I Know Age is just a number but at 75 am I just dreaming ?

[GrandPaw]

First post ,
At 75- Health is good
Wife 72 not so much , Physically cant assist,
joins me too do this boating thing together but zero sea legs , freaks when boats come close , rolling seas its my fault ,
But biggest issue is breathing , Side effects from covid shot , ( drs cant figure )

I spent a week aboard a 40 ft Oceanis Beneteau- 3 guys sailing up Hudson River ,
Motored entire time Was in a regatta ,learned too duck a lot
LOVED IT
Get back too FL were I reside -
Sold our 30 twin engine gas guzzler ,-
With wifes medical decided cash out , time off , let the market settle ,

I got into motorized kayak fishing , having a blast going into skinny waters never could with any boat ,
Hitting water weekly keeps my sanity even in a yak BUTT time has come too consider another boat ,

Majority my age getting out of sailing into trawlers , motor yachts
Motor yachts have comforts we seek , but back too twin big block feed me engines ,
Not fan of trawlers
I am interested in early 2000 Beneteau , Hunter , Cat , around 35 ft with a/c and all bells and whistes operating it like a slow power boat
I will sail at times but realistic single handling and probably without wife ,
this way she will not freak going slow , comfots of home enjoy our remaining years cruising coatline of FL

Wife thinks I'm nuts -
My buddy with the Oceanis says get a 22 ft trailer , KISS formula , - He says you will down at boat yourself like the other boat ,
Maybe I'm watching too many UTUBE of folks sailing all over , Few seniors living aboard giving up home , ,
That would be me , not wife ,

So basically I am asking , Does it make sense too get a sail too operate like power boat ?

THOUGHTS

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

No.
Coastal Florida depth is shallow. Get used to going aground if you want to boat in coastal areas.
Anything over a 5 ft draft confines you to channels.

 

[Hello Below]

So basically I am asking , Does it make sense too get a sail too operate like power boat ?

A couple of seasoned sailors in our marina say that when they are unable to raise the sails on their beautifully and self maintained sailboat they will use it as a powerboat. When they are unable to competently and safely do that they will use it as a cottage. He is touching 85. They religiously slip the lines in early May and return from Nothern BC in mid September. They remain away from marinas for 4 months at a time. They are a truly inspirational couple.

 

[Leeward Rail]

Pilothouse Motor sailer used with wife, and then sailing with other crew if you wish ?
Some nice shallow draft bilge keel motor sailers out there. Better as a dock cottage, and full of light.

IMO Trailerable sailboats are too uncomfortable as you get older

Is there a way wife can stay home and do her thing while you go on the water for weekends or even a few weeks at a time ?
Dock cottage or short motoring day trips with her.. sailing overnight on your own or with sailing friend.

Unless she is the type who will push out of her comfort zone in both life experiences and physical fitness, I can't see your desires being compatible with hers. Compromise is needed.

IMO Most YouTube people are video based begging.
The seniors I know cruising on boats, don't make youtube videos nor need to beg for funding. They are out there. Our marina is full of retired men. Some in their 80s. The fact that the older guys are often sailing alone, is telling though. They are either single, or their wife stays at home.
Maybe walk the docks with your wife and have a chat with some older couples ?

OTOH, I know a man who separated from his wife at 70 and went travelling. She wanted to stay home and waste the last decent years rotting on the couch. I don't blame him.
She wasn't happy with him leaving on repeated trips,.so he left altogether...

Only you can decide for yourself.

 

[Timm R Oday25]

Perhaps a smaller catamaran might be the answer . They sail fairly flat, shallow draft . Most everything is on one level.making movement safer

 

[Rick Webb]

My suggestion is to take smaller steps. Dip your toe in with something 26' or less. That'll be large enough for a week or so cruise but not a huge investment.

Second part of that is to join a local club. Eau Gallie Yacht Club always seemed to be a friendly club when we would stop by. At any club there always are folks short on crew and offer a chance to get out on the water to eager novices. There is also a big social scene that may attract your wife to the lifestyle and perhaps a more amenable attitude to getting out on the water.

