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How many young people (say 35 or under)out there

80K views 440 replies 321 participants last post by  stovebolt 
#1 ·
I'm curious how many of us there are out there, I'm 29 and have a 32.5 Irwin. I plan to go long term cruising in the carribean within the next three years and in my marina I have only meet one other under thirtyish sailboat owner. I'm in the Clearlake, Texas area, can ya'll give me a shout wherever you are?
Matt
 
#268 ·
Hey everyone, I'm very new. I'm hoping we can generate some discussion in this thread. I'm 25 and will be moving to Mobile Bay to live and work on the family sailboat in the next month.

I've sailed with the University of Tennessee (the *real* UT!) Sailing Club and Team, but have been out of it for awhile, finishing up my degree, so I'm a bit apprehensive about getting a feel for things again.

I never really felt comfortable with our boat, anyhow, as it's 27' and I learned to sail through a Broadreach program on a 52' boat.

So, I'm really hoping I'll meet some awesome people down in the Bay that might be willing to teach me a thing or two. :)

Of course, I anticipate I'll make lots of friends of all ages, but as I've experienced it, there are very few people my age in yachting communities, so maybe I they'll pop out of the woodwork with me posting here?
 
#270 ·
I'm a 28 year old owner of a Catalina 22' my parents purchased the boat 17 years ago and it was given to me when they purchased their new boat, a Catalina 34'. We love both of these boats and use them often, plan to take a cruise to the Keys and Dry Tortugas as soon as I can finally finish with my schooling (hopefully not in the smaller of the two).
 
#271 ·
I'm 30 with a Challenger 40' ketch. Like most of these posters I'm trying to get her set up for longer-term cruising, hopefully do Hawaii in a year or two, then see where it goes from there. I owned a few other boats before this one, with partners, this is the first one I bought on my own. 40' is a big jump from 27'! Sailing is expensive, my guess is that's why you don't see more younger folks out there. Any younger folks in the SF bay reading this - ping me and let's go sailing.

Cheers,
h
 
#273 ·
Just under the bar here...

First off, being 35 I appreciate just making the cut in the 'young people' category! Secondly we recently bought a Santana 22 for learning in San Francisco bay with the hopes of Sunday making it out beyond Golden Gate somewhere down the line (probably in a bigger boat tho).
 
#274 ·
I started sailing sunfish sailboats at boy scout camp when I was very young. I then went on a couple trips to the keys to sail the BSA Seabase high adventure twice.

Now I'm 23 and own a '82 Starwind 22.
 
#276 ·
Hey Everyone,

I posted in this Thread already but was wondering how people are managing post grad with cruising? I am 32 and the SO is 31, she is finishing her masters this coming Spring. We are debating if taking a year off to cruise before she finds a job would make sense, or waiting a bit.

The ideal setup would be her finding something that we could do while actually cruising. She is in International Economic Development and Planning, so looking for research positions that involve far away places, heh. Would love to hear from couples that took off after finishing school rather then getting sucked in to a cubical.
 
#277 ·
I have two semesters left of my under grad. I have been posting to websites requesting teachers in China. I also have thought about doing something with World Teach or the JET program. Perhaps I will just sail down to the Abacos and spend a year or two working/learning about diesel engines.

The Biology degree is just for getting jobs in other countries. The practical stuff is equally valuable to me.
 
#281 ·
31 Year old noob sailor here just bought my first boat last month and slowly getting her ready for my first year of sailing next year...

Wife is going to law school so we're basically living off one income...I thought we would not be able to afford a sailboat anytime soon until I started looking and realized I really could...So after some ups and downs, the boat we ended up getting is one that chose us (long story short)...

So, super psyched for my first year on the waters...
 
#283 ·
Please young people continue to promote Sailing! I'm 35 and the youngest guy in my sailing club. My regatta crew are 38, 40 and 42, and they are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th youngest as well. Nothing against you old salts, but dual 250 HP engines on planing hulls are replacing sailboats.
 
#284 ·
I'm 27. Just getting into sailing, but I can tell (Like I did with my fist guitar); life will not be complete without sailing in it. I think there is something of a discipline in sailing, and it takes a personality, rare in my generation, that can handle only drinking one or two beers.
 
