Take a year off and go sailing

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Dragonfly

Read Changing Course...

by Debra Ann Cantrell. It's available on Amazon.com for about $20 What do you do when you husband comes home and announces “Sell the house. Let’s go cruising?” In her book Changing Course: A Woman’s Guide to Choosing the Cruising Life, Debra Ann Cantrell gives practical advice and encouragement based on her own experience and her study of couples when one partner came home and said just that. She interviewed over 100 women married to old fools (and not so old fools) who announced they wanted to sail away and join the cruising life. Although not all the couples in the study made it to the sea, all had stories to tell. Each chapter starts with an inspirational quote. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Helen Keller There are chapters with practical advice on things like stages of change (which let me know it often doesn’t happen in the first year after he says, “Let’s go”. This can go on for years.) , purchasing the cruising boat (It’s best if I have major input into the choice of the boat!! Right on!), and the cruising couple (or how to stay married and still cruise. See page 100 for a great story about yelling at each other, my love.) There is even a chapter especially for the husband (or initiating partner) so he doesn’t have to read the whole book, but I recommend he read it all anyway. “Don’t be afraid your life will end; be afraid it will never begin.” Grace Hansen This book is not just for those thinking about cruising. It’s for anyone thinking about any major lifestyle change. We all need to pursue our dreams and help our partners pursue theirs. If this means making a change in your day-to-day life, this book is a must.
 
Jan 26, 2005
53
Maxim Voyage 380 Currently: Sailing the Caribbean
Decide to go

Although I had commented earlier about going (haven't changed my mind) cruising I proabably was a little flip since we are out here. These are big decsions that need to be made together. All of the other comments are of little value if you are not happy and want to try to broaden your horizons in a way most people dream about, but very few get to do and most don't even understand why we go. Everyone has excuses money, time, family, etc but they can be overcome. As with anything it is a decsion to do something all or nothing. Saying maybe one day is fun and a good dream but it is important to make the decsion and set a plan. The plan can be 5 months from now or 5 years but it needs to be set. This allows you to outfit your boat, build your inventory, (sails, charts, etc) and to build your skillset. And prepare for what most say is the hardest part--cutting the lines and leaving everything that is familiar and comfy for the unknown and challanging. It is good to read about others but make your decsion and go. You will not regret it. Sorry my soapbox comes out often, because weare here and it is a great life!
 

p323ms

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May 24, 2004
341
Pearson 323 panama city
Bob gives little information

There are a lot of questions we could ask. What is your sailing experience??? Do you own a boat?? How much time have you spent at sea??on the boat?? What is your dream??? Some sailers cruising dream is anchoring off a great beach and staying drunk for a few years. Some want to cross oceans with the tradewinds at their back for weeks on end. Some just want to drop out and lay back. Some just like living on a boat close to the water and rarely leave the dock. All of these will affect boat choice etc etc. My wife likes being comfortable and feeling safe. Good books and good food are important to her. She likes to read about the history of places visited. Meeting people is very important to her. I am more of a restless soul. Being actually out at sea is more important than a particular destination. Seeing wildlife and the moods of the sea are far more important to me than meeting new people. I get bored sitting at anchor. What is Bob like??? Is it the challenge of crossing a bay with reefed sails and waves splashing aboard or a quiet anchorage and a cold beer that make your dreams pleasant?? A beach potluck dinner or whales and dolphins?? A deserted anchorage with only Great Blue herons and alligaters or a packed anchorage with dozens of half naked women sunbathing on the beach and nearby boats. I've met some for whom the boat is just a vehicle to get them to good places for scuba diving!!! It is probably important to clearly define your dream if you wish to have it become a reality. It would be awful to go looking for gators and herons and find an anchorage full of drunk Jimmy Buffet fans!!! Tom
 
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