 

[GrandPaw]

Pilot house Motor sailer used with wife, and then sailing with other crew if you wish ?
Some nice shallow draft bilge keel motor sailers out there.

IMO Trailerable sailboats are too uncomfortable as you get older

Is there a way wife can stay home and do her thing while you go on the water for weekends or even a few weeks at a time ?
Dock cottage or short motoring tripswith her.. sailing other times.

Unless she is the type who will push out of her comfort zone in both life experiences and physical fitness, I can't see your desires being compatible with hers. Compromise is needed.

IMO Most YouTube people are video based begging.
The seniors I know cruising on boats, don't make youtube videos nor need to beg for funding. They are out there. Our marina is full of retired men. Some in their 80s. Maybe walk the docks with your wife and have a chat with them ?

OTOH, I know a man who separated from his wife at 70 and went travelling. She wanted to stay home and waste the last decent years rotting on the couch. I don't blame him.
She wasn't happy with him leaving on repeated trips,.so he left altogether...

Only you can decide for yourself.

You must know the same guy , Went out for a container of milk never returning , At marina , Cape Canaveral handfull of older men living aboard , All by themselves . What you saying I already know , I keep trying that compromise thing Friends and known artists ( grew up with ) are dying left and right , reality of life is hitting me , Not the BUCKET LIST thing its do what I want too do before I cant do it anymore , Thanks for your thoughts , ,

 

[Joe]

I like the catamaran suggestion. Easy and comfortable, downside may be cost, but it may aippeal to your wife if you can take her for a ride. Lots of room and it doesn't lean.

 

[Caboteur]

I’m only 73, therefore in a different situation. However my cruising mate has decided she no longer wanted to pass significant time on the boat.
Luckily ours is a very manageable 31 footer. I had already cruised with other guys and my wife tolerated fairly long absences.
I did two things:
1- Sold half the boat to my daughter hoping she (and husband and teen kids) would do most of the chores… didn’t really work.
2- Did the long cruises with other guys & had wife fly to the destination and enjoy the end-product. (Portugal, Spain, Bermuda & Bahamas)
My daughter might have changes in life… I might re-purchase the half and keep cruising.
I have always considered my boat as a trawler with a mast! I sail when conditions are good for it; if not I motor.
This boat is now 15 years old and has 20,000Nm and close to 3,000 engine hours.

 

[dlochner]

The key to sailing as we get older is to get wiser since we aren't getting stronger. Over the past few years my wife and I have not hesitated in spending money that would make sailing physically easier, this has included using smaller sails, electric winch handle, better sail handling gear and so on.

To learn the skills to be a globe trotting sailor at 75 would put you on a very steep learning curve, lots to learn, not much time to learn it. However, to learn the skills to day sail, or go down to the keys, or even to the Bahamas is doable, even at our age (I'm pushing 71).

@Don S/V ILLusion's comment about draft worth paying attention to, lots of skinny water around FL. A little smaller than 35 ft might also be worth considering. Smaller boats have smaller forces on them so they are less physically demanding.

There are lots of older sailors out there. Jeanne Socrates sailed solo around the world when she was well into her 70s.

 

[thinwater]

Boating can be singlehanding or something you do with a buddy. Not everything needs to be husband an wife. For mental and marital health, most likely it shouldn't be. Age is just a number, but health is real and there are things I've left behind (not sailing, not yet, but the day will come and I will let it go). Of course, this probably reduces the budget, but that is OK.

 

[BigEasy]

Consider buying in the 26-30' range to keep front end and ongoing costs reasonable. Also boats in this size range should be easy to single hand. Will allow you to wet your appetite without breaking the bank. Wish that I could be more encouraging; however, considering your wife's age, medical/physical conditions, and fears I don't think that she will become a sailing partner at this time in life. You may be able to get her on the boat for lunch or sundowner and perhaps for a leisurely sail on that perfect day that occurs once a year. That is pretty much the arrangement that we have and it is OK with both of us.

 

[stickinthemud57]

Does it make sense too get a sail too operate like power boat ?

