Hello Smudge,

I've been cruising since coming out in 1998. My wife died just over a year before I came out, kids grown up, nice house and all the feckin' plans out of the window. Now WTF do I do? Prot man for some fat millionaire? Go on the circuit riding shotgun for some civvy firm in sandy places? I'd been a merchant seaman before changing jobs, so I decided to go back to sea, only in my own boat this time. Never regretted it, as Nich says you meet all sorts and personally I've found crossing oceans gives a 'buzz' which in a way replaces that which I had grown used to living with prior to retirement.
If you're concerned about finances,I've found life a lot less expensive abroad and that's without living too spartan, but staying out of expensive marinas and flash resturants etc:I manage on a pension around Ł900 a month give or take a bit, if that helps, although I'm always single handed so you might have to adjust that. I do all my own maintenance except electronics (which is easy 'cos I've only got GPS

) Without jeopardizing safety you don't need lot's of shiny kit. A lot of boats full of flash comms/water makers/R.E.M.E type electrics never in fact go very far...
You have done enough to know how to weed out the BS merchants, once you've done that you will find loads of great folk living the life. Get stuck in Mate.