Cost of Cruising

[TacomaSailor]

"Hum...When buying a large amount of line, sometimes a spool is quite a bit cheaper. A 600' spool of 7/16" sta-set is 0.83 cents a foot,( cost +shipping)"

Good thought but Details (I guess they matter)

160 feet/halyard x 3 halyards x $0.83/foot = $398 + $33 tax = $431

and I put on a new spinnaker shackle for $75 which equals $500

... And I got three different color lines with flemish eyes spliced in each end.

[thomm225]

Again I must point out that some of us are not totally sure we want to be cruisers, or live on a boat more than a week or two at a time and would hate to sink too much money into one.

As an example, you can buy Dyneema Halyards at their crazy expensive price or choose another style line that is 1/4 that price or less and plenty strong enough for the job. That goes for everything else on a boat and the boat itself.

I love sailboats and walk the docks many times just to see the different boats. Many of those boats never move except up and down with the tide.

Also, some of us or still working and cannot sail too far on our vacations or weekends. How much boat do you need for that? The boat I have now is my 12th at least. You learn what you need and don't need after doing this for a while.

Some of us like a little bit of a challenge also. Buying a small, old boat that you recognize as strong and replacing the items you deem necessary then sailing it in most all weathers can be rather satisfying.

You can spend $8,000 - $10,000 doing that paying cash the whole way or you can spend $50,000 - $200,000 plus doing the same thing.

I have seen this up close and personal on the Gulf Coast. Older Folks with beautiful boats (I was in my late 30's, early 40's at the time) anchored near the tourist areas not really doing much. At night, they get to enjoy overhearing things like, "Jones, party of 5. Your table's ready" until maybe 11pm.

Others who have finally gotten that boat of theirs looking good enough for a boat show seem lost. They are like "what am I suppose to do now?" Everything on my boat is fixed? My answer is always the same. Sail it maybe?

I would just hate to get stuck with an expensive boat then decide it's time to go hike in Arizona for a few years or take a cycling trip across the lower United States while my boat sat neglected.

Should I decide to do something like this, I could maybe sell my boat at a give away price or simply donate it to the museum in Deltaville and let them sell it for profit.

I simply hate waste which is why I thought the idea the kids in the video "Hold Fast" had was great. Also, did you see how they refused to dump all that oily, nasty water overboard after they got their engine finally to start. Nice to see someone cares about their environment.

[thomm225]

Speaking of halyards, the ones on my boat had sat with the boat on the hard for 5 years in the weather and were used for at least 2 years before that period on the old man's trip from Massachusetts to Florida. They were very dirty and looked bad when I bought the boat.

But I had learned years before about inspecting then washing these terrible looking old halyards, and that's what I did..... soaking them in the bathtub. I'm still using them. The blue ones. See attached.

Btw, my sailboat cost $2,000. That red kayak, $1800. It will fit into a backpack which is how it comes when ordered. I thought it would be all the boat I'd need until I happened upon the Bristol a year later.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by scuba0_1

I always find it interesting on here how people who have very little means seem to think a boat is not a recreational item. And then they complain when people who have means and have a nice boat actually take care of it and spend money to enjoy their cruise and vacation I'm sure if I really wanted to I could buy a $500 bug and live out of it at some Walmart parking lot but then I have the mean so why would I do that. So for those of you who actually don't have the means to live on a boat but are trying to do it good for you but I don't know why you bash the people that have the means to do it, oh and I like steak and lobster every night...

Sent from my SM-N910V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I don't think anyone is bashing those who have plenty of money to spend, and somehow manage to find a way to cruise and afford it. If anything, I see the reverse. The "I spend x $ a month cruising and anyone who thinks you can spend less is delusional" sentiment seems much more prevalent.

And, for the record, on my last cruise, I spent about $4000 a month, but I know I could have got by on a lot less. In fact, my wife and I had the same argument that is going on here. I like sleeping on the hook, and I like fixing my own meals. I almost hate eating out. My wife on the other hand preferred spending the night at marinas, with real bathrooms and showers, and liked eating out when at these marinas, and liked to fly home whenever the grandkids sent her a text saying they missed her.

