“How much longer do you expect to sail?” I have been asked this three times in the last two days. I am turning 66 in two weeks, but I feel that I am in very good shape and do not look feeble. I am totally new to sailing, so I wonder: do most folks hang it at 65? We purchased our Nonsuch for retirement, but were we foolish? It seems like many of you are in our age bracket and enjoy sailing, and we chose the Nonsuch for its ease of use, quality, and the helpful community of owners."
I will be 79 soon and I intend to keep sailing for the foreseeable future. I didn’t buy this boat until I was older than you are now. This is my sixth sailboat since 1970. A Nonsuch is so easy to sail I can’t see age being much of a factor, as long as I can drive to the harbor and walk the docks down to our boat I plan on sailing. That being said, if the Corps of Engineers keeps screwing with the rivers i might have a hard time finding a place to sail. Here where we sail on the Mississippi the water has been too low to get out of the harbor since late June until this just last week.
Tim in STL
White O’morn NS e26U #216
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
This is an interesting subject that has gotten lost in some other non related thread. So I started a new one.
I bought my N30U at 75 years old. I have sailing experience and a love of the sea but no experience with Nonsuches. I am retired and bought the Nonsuch because of its reputation for ease of handling ( no forsail etc.). I am partially handicapped and mostly rely on my crew of family and friends to aid in handling.I’m trying to get my son and son in law in their 40s and early 50s interested. Then there 4 grandkids in their teens that will follow. So theoretically what ever We put unto this adventure will not be waisted.
I don’t think age has much to do with it. It matters how you feel no matter how old you are. I’m 83 and I sail more than most in this area. Some things hurt more than they once did, but I can still handle everything on the boat. My loving wife does not like me sailing alone so I do try to honor her wishes. I am lucky to have a number of sailing friends that want to sail on my Nonsuch.
In short, I think your mind and your body will tell you when to hang it up, not your age. In fact, the more active you are, should be a good thing. I’ll be damned if I am going to sit around the house and watch Dr. Phil all day. I’m going sailing tomorrow and again as soon as possible. I know people in their forties older than me.
I will be turning 73 this year. We purchased our Nonsuch 30 U two years ago.
Our previous boat was Marshall 22 so we stepped up to a larger boat but we don’t find Nonsuch any harder to sail. I mostly raced small boats most of my life.
With Regards
NaotoSusanK 2 hull 291
Nonsuch 30U
Kennebunkport, ME
Me too. I am 83 and try and sail at least once a week with bob Neches. His boat or mine. My wife won’t let me go alone and I need another person aboard. I have other sailing buddies but they are not able to sail these days but I am expecting them back. Sailing keeps you young!!
Phil LeVine. Me says. Nonsuch 36. San Pedro ca
I am 74 and just bought a 26C. I expect to be sailing another 4-6 years and then evaluate things With a new shoulder replacement and therefore some effort restrictions, I plan to look over the thread on using a right-angle drill to hoist the sail.
We have had several owners out here sailing into their 90s. Dick Lane was 91 when he did his last single handed sail from Port Townsend to Maple Bay a distance of about 65 nautical miles.
Well this topic has hit home as I had a bit of a reality check this past weekend after spending four days in Port Jefferson Long Island. It was a short sail heading west with an easterly breeze. It was fine but, a bit of a rocking and rolling trip has the fetch built the waves up a little. Had a bit of stress entering the harbor as the current threatened to push the boat toward one of the entrance jetties. But nothing too traumatic.
After I picked up the mooring I began to feel an ache on my lower back and hip on one side. Nothing that an Ibuprofen couldn’t cure. Though it bothered me for two days. I’ve come to the decision that my sailing days may be at an end. I solo sail and at 69 I’m not as quick moving about. My balance is not as good as it use to be especially when below deck. Getting up and down to do maintenance is getting harder and bothers my back more. As is rigging the 91 pounds of sail every spring and fall.
Coming back from the weekend I realized that it might be my last sail on my Nonsuch. Though I’m not sad as I had thirty great years of sailing memories. Including three Nonsuch Redezvous. A couple of years living on board in New York City. Took the boat up the Hudson River and into the Erie and Oswego canals. Across Lake Ontario to Toronto. As well as all the sailing spots here in the northeast. Montauk, Block Island, Newport, Marthas Vineyard, Nantucket, Provincetown, Boston among other spots.
The risk reward equation has changed for me. I’m noticing the physical limitations and see no need for any additional stress in my life at this point. I’m at peace with the decision. Though I have no plans to leave the boat anytime soon. I plan to use it as my floating island for sometime to come as I get great enjoyment just being on the water. I do reserve the right to change my mind should I decide to put on my sailing shoes once again if the spirit moves me. But, for now I’ll be taking it easy.
I bought my Nonsuch 26C #150 about a year ago. I am now 82. Before that I operated a Hallberg-Rassy 35 as a charter and as a RYA Training Centre boat for 24 years. I’ve been sailing since the mid 60’s and on the water most of my working life.
My first summer with the Nonsuch has been great. Lots of sailing. I love this boat! I have friends my age who sail with me and we have a great time!
So do it until you can’t.
Dave DeWolfe
NS26C #150 Ascension
Marriotts Cove NS.
