Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

G'day Indy!

We bumped into each other a few months ago in Martinique when we were heading south and you were going north. At the time, you were stocking up on cheap French goods. It is an interesting thread you have started, but I reckon there are very few cruisers left who are willing and capable of doing what you suggest. And those that are willing and those that actually do it, well, you will not find many of THEM on an internet forum.

The problem with the attitude these days boils down, in its truly basic form, to the GPS. Cruising in the 70s and 80s when I was a kid meant using a sextant. These days just about any idiot with a few $ and a GPS sails over the horizon. When we sailed into Chagos in 1981, we were the second yacht in the anchorage. Nowadays there are 50 odd boats there and they pay for the privilege. Wow!

Even though it is very easy to use a sextant (my old man taught me when I was 11, it is just addition and subtraction with nothing over 360), the psychological barrier kept many shore bound. This was actually a good thing for those that did sail away because it kept the islands less crowded.

You may remember, but we row a rigid dinghy, sail a cat with 2 small 8 HP outboards (no inboards), no generator, no electric pumps, no electric winches for anything, and with 960 W of solar panels. This means we SAIL and the sun and our muscles do the rest. The cat/mono issue, in terms of marina costs, is irrelevant when you always anchor out (or run up on the beach), the point is NO MARINA.

Anyway, bla bla, it comes down mostly to attitude. Although I still think $500 is quite optimistic, it can be done if needed and you are young and desperate. In the Caribbean, we averaged $1000 a month with everything about a decade ago - including car rental, boat maintenance etc. SE Asia and SW Caribbean is cheaper. The maintenance item is v Important, you can reduce costs by letting your boat run down, but you are actually paying a "hidden" cost in terms of lack of maintenance. When you sell the boat, that hidden cost will reveal itself.

Our logic is a decent boat that sails well, has simple systems and we minimise hired external expertise so much it is almost zero. The rest is mental. But you also want to enjoy yourself and see a bit of the wonderful countries you visit? Well, it will probably be over $500!

Hi,

I agree that the boat must be maintained.

It may be necessary to use the public busses, instead of renting cars. We
certainly did. We found many anchorages all around Martinique, which let us get close to the small villages and their lovely people.

You mention owning a 40ft cat. That is quite a lot of boat, and most certainly keeping that lot going will cost more than what is advocated here.

Please tell us more about your caribbean adventures.


INDY

[w1651]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Pretty decent. It's really something these days when one cannot afford to live in their own country.

It's a disgrace and a testiment to how screwed up the people in Washington have let this country get. Nothing is reasonable anymore.

[w1651]

Originally Posted by goprisko

No, you just have to go south to Florida Bay. You can explore there for
months to your heart's content.

Explore the Shark River. Camp at Cape Sable. Visit the Dry Tortugas.

Stop in Pine Island Sound on the way... Fish for Tarpon.

INDY

Gotta get the boat in shape first. But I am looking at a vacation to the keys next year.
One thing about marinas though is that I have been meeting people and we are talking about a sail some weekend. I just have to bring my own food and drink.
That's great because I just found a chain plate that is pulling through the deck. I talked to a guy that owns another Contest and he found the same thing . But at least I can sail with someone else and keep myself up to date and well practiced until I get the repairs handled and rebed the chain plates with new and better backing plates.One more thing off the list.
Missed the local races last week sponsored by the St Pete Yacht Club. I could have crewed for some one Bad sailor Bad !!!!

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by w1651

It's a disgrace and a testiment to how screwed up the people in Washington have let this country get. Nothing is reasonable anymore.

First sentence needs to be reworded a little to make it factual.
"It's a disgrace and a testament to how screwed up the citizen voters of the USA have allowed the people in Washington . . ."
- - "They" are "us." The voters always get what they want - even if the voters have no idea of what they are voting for.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by osirissail

First sentence needs to be reworded a little to make it factual.
"It's a disgrace and a testament to how screwed up the citizen voters of the USA have allowed the people in Washington . . ."
- - "They" are "us." The voters always get what they want - even if the voters have no idea of what they are voting for.

So true!

