New to cruising- boat and outfit budget

[mkeith005]

Hi All,

My name is Meghan. I am new the community and trying to figure out whether my boyfriend and I are delusional to think we can spend around 30k to buy and outfit a boat that would get us around the world safely!

I've been reading many forums and blogs about seaworthy boats that cost less than 15k, but I'm having a tough time finding out how much it will cost to get said boat ready to cruise.

We're thinking something along the lines of an Alberg 30 or Cape Dory 28 (suggestions welcome, but looking for something that could circumnavigate if we choose that route). Assuming the engine is in good shape, does anyone have an idea of how much we'd need to spend to get her ready to go?

Here's our rough timeline, assuming we're budgeting the boat portion of the trip correctly:

• Start looking for/ buy a boat March 2017
• Work through June 2017
• July: quit jobs, get the boat ready, sell everything etc.
• Meander from NJ (or wherever the boat is) to FL, visiting family along the way.
• Head to the Caribbean in Nov
• See where life takes us (hopefully towards the Pacific)

In terms of equipment, I'm comfortable making sacrifices but I don't want to bare bone it. Again, not entirely sure what equipment is necessary and suggestions/ links to details are greatly appreciated! Really just looking for a REALISTIC expectation so we don't run out of $$ before we even get started!

[markwesti]

Hi Meghan , I wish you and yours good luck with your your project and I'm also a little jealous ! Please check out this blog . as these two did what you are talking about . IMO they went a little over board on $$'s . But can you spend to much on a new to you boat ? I think so , as we did when we got our boat back in 94' . The top of the blog. page will nav. you to stuff they did .

Sundowner Sails Again | No Longer Lubbers

[DDabs]

You don't mention sailing experience, do you have any? Depending on how much you have, you could make a lot of different boats work for long-distance sailing, but it depends on what your comfort level is.

[mkeith005]

I don't have much experience, but boyfriend has been sailing since he was a kid! We currently have a small boat that we just got into the water so we will be working on MY skills every weekend we can! So.... I guess I would say our comfort level is medium at best. Luckily cruising down the ICW over a few months should assist

[DDabs]

sailboatlistings.com and yachtworld.com

Those two websites should always be open on your browser

[Caribbeachbum]

The answer is yes. You can. Many boats will serve your purpose, and not all of them are tiny. Allocate 20K for the boat, 10K for refit and upgrades, and put any remainder in your cruising kitty. Go see the world!

Two worthy books for your scenario:

Twenty Affordable Sailboats

Tightwads on the Loose

-

[DDabs]

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/61531

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/61326

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/61051

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/60830

[Steadman Uhlich]

Howdy Meghan! Welcome Aboard CF!

Here is a thread you should read.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ds-147098.html


Good luck on your future adventures.

[moctrams]

This boat will do the job with no major refit!
http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/53659

[Livia]

Major budget breaking items that would be important (for me) if I were going bare bones besides the engine - and thus a boat with some of these already included would be more valuable to me:

Sails in good condition
Self-steering of some sort in good condition
Liferaft + one GPS enabled PLB

[tkeithlu]

Wow! I really hope you get to do it, and love every minute of it. But, please don't think that cruising down the ICW will get you ready for trans-ocean. You need coastal off shore overnight jumps, standing watch and watch for days at a time, then maybe the Bahamas, then farther. The east coast ICW is gorgeous in some places (Georgia, for example), but is a lesson in frustration when you get to all the lift bridges between Lake Worth and Miami. A lot of it is appropriately called "The Ditch."

[mkeith005]

Yep, sorry for not clarifying! Caribbean until the next hurricane season. Then see where we should go next. We will definitely get in many, many months of cruising between islands between trying to cross an ocean!

[lamadriver]

One bit of advice.

Buy the boat, use the boat , dont get too caught up with spending money on upgrades/ refit until you spend some time on it.

What you think you want and what you ll find you really want or need are totally different things.

[Three Sisters]

Greetings,

Here is a link to the West Advisor.

Suggested Cruising Gear | West Marine

It's a long list of suggestions and possible equipment.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Hi Meghan,
Yours is a common, but wise question. And to answer it, Yep, It's more than possible to achieve what you're asking, & I've guided a few folks though the process. There are some questions that you & your other half will need to answer honestly for yourselves. A large portion of which are included via links in the below attached post.

