# What are the main obstacles to going offshore and living the cruising life?



## Merkava (Jun 9, 2016)

Hi there!

I've just returned from a 9 year circumnavigation and I'm working on an educational event aimed at helping those who are either thinking of, or in the process of getting ready to head offshore and into the cruising life. I'd love some insights on if you can.

There are so many obstacles to overcome before we can untie our dock lines for an extended period. Many to do lists for the boat, our financial life, work, home, getting rid of things, our physical bodies and how they are doing, and last but not least, our frame of mind and how we are coping with this new life we are about to embark on.

If you could, in your own words, list the top 5 obstacles that stand in the way of a person going offshore for the first time.

Cheers,
Mark
SV Merkava


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Knowledge. Not about sailing, navigation or like things but how to get through the fundamentals of life on a boat. Sourcing things, judging who to trust when there’s something you can’t fix. How to get things done and conserve your resources. How to figure out priorities. In short the things you can’t learn from a book or YouTube 
Maintaining a good attitude. There are times that are scary. The phrase “stay calm ...sail on” has much truth. Then there’s times nothing goes right for days on end. The ability to stay centered and get joy from surmounting obstacles or unfortunate occurrences allows you to not get yourself down when they inevitably happen. That allows you to be effective and safe.
Boredom. Ben Franklin said boredom is the result of a little mind or something close. Beyond the boat continue with other interests. There are many aspects to the cruising life explore them all. One of the leading things I enjoy about passage is the ability to take on crew. Then you can have these deep philosophical conversations or learn about a discipline of work or knowledge you would otherwise never have been exposed to.
Fear. There is always someone who is more knowledgeable than you or more skilled or more fit. However, these thoughts aren’t worth thinking about. What’s worthwhile is knowing you can get through whatever is thrown at you or die trying. Never discount risks but never inflate them either. The ocean doesn’t care. Only thing that matters is that you complete your passages and cruise safely. Fear paralyzes you. Being scared makes you motivated. 

A friend (professional mariner) told me 
Here are the rules 
Keep the water out
The crew in
The boat floating and moving in the right general direction
You’ll do just fine.


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## Merkava (Jun 9, 2016)

Thanks for this. I love the rules you ended with. Excellent advice and all we really need to do!
Cheers,
Mark.


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

Frame of mind is everything. Not just for casting off but for all of everyday life.

If you don’t know where you are going it’s unlikely you will get there.

I think Annie Hill nailed it in Voyaging in a Small Income.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Welcome to the funny farm😃😄


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

I don't know that these are obstacles anymore thad not having gone to med school is an obstacle to practice medicine.

not in order of importance
1. Financial resources including emergency funds and enough to keep you going when you return and transition to a dirt life. How much this is a huge question. It will cost more than you expect.

2. A well found boat suited for offshore passages which is comfortable to live in at anchor and in a seaway. Boat needs to carry all manner of spares and tools including a sail or two. This includes ground tackle as most time is spend on the hook. Biggest boat you can afford and short hand and maintain all systems on. AP is absolutely mission critical.

3. Experience in sailing, anchoring, especially heavy weather. Experience with the boat you are sailing off in not just sailing experience in general.

4. Knowledge of the places you will sail to. Of course you will learn a lot... but you need to prepare culturally including some working knowledge of a few language

5. Take with you ample stores of food water, water maker, skills to cook and of course some trustworthy competent crew.


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

[QUOTE=Merkava;2051673270

If you could, in your own words, list the top 5 obstacles that stand in the way of a person going offshore for the first time.

Cheers,
Mark
SV Merkava[/QUOTE


- Fear 1
- fear 2
- fear 3
- fear 4
- dont really want to


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## skalashn (Jun 28, 2011)

In no particular order:

Health
Finances
Dependent care
Spouse is not onboard
Fear of unknown


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

We’re still planning on it. Work is the top obstacle at the moment, but we have a plan. It’s always a crap shoot whether health will hold up, but neither of us have any life or mobility threatening morbidities, thankfully. Arthritis is my biggest worry, long term. Runs in the family. 

