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Where are the younger people?

19K views 153 replies 53 participants last post by  TomMaine 
#1 ·
I have started cruising around recently and I am totally surprised by the age demographics of my fellow sailors. I'd say at least eighty percent, maybe mrr like 90 are over 60 years old.

I did by grow up around boats and maybe this is a regional thing but it is not what I expected. I have always thought I sailing as the water equivalent of driving a Land Rover across Africa or something so I thought the people out here would be 20-50. It's such a hard and outdoorsy sport, almost I thought it woul be adrenaline filled, water flying over the bow, quick quick quick reef the main, oh no! Sheet out sheet out! But with the temperate weather it's more sitting and "cruising".

I'm sure it can be anything you wan it to be. For example today I got to go aboard a guys Catalina 42 mkII. It had a lot I conveniences I did t know where so common. I thought sailboats were smaller and more basic. This had electric winches. Generator. Two tvs. Two showers. All lines ran to the cockpit and a full enclosure. We talked about it and he say he never had to go on deck except to remove the sail cover if he plan to raise the main that day. So you could sail in more ease than I thought possible. The majority of the boats I'm seeig look like this one. Push a button an the autopilot tacks for you.

Is this the face of the modern sailor? Not a sunburned, torn pants, looks like he's been castaway on a deserted island? Do younger people not sail? Or do younger people not cruise. If I went to a marina in a city would I see a greater mix or not. Say Baltimore or Newport beach. What is it like there? Who owns boats and who sails?

I am not criticizing I am only observing. Not trying to say set people cannot or should not sail. Maybe I would say that more young people should. But or all I know they do. When I go to a new marina I find myself slightly out of place. It is definitely geared for bigger boats and older people. I woul describe the atmosphere as not unlike a marine RV park. Not really people partyin on the docks after a crazy sail.

It also goes to the advice I have received on where I want to go. Everyone recommended me go to these really remote wilderness spots. Where I would like more to do. I like the wilderness sometimes, but have been having more fun when there is something on shore like a cool town, which is more of what I am going o be seeking. Otherwise if I ask people where go I go its like go to X island. It's in the middle of nowhere and there's a hiking trail and great anchorage. It's lovely. Harold and I went last year and spent a couple weeks and only saw five other boats.

I kinda like seeig other boats! What you guys call a crowd is NOT what I call a crowd. To me I am pretty much one step away from the total wild. It's nice but also nice to go to a lively own and see more stuff. Maybe I should have called my post My Observations from a new cruising prospective.
 
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#2 ·
Most of the relatively younger people I run across are in the fast lane. They want everything fast, internet, cell connections, cars, women/men, food and yes, boats, thus eliminating sail boats - well at least most sail boats. Those of in the older/elderly category want things a bit slower. We don't need fast: Internet, cell connections, cars, women/men, food, or boats. Approximately 99-percent of the sailors I met in south Florida were over 50 years of age, and at least 80-percent were over 65 years of age. Captain Jack, who lives aboard a 28-foot sailboat in Marathon City Marina, was 91, still hitting on the younger ladies, and says it's the slow and steady lane for him. ;)

Good Luck,

Gary :cool:
 
#3 ·
I don't see a lot of smaller sailboats in our area--the kind a young family might be able to afford. When we got started in the early '70s there were a lot more small boats and a 30' boat was considered "big". Nowadays it seems that an entry level sailboat is more likely to be in the 22-25' range and your "big" boats are over 40'.

Given that the average boat size has grown over the years, sailing may appear all the more beyond the reach of many young sailors.
 
#5 ·
I think half of the answer is that you are sailing in the off season. For folks who can only take 2-4 weeks off of work per year they are probably going to wait until it is a bit warmer to go cruising. Everyone says that the Gulf Islands are pretty quiet at this time of year, it is July and August when they are crowded. Jonathan Raban's "Passage to Juneau" demonstrates this well because he sails north on the inside passage in April and south in July and talks about the differences.

When I cruised the San Juans last summer most of the other folks seemed to be middle aged, often with kids, mostly in 30-40' cruising boats that were made in the 70s and 80s. It's true that our Catalina 25 (the one that you met me at about a month ago) was smaller than most of the other boats, but rigging seemed to be about the same. I talked to a lot of other cruisers about their boats and didn't run into any with electric winches. That might be partially self selected though, because I tended to talk to those who owned boats that drew me in.

