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Does cruising keep you young?

2K views 16 replies 15 participants last post by  Ulladh 
#1 ·
Had a beer with a couple of cruisers who were both celebrating birthdays. One was 72 and the other 78. After getting to Cape Town, both will be sailing to Europe, one via the Caribbean, the other directly. The older gentleman and his wife, who have been cruising full time for 16 years are going to spend the summer in Ireland and Scotland, leave the boat (Camper Nicholson 48) in the Netherlands for the winter and go back in spring 2014 to go through the canals to the Black Sea before sailing back to the Americas in late 2015. He will be 81 then. They will be looking for a smaller boat to use when they return to Lake Ontario. I was and am impressed.
 
#2 ·
Late bloomer that I am, almost 52 and never having sailed- owner of a new (to me) sailboat of 32 feet- I certainly hope so! ;)

All kidding aside- that is amazing and what a blessing for them to not only be doing it- but to still be doing it with their partner (presumably of a similar pedigree?).

I am not sure if it's the physical aspect, or perhaps the more meaningful -inner strength, confidence, sense of overcoming the challenge- that makes us go longer and stronger- but hope to be one that finds out.
 
#3 ·
I'm a young 42, at my 20 year h.s. reunion, some of my old friends were bald and grey and fat and wrinkly, I was lean and tan and flexable. I attribute it to over 20 years of living and cruising aboard. My grandpa and grandma did it 'till 72, and only stopped because he was hit by a car in the key's, riding his fold up bike towing a little trailer with two jerry cans of deisel back to his boat. I see people like Kilarny mentioned and Trav.Easy, I'm convinced that it keep's us young. Nice to think I have 30 years plus of cruising ahead of me provided my health holds up. A lot of the tug captains in my fleat are 65 and up.
 
#4 ·
Dan was 50 the first time he was on a sailboat - hey, not that many opportunities in Kansas ;) Five years later we were fulltime liveaboards who no longer owned a house. Pix of him climbing into lockers and crawling under tables to install our new hot water heater in my blog (link Life Afloat Archives) Does this man look 65? Agree with Capt Aaron, and awahl - the life keeps your body and brain flexible.
 
#15 ·
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago kept me far enough away as well... Scary but so exciting to be starting this journey- I must say it has grabbed me like nothing else. It's nice to know there are others with the same affliction -which seems miraculously to keep you younger!

BTW I signed up to your blog... looks very interesting!

cheers-
 
#6 ·
While the physical activity associated with sailng will keep one fit, I believe the longevity is more a result of attitude.
That means that, IMHO, someone who sails (or any other active 'sport') would have a tendency to be of better health and condition anyway.
Un-fit couch potatoes don;t generally participate in extreme sports. A sailor would more than likely be from the active sort gene pool and naturally have a tendency to live longer.

Chicken or egg sorta debate ;)
Better health thru sailing?
or:
Better sailing thru health(y lifestyle)?

$.02
 
#9 ·
yes it does keep you young , keeps your dreams alive , keeps you laughing , and reduces your needs down to a a reasonable amount , very low stress
Nance and I are like children on our boat and teenagers when we kiss at sunset
Yes Yes Yes cruising cleanses the soul , frees the mind and deepens the love
 
#10 ·
I will be 58 next year and my wife keeps telling me she is tired of raising two 22 year old's. My youngest is 22. It has to be the sailing. Also next week is my dads birthday, he will be 90. It has to be the sailing... That is me and my dad last year. It has to be the sailing.
 
#13 ·
Tomorrow seems like a good day to go sailing. I've fixed just about everything on the boat that needs fixing, NOAA weather is calling for winds from the south at 10 mph in Hawk Channel near Marathon, so I think I'll ease through Sister's Creek, then sail out to the reef, hang a line out and hopefully, catch some fresh mahi for dinner. Seems like the logical thing to do for a 72-year-old that's enjoying the balmy breezes in Marathon, Florida.

One of the best aspects of cruising is the wonderful people you meet along the way. Last night, I performed a Christmas concert for about 85 to 100 cruisers here at the City Marina's Tiki Hut. We had a ball, lots of folks came up and complemented me on the performance, and throughout much of the day, while I was working on the boat at the marina bulkhead, where I'm currently docked, people came up and thanked me, plus invited me to their boats for drinks.

Every morning at 9 a.m., on VHF channel 68, there's a cruisers net that's open to anyone within radio range of Boot Key Harbor. Lots of ideas are exchanged, new arrivals are greeted, depatures are given well wishes and there's a buy/sell/trade segment, comments segment, help segment, and even a trivia segment near the end.

With any kind of luck, I'll be headed south to Key West in early to mid January where I hope to meet up with Aaron and his dad, then it's off to the Marquesses and Dry Tortugas. Been to the Marquesses many times in a small, powerboat where I caught giant barracuda, permit and a few tarpon, but never made it to the Tortugas, so that will be anothe first for me.

My one regret is not beginning this adventure a decade earlier.

Cheers,

Gary :cool:
 
#17 ·
I will be 59 next year and I am a fair weather sailor with plans on spending two to three months sailing in 2013. What keeps me thinking young is working as an adjunct at a local university with design students and mentoring young architects in my practice.

I really, really like being wrong so much that I get worried when I am right.

So while I would love to sail full time, until I stop having fun at doing what I am doing sailing full time can wait, then I will be looking forward to being wrong all over again.
 
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