I’m in denial on the next one, but I can count the number of fellow sailors who don’t go for this reason: family. At our age, it’s often grandchildren. Can be elderly parents, even one’s own kids. To sail off, you need to leave everyone behind for great stretches. Our hope is to have a kitty that allows us the freedom to fly home. Better yet, send plane tickets to the family to meet us. That would be a luxury, worth the money.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Minnewaska said:


> We're still planning on it. Work is the top obstacle at the moment, but we have a plan. It's always a crap shoot whether health will hold up, but neither of us have any life or mobility threatening morbidities, thankfully. Arthritis is my biggest worry, long term. Runs in the family.
> 
> I'm in denial on the next one, but I can count the number of fellow sailors who don't go for this reason: family. At our age, it's often grandchildren. Can be elderly parents, even one's own kids. To sail off, you need to leave everyone behind for great stretches. Our hope is to have a kitty that allows us the freedom to fly home. Better yet, send plane tickets to the family to meet us. That would be a luxury, worth the money.


Family separation is likely a huge hurdle. Although I didn't sail off with any intention to remain out there or to return at some point. I was 41 at the time, divorced with no children and my parents has passed. I felt untethered to family but I would miss friends, I also decided to stop or suspend my "career" thinking 20 years in one profession was enough... and when and if I did resume work it would be something different of course drawing on my education and experience. I did not have enough money to not have to work so this was something lurking there in my plan. A could sustain several years living small as I would on the boat... fly back and forth but only for 3 or 4 years maybe. I spent a nice chunk of change trying to develop a new business with I was not able to get investment for... and ultimately returned to my former career in my mid 40s with my experience and my boat.

I suppose most wait until they retire and have the retirement income to support their living off the grid. Younger people need to work or some nest egg to draw from. So I'd say funds are the main hurdle even for keeping up with family however inadequate that may be.

Now there are grandchildren on wifey's side and so she would never sail off. PERIOD.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Lots of specifics, most of which have already been mentioned. I think the biggest obstacle most people face is the fear of doing something different. 

For most of us here in the developed world, our paths are well laid out for us from birth to death. To do something different, to venture off the path, is scary. It means living with fewer external supports, and with greater uncertainty.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

MikeOReilly said:


> Lots of specifics, most of which have already been mentioned. I think the biggest obstacle most people face is the fear of doing something different.
> 
> For most of us here in the developed world, our paths are well laid out for us from birth to death. To do something different, to venture off the path, is scary. It means living with fewer external supports, and with greater uncertainty.


The fear referred to in this thread has to come at early on and prevent the person from going forward with any plans or steps.

It could prevent some from even getting into sailing itself. But most people overcome most of their fear as they learn to and "practice" sailing over a number of years. Sure there will always be a new "fear" or anxiety... for example sailing a passage offshore... or living in a new culture... or clearing in and dealing with local laws and regulations.

Knowledge/experience is the antidote to fear.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

SanderO said:


> The fear referred to in this thread has to come at early on and prevent the person from going forward with any plans or steps.
> 
> It could prevent some from even getting into sailing itself. But most people overcome most of their fear as they learn to and "practice" sailing over a number of years. Sure there will always be a new "fear" or anxiety... for example sailing a passage offshore... or living in a new culture... or clearing in and dealing with local laws and regulations.
> 
> Knowledge/experience is the antidote to fear.


I think we all know of the many people who are _preparing_ to go cruising. They're endlessly upgrading their boat, or looking for a better boat, or even worse building a boat. Most never leave, or go very far. Somehow their boats are never ready, or it's never quite the right time.

Most of these people know how to sail. They probably have more excellent equipment than you or I ever will. Their barrier is not skill or even lack of sailing experience.

The barrier is choosing to step away from the known.


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## Ken111 (Jan 8, 2020)

The biggest hurtle for most people we know who've attempted this cruising lifestyle, seems to be mounting frustration waiting for things to get fixed because of an inability to do things themselves. They take off with a credit card in hand, then quickly discover that they're spending a fortune traveling from one shipyard to the next and not getting anywhere, then throw in the towel within a year. Even with a new boat, and sometimes even more so with a new boat, things break or wear out and need to be repaired. Buy an old fixer upper POS.... and you probably won't get very far at all before one member of the couple eventually says.. "screw this." Redundancy of systems is paramount; it's very important to be able to keep going, moving forward and not get bogged down with repairs. My wife and I have taken redundancy to an extreme and it's worked out well for us.

The second biggest hurtle seems to be family ties and grandchildren.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

MikeOReilly said:


> I think we all know of the many people who are _preparing_ to go cruising. They're endlessly upgrading their boat, or looking for a better boat, or even worse building a boat. Most never leave, or go very far. Somehow their boats are never ready, or it's never quite the right time.
> 
> Most of these people know how to sail. They probably have more excellent equipment than you or I ever will. Their barrier is not skill or even lack of sailing experience.
> 
> The barrier is choosing to step away from the known.


YES stepping away from the known is pretty damn complex.