I have many friends in the Seattle area who are in their 30s and enjoy sailing. Some of them own their boats, some don't. They might get a week of cruising in a year since they are busy with work, family, and other pursuits much of the time. Often "cruising" means 3-4 day trips down here because there isn't time to get up to the islands.

You have a rare chance to cruise at a fairly young age for a long period of time. That'll mean that you see fewer other cruisers your age, but it's still something that I know I'm jealous of.
 
#6 ·
I am still pretty young (45). On behalf of the pretty young people (not the people who are really young . . . them bastards), I want to say: your post was way too long to read!

That said, I think you have a point of sorts. Many cruisers are in a retirement mode and of retirement age. You don't want to be a retiree do you? If not, what you want out of your boat and the water is different. Think about that -- make it meaningful. If you just want to drink in marina bars then maybe you aren't that different than the old crowd. Don't worry so much about how others are doing it. How will YOU do it?
 
#7 ·
Also it's still school season and those younger cruisers' kids are still in school. Things will shift somewhat come July.

Most cruising boats will likely have many of the amenities you've seen, but many won't. We have refrig, a dodger, cabin heat but not a lot more and comfortably spend 6-8 weeks aboard each summer.
 
#8 · (Edited)
<snip>
Is this the face of the modern sailor? Not a sunburned, torn pants, looks like he's been castaway on a deserted island? Do younger people not sail? Or do younger people not cruise.
You got it, bub.

In 'Murica, we gots two kinds of young people; the kind that Gary described (in the fast lane), or the "risk averse". The kind that thinks that an Xbox360 is the gateway to greatness, thus spending their lives on the sofa, with a Hotpocket in one hand, and a 1 liter bottle soda in the other.

If you're young, living aboard, and actually sailing, I applaud you. Do it. Don't be put off by the "RV" demographic in the marina.

Last year, I was living aboard and noticed the same thing. There were 2 other liveaboards near my age (40) in the marina. One took a job, and sailed his boat down to Norfolk, and the other snapped his leg in a freak accident and had to live with family while he healed.

I felt pretty alone. In fact, one of the other marina inhabitants commented that I "make the rest of them look bad" because I lived aboard, and actually sailed most afternoons after work, and cruised for entire weekends. :rolleyes: Shocking I tells ya, just shocking.

Here's another news-flash for you:

Women will LOVE you. At first. You're young and wild, and passionate. "You live on a boat? How exciting!" But then...that stupid "sailing" thing will get in the way. "You need to grow up, settle down, get a real job. How long are you going to live in that tiny, stinky boat?"

A wise, Kiwi friend recently explained it to me: Women adore passionate men, but they hate whatever it is that we're passionate about.

You might, just might, find someone who shares you passion, but it's equally possible that you'll be stuck alone, surrounded by people who just don't get it. People who think sailing is just a "casual hobby".

Don't let it deter you though. Sail, travel, and cherish a freedom that most in the U.S. don't have, and don't even realize exists. Once you give it up, it's nearly impossible to get it back.

Here's some younger folks doing it right, to inspire you:
 
#10 ·
hello I started to crew when I was 26 didn't get to go out as much as I'd like tho because the guy who owned the boat would only go out on perfect weather. Then I took 2 weekends of sailing classes on flying j s.

now I seem stuck..I might be able to afford a boat but he'll if I have money for a slip or repairs. I have been around boats enough to know where all the money goes bye bye..

tons of time and no money is my problem lol
 
#11 ·
I think Gary has it right. If you define age by a number you miss a lot. At 66 I am a hell of a lot younger than some of my 35-45 friends, but I am old based on a couple of 75 year old friends. I am comfortable, too bad you aren't!

Sailing is not a inexpensive sport. Lots of competing priorities when I was younger ( faster boats one of them) and now I am lucky enough to have both. Keeps me young and I like it. Tell me I am old and I will tell you to...well, never mind I got in trouble for that once.
 
#12 ·
Mr Ritz it might not cost as much as you think.

The comment about women will love you. At first. I think that's sooo spot on.

The best way I can describe more of the people I thought I would see would be European backpacking types. It's still very early I know. You read about about like lonely planet type backpackers doing adventures so I'm waiting to see them here yet.

I don't drink so No marina bars which is a good thing and a bad or rainy nights like this. I'm goin to go to Seattle too so I'm see what types are there. I think the San Juan Islands(and Gulf) have an older demographic in the first place. I know port Townsend where I started is in the oldest county in Washington by a lot. But I'm sure that's not all there is.

