By William C. Winslow
Don’t let the aches and pains that accompany growing older end your boating life. Yes, I know that almost everyone eventually curtails their most demanding activities, but there are many ways you can prolong your active life and slow the physical and mental aspects of aging. Famed yacht designer Olin Stephens was in his late 90s when he finally relinquished his hand on the tiller.
A catastrophic illness such as cancer is a game changer. Advice on living with a new normal includes activity pacing to prevent fatigue, creating routines to get through the day, tailoring expectations to minimize anxiety, and avoiding situations that may yield unpleasant surprises. But whether or not your situation came about suddenly or gradually, physical limitations need to be mentally acknowledged — you can’t do the running, lifting, tossing, and crawling you used to do, and you can’t shrug off bouts with brisk winds or stiff currents.
Instead, embrace less physically challenging aspects of life on the water, like pairing your days with younger, more able sailors so you can savor the gentle wind blowing across your face and marvel at the sunset in a secluded cove. You’re trading physical fulfillment for appreciating all the things you needed to overlook when you had full responsibility for the vessel and those aboard.
If you’re willing to go with the flow, you’ll find that adaptation to a different way of boating feels much better than quitting. The aim is to maintain a positive outlook while acknowledging some lifestyle changes. Sure, you can get angry over your limitations, but refusing to get out on the water unless you’re in charge robs you of so much about why boating first appealed to you. To mix metaphors, once you climb that psychological mountain, you’ll get a fresh perspective on mature boating.
However, the best outlook still won’t overcome knees that wobble or a waistline that seems to have grown overnight — you know what I mean. Here’s how I cure, compensate, or cope with the shortcomings of age and relax aboard rather than in my easy chair:
Weight. If you have a tire around your tummy, you’re walking around carrying the equivalent of a sack of sand. Work up to walking a mile or more a day (if your doctor OKs it). Tell yourself, “I’m in training for boating.”
Sun damage. Protect yourself from skin cancer by always wearing a hat and applying and reapplying sunscreen.
Eyes. Have your eyes checked twice a year and wear sunglasses when on the water. Don’t offer to be the lookout for buoys!
Ears. If you’re hard of hearing, you can’t respond to crew members and warnings. Swallow any false pride and get your hearing tested, then heed the advice of your audiologist.
Balance. Science has detected a relationship between hearing and balance, and of course seeing better allows you to avoid certain missteps. As you need steadiness on a pitching boat, try tai chi or yoga. Consider it boating boot camp!
Stress test. Take one annually. Out to sea is no place to worry about your ticker.
Alcohol. Save the booze until after you’ve dropped the hook for the night.
Drugs. You’re smart enough not to take illegal ones, but have you discussed the side effects of prescribed medication with your doctor or pharmacist? You want to spend the day at the beach, not on the boat, if a side effect is nausea.
The author is the , Division 5 – Staff Officer Public Affairs First District Southern Region, for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the all-volunteer, non-military arm of the Coast Guard, teaching boating safety education and conducting search and rescue operations. Visit http://cgaux.org/ to join the Auxiliary or for class information.
