Members' Online Book: How To Buy a Cruising Boat, Chapter 32 of 39

At What Age should You Stop Sailing And Buy a Motorboat?

John Published May 1, 2007 1 comment Updated February 6, 2020

Question: We are considering the purchase of a 52' motorsailer and wanted to know your thoughts regarding at what age (we are 62 and 60) should a couple consider a trawler versus a sailboat. After reading your very detailed descriptions regarding handling of sails while voyaging we were just wondering if we are taking on a bit much as we plan to passage to Alaska, Hawaii and beyond.

To continue reading login (scroll down) or:

Learn About Membership

Or

CLICK HERE to get to know us for free.

Book Chapter Navigation:

<< Q&A, What’s the Maximum Sailboat Size For a Couple?

A Motorsailer For Offshore Voyaging? >>

Please Share

Meet the Author

John

John was born and brought up in Bermuda and started sailing as a child, racing locally and offshore before turning to cruising. He has sailed over 100,000 miles, most of it on his McCurdy & Rhodes 56, Morgan's Cloud, including eight ocean races to Bermuda, culminating in winning his class twice in the Newport Bermuda Race. He has skippered a series of voyages in the North Atlantic, the majority of which have been to the high latitudes. John has been helping others go voyaging by sharing his experience for twenty years, first in yachting magazines and, for the last 12 years, as co-editor/publisher of AAC.

1 comment… add one

You must log in to post a comment. Log in now.

:comment notifications via e-mail. You can also get notifications without commenting.

≡ Menu

Nothing on this website or in direct communications received from us, or in our articles in the media, should be construed to mean or imply that offshore voyaging is anything other than potentially hazardous. Dangers such as, but not limited to, extreme weather, cold, ice, lack of help or assistance, gear failure, grounding, and falling overboard could injure or kill you and wreck your boat.

Decisions such as, but not limited to, heading offshore, where you go, and how you equip your boat, are yours and yours alone. The information on this web site is based on what has worked for the authors in the past, but that does not mean it will work for you, or that it is the best, or even a good way for you to do things.