Looking back, way back, all of my sailor friends and acquantaces were
my age or close to it, young, energetic, and adventurous. Now, just
having made it to 70, I find that only two long time friends still
sail, but both only infrequently. Too arduous? Too risky? End of
romance in sailing? Too little time left to get to a destination? On
different days they often cite different "reasons."

Most of my "old" friends, who still have boats, have changed to
powerboats, as I have. In the past two years I have cruised over 2,700
NM -- in some comfortable degree of comfort, more, far more, than in
any sailboat I have ever owned, been aboard of can think of, no matter
their designs. I do like the comfort of power. The heads and galleys
are far more spacious, the berths are wide and long, the propulsion
and generator engines are fairly quiet, storage space is greater, the
speed underway is far faster (20+ kn average on my Eastbay 43)and
handling is good in high seas (6+ feet).

Has one's age and sail vs power become so closely related?

My guess the trend for older sailors to go to powerboats is:
degeneration of muscle mass .... loss of strength as one naturally
ages.

Its far easier to pull/push a throttle than to wrestle with a
flogging/sodden/angry sail on a pitching deck. Most of the 'oldsters'
that I know especiallly those who bought 'large' sailboats can no
longer muster the strength to handle them well.

On 22 Nov 2004 08:43:10 -0800, (anchorlt)
wrote:

Looking back, way back, all of my sailor friends and acquantaces were
my age or close to it, young, energetic, and adventurous. Now, just
having made it to 70, I find that only two long time friends still
sail, but both only infrequently. Too arduous? Too risky? End of
romance in sailing? Too little time left to get to a destination? On
different days they often cite different "reasons."

Most of my "old" friends, who still have boats, have changed to
powerboats, as I have. In the past two years I have cruised over 2,700
NM -- in some comfortable degree of comfort, more, far more, than in
any sailboat I have ever owned, been aboard of can think of, no matter
their designs. I do like the comfort of power. The heads and galleys
are far more spacious, the berths are wide and long, the propulsion
and generator engines are fairly quiet, storage space is greater, the
speed underway is far faster (20+ kn average on my Eastbay 43)and
handling is good in high seas (6+ feet).

Has one's age and sail vs power become so closely related?


As a geezer who still sails, I think I can understand all these
impulses. DIsclaimer--I won't be 70 until 2006.

My wife (64) and I still enjoy sailing a fairly sporty boat (J36). We
don't usually like sailing on more geriatrically-oriented sailboats of
friends. We have had the same boat since 1989, and notice that we sail
more lazily now than we did once.

We can sail as a catboat when we just want to get out on the water. We
often go several weekends without setting a spinnaker even though we
recently got a snuffer for it.

We can't predict how our health and strength will hold up. We will
spend the whole season next year cruising, since my wife will retire
in April. Maybe after that we will be ready for a smaller sailboat or
maybe for a power boat.




Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a


Does one child rape really change Strom Thurmond's lifetime record?
For better or worse?

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 18:11:20 GMT, Rich Hampel
wrote:

My guess the trend for older sailors to go to powerboats is:
degeneration of muscle mass .... loss of strength as one naturally
ages.

True. We have several guys in their 80s still racing in our club (but
usually helming, not grinding). A few of the sensible ones have given
up on the idea of 40 footers, and sold bigger boats after about 70.
They have switched to 22-25 footers and sail "fair weather only",
frequently with a younger crew.

Cruising couples in their 70s at my club regularly take a younger crew
or even a crewing couple on holiday and to do the grunt work. This can
work if you have separate sleeping quarters (master cabin aft, V-berth
forward) and duties are strictly defined.

R.

On 22 Nov 2004 08:43:10 -0800, (anchorlt)
wrote:

Has one's age and sail vs power become so closely related?

I dunno. I know plenty of 70 year old sailors. Maybe because it's
Florida, not someplace like Maine. Still, there has to be a reason
they're called "terminal trawlers."

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"Rich Hampel" wrote in message
...
My guess the trend for older sailors to go to powerboats is:
degeneration of muscle mass .... loss of strength as one naturally
ages.

Its far easier to pull/push a throttle than to wrestle with a
flogging/sodden/angry sail on a pitching deck. Most of the 'oldsters'
that I know especiallly those who bought 'large' sailboats can no
longer muster the strength to handle them well.

Gee, we will be 70 next month. I guess I had better start looking for a
trawler. No wait, I have one in that my little Fisher has a pilot house,
cruises well under power and if the wind is up to 10 or better sails real
well. I think I will keep it a few more years.

Leanne