Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[osirissail]

Minimal budget cruising is - as often stated by the OP - a matter of removing all things expensive to get or maintain. Sometimes the getting is cheap, but the maintaining can bust your budget. The fact is if you don't have it you don't have to fix/replace it.
- - For many thousands of years humans have been sailing boats (rowing sometimes) around the waters of the world without solar panels, refrigeration, hot water showers, scuba compressors, and a host of other "essentials" to today's modern cruiser. Heck, I'm older than refrigeration in land homes and in boats, it is barely more than a couple of decades old. Boxes with blocks of ice was the rule.
- - The point is you don't need refrigeration to have and keep good food for significant (years) of time. Canned meats, veggies, etc. have been around for a very long time and "canned" (D-I-Y) even longer. Salted fish is still, today, a major staple in the diets of Caribbean islanders. Keeps near forever. Add a barrel of rum in case someone dies onboard and you have the ancient seafarers food/drink needs.
- - As to the apparent collapse of civilization in major western countries - folks have been taking to the seas since the Bronze age to get away from such things. Nothing new, but still a great idea. The key is how to afford it. Minimalist cruising can make that possible but you need to shed all the "nice" but unnecessary stuff you have grown up with and now consider essential to living. Look to the ancient ways (anything more than 50 or so years ago) to find out how to do it.

[cheoah]

Hey boatman, its definitely on the wish list and will slow me down some until I choose a solution and haul/pay. The lead line is difficult single handing but I'm by no means a black belt at sounding .

I got lucky getting my boat back to NC essentially for the price of food, ice and diesel. We took a lot of risk getting such an expensive boat (60k) while still having our old boat too. It is forcing me to keep it simple. All the fundamentals are as good as they get so that means lots of ocean miles and adventure to come.

c

[Vega1860]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Heck, I'm older than refrigeration in land homes and in boats, it is barely more than a couple of decades old. Boxes with blocks of ice was the rule.

Dude! It's 2011! While they were still delivering block ice to homes in the nineteen fifties, electric refrigerators were commonly found virtually all non-farm homes and even on farms, "Old fashioned" ice boxes were considered, well - old fashioned.

I know this because my first morning chore in those days was to bring in the milk and put it in the fridge, then put the empty milk bottles in the box on the porch for the milk man to pick up next morning. That was SIXTY YEARS ago. Not "A couple of decades". A couple of decades was 1991. We had cell phones, color TV and computers by then.

But I totally agree with you

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Vega1860

Dude! It's 2011! While they were still delivering block ice to homes in the nineteen fifties, electric refrigerators were commonly found virtually all non-farm homes and even on farms, "Old fashioned" ice boxes were considered, well - old fashioned. . . .But I totally agree with you

Sorry, I put two different "ages" into one sentence - "Ice boxes" in my family were the only available device back in the '40's, You're still a youngster in my book. Refrigeration in boats (not, iceboxes) is really a new thing.
- - Hauling coal to the furnace and ice to the ice box was my standard daily chore. When we got our first "Frigidaire" which is where the "frig" name came from - I was one very happy boy. When we got an oil burning furnace I was even happier.
- - Make no mistake, cold beer and soda along with fine cuts of meats fill my boat's freezer/frig. But I have been a dinner guest on many "minimalist budget" cruisers without any sort of refrigeration and had some mighty fine meals. Of course, I bring the cold beer . . .

[Vega1860]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Of course, I bring the cold beer . . .

Well, if you ever see an Albin Vega 27 with "Lealea" "Honolulu" on the transom you will be very welcome because we cruise without a fridge...

...and I too was thrilled as a boy when we moved from the flat with a coal furnace to one with oil heat.

[CharlesFCook]

If you ever get back to the states stock up on things that are cheap here but $$$ in the islands.

Did a delivery from Ft. Lauderdale to St. Thomas with an empty shower stall. First thing we did was pay $10 for a 12 pack of Coke to go with our Rum.

Did a delivery from FL to Grand Cayman. We had plenty of Coke but the first thing we did was pay $30 (.99 Cayman $ per beer) for a case of beer.

[w1651]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Per capita income figures

➥ Per Capita Income Around the World

➥ https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat.../2004rank.html

These are great reference material. I am already using them to plan my stops along the way.