Or as someone put it so well:


"One of the annoying things about believing in free will and individual
responsibility is the difficulty of finding somebody to blame your
problems on. And when you do find somebody, it's remarkable how often his
picture turns up on your driver's license." -- P. J. O'Rourke

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by osirissail

First sentence needs to be reworded a little to make it factual.
"It's a disgrace and a testament to how screwed up the citizen voters of the USA have allowed the people in Washington . . ."
- - "They" are "us." The voters always get what they want - even if the voters have no idea of what they are voting for.

Doesn't make much difference when both party's are screwing it up. If anyone thinks one party is better than the other then we are all in real long term trouble.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by w1651

It's a disgrace and a testiment to how screwed up the people in Washington have let this country get. Nothing is reasonable anymore.

Its all part of the "big plan"..freedom aint free and we have had 60 yrs. of rock n roll and now we have got to pay the price..It gets better..DVC

[wolfenzee]

My boat is not just my dream (and my father's unrealized dream), it is the only way I can survive comfortably, just can't in the US financially or living amongst this Sociologically constricted, emotionally constipated cultural bubble

[w1651]

Originally Posted by osirissail

First sentence needs to be reworded a little to make it factual.
"It's a disgrace and a testament to how screwed up the citizen voters of the USA have allowed the people in Washington . . ."
- - "They" are "us." The voters always get what they want - even if the voters have no idea of what they are voting for.

Not to get a political debate going here. But I can think of a few things this countries citizenry was against and still passed and was signed into law.

But if you would like to meet and discuss them over a drink or cup of coffee I would have no problems with that. Bottoms up Osirissail

[osirissail]

Being that few understand that the USA is a "Republic" or a "representative democracy" and not a true democracy. So we get what we (the majority of voters - which may not be and rarely is, the majority of citizens) vote into office. As far as only two parties, there are always alternatives, and even Minnesota voted in a professional wrestler rather than a pure politician. Even California tried to follow that with the "Terminator."
- - But in the long run (and that may be a really long run) things even out. It is just in the short term that we need to keep the cruising boat ready to go and keep the bilge full of gold ingots. Maybe a solar oven, a solar hot water bag, and solar still for water. Just make sure your dough is that "no knead" recipe.
- - It is amazing how great life is when anchored in a little cove a thousand or so nautical miles from the "asylum." Just ask MarkJ.

[w1651]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Being that few understand that the USA is a "Republic" or a "representative democracy" and not a true democracy. So we get what we (the majority of voters - which may not be and rarely is, the majority of citizens) vote into office. As far as only two parties, there are always alternatives, and even Minnesota voted in a professional wrestler rather than a pure politician. Even California tried to follow that with the "Terminator."
- - But in the long run (and that may be a really long run) things even out. It is just in the short term that we need to keep the cruising boat ready to go and keep the bilge full of gold ingots. Maybe a solar oven, a solar hot water bag, and solar still for water. Just make sure your dough is that "no knead" recipe.
- - It is amazing how great life is when anchored in a little cove a thousand or so nautical miles from the "asylum." Just ask MarkJ.

Where can I get a solar still? I'll make the mash as I go !

[osirissail]

Pretty neat little devices.
Aquamate Solar Still

Or for the mash here is what came up on a Google search. I wouldn't mind having one of these onboard . . .
Moonshine Still | Alcohol Stills | Mile Hi Distilling

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Being that few understand that the USA is a "Republic" or a "representative democracy" and not a true democracy. So we get what we (the majority of voters - which may not be and rarely is, the majority of citizens) vote into office. As far as only two parties, there are always alternatives, and even Minnesota voted in a professional wrestler rather than a pure politician. Even California tried to follow that with the "Terminator."
- - But in the long run (and that may be a really long run) things even out. It is just in the short term that we need to keep the cruising boat ready to go and keep the bilge full of gold ingots. Maybe a solar oven, a solar hot water bag, and solar still for water. Just make sure your dough is that "no knead" recipe.
- - It is amazing how great life is when anchored in a little cove a thousand or so nautical miles from the "asylum." Just ask MarkJ.

Hell most dont know what a free democracy is..much less a republic!!

[sailorboy1]

does it cost less that a $500/mo cruisers budget?

[callmecrazy]

You can get these military surplus solar stills for about $20 (or less) from ebay.
(here is one for $10) (edit: oops didn't see that $20 shipping charge!)

They are made for lifeboats on the ocean. Probably just as good as those aquamates...