Cruising on $5,000 / Month

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Hmmm... we seem to spend quite a bit of time "hanging out at anchor" in the places to which we have voyaged. We don't spend much time in expensive venues of any sort (other than the occasional chandlery), but do spend lots of time with the "locals", wherever we are. We are somewhere between the 500 and 5000 dollar/month markers.

We've been doing this for the past 27 years. Covered around 140,000 miles.

I thought we were cruisers.

Jim

Don't get your panties in a wad. I said "hanging out at anchor" in one spot - implying that one hardly ever moves, i.e. just happens to live on a boat. You obviously do a lot of moving about which is what cruising is. Cruising implies moving not living on a boat in one spot. I've known and seem many that just live aboard and never go anywhere and never have. To me that's is not cruising.

[mpatter894]

I am just getting started we have a 47ft sloop we are going to do a shake down for a year in the carib then head across the pacific I can afford 5k but I am hoping for about half that. some days may only cost 10.00 and others may cost 100.00 but I find it hard to believe that my wife and I could spend 5k a month cruising that's pretty extravagant living if you ask me but, on the other hand maybe I am in for sticker shock and will never make it out of florida.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Doodles

Don't get your panties in a wad. ...............

Doodles, this is never a way to introduce polite conversation.

Certainly, the time spent at wilderness anchorages, enjoying the location, is a part of cruising. I also cruise fulltime, but this includes some short stays at marinas, some longer stays, some short times ant anchor, some longer times. It is important to note that, as this topic concerns budget, the longer stays at anchor drasticly decreases the average monthly expenses. Sure, you are right, those that never move from anchor are not cruising, but there's a full range of variety. We take as long as three months to cruise from Florida to Maine,- ...three days here, four days a few miles further, then a 100 mile hop. My most important point here is not only that anchoring out lessens the cruising expense, but anchoring out means you are enjoying where you are. I think there are cruisers that are always chasing the carrot on the stick and not taking advantage of where there are.

[Mike OReilly]

This whole "you're not cruising if you're not constantly moving" tangent underscores the fact that most of these $/month discussions are largely doomed to failure. It's simply hard to find an apples to apples comparison. It's like asking how much does it cost to live on land. The answer on land, as well as at sea is, it depends.

It depends on:

• Where you live (cruise)
• How you live (cruising lifestyle)
• Size of home (size of boat)
• Age of home (age of boat)
• Number of people (crew size)
• Entertainment choices (same)
• Type of food you eat (same)
• Communication needs (wifi, cell, SSB, sat. phone., none)
• Local transportation choices (dink choices)
• ... and probably a hundred other factors

Even on land I'm sure I have neighbours who spend twice as much as me, and I other neighbours who spend half as much. And we live in similar circumstances!

If the goal is to figure out how much it costs to cruise, then it seems to me that you need to first determine what your actual needs are (vs. your wants), and then compare similar circumstances (boats, crew, lifestyle, location, etc...).

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Doodles, this is never a way to introduce polite conversation.

Certainly, the time spent at wilderness anchorages, enjoying the location, is a part of cruising. I also cruise fulltime, but this includes some short stays at marinas, some longer stays, some short times ant anchor, some longer times. It is important to note that, as this topic concerns budget, the longer stays at anchor drasticly decreases the average monthly expenses. Sure, you are right, those that never move from anchor are not cruising, but there's a full range of variety. We take as long as three months to cruise from Florida to Maine,- ...three days here, four days a few miles further, then a 100 mile hop. My most important point here is not only that anchoring out lessens the cruising expense, but anchoring out means you are enjoying where you are. I think there are cruisers that are always chasing the carrot on the stick and not taking advantage of where there are.

Come now, you obviously know I've been around long enough to know that Jim is a seasoned cruiser and that my original remarks were not directed at him. My "panties" comment was simply a response to his sarcastic comment .. "I thought we were cruisers." He knows he is and so do I, so why the sarcasm?

I'm not trying to dis anyone here but just saying that if you are discussing cruising budgets, then you need to be cruising and not just a live aboard at a marina or anchorage. Surely we all know people who aren't really cruising, but just living on a boat for one reason or another. Their expenses are not really relevant to someone cruising. That's my only point. Their are lots of ways to cruise, of course, but at some point you are not, you're just living on a boat. There is a difference, would you not agree?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

If the goal is to figure out how much it costs to cruise, then it seems to me that you need to first determine what your actual needs are (vs. your wants), and then compare similar circumstances (boats, crew, lifestyle, location, etc...).

Mike, to go a step further, I would honestly say that the only way to be sure how much it will cost is to get out there and do it yourself. No theorizing or comparisons with some other chap will really tell you much about your own costs, for there are too damn many variables, many of which have been bandied about in this thread.

The fact is that there are folks with all sorts of budgets out here cruising, and mostly they succeed in survival and even enjoyment of their lives and cruises. I think one adapts to the available funds or one goes home.

I know that Ann and I have run the spectrum from impoverished (actually did what I said above: went home from Bora Bora because we ran out of funds) to fairly affluent. I can't say for sure, but I don't think we have all that much more fun now than when we were worried about meals... but we are still out here cruising. And having a good time, too!

I'm kinda amazed at how much newbies are worried about costs. Seems that they set up some arbitrary level or lifestyle that must be attained and fail to realize that if that level is not sustainable, a lower level likely will, and that the cruising life can continue even if some compromises must be made. A common comment seems to be that "I gotta keep the wife happy, and she NEEDS thus and such" or she will not go with me. I must wonder about the survivability (sp?) of such a cruise or relationship.