I didn't have much break on that trip, that lasted about a year (before I left, I replaced my forward head and that was about all the preventive maintenance, above and beyond normal stuff, that I did to get ready to go). I had my starter go out, and I repaired it myself while getting instructions from my mechanic over the phone. I added solar panels halfway through the trip myself because I was tired of running the generator all the time. I bought a used Boston Whaler tender and a bigger outboard after a couple of months, because I didn't like my deflatable and my motor wasn't cutting it. And, I went through a crap load of Racor filters before I finally bought a Baha funnel filter and started it filtering my diesel before it went in the tank.

I met people who looked like they were getting by on $500 a month, and people who looked like they were scraping by on $50,000 a month. And, in both groups, most looked happy as clams.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by scuba0_1

I always find it interesting on here how people who have very little means seem to think a boat is not a recreational item. And then they complain when people who have means and have a nice boat actually take care of it and spend money to enjoy their cruise and vacation I'm sure if I really wanted to I could buy a $500 bug and live out of it at some Walmart parking lot but then I have the mean so why would I do that. So for those of you who actually don't have the means to live on a boat but are trying to do it good for you but I don't know why you bash the people that have the means to do it, oh and I like steak and lobster every night...

Sent from my SM-N910V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

LOL... those of limited means who want to live aboard consider it a home.. can't afford a house.. so tend to be less recreational..
as to complaining about folk with the money asking about cost of cruising.. don't think I've heard that.. maybe a little sniggering..
I've tended to work on the principal.. if one has to ask how much.. you can't afford it..
Steak and Lobster every night..?? once or twice a month maybe.. but I prefer a varied diet.. keeps the weight down

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Again I must point out that some of us are not totally sure we want to be cruisers, or live on a boat more than a week or two at a time and would hate to sink too much money into one.

As an example, you can buy Dyneema Halyards at their crazy expensive price or choose another style line that is 1/4 that price or less and plenty strong enough for the job. That goes for everything else on a boat and the boat itself.

I love sailboats and walk the docks many times just to see the different boats. Many of those boats never move except up and down with the tide.

Also, some of us or still working and cannot sail too far on our vacations or weekends. How much boat do you need for that? The boat I have now is my 12th at least. You learn what you need and don't need after doing this for a while.

Some of us like a little bit of a challenge also. Buying a small, old boat that you recognize as strong and replacing the items you deem necessary then sailing it in most all weathers can be rather satisfying.

You can spend $8,000 - $10,000 doing that paying cash the whole way or you can spend $50,000 - $200,000 plus doing the same thing.

I have seen this up close and personal on the Gulf Coast. Older Folks with beautiful boats (I was in my late 30's, early 40's at the time) anchored near the tourist areas not really doing much. At night, they get to enjoy overhearing things like, "Jones, party of 5. Your table's ready" until maybe 11pm.

Others who have finally gotten that boat of theirs looking good enough for a boat show seem lost. They are like "what am I suppose to do now?" Everything on my boat is fixed? My answer is always the same. Sail it maybe?

I would just hate to get stuck with an expensive boat then decide it's time to go hike in Arizona for a few years or take a cycling trip across the lower United States while my boat sat neglected.

Should I decide to do something like this, I could maybe sell my boat at a give away price or simply donate it to the museum in Deltaville and let them sell it for profit.

I simply hate waste which is why I thought the idea the kids in the video "Hold Fast" had was great. Also, did you see how they refused to dump all that oily, nasty water overboard after they got their engine finally to start. Nice to see someone cares about their environment.

Your points are very valid, Thomm, as they would apply to weekend and part time cruisers, and even to some full time cruisers as there are certainly a few people out there doing it by the seat of their pants. We have met many of them over the years and many are quite successful. Just keep in mind that this is a "cruisers" forum, so most people on this forum are either full time cruisers, preparing their boats to become full time cruisers, or dreaming and planning of same and trying to learn how to properly go about it. A lot of the people have planned for this financially for a long time and have the resources and want to do it in the best way possible. They are investing in their boats in the same way that people invest in their homes. It's not a toy that they plan to discard when the next whim hits.

