Official retirement from 'ski bumming it'.

My experience of sailing around Vancouver Island is it's often 5 kts. of wind and 5 kts. of current. Depending on where you are there can be some really nice conditions, but as you get up north towards Campbell River the currents really start to rip and you'll end up doing a lot of motoring.

What kind of boat are you looking to get?

That's sick you were able to make it work for so long and still manage to end up with a house. That being said its still really funny to watch you get roasted for the trust fund.

As a sailor I'll second the start with a cheap dingy if you don't know how to sail, sunfish, laser, 420, whatever. Also as someone with a college degree and experience working in the maritime industry as an engineer, trust me, boats are holes in the water you throw money into, starting small and learning to do the bulk of the work yourself is a great way to mitigate costs but boats are always more expensive than they look. That's part of why I mostly just gravitated away from sailing and more towards kiteboarding, the other part was being sick of rich assholes buying their way into being the skipper despite being totally inept at racing.

freestyler540Im 35, never worked a winter job either. I work on a ship all summer to make just enough to get unemployement checks over winter. Im not married, or even have a girlfriend, no family… Im still ski bumming in Nelson and have no plans of stopping. Moved to the kootenays in 2012 and never looked back.
But hey, life is sacrifices and if you can live with your decisions, thats great. As long as you have plenty of good memories and footage, it wasnt all a waste.

I would have been interested in your sled though…

Sold it already to my buddy dylan. Wanna buy my house though?

Are you moving to the Comox Valley or Campbell River? I left Smithers two years ago to move to Courtenay to be closer to my partners family, and it's been one of the best decisions we've made. I used to ski 75-100 days, or stack my Paramedic schedule to work mainly nights so I could ski or patrol during the day but now I'll get twenty to thirty days and while its not the same, it still feels pretty good.

We get a mid week pass at Washy, and we try to do one weekend a month at Cain. Washy has its good days, but it's no Whitewater or Red. We also do a road trip once or twice a season somewhere with our pop up camper.

It seems like a lot of people are moving to the Valley (myself included), and I know of a few people that have left Revelstoke and Whistler to settle in Cumberland. There's a somewhat decent thread on the TGR Forums about Vancouver Island. The ski culture is certainly here, and theres lots of people that get after it on the Island, but when you have so many activities it becomes difficult to know what to prioritize and when.

Good luck on the move and maybe we will cross paths at the hill.

Welcome to the club 🤝

DrailSold it already to my buddy dylan. Wanna buy my house though?

I might take you up on it. Finding affordable housing in the kootenays is rare and this might be my only chance…
you can PM some details and see if I can afford the morgage

skiermanHe's moving to Vancouver Island and is buying a sailboat just to fuck around on.


He married into a trust fund.

skierman jealous because he’ll never find love

freestyler540Im 35, never worked a winter job either. I work on a ship all summer to make just enough to get unemployement checks over winter. Im not married, or even have a girlfriend, no family… Im still ski bumming in Nelson and have no plans of stopping. Moved to the kootenays in 2012 and never looked back.
But hey, life is sacrifices and if you can live with your decisions, thats great. As long as you have plenty of good memories and footage, it wasnt all a waste.

I would have been interested in your sled though…

just wondering how someone would get into working on a boat all summer. That sounds like a decent compromise to ski all winter.

Eli.braun98just wondering how someone would get into working on a boat all summer. That sounds like a decent compromise to ski all winter.

People who work *on* ships correct me if I'm wrong (I used to engineer ships from a desk on land), but get a degree from a merchant marine academy (Mass Maritime in MA, or Kings Point in NY) or a related degree like Naval Architecture or Marine Engineering, get your Merchant Mariner Credential (like a seaman passport kinda), maybe a TWIC card too (?) train as a Cadet for something like 90 days until you can get your STCW and work on a ship full time. I probably messed up or forgot some steps here, I only looked into it a little after being a Cadet for a few months while getting my college degree. But if you work on the bridge or as a ship's engineer (i.e. on board) they generally pay really well in the US, but obviously it means months away from friends and family at sea.

I am 33 still working on videos mareied with a kid and won't stop. Working in banking, and keeping my over 25 days per season. Guess what? Had to wait 33 to create my first ski model after years and years. All the best bro keep the spirit up.

nielsgettsDid living the True ski bum life ever get harder over the years? Never truly spent time in bc so idk how it compares to Montana but seems like cost of living just keeps going up and it's becoming harder and harder to maintain not haveing s job in the winter. How did you do it?

