Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by osirissail

- - Normal post office shipments are usually 1/4 or less than express parcel services but take two weeks to a month to get to you. Express parcel services take 2 to 4 days.

Thats the land based person talking again.. and yes, In the US, but once you leave those waters, you lose the ability to send and recieve at a normal rate, time or recieve at all..
This is one of the main reasons there is a good number of boats headed south to mexico that have also doubled as delivery people.. If you send something to mexico, you're lucky to get it at all.. Trying to get something shipped to the south pacific could take a couple months..
And if it is comming in from a different country, you can bet the officals will be standing in line to recieve a fee for inporting .........

We've been able, somewhat, to stay around the $500. per month BUT that was due to us getting the boat ready beforhand and not having any expence or great expence while being out for a couple years..
So for us, what works is to do all the upgrades or repairs on the boat while were working good jobs and then head out.. The last time out, we were able to stay within a good budget for 4 years and then had to pull back in, go back to work for a year, build the kitty, work on the boat and now we're ready to head out again, the boats ready, the kitty full, and we're looking forward to the escape..
which brings up something else,, after awhile, we were dulled by the cruising life and needed a change. working for a year without cruising brought back the excitement and the want to look forward to new adventure..

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

which brings up something else,, after awhile, we were dulled by the cruising life and needed a change. working for a year without cruising brought back the excitement and the want to look forward to new adventure..

That chimes with my (land based) extended "voyaging" ........found I had a boredom threshold with both sitting on a Tropical Island Beach and Partying like it's 1999 (well, one year it was 1999 ). 6 months was about my limit for both boredom and also coming back to civilisation before my brain turned irreperably to mush and still being (and willing!) to function and earn back home.

FWIW even not actively looking (albeit always being nosey ) various business opportunities arose over the years. Not all good ideas , but the fundamental problem I had with all of them was the same hard work as back home - but a fraction of the money Of course different folk will have different motivations, so the money vs effort ratio will also differ.

Funny really, even I struggle to remember what I found boring about sitting on a Tropical Island - especially on days spent trying to persuade some folks to hold information in places they could later find it I am not even selling any product - just trying to explain the "concept" .........and so far failing

[Mariness]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Funny really, even I struggle to remember what I found boring about sitting on a Tropical Island - especi:

This is one of my concerns as well. Sand & palm trees looks pretty similar from one island to the next...part of why we want to do some high-latitudes stuff, although I suspect that will turn out to be a bit more expensive than staying in the trade-winds.

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by sarafina

heh. not much baking experience huh?

Most of the worlds breads are flour water and a drop of something. Sometimes oil, sometimes yeast, sometimes just flour and water.

Ever had a tortilla?

Nice thing aboard about flat bread (unrisen, no yeast) is it keeps longer. English muffins have a wonderful shelf life as well.

Thankyou, Sara !!

A staple bread aboard Pegasus has the following recipe:

1 C warm water
1T granlulated yeast
2T sugar

mix the above together with a wisk.. then add

1 C rolled oats
2 C high gluten whole wheat flour (Bob's Red Mill)

this should be a sponge... let rest for 15 mins..

Then add white unbleached flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl..

Turn out on a floured surface and knead with floury hands until silky.

Put into a bread pan for bread

Cut into pieces and put into a cake pan for rolls

Divide into 3 equal parts and roll each into a sausage about 24 in long, then braid the three pieces into a loaf, put the loaf on a cookie sheet

Then bake in a 350F oven for 40-60 mins

Great with butter and jam, or makes an excellent egg sandwich, or tuna salad sandwich...

INDY

[Mariness]

Mmmm I like that recipe.
Just a note for the bread-bakers: You don't technically need sugar. And proofing your yeast isn't necessary either (it used to be a problem, but modern yeast, if you store it right, almost never fails). Without sugar it just takes longer (sometimes a lot) to rise - but it does work, I do it at home. Just mix the yeast into the dry ingredients first so it gets well-distributed, then combine wet & dry & proceed like normal. (Don't forget to allow as much time as it needs to rise to where you want it - no clock watching!)
Usually not an issue, but if you're running low on sugar, risen bread can still be had!

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by Mariness

This is one of my concerns as well. Sand & palm trees looks pretty similar from one island to the next...part of why we want to do some high-latitudes stuff, although I suspect that will turn out to be a bit more expensive than staying in the trade-winds.

It takes several years to unwind from the competitive shore bound existence of the USA. Adjusting to life in the tropics is assisted by engaging in a hobby such as shell collecting.. Cruising in the further places such as New Guinea and the Solomons provides the shell collector with the opportunity to acquire rare specimens which have
value. We have a reference book on shells aboard to help Natalie with her hobby.

Professionals, such as nurses and MDs might consider doing a locum..lots of the missionary societies in the further places need assistance, and UK and US trained MDs can get locums in NZ and AUZ..

A lawyer I met, goes home for 3 months each year to attend to his practice...

The Pardeys wrote
Hal Roth wrote
Eric Hiscock wrote

I taught, and am currently teaching..


INDY

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

Thats the land based person talking again.. and yes, In the US, but once you leave those waters, you lose the ability to send and recieve at a normal rate, time or recieve at all..
This is one of the main reasons there is a good number of boats headed south to mexico that have also doubled as delivery people.. If you send something to mexico, you're lucky to get it at all.. Trying to get something shipped to the south pacific could take a couple months..
And if it is comming in from a different country, you can bet the officals will be standing in line to recieve a fee for inporting .........

We've been able, somewhat, to stay around the $500. per month BUT that was due to us getting the boat ready beforhand and not having any expence or great expence while being out for a couple years..
So for us, what works is to do all the upgrades or repairs on the boat while were working good jobs and then head out.. The last time out, we were able to stay within a good budget for 4 years and then had to pull back in, go back to work for a year, build the kitty, work on the boat and now we're ready to head out again, the boats ready, the kitty full, and we're looking forward to the escape..
which brings up something else,, after awhile, we were dulled by the cruising life and needed a change. working for a year without cruising brought back the excitement and the want to look forward to new adventure..

One way to really ruin your visit to any exotic port is to have something broken or break. and fall into the trap of insisting it must be fixed there and then. You must have backup systems for critical items, OR spares in your lockers. Given the limited space on a boat of the size we are considering here___28-34 ft___ locker space is limited. This means the systems aboard the boat must be limited. Where ever, you choose to import parts, things work much better if you first check with customs regarding their regulations, and next investigate local sources of replacements.

You can get locally available parts in the oddest places... Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, HongKong, Malaysia, SouthAfrica. The post office does work, though generally packages take some time... DHL works world wide and is expensive and fast.

Stay away from electronics, watermakers, pressure water systems, wheel steering systems, and other gadgets. Keep the boat simple...

INDY

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by Mariness

This is one of my concerns as well. Sand & palm trees looks pretty similar from one island to the next...part of why we want to do some high-latitudes stuff, although I suspect that will turn out to be a bit more expensive than staying in the trade-winds.

I suggest you purchase a copy of Voyaging on a Small Income by Annie Hill published by Tiller.

INDY

[w1651]

Originally Posted by goprisko

It takes several years to unwind from the competitive shore bound existence of the USA. Adjusting to life in the tropics is assisted by engaging in a hobby such as shell collecting.. Cruising in the further places such as New Guinea and the Solomons provides the shell collector with the opportunity to acquire rare specimens which have
value. We have a reference book on shells aboard to help Natalie with her hobby.

Professionals, such as nurses and MDs might consider doing a locum..lots of the missionary societies in the further places need assistance, and UK and US trained MDs can get locums in NZ and AUZ..

A lawyer I met, goes home for 3 months each year to attend to his practice...

The Pardeys wrote
Hal Roth wrote
Eric Hiscock wrote

I taught, and am currently teaching..


INDY

Im planning on walking the islands I visit. Bringing a back pack and some light camping equipment as well as scuba.
I figure if Im in paradise I might as well see it from above and below.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

Thats the land based person talking again.. and yes, In the US, but once you leave those waters, you lose the ability to send and recieve at a normal rate, time or recieve at all...

- - Sorry Randyonr3 - you are dead wrong on that statement! I have not been back in the States in 6 years and am living on my sailboat in the Caribbean - NOT on land. I get shipments of things from my sister in Florida every few months and what I said works yesterday, today and tomorrow.

[Mariness]

Originally Posted by goprisko

I suggest you purchase a copy of Voyaging on a Small Income by Annie Hill published by Tiller.

INDY

Yep we have that one, and her other as well...can't remember the name right now, something about Brazil? Read both, and the Pardeys, etc. In lieu of DOING IT, for the moment we are just reading about doing it. (AKA, "planning" and "research".) Plus all the magazines we can find, since a lot of the books are getting a bit outdated.

Im planning on walking the islands I visit. Bringing a back pack and some light camping equipment as well as scuba.

This sounds good ... if I can convince certain people to agree. Hubby is NOT a camper, so I've got my work cut out for me on that one.

I taught, and am currently teaching..

What do/did you teach? I taught math, also held certificate for social-sciences. J used to teach math before switching to physics. Any call for any of those out there? Around here they "always" need math & science.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Mariness

What do/did you teach? I taught math, also held certificate for social-sciences. J used to teach math before switching to physics. Any call for any of those out there? Around here they "always" need math & science.

- - I would hazard a guess that the teaching is happening in the "home country" during the visits/sojourns during the off season. Any "teaching" in a foreign land would have to be done in concert with work permits and the political atmosphere of the foreign country. Otherwise you could get into a heap of trouble. Of course, free teaching is possible (donated) but that doesn't help much replenish the cruising kitty.

[solosailormike]

The basic 2400 calories a day can be as low as $2.50 a day per person, then add the prep-process the food such as cooking, soap, etc. The average is over $8 a day. $150 is not sustainable. As to boat maintenance if the standing rigging is older than 8 years you are taking a substantial risk sailing. If your sails are over 8 years old they may work but not very well. For $500 you may be just “exist-ting” but not cruising. A few years ago I sailed from Hamilton to Nassau, we fished all the time, we caught one mackel, and it did not taste good. Sometimes catching fish will be OK but you cannot count on it.

Look up prisoners food cost and calories/cost diet, or order a new set of standing rigging for a 40 foot sailboat and there goes the budget for the next three years. I have been to a couple of places where you can feed yourself on dollar a day, but not on a boat.

[Adelie]

For a home-brew windvane you might check out this website:
http://www.mindspring.com/~waltmur/Self-Steering/

Or find a copy of 'Self-steering without a Windvane' by Lee Woas which is a compilation of a large number of sheet to tiller systems. If one system doesn't work on your boat try another. The book is long out of print and spendy, but cheaper than a windvane.

Originally Posted by goprisko

There is a book you can buy through Amazon...
The Windvane Self-Steering Handbook (Hardcover)


Self-Steering for Sailing Craft (Hardcover)


Self-steering for sailboats (Hardcover)


And the classic............

WIND-VANE SELF STEERING
By Bill Belcher. Pbk, perfect bound, 240mm x 170mm, 128 pages, monochrome plans and tables.
This classic book describes the theory, principles and practice of wind vanes for self steering. It tells the blue water sailor how to construct his own wind-vane self steering system, including full working drawings.
Wind-vane Self Steering is generally regarded world wide as the definitive work on this topic and currently, as far as we know, is the only such work generally available. NZ$40.00 + Delivery


INDY

[Springbok]

Most of the books being quoted to read are pretty dated. For a more recent update purchase CRUISING WITH MARK by NICOLE.
Clyde