Older sailers

[quadrille38]

A couple in our marina just put their boat up for sale. They are pushing 90 and said they were at a point where it’s was physically more than they can do now.
They pretty much day sailed for the last 15 to 20 years but man there weren’t many boats that could keep up with their speed.

 

[shemandr]

I can cite a dock mate who had an Ericson 35 to 37. I think he was late seventies -maybe eighties. He and his wife would come down and take it out with little trouble - years of teamwork. They'd roll out the jib, rarely raise the main, and reach from Cutchogue Harbor to North Sea Area on one tack and come back. Very smooth. I don't know how the last three years has gone for them.
Another dock mate only in late 60's or early 70's, and in very good condition, bought my friend's C&C 27 Mark V. I sailed with them for many Wednesday nights. He is dead - cancer. One of the best people I have known.
There are no rules.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@Jacktar
It’s a small world at 8 years old at Lake Chiemsee with dad in the Army too. Sent you a private message as we are close in age

Dave

 

[dLj]

A couple in our marina just put their boat up for sale. They are pushing 90 and said they were at a point where it’s was physically more than they can do now.
They pretty much day sailed for the last 15 to 20 years but man there weren’t many boats that could keep up with their speed.

My father sailed until his early 90's, When he was in his late 80's he was still winning sailing competitions. There were a number of sailors at his service. They all said they typically only saw the back of his head when racing. Time does help teach one how to sail....

dj

 

[Calif. Ted]

Time does help teach one how to sail....

Warmest memory of the holiday season for me was passing a boat with half a dozen "younglings" aboard while sailing out of the harbor last Monday. The look on their faces when the "Coastal Grandma" at the wheel waved while ducking under them and pulling ahead was priceless.

 

[jssailem]

The look on their faces when the "Coastal Grandma" at the wheel waved while ducking under them and pulling ahead was priceless

When two boats are sailing on a similar course, it is likely they are racing whether either of the skippers are aware of it.

 

[higgs]

My father sailed until his early 90's, When he was in his late 80's he was still winning sailing competitions. There were a number of sailors at his service. They all said they typically only saw the back of his head when racing. Time does help teach one how to sail....

dj

Good for him! If you are a racing skipper with crew then one can go longer into the golden years. It is a lot less physically demanding at the helm than handling sails, dock lines, etc.

 

[kappykaplan]

When two boats are sailing on a similar course, it is likely they are racing whether either of the skippers are aware of it.

 

[Rick D]

Geeze, I think I'm the oldest guy on this thread still sailing. I did axe regattas a couple of years ago. I did have a window put in the genny and added a mainsail bag and Strong Track to the mast. Other than that, nothing specific to aging. I figure I will just keep sailing on until either judgement or physical limitations prevail. What I don't want to do is let the boat deteriorate or stick my wife with disposing of it (and oh-so-many other toys).

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are lifestyle diseases of choice, regardless of genetics.

To elaborate on my prior post. Check out the evidence of the effectiveness of a whole-foods plant-based diet in preventing and reversing such common chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and many cancers and autoimmune diseases. You can find such evidence in the NutritionFacts.org | The Latest in Nutrition Related Research web site, and in such documentaries as FORKS OVER KNIVES and THE GAME CHANGERS.
I have been on a whole-food plant-based diet for more than 11 years, experienced many benefits and seen the evidence in my wife’s clients. This is her site Home | Janet Levine, R.D.N., D.M.D..
PS to the moderators - I’m not trying to sell anything or promote anything other than good health for my fellow sailors. I’ve been posting here a long time, and I reference my wife‘s site only to let people see that I have a lot of exposure to this. If you read her site and think this sounds like snake oil, read her google reviews for the testimonials. She would be the first to tell anyone that they can make these changes without her, and she would take 20 minutes at no cost to tell you how, but some people benefit from an experienced coach. People who are being treated by a doctor often benefit when a nutritionist gets involved, especially when the lifestyle change reverses disease and requires a reduction or elimination of medications.
Preventative lifestyle medicine is not mainstream, and it’s shocking that so few MDs actually know anything about nutrition. Most receive little or no training in it in med school, and they get most of their post-graduate training through big pharma. Even if they do, they don’t have time or financial incentive to teach their patients how to transition to a healthier eating lifestyle. This post could be the start of a an improvement in quality of life for those who follow up and look at my references above.

 

[dLj]

To elaborate on my prior post. Check out the evidence of the effectiveness of a whole-foods plant-based diet in preventing and reversing such common chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and many cancers and autoimmune diseases. You can find such evidence in the NutritionFacts.org | The Latest in Nutrition Related Research web site, and in such documentaries as FORKS OVER KNIVES and THE GAME CHANGERS.
I have been on a whole-food plant-based diet for more than 11 years, experienced many benefits and seen the evidence in my wife’s clients. This is her site Home | Janet Levine, R.D.N., D.M.D..
PS to the moderators - I’m not trying to sell anything or promote anything other than good health for my fellow sailors. I’ve been posting here a long time, and I reference my wife‘s site only to let people see that I have a lot of exposure to this. If you read her site and think this sounds like snake oil, read her google reviews for the testimonials. She would be the first to tell anyone that they can make these changes without her, and she would take 20 minutes at no cost to tell you how, but some people benefit from an experienced coach. People who are being treated by a doctor often benefit when a nutritionist gets involved, especially when the lifestyle change reverses disease and requires a reduction or elimination of medications.
Preventative lifestyle medicine is not mainstream, and it’s shocking that so few MDs actually know anything about nutrition. Most receive little or no training in it in med school, and they get most of their post-graduate training through big pharma. Even if they do, they don’t have time or financial incentive to teach their patients how to transition to a healthier eating lifestyle. This post could be the start of a an improvement in quality of life for those who follow up and look at my references above.

