How old is too old (to operate a boat)?

T

thunderbird1

New Member
Oct 4, 2006
365
Pacific Northwest
I have more than a few years before retirement, but I'm wondering at what point age might become a safety issue when boating? Can I expect to safely operate a 30-40 foot cruiser well into my 70s, for example?
 
This country is the best, if you can still operate a car and you can afford a 30-40 ft cruiser you can operate it to your hearts content or you stick it on a sand bar or have a heart attack, which ever comes first. :cool: There is no known litness test to operate a boat beyond the age of 16 in most states. :thumbsup:

I plan on being trailer trash till I'm too old to wench up the last couple of feet of the boat up the bunks. :smt100 That's when I will retire and buy a 70'ft'r and hire me some lovlies in bikini's to ride me around till I'm 90. Ain't life Grand! :smt038
 
An interesting question. I am going to be 63 before Xmas. I wonder how long I will be able to operate my boat, and drive my car. In Oregon, I will soon have to pass the boaters exam, not a big deal. I think the same is either true now or will soon be in Washington. But I think once you pass it, you are home free. My oldest brother is 73, and I think he could easily operate a boat.

But it depends on a lot of things. You are really asking how your health is going to be when you are well into your 70's. No one can tell you that. But if it is good, then I think you should be fine. It also depends on where you boat. If you are going out over the Columbia River bar, that is one thing. Running up to Sand Island is totally different. I think you are in an ideal location as far a being able to go boating without too many unforseen risks involved.

It's my opinion that driving a car will be an issue before operating your boat. People on the road are terribly unpredictable, and very close. The only exception might be if you cause too much 'dock rash' while getting in and out of your slip. My backup plan if I can't drive anymore is to join the local yacht club and put the boat there. Then I can ride my bike to the boat!

My comment about cars is not without exception. I used to live south of Forest Grove, near Hagg Lake. I swore off boating there, as the people that went there were idiots. One time there were two boats on the whole lake, and one ran into the other and killed someone.

When you are retired, then you learn to stay away from the weekend crowds. I often get most of the Columbia to myself on nice summer weekdays. When you get older, you worry more about how alert you are, and make every effort to tilt the odds your way.

That's my 2 cents worth.

"Age and cunning will overcome youth and vigor every time." Someone said something like that.

"I want to die quietly in my sleep like Uncle Ned, not hollering and screaming like the passengers in his car."
 
Every other weekend at the Trump Marina in Atlantic City, NJ an older gentleman captains his 2005 340DA from the Toms River area. That's a 50 mile run each way...mostly ocean and he has to run two inlets...anyone here who as spent a weekend as a transient at Farley's will know who I am talking about.....he spends the weekend telling his life stories up and down the "H dock". By the way, he is in his late 70's ( I think 79) and does the trip "SOLO"....
 
My grand father operated his 38 foot Chris Craft until he was 77, when it was consumed by fire (darn wood boats). He would have easily been good to go for a few more years... My 67 year old father (not that that's old!) lives on his 42 trawler and does the ICW from Maryland to the Florida Keys and back every year. I think with proper experience and diligence, you can boat for a long time.
 
I think it would be more of a concern if you were operating a sail boat, although I remember one gentleman operating his 28' sail boat, solo well into his 80's, right up until he passed away.
I agree that operating a boat is not near as harrowing as a car, as the morons on the roads today have taken all of the fun out of driving. Years ago, they advertised "Defensive Driving". In the past 20 years, it has taken on a new meaning.
Operating a boat, by a seasoned "captain", seldom requires quick reflexes, if that is your concern. Inexperienced boaters often put themselves in a position where they need quick reflexes, but seasoned boaters don't. Actually, most people should be doing everything "slower" anyway, especially docking.
In the case of "dock rash", once again, experience prevails.
A good quality dock wheel, 6" fenders fastened along the length of the finger, and 8" fenders fastened to the main dock, (mine are suspended from my dock boxes). This way, all you have is one side of the boat to hang fenders from, if you are in a double loaded slip.
 
there is a salesman at Marine Max who's father runs his 40-footish viking almost DAILY!
I think he takes the weekends off though, stay away from the traffic.

I know of another gentleman who SAILS his boat a few days a week, guy can hardly walk, dont know how he does it.

I would hope in both cases that they know thier limits, if you can FINALLY enjoy yourself at thier age, when the hell can you?
 
There is a well known family in our area who has run charter, cruise and dinner cruise boats sine the 40's. The patriarch of the family passed away a couple of years ago at about 96 years of age. He ran charters until well into his 90's on shorter trips. He was always competent and courteous on the water, but I think the USCG made the family have another licensed captain onboard when Capt Max was running the boat the last several years he worked. I saw him a couple of weeks before he died.......he was cleaning the bottom of his bay boat because he was going mullet fishing that afternoon.

You will hear lots of stories like this one, but its going to come down to your individual situation. Some major health event may answer the question for you, but hopefully not and you make the decision on when to quit when your confidence in your ability wains.

For me, I find operating a bigger boat to be easier than smaller ones --- the boat is more maneuverable, less subject to the effects wind and current, and then there is the intimidation factor....smaller boats tend to stay out of your way. I'll keep on keeping on until the maintenance gets to be more than I can handle....and I'm no where near that point yet.
 
I have pondered this question as well. But there is no right answer.....it's dependant on the person. Personally I plan on boating as long as possible. I have the feeling that trying to care for your boat as you grow older and less physically able to do so is more of a problem than piloting the boat in one's old age. Quite frankly that's what will probably signal an end to boating for me since I am a do-it-yourselfer. Once I find that taking care of and maintaining the boat has become too difficult, then I will stop boating.
 
The hardest part is the contortions in the bilge... :smt101

Feet are too big, and not enough knee, elbow, or wrist joints... :huh:
 
When you are at the peak of your earning ability you may "need" a big house, a cottage, a car for your wife and yourself, plus a sports car or airplane and a big boat. As you get older, the boats get smaller, the sports car or airplane gets sold. Later on you may sell the cottage and get a smaller house. At a still later stage you need your small house and buy a pontoon boat. Still later, you need just a bed and a toilet. So the precise answer to your question is, When you are down to the bed and the toilet, you are too old to boat. :smt089
 
sbw1 said:
When you are at the peak of your earning ability you may "need" a big house, a cottage, a car for your wife and yourself, plus a sports car or airplane and a big boat. As you get older, the boats get smaller, the sports car or airplane gets sold. Later on you may sell the cottage and get a smaller house. At a still later stage you need your small house and buy a pontoon boat. Still later, you need just a bed and a toilet. So the precise answer to your question is, When you are down to the bed and the toilet, you are too old to boat. :smt089
Click to expand...

At that point I plan to give the boat to one, or more, of my nephews and they can haul me around :wink:
 
I plan to be trailer trash for a long time as my kids are spending my money faster than I can find it.

According to my physics instructor you can move the world with a big enough lever and fulcrum. Using that theory buy an electric winch and let it do the work Rich. I know an old guy who has a huge Boston Whaler with a Dodge dually and triple axle trailer. He takes that boat out all the time by himself and puts it back on the trailer with a little assistance from Mr 12 Volt.

Have a great day

Paul
 
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