Since I was thinking about this subject today I picked up a magazine and it was the blue water special so it's main Artie was about a couples four year circumnavigation and I thought before I read it. Ten bucks they're retired and. They were.
 
#15 ·
Mr Ritz it might not cost as much as you think.

The comment about women will love you. At first. I think that's sooo spot on.

The best way I can describe more of the people I thought I would see would be European backpacking types. It's still very early I know. You read about about like lonely planet type backpackers doing adventures so I'm waiting to see them here yet.

I don't drink so No marina bars which is a good thing and a bad or rainy nights like this. I'm goin to go to Seattle too so I'm see what types are there. I think the San Juan Islands(and Gulf) have an older demographic in the first place. I know port Townsend where I started is in the oldest county in Washington by a lot. But I'm sure that's not all there is.

Since I was thinking about this subject today I picked up a magazine and it was the blue water special so it's main Artie was about a couples four year circumnavigation and I thought before I read it. Ten bucks they're retired and. They were.
its cheap while you are living aboard not when its dock or something is broken. Things being broken I suppose depends on how badly I get screwed on that 1100 dollar Catalina huh lol
 
#14 ·
I always react to this kinda question with wtf I'm out there aren't I then stop and then remember that I used to scoff at old people my age who thought they were young.

The fact is my sailing life took a break between my late teens and my early thirties. I was starting a career and didn't realize during that period that there were many older folks who would have been happy to have me as crew for free. Just didn't occur to me.
 
#16 ·
But how much does that 1100 dollar Catalina cost to fix? My brother had a mid year ford ranger. I think last year he spent 2500 fixing stuff. Maybe if you have to have a boat instead.

You'll save on gas and that can go towards your boat. I just got boat gas for the first time this week and it took 2.4 gallons. I could use that in my car in a day no problem.

I had a Catalina 22. I don't think much if anything broke. Just get it and sail it. You'll be surprised.
 
#17 ·
Based on my observations, every since the '70s, sailing has been a dying sport/activity. Many of us who own boats are older, and grew up during the heyday of sailing. Sailing does not have great appeal among most younger folks, for the reasons Bubblehead articulated. Given the demographics, we can expect a significant decrease in the sport/activity toward mid-century, when we die.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Agreed... Hell, even among the demographic that can afford to purchase today's highest-quality production sailing yachts, the interest in sailing is declining, and morphing over to power boats...

Here's the latest sad sign of the times:

Sabre Yachts has ceased production of sailboats...

At the current time, Sabre Yachts is not building any of it's sailing models.

While demand for sailboats has remained weak throughout the market, and is still well below recession levels, the demand for our power boats has never been stronger.

Photos of Sailing Yachts hand crafted in Maine USA | Sabre Yachts
 
#18 ·
We're missing the obvious. The median income is waaay down in this country and the under 35 crowd has been hit by this disproportionally.

For my generation (I'm 48) you came out of college, bought a house and started a family. A few years later as your career progressed you could start to think about things like motorcycles and sailboats.

Close to 50% of college grads today move back in with their parents because their school loans are the equivalent of a mortgage. For those who don't go to college the days of getting into a union where you could earn a good wage and have benefits are pretty much over.

There are certainly nuances to this, but the underlying economics play a huge role.

Think about it this way. When I was in school we all worked in McDonalds or the mall to earn beer and gas money. Walk into a fast food joint today and it's not kids but adults in their 20's and 30's behind the counter. That tells you a lot. That 30 year old working at McD's certainly isn't thinking about buying a sailboat.
 
#119 ·
Yep. Thats the way i see it too. Employment was how i made a living before i became a high-paid sailnet moderator!! It is a disaster out there for a lot of the new generation. Wont get too political, but i dont see it really getting better either. In fact, i think it will get a lot worse eventually.

That being said, many young people have kids and very demanding jobs. They dont get a lot of time off and what they get may be better invested in soccer games and school plays and fixing junk around the house. Many of todays mom and dads both have to work to make ends meet and often put in 60 plus hours a week.

How do you fit sailing into that? Answer is you dont or you are someone that is very committed to it (both of you).

Sad really.

I am the guy that committed to it. First fixed keel in my mid 20s. Moved aboard at 29. Had my son on board at 5 days old. Thirteen years later and I am now typing this from the keys - on my boat, enjoying life. But i had to commit to it. Most people wont do that and theres nothing wrong with that. Too bad though because its a great life
 
#21 · (Edited)
Northocean, you make some great observations.

Where are the young people? Where are the small boats?
I think the two questions are inter-related.