#285 ·
I'm 32 years old and have just sold my 4th sailboat and I am now looking to get into something larger.

I've owned a Catalina 22, J -24, Catalina 25, C&C 29, and xxx next???

I got into the sport when I was 7 and sailed / taught sailing on dinghies till I got into my 20s.

Love the sport and most of my sailing mates are much older than I am - its not how old you are, but how much you love the sport in my eyes.

All the best.

CB
 
#286 ·
Hey, 27 on a boat 20 years my senior. I'm in the one and only Florida Keys and life is too good. Almost. The Cheoy Lee could be done, but, well, she's old and in dear need of an overhaul. I also have a few friends my age who own (don't laugh!) a Bayliner Bucaneer. :) Their seem to be more of us learning at a younger age. Its nice to see. I'm so used to most of my friends being older than my boat!
 
#287 · (Edited)
...I also have a few friends my age who own (don't laugh!) a Bayliner Bucaneer. :) ...
I don't see anyone laughing. I do hear them praying, though. :p

Seriously, though, it's all good. A lot of people bash my boats. The Catalina 25 owners - and owners of more finely crafted custom boats - stick their noses up at my C250, the Sunfish owners stick their noses up at my Phantom, and everyone sticks their nose up at my Trophy (made by Bayliner) with 50 hp made by left-for-dead Force (reportedly stands for F'ing Old Rebuilt Chrysler Engine).
 
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#289 ·
Just turned 40, the husband is 33. We've been sailing together for 4 years, and living aboard for 3.
I feel pretty young compared to most sailing folk, but I am finding more and more 20 something's picking up old tubs and fixing them up; very refreshing!
I have been sailing since I was 5
 
#291 ·
In San Diego, 34, and just bought my first legit boat, a Cascade 36. Started out with a Southcoast 22 in NE Oklahoma. It was pretty basic and I liked to call it my glorified dinghy. The Cascade however has been awesome. I'm living aboard and take it out at least once a week. I usually go singlehanded as I can never find anybody who likes to go out on wednesday or thursday afternoons when I have the time to go.
 
#292 · (Edited)
I was given a Soverel 28 when I was 19 by my Grandfather. I had sailed with him on it since I was 8. When I was 20 I sailed it down to Belize and lived down there for a couple of years on it. Running illeagal charters with backpackers I met or what I ever I had to do to get by. I sailed back up to the key's and then on to South Beach Miami when I was 23 and lived aboard on the hook just south of the Venetian Causeway. I deliverd Taco's, worked in Bar's. Worked for Sailing Services as a rigger for a while. Then I sailed back to Key West and did the same thing there all through my 20's and 30's. Working as delivery captain, legal charter's, house painter. Sailng down to the caribbean when I managed to save some money. The engine broke on my first trip down and could never afford to fix it so I just sailed around with out it every where. Took it out completely about 15 years ago. One time I loaded my boat with 3 month's worth of food with food stamps. I'm a merchant marine on a tug boat now. 401 k, health insurance, a wife. Still have that boat though. Just finished restoring it. We own a house in Guanaja, Honduras, I plan to sail it back and forth each every 6 months. and live in Key West the other in a real apartment with a bath tub! I just turned 40 but still feel 30 something. All though hard at times, I would'nt trade my youth of bare bones, shoe string cruising for anything!
I keep the boat on the hook.
 
#293 ·
We started cruising at ages 33 and 38 on a Pacific Seacraft Mariah 31. I bought my first boat at 25 (a catalina 22). We've been cruising full time for 7 years from Alaska down to South America.

Most of the people our age or younger have only cruised for 1 or 2 years and returned back to work or start a family. I wish there were more diversity in age of the sailors out here, but we enjoy the adventure anyway.

Along the way we have written cruising guides for Central America, one for the Pacific Coast of Colombia and guides from other sailors.

We spent 10 years planning for our cruising adventure and saved every penny possible, never bought a new car, bought and sold a fixer house, and saved saved saved while our friends bought bigger houses, new cars and ate out a lot. It was at times depressing and difficult, but it has been worth it. It is definitely a struggle at times and you might be the only one in your age generation around, but it's part of the adventure.

Best of luck!!
Eric & Sherrell
Sarana at Sea - Stories Photos and More
 
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