How much does it cost? A survey

[Cruisingtarheel]

I thought it would be interesting to see what the cruising lifestyle can cost. We are all aware that it varies WIDELY. So if you'd be so kind to post the following and we'll see where it goes.

1.Full time or part time cruiser
2.Initial boat cost
3.Where in the world are you
4.A estimated monthly and yearly cost overall
5. Misc notes

I've heard people living on $500 a month to $5000 a month. Just seeing what everybody does! Sort of like a poll.

Thanks!
Fair winds to all


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[UNCIVILIZED]

Welcome to CF. If you do a quick search, you'll find like 500 threads on this topic. But the bottom line is, you make your budget, & stick to it or don't. It's mostly a needs vs. wants thing.

[ozskipper]

I highly recommend you read the book "occupation circumnavigator" by Lars Hassler.

Its one of the few books that goes into great detail about the actual costs of living aboard and maintaining a boat. Most cruising books are how to guides or biographical in nature. This one has excellent breakdowns of costs. Heres the amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/Occupation-Cir.../dp/1408112019

[Cruisingtarheel]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

I highly recommend you read the book "occupation circumnavigator" by Lars Hassler.

Its one of the few books that goes into great detail about the actual costs of living aboard and maintaining a boat. Most cruising books are how to guides or biographical in nature. This one has excellent breakdowns of costs. Heres the amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/Occupation-Cir.../dp/1408112019

Thank you for your actual input. Every bit helps. I just wanted to see a poll list of where everybody is and what their spending. Thanks for the recommendation!


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[boatpoker]

As it says in the guaranteed weight loss ad's ....... individual results may vary.

The question is futile due to the vast number of variables .....

Kraft dinner vs. Black currant stuffed pork tenderloin
Wait two weeks for an engine part that cost a boat buck vs. Build your own.
Poop in a bucket (or not) vs. Vacuum flush, fresh water head.
Potato sack upholstery vs. New floral pattern sunbrella
The latest high tech lines vs. stuff you found in a dumpster.
Laphroaig single malt vs. stuff from the discount bin.

I could run another 30 pages of this stuff.

Bottom line .... it costs what you got.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

As it says in the guaranteed weight loss ad's ....... individual results may vary.

The question is futile due to the vast number of variables .....

Kraft dinner vs. Black currant stuffed pork tenderloin
Wait two weeks for an engine part that cost a boat buck vs. Build your own.
Poop in a bucket (or not) vs. Vacuum flush, fresh water head.
Potato sack upholstery vs. New floral pattern sunbrella
The latest high tech lines vs. stuff you found in a dumpster.
Laphroaig single malt vs. stuff from the discount bin.

I could run another 30 pages of this stuff.

Bottom line .... it costs what you got.

In a nutshell this is the answer, especially this comment "The question is futile due to the vast number of variables ....." or as others have responded in previous threads, this is like asking how long is a piece of string.

If you really want to get the full story try reading these previous discussions.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nth-33935.html 23 pages of opinions on the cost of cruising.

AND part 2 of the same discussion

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-ii-79067.html

[zeehag]

donot stay in usa. your money goes lots farther outside of inflation and overpriced ville.
i have been cruising mexico, i eat filet mignon, tenderloin pork and other yummies but i prefer the local mexican cuisine. i can afford to eat decently and buy parts for my ketch and fuel for travelling. hell i can even afford to hire workers to assist in my refit.
i do this full time and permanent. own no house anywhere, and have a 17.2 pound maine coon mix who eats fish and fancy feast and an occasional bird and gekko tails.
i make do on 1500 usd monthly.
in usa, that money goes no where---might last half month to 2/3 month.
here is just right. exchange rate helps.
if you use your brains you can do well on little money. is a matter of comparison shopping, avoidance of expensive chandleries, and intelligent purchasing.\
had engine runaway diesel, rebuilt it and injector pump in pair a dice, no problem. less than 4000 usd total. had mizzenboom show rot after 40 yrs, replaced it with perota, aka ipe, aka huanacaxtle wood for 1200 pesos, at 16 pesos to one usdollar. . (plus the 1500 pesos taken by a gringo con man for nothing). is still within reason.
i was even able to help re-roof homes after furycame patricia hit us hard. AND buy fuel at 6 usd per gallon for travelling.
life is what you take from it and what you put into it.\
if you lead a mac n cheese kinda life, it will be more pricey out here as you must seek the mac n cheese. that stuff aint cheap out here. (all gringo foods are pricey and harder to find)
if you are flexible and can bend with the regional diets and occurrences, you do much better than if you come out with a rigid mindset.
i have met folks with zero income out here having a wonderful time,and i have met folks out here with unlimited credit card and high income having crap times. is all what you put into this lifestyle. if it isnt a lifestyle, you wont do as well as if you make it so.
many folks do 6 month or 3 month cruise years and return to their homes during the hot season.
turistica visas here are 6 month. migration is fun to watch. life opens up after the migratory snowbirds leave. prices drop like stones. crossing streets becomes much easier.
if you are not full time permanent cruisers, you must figure in the prices of transportation round trip between boat and your home. that can get pricey.
i only return for my dead brother, and he is already dead. therefore, i donot have to return to usa for anything. keeps costs way down.
i found on my dead brother trip that air travel is pricey--895 usd to get to phx from manzanillo. short notice. return was only 386 usd. these figures must be included, as , for many, these figures are semi annual necessities. i avoid that. the entire week i spent in phx cost me 3000 usd, which is more than i spend normally in 2.5 months.
i use marinas in summer for cane season, as they are safer than anchoring out in a semi protected bay during such excitement. some folks anchor out year round, which reduces their outflow of dollars by 350- 500 usd monthly.
it all depends on what you prefer, and what you can afford.
mandatory expenses, documentation and insurance, are also must includes to the annual budget-- add them to find your annual cost--mine is under 350 usd.
this is not rocket science.
how you live ¨normally¨ makes what you need to cruise. you donot leave your desires and self at home when ye cruise-- that cannot change.
what you do is what you are, and each is different. how long can you comfortably stuff your champagne tastes into a beer bottle or recycled water bottle budget?? how long will you be content??? it is all up to you , yourself, and no one can make it in your shoes but you.
the answer to your question is-- one can live on less than i do by only eating certain foods, only sailing, not using engine, and by cutting off nose to spite face. but, how long will you be successful? folks have enjoyed this lifestyle on less than 500 usd, and on more than 3000 per month.
it is your call, no one else´s.

