How-to guidance for retiring on a boat-for aging captains and landlubbers Have you ever thought you might want to retire on a boat? Of course you have or you wouldn't have picked up this book! Whatever form your yearning for aquatic retirement takes, Jim Trefethen can help you realize the dream. After sailing together for over 40 years, the Jim and his wife have learned the secrets of living a content and productive life. Here Jim shares those secrets, including: Making sure you really want to do it: then make sure you are sure. How to upsize your ambitions while downsizing your life, in ways that will enhance your retirement How to get all your shore-side affairs in order, then to make some important adjustments in your attitude, confidence, and self esteem Easy-to-understand pointers and suggestions for deciding which type of retired cruising is best for you A ten-step plan to buying a boat with as little drama as possible How to modify your new/old floating retirement home to make it safer, more comfortable, and more elderly friendly

Although better than nine out of ten boats afloat today are made of fiberglass, a significant minority of boaters believe that a boat isnt a boat unless its made of wood. Wooden boats have character. Wooden boats are real. Wooden boats are living things, not plastic stampings from the corporate cookie cutter. But new wooden boats are priced beyond the reach of most families, and building from scratch takes more time and energy than many people have. The alternative, buying a tired old wooden boat and fixing it up, is harder than it sounds because the available information is written for skilled craftsmen using traditional methods and materials to restore antique boats to museum standards--worlds away from the needs of the average boater. Enter author Jim Trefethen, who rebuilds wooden boats in Marblehead, Massachusetts, using modern materials and methods, such as epoxy laminations, to replace traditional heavy timber framework. Written for the novice, this book tells the reader how to select the right boat; establish a work schedule and budget; buy the right tools and equipment; select alternatives to endangered tropical rainforest woods; repair and modify the hull, topsides, deckhouse, masts, and interior; when, why, and how to use fiberglass; paint and refinishing; repairing electrical and mechanical systems, and more.

Live the cruising life without being wealthy! Thousands of ordinary people are living their dreams of sailing the world thanks to The Cruising Life, and this completely updated Second Edition aims to help thousands more find adventure over the horizon. Even if you've never sailed before, this A-to-Z guide can have you cruising to exotic ports within five years. Your adventure begins right at home, practicing to live a sensible life with only the essentials, as described by lifelong sailor Jim Trefethen, who relishes the cruising life in retirement. Along your path to living at sea, Jim prepares you to: Discuss the pros, cons, and realities of the cruising life with your spouse Save and maintain the best type of cruising fund to meet your goalsStrip away your anchors, including useless possessions, credit card debt, and your jobManage, grow, and protect your cruising fund while at seaDevelop essential skills for living on the water, and how to earn an income selling those skillsFind the boat you need, outfitted with the essential gear and equipment, in your price rangeAssimilate into the sailing community by developing the traits of a successful cruiser If you think age, experience, and money can keep you from the cruising life, you haven't read The Cruising Life, Second Edition.