Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by svrodeorm

500/mo staying in a marina?

I wonder...

I had the same thought. Here in the Northeast transient slips are $60 a night and up.

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Only for a day or two - they had the boat in storage and just launched it. And that is something to remember - you need to set aside money for a haul-out and bottom job every couple of years. Storage down here is fairly cheap at less than $300/mo for such a small boat.

Please note that size does make a difference.

This couple, Family is doing with a 30 ft ( 9.5 m ) boat. Not a big one...

Also, I chatted with some fellow yachtsmen here in St. Croix yesterday.

Many of them have 45 qt ENGLE boxes.. one has two, he uses one as a freezer, the other as a fridge. They really like the 2.4 amp draw, and the one with the freezer claims his box does not run more than half the time.

They like them very much.

INDY

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

I had the same thought. Here in the Northeast transient slips are $60 a night and up.

That is one of the main reasons for not getting a boat bigger than 30 ft if you want to do the $500/mo thing. Here in Trinidad their slip was less than US$30/night.
- - As others have said - Size does make a difference.

[SaltyMonkey]

SIDENOTE Ok, I just walked through all 43 pages of these posts. Whats strange is that they start to repeat around PP 25 or so. Something is amiss with this database.

[Hud3]

It's not the database. The OP decided to do a recap, if I recall correctly.

[SaltyMonkey]

But the following posts seems to be exact repeats as well. I thought I was in a loop - very scary

\\\\\||////
----o O
......O

[goprisko]

There is nothing wrong with the database.

Due to the large amount of flames during the first pages, I chose to
consolidate the informative posts into one block.

Begin at page 29 and read it and the following 6 pages.

Therein you will find the meat of this thread.

Browse the others at your leisure.

We have progressed very far in covering cruising on a micro-budget.

Specifically the following:

Boats suitable for micro-cruising

Proforma budget(s) to consider in when creating your own, including:
How to estimate the costs of equipment added to your boat
What must be done to your boat to make it ready to go
Why your boat must be simple
Dinghies
Rigs
Electronics
Engines
Sails
Anchors
Sample shopping lists and costs
Sample menus
Recipes for cheap meals
Refrigeration
Navigation Equipment including:
Sailing Directions - where to get them free
Light Lists - where to get them free
Charts - where to get them free
Radio Pubs - where to get them free
Tide Tables
Sextants vs GPS
Hand bearing compass
Weems plotter
Almanac
Chronometer
Doing without electricity
How to find cheap places to sojourn
First Aid Kits
Medical Care Overseas

I hope you find the information useful


INDY

[Brent Swain]

There's a great article in the August issue of Pacific Yachting on page 22, about the issue. It talks about all the new stuff, which cruisers cruised without for a century, which modern cruisers are being told are absolute necessities, discouraging younger cruisers from persueing the dream.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

There's a great article in the August issue of Pacific Yachting on page 22, about the issue. It talks about all the new stuff, which cruisers cruised without for a century, which modern cruisers are being told are absolute necessities, discouraging younger cruisers from persueing the dream.

For those of us who don't have access to the magazine, is there an abbreviated list of the items you could post. It would be interesting to see what they are.

[osirissail]

". . . It talks about all the new stuff, which cruisers cruised without for a century,. . ."
Sure, because the "stuff" did not exist back then. When I started driving cars, automatic transmissions did not exist. Anti-lock brakes did not exist. In car navigation did not exist. Seat belts did not exist. Airbags did not exist. If you got into a head-on collision it was simple - you died. The list goes on and on including many medical drugs, antibiotics, and treatments that now keep you alive when back then you just died.
- - You do need a minimal level of safety and legally required stuff and just common sense stuff that is available these days. But the secret to successful "minimalist cost" cruising is a small sturdy ocean friendly boat with very little machinery, pumps, plumbing, and extra comfort items not directly related to getting you and the boat from "A" to "B" safely. If you do not have it you do not have to fix it.
- - There is no impediment to successfully cruising around the world on $500/month except your own expectations to take all your "condo" conveniences and appliances, etc. with you. As outlined in many of the 600+ posts if you keep to the K.I.S.S. principle you will not be spending money on stuff that is not directly related to safety and navigation.
- - It is all determined by your expectations and buying basic navigation and safety items is not a budget buster. Engines, plumbing, electrical systems (beyond powering safety/nav systems), refrigeration, air conditioning, microwave ovens, etc. put you into a much higher budget bracket.

[sailorboy1]

Well I worry that something might happen to me and I wouldn't be able to go cruising. At $500/mo I could go now and never come back..............I think I'm going to keep working and save up for an enjoyable experience instead of a survior one.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Well I worry that something might happen to me ..

No need to "worry" ... it will one day ... I guarantee it. The question is where do you want to be when it does?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Doodles

No need to "worry" ... it will one day ... I guarantee it. The question is where do you want to be when it does?

Not on some of the boats I have read about in this thread! There's life and then there's living.

[Therapy]

I have never needed a seatbelt much less an airbag.

If I ever do I will be glad I have one since I will be alive to feel that gladness.

Refrigeration is just one of the many things that have contributed to comfort and longevity.

I do understand that all can draw the line any where they want though.

[NYCSavage]

I read a blog somewhere where the owner fitted an 800watt inverter (I think - memory is sketchy) and had a few mod-cons running 24/7 from the solar power!

Collected rainwater instead of owning a watermaker etc

They managed to spend very little and managed to stay happy, let me dig out the link for you

EDIT

Long distance motor cruising - Is it possible on a small budget?

And I was right, she was re-wired for 12 volt, 24 volt and 240 volt through an 800 watt inverter! And power is generated from four 80 watt solar panels on the upper deck