How old are you guys?

[skip1930]

This came up in the Ford Model 'A' club this I belong to.

It's a concern that the medium age of the club members and car owners is really creeping up there. Up high enough that members are are starting wonder what to do with the 1928 to 1931 Ford Model 'A'?

Typically the kids don't want it, it's not that collectible, museums are a great source for a buyer to find one in. Ect.

So I'm reading how all your kids are grown up and moved away, and a few of us can't bend over anymore, and are a bit on the short but rotunda's side. This all makes for sailing the smaller Com-Pac a bit dicey and it appears that there is enough ballast to go around.

I'll start. It's "welcome to the 60'ies generation. YOURS!" On this St Patty's day. I have no kids. When I get rid of the boat, well it'll be gone. Probably in a garage sale.

skip. Nothing worked on 'cause it all works. Well most all. Still walking to Target from my house and back six miles round trip.

[Tim Gardner]

Well, Skip,

You and I were both born in 1951, but mine's in November.  Dang hard to believe.   I have a harder time getting into and out of my '67 AH Sprite, but still manage to scramble around my 19 pretty well.  Left knee hates me, right knee is ambivalent.  My lower back screams 'Torque You!' a lot, but I've lost 10 Lbs since Jan 1 so I don't hear it as often.  My water skiing is now down to "I can still get up" -  libido says the same.  (Don't hear that as often anymore either).

In 3 years I'll start collecting SS if it's still around, the Admiral in 4.  The house will be paid for in 5.  I'll probably keep working to maintain the gray matter, just not enough to tax it. (pun intended)

With the price of Gas, we'll probably keep sailing, but I'll get rid of the runabout & Jet skis, keep the pontoon & Sunfish, & waste away at Timothy's Cove Lighthouse.  Might 'still' try my hand at making whiskey.

I guess I'm going to be busy.  Will probably spend a lot of the winter in St. Augustine, FL so my daughter & grandkids can get used to supporting me.

TG

[brackish]

64 and lately most days I feel it, particularly in the winter.  I consider myself lucky, the Admiral and I still mostly have our health and don't have any debt.  Run to stay in shape, trained for and ran the San Antonio Marathon last November specifically to qualify for Boston, however, have had many problems since then with my back, think training for that distance may be too much strain, too many miles.  Still agile enough to single hand my boat with the help of the tiller pilot, but wonder if those days are numbered.  Maybe the next step is a smaller cat boat, no jib, as Forrest Gump says "you know, one less thing...."

Mind still clear, memory still good, Spring is on the way.

[capt_nemo]

brackish,

Regarding "...next step is a smaller cat boat, no jib, as...". If it's a Com-Pac Sun Cat you might have to consider retaining your jib trimming skills. The Sun Cat is quite noticeably underpowered in light air so I made a small Rip Stop Nylon Drifter of approximately 38 square feet which I set "flying". It transforms the otherwise sluggish boat into a light air rocket, relatively speaking. The photo below says it all! By the way, I'm 66 and sail solo most of the time.

[ontarioSuncat]

Jib lookks good, I am 58, but when the wind dies and I get tired, or the first mate wants to get to an anchorage, or my 3-4 hours a day sailing limit (First mate Limit) is reached I drop the 5HP and get going a 5.5 knots.

[brackish]

capt_nemo said:

<snip>...I made a small Rip Stop Nylon Drifter of approximately 38 square feet which I set "flying". ...<snip>

Why the very idea....if I move in the direction of a Sun Cat I'm going to lobby Tom Ray to appoint me to the Sun Cat Nationals rules committee and we will nip that blasphemy in the bud.  I've already talked to the Admiral about the possibility of becoming the chief jib trimmer if we get a Sun Cat and she asked what she would have to do.  I told her the job description consisted of:  Look pretty, engage in pleasant conversation with the helmsman, and occasionally fetch a snack or cold beverage.  She was fine with that, I can't complicate the matter with an actual jib to trim.

[Osprey]

Boy, y'all are making me feel old! So far at 67, I'm the oldest to report in. I picked up a good used SunCat last Wk. end. I single hand 75% of the time. Recently, I sold my Telstar 28 Tri and my Seapearl 21 Tri. My plan is to get down to more sailing and less rigging. Can't wait to get the SunCat on the water. Should launch the new boat this week, times a-wastin'!

Terry

[don l]

60 and some more.   It's  all I can say without  crying.  Oh, there I go again!

fair winds

[BobK]

63.  Skip you may be right - I'm starting to see a pattern.

BobK

[capt_nemo]

brackish,

For Tom Ray's latest thoughts on racing modified Sun Cats, go to the Sun Cat Forum and review the post "hitchhiker Sun Cat Jib Sailing".

And, just wait 'til you see photos of my "Frisky" all decked out in her Light Air MAINSAIL splendor! (Work in process.)

[Billy]

Well let me break that trend Bob, I'm 30. I started sailing about 5 years ago, sold my Mastercraft skiboat and haven't looked back since. Funny that I am looking forward to the day I can afford a bigger boat, but I figure by the time I have enough money, I'll be like all you old fogies and to stiff to run around on my 50 footer!

I guess that is why they say "youth is wasted on the young".

[rdcvsmith]

Got to get some more decades accounted for here .... born in '60  .. so just turned the big 5-0 last year!

springtime slowly coming to New England.
-Ray

[Glenn Basore]

Skip,

I'm 62 and retired, (worked 43 years) fair health but loosing strength every day as part of the aging process.

I sold all my antique cars (1930 Ford Model A Pick Up, 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible, 1938 Buick Special, straight  a few years ago when the gas prices got so high. My thoughts were, when I pass on, my wife would not know what the cars are worth. better for me to sell and get the most for them now.

We are dept free and my wife is still working, she has 5 years to go before retiring at 62.

I love my Eclipse but I'm struggling to keep up with her, I just don't have the strength any more. I will keep her as long as I can.

I'm amateur astronomer having designed and built my own telescope (open trust Dobsonian, 12.5 f5 telescope) which is keeping me busy with club events and "out reach programs " for the local schools. I know this will keep me going after I sell the Eclipse.

Some one once said "less is better"................I'm understanding that now!

Glenn

[rwdsr]

I'll be 58 on the 20th of April, knees and shoulders giving me some fits now and again, but working like crazy now to get ready for another season on the water.  My big camp/sail/fish on Kentucky Lake is coming up 29 April to 6 May.

[redfishnc]

Just turned 60 and I currently own a Ranger Bay 20 center console, a Ranger flats skiff and just added a Com-Pac 27 to the fleet.  Am still working and burning the fuse at both ends but there are days when I feel something is going on.  I still mess around with older cars and have a Miata for autocrossing and an 87 Mustang GT convertible for the sound of a 5.0 V8 5 spd.  I know that the difference between good health and bad is one day once you get a little older.  Yes, my friends all think I am a little loose, I think I am doing what I want to...  Next adventure is sailing the 27 from Annapolis to Wilmington, NC, it's new home.  Just praying for enough weather days to get out of the Chesapeake...  If you have any good words of advice I am all ears.  Here's to all us old guys and our toys and our adventures.