Shoestring Sailors (Cruising on $500 per month - part II)

[David_Old_Jersey]

Awesome (I didn't follow all that thread).

[boatman61]

Got no House..
Got no Car..
Watch the TV in a bar...
Get free food... every glass of my Beer...
Leave the others to their gains...
Floatin round Spain saves so much pain...
I got cheap smokes...
I got my Freedom...
I got a Life....

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Sometimes being a $500 a month sailor, means life gets interesting. Case in point my just completed engine rebuild. A major expense like an engine rebuild is not really in the budget of the shoestring sailor.

As usual I'm impressed with your skills and perseverance, sailorchic. Hauling an engine up to floor level and working on it while continuing to live in the same space would be a discomfort many people would gladly forego.

Unfortunately one of my engines has a hole in the block and the other is missing entirely, so it will involve crane barges and new mountings being made to suit. I'll do as much of the work as possible of course.

[CatInHand]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

The older I get, the more convinced I become that our society is sick. Or perhaps more accurately, it is rigged to benefit the few over the many. The path laid out before most of us in the Western world is well defined and hard to step off.

Yes.

I think it's actually pretty hard to even see this until you are no longer on that path. Getting fired a year ago was pretty stressful at the time, but now I look back in amazement that I was buying in to all that crap.

Hate to say it, but firing me was probably the best decision my boss ever made.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by CatInHand

Yes.

I think it's actually pretty hard to even see this until you are no longer on that path. Getting fired a year ago was pretty stressful at the time, but now I look back in amazement that I was buying in to all that crap.

Hate to say it, but firing me was probably the best decision my boss ever made.

I think the same thing while I'm in my current job. I haven't had TV service in almost 5 years. The little news I get is online or at work. The stuff I do see, I'm surprised about what makes the news. There's so much "reality" tv shows now that make no sense and wastes peoples time, people buying junk they don't need and I feel better that I'm not caught up in all that. I don't have facebook and I just bought my first cell phone recently. Being disconnected from the TV, I found a lot more time to do other things that I enjoy more.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Actually, there's a lot of good research which shows that once a minimal standard of wealth has been achieved -- enough to provide food, shelter and basic security -- more money does not bring greater happiness or contentment. Those who are poor actually do become happier if the come into more money (say, win the lottery). But beyond that level, more money really does nothing to elevate peoples' sense of happiness.

I worked with a guy who was "trust fund baby", who was already a millionaire when he turned 21, and only took a job with us to piss off his parents. He was one of the most miserable people I ever knew, but a good life lesson as we would all constantly say that the great thing about having him around was the constant reminder that money doesn't necessarily buy happiness.

I look back when I was young and broke and it was one of the happiest times of my life. Because, not only did I not have any money, I also didn't have any stress.

The world wants us to be miserable. One of the things that I wasn't really expecting when I took early retirement a few years ago to cruise, was the hostility from people who actually seemed angry that I was going to escape the rat race they were in (and how happy they were when I rejoined them a year later upon my return).

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by Group9

I worked with a guy who was "trust fund baby", who was already a millionaire when he turned 21, and only took a job with us to piss off his parents. He was one of the most miserable people I ever knew, but a good life lesson as we would all constantly say that the great thing about having him around was the constant reminder that money doesn't necessarily buy happiness.

I look back when I was young and broke and it was one of the happiest times of my life. Because, not only did I not have any money, I also didn't have any stress.

The world wants us to be miserable. One of the things that I wasn't really expecting when I took early retirement a few years ago to cruise, was the hostility from people who actually seemed angry that I was going to escape the rat race they were in (and how happy they were when I rejoined them a year later upon my return).

Stress kills. One of the primary reasons I opted out and sold everything 20 years ago to take up the live aboard lifestyle.

Never planned on my voyaging to distant lands. It was an intentional downsizing meant to reduce stress by severing my ties to 'the norm' which was driving me nuts. House was free and clear. My lifestyle was everything people around the world seem to yearn for. Never looked back and don't regret bailing.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Wrong

Never planned on my voyaging to distant lands. It was an intentional downsizing meant to reduce stress by severing my ties to 'the norm' which was driving me nuts. House was free and clear. My lifestyle was everything people around the world seem to yearn for. Never looked back and don't regret bailing.

