Early Retirement Extreme Forums

Hmmm, why the edit?
I hope you'll still write even if you're not comfortable sharing it. You have a unique voice and I'd hate to see it lost. You know my thoughts on the writer v. blogger thing--no need to rehash it.
(edited:reference removed)

I really miss your posts. I think you have a unique perspective that causes me to deeply contemplate my preconceived notions.

I think the "writing" format, that is, writing books is better suited when it comes to controversial topics than blogging. The personal/family costs of blogging about controversial topics is high because the blogging format and the internet makes it easy to create a mob mentality.
Here's a fun/relevant link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind

You don't have to write with a specific format in mind (like books or blogs). Just write. Maybe the appropriate format hasn't been invented yet. If you need a reason to write, look at it as potential material for your future biography. [Ok, I'm done. Consider this my semi-annual poke in the ribs to keep writing ]

Your blog posts are one of my favorite parts of the internet. It's a shame the trolls discourage you from posting.

It does seem like I've [at this point] almost completely lost my desire to write. Something similar happened after retiring from physics.
http://earlyretirementextreme.com/break ... areer.html
I have almost no direct interest in physics, but I still think like a physicist. I have almost no direct interest in writing matters (putting my thoughts into words on a screen), but I still argue internally.
Maybe this is symptomatic to my temperament. Maybe the break-up model explains it...
In other news:
1) Another financial round number has almost been reached. At this point it's pure score keeping; like a runner who is hammering out miles ... passing 10 miles, now 15, now 20, ... and so on. (I currently count in increments of $50,000) But just keeps running.
2) I've started making wine^H^H^H^Hvinegar. After much adding and subtracting prices, it turns out it was just as cheap to get the kit as DIYing the containers and buying the chemicals separately. This should eliminate the need for beer money. BTW, my first batch is an apple wine/hard cider. My next batch will be either a potato wine or a coffee wine.
3a) Once again, for the third time, I've started looking into buying a "whole in the water into which one pours money". Crewing allows one to sail for free (or the price of homemade cookies) but it does not come with the appreciation of fixing and paying for things that break all the time. In a way I feel like the independence and self-reliance that's associated with owning a boat is similar to the difference in moving out from home. Somebody stop me!
3b) After finishing the ERE book, I spent some time looking for the next large project (which turned out to be a quant job and not the expected great bike ride across the US). It's tricky to find large projects which I can do on my own. The reason lies in the definition; I need a specific goal. "Let's do something random and see what comes out of it doesn't work for me." One such project may be to build a boat. Apparently it takes about 1000 hours per ton. Hence, a small 20 foot microcruiser would take 1-2 years to build. That's reasonable.
4) Except for still struggling with dovetails (way too much fitting!!) woodworking is proceeding splendidly. At least with mortise and tenons I can now make one cut and have the fit slip in the first time 4 out of 5 times. That's tremendously satisfying. I'm almost done with the bookshelf now. Next projects: A yarn tower, a tool stand/cabinet, a blanket chest. This should keep me occupied for the rest of the year.

The two best days of a boat owners life.....the day the boat is bought, and the day the boat is sold.
Building one is intriguing

Excess money in the bank does nothing for you. If you want a boat and have the resources, get a boat. Buy used and smart, be prepared to sell when you are tired of it. Total cost of ownership will be a blip on your score card.

You have a (very) big Lake on your doorstep, so choose not too small. I mean the length of your boat you will possible build. I would say make it 25 foot long (lenght gives speed). If you do it for sport/adrealine it will be a sailing boat, if DW is also interested make/buy/finish a motorsailer.
Since two years I have a Marina 75 (GRP hull, wooden deckhouse build by Jutahela Finland) of 1974. I bought it for the price of its just new build in diesel motor. And then I repaired everything. Working and pottering around with it gives me lots of pleasure. (In Canada there are some for sale)

I would really warn against building a boat. An uncle of mine who had been a lifelong electrician and had worked building/repairing commercial ships his entire life spent the last 8 years of his life renovating an old Norwegian fishing boat. It took a lot of time and a lot of money, and the amount of expertise involved in various fields floored me. He had built several boats for other people and two for himself before, and still the last boat took a lot of time and energy. I can't imagine a non-specialist doing it alone or without close supervision.
But I can't even build a box, so I may not be the best person to listen to on this issue.

If you get close to buying a boat, just post a link or pics here and I, and perhaps others, can respond in the typical raincloud, debbie-downer fashion and point out all kinds of things that could go wrong with it. That may just make you want it more, but at least you will have really tried to be talked out of it.

I think building a boat could be a nice combination of your interests in sailing and woodworking. You could rent any cheap space for construction as long as it had reliable power and good ventilation. Would you do it yourself? It's easy to find people to help when you turn over the hull, but what about when you're building the hull? At 20' wouldn't you need a second set of hands occassionally?

FWIW I'd definitely start very small and work my way up.

http://earlyretirementextreme.com/updat ... o-car.html
We sold our car. Some rants the semantics of the word retire (I just never learn, do I?). Comments on investing and health insurance. A few comments on home production.

Thanks for the post. How did you learn to make wine?

Oh, Jacob. I have a beautiful boat project for you. It's even not far away.

Hey Jacob,
I see that you and your wife may look at buying a house. If you have any questions on the lending side and the financing process, I would be happy to answer them for you and give you my perspective as a commercial banker. The rules may be different between Canada and the US but I can give you a run-down of the overall process.
Cheers,
Pablo

@teewonk - Lots of websites. It's like baking a bread but without the flour and without the oven which makes it correspondingly easier.
@riparian - What kind of boat and where?
@pooablo - For a primary residence I was thinking a 100% cash deal. The reason would be to diversify heavily away from the interest rate market (no spread between the rate I'd be paying an a mortgage and what I could possibly get by investing the money elsewhere). It would also save on fees to set up the loan right, right?

Jacob, unless you can't generate more investment return then your mortgage then it's worth buying cash. Currently, you can get 10-15 year mortgage at 3% interest. That's almost free money...

It might be harder for Jacob and his wife to get a good rate on a mortgage since she isn't working and Jacob just started this job after several years of not working.