First, though, the pool of adventurers is smaller, with a different set of role models than the role models those sailors over 40 have/had. I think that if you haven't had an exposure to sailing during your teens, the odds that you will become a sailor in your 20s or 30s are significantly reduced... and sometimes that exposure can be as simple as a book or a movie.
Growing up in the 70s, we had bell bottoms, big hair and "Dove."

"Dove" showed a whole lot of us that it could be done- the blue water life was attainable.
The 60s and early 70s were the golden age of sweat equity dream-fulfillment. Those who tuned in, turned on and dropped out often picked up a crapload of cheap ply or some chicken wire and cement and built themselves a boat to go sailing.

"Yeah!" said the average early 70s family.

When you look at how many old Piver trimarans and Samson ferro-cement ketches are still haunting marinas around the world 40 years on, it seems like every damn backyard, boatyard and junkyard on the planet must have had at least one half-completed hull during the early 70s.

During the 70s it seems like every family had a boat, or you knew somebody who had a boat- if you had a boat you sued it, and your kids invited their friends, and their friends parents weren't worried about their kids going sailing. Remember, this is back in the day when mom would throw you out of the house on a Saturday morning and tell you not to come home until the streetlights came on.

Oh, and we had video games- "pong". fun for five minutes, but not worth holing up in the rec room all summer to play. "Pong" or the marina where there are bikini-clad chicks? It was a no-brainer.
Later, in the 80s, anybody who was cool in television or film lived on a boat. The really cool lived on a sailboat.

So, those over the age of 40 have a pretty solid body of exposure to the sailing life, on a large, but possible, scale.

Flash back to the 70s, and most boats had anemic showers, cramped quarters, no tv, an icebox and a stove. Most people were okay with that, because, back in the 70s the average kitchen did not have a microwave, the average living room did not have a vcr, a BIG tv was 27", and people were cool with the idea of cruising being a way to get away from all of that technology, and getting away from the rat-race.

If your formative years were the 90s- by this time "Dove" was a quaint bit of history, largely forgotten, or largely dismissed as irrelevant and Sonny Crockett had sailed "St. Vitus Dance" into the sunset because...

Winning the rat-race was more important than getting away from it. Those who bucked the trend and stepped off the pace were viewed as suspect. Consumerism, bigger, faster, better, shinier, louder, NOW! was the order of the day, and we wanted to pack our lives with as much of the explosion of new technology as we could. TVs became bigger and flatter and the internet became faster and offered more porn and ebay and "Pong" wasn't even a memory in the world of "DOOM" a game you could, nay, had to play for hours to enjoy. NOBODY tuned in turned on and dropped out anymore because if you didn't get a degree you were gonna be left behind. You had to go to college, you had to go $100,000 into debt to get an entry level job that pays $30K a year. Every house had a microwave or two, more bathrooms, more convenience- almost every new car had power windows and locks and A/C and we had more connectivity...
...and it scared the hell out of us.
With 24 hour news and the internet and riots in LA and more crime and new crimes with new names like "carjacking" the world now seemed a whole lot scarier, and people lost their sense of perspective- the anomaly became the accepted norm, and "coccooning" became a catch-phrase. People stopped adventuring- instead they made theri homes their nests, with central air and home theatres and reclining sofas and....
...and attainableboats still had simple stoves, no AC, weak showers, (if they had showers at all) and everything required actual grunt.

"Ew," said the average 90s family.

Big fear, big debt and an attachment to luxury- three strikes against going cruising if you were born after Kurt Cobain chewed on a shotgun.

It seems like every sport that involves some risk, effort and extended periods away from home are in decline- mountainclimbing, hanggliding, hiking.

So here we are today, and I'm seeing signs that the 70s might be coming back. The Sunderland kids and Jessica Watson and Laura Dekker are the "Dove" for a new generation. I hope so.
 
#31 ·
Big fear, big debt and an attachment to luxury- three strikes against going cruising if you were born after Kurt Cobain chewed on a shotgun.
Beautiful analysis bljones. Although I would put "big debt", and all the related financial realities as #1 by a long shot. The simple fact is that the middle class has been decimated over the last 30 years. We now spend hugely more on the basics of life than we did a generation or two ago. Saving are in negative territory, and people have fewer and fewer options simply to survive in our western societies. This is not due to a growing avarice, laziness or selfishness of "those kids today," but due the reality that two incomes can't even compete with the buying power of one a generation or two ago.