A lot depends on individual health, friend group, access to services, and disposable income.
You can stay in the game a lot longer if you have friends to help work on the boat or good workers in the area you can afford.
Same’s true for sailing. Some people are very good at making friends who’ll be happy to lift and haul in exchange for a sail and a bottle of water.
Downsizing is also an option. I have a N26 in part because I can jump off and manhandle the boat into place at the docks much more easily than with the larger sizes. And the sail weighs 65-70 lbs instead of 90-95.
If that gets too much, I may start looking out for a 22.
And assistive hardware is coming a long way. I’m seeing an electric winch handle in my near future.
Some people are also more responsible than others. I have friends who worry about getting their boats sold before they die so that their non-sailing families don’t have to deal with it. Whereas, I’m perfectly content with laughing about that being my estate executor’s problem.
Ultimately, time catches up with us all. How quickly’s kind of a crapshoot.
I could joke about your body missing the added benefits of diesel fuel smelling salts, but it’d be in my (usual) bad taste.
I try to keep active, walking, cycling, crawling around on the floor with our little dog - I find that when I do not do the daily exercise, my body knows it and tells me.
I am most certainly NOT an exercise nut, and the thought of going to a gym makes my (what’s left of it) hair stand on end. But, going for a walk, or a cycle, seems easy and I always seem to feel better (no matter what the weather) at the end.
Take care of yourself;
JohnS NS26C 046 back in Bath, ON.
I’m 72 and spent last winter cruising the Bahamas, just the Admiral and me, November through March, on my 36. Many overnight passages, the longest, 54 hours from Georgetown in the Exumas to Ft. Pierce, Fl. Piece of cake. Our cruising permit had expired.
I did however have a WTF moment at 3am, crawling up the side deck (that 30 years ago I’d walk up) with a flashlight in my mouth so I could see what I was doing until my reading glasses fogged up, with walls of water washing over me. It wasn’t as much fun as it was a decade or 2 ago. My knees hurt when I got done my chore. Nevertheless, I achieved a personal best on that Georgetown to Ft. Pierce passage. 166 nm in 24 hours. Not bad for an old guy even if the Gulf Stream helped pushed it over the top.
Melissa and I have much experience delivering boats and have a 24 hour routine on passage that we can maintain endlessly.
But the key to longevity under sail is MOBILITY. I’m blessed in that my Admiral, Melissa, in addition to being an RYA certified Captain is also a Pilates instructor. Do your squats and stretching every morning and you’ll sail well into the horizon.
Rude questions, people age at different rates, genetics, lifestyle. those of us who go beyond the average of 78-79 or so “average” life expectancy are lucky. Health will eventually get us all until the biochemists figure out how to slow and stop aging. my credo is have as much fun as possible while still able! I bought my first Nonsuch in 2023 at age 82, now 83 and enjoying it every nice weekend, and still working full time!!
Roger Laine
Top Cat
30U SD 1987
Prieto Marina
Mandeville, LA
In regards to this thread – when cruising, I tend to just motor. When racing, I depend on my racing crew. I do not dinghy anywhere as getting in and out is scary.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Thanks. But, I’m not going anywhere and neither is my Nonsuch. The Estate folks will have to deal with it. I’ll still be on my Nonsuch but, probably not cruising as I have done in the past. I was just never keen on day sailing. I always liked to have a destination to head to once I left the mooring. I sailed to all the places I’ve wanted to sail to and have great memories of those trips. I see no need to revisit the places I’ve been to in some cases multiple times As I get older it’s more about comfort. I use to launch the boat at the end of March now it’s sometimes in May. As far as exercise swimming is my go to choice. My winter plan is every month during the winter I get someplace warm with a heated pool. Where I do two one hour swims everyday. Very therapeutic and easy on the back. In summer it’s over the side of my Nonsuch. I’ll still be doing that. I’m on my boat almost every nice day during the summer I don’t expect that to change. I will be keep busy taking off a lot of the items like tools, parts etc.. that I carried just in case when I was cruising that I no longer need on board. I might have a change of heart next season but, for now it is somewhat of a relief to just be on the boat and just enjoy it.
“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” ― Kenneth Grahame
85 and currently cruising in the Thousand islands of the St. Lawrence. Going to keep going if we can have days like yesterday’s ride down Canadian Middle Channel, wind 15 - 16 knots across the beam and a steady 7 knots all the way. ‘Course, those would be metric knots
Alan Steward,
30C # 144 MagnifiCat
Camelot Island,
St Lawrence River
I seem to remember a comment in one of the Nonsuch publications that pegged the average age of owners at some ridiculous number, and I’m under that. I enjoy getting out and letting the wind push me around, and I enjoy my boat as a social magnet as I invite my friends over to sail. My most consistent (all-girl) crew is under 30, and apart from docking, I have not actually had to steer for two or three years (I normally trim the sails). All else being equal, I could see being on this boat for another couple of decades.
My biggest problems with boating have nothing to do with boats–it’s the day job and its commute, the distance to my marina from the house that makes every single outing a production, and the number of other hobbies that simply take less effort to get to. We’ll see what wins out in the end.
Brian
SV Serenity
Nonsuch Nereus #003
Pax River MD