When I stepped away it was relatively "easy" but it was still a huge and complex effort even though I was divorced with no children. Taken youngsters along is a very HUGE effort.

I had to dispose or store my property... a loft with furniture, clothing, my "architecture practice" including a huge copier, plotter, fax. phones, files, supplies, samples, furniture... I had artwork, a record collection, a walk in junk room/shop, bicycle and on and on. I threw out or gave most to charity or anyone who would take it. My last days I had a mattress on a platform and a pot to heat up water for coffee! Getting rid was a daunting and difficult project and took many months. I was closing out a few projects and finishing boat projects like the windlass installation.

I also had to close my 6,000 SF woodworking shop. Think of all the heavy machinery... some as big as a VW beetle and all the tools and supplies and lumber and plywood inventory. YIKES. I gifted or sold my stationary machinery... This was another HUGE project which spanned months and consumed lots of time. My last boat woodwork projects were done in a friend's woodwork shop.

The final thing I got rid of was my BMW 320... which I gave to my best friend and sailing mentor.... who drove me to Greenport which is where I departed from. Needed the car to run all manner of errands.

The getting rid of was for me the actual commitment. I didn't leave a property behind rented to return to... or pack a storage room contemplating I would need my stuff.

The boat prep was easy peasy compared to the above.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

When I started sailing there were very few things you couldn’t fix yourself. Now as time has gone by complexity has increased. Plastic has replaced metal for many components. Plastic you replace. Although epoxy and crazy glue are sometimes a godsend. Metal you rework or get a machine shop cut you a new one. Chips have replaced circuit boards. So now you rebuild things rarely as the world has shifted to plug and play. Doesn’t matter if it’s shifting from keeping a naturally aspirated Gardner going to a commonrail or just swapping out the turbo on a yanmar when the manufacturer says it’s time to do so. Or reupping on electronics when they get funky. Would never think of rewrapping wire in an alternator or electric pump now. Nor opening up the back of a electronic black box and expecting you can fix it. Sure sometimes you take out a motherboard but you don’t fix it. You put in another one. It’s cheaper, less aggravating, and more reliable to just get a new one for so many things. Even many simple pumps which in the past I would rebuild are now just a toss. Recent example. I had whale manual bilge pumps on prior boats bought used. Those boats were often quite old and needed refits. All parts salt water compatible and often components needed work. Flapper valves either oiled leather or rubber. Could take a 20-30 year old pump and in less than 10 minutes rebuild it. Good to go for another 10 years. Current boat has two electric bilge pumps(low and high) and two manual (both low-one in cockpit, one in quarterberth). The manuals are the direct replacement of sturdy pumps I had on prior boats. Externally look identical. Took them apart to rebuild as they weren’t drawing well. But between corrosion and how the valves sit not rebuildable. 
So cruising and voyaging we carry at least 3 of every conceivable spare. Even spare pumps. A few of the electric pumps have rebuild kits available but some do not or expense and labor involved just doesn’t make it worthwhile to do. We “belt and suspenders “ everything. AP and windvane. Multisystem displays and IPads and toughbook. Storm sails and JSD. 200g of water in the two tanks and a watermaker and gallon jugs of fresh hidden away. 
Now it’s rare to wait for parts unless we want to. Know enough vendors or shipping addresses and order or ship to where we’re going next. Been in our various cruising grounds long enough to have learned. However, unlike the past all too often it’s take out one part and put in another.
Think this is a shift in gestalt. Not an obstacle to passagemaking or cruising. Just a different way of thinking. Need to think before I leave I need to have everything working. When I get someplace where I can fix or replace broken things I need to do it. The boat needs to be set up that key things (sails, rigging, winches, engine, safety equipment etc. are unlikely to break at an inopportune time. For everything I can think of I need to have the spare or a work around. Find compared to younger sailors having the old time skills is often helpful. Little things like knots (Spanish windlass. Baggie wrinkle, whipping etc.) or dead reckoning at every watch change allows work arounds. The more flexible you are in your thinking means the less stressed you are when stuff goes south. 
Think before leaving taking a weather course and commercial diesel course would be more helpful than the next level of ASA. So the satphone isn’t giving you reports from your weather router or you can’t get gribs. But you got weather charts from yesterday and the 500mb and you have a recording barometer. No biggie. You have a good idea of where to go and how to get there missing the big stuff. Or you’re becalmed and the engine quit. But you can at least figure out if you can make it go again or not. You can get it going again if it’s possible to do so while away from land and a mechanic. 
So to the OP would add flexible thinking to his request of the big 5.


