Income for long term cruising?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Seriously $50k requires being frugal

That's a reasonable wage in Australia where pensioners are in the late 20's?

I would have thought $50k would be a pretty comfortable life cruising around with that.

For a couple running a single household...sure that should be a comfortable income.

Trying to run 2 households seperately...it's tight.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by Hugo B

Hi

I have bought myself a very nice boat which is all set up for long distance cruising, and my original plan was to stop work in about 2-3 year's time and go cruising. But whichever way I calculate it, I find that I cannot afford to do this long term, especially because my wife will stay on shore, will be retired also and needs an place to live, which means for one person cruising off an on, and another living onshore my savings will whittle down quite fast. I can do this for about 4 years, but then it would really start to eat into our longer term retirement plans.

I reckon I would need about 50-55,000 in U$ per year so my wife is comfortable and I can sail including looking after the necessary boat repairs, eat well, use a marina once in a while etc.

How do you do do this, especially those that have partners that do not sail? .

I don't have any suggestions. I am sure there are many, here, that have plenty of good ones. I do, however, have a question/observation.

I don't get this. honestly. if you are not going to be together and your lives are going different ways ( you don't care for each other's company anymore?) then why stay married? is it financial: it's cheaper to keep her? kind of a don't take everything I own and leave me with nothing and i'll keep you for life kind of thing? I mean, what's the purpose in being married in such a situation?

don't get me wrong. it's your life. I am not trying to judge you and you certainly don't owe me an answer. i'm just curious and trying to understand.


to my mind, a relationship (marriage, living together, whatever) is about being with someone you love and sharing your lives together. sharing your happiness, your adventures, the hard times and the good times. it's about two people enriching each other's experiences in life. for instance, long distance road trips on the chopper are so much richer when shared with someone you love.

if I was with someone in a relationship where I did everything I loved to do... the things which made me happy...by myself, only spending the drab bits in between with her, i'd have no reason to be in that relationship...except sex. and, since you won't be with her but once in a very great while, you won't be having much of that. in fact, for the price of dinner and drinks and maybe a daysail, you could get that a lot more frequently in your port of calls and get some variety, too.


to me, it looks like a financial burden back on shore with no real benefit. kind of like keeping an old pair of jeans that no longer fit because, you just can't stand to throw them away. only, it doesn't usually cost you thousands of dollars a year to keep an old pair of jeans that you can't wear anymore

I mean, I guess it's a sure thing to return to (a guaranteed place to rest your head) if your health fades or your money runs out and you need a fallback. kind of a guarantee that you don't have to be alone in your final days.

I just don't really understand it.

[bfiegener]

Get a new wife. One that wants to share your passion.

[first wind]

Originally Posted by bfiegener

Get a new wife. One that wants to share your passion.

my thoughts exactly. however, (having read the entire thread since my post) the OP has basically explained his situation. she doesn't want that kind of life but she doesn't want to limit him. yet they do love each other. so, they are working out a sort of compromise. is it one i'd choose? no. is he a lucky man to have a woman that doesn't want to bury him? heck yes. so, more power to them.

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by Hugo B

Hi

I have bought myself a very nice boat which is all set up for long distance cruising, and my original plan was to stop work in about 2-3 year's time and go cruising. But whichever way I calculate it, I find that I cannot afford to do this long term, especially because my wife will stay on shore, will be retired also and needs an place to live, which means for one person cruising off an on, and another living onshore my savings will whittle down quite fast. I can do this for about 