[oldsalt_1942]

How much does it cost?

Whatever you've got and just a tad more...

[TacomaSailor]

Here is a link to a mind numbing response to your question that explains the futility of asking the question:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-162627-2.html

Post # 26 (2nd page) written by a long time cruiser and cost accountant

[redhead]

Beth Leonard's book "A Voyagers Handbook" goes into this subject at some depth. Three typical cruising boats (small/older, mid range/mid age, new and shiny) and three typical cruising budgets. We all eat dinner, but what do we eat? Huge variables. Air conditioning? Land based touring? How about restaurants? Clothes from Value Village or Banana Republic?

Just as the answer to "what is cruising?" has about 1000 answers, so does "what does it cost?"

It costs as much as you have!

[Don C L]

Some folks don't feel comfortable untying the dock lines unless the boat has all the latest electronics, new sails and rigging, a shower, hot and cold pressure water, etc.... I had a friend who used to sail around the Channel Islands in a 20 foot boat with a sleeping bag, a coleman stove, a fishing pole and a cooler and a few other things. This was years ago so I don't think he even had a VHF... or a battery. He had a clamp-on navigation light. No engine too. He didn't get around very fast sometimes but he really knew how to sail and he knew how to pick his weather and he didn't try to force a schedule.. and he always made it home safe and sound. I thought he was half crazy, but he was an inspiration. Like UNCIVILIZED said, it boils down to your own personal list of needs and wants. And budget and cash flow figures in there too.

[Stu Jackson]

This is a lot like those "How much does a 30 foot boat cost?" questions. A Catalina 30 compared to a Fisher 30? C'mon.

Just because it's boating doesn't mean the question is any more appropriate than asking all the folks on your block how much it costs them to live a month. All have bought at different times and so have different mortgages. One guy just had to redo his roof. This list is endless.

And the other thing, often neglected in these answers is: What is your age? As we age, our wants (not needs) are generally drastically reduced. While some young'uns have gotten smart and have avoided the rat-race and consumer driven society, many haven't. Also, a new-to-you boat is going to cost more to get it up to snuff.

Those are a few other reasons why these answers make sense and the question doesn't.

[biltin69]

Bought a 4 year old beneteau sailboat. Been cruising 2 months. Left Houston, went to Ft Lauderdale, now heading up ICW to Norfolk then on to New England. 1st month about $2,000. 8 nights in marinas rest anchoring. Good meals every marina night (8 nights total) second month 7 nights in marinas, rest at ancho . Same with meal schedule. So far have spent $13,450. We night left in month and we are docking 3 nights due to weather. $12,500 of that was upgrades to electronic equipment on boat.

[laika]

1.Full time
2.$30k
3.Bahamas
4.$1k / mo
5. Meet people, especially locals. They know how to do it where they're at.

[reed1v]

Some acquaintances just completed a three year tour of the Atlantic rim. 42' peterson, two folks, mostly slips, moorings, and quays. Not skimping but also not luxury: $8,000 per month, including haul out in France, repairs in Spain, etc. The whole ball of wax. They had budgeted half that amount but reality and desires caught up with them.