If you don't feel secure about keeping a roof over your head, being able to put food on the table, and saving a little for old age, then you're sure as heck not going to be buying boats, getting into hang gliding or treking off on some long mountain trail.

Cruising in a small boat has always been the domain of the relatively rich. How many from the so-called "third world," or even the "developing world," has there ever been in the fleets of long-term sailors and cruisers? Almost none. Why? B/c they don't have the security that our societies used to provide to the vast majority of us. Thanks to the victory of neo-liberal thinking -- a victory brought about by the baby-boom generation -- those days are quickly receding into history.

There will always be those who can buck the trends of their day, and strike out on their own. But it is hard to dream the big dream when you're running as hard as you can, just to keep you and your family safe and secure.
 
#22 ·
I'm guessing that 29 (me) and 27 (my wife) counts as young? Not cruising yet, but we do have a 26' boat (S2 7.9) on our local lake that is able to be trailered. We intend to take it to larger bodies of water (Kentucky Lake, the Great Lakes, etc.) in the near future for 4-8 day cruising adventures. Still learning (its the first boat that is 100% ours, and the biggest one we have experience with, and we just got it 3 months ago). The intention right now is to sail the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks out of this boat for a couple years, then, if we are still liking this sailing thing, sell everything, buy a bigger boat, and cast off for parts unknown.
 
#23 ·
bljones:

I was born in 1983, definitely a "child of the 90s" ...but...I grew up on a farm...had a 19" TV that was nearly never on...wasn't allowed to play "Doom" (Mom caught me playing Wolfenstien 3d once...made me delete it)...was thrown outside and told not to come inside until the fireflies came out..and my idea of a good time was when my cousins would come over and we'd build hay forts in the barn, shoot each other with "pea shooters" [hollow aluminum arrows that we would use as blow guns to shoot soybeans], and whack at each other with wooden swords playing "capture the flag." My parents' idea of a good vacation was either hiking in Glacier National Park, or (the lap of luxury for us) going to a guest ranch in Colorado. I'm guessing that my upbringing is very non-typical for my generation...
 
#24 · (Edited)
I think there are a lot of younger people doing things besides playing video games these days, but those things may not be sailing. Case in point, I spent nearly 2 years in my 20s backpacking around Europe, and I was far from the only person doing it. It wasn't exactly the most common thing to do, but there was never any shortage of other young people around doing the same thing and "living the dream".

Now that I'm in my early 30s, I find that I'm the youngest person in my marina by at least 15 years (not counting powerboats), and my 19-foot Typhoon is the smallest except for maybe one or two on trailers. When I tell people I actually sometimes overnight on it the reaction is pretty skeptical.

I do a lot of camping, and there is always sort of a cultural and age divide between the tent sections and RV sections of the campground, but the sailing world seems to be limited to the RV section. I'm not sure why that is. I do think it has to do with the perception that you have to have a lot of money--most people my age I talk to have this general idea that "a boat" must cost about $100,000, but when I explain that it can easily be done for less than a good used car, and that my monthly expenses are about what most people my age pay for a smartphone plan + cable TV, they start to understand. It is still a very foreign idea to most people though.
 
#25 ·
Look at the guitar hero phenomenon. Kids who simply will not take an hour a day to learn guitar - which WILL get you laid- will spend hours daily on guitar hero- which will not. Why? God only knows. Not much makes sense to me- I mean not much about us ever has- but the last few years I've just completely disconnected, simply can not relate anymore. The overriding desire for comfort, which leads cruisers to pack everything you've heard of x2 (see cruising dads very amusing definition of cruiser/ packing list) alienates me, the overriding desire for safety confuses me- I view it as nothing more than avoidance behavior, as seen in a soft dog- you see it in retriever training, soft dogs will just fail to attempt certain scenarios- and struggle with concepts, cuz they might get nicked with the collar. And finally the constant craving for convenience- so now we have instant Starbucks coffee- cuz the 4 minutes wait on a French press could well prove fatal I suppose. Heinz ketchup in squeeze bottles... It's a metaphor for the decline of western civilization. Then you meet folks out cruising who look at your age and get resentful or scandalized- assuming you haven't "earned it" whatever that means...
 
#28 ·
So many variables here. Let me add another I would venture to say there are still plenty of young people sailing, just not necessarily in the area you go to. maybe they are in small trailerable boats, hobie cats, lasers, 22 footers easy to maintain, Many are not interested in living aboard a boat as well.

Many of the young people, however like the rest of us they are raising families, have younger kids so a boat is really a luxury on the list of things you children "need" and come after things like clothes, food, and their activities.