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## roverhi (Dec 19, 2013)

Untying the dock lines.

We built our Westsail 32 living in our VW Bus while doing it. Had nothing on shore to worry about to dispose of except the bus. My parents flew out, drove the bus home and stored it while we were sailing so that wasn't an issue. 

Building the boat, there was always something to work on or rework. After 2 years constructing, one year of which was cruising SoCal, while doing the finishing touches, the boat was essentially ready. I kept procrastinating finding something that needed work. Finally, my then 28 year old wife, announced we were going cruising or she was getting pregnant whether I participated or not. 

Untied the dock lines the next week and we were off.


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## mbianka (Sep 19, 2014)

1) Dreaming
2) Expectations
3) Reality

Dreamers probably are a little too naive to know what they are in for.
Expectations of couples as to what life off of land will be like don't live up to the plans. Robert Pirsig chronicled this quite well in his "Cruising Blues" article. Some give up quickly or split up as couples when only one of them is really on board to make the leap. I've also heard some pretty sad stories of people who got stuck with no plan B.
Reality takes it's toll on others when repairs become over whelming or that cute little palm tree island that they call Paradise Island but, is known as No See Em island by the locals ruins the evenings plans once to often .


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## contrarian (Sep 14, 2011)

I only have one obstacle and that is all that is needed.
1) Lack of Desire to do so. 
Have no desire to live full time on a boat. Don't have to go to far away places to enjoy sailing or nature. Perfectly content to be a day sailor/ weekender with the occasional 2-3 week jaunt and after 3 weeks I'm ready to get back to a life with 2 refrigerators and a freezer. Maybe if I was a full time cruiser I could get skinny again????


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

mbianka said:


> 1) Dreaming
> 2) Expectations
> 3) Reality
> 
> ...


I went in mid life...44 when I was young enough, strong enough, smart and stupid enough. I had no plans to circumnavigate... Living aboard and sailing back and forth to the Caribe gave me the taste of that life... and when I had plenty of it I missed NYC which hard is not to miss.

I don't want to charter... but I don't feel compelled to repeat.

My boat is very much a second (and was the only for a while) home. This is a strong connection to me... It's never just "sailing" or sailing in some new place. It's doing it in the comfort of my home.

I have thought of wintering the boat in the islands flying down for some cruises and summers in LIS Southern NE. I would need crew for the passages now... I am 73.


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## SailNDive (Jun 27, 2017)

Great thread!

1) Waiting for it to be the "right" time with kids... Our son is 2.5 years old. We "retired" for a year in our early 30s and sailed the Caribbean and Bahamas for a year. Despite giving up great jobs it was the absolute best decision for us. We want to do it again with our son. But right now I feel like it would be a lot of work to keep him from killing himself whether by falling overboard or by yanking on some wires or a line. I also want him to be shaped by his experience and I think that may be more possible in a few more years. 

2) Income- this one is the usual that almost everyone has. The first time we cruised full time we did it by just planning and saving for a few years. Now, we could do the same but with having a child it's a little slower going on the savings.

3) Health care- The first time we cruised full time it was just us (me and my husband) and we were relatively young. Now, it's harder to leave our doctors and safety of having a pediatrician 3 minutes away. I am certain that part of my fear comes from being an overprotective mother, but I do wonder how other mothers feel about it. How do ensure you can keep your children safe? 
I used to want to circumnavigate as a family but now that I am actually a mother I can't overcome that fear that something could happen and I could be helpless to save my child.....
Don't get me wrong, we live a pretty adventurous life. He had been to 5 states by the time he was 5 days old, has sailed, flown all over the world, went water skiing at 6 months and 14 days (youngest in the world at that time) and drives the boat 90% of the time now. 
But that fear that I may not be able to help him if he's sick or hurt paralyzes me sometimes.


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## mbianka (Sep 19, 2014)

SanderO said:


> I went in mid life...44 when I was young enough, strong enough, smart and stupid enough. I had no plans to circumnavigate... Living aboard and sailing back and forth to the Caribe gave me the taste of that life... and when I had plenty of it I missed NYC which hard not to miss.
> 
> I don't want to charter... but I don't feel compelled to repeat.
> 
> I have thought of wintering the boat in the islands flying down for some cruises and summers in LIS Southern NE. I would need crew for the passages now... I am 73.