I'm not a "go now, go small...etc" fan, but some personal experience and some risk taking are useful tools for a cruiser.

Cheers,

Jim

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by Doodles

I'm not trying to dis anyone here but just saying that if you are discussing cruising budgets, then you need to be cruising and not just a live aboard at a marina or anchorage. Surely we all know people who aren't really cruising, but just living on a boat for one reason or another. Their expenses are not really relevant to someone cruising. That's my only point. Their are lots of ways to cruise, of course, but at some point you are not, you're just living on a boat. There is a difference, would you not agree?

Hum, so how far must one cruise a year to be a cruiser. Is it 500 miles, 2000 miles or more. I'm thinking, It really all depends. A whole lot of cruisers sit in anchorages a fair bit, some for years. I get twitchy after a few weeks at the most

Sure, I've not crossed oceans but I've done 100's of miles at a time. Been to the keys and the dry tortuga's, on boats I've navigated, not just as deck fluff. Mind you I've only done 60 miles or so this last week. But then I like the slow pace. At $500 a month, my cruising grounds are somewhat limited. But I could head to mexico tomorrow. Or I could be a snow bird on the east coast at $500. Tight but doable. That's actually my long term goal. Its not Bora Bora, but then "Pairadice" is where you find it.

Though I'm pretty sure for $2500-$3000 a month, the whole world would be open. Of course it really depends on the crew needs and the type of boat and how often they fly home so see the grand kids, etc.. Me, I have a small inexpensive Old boat that does not cost a whole heck of a lot to maintain, Thank goodness. Though I end up doing a boat project every few days it seems. Always something.

[SV THIRD DAY]

11,000 miles in 4 years...but since we didn't leave Mexico...and hung out rather than rushed on...some would say we didn't actually "cruise" for 4 years but just lived on a boat in Mexico.

So do I care what the "some" would say? Nope...and if you do care or feel the need to lable...then you my friends are NOT Cruising. Cruisng is as much if not more a mindset than how many miles you travel per year.

[Doodles]

Boy, some of your are touchy today.

O.K. is this where we post our CV's to get our "cruiser" badge?

So, in the last two years I haven't hardly moved the boat. I've kept it at a marina in Virginia where we live aboard when we are State-side. But half the year we live in a house in Thailand, and we've also been spending a couple months in Europe backpacking.

But I do have a boat equipped for cruising. It even has a wind vane and an autopilot, but I have to admit the jib has been off since sometime last year when I sent it in for repairs.

I'll get the bottom done this summer when we get back from Europe, but we won't be taking the boat anywhere. Not this year. So, am I a "cruiser". I would say no, and I don't think my budget would be relevant or useful to someone who is or plans to be.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Doodles

O.K. is this where we post our CV's to get our "cruiser" badge?.

I think Section 7 ii of the UN Convention on What it takes to be a real Cruiser, states something to the affect, that if you have and maintain a CV then you are not a cruiser...ha ha ha... But what do I know because seciton 6A says that if you are a smart ass your opinion doesn't count...so that throws me out for SURE...

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

I think Section 7 ii of the UN Convention on What it takes to be a real Cruiser, states something to the affect, that if you have and maintain a CV then you are not a cruiser...ha ha ha... But what do I know because seciton 6A says that if you are a smart ass your opinion doesn't count...so that throws me out for SURE...

See I was completely unaware of Section 7 ii, so how could I be a cruiser?

[osirissail]

I would add that you can get mixed up in terminology too much - if you don't set out whether you are using "cruise" as a verb or a noun.

As a verb, I think of it as movement at a leisurely pace. That is, you are using the boat to get from here to there at a comfortable (weather permitting) pace.

As a noun, I think it connotes the mindset of using the boat to get from one place to another so you can enjoy or experience the new place. You may spend a short time or a reasonably long time in one particular place before activating the verb form to move on.

How long you spend in a particular place may temporarily or permanently switch you from "cruiser" to "static live-aboard." But in my mind if you intend to use the boat to move from one place to another either frequently or just "eventually" you are a cruiser.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Doodles

.................... I'm not trying to dis anyone here but just saying that if you are discussing cruising budgets, then you need to be cruising and not just a live aboard at a marina or anchorage. Surely we all know people who aren't really cruising, but just living on a boat for one reason or another. Their expenses are not really relevant to someone cruising. That's my only point. Their are lots of ways to cruise, of course, but at some point you are not, you're just living on a boat. There is a difference, would you not agree?

Certainly,- That's why my response to you was, "Sure, you are right"

[robert sailor]

As others have said, there is no way to really compare cruising costs. They are going to vary a lot year to year, usually much higher the first year or two. If you are coastal cruising including Caribbean or Med then costs are usually lower. If you are crossing oceans then while entertainment costs are down you are spending much more money on the boat as your constantly refitting every year. Some people sail every where while others usually motor.Then as Mike has said every body has their own life style. Some cruisers are excellent handy men and can fix and repair almost anything while others write checks for almost everything. Some cross oceans in their boat, others pay delivery skippers and others put it on a ship. There is just no way to really compare costs unless you share almost everything in common.

[sailorboy1]

seems there are lots of people mostly interested in posting their critique of the topic