Boat Handling Hacks for Geezers / Necessity is the Mother of Innovation

We all have heard for most of our lives about "the Golden Years" and how growing older brings greater wisdom, perspective and peaceful tranquility; but the reality is, it also brings all manner of aches and pains and other infirmities that come with an aging and deteriorating body. I know from my own experience that when I get up in the middle of the night, for what was once a simple trip to the bathroom, my body is now stiff and nearly unresponsive--taking much longer to get everything working and moving in the right direction--regardless of the urgency required by a continually weakening bladder, which, is also happening at the same time.

Lately, I find myself, more and more, wishing I could install grease fittings in all of the joints in my body just to keep everything moving like I so desperately want it to. I've told myself hundreds of times that it's simply the way of the world that everything is always changing, evolving, moving and eventually even wearing out--sadly, a point in my own life when it has become crystal clear to me that the physical me began waging an "all-out" war against the mental me.

When it comes to aging and/or disability: Climbing, jumping, squatting, reaching, knee walkin' and the like, are just much harder to do while maintaining, loading and unloading the boat... and the cold hard reality is: This day of reckoning is coming for each and every one of us sooner or later and there's no escaping it... we can only hope to prolong it as long as possible.

Here's a couple of "Hacks" that I'd like to share that I made to my own my boat maintenance, loading and unloading processes. These things have (no doubt) helped me adapt to my own particular set of challenges and have made a huge difference in overcoming my own physical limitations:

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Question: As an aging fisherman, (who just isn't ready to quit fishing), how have you found your own ways to cope more effectively with your own challenges and this dreaded march of time? Please share your own hacks/innovations with the rest of us.

May God Bless You & Yours.

Wayne

This is well written, thank you. Yep, we all need things to help us out. Our garden, is now in plastic barrels, cut in half, so we don't need to bend to the ground to pull weeds, and pick produce.

You two youngsters ain't seen nothing yet lol....I just laugh about it and adapt.....glad I am still here.

Most my health issues came from military service. The other issues came from my stupidity.

Glad to still be above ground and God bless America.




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I hurt everywhere more and more every day at 39. You guys depress the crap outta me. I cant imagine what the next 20 years will feel like.

I’ve never seen the Dakota retriever. I don’t know what I’d tie it to at Sardis


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Originally Posted by S10CHEVY

This is well written, thank you. Yep, we all need things to help us out. Our garden, is now in plastic barrels, cut in half, so we don't need to bend to the ground to pull weeds, and pick produce.

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I built an above ground garden box almost 15 years ago that did help a whole lot with the bending over weeding and tending issues, so I know exactly what you mean. Then produce got cheaper and I quit planting my own stuff... but, now, low and behold it is getting outrageous again in price and there's no tellin' what the supply chain will cause the prices to do; so, I am building another above ground garden spot that will be ready for next years growing season; not so much because I want to... but because it will be cost effective I'm sure if something don't turn around pretty quick.

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Originally Posted by "G"

You two youngsters ain't seen nothing yet lol....I just laugh about it and adapt.....glad I am still here.

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Funny you should say that "G". I remember plainly just a few years ago, (maybe six) when I rarely had an ache or a pain or any of the plagues that most (then) 59 year olds have, because I constantly saw people my age and even younger who had arthritis, knee problems, back problems, hip problems and the list goes on and on. But, it was on or about January of 2014 when the cascade of old people stuff began for me and it hasn't stopped ever since. Oh, those golden years huh.

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Originally Posted by Baitwaster

I hurt everywhere more and more every day at 39. You guys depress the crap outta me. I cant imagine what the next 20 years will feel like.

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Sorry brother, didn't mean to depress you or anyone else with this thread topic. As for the pain: Hopefully things will get better for you and your ongoing pain issues.
One thing for sure... you won't have long to wait, because, life is too short... and take my word for it... your senior years will be upon you before you know it.

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Originally Posted by Cane Pole

Most my health issues came from military service. The other issues came from my stupidity.

Glad to still be above ground and God bless America.

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I am often reminded of the old cliche' that says: "If I'd known I was going to live this long... I would have taken much better care of myself."

I hope all is well with you and yours and a a great big amen to the "Glad to be above ground and God Bless America."