it's a very good idea to have a good look at yourself. Nothing to do with sailing qualifications or any elitist rubbish.

Most cruisers revel in it.

I love it to bits :cool:
Click to expand...

I have to agree with this point of view - seeing it more a list of questions that any wannbee should be asking themselves. I too, in the 16 years I've been cruising seen the abandoned dreams, the unravelling relationships and the morose single-handers.

Still we all like to call ourselves "experts".
 
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