Is now the time?

[mmccoy]

I''m single, 56 YOA, in a ''forced retirement'' due to the lack of interest for someone my age in the hi-tech job market.

Both my parents passed away recently leaving me with about $100K in cash. Aside from the normal assets one accumulates (car, furniture, etc) I have one house paid for and a condo I''m paying about $1K/mo for.

I used to live on the coast of Ga (Little Tybee Island), was once a licensed Coast Guard Captain ("6-pack"), captained a 15 ton motorboat and sailed my restored an O''day 19 every chance I got. It''s been a while but I''m really no stranger to the sea or sailing. Since that time I''ve dreamed of buying a 30-32'' sailboat (Cheoy Lee or Westsail) and living aboard full time. I''ve read about cruising intensely and feel I''m capable if not ready to dump the ''normal'' life.

I''ve run across a well found 30'' wooden ketch. A real beauty with tons of character. I''d have to invest another $15-20K to finish her out but her recent survey says she''s in excellent condition (mainly just the cabin needs refitting).

I have the feeling if I don''t do it now I''ll burn thru the inheritance and never realize my dream.

Any thoughts? Am I just living in a fantasy world thinking I can just suddenly ''jump ship'' and start living aboard a 30'' boat?

It''s not the lifestyle I''m asking about (I''m single, no ties and am used to living alone in a small place). It''s the suddeness my decision making is being forced to take given the funds required to change to a cruising lifestyle (and my fear they will ''evaporate'' over time while contemplating whether it''s a right/wrong decision)

[ian6460]

ARE YOU SERIOUS!!! I''d give my right $%#@ to be in your shoes. I only have one question: why haven''t you already left?

[sadie14]

You''ve been given a wonderful gift - the gift of time and the ability to take a chance. Take it. You can always revert back. Go, change your life, be more than you thought possible. Invest the money, sell the house, rent or sell the condo. Whatever, but go, take a chance on yourself. You won''t regret it.

[kokopelli9]

Very little in life is permanent...certainly not life itself...so what if you jump into this new life style and then find you made the wrong decision?...well, move on to another lifestyle...you certainly don''t have to remain a liveaboard if it turns out wrong for you, but how will you ever know if you don''t try it?...will the dream haunt you if you abandon it?

Life is fragile...grab every bit of it you can while you can...don''t live to have regrets about missed chances.

And let us all here know how happy you are that you went for it!

Bobbi
s/v Kokopelli

[simbar]

Moving aboard is a great idea. Given your real estate, you will have a foothold ashore if you change your mind. However, I would seriously suggest you reconsider your choice of boat and instead go for fibreglass construction. Beautifully maintained wooden boats are gorgeous (to look at) but will either break your pocketbook or your heart. In addition, a glass boat will have much more room inside compared to a wooden boat.

Good luck.
Sid in Florida

[angiewilson]

Dare to live the life you have imagined. Sell the house and condo. I agree about the wooden boat making you a slave to it, buy a nice fiberglass boat with wood trim and a warm interior and go live your dream.

[mmccoy]

I''d not spoken about this with anyone close for fear of hearing ''are you NUTS!?!".

But bouyed by the support here I mentioned to some family (that is familiar with my situation) that I thought ''I might just buy a boat and live on it''.

Surprisingly they said ''you know what, if I were in your shoes that''s what I would do.. you have no ties...'' (etc.)

So I do think I''m going to buckle down, sell everything & the condo but keep the house that''s paid for.

Rough 1st pass calculations tell me I could buy a $40K boat and live off the remaining $60K for the next 8 years assuming an (avg) monthly living expense budget of $625. Heck, (aside from my mortgage & utils, etc.) that''s more than I spend now on myself.

I''d tuck the $$$ made via sales of my condo & other assets (and some other small investments I have) for emergencies. By that time I''d be 65 and either be ready to live on Social Security in my paid for house and/or have another plan and/or ready to chuck everything to spend my remaining days at sea.

As I mentioned, at one time I really was preparing for this but now I''m behind so it''ll take some time for me to rid myself of my landlubbers trappings. In the meantime I''m not spending one dime on anything that won''t put me on a boat.

[kokopelli9]

Go for it! and good luck!!! Are you sure you don''t need crew? LOL

bobbi

s/v Kokopelli