Sailing in and of itself does not make sense as a means of quick, safe, and dependable transportation. It's value is not in its practicality.
Does it make sense to mix the functions of a power boat and a sailboat? Not really, but every boat is a compromise, and many sailors are VERY devoted to their motor sailers for many of the reasons mentioned in your original post.

Think about where your and your wife's preferences intersect, and start from there.

Something folks on our little lake seem to like are pontoon boats. Relatively lightweight, inexpensive, stable (in protected waters), and kind of like a floating family room. Always powered by an outboard engine, thus not especially fuel-hungry.

It may be a two-boat solution; one for the two of you and one for you. It's a challenge trying to get everything to mesh. Try to lay aside your expectations and focus on enjoying your time together and, at times, alone. If it involves a boat, so much the better!

 

[william24424]

"The most expensive way to go someplace, very slow, and for free." = Sailing. Maybe an Island Packet? This 31' sailboat @ 50K close to your home and seems like a very roomy and solid boat to motor & sail your way around. Comfortable @ dock, nice dodger/bimini, windlass and roller furled for ease of operation.

Island Packet 31 boats for sale | YachtWorld

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[jssailem]

Welcome @GrandPaw to the Forum. You are in an age friendly space.

Sailing can take many shapes depending on the sailor. There is day sailing or short period cruising in "pocket yachts". Check out the boats discussed on the Small Craft Advisor website. Man Found Dead in Marsh
Pocket yachts permit sailing yet easy to manage sails and boats.

You can go the dinghy route with an open boat that is a fair weather adventure craft.

You can look for a 26-32ft boat that has an easy to manage suit of sails. Moving up from that size has sails that get heavy and more difficult to manage either trimming or just lugging them on and off the boat. Smaller boats are easier on the retirement funds.

You may find a fellow sailor in similar circumstances in the waters you want to sail, and a partnership on a boat could be an idea that helps boat of you.

I would advise search for a boat that is ready to sail. This is not the time to be taking on projects.

 

[higgs]

I will be 74 this summer and I am still sailing my 34 footer. Mostly single handed day sails. Some cruising - last year just two three day trips along the southern coast of Lake Ontario. My present boat is really more boat than I need. She is a blue water boat and I won't be doing more than a 40 mile shot across Lake Ontario. I thought about downsizing, but several things stopped me and they may apply to this post. First, it takes several years to bring a new to me boat up to my expectations. Second, a smaller boat is harder to get around and not as comfortable. Third, there is nothing wrong with the boat I have and I can still single hand her. My wife does accompany me on some cruises and daysails. I am still able to do my own maintenance, though I have let the teak go grey.

 

[Serenity on Hudson]

At 76 I still solo a Catalina Expo 14.2, Capri 22, and a Benateau 30.1. The Bene has auto pilot and a bow thruster making mooring easy. The only strenuous activity is raising the main which I cede to a winch.

 

[Terry Cox]

THOUGHTS

Just coming up on 80 and still like sailing solo, even when the admiral is on board. Here is one of my more recent winter sailing videos.

 

[Orbweaver]

If I'm reading between the lines correctly, it sounds like you have the funds to do whatever you decide. I'm young enough I could be one of your kids, so take that into account. But, my folks and their friends are your age. The ones who are enjoying their retirement years are the ones that remain active. I agree with Leeward Sail, look for a pilothouse motorsailer. That satisfies your 'sailboat to use as a motorboat' criteria. Pilothouse gives momma some comfort for if/when she wants to come along. Look for one with onboard AC, room to move about on deck for when you're singlehanding and whatever bells and whistles are important.
Trailer sailor is nice, but having a boat in the slip ready to go makes it much easier to just head out. Where I am, and for my use a trailer sailor makes sense. If I was in FL, there's very little chance I'd want a trailer boat.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

To answer the OP -
No. You'll be better off with a power boat small enough to single-hand and large enough to give you the comforts you want. Maybe ~30ft give or take. You didn't mention budget but that may be a factor. Maybe buy a daysailor if you want to sail, but definately go power boat if you want her to join you.
Also, twin engines aren't a requirement in a trawler if you get one with a bow thruster. You don't need a lot of power unless you want to plane.