It got harder the older I got. Not financially because I kept moving up and making more money every year in my career (although, April is always tough).

Existentially, I've gone through some very dark times. 2011 was hard due to feeling like I just going through the motions and had become complacent, which prompted my move from Rossland to Revelstoke in 2012 to push myself into bigger terrain. I quickly learned that I wasn't comfortable in the bigger terrain and found myself just going to thr safer pillow zones at Roger's Pass which became uninspiring. I really didn't want to be in Revelstoke for a second year but my relationship with my partner ment otherwise. I basically didn't ski at all during the 12/13 season and got very lost and depressed.

We moved to Nelson the next summer and was back in it for a time until I hit another wall resulting in another winter (15/16) where I lost the spark and put in maybe 20 days. The following year I got a sled and things were good again, until they weren't.

Basically, over the years I have hit a point a number of times where I was lost and skiing turned from the thing that gave me purpose and ultimate joy to the thing that put me into a downward spiral of depression.

I know that skiing will always be a part of who I am, but the older I get the more I learn that if I put too much focus on skiing it has the potential to lead down a dark mental path.

Never live a life that is too one dimensional.

RIP_leos_shackMy experience of sailing around Vancouver Island is it's often 5 kts. of wind and 5 kts. of current. Depending on where you are there can be some really nice conditions, but as you get up north towards Campbell River the currents really start to rip and you'll end up doing a lot of motoring.

What kind of boat are you looking to get?

Something small to start just to learn. The sailboat is a year or two out still. Gotta get settled first. Sailboat is a long term goal, not immediate.

I currently know nothing besides that it's a skill to grow.

schismAre you moving to the Comox Valley or Campbell River? I left Smithers two years ago to move to Courtenay to be closer to my partners family, and it's been one of the best decisions we've made. I used to ski 75-100 days, or stack my Paramedic schedule to work mainly nights so I could ski or patrol during the day but now I'll get twenty to thirty days and while its not the same, it still feels pretty good.

We get a mid week pass at Washy, and we try to do one weekend a month at Cain. Washy has its good days, but it's no Whitewater or Red. We also do a road trip once or twice a season somewhere with our pop up camper.

It seems like a lot of people are moving to the Valley (myself included), and I know of a few people that have left Revelstoke and Whistler to settle in Cumberland. There's a somewhat decent thread on the TGR Forums about Vancouver Island. The ski culture is certainly here, and theres lots of people that get after it on the Island, but when you have so many activities it becomes difficult to know what to prioritize and when.

Good luck on the move and maybe we will cross paths at the hill.

If things work out we are gonna build a house in Buckley Bay. If that becomes too much to deal with we will be looking to buy in the north comox valley/Campbell River area.

Takes some dedication man super cool that ya have kept it going this long.

DrailIt got harder the older I got. Not financially because I kept moving up and making more money every year in my career (although, April is always tough).

Existentially, I've gone through some very dark times. 2011 was hard due to feeling like I just going through the motions and had become complacent, which prompted my move from Rossland to Revelstoke in 2012 to push myself into bigger terrain. I quickly learned that I wasn't comfortable in the bigger terrain and found myself just going to thr safer pillow zones at Roger's Pass which became uninspiring. I really didn't want to be in Revelstoke for a second year but my relationship with my partner ment otherwise. I basically didn't ski at all during the 12/13 season and got very lost and depressed.

We moved to Nelson the next summer and was back in it for a time until I hit another wall resulting in another winter (15/16) where I lost the spark and put in maybe 20 days. The following year I got a sled and things were good again, until they weren't.

Basically, over the years I have hit a point a number of times where I was lost and skiing turned from the thing that gave me purpose and ultimate joy to the thing that put me into a downward spiral of depression.

I know that skiing will always be a part of who I am, but the older I get the more I learn that if I put too much focus on skiing it has the potential to lead down a dark mental path.

Never live a life that is too one dimensional.

