Modifications for the "aging sailor"

[tartansailor]

Good for you JD & Dixon, we'll have to meet up some
day "when the temps say high 55 low 40"
Dick

[trapper]

Well, I am not going to tell how old I am, but my age is, shall we say, "old enough." My Ben is 71. He sailed the Atlantic, single handed at 68. I am not quite there yet (68 or single handing the Atlantic). That said, I think sailing and age can work together nicely. Since his crossing, we have had to deal with some health issues (unrelated to the crossing). We now have to regain some lost strength.

We are fitting out Saga Blue, my 25D. Among other things, she has a new roller furler. After stepping the mast and trying out the new roller furler, we decided to add another winch to handed the roller furler line. (BTW, he had the guys winch him up the mast to untie the mast from the gin pole). We are adding an electric windlass (purchased not yet installed) and considering increasing the size of Saga's winches and self-tailing.

I love the advise of Dixon Hemphill and others who are a tad bit older. They let me know, I have a while to go. And, I am wearing my life jacket more often these days, even when the water is 80, getting to shore looks a bit further these days.

We are adding netting for Buddy (schnoodle) and he wears his life jacket. Right now we are sailing on the lake. We are in a sheltered area when the main goes up -- I dont mind going on deck to take care of that but we have enough line to run them back if we decide to.

Last month (Jan. in SC and cold) a young, short, drunk crew member leaned back on the lifeline, apparently expecting 2 lifelines, she fell overboard at the dock. I am considering adding double lifelines. Because we are on the lake, we have reduced the size of Saga's anchor to 10kg. When we take her back to the coast, we will have to reevaluate her ground tackle and our ability to handle it.

What a wonderful sport that we can enjoy it so long as we can remember (or have someone on board who can) port from starboard (or that way from the other way), we can participate

[Bill Michne]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Reese Palley's book, "Call of the Ancient Mariner," or "Reese Palley's Guide to a Long Sailing Life." He wrote it after turning 80, having done three trans-Atlantics and a circumnavigation in his 60's and 70's. The book deals only with sailing in the golden years. It's very entertaining, as well as inspirational. Personally, I reread it every couple of years, and it seems to ring more true every time.

[winthrop fisher]

that did not hurt, did it.......winthrop

[SeaBelle]

and I've found that maintaining my CD 28 is beyond me. I've always been mechanically challenged and can't 'hire it out' on retirement income.

BUT thankfully I'm able to crew on a friend's Sabre 452: Thursday day sails, a couple of weekends and long weekends and the month of August. Plenty of sailing!

Moondance is very different from my CD28. At first I thought Otto, our helmsman, a mortal sin but quickly came to appreciate him. A chartplotter with all the bells and whistles took longer to win my heart. But it is SO convenient and at times MUCH better than my traditional navigation enhanced by a handheld, basic GPS. I remember navigating in fog with a compass. chip log, and digital watch or waiting in Maine harbors for days for it to lift. Last summer we sailed to Grand Manan and New Brunswick, often in fog, with impunity, once under the spinnaker. Oh, to tell the VHS which fog horn signal to sound and then just sail with studied confidence in a world with a 50 ft diameter. Pure poetry.

While most lines come to the cockpit, we still reef the tack from the mast and it's easy to go forward for that.

Large electric, self tailing winches are the bomb. 5 years ago, I called them frivolous, Bill's folly. I have no quantitative measure but while the were folly 5 years ago, today they are important. We have 50 ft of chain and 250 of rope with a windlass. The only muscle required is the furling line that we refuse to put on a winch.

I'm the oldest of 3 geezers aboard: one is generally weak, the captain and strongest has shoulder and back problems, and I try to believe I'm still young but I become challenged by 3 on 3 off watches after several days.

While Moondance is a 5 star ship with convenient, useful amenities, what is important is to sail. It is a quality of life issue. I am a Hospice volunteer and have come to realize that at end of life, what things we hold dear, what we see as our dignity, are often taken away one at a time. We can not avoid that; it may be our destiny. Life may take them, and I will accept that, but I will NOT, on my own, forfeit what I hold dear.

I want to be buried at sea but in modern times there is no chain. only ashes. But for this August, it's sailing the East coast of Nova Scotia!

[Duncan]

This discussion reminded me of three senior Cape Dory sailors out for a walk along the pier one day.

"Windy, today, isn't it?" says the first.
"Nope, I think it's Thursday" replies the second.
The third one says, "Yes, me, too, let's all go get a drink!"