Pretty gutsy move to take the trip in ones prime earning years but as you say you were young enough and healthy enough to really enjoy it. I walked away from a full time job at 45 but still needed to do some freelance work for a few years so I had to be available if the phone rang. Being to far away was out of the question. Now retired and financially able to pretty much do what I want the idea of extended voyaging has faded. i'm now content with a six month season in local waters supplemented by charters over the winter and spring which my gal enjoys. We are able to take them at the best time of year in various locations. There is no right or wrong way to live just ones own individual circumstances. More important is to have no regrets.


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## Merkava (Jun 9, 2016)

Hi,
Thanks for sharing. 
Totem is a boat we sailed across the Indian Ocean with. They've completed their circumnavigation and are now helping sailors go cruising. 
They have 3 children with them and a great blog about cruising with children. I thought you might like to check em out to gain some insights on what it's like 'out there' and raising kids. 
It sounds like you're child is in for a very interesting life!
Cheers,
Mark


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Doing what I did with the physical and health condition I had in mid life compared to now (really the last 3 yrs) means I did the right thing.

I am not motivated financially or even professionally. I was able to earn enough to pay for what I wanted all my life and it didn't take much money... but by 38 I had unspent money which I though would be best used for the boat... not investments. A family would have put the kabosh on sailing off. I know some do it with kids.. but this is a HUGE decision and not something which works well for all kids. It is great for some kids... but it's a sort of gamble. For sure local cruising which is less disruptive to a young child would actually be a benefit I would think.

I was atypical in many ways... I was thinking about marrying and starting a family... but it didn't happen. It is a regret. But marrying after my "wild days" hahaha of sailing I met my wife and she has kids and now we have fabulous grand children and they love the boat.

Now I am the only relative of my sister who has dementia w/ parkinsons and I am her health care proxy and I can't abandon her. I moved her to an apartment upstairs w/ 24/7 home health aids. So I am not going very far for very long. She may be moving to memory care and that would make the burden much less.

I am more convinced than ever... that sailing off as a retirement "project" is bad idea.... do the sabbatical if you can... if you have relatives it's really an escape. 

Kinda


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

SanderO said:


> I am more convinced than ever... that sailing off as a retirement "project" is bad idea....


We've offered several potential impediments, but what makes it a bad idea?


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## Ken111 (Jan 8, 2020)

Minnewaska said:


> We've offered several potential impediments, but what makes it a bad idea?


I think what SanderO means is that people who try sailing off for retirement, many times end up getting called back home for any number of unexpected family obligations, eg. Sickness, caring for an elder, children or grandchildren, or running out of money or patience. Many times, after people find themselves cooped up on a boat 24/7/365 with their significant other, they soon discover that they can't stand each other. We also started early at age 52, not waiting and buying into the traditional age 65-66 let's sell the the house and everything and sail off illusion that's so often presented on youtube. My wife came home one day 12 years ago and asked if I'd consider buying another boat, my immediate answer was no.

It's important to have a return to dirt living plan since things generally don't work out for the vast majority of people who try this lifestyle for any number of reasons.

Another thought.. when something needs fixin' on our boat, my wife is right there beside me holding a flashlight and handing me tools and making suggestions. I don't need to ask her, she knows it's her boat too and if we take care of the boat... the boat will take care of us. I'd suggest, if the mutual commitment isn't there at the beginning stages of deciding on a lifestyle change... the prospect of living aboard is doomed from the start.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

We have a dirt house. Before having the boat built wife said” I’ll go sailing but I always want a house”. We’ve been successfully sailing going on 8 years now. We both retired early and at peak income but knew we wanted to sail while we still physically could. Think that’s part of success.
Have two different lifestyles. The cruisers one and the land one. We generally fly home once for a few weeks around Xmas and again early spring. Sometimes late fall. We generally are in the dirt home then and for summer even when we bring the boat back to New England for summers. So it’s never all or nothing actually fish, swim and small boat a lot more when at our house.
But this takes planing. House with solar, geo and generator is self sufficient. Other than taxes no expense. Current crop of security and monitoring devices means we can keep it running indefinitely in our absence as long as we have Internet periodically. Boat is self sufficient. Can leave it for weeks without plugged into shore power and with a “manager “ checking it now and again. 
This gives freedom. Our life is modest but have friends with more expansive lives doing the Atlantic great circle or circumnavigating. May return home for weeks or even months leaving the boat. Then pick up and do the next leg or explore the next cruising grounds. Folks with all levels of resources do this. It’s having the mindset of being flexible. Wife says “I feel stuck on this boat” take a boat sabbatical. Think a lot of early quitters quit because of the absence of having built in that flexibility before leaving. They are truly “stuck on the boat”. Even when you don’t go home just knowing it’s there and waiting for you markly lowers the stresses of boat living.