If you’re young and fit work on superyachts in Miami or the Caribbean, seasonally in the summer. A starting deckhand will bag you $3000 per month, tax free. No bills to pay, you live on the boat and all meals are provided. If you work on a charter boat you’ll also receive tips, most people will net an extra $10k a season just in tips. Season will be from April to November, after you’re free to leave (you can do duel season in the med if you want to keep earning and not ski). After 3/4 seasons you can work up to bosun, earnings will be around $5-6k per month. This is by far the best way to live an incredible life with little to no experience or qualifications. In fact you can get started with around $4k which is a fantastic investment imo. I retired from the ocean as it’s a young man’s game, and I’m no longer young. I have a friend who stuck at it and is now a first officer earning $15k per month with 2:2 rotation. If you have any questions about getting into it just ask, you’ll be the richest ski bum on the mountain.

The one caveat to the above is be prepared for 16 hour days, and basically no days off, 7 days a week for the whole season. Rich people are very demanding and you will be a slave to them. You’ll walk away with €20k + in your back pocket but it is far from easy money.

Bye Darryl, but also probably see you in the not-too-distant future

How does one get into one of these jobs?

mynameisgiovanniIf you’re young and fit work on superyachts in Miami or the Caribbean, seasonally in the summer. A starting deckhand will bag you $3000 per month, tax free. No bills to pay, you live on the boat and all meals are provided. If you work on a charter boat you’ll also receive tips, most people will net an extra $10k a season just in tips. Season will be from April to November, after you’re free to leave (you can do duel season in the med if you want to keep earning and not ski). After 3/4 seasons you can work up to bosun, earnings will be around $5-6k per month. This is by far the best way to live an incredible life with little to no experience or qualifications. In fact you can get started with around $4k which is a fantastic investment imo. I retired from the ocean as it’s a young man’s game, and I’m no longer young. I have a friend who stuck at it and is now a first officer earning $15k per month with 2:2 rotation. If you have any questions about getting into it just ask, you’ll be the richest ski bum on the mountain.

nielsgettsHow does one get into one of these jobs?

Acting like a shallow asshole and sucking lots of dick.

A good place to start:

https://www.dockwalk.com/jobs/career-advice/how-to-get-a-job-as-a-deckhand-on-a-yacht

it’s actually pretty easy to get into it. I started in Antibes in the south of france, but same rules apply in fort L. Have a read through that article, it will give you the basis on how to get started. Get some water sports qualifications too if possible, especially PADI dive instructor. A buddy of mine did back to back charters just taking guests scuba diving, he was on 4K per month on a boat called Savannah, it was American owned so he got fat tips for his trouble. Not a bad way to earn a crust imo.



skierman is for sure a virgin and it’s never worth taking advice from angry virgins, they just end up alone and unhappy

nielsgettsHow does one get into one of these jobs?

Yeah that sounds pretty sweet thanks for the info!

mynameisgiovanniA good place to start:

https://www.dockwalk.com/jobs/career-advice/how-to-get-a-job-as-a-deckhand-on-a-yacht

it’s actually pretty easy to get into it. I started in Antibes in the south of france, but same rules apply in fort L. Have a read through that article, it will give you the basis on how to get started. Get some water sports qualifications too if possible, especially PADI dive instructor. A buddy of mine did back to back charters just taking guests scuba diving, he was on 4K per month on a boat called Savannah, it was American owned so he got fat tips for his trouble. Not a bad way to earn a crust imo.



skierman is for sure a virgin and it’s never worth taking advice from angry virgins, they just end up alone and unhappy

Im 35 and Im still kinda keeping it alive, but I too see the writing on the wall. Ive been saying "this is going to be my last winter" (in terms of ski bumming) for a while now. Covid of all things actually extended my ski bumming as I ended up effectively stuck in Niseko. I had planned to do one winter in Japan, call it good and come home to start doing big boy jobs. 3 winters in Japan later and I'm signed up to do another.

I have options to go to the USA and struggle in that environment.. but I'm certainly leaning towards another return to Niseko for the winter if my visa goes through

If I'm going to continue ski bumming, it's 100% gotta be in Japan. There's absolutely no fucking way Jose that Ill want to keep doing it in the USA - given how inconsistent winters have been in recent years and how much of a god damn shitshow it is what with everyone and their mom jamming every winter road with no choice but to be enslaved to my car and the red snake for 4-6 hours any day that I want to go skiing. I'm 1000% done with that bullshit.

If I had the opportunity to move to Van Island, Id be absolutely stoked - given that the backcountry potential of that place is fuckin sick (Mt. Cain yo), but If I go back to the US, maybe I'll post up on the San Juan Islands and get a boat like @Drail, and we can meet up for boat beers.