With all due respect - there are no magic bullets.

While I partially agree with the above, I also know a number of friends that followed it to a tee including all the exercise extolled, and are now dead.

I imagine you are aware of what they call the "French anomaly" ...

dj

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

I imagine you are aware of what they call the "French anomaly" ...

Please explain. Never heard of it.

 

[dLj]

Please explain. Never heard of it.

In studies of diet and diet related illnesses, looking at the French their diet, they fall far outside the typical. High fat diets, high in meats, drink more alcohol, all sorts of things along those lines - and among the lowest occurrences of the "diet" related illnesses you talk about above. Among the resereachers that do this work, it's called the "French anomaly" or "French Paradox".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_paradox#:~:text=The%20French%20paradox%20is%20an,such%20fats%20is%20a%20risk

dj

 

[Tally Ho]

When two boats are sailing on a similar course, it is likely they are racing whether either of the skippers are aware of it.

I know that is true for me….drives the Admiral crazy….why can’t we just enjoy a leisurely sail?….cause we are racing that boat over there !

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

In studies of diet and diet related illnesses, looking at the French their diet, they fall far outside the typical. High fat diets, high in meats, drink more alcohol, all sorts of things along those lines - and among the lowest occurrences of the "diet" related illnesses you talk about above. Among the resereachers that do this work, it's called the "French anomaly" or "French Paradox".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_paradox#:~:text=The%20French%20paradox%20is%20an,such%20fats%20is%20a%20risk

dj

The web site I referenced in my previous post is my go-to for the research. Apparently the French Paradox is a questionable thing, or is actually not a thing.

What About the French Paradox? | NutritionFacts.org

The so-called French Paradox is a term coined back in the 1980s by three Frenchmen to explain a curious finding: If you chart death from heart attack

nutritionfacts.org

 

[dLj]

The web site I referenced in my previous post is my go-to for the research. Apparently the French Paradox is a questionable thing, or is actually not a thing.

Having lived in France, married to physician, I know first hand that the naysayers are wrong. Belive what you wish.

dj

 

[Tally Ho]

In studies of diet and diet related illnesses, looking at the French their diet, they fall far outside the typical. High fat diets, high in meats, drink more alcohol, all sorts of things along those lines - and among the lowest occurrences of the "diet" related illnesses you talk about above. Among the resereachers that do this work, it's called the "French anomaly" or "French Paradox".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_paradox#:~:text=The%20French%20paradox%20is%20an,such%20fats%20is%20a%20risk

dj

Sounds like my kind of diet! The key is lots of red wine (tannins are good for you), and you have to take 2 hours to eat dinner, like the French.

I am always amazed that my wife will cook for 4 hours on Thanksgiving, and we sit down and eat in 15 minutes. That is not how the French would do it.

Greg

 

[Scott T-Bird]

That famous quote is simply BS or lack of judgment, IMHO. No matter how much yoga or agility exercises you do, an older body is less elastic and less resilient to injury.

I believe that quote is from Klaus Obermeyer and he backs it up! I think the photo in this article is Klaus skiing at 100 years age.

Klaus Obermeyer at 102! – RetroSki 2024-2025

retro-skiing.com

I have an 81 year-old friend who recently won the Masters Ski Racing Super G (Group 12 for 80-84) in Sun Valley last spring in a national event. He's getting me fired up for ski racing again. I do far more sailing the past several years than skiing, but I won't be surprised if I ski longer than I sail.

 

[RoyS]

Once I was just standing on a fuel dock minding my own business. I looked up to see a beautiful, maybe 38' Pacific Seacraft sailboat motoring into the dock at considerable speed with the wind BEHIND it. I said to myself why are these fools coming in too fast and with the wind behind them? There was plenty of room to turn around outside the dock and head up into the wind. Upon further examination I realized there was an elderly woman on the foredeck extending a BOW line for ME to grab. Without time to think I grabbed the line and hooked it around a cleat and held on. The boat slammed into the dock but came to a stop. I attached a stern line for them. There were two elderly people on board who seemed very pleased that they were successfully? stopped at the fuel dock. The boat they had was beautiful but much too big for them. They did not seem to have good boat handling skills. God only knows what eventually happened to them. As Dirty Harry said in one of his movies, "You got to know your limitations."

 

[Terry Cox]

As some of you may recall, I've been driving a school bus since January 2005, one of the joys in my second retirement life. It also allows me to keep and sail our expensive sail boat. My latest proclamation, when asked about my retirement plans, I say when I turn 92. So that is when I might, just might, consider ending my sailing career. Whether any of our kids will take over the boat, remains to be seen. Perhaps.

Many factors will come into play over the next decade that will affect my proclamation and I will deal with crossing that bridge when I get to it. Until then...