Ready to set sail!

[carib bound]

Thanks LauAnn. Its aggressive, but we're excited!

[5971]

Awesome plan. Congratulations!!!

[carib bound]

Update: DW and I just returned from South Beach, FL, where we celebrated our 25th anniversary. While there, we drove up to Dania Beach, where we signed the contract to purchase our new Leopard catamaran, which will be delivered from the factory (South Africa) by mid-April, 2014. We are VERY excited, although this extends our w*rking until the end of February, 2014. (We had hoped to retire at the end of August 2013, but will use this additional time until our new "home" arrives to continue to earn income, and delay by six months drawing down our assets.)

As those on this site who have ER'd know well, it is one thing to plan for retirement, and another to execute the plan (retire). Having written the check and signed the purchase agreement, we are executing our plan for the next chapter in our lives. I must say, I slept well the night before our meeting with the dealer, and have yet to wake up in the middle of the night in a sweat thinking, "What have I done!" It feels great to now know we are moving forward with retirement, with dates now fairly set in stone.

Of course, now we have to decide on a name for our boat! Not an easy undertaking!

[Sarah in SC]

Agreed, sometimes I think it is easier to have one that comes with her name than to come up with it on the fly!
Rivals naming children in complexity, I imagine!

And congrats--those are AWESOME boats!

[Midpack]

Congratulations on passing another big milestone!

And we've had four boats, and the names readily presented themselves each time. Never took more than a few days, and we always waited a few days/weeks to order graphics in case we had second thoughts - but we never did. Each name was meaningful and enduring to us. Hope the name becomes obvious to you when the time comes too.

[Onward]

Congrats on your impending retirment and what sounds like a great adventure.

As for the name of the boat, I suggest "Onward."

[wsmurdoch]

I thought about running a charter business using my own boat and in the late 80s got a USCG 6-pack licnese in preparation for doing just that. I later scrubbed that idea and took a different tack. My wife and I kept working. The kids grew up and married. In 2004 at the age of 54 I retired. My wife and I bought a much smaller boat than we would have needed for charter guests. We kept our house and went cruising part time. The boat is a 1988 Pacific Seacraft 34; small (but adequate), inexpensive, manageable, and solid. The smaller boat left more of our capital invested where it earns the income we need, and it has much smaller annual costs than a larger and complicated boat. We cruise part time, maybe five months a year and spend seven months at home. We have a house where our stuff is in a town where our friends live. We have spent two springs in the Chesapeake Bay, one cruising the NC and SC coasts, and the last six years making trips to the Bahamas. It is not a bad set up.

www.irish-eyes-to-the-bahamas.blogspot.com is a blog my wife keeps for the kids while we are away. It answers the question, "It is 11 o'clock, do you know where your parents are?".

[Milton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch I thought about running a charter business using my own boat ... I later scrubbed that idea and took a different tack.... My wife and I bought a much smaller boat than we would have needed for charter guests.... The smaller boat left more of our capital invested where it earns the income we need, and it has much smaller annual costs than a larger and complicated boat.

That plan appeals to me much more. If nothing else, it is more in line with the KISS principle.

[carib bound]

Thanks all. And I appreciate the comments regarding naming our sailboat, although I believe Onward may be somewhat biased in his suggestion (although its a great name, and certainly applicable)! DW and I thought long and hard about selling our home and moving from the area where we have lived for the past 13 years. We considered continuing to sail half the year on the Chesapeake, and the other half in the Bahamas/Caribbean. Even considered buying an older catamaran, and leaving it on the hard in the Caribbean, while back in VA and sailing our sloop during the summer/fall months on the Bay. However, having few friends and no family in the area, and no reason ever to return here (we're only here because of our careers), we decided it was worth the experience to just cast off the dock lines, leave the area and our beautiful marina, and go cruising on a well-equipped catamaran for however long we enjoy the life style. As for the charter business, its an option only if we find ourselves too "relaxed," or our investment plan falls short. It's a dream we've had and planned for many years and, while certainly not for everyone, an adventure we're truly excited to embark upon! I'll pass along our BlogSpot, once its created! Thanks, again.

[Milton]

There's really no right or wrong cruising strategy; you are doing what appeals to you, and that's what matters. Enjoy the adventure and I hope it works out well.

[sengsational]

Quote:

Originally Posted by carib bound As for the charter business, its an option only if we find ourselves too "relaxed," or our investment plan falls short. It's a dream we've had and planned for many years and, while certainly not for everyone, an adventure we're truly excited to embark upon! I'll pass along our BlogSpot, once its created! Thanks, again.

I thought the charter business was an integral part of the plan. Nice plan B, hehe.

[Milton]

carib bound, please post an update.