[barfwinkle]

.

[Troy Scott]

Winthrop,

Interesting question. How old is old? I'm sure it's different for everyone. I've known folks who were "old" at 35. I've know others who were "spry" at 75. I'm somewhere in the middle. I'm 57. Just a few years ago, I said I felt the same as I did at 25. But just in the past couple of years I've noticed a substantial change. The late 50s have brought stiffness and creakiness, especially in the knees. And every year the metabolic changes make keeping the weight down more and more difficult. But on my "good days" I still feel about as good as ever, and once I'm up and going I'm fine. But these days I need knee pads when I crawl around working on/in the boat. I lost my last grandparent recently. She was almost 99, and doing quite well until near the end. In fact, the other three all lived to be about 90...., and my parents are 79 and 84 and quite healthy and active. So unless I do something stupid I suppose I have a good chance of sailing at least 20-25 more years.

[Joe CD MS 300]

The most important piece of equipment on the boat is you. It should get maintained better than any piece of equipment on board. I am a firm believer in the benefits if weight / resistance training. There is really no way to keep the strength up on all muscle groups as one gets older without it. If I had to chose one or the other between areobic vs. weight training it would be easy. If done correctly, (I believe) weight training has far broader benefits. It helps keep the weight down and the strength up at the same time.

And it is not just for men, weight training is a great preventer of osteoporosis in women.

See ya, off to the gym.

[Dixon Hemphill]

My advise to you sailors younger than I am is to stay active both physically and mentally. I was a competitive runner for 30 years before being hit by a car while riding my bicycle 10 years ago. I spent 41 days in three local hospitals recovering and had it not been for my good health I probably wouldn't have made it. Since then I have had multible surgeries and an angioplasty but have managed to survive them all.
I started sailing for the second time, having sailed as a youth, because I could no longer run and wanted to keep active some other way. Hauling equipment and supplies to and from my boat, forever fixing things and sailing are not as vigorous as running marathons but at my age they are a darn good substitute. I also manage to walk one mile almost every day.
To keep fit mentally I read (mostly newspapers and sailing books/ magazines), use my computer and do a lot of planning relative to keeping my boat in shape.
So, sailors, stay fit and sail as often as you can. It's a great sport!

[Troy Scott]

Joe, How do you find the time? I really want to run more and spend some time in the gym, but gosh...., there are only so many minutes in the day, and the days are full. To make time for more exercise (I know it's important) something else has to be diminished. This calls for soul searching and priority adjusting.

[Phil Shedd]

I find that the mind in good but the body is a little wanting. At 58 soon to be 59 i don't have the stay power I once had. Working for a municipal works department makes this is a busy time of year. Right now the snow banks along the roads are 5 ft high or higher. So by the time I get home I don't feel like doing much. I do walk some but this year has been too darn cold in the evenings to so. I am glad I am not one of my operators . They have put in some long days and nights .

When the winter starts to break working on the boat does help get back into shape . Just climbing that ladder is good for the legs .

During the winter like the rest of you I work on things for the boat. This year a new fore stay , a replacement tranducer and I have started to work on a trip to Maine for August . Hope to leave around Aug 7 for a couple weeks.

I guess you are as old as you feel and today I feel very well

Phil

[Troy Scott]

Today this 57 year old will grind more fiberglass. I'm sure I'll be up and down that 10 foot ladder dozens of times. Thankfully the weather will be nice enough that I can work with the hangar door open..., always an emotional plus. Getting these three old through-hull holes closed up and getting the last of the paint off the cabin ceiling are hopefully the last seriously obnoxious jobs. All the rest should be more fun.

[Neil Gordon]

Joe, How do you find the time?

The same way you find time to go to the dentist or go to your kid's wedding. You put it on the calendar. The buddy system also works for me.

[Joe CD MS 300]

Troy,

I have often wondered where you get the time to work on your boat as much as you do. Just to get to mine is an eight our trip.

Working out is such a habit and so much part of the routine that I don't even think about it. There are no mental debates with my self, get up get some coffee, take care of business, go to the gym. Getting it done first thing in the morning before I head to the office also makes it easier not to skip. Working out in the afternoons is always dependent on other things that pop up during the day.

Niel is right about the buddy system. The gym is almost like a social club. You don't show one day and someone is getting on you with "Where the hell were you you lazy asx bastxxx?" I guess the fact that most of my non-business related friends are guys that I played football with also is part of it. Working out was not optional, it was a necessity.

Joe