Thanks Gordmay

[dana-tenacity]

Fatty has it right.

I think the part of the reason for the disagreement is that Fatty has been around a while (longer than me and that's saying something!), so he's comparing now with ten. It is also a fact of the cruising life that most people do it (as full timers ) for about 7 years or less. The change is less dramatic over the shorter time span. Those of us who remember cruising in the 70's and 80's (or earlier) are correct in being disappointed by some of the changes we have seen.

[zeehag]

btw--boatman--ye said that any ones gramma would be out cruising--..lol--i AM someones gramma....LOL
i fund if one looks around well, on is able to find , in places not in kali, but in gulf coast, places to put boat for really small amounts of money.....

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Look guys... forget all this 'Per Capita' BS......... last time I went to India... 1 Nan bread in the UK cost $2.50 for pre-packaged.... for the same price I could have bought 40 fresh baked Nan's from a street vendor...


....

Erg zactly.

[goprisko]

On pages 28-35 we discussed equiping a cruising boat of the size recommended here.... 28 -34 ft.

As boatman mentions, a depth sounder is a very useful pilotage tool.

On Pegasus our Bookes&Gatehouse sounder is now 20 years old and still works. On the previous boat, I replaced a working flasher unit with a Standard brand for about $100 but that was 26 years ago...

I know from decades of living aboard that there is no need for a watermaker, and as boatman says the most important tools are:

Magnetic Compass, Log, Sounder.

If you are going off shore:

Sextant, almanac, stopwatch, chronometer, tables


Don't forget charts covering your voyage...

So, lets reprise the outfitting we suggested for the SC 31..

Full suit of sails __________________________________$ 3500
Anchors and gear______________________________________$ 1600
Galley including cooker, sink and hand pump _______________$ 2000
Head including LAVAC, sink, and plumbing _______________$ 1020
Standing Rigging, wire, turnbuckles, sockets________________$ 2116
Running Rigging__________, rope, winches, blocks__________$ 3900
New bottom paint, including haulout______________________$ 1000
LED Lamps, fridge, battery and Distribution Panel____________$ 2500
Dinghy including oars and sailing rig (Danny Green Chameleon)_$1000

TOTAL_____________________________________________ $ 18,316


As mentioned in the original posting, from the above, one can see what a great value a well found boat is.


Now, let's reprise our checklist of must dos before setting off:
Am I ready Checklist

If you can answer YES to every item on this list, your boat is ready to go cruising and so are you…
Hull:

All through hulls removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, and rebidded
Rudder removed, all bearings inspected , replaced as necessary and rebidded and refastened
All sea cocks removed, inspected, replaced or lubricated as necessary, rebidded and refastened.
Cutlass Bearing replaced and rebidded.
Stuffing box removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, repacked with Teflon packing, reinstalled with new hose and hose clamps.
Propellor shaft removed, inspected, replaced, and aligned as necessary.
Propellor removed, inspected and replaced as necessary.
Mast step inspected, and refurbished as necessary.
Bonding straps inspected and replaced as necessary, with all connections refurbished.
Keel bolts if present removed and replaced with new ones properly bedded.
Bulkheads inspected to ensure all are properly bonded to the hull, and rebonded as necessary..
Hull deck joint refastened and rebedded or sealed with multiple layers of GRP tape.
DECK:

Hull deck joint refastened and rebedded or sealed with multiple layers of GRP tape.
All stanchion bases, including those for the pulpits and pushpits, removed, inspected, and rebedded and refastened to foundations rebuilt as necessary so the core in cored decks is hardwood, and the fastenings go entirely through the deck and into backing plates at least as large as the bases themselves.
All cleats removed, refastened and rebedded.
All portlights removed, refastened and rebedded.
All hatches removed, refastened and rebedded.
All track removed, refastened, and rebedded.
All winches removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
All hinges and other deck hardware not mentioned before, removed, replaced as necessary, refastened and rebedded.
MAST:

All cleats removed, refastened and rebedded.
All wiring removed, and replaced.
All Mast steps removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, rebedded and refastened.
All tracks removed, refastened, and rebedded.
All winches removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
All tangs removed, refastened and rebedded.
All spreaders removed, refastened, and rebedded.
All lights removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
Gooseneck, disassembled, inspected for wear and serviced or replaced as necessary.
BOOM:

All cleats removed, refastened and rebedded.
All tracks removed, refastened, and rebedded.
All winches removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
All tangs removed, refastened and rebedded.
STANDING RIGGING:

All wire older than 10 years reterminated or replaced.
Bobstay if present, replaced.
All rigging pins older than 10 years, replaced.
All rigging screws of closed type, or of stainless construction replaced with open barrel bronze screws.
All toggles, shackles, link pins, link plates, diamond plates, and other rigging hardware, removed, inspected, and replaced as necessary, with all pins or bolts replaced outright.
All tangs removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, rebedded and refastened.
All chainplates removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, rebedded and refastened.

Running Rigging:

All halyards and sheets which show hardening from the sun replaced.
All blocks removed, serviced as necessary, and or replaced, including masthead sheaves…
All winches removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
ANCHOR:
Chain regalvanized, and end for ended as necessary, or replaced as necessary.
Pawl installed or serviced.
Anchor chock modified so it is closed, or can be closed.
Anchor roller removed, inspected, refastened and rebedded as necessary.
Spare anchors properly chocked on deck and below.
SAILS:

All sails opened, inspected, replaced if they fail the poke test, restitched, patched, and cleaned as necessary.
All sails set to verify sheet leads and fit.
RUDDER:

Rudder removed, bearings, or gudgeons and pintles, removed, inspected rebedded, and replaced as necessary.
Cable for cable steering replaced.
Tiller removed, inspected, and replaced as necessary. Spare tiller stowed together with spare tiller fitting for rudder stock.
Hydraulic steering inspected for leaks, which are fixed, generally via replacement of defective components. Cylinder rebuilt. Helm pump rebuilt, control valves removed, inspected and refurbished or replaced as necessary..
GALLEY:

Cooker opened, inspected and defective parts replaced as necessary.
Sink, removed, inspected for excessive thinning due to corrosion, replaced as necessary, rebedded and refastened.
All plumbing replaced with new.
All pumps removed, inspected, and refurbished or replaced as necessary.
Insulative capacity of ice box or refrigerator assessed via the ice block test, with insulation replaced if test fails
Refrigeration system inspected, checked for leaks, and refurbished as necessary.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE EQUIPMENT:

Fire extinguishers serviced and mounted in strategic locations.
Flares examined, and sufficient purchased which are in date, to meet regs.
PFDs inspected and sufficient maintained aboard to provide each crew member with a serviceable unit.
All PFDs equipped with strobes, and whistle
Bosn’s chair inspected and refurbished as necessary.
Safety harnesses, inspected and refurbished as necessary.
Throwable PFD, (horseshoe ring, lifering, lifesling) inspected, strobe verified as working, line verified to be in good condition, and mounting verified to be solid and to permit rapid access and deployment.
ENGINE:

All zincs removed, inspected, and replaced as necessary.
Impellor replaced.
Oil changed.
Compression checked, and engine problems assessed; if check fails, defective items refurbished as needed.
Injectors refurbished.
Inspect engine mounts, refurbish or replaced as necessary.
Injection pump refurbished as necessary
GEARBOX:

Oil changed.
Operation checked, with special emphasis on slippage, if found, replace clutches.
If leaks are found, replace seals.
If rear seal leaks, suspect improper shaft alignment.
Align propeller shaft.
Navigation:

Navigation skills appropriate for the voyage have been acquired via coursework or self study, including coastwise piloting, dead reckoning, speed estimation, deck log entries, celestial navigation, weather prediction, and tide and current prediction.
Pilots and pubs covering the area to be cruised are aboard, including:
BA pilots covering the area, cruising guides covering the area.
Admiralty List of Radio Signals(Vol 3(2) for the Americas for met broadcasts
Admiralty Light List for the area
Admiralty tide tables for the area.
Nautical Almanac covering the time of the cruise
Charts or facsimiles thereof covering the area to be cruised.
Duttons or Bowditch
Plotting sheets
Weems Plotter
Dividers
Pencils
Pens
Log book
Hand held VHF or VHF
Grundig or similar HF receiver.
SPARES:

