what age stop sailing
- Thread starter ironhors42
- Start date
- Status
Stop sailing?
At what age do you stop living and wait for time to go by?
That's the choice of life, it’s up to you!
As far as the physical realities of age, humans have displayed great ingenuity in reducing physical demands through mechanical and technical invention. When the will and the way conflict, use your human energy and be inventive.
At what age do you stop living and wait for time to go by?
That's the choice of life, it’s up to you!
As far as the physical realities of age, humans have displayed great ingenuity in reducing physical demands through mechanical and technical invention. When the will and the way conflict, use your human energy and be inventive.
Last edited:
It will not let me put text in with this picture ?
Uncle Joe will be 91 when we hit the starting line this year at Block Island Race Week and while he does not run around the foredeck anymore he still has it to helm and trim
Uncle Joe will be 91 when we hit the starting line this year at Block Island Race Week and while he does not run around the foredeck anymore he still has it to helm and trim
That is a new harken main sheet system with the FINE/CORSE trim
You pull both lines for 4:1 and 1 line for 8:1 so its a LOT of rope
The boat at 35 feet is about the max for NOT using a winch to trim the mainsail
You pull both lines for 4:1 and 1 line for 8:1 so its a LOT of rope
The boat at 35 feet is about the max for NOT using a winch to trim the mainsail
My husband and I (65 and 63 respectively) purchased a second home on the Tampa bay and a Catalina 30 last June/08 from a 79 year old widower who single handed this boat through the Caribbean. After his wife died (1996) he invested his time in sailing. NEver stop ... age is only a number (so long as your feel good!).
See you on the road
See you on the road
how old is to old
Ill be 72 in July Been at it for over 50 years and Have no intention of quitting. 5 years ago I
was in a head on collision another vehicle crossed the medium strip and was going the wrong
way on 95. My right foot was ripped off they sewed it back on. I asked the DR`s and physical therapy people when I could sail again. I also said what about racquetball they laughed at me. Last winter I slipped a disc in my back and am just recovering now. physical therapy, accupuncture ect: They told me forget it for the second time. Ive been playing racquetball and sailing since my injuries healed up its over 5 years now. I started playing racquetball again 2 weeks ago. when my back felt OK to play. Im not as fast as I was but I can play/ IM working on my boat now. getting ready for the season. Its about will and attitude. If you think your finished you probably are. I have no intentions of quitting until they zip me up in a bag
Ill be 72 in July Been at it for over 50 years and Have no intention of quitting. 5 years ago I
was in a head on collision another vehicle crossed the medium strip and was going the wrong
way on 95. My right foot was ripped off they sewed it back on. I asked the DR`s and physical therapy people when I could sail again. I also said what about racquetball they laughed at me. Last winter I slipped a disc in my back and am just recovering now. physical therapy, accupuncture ect: They told me forget it for the second time. Ive been playing racquetball and sailing since my injuries healed up its over 5 years now. I started playing racquetball again 2 weeks ago. when my back felt OK to play. Im not as fast as I was but I can play/ IM working on my boat now. getting ready for the season. Its about will and attitude. If you think your finished you probably are. I have no intentions of quitting until they zip me up in a bag
I'll stop sailing and go to a trawler when I sell my H-D Sportster in favor of a
Geezer-Glide. BTW, I graduated high school in '66. (I have to say, tho, that I'm looking to downsize my boat and go to a fractional rig)
Geezer-Glide. BTW, I graduated high school in '66. (I have to say, tho, that I'm looking to downsize my boat and go to a fractional rig)
It is not about age, . . .
it is about genetics. Last spring I was still sailing with my good friend of 86 years. The year before he was bouncing around on the deck of his centerboarder like a teenager. Then he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He is no longer with us but still telling me "not so tight, let that sheet back out!"
If you are lucky enough to have your health then you can sail forever. Just make sure you don't take it for granted. At 67 I still ride my bike like I used to train when I raced. But now it is to stay fit so I can sail. I'll do a fast thirty or so today.
I hope that I can keep single-handling my H37C. It is a handful and I do wonder how many years I can manage before downsizing. I hate the thought that I would need a furling main.
it is about genetics. Last spring I was still sailing with my good friend of 86 years. The year before he was bouncing around on the deck of his centerboarder like a teenager. Then he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He is no longer with us but still telling me "not so tight, let that sheet back out!"
If you are lucky enough to have your health then you can sail forever. Just make sure you don't take it for granted. At 67 I still ride my bike like I used to train when I raced. But now it is to stay fit so I can sail. I'll do a fast thirty or so today.
I hope that I can keep single-handling my H37C. It is a handful and I do wonder how many years I can manage before downsizing. I hate the thought that I would need a furling main.
Use it or lose it!
The Admiral is a gerontologist who has studied this stuff and works supporting seniors. She says:
Use it or lose it! As I get older, that might mean adding stretching or strength building exercises to keep the abilities I have.
We have all been declining since we were 5 to 25 (depending on what capability we are talking about.) We can't eliminate the decline, but we can delay, or slow it by doing those things that build us up. That's about eating, exercise, relationships, and inspiration among other things.
Sailing can help keep us young. I think this works several ways. It inspires me to address issues of aging. It gives me hints about issues that need attention - currently about eysight (working hard on good glasses still works for me) and agility (I need to lose weight to get around the boat the way I like (and need) to!