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## Ken111 (Jan 8, 2020)

outbound said:


> We have a dirt house. Before having the boat built wife said" I'll go sailing but I always want a house". We've been successfully sailing going on 8 years now. We both retired early and at peak income but knew we wanted to sail while we still physically could. Think that's part of success.
> Have two different lifestyles. The cruisers one and the land one. We generally fly home once for a few weeks around Xmas and again early spring. Sometimes late fall. We generally are in the dirt home then and for summer even when we bring the boat back to New England for summers. So it's never all or nothing actually fish, swim and small boat a lot more when at our house.
> But this takes planing. House with solar, geo and generator is self sufficient. Other than taxes no expense. Current crop of security and monitoring devices means we can keep it running indefinitely in our absence as long as we have Internet periodically. Boat is self sufficient. Can leave it for weeks without plugged into shore power and with a "manager " checking it now and again.
> This gives freedom. Our life is modest but have friends with more expansive lives doing the Atlantic great circle or circumnavigating. May return home for weeks or even months leaving the boat. Then pick up and do the next leg or explore the next cruising grounds. Folks with all levels of resources do this. It's having the mindset of being flexible. Wife says "I feel stuck on this boat" take a boat sabbatical. Think a lot of early quitters quit because of the absence of having built in that flexibility before leaving. They are truly "stuck on the boat". Even when you don't go home just knowing it's there and waiting for you markly lowers the stresses of boat living.


I think the two of us, or rather four of us might have discovered the secret to successful cruising. We also have a land based apartment in our office building thats 100% solar powered since 2000. When we leave, everything is taken care of remotely via internet with our tenants and a live in caretaker. My wife tends to split her time 50/50 boat and land, whereas I'm on the boats 9 months per year at present. Each of us can return anytime to our jobs if we need to fill up the cruising kitty or if we just need a break from paradise or to see family and grandkids. When we leave the boat, we almost always haul it out so we don't have to even think about it; it won't sink if it's not in the water.

Balance is important, usually the sell everything buy a boat and go cruise 'all in' plan doesn't work out well for most people.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

We (my partner and I) have found a balance that includes about 1/2 year on board, and 1/2 the year doing other stuff on land. It's a balance that has worked well for us since leaving our last land home in 2015.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

From other long term cruisers think it’s not so much a dirt dwelling but a sense of choice. Once people have no choices they feel they’re in a rut. Doesn’t matter if that rut is Dom with lunch and pate with aperitif before dinner it’s still a rut. Keeping that sense of flexibility and choice is key. Doesn’t much matter what that choice is. Have friends who go off to Italy. Live with a family in a different region of the country each year for a month and work on language skills and local culture. Others I know rent an RV and do national parks. Others do church work in Guatemala mountains. So it’s not so much the house but rather a total shift in what a day means. You don’t need the house for that shift. 
Some successful cruisers I know don’t need that physical shift. They find it on the boat. Have a shift in what a day means maybe doing consulting in their prior professions or writing or crafts. But it’s something that has nothing to do with boating. 
So “what ever floats your boat”.

OMG agree with Mike!! A’ya


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

The only real obstacle is ...... you.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

A definition of what going offshore and living the cruising life can be interpreted different and is clearly different things to different people.

For some I suppose it means "abandoning" dirt and living afloat..AND not tied to a dock but off in some "foreign" to your dirt life's location and not tied to a dock or mooring for any length of time.

I suppose some such as Out or Mike mix both dirt and water lives. Some might do the sabbatical or time limited venture off with the intention of returning to dirt and resuming that life with or without the boat for local cruising or whatever use.

Some have fat wallets, cushy boats and homes and others attempt this with skinny wallets with the intent to support their venture by continuing some sort of work underway... such as tubers.

There is no correct way to going offshore and life the cruising life. And that's good. You find a niche / definition or create one which satisfies YOUR needs... after you figure out what they are.... and they do change as well.

For sure it does represent a certain level of achievement or accomplishment to do passages, drop your hook and live somewhere "foreign" . And for those who "keep score" how far, how long, how many countries, mountains whatever will matter. For not score keepers these "numbers" don't matter much.

Goals can be interesting. Once you achieve them... there is no pressing need to repeat. What may happen is you up the goal... the number for some reason. You decide if you have satisfied the goal and need tor it.

I experienced this professionally and in sailing... and discovered after I achieved some goals my need to do things was different.... It certainly was no longer the need to "prove" anything. So when I became licensed as an architect I decided a goal would be to design a stand alone ground up building on my own... not working for a firm. After I had done this... I satisfied this need and some of the shine faded from my professional aspirations. No I didn't want to do bigger buildings or different types... as many do. I just used my skills to "support" myself and provide me with certain material things.... like sailing.