Sufficient spare parts are aboard to maintain the critical systems of the ship at sea, including:
Spare line
Spare blocks
Sail repair kit
Engine oil and filters
Fuel filters
Spare set of Injectors, with copper washers and torque wrench.
Cable cutter capable of cutting the largest rigging wire on the boat, and the anchor chain.
Hack saw
Hammers
Drill and bits
Wrenches
Screw drivers
Come along
Axe
Panga
A spare piece of rigging wire sufficiently long to replace the longest stay on the boat, with one end terminated, and a staylock or other field installable terminal for the other end.
Hose clamps
Hose
Hose fittings
WATER:

Sufficient water storage capacity in tanks, jugs, or bladders available below decks to provide each crew member with 1 gallon per day over the longest passage envisioned.
DINGHY:

A hard dinghy of sufficient size to carry the entire crew and emergency provisions, including water, and emergency navigation equipment, including sextant and compass and charts, with a set of oars for each man, and preferably with a sailing rig, to provide means of escape in the event of sinking, and assess to shore when in port.
Chocks and padeyes, and ratchet tiedowns to secure the dinghy on deck.
As mentioned in the earlier post, now, while you have resources at hand, is the time to run through your boat, and ensure it is seaworthy.
Fair Winds,


INDY

[FlyingCloud]

I have a friend on a Crealok 37 that has been cruising the South Pacific Islands for 8 years now. He is a singlehander with crew on occasion. His total income is slightly over $500 per month (Social Securety) and he has done just fine on that budget.
When friends come to visit, he asks them to cover their food costs and if they can, donate something to the maintenace account for his boat.
He manages to live very well and make a trip home to the states once a year. By air..
In the late 70's I built a Bristol Channel Cutter ala Pardey style. No engine or electric. We were a crew of two and our budget in 1981 was $238 per month. We did just fine back then. Now, I am figuring on $800 to $1000 per month.
While the type of boat and or size is a consideration for cruising on a budget, I would say that any well founded boat with relatively new gear onboard at the beginning of the cruise would last you a good three to four years before any heavy maintenance is needed. Follow the Pardeys style.
I now own a 41 foot boat with every gadget under the sun on it. Too much in fact. Since I am older now, I wanted more comfort and convenience in case I decided to be a dockside liveabord. On our shake down cruise much of the fancy stuff broke down. Even the brand new engine. But having the experience gained years earlier we just shifted gears and became a sea going sailing vessel. Bernard Mortisse (spelling?) was once asked "how much does it cost to go cruising?" His response was, "everything". When asked to define that answer, he said that "no matter how much you have, or how little you have, you will spend it all".

Catching fish to add to the larder? I am an avid fisherman. Have probably the only sailboat in the world rigged with outriggers and downriggers. Yes we catch fish, on occasion. But at sea, they are too big. Close to coral reefs, too dangerous to eat. So I wouldn't count on the ocean feeding you these days.

[rover88]

Somehow, this quote from Henry David Thoreau seems a fitting contribution to this, the tread that refuses to die:

“But I forsee that if my wants should be much increased, the labor required to supply them would become a drudgery. If I should sell both my forenoons & afternoons to society, neglecting my peculiar calling, there would be nothing left worth living for. I trust that I shall never thus sell my birth-right for a mess of pottage.”

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by rover88

Somehow, this quote from Henry David Thoreau seems a fitting contribution to this, the tread that refuses to die:

“But I forsee that if my wants should be much increased, the labor required to supply them would become a drudgery. If I should sell both my forenoons & afternoons to society, neglecting my peculiar calling, there would be nothing left worth living for. I trust that I shall never thus sell my birth-right for a mess of pottage.”

If anybody reading this thread hasn't read Thoreau, they should go to the library (or buy it) and pick up a copy of Walden right away.

[w1651]

Originally Posted by rover88

Somehow, this quote from Henry David Thoreau seems a fitting contribution to this, the tread that refuses to die:

“But I forsee that if my wants should be much increased, the labor required to supply them would become a drudgery. If I should sell both my forenoons & afternoons to society, neglecting my peculiar calling, there would be nothing left worth living for. I trust that I shall never thus sell my birth-right for a mess of pottage.”

Amen!