With many young Also so cruising and dropping of the regular grid is just not an option to them, their careers will take a hit. Maybe some have priorities than yours different like helping other people, contributing to society as doctors, nurses, teachers etc. and see that as a greater calling than just taking off into the great wilderness.

These same people when they reach their 50s/ 60s/70 still have the calling to travel and do what you are doing so they go cruising to parts unknown and that's who you are seeing. By that age you have more money and also can afford to put ammentities on your boat as well as get a larger boat.

Understand I am not passing judgment here just stating what I see. Most of the younger people are career oriented or family oriented and their priorities are definitely different.

My wife and I are in our late 50s and looking forward to the day we retire and get to sail in the islands for 5 months a year and on the Chesapeake the other 7 months. me more than her However now we still cruise quite a bit...almost 3000 miles a year if you look in our logbooks. My wife as an example is still working...( my wife is a newborn nurse) and will have a hard time giving that up to go sailing full time as she feels she is helping and contributing to others well being. This may be a choice a lot of people make

Sailing off and cruising is very individual and in a way " me" self directed. Hard to do with children as you are more selfless with your time to them or when you feel you are contributing to society as a whole. Again no value judgment, but most younger people chose a different path than you that's all. In the end you have to balance and do what makes you happy.

Dave
 
#29 ·
chef2sail:

I think that you are spot on with most younger people being career and/or family oriented. "Cruising" can/could/likely will put a damper on that. I think the difference with my wife and I and our willingness to give that up is two-fold, one being our rural upbringing, and two being our current career situations: Me being an engineer for a faceless corporation and not feeling like I'm really making much of an impact, and her being in higher education ("academics") where she SHOULD feel like she is making an impact (and does...on the students) but has to deal with ridiculous politics and general inertia that drives her nuts. As far as "family oriented," I don't think that cruising has to sacrifice that, see "Windtraveler" or "Anasazi racing" blogs for good examples of that..
 
#30 ·
a few of the people I work with are "boaters" but I am the only sailor. They all talk about how big their engines are and how fast the boat can go and how quick they can make it to the wreck to get a few hours of fishing in.

good for them, at least they are getting out there.

But the moment the subject of sailing comes up, the topic invariably leads to how much they all hate it when a sailboat "leans" or heels. None of them can understand why we do not topple over, even when I explain about ballest. When I had my GP14, they were even more skeptical as that Dinghy only had meat ballest.

But, I digress, The big thing is, if those guys got out once every two weeks, everyone heard about it. I got out several times a week in my GP
 
#32 · (Edited)
northoceanbeach: Come to Seattle for a few days, with your boat. Do it whenever, you shouldn't turn around for it.

You'll find plenty of sailors your age (early 30s?) and younger. They are racing dinghies at Shilshole, having fun at Duck Dodge (a beer can/buoy race on Tuesday nights all summer), living aboard in smaller boats, and generally sailing quite a lot. On S dock (boats up to 30') at Shilshole I'd guess that the age demographics roughly match those in the rest of the city, I see people of all ages who keep their boats along mine. My dock neighbor is probably in his late 20s and is often sailing to local destinations every weekend.

I agree with that the costs keep a lot of people from owning boats (both younger and older). Moorage in Seattle for a <30' boat is still $250-$400/mo. The boats aren't expensive, but maintaining them and paying for moorage adds up quickly and you better use the boat to make it worthwhile. These issues are what kept me from getting into sailing until my late 30s (I'm 39), despite being interested in it from my first experience sailing in my teens. I sometimes wish I had pushed into it earlier, but financially I think I did the right thing by waiting. My wife and I don't have kids, which gives us a lot more financial freedom and time.

I'm also a bicycle tourist (a much less expensive way to travel) and even in that pursuit I found that many of the tourists that I met on the road were a lot older than myself. I'm very rare for my age in that I've worked for the same company since college and get a lot of vacation (5 weeks per year now, I started getting 4 weeks per year when I was 28). A lot of my friends can't afford to use even a week of their vacation every year for cruising or touring when they only get 2 or 3 weeks per year.

I really dislike all of the reverse age-ist remarks in this thread implying that people of my generation and younger are lazy. These sorts of remarks have always been made when older generations don't understand younger ones, and they are out of line. For every lazy 20-something today you could have found a similar lazy one in the 40s, 50s, or 60s. For every remarkable young person back then I think you'll find a remarkable one today. The economy is quite different and has shaped things differently, but there are still a lot of great people out there.
 
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