Sailing was similar. No need to up it... sail further, stay away longer... get a bigger boat. Having ticked off a goal I now continue to enjoy the boat/sailing experience... absent those wander off goals. And I realized that my boat IS my home with all the meaning and emotion one attaches to their home.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

boatpoker said:


> The only real obstacle is ...... you.


no it isn't... that is completely false.


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## Merkava (Jun 9, 2016)

boatpoker said:


> The only real obstacle is ...... you.


Elegant, simple. Love it.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

I worked my brain not my hands. Poor mechanical skills. Inspite of going to Columbia school of engineering poor practical electrical skills. Always did the simple physical work like sanding, varnish and painting but not engine work beyond oil and filter changes. I know innumerable fellow cruisers who have never gotten past that point. I know innumerable fellow cruisers who have gained those skills while living the cruiser life. I know a few who are credit card captains as well and doing just fine. I’ve always built furniture as a hobby so familiar with tools. I went to welding school while working just to get a break from the eggheads I worked with. So I always had the optimism I could learn new things and expand my skill set. I did do a diesel course but no other boat schooling.
Point being I strongly disagree with Ken. In fact I think most cruisers learn as they go. Learn after they make the change in lifestyle. The successful ones continue to learn throughout their entire lives. The ones who are inflexible and refuse to learn because they feel it’s beneath them or dirty work or not pleasant fail. Those with the attitude that systems on a boat are pretty much like systems in a house. HVAC, plumbing, electrical are modified but conceptually the same problems. Same with engines. A 2 stroke is a 2 stroke, a diesel a diesel. Doesn’t matter if it’s in a leafblower or outboard . 
So if you’re a dreamer with no skills keep dreaming. If you have the right attitude, reasonable intelligence and willingness to learn you’ll get those skillls. Learn boat yoga. Accept the skinned knuckles. Think before you act. Accept you may put in hours and hours to fix something then find out it still doesn’t work. But most important soak up skills from wherever you can. 
Example- every time I’m forced to hire a pro I watch and learn. I try to help and given the respect I show the worker that offer is usually accepted. Wife or I make sure cold drinks and snacks are available. We both show our respect and admiration for the workers skill set. As time has gone on I need that worker less and less. Now most problems are diagnosed before the call to the vendor and that call is less frequent. The call occurs because I don’t have the specialized tools or diagnostic instrument. So now even when that call is made the tradesman comes to the boat with the right tools, diagnostics and parts. Money and time is saved. I get another lesson on cruisers skills.
Still it’s disappointing. I learn how to strip a carburetor. Last year got a fuel injected Suzuki outboard for the dinghy. It has a black box brain. My hard earned carburetor skills are worthless. Oh well.....
Still got the sense of accomplishment from diagnosing my broken AC. Replaced the pump and motherboard and some cables. Good to go. Nice


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Out, for declaring poor mechanical skills, you list welding, furniture building, carburetor rebuild, etc. I think you certainly have ample mechanical cruiser mind and skill set. I don’t think one needs to be fully certified in mechanicals, but needs a basic mechanical understanding and, more importantly, the intellectual curiosity and ingenuity to figure out problems. Otherwise, one needs to stay within towing distance. Most are always within towing distance, but long term cruisers generally need to be more self sufficient. I went to school to learn to protect the country from communists, fly airplanes and then business school. I just R&R my turbo, exhaust and intercooler. I did none of those as a kid, but I did learn the confidence to figure it out, by handing my Dad tools, as a kid. It just seemed like something one did, not scary. Next gen is handicapped, by the increased service culture. Seems no one ever changes the oil in their own car anymore, let alone brakes, exhaust, greasing joints, batteries, distributors, points, etc. 

I have a friend who sold his boat, because he got so frustrated that he always had to wait for someone else to fix it, let alone the standard experience of poor or ineffective yard work. He could afford the labor, but everything stood in his way. A stinkpot neighbor, at the marina, has his boat for sale now. He talks around the point, but essentially doesn’t have the skills to even recognize that something is wrong. He trashed one motor and both transmissions, over two seasons. Neither needed to happen.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

