Don’t Wait: Why Cruising Is for Now, Not Later
By Logan Rowell
There’s always a reason not to go cruising. The boat’s not ready. The budget’s too tight. You’ve got a job to think about, or a kid who still naps twice a day. There’s always something. There are a thousand reasons not to go, and only one reason to go… The Dream.
Here’s a better question: What if you don’t go?
Because if you really want it, if that dream of raising the sails and chasing the horizon has followed you through years of meetings, leases, birthdays, and boat projects, then you owe it to yourself to try. You owe it to your partner, your kids, and your future self to believe there’s a version of your life that’s defined by the wind and the tide, not the commute.
That’s not just romantic thinking. It’s reality for tens of thousands of cruisers out there. It’s a common theme for the members of YCA, and our members’ stories, like those in this article, are proof that if you want to go, just go. They didn’t all have trust funds, remote jobs, or time to waste. They had grit, mismatched parts, and hungry hearts… and they went anyway.
Some started with big plans. Others, with nothing but a gut feeling and a Craigslist boat.
Audrey bought her first sailboat in college, with zero experience and barely a budget. No one handed her a manual. She learned to fix diesel engines by doing it. She learned fiberglass work with sandpaper and stubbornness. In between teaching school and lifeguarding, she squeezed in time on the water; any time she could get.
Garrett, who would later become her partner in life and business, had a similar path. He started sailing in high school, worked summers crewing charters in the Caribbean, and eventually bought a 32-foot Pearson Vanguard to cruise solo. It didn’t even have a fridge. But it had freedom. It had enough.
By the time Audrey and Garrett crossed wakes in the Bahamas, they’d both learned how to stretch a dollar and push through problems. When they joined forces, they bought Bella, a Beneteau Oceanis 41, and started a charter business that offers everything from day sails to sailing school and SCUBA certifications. Now, they live and work full-time aboard with their boat cat, Davey Jones. They’re not waiting for retirement. They’ve designed their version of success, and they’re living it now.
Click to read the rest of this story and see more great photos.
