Whether you’ve dreamed about boats your whole life or have recently discovered the idea, here are 10 signs indicating that you need to become a sailing cruiser now.
10 Signs YOU Need to Become A Sailing Cruiser NOW Video!
1. Your life is not exciting enough
You’re tired of the same routine every day. Perhaps your life is fine. You have nothing to complain about, but you have nothing to rave about either. There is no excitement, adventure, variety, or spark. When you get down to it, if you’re being very honest with yourself, you’re slowly decomposing rather than truly living life.
2. A family-related guilt-free window has opened
You’re at a time in your life when you can head out sailing without neglecting family responsibilities. In other words, your child/children are young (and you can bring them with you). Or your children have left the nest and won’t be having grandbabies any time soon. AND your parents are either no longer around or are in very good health. Windows like this don’t last for long, so it’s one of the top 10 signs you need to become a sailing cruiser now.
3. Friends & family think you are nuts when you talk about your sailing dream
Many aspiring cruisers fail to live their dream because they listen to friends and family tell them that they’re too young, too old, too inexperienced, or too ___________ (fill in the blank). Any negative response you get from family/friends demonstrates their issue and not yours. When you tell Aunt Gertrud that you’re heading out to sea to find adventure and freedom, she responds with, “You’re going to die!” Instead of getting deflated, take it as a sign that you need to get out cruising and let Aunt Gertrud choose to slowly decompose.
4. You’re done with the media
You’ve already stopped watching commercials, avoid radio adverts, don’t read the newspaper, and avoid the news like the plague. HOWEVER, you still can’t get away from all the negativity, fake news, and doom and gloom. It’s unavoidable on land! You crave a sun-warmed breeze on your face, tropical blue waters, and the sound of NATURE. The sound of cresting waves lapping on the hull, sales luffing and filling with power, and your better half handing you a plate saying, ‘here’s some fresh lobster and butter.’
5. You’ve come to terms that the aging process is real & it’s not going to stop
Whether it’s another grey hair, a deeper-lined wrinkle, or an ache that seems menacing, you’ve accepted that the aging trend is going to continue. You realized that there is a point when you won’t be able to live the sailing dream. So far, you’ve chosen not to make it happen. That’s different than not having the choice to do it at all. This is a major sign that you need to become a sailing cruiser now.
6. Your friends have all become boring
You dearly love all your friends and would do anything for them. They’re all great people. Unfortunately, they’re all just as boring as you (in your current state). You, however, don’t want to settle for boredom. You want more. You want to mix with people that excite, challenge, and help you to grow. You want to meet people from all sorts of professions with a variety of different backgrounds.
On the beach after a beautifully blissful sail from one island to another, you want to crack open a beer, strike up a conversation with one of the many cruisers around you, and get more intoxicated from the conversation than you do from the beer!
7. You don’t want a hobby, you want something more
You’ve thought of taking up golf, learning how to woodwork, playing the electric guitar, and have even dabbled in learning to fly but none of these hobbies feel like they’ll be enough. You want something big; something life-changing. A massive sign that the cruising life is for you is that you want to learn new skills, spend more quality time with your partner/family, meet new people, see new sights, spend more time in nature, live more authentically, eat better, and exercise more. You want a life upgrade! Becoming a sailing cruiser is not a hobby, it’s not something you do for a few hours a day, it’s a new and fulfilling lifestyle.
8. During your spare mental and physical time, you end up on the water
While taking a break and surfing the Internet, you often look at boats, read boating blogs, or watch sailing YouTube channels. When out for a drive, or even on vacation, you somehow end up near the water looking out at boats. Whenever possible you get to the water and on the water. You wonder what your life will be like as a cruiser. This is a sign that you’ve been bitten by the sailing cruiser bug! Keep doing this. The more you see, feel, and experience the life, the stronger the pull will be to get you out on the water NOW.
9. You’ve worked hard and now it’s time to claim the rewards
You went to school, had a family, got a good job/built a business, climbed a ladder, and provided for your loved ones. You have worked hard and now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You have the funds and/or assets to make it happen. Don’t delay…this is another sign that the time is right.
10. You’re scared
You want to make the sailing cruising dream a reality but it’s rather overwhelming. You’ll have to go from being an expert at whatever your profession was to being a complete novice. You know you’re going to fail at certain things. You know it’s not going to be easy. You know that you’ll have to convince your better half that it’s a worthwhile pursuit. Then you have to find the ‘perfect’ boat. You’ll have to learn how to sail in addition to wearing a variety of hats – weather forecaster, passage planner, plumber, carpenter, electrician, cleaner, linguist, diplomat, chef, fisherperson, and homeschooler (if taking the kids). You’re scared. And that’s a SIGN that now is the time to become a sailing cruiser. As Jack Canfield wrote, ‘everything you want is on the other side of fear.’
Any doubts?
Are you not 100% sure that the sailing cruising life is for you? You’re not alone! Join hundreds of others that felt the same way and try-before-you-buy the sailing lifestyle. Join Captain Simon on Britican for a fully immersive week-long sailing lifestyle experience in the Caribbean. Spaces are limited, so book now! Full details here: The Britican Experience
Other Articles/Videos That Might Interest You?
- Living on a sailboat full-time – 40 benefits
- To 20 mistakes new boaters make
- The secret benefits to becoming a liveaboard sailing cruiser
- How to become an ocean sailing cruiser
Any Questions or Comments?
What other signs are there? Please leave your comments below.