We’ve hit the middle ground. You will need to learn skills. Sea doesn’t care how much money you have nor the initials after your name. Forget voyaging. Go to Washington county Maine and you’re on your own. Be near coastal transiting NJ on a squally day. If you can’t fix stuff real quick you can loose the boat. 
People are unrealistic about a lot of stuff. First Salty Dawg I did was amazed to see full enclosures rigged, no drinking water independent of tanks. Boats leaving with grossly inadequate amount of fuel, no ocean rated foulies, no redundancy in basic systems like navigation nor communications.
Foxworthy said “you can’t fix stupid”.that's so true. But that isn’t to say after making the decision to go cruising you can’t go stepwise and gain the necessary skills and be happy and safe. 
For me things that helped was Bermuda races both as crew and captain. Years of coastal cruising. Willingness to know what I don’t know and wanting to learn. Still learned more about sailing and boat systems in my first year than in the prior 25+ years. 
People you guys refer to likely never owned a house, tinkered with cars, fooled around with small boats, liked fooling around in their basement shop with stuff. Sure there’s a lot of those folks. Still, if they aren’t arrogant and they are realistic they do just fine. Still believe it’s a mindset issue. Nothing else. Believe if there’s a will there’s a way.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

To me the main obstacles are not your mechanical ability as that can be learned. Sailing skills: can be learned. 
Money: can be earned to the extent you feel comfortable in the way you travel. Vessel: can be chosen from quite a variety and size 60 ft to 25 ft depending on what you are comfortable. Navigation skill: can be learned. 

So what is that makes people choose or not choose to adopt this lifestyle. I take a broader approach. I have transmitted to the Caribbean over 20 times. England twice, average 2000 to 3000 nm a year on a 35 ft C&C . 
I am a DYI person. All electronics, wiring, plumbing have been done by me in the 20+ years I’ve owned Haleakula. I ve done most minor engine work including mounts and fuel injectors. 

So what stands in my way from cruising FT. It isn’t a learned skill level. It’s isn’t fear of the unknown .

For me it’s mostly a mental state that I have. This may only apply to me, as others are different so there is no value judgement so please don’t infer one.i for a while had as my goal to obtain a 44 Mason and go cruising though the Caribbean and South America. I’ve changed my feelings. Other things I would have to give up helped cause those changes. 

Being confined to a small area is not my Vison of freedom. I enjoy the seasons

I have nothing to prove to myself on sailing ability. 
I don’t wish to be separated from my family for long periods of time and not be part of their care or growth. 
I don’t wish to be separated from my friends for long periods of time and not be part of their circle.
I still wish to focus my attention to others not just myself and wife and just my own pursuits. I still feel it important 
To contribute to my community, my family, and to the greater good and community around me.
I don’t wish to be singular in nature and limit myself to one activity. 
I enjoy learning and contributing to organizations to help other people in obtaining life skills
I enjoy the land of my country and other countries and want to be able to explore them for longer periods than
One week vacations. I also enjoy their different cultures. 
I enjoy interacting with many people and see cruising a a self sentric activity. Long periods of isolation and very 
Few relationships. To me there’s more to life than staring at the water. I enjoy interacting with people
And find I need it to be happy. Again that’s me. My partner is the same. 
I wish to be able to avail myself of good health care instantaneously whether it’s an emergency or long care.
I like to be involved with society I will not run away from it to pursue my own wants full time as a lifestyle. 

So yes....I am the block to cruising full time. But not for the metric reasons. It’s more and emotional ones
Interspersed with how I perceive myself in fitting in with the community of men and women. 

I do not run away to another country when this country turns into something I don’t like. I try and fix it. I don’t criticize my country unless I am willing to pay the price to try and fix it. I have always believed you are part of the problem unless you are part of the solution. 

This is what works for me. I don’t expect it to work for others, after all I must answer to myself.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

You take your problems with you. The fact some don’t realize this is another reason for failure. They expect they will leave it all behind them. Somehow that nearly never works out.


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## WildBill489 (May 30, 2021)

Merkava said:


> Hi there!
> 
> I've just returned from a 9 year circumnavigation and I'm working on an educational event aimed at helping those who are either thinking of, or in the process of getting ready to head offshore and into the cruising life. I'd love some insights on if you can.
> 
> ...


Cheers Mark & Rosie!


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Why think of there being obstacles to getting offshore? It's more like a checklist of "preparedness" for the task at hand.
sailing skill (including navigation) and experience - offshore is helpful​a strong boat suited to ocean sailing including a dinghy and a life raft​a boat in top mechanical condition with spares, tools and repair competence​a boat that can hold all the stores you will need (including emergency)​sufficient funds for all expenses along the way... food, fuel, fees, repairs, entertainment​


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

The main obstacles are:

-money
-boat
-weather
-people

Are we going to see this book that started this thread?


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