The Frugal (AKA poor) Sailor

[h20]

ha! but i did find your link with the 500 post, thank for the imput

[weavis]

This is my cruising area in the UK. On a lovely day, there is nothing finer than to be on the water. Now the Welsh family here are taking a day out from the Tidal locks at Cardiff and sailing to Newport and back again. Everyone is having fun, bacon sandwiches and tea. Its a fantastic area for sailing.

It doesnt matter if your boat is $500K or $2K, as long as its sound and seaworthy, the experience is the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki2BdV-QOp0

[pat77]

This forum thread was just linked in the latest cruisersforum.com email regarding the Mantus giveaway. I clicked through to read what frugal sailing tips I might find ...and was delighted to see that the thread was started by a fellow Centaur owner - our frugal choice for a great boat here in the USA! Thanks for the tips, and happy sailing!

[weavis]

Im a Catamaran lover and potential owner for my time in the Med.

However, Having owned a Centaur in the 80's among other fine sailboats, it was my FIRST choice for a comfortable and seaworthy vessel at a reasonable cost for my nephew and for me to poodle around the south coast of Britain.

I would recommend the WESTERLY range to everyone looking for a well designed and comfortable and safe boat for purchase.

It would be a prudent choice for the Frugal owner.

[weavis]

Have a good look over the boat you are going to buy. If its so cheap to not warrant a $600 survey, here are some tips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILG0RD36-i4

[weavis]

This guy is my hero. The Ultimate frugaller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0sHe4q613s

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by oldragbaggers

I would much rather buy something second hand that is of high quality if it is in good condition, than to buy something new for the same amount but of lesser quality.

We have also found over the years that things often come our way because we try to make ourselves available to lend a hand whenever possible. ... have given away a fair amount of parts and gear over the years to fellow boaties. What goes around comes around.

Becky's approach is the essence of a good frugalier. As you help people in need, they return more to you.

I am a compulsive cheapskate, but only for my own comfort. For years I lived in caves and bushes while exploring the west, but got tents and pots and pans when I got a family. I have more than one friend who got a boat given to them, some have been serious cruisers. I would live in a free boat now, but my family would never sail with me. So I have a older cruiser that I have fixed up from being a derelict. Even now I would live full time in my boat if my wife would come along.

Maybe a couple of observations from a guy that used to live in the boulder piles in Yosemite...

That old boat that you are looking at? Make sure it was overbuilt in the first place, or that it has been reinforced as the years have gone by. Fiberglass, Steel and wood all get weaker with age. It would be safe to say that some boats are at 40% strength what they were new, some less. Start with a good manufacturer and take it out to pound it against the waves and listen....

The best clues on frugal living I have seen have come out of the early retirement sister site of this forum. Look for "he's so cheap he...." threads. Saving different plastic containers that jellato or yogurt came in, what is good for what. Even how long you can recycle dryer sheets... Remember if you can be frugal on land, you can probably do a good job being frugal on water.

Sorry if I came across to huffy. I just really like being this way. I am going to go cut my own sail now. It always seems like I run out of time before I run out of $$, but when I retire it will be the other way around.

[weavis]

I took a ride this morning, and decided to note how many boats on trailers I saw in drives. I saw about 6. It was just a 20 minute ride along a main road and two minor roads so the figure is not representative of anything approaching a survey, but it does tell me that the British habit of weekending away or fishing is alive and well. 4 were motor boats and 2 were sailers.

Regular Brits are conservative and frugal by nature. Whilst living a regular land based life, there is also this interest in having a caravan or smaller motor home or boat to do something different at the weekend. Im glad to see the habit has continued even after an absence of 25 years from these shores.

On the Estate I live, about 3 miles out from the city, there are at least 11 caravans and 8 boats sat in drives. Mostly motorboats but at least 2 sailboats. This does not include any that are in storage yards further west from here.

I dont think any of the vessels in evidence are over $16K (10K sterling) with the majority being @$8K. I see this as part of the British mndset to be involved in whatever hobby the person has, but not take too much away from the family kitty to deplete it. Sailing, boating, caravanning, racing and fishing are 'add-ons' rather than the focus, unless of course the focus changed of the individual or family. Thinking back to my youth, the group of friends I had, we owned fishing boats or we had just sold one, or were getting one. None of us teenagers were wealthy, we just worked to support the interest in our lives as an important hobby.

If you live in England, It would be entirely possible to get a seaworthy craft and on the water sailing for $3K or less. You will find in general, that the craft fit for the local waters are in the area you are looking in. For example here in the Bristol Channel area, you will find stout coastal vessels by the dozen. A lot of Westerlys, Colvics and similar.

This is one Im familiar with. Its been for sale for two years and has come down in price from $50K to $33K.

There is a small patch of blisters on one hull, which would not take a lot to sort out. A frugal sailor could probably get this vessel for 18K Sterling or $27US, or less. A lot of extras are with this boat. The owner is a nice man and fell into the trap in the early days of over valuing his vessel.

Catalacs can be bought for $27K (20-22K Sterling) or less all day long now. It was only 14 months ago I was looking at one seriously for $48K.

All the vessels mentioned are examples only. Just to show what a person can obtain for their money.

[s/v Beth]

When do you think this price drop will end?

[weavis]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

When do you think this price drop will end?

I have no idea newt.
What I do know is that people do not have lots of money spare or a willingness to borrow like they used to.

Here is one for you

Edel Tri 22 Trimaran in ibiza | eBay

[DaleM]

I am frugal / cheap but that not much in my opinion, although friends may disagree. We have a Pearson 34 and this is our first trip down the ICW in the US. It's nice missing winter. I've been thinking about changing boats.

Why change boats? My rationalization is about the steps and my aching knees but some part of me admits that it's a little bit of keeping up with other cruisers (Joneses).

We traveled south from an area where a 34 foot sailboat was average sized, some smaller, some much bigger. In Marathon, FL we were in the bottom 1/3 by boat size. In Fort Myers, FL it is mostly 34 foot and larger trawlers and sailboats.

When we left, I really liked our boat but after getting on some of those bigger, newer boats, ours has begun to look shabby and small. I've heard the comment more than once, "I couldn't live in a cave on a sailboat".

So how do you avoid the natural tendency to compare yourself with others?

I thought about going to the Miami Boat Show but have changed my mind. I don't want to look at the very expensive boats when I have the equivalent of an older Toyota. It would just be another data point to compare my boat to others.

Dale

[oldragbaggers]

Dale, your boat size and layout is similar to ours so I think I'll just stay off the bigger boats. Maybe I'll make it a rule to only go aboard 30' and smaller, that way we'll always feel like the "big guys...."

[weavis]

As long as I am content with whatever it is that I have, I really dont care what others think.

I keep a sharp look to my stuff. It pleases me to do that. Old and sharp and in ever ready condition. I could get 14 centaurs for 100K. Or replace them every four years for the price of one expensive boat that costs me a fortune to operate. Smaller is where the costs come into their own. The largest vessel I would be happy single handing or maintaining is 34-36 foot. Happier more at 32 foot or less.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by weavis

It doesnt matter if your boat is $500K or $2K, as long as its sound and seaworthy, the experience is the same.

While we keep telling ourselves this is true, I'm not sure it is The guy rolling out of his plush queen size bed and pouring himself a fresh espresso before sitting down to enjoy the stock news on his 45" LED TV on the "veranda" and then slipping on his easily accessible scuba gear that was filled by a built-in fill station is definitely experiencing things differently than the guy that spent 2K on his boat.

"frugal" to the guy that has $100M in the bank is a lot different than "frugal" for the guy that has $1K in the bank.

[Mike OReilly]

Finding the smallest boat we can live with is a key part of our frugal approach to life afloat. After gaining a few years of experience with boats from 22' to 45'+ we knew we wanted something in the 36 to 40 range for our long-term cruising life. Our Rafiki-37, which is actually LOA: 36' 9", is nicely at the lower end of this range.

So how do you avoid the natural tendency to compare yourself with others?

You can't Dale ... at least most people can't. It's part of who we are as social/pack animals. We sometimes get the same comments about our boat. You just gotta learn to love your little cave .