We're fully bailing next spring, but my spouse and I have managed to live slightly outside our consumer, tred-mill society. We're taking the same approach (simplicity, inexpensive, appreciating having enough...) to our full-time cruising life. I hope we figure out how to sustain a life out there so we too can never look back.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

We're fully bailing next spring, but my spouse and I have managed to live slightly outside our consumer, tred-mill society. We're taking the same approach (simplicity, inexpensive, appreciating having enough...) to our full-time cruising life. I hope we figure out how to sustain a life out there so we too can never look back.

Mike,

For those who can afford to stay in marinas and pay ridiculously high port fees the future looks bright. Also, for members of the E.U. who have many possible destinations in the South Pacific, Indian Ocean and Mozambique Channel (Mayotte) where they can stay indefinitely is equally bright. This of course involves the seasonal risks associated with the 'furricane' season in some locations. But, at least there is a choice.

For Americans like myself who have managed to live on the hook for 18 years, the future looks less bright. Increasingly, once free and open anchorages are affected by restrictions that prevent myself and others from anchoring near places with good weather, access and services. I have avoided marinas and moorings as a matter of necessity ($) on the one hand and preference on the other. Staying in a marina invites insects, rodents and two legged intruders. No privacy and you have to deal with the bureacracy. Plus, there are the extra charges assessed on live aboards.

Personally, I see no other alternative but to leave for friendlier waters where anchoring out is still a possibility, even if it means another four years plus voyaging at least as far as Malaysia and Thailand. After that?

Good luck!

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by haiqu

As usual I'm impressed with your skills and perseverance, sailorchic. Hauling an engine up to floor level and working on it while continuing to live in the same space would be a discomfort many people would gladly forego.
.

Actually, my engine lived in the cockpit for 2-1/2 weeks across fender boards between the two sides of the cockpit. It would have been much nicer to have someone else deal with the mess and headaches. But being at the lower end of society, money wise, means I just had to do it all myself. It was a little stressful there for a bit.


I think one key issue to anchoring out, is to move around a bit. Hard to do if you have a job, but not bad otherwise. Even in northern Cali, its really not so bad, unless you want to sit in one location all the time.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Actually, my engine lived in the cockpit for 2-1/2 weeks across fender boards between the two sides of the cockpit. It would have been much nicer to have someone else deal with the mess and headaches. But being at the lower end of society, money wise, means I just had to do it all myself. It was a little stressful there for a bit.


I think one key issue to anchoring out, is to move around a bit. Hard to do if you have a job, but not bad otherwise. Even in northern Cali, its really not so bad, unless you want to sit in one location all the time.

Where in Northern California?

I don't know about others who live on the hook, but unencumbered access to shore, transportation and services is important to me. Also an anchorage adequately sheltered from wind and wakes.

Perhaps you you know something I don't.

You have my attention.

[captain58sailin]

I have to agree about the stress level, they are showing that to be more of a root cause to many diseases that were attributed to different causes. I don't really like other people all that much, so when I anchor, it is where there are no other vessels. When I do have to make land fall in a marina or at a dock, it is for one or two days at the most, then I am off again.

[Tingum]

Whenever you are in a yard never look up, look on the ground. If you do not have $10.00 worth of SS fittings you are not looking. Never pass a dumpster. My best was a broken boom with two self tailing Barients and a good gooseneck.

[AbaftAndBaffled]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Got no House..
Got no Car..
Watch the TV in a bar...
Get free food... every glass of my Beer...
Leave the others to their gains...
Floatin round Spain saves so much pain...
I got cheap smokes...
I got my Freedom...
I got a Life....

Get me a job!

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Group9

One of the things that I wasn't really expecting when I took early retirement a few years ago to cruise, was the hostility from people who actually seemed angry that I was going to escape the rat race they were in (and how happy they were when I rejoined them a year later upon my return).

I have noticed that when I mention "quitting" or "taking a sabbatical" or some such I get looks that seem to inquire if I have done something criminal to get enough money. Or the lotto question.

The wife looks askance at me a little too. Maybe that is why I am still working.