Age And Health Concerning Boating

[Maclin]

I intend to go boating until I start looking at it as a chore to dread. Trying to do my own maintenance, I figure when that has to stop it will be the key factor as to when I will become a spectator.

 

[jkust]

Well I can comment about my parents...

Dad - Vietnam Vet, Big Red 1, suffers from Diabetes due to Agent Orange exposure. Has lost a lot of balance, feeling in his feet, etc. A couple years back he would go out on the boat as long as he had his life jacket on BEFORE stepping on the dock. Now I'm not too sure he'd even try it. **He is maintaining his Diabetes through insulin and diet - has since he was first diagnosed.

Mom - needs knee replacements (yes both per her doctor). Got her out on my boat this year once when the dock was relatively stable and she could walk from the dock onto my swim platform and then up/over the rear sun deck.

Both are in their mid-late 60's and retired.


I've been kicking around the idea of a pontoon boat (project) as it'd be easier for both of them to get in/out then the Chap I have currently. Realistically though, I'm not sure how much longer either of them are going to be able to go out on the water during our family vacations. And as others have said, in my particular situation, it's health related, not age. 10 years ago, before their health issues, it was more of a problem keeping them out of the boat!

My dad was a Vietnam vet as well. He's maybe one of the lucky ones that the agent orange didn't do too much to him even though he got shot several times. He just came down with a heart problem unfortunately meaning he now has to take a blood thinner and if he was to get cut, clotting would be a problem which has kind of put a slow down on him. He's not happy because he's been very active and walks several miles each day and still rides a bike to his job in Hawaii.

 

[RGrew176]

I intend to keep on boating as long as I am able to function well enough to do it safely. I actually got out of boating in 2011 thinking I was done. Well, the boat bug bit me again in 2014. I spent about a year looking at various boats before I found my current 1981 Carver 3007 Aft-cabin. Once I decided on a sedan style I knew it would have to be an aft cabin model. Only 3 steps from the cockpit to the aft deck. Most normal sedans have 7 steps. I boat alone most of the time and have for the last 20 years or so.

One can boat alone if one develops techniques to handle a boat by them selves. My Carver is a 30 footer and over the last 2 years I have tweaked my techniques enough that I can handle it by myself. Of course it's nice to have others aboard to handle lines and such but I am able to do it so far. I turn 68 tomorrow and except for some tendonitis in my right shoulder I am pain free and still able to function to a high degree.

There was a Commodore in one of our area boat clubs that boated into his mid 90's. I am hoping that I will be able to do the same. I am going to boat as long as I can and have the necessary funds to do so.

 

[82rude]

jkust there are blood thinners that still allow for clotting im just not remembering right now .Is the taking of blood thinners a long term thing?I injected a thinner that was way better than warfin which they had to monitor closely where as the injected stuff was not monitored and still allowed for clotting.Mind you it was for a total knee replacement that was done one day and the next morning at 8 am i was home fat and happy!

 

[Texasmark]

I'm 75+, have been boating all my life. Seems the trips to the lake got fewer and fewer. Just got tired of the same old 7 and 6. Gave my boat to a charitable organization who needed but didn't have one, appreciates it, and are putting it to good use. I have a pond here at the farm and on the occasions I feel like it, I go out and cast for awhile and come back, put the r&r back up and that's that. Takes care of the mild urges. Funny, I had one today. Was going to do some worm fishing and realized I took my worm weights in the house to use as ballast in the plastic model airplanes I build, among other things. However, I "lived" boating over the years. It was a big part of family life. Many fond memories.

 

[444]

Age is a number, health is all that matters. There are plenty of 80+ year olds flying in their own home built aircraft.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

Interesting thread for me. Because its on my mind a lot. Ive just purchased a brand new 26 foot boat. Im 53 and the cold hard facts this is probably the stupidest financial thing ive ever done. That being said the purchase now was financial. Hows that for a package deal. This boat was exactly what i was looking for. Im two years out from some major life changes that will allow me to take about three months off a year and I plan to get every nickel back from this boat. We weighed a lot of factors the biggest being the boat I wanted was not going to be any cheaper in two years and I hope to have it paid off in 5 years. If I waited another 2 or 3 years the price would probably have been another $30K and I got the best deal I think possible on this class of boat. I also live in a mobile home that I bought new in 94 my kids all graduate from college in less than two years and we work a lot. I could have upgraded into a much more expensive home and lifestyle long ago, but i plan on becoming a snow bird and heading south to dive and fish in the Florida area until i cant any more. One of my biggest concerns was how long will I be able to do these things. But who knows Im hoping I have 15 to 20 years of usable body to get my value out of this boat. Reading some of your posts gives me some hope maybe more. My other boat is now 21 years old ive repaired and kept it in like new shape and I plan to do the same with this boat. i hope I can do the same with my own body. Ill tell you the proverbial time clock seems to be spinning faster and faster these days. May we all live long and well.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Interesting thread for me. Because its on my mind a lot. Ive just purchased a brand new 26 foot boat. Im 53 and the cold hard facts this is probably the stupidest financial thing ive ever done. That being said the purchase now was financial. Hows that for a package deal. This boat was exactly what i was looking for. Im two years out from some major life changes that will allow me to take about three months off a year and I plan to get every nickel back from this boat. We weighed a lot of factors the biggest being the boat I wanted was not going to be any cheaper in two years and I hope to have it paid off in 5 years. If I waited another 2 or 3 years the price would probably have been another $30K and I got the best deal I think possible on this class of boat. I also live in a mobile home that I bought new in 94 my kids all graduate from college in less than two years and we work a lot. I could have upgraded into a much more expensive home and lifestyle long ago, but i plan on becoming a snow bird and heading south to dive and fish in the Florida area until i cant any more. One of my biggest concerns was how long will I be able to do these things. But who knows Im hoping I have 15 to 20 years of usable body to get my value out of this boat. Reading some of your posts gives me some hope maybe more. My other boat is now 21 years old ive repaired and kept it in like new shape and I plan to do the same with this boat. i hope I can do the same with my own body. Ill tell you the proverbial time clock seems to be spinning faster and faster these days. May we all live long and well.

I wish you and your family the best of health and happiness in the future. If I knew then when I was 53 and that's only 10 years ago I would have done things a bit differently, I wouldn't have waited is what I am trying so poorly to say. We also planned on being Snowbirds and stay south for the winter, now I can't because of health insurance costs as we all lost our benefits with US Steel Canada after 30 plus years of service.

 

[REN3G8]

I bought my boat from an old man in his 60s who just had hip replacement surgery done... however that's not why he was selling it, in his words he "upgraded" to a pontoon boat because it was getting very difficult for him to see over the windshield, his vision is not as good anymore so he wanted to be higher up and be able to see ahead. I doubt he'll give up boating anytime soon as he lives and owns a business right across the lake, but everyone has different reasons I guess.

 

[jkust]

jkust there are blood thinners that still allow for clotting im just not remembering right now .Is the taking of blood thinners a long term thing?I injected a thinner that was way better than warfin which they had to monitor closely where as the injected stuff was not monitored and still allowed for clotting.Mind you it was for a total knee replacement that was done one day and the next morning at 8 am i was home fat and happy!

Wouldn't you know it, he (my dad) was helping someone take their boat out at the ramp for the season on his lake and took a hard fall on a slippery courtesy dock getting out of the boat, cutting his face up, tearing his rotator cuff and hitting his head very hard. The good news was that his face ended up clotting quickly so was his first test of getting a cut while taking these long term blood thinners. Because he is on the thinners though they had to do a head CT to be sure he wasn't bleeding in his head.