Sailing is good for my soul. Being outdoors, seeing the sun set and rise at anchor, marveling at a Monarch flying faster than we can motor, on a 70 mile catty-corner route over the lake - this all just makes the Admiral and me feel good.
At 86, Dad is still our best helmsman. My brothers and I tend to cover for him on scampering forward to tend the sails, or ground tackle. He can't see a buoy on the horizon, and if his hearing aid isn't in, he doesn't hear much either. But he loves to sail, and we love to go out with him! I hope some recent physical problems will not take that from us.
The Admiral is a gerontologist who has studied this stuff and works supporting seniors. She says:
Use it or lose it! As I get older, that might mean adding stretching or strength building exercises to keep the abilities I have.
We have all been declining since we were 5 to 25 (depending on what capability we are talking about.) We can't eliminate the decline, but we can delay, or slow it by doing those things that build us up. That's about eating, exercise, relationships, and inspiration among other things.
Sailing can help keep us young. I think this works several ways. It inspires me to address issues of aging. It gives me hints about issues that need attention - currently about eysight (working hard on good glasses still works for me) and agility (I need to lose weight to get around the boat the way I like (and need) to!
Sailing is good for my soul. Being outdoors, seeing the sun set and rise at anchor, marveling at a Monarch flying faster than we can motor, on a 70 mile catty-corner route over the lake - this all just makes the Admiral and me feel good.
At 86, Dad is still our best helmsman. My brothers and I tend to cover for him on scampering forward to tend the sails, or ground tackle. He can't see a buoy on the horizon, and if his hearing aid isn't in, he doesn't hear much either. But he loves to sail, and we love to go out with him! I hope some recent physical problems will not take that from us.
My boat has a bit of freeboard and the deck can sit about 4 feet above the dock at some high tides. This means putting a foot up on the toe rail, grabbing the bow pulpit or furler and pulling myself up and aboard. When I can no longer do this, I'll make a gangplank and roll myself aboard in a motorized wheelchair.... If you stop sailing, you stop living. Just keep on keepin' on....
Like KEYSSKIPPER my 43 year old dau., agrees with me now at 72, sell house in Asheville and move to Punta Gorda, where we stayed for 3 months spring of 2008 and sailed on Charlotte Harbor with our O'day 1979 22. In 2007 june my wife ( now deceasced on Nov 3 2007 ) trailered it to Little Torch Key and docked at my wifes sister inlaw Marney ( she operates the little store GOOD FOODS CONSPIRACY on Big Pine Island ) and had a great time sailing on the channel between Little Torch Key and Big Pine Key. I have good health and will sail as long as I am able, the Good Lord willing. My parents tended garden until they were 85 and passed away at 88 and 91.
So keep on sailing.
Dave Sebastian
So keep on sailing.
Dave Sebastian
Iron hors - hey! You're just a young buck!
Read this article about Sir Francis Chichester in wikipedia. Also note, besides sailing solo around the world, he tried to sail 4,000 miles in 20 days and missed by one day. That means he'd have to AVERAGE 200 miles per day! This may not mean much to someone more or less just getting started, relatively speaking, but that is an accomplishment. And.... at age 69!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Chichester
My dad had boats all his life but was basically a powerboater. His first boat was a sailboat, for a couple years, and then all power boats until he was in his 80s and then he got another sailboat. Finally sold it shortly before he was 90.
If I could make some suggestions it would be to try to stay limber and not let those mussels get unused. Boating, and especially sailing, can be reactive because you're on a moving deck, or things happen fast, and you try to react by pulling, pushing, lifting, turning, etc. and those mussels just aren't as limber as they used to be.
Also, try to protect yourself from the wind and sun. The sun can cause eye problems, I think cataracts? or whatever. Also skin cancer could be a problem. Otherwise, it's good exercise.
The good part about being older is you're more mature so you'll hopefully avoid taking risks that you shouldn't.
Oh, and that brings up another thought: If you have any teenage grandkids, try to get them out sailing while they still know everything!
Read this article about Sir Francis Chichester in wikipedia. Also note, besides sailing solo around the world, he tried to sail 4,000 miles in 20 days and missed by one day. That means he'd have to AVERAGE 200 miles per day! This may not mean much to someone more or less just getting started, relatively speaking, but that is an accomplishment. And.... at age 69!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Chichester
My dad had boats all his life but was basically a powerboater. His first boat was a sailboat, for a couple years, and then all power boats until he was in his 80s and then he got another sailboat. Finally sold it shortly before he was 90.
If I could make some suggestions it would be to try to stay limber and not let those mussels get unused. Boating, and especially sailing, can be reactive because you're on a moving deck, or things happen fast, and you try to react by pulling, pushing, lifting, turning, etc. and those mussels just aren't as limber as they used to be.
Also, try to protect yourself from the wind and sun. The sun can cause eye problems, I think cataracts? or whatever. Also skin cancer could be a problem. Otherwise, it's good exercise.
The good part about being older is you're more mature so you'll hopefully avoid taking risks that you shouldn't.
Oh, and that brings up another thought: If you have any teenage grandkids, try to get them out sailing while they still know everything!
- Status