We share your philosophy on a lot of fronts. Lance and I are definitely adherents to the small/simple group. But on the other hand we take great pride in our boats and want the boat's appearance, structural integrity, and functionality to reflect that fact. We would not for a moment compromise on any part or system that would compromise the boat's integrity or the safety of a the crew and guests on board. If money needs to be spent to accomplish those goals, we spend it. But we also don't mind pinching pennies where we can, buying used, refurbishing and rebuilding things, doing all our own work, searching for deals on eBay and all the rest. Brand names mean nothing unless it's a proven highly superior product and then only if the increased performance provided by that product is actually necessary to get the job done. But just keep in mind you're not talking to people who are deciding to buy a pricey part for their toy, it's more the equivalent of a homeowner trying to buy the best roof they can for their house.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by oldragbaggers

Your points are very valid, Thomm, as they would apply to weekend and part time cruisers, and even to some full time cruisers as there are certainly a few people out there doing it by the seat of their pants. We have met many of them over the years and many are quite successful. Just keep in mind that this is a "cruisers" forum, so most people on this forum are either full time cruisers, preparing their boats to become full time cruisers, or dreaming and planning of same and trying to learn how to properly go about it. A lot of the people have planned for this financially for a long time and have the resources and want to do it in the best way possible. They are investing in their boats in the same way that people invest in their homes. It's not a toy that they plan to discard when the next whim hits.

We share your philosophy on a lot of fronts. Lance and I are definitely adherents to the small/simple group. But on the other hand we take great pride in our boats and want the boat's appearance, structural integrity, and functionality to reflect that fact. We would not for a moment compromise on any part or system that would compromise the boat's integrity or the safety of a the crew and guests on board. If money needs to be spent to accomplish those goals, we spend it. But we also don't mind pinching pennies where we can, buying used, refurbishing and rebuilding things, doing all our own work, searching for deals on eBay and all the rest. Brand names mean nothing unless it's a proven highly superior product and then only if the increased performance provided by that product is actually necessary to get the job done. But just keep in mind you're not talking to people who are deciding to buy a pricey part for their toy, it's more the equivalent of a homeowner trying to buy the best roof they can for their house.

Yes, good summary.

I got to spend 12 years on the Gulf Coast beginning when I was in my late 30's. I had two catamarans on shore just above the high tide line at the time. I (and my son) lived in an apartment just above that. Needless to say, I was on the water a lot.

I got to see lots of these well prepared cruisers with beautiful boats and little skill nervously coming in and out of the channels around Pensacola. Sailing skill I mean, not maintenance skill.

Once sailing in against the wind thru a very narrow channel (maybe 30') a couple on a maybe 40' beautiful boat started screaming at me to "get outta the channel!"
My boat's beam was 8'6"; theirs maybe 12'.

Well, I was on a NACRA 6.0 and my 4' daggerboard were all the way down to allow me to sail into the wind like that. To get outta the channel meant going into 6" of water so I pinched up a bit and easily cleared that boat by a couple feet. They almost lost it of course and the captain wanted to fight me but he was too busy trying to avoid the jetty and remember the three R's. He had some Channel Markers ahead to deal with.

Btw, that was 20 years ago, not last week.

Being on the Gulf Coast at a young age allows you to learn from the mistakes of the others..............cruisers that have spent years fixin' up their boats but maybe not sailing a lot. Then sailing down to Florida.

Some of them are great sailors, some not so much. Some get so hammered drunk that by the end of the day they are howling at the moon or dancing solo on the boardwalk. I once saw a gentleman fall on his butt trying to unlock his Mercedes.

Some never venture too far from the marinas or the ICW.

Racing down the outside, Gulf Side, on our 17' - 20' catamarans you rarely see many monohulls. Lots of the time they are motoring the ICW. Of course, we made that 50' mile run from Destin to Pensacola in 4-6 hours so maybe we missed some of them.

[thomm225]

Also, people keep bring up financial resources, etc. Talking about so and so has planned for years and gotten his boat to this point etc.

Where is it written that you don't have the resources if you sail an old boat?

Ever see the gelcoat on a new boat? It will damn near give you a heart attack when you scratch it. I had two new catamarans over the years.

I hit a piling with the bow sprit on my Old Bristol the first year I had it still learning this motoring business. The old bow sprit tore off a good inch of that piling! I kicked off the remaining chunks of wood a couple days later that were still on the boat.

[atlantical]

Boat southern cross 31 in Carolina Beach NC =8500 dollars
Slipping and repairing in Hampstead NC,=3000 dollars
Food for several months=300 dollars

Arriving Castle Bay Island of Barra Scotland UK, under own steam,

Priceless

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by atlantical

Boat southern cross 31 in Carolina Beach NC =8500 dollars
Slipping and repairing in Hampstead NC,=3000 dollars
Food for several months=300 dollars

Arriving Castle Bay Island of Barra Scotland UK, under own steam,

Priceless

Good Hit Innit....

[zeehag]

i learned recently thatmy formosa cost me only 5000 usd--is what my ericson got for the po of this formosa... and so it goes .. some pay less and some pay more. it is all a matter of CHOICE how much is spent.
goes ditto fo r monthly expenses.
one CHOOSES what one desires to spend and what one CAN spend and goes frorm there.
i do not preplan my adventures, andi go to where the boat allows me to go before i repair--has been a goood misadventure to date---even with rebuilding ka lunk..

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by boatman61

LOL... those of limited means who want to live aboard consider it a home.. can't afford a house.. so tend to be less recreational..

LOL, Exactly, My boat is my home and near enough everything I own is one it. It's not recreational, its a lifestyle.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by FSMike

I don't think so.

Well it was meant to be, it was meant to be a how much does it cost to maintain a boat indefinately, but it drifts around a bit which is fine.
Every now and again you pick out some good points, like buying line on the spool, because really I could care less which color it is, I just know what line does what.
And the RV stove, I own a fifth wheel, Son is living in it now and honestly except for the gimbals and the rail on the front of the marine stove, there is no difference, and like SC says, the gimbals are attached to the outside anyway.
Rail would be easy to fab, if you wanted one.
Point being yes for some reason people get offended when money and how much they do or do not have is mentioned, but weed through all the chaff, there is some intelligent thoughts there.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

"Hum...When buying a large amount of line, sometimes a spool is quite a bit cheaper. A 600' spool of 7/16" sta-set is 0.83 cents a foot,( cost +shipping)"

Good thought but Details (I guess they matter)

160 feet/halyard x 3 halyards x $0.83/foot = $398 + $33 tax = $431

and I put on a new spinnaker shackle for $75 which equals $500

... And I got three different color lines with flemish eyes spliced in each end.

No question, good line costs money. It's still cheaper, then line at $1.95 a foot ($960 for three). Eyesplice instructions are available on line. I hear even blondes can do it . Yes, having different color lines, is pricey for sure. But there are less expensive alternatives for the budget cruiser/sailor.

[scuba0_1]

Originally Posted by boatman61

LOL... those of limited means who want to live aboard consider it a home.. can't afford a house.. so tend to be less recreational..
as to complaining about folk with the money asking about cost of cruising.. don't think I've heard that.. maybe a little sniggering..
I've tended to work on the principal.. if one has to ask how much.. you can't afford it..
Steak and Lobster every night..?? once or twice a month maybe.. but I prefer a varied diet.. keeps the weight down

Yea the admiral won't let me eat that every day, I just think this is a good break down of what real life is like on a boat, I think you can take out the marinas if the lady on board will let you and cut out on some restaurants if she will let you but this seems on track with other cruisers I've followed. I think I'd rather plan high and come home with some then plan low and hitchhike home. I just don't want to be at the inlet or gas dock when the guy comes in who only put a few gallons in the tank and shoved off.