The Cost of Sailing a 27 Foot Boat

[Ex-Calif]

April 26th was the "anniversary" of our first year owning the boat.

For those who don't know a Maxi77 is a Swedish 27 foot boat. She is heavy for her length and built like a brickhouse. I bought the boat in partnership 1 year ago. I keep the books in QuickPro and thought I would bare my soul on 1 years expenses for those who are dreaming of owning or contemplating owning.

Note - all values converted to USD.

We paid about $10,000 for the boat and we estimate that our capital asset upgrades after depreciation make the boat worth $11,000. It's important to keep track of what your boat is worth beacuase if you don't maintain the capital asset value it fundamentally has to be added to the cost of sailing. There are lot's of other things that impact the value including the market you are in should you decide to liquidate.

We have some big items on the list to upgrade and we prioritize these based on need and cash in the bank.

Sails
Hull Paint
New Interior

All of these are significant items and will add to the value of the boat although nowhere near their actual cost. So our ownership hoizon has to make the investment worth it.

In terms of cost to sail we think it is $22 per partner per sail. Sometimes we are out 10-12 hours, sometimes a 2 hour twilight sail. We sail at least 8 times per month.

I have attached the cash flow statement for those interested in how costs break down. Note I don't work for Price Waterhouse so some items could be mis-categorized as hull vs. rigging.

Sue me if you want I'm going out for $22 worth of therapy - LOL.

[yfwong57]

Dan,
Good work on your analysis on the expenses on the Maxi 77. I owned a Maxi 77 for 6 years from 1996 to 2002 in Malaysia but my expenses were way below what you had put in. Maybe it is because when I bought the boat it was already in good shape and with a new set of sails. I am also not exposed to buying a lot of goodies as I am the only sail boat in my area . However, after the Volvo Penta engine started giving problems, I converted it to a Yamaha 8HP. Actually it is a much better choice with less maintenance and no smell of diesel fumes in the cabin.


Wong

Double Trouble
Strider 24 cat now

[yfwong57]

Hey Dan,
BTW, the Maxi 77 is not a 27 ft boat. It is 7.7 m long and that is about 25 ft only.

Wong

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by yfwong57

I owned a Maxi 77 for 6 years from 1996 to 2002 in Malaysia but my expenses were way below what you had put in.

<snip>

However, after the Volvo Penta engine started giving problems, I converted it to a Yamaha 8HP.

I'd be interested in your buy vs. sell price. There are lots of maxis around with the outboard conversion. In my humble opinion it is a criminal modification and kills the value of the boat.

I know of several maxis that have traded hands at less than $4k US. I also know one that could be had for free.

We've had one offer for our boat of more than we paid.

[yfwong57]

Dan,
When Pelle Petterson designed the Maxi 77 it was meant to have a 6-8 hp outboard engine. It was only later that the Volvo Penta engine was fitted to SOME Maxis at the owner's request. If I can dig out the origional litreature, I will fwd one to you. Actually the baot performs better without the diesel engine and the space for the engine is a huge storage space. You will have room even for a small portable generator which can light up your boat or charge the batteries.

Wong

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by yfwong57

DanYou will have room even for a small portable generator which can light up your boat or charge the batteries.

You are suggesting to take out a 10 hp VP, install an 8 HP gasoline outboard, and then install a genset in the bilge to make electricity? Would this also be gas or would you carry two fuel sources?

Here's a good maxi site

Maxi 77

Here's another good site with original brochures.

Maxi 77 Brochure

As to the number of boats built with outboard vs. inboard, I would guess that's lost to history. Every one I have seen here with an outboard is a conversion becuase no one wants to pay for the Vovlo overhaul.

As to the outboard version being better performers, that is surely relative on a 2100 kg boat - Compare to a J24 at around 1200. The maxi is definitely not a race boat - LOL

[yfwong57]

Dan,
I am not suggesting that a gen set be fixed on the engine bay. What I meant is you can probably place a portable gen set (those that the hawkers use..Yamaha 600Watts) in the boat. BTW, are there still many Maxi 77 is Singapore? It is definitely a nice boat to sail and does not burn a hole in the pocket!

Wong

[David M]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

All of these are significant items and will add to the value of the boat although nowhere near their actual cost. So our ownership hoizon has to make the investment worth it.

Hi Dan,
It may be a mistake to think of a boat as an investment. Boats are an expense but an excellent life experience and that is what you are paying for. You can do investment analysis until you run out of tape on your adding machine, but in the end, the value of a boat is not how much you put into it or how many goodies are on board. The value is how much a buyer is willing to pay for it and if you cannot find someone willing to pay what you think it is worth then it is only worth what someone is willing to buy it for.

I think you overall have the right idea though.

David

[Hud3]

Dan,

I've gotta tell you something.

Ever since I joined CF, because the personal info on your posts said your boat is a "Maxi 77", I've assumed that you owned one of those Maxi ocean racers, like an Open 60, except even bigger.

I'd never heard of a Maxi 77, but I was really in awe when you'd post a note about jumping in your boat for a day-sail or whatever. "Daysailing a 77 foot ocean racer", I'd think. "Wow, what a helluva sailor that Dan must be!"

Now, reading this thread, I come to find out that a Maxi 77 is really only 7.7 metres long; only 3 feet longer than the ODay 222 that I used to own! I'm crushed!

That's not to say that you're not an awesome sailor, don't get me wrong. It's just that I can't have that mental image any more of you jumping in a big, high tech yacht and peeling away from the dock for your little day-sail.

[David M]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Dan,

I've gotta tell you something.

Ever since I joined CF, because the personal info on your posts said your boat is a "Maxi 77", I've assumed that you owned one of those Maxi ocean racers, like an Open 60, except even bigger.

I'd never heard of a Maxi 77, but I was really in awe when you'd post a note about jumping in your boat for a day-sail or whatever. "Daysailing a 77 foot ocean racer", I'd think. "Wow, what a helluva sailor that Dan must be!"

Now, reading this thread, I come to find out that a Maxi 77 is really only 7.7 metres long; only 3 feet longer than the ODay 222 that I used to own! I'm crushed!

That's not to say that you're not an awesome sailor, don't get me wrong. It's just that I can't have that mental image any more of you jumping in a big, high tech yacht and peeling away from the dock for your little day-sail.

...not to mention the size of the trailer!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Hud3

I've assumed that you owned one of those Maxi ocean racers, like an Open 60, except even bigger.

I would like to laugh at that, but I thought the same - some ex Ocean Racer from the 1970's.......

Actually from this thread, it never occured to me that their would be "normal" sized older / cheapish boats available in that part of the world......if I had known, who knows?

[Charlie]

Hi Dan Me too. I thought you had a 77' Maxi. Gotta laugh at myself for that one. Thanks for the analysis on ownerships costs. I should do that too. But I'm afraid the Admiral will find out and make me sell the boat.

[ssullivan]

I'll join the club as well... I didn't think it was a 77 footer, but I thought it was some huge thing.

[ksmith]

So what does a maxi look like

[johneri1]

Ditto, Dan!