I helped one gent with a modest budget look for a boat in New England, which is a great spot to look for them, as they don't see the harsh sun or environmentals seen by boats in say Florida. And in the process we ran across many boats like you're describing, in excellent condition, for $5k +/- asking price, via Craig's List. So the selling price would be a good bit lower.

As a rule of thumb you want to spend 1/3 - 1/2 of your funds on the boat, max. Then budget another 1/3 for her tuneup & fitout. With the last portion (if any) for cost over runs, or cruising kitty.

Which on a basic boat is definitely doable. Basic meaning a boat with windvane steering, a solid rudder, rig, hull, & sails. Adding accessories as needed, & allowed by budget. Especially as most of the toys that folks have on their boats which you see discussed here on the forums are really luxuries.
Not just according to me, but by some of the most respected sailors there are. Like Beth Leonard & Evans Starzinger -> www.BethandEvans.com See the article "What we left off of Hawk". And also Nigel Calder http://www.cruisingworld.com/how/refit-reality-check (buy his books BTW).

Not too long ago a young couple was boat shopping, & fell in love with a Southern Cross 31, but asked for our input here on CF, so I penned a post on the topic. And it includes a DIY Sticky on boat buying that I’ve been working on. It has lots of excellent links in it, including to some of those hard questions to first ask yourself prior to buying a boat. And lots of really, really good info attachments as well. Most written by professionals on this subject.

The DIY Sticky, & it’s attachments are a lot to take in, but should help you guys. Especially as you don’t want to wind up living to work on the boat/living in a boatyard, as is the case with another young couple in Sail Around the World. Adventure Travel Documentary Series Neat story, & hopefully they're out cruising by now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPha...ccjGDIlLy78ot3

So... Here’s the post on helping that couple curious about the Southern Cross 31’, with their search for a boat. And info to educate them on how to select a boat. Southern Cross 31 versus Island Packet 31 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums


Edit: It's a great time of year to buy a boat in the NE, as it's the end of the season, & owners are facing 6+ months of storage bills on their boats which are up for sale. So they're more likely to accept lower offers. Which will help you, especially in that it'll give you 6+ months to inspect & figure out the boat. So that you can work out options on how to fix & upgrade things. As well as shop for deals on key pieces of gear for her over the winter. That, or truck her down the coast now, and...


Below is a cut & paste tips outtake from a post for a gent looking for a boat for himself, his wife & family, which is an abridged version of how to select & then buy a boat. I wish you guys luck, & everyone here’s always happy to field questions, or hear good stories 

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2212597
Build a spread sheet of what you want in a boat, both in terms of qualities, as well as boat gear, plus toys. And you also need to delineate most of the boat's systems in said document. So that when you go to look at boat X, & Y, it's relatively easy to plug them into it & see what it'll cost you to get them up to your specifications.

Boat/Equipment age is a factor in what will need replacing, upgrading, or adding. But you need to be realistic in that most boats that are used will need a sail or three, as well as some rigging work, & some TLC for her other systems. Big & Small.
You'll need to hire a professional eye to inspect all of her big systems. Which for me, on any boat of size, is just part of the process of getting her surveyed. Meaning, get a; Standard, General Survey. A Rigging Survey, an Engine & Mechanicals survey, with Analysis done on the Engine & Transmission fluids. Generator too if she has one. A Sails survey, perhaps. And the same on any other big ticket items which you may not be qualified to inspect. Which for me personally, includes a large/complex electrical system, for example.
And of course with all of this is a haul out, as well as a test sail or two. Including a good running of the engines through a checklist, & ditto for everything else of consequence onboard.

Lots of stuff? Yep. But it ain't like buying a car or house. Since the systems onboard are a lot more numerous, & operate in a pretty harsh environment. With unknown levels of wear & tear, & the same with regards to their maintenance.
So it's a lot of $ too, in order to see that a boat's "properly qualified", but you get a lot of peace of mind. It saves a lot of time & money in her tuning up, refitting, & outfitting. And you know that she handles appropriately, prior to signing that big check at the end.

Some boats can be weeded out via leg work via the phone, & internet. Others via guided, live, video walk throughs & perfunctory inspections. Or, if you like, you can hire a captain/project manager to do much of this. Even to include setting up surveys, & vetting local resources for your outfitting locally, etc. But given the stakes, you'll want to be there for a large percentage of the above.
And I've never skipped out on being present for any of it when buying a boat myself. Or when acting on the owner's behalf. There are just questions that will come up when various steps are transpiring, that I'll want answered. And unless you're there...