Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by 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...

1963!! hell this thing is older than me and if it is made of plastic from that time it is about as reliable as a fox in a hen house!

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

1963!! hell this thing is older than me and if it is made of plastic from that time it is about as reliable as a fox in a hen house!

They're hermetically sealed.

[osirissail]

Yeah I wouldn't trust any hermit to pack my still. Especially one with mash in it. . .

[goprisko]

In the Complete Cruiser, the Pardeys evaluated solar stills, including those meant
for military use.

To my mind, nothing beats a hard dink with a sailing rig. In most cases, if a 406Mhz EPIRB is carried, rescue should be a matter of days. Even in the Pacific, sailing distances to land falls are at most 3 weeks down wind, assuming you founder just west of the Galapagos.

For this duration, it is sensible to put two jerry cans of water into the dink ( 40 liters, 20 days supply for one man), together with the EPIRB, Handheld VHF, Handheld GPS / sextant, stop watch, tables, plotting sheets, almanac, weems plotter and pencils.

You will want MREs to cover the 20 days too.

Also, fishing gear, sandals, hat, sunscreen, etc.

If this sounds like organizing an expedition, it is.

Your alternative is flotation bags sufficient to keep the ship afloat.


I opted for 5 water tight bulkheads. In the event, I never encountered angry whales, and the closest whale encounter was off the east coast of South Africa.

Nor, did I encounter an awash container. There are not too many of these in the tropical Pacific for the simple reason they generally wash off in gales, ie in high latitudes.

Since most of you will, if lucky, make it from Florida to the Bahamas before giving up, most of this is irrelevant, and a distraction from making the ship seaworthy.

Your first task is to make your ship seaworthy. So download the "Am I Ready Checklist" and set to. You will find completing that task sufficiently daunting, I assure you.

Fair Winds,

INDY

[Svsilvergirl]

Nothing like a positive outlook there indy..........

[downunder]

Originally Posted by goprisko

Since most of you will, if lucky, make it from Florida to the Bahamas before giving up, most of this is irrelevant, and a distraction from making the ship seaworthy.


INDY

very positive post

[callmecrazy]

Judging by the boats around here, most people don't even make it to Florida

[osirissail]

In my personal experience the folks in the under 30ft sailboats seem to make the journey better and are better prepared than than the 35 to to 45ft folks in "older" boats.

- - I am amazed when sitting in Mayaguana's Abraham Bay or Long Cay in the Caicos waiting to for a weather window, how many "unprepared innocents" there are thinking that they can fix or repair insufficient gear/sails/ship's systems at the next port. To put it bluntly - ain't going to happen. If you and your boat are not prepared for nasty water and weather you are not going to get to the next port.

- - They are fine folks but just don't seem to realize that cruising and sailing can be hazardous to your health if you and the boat are not prepared. Maybe boats should come equipped with those "labels" that are on cigarette packages plastered on the sides of the boat.

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Maybe boats should come equipped with those "labels" that are on cigarette packages.

They DO. Not actually labels, but just read any thread on this forum. The majority of advice is all about how 'insufficient' people's choices are. wrong gear, wrong price, wrong boat, wrong passage, wrong island.... and yet, THOUSANDS of boats and folks are doing it every year in ill-prepared vessels with ill-prepared crew.

How many of those people you mention WILL make it to the next port? Maybe some will smarten up and fix what needs fixing before leaving, maybe some will actually fix stuff in the next port. Maybe they're just waiting for a better weather window than you are, because they are well aware of the capabilities of their 'insufficient' gear. Maybe a few will give up there... who knows.

But, by my calculations, if they got that far already, they are fully capable of going a little further.

maybe it's not even about the gear... All it takes is good rigging and most boats will go wherever you point them.

The people sitting in marina's in the US, talking about how 'one day' they'll sail away, are the ones not going anywhere. not those folks in the islands with insufficient gear. They are already there...

[Feral Cement]

Originally Posted by goprisko

So download the "Am I Ready Checklist" and set to. You will find completing that task sufficiently daunting, I assure you.

Can anyone point me to "the checklist"? Thanks.

John

[sctpc]

Originally Posted by Feral Cement

Can anyone point me to "the checklist"? Thanks.

John

gopriskos post 1968

[Hillbillylad]

The biggest expense for us at the bottom end seems to be more the initial purchase of a cheap boat and then getting it fit to go.
So far, I've spent $2.500 for the boat and next month $500 for haul out and anti fouling.
I've spent a fair bit through the year buying bits and pieces such as VHf radios etc and it adds up.
I reckon for my small boat, once that first small fortune is spent and the boat is fit for purpose the $500 a month looks pretty doable. First stop for us from just off the Chesapeake will be down to New Bern NC where the marina is about 200 a month. I want it there because it's convenient for visiting the bosses parents and has more shops for bits and pieces. My main concerns are whether to replace the alcohol stove with propane and which dink.
Apart from all that I'm totally positive we can do it.........gulp!!

[w1651]

Originally Posted by sctpc

gopriskos post 1968

I've downloaded it and started to check things off. Some have been done previously others yet to do.

[boatman61]

Well.... over this side the Euro500/mth has been blown outa the water... Portugal has just banged 23%IVA across the board... nothing has escaped...
So thats my yard bill + 23%.........
Paint Food Tobacco Beer ............

[sctpc]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Well.... over this side the Euro500/mth has been blown outa the water... Portugal has just banged 23%IVA across the board... nothing has escaped...
So thats my yard bill + 23%.........
Paint Food Tobacco Beer ............

Your funny Boatman Euro 500 is 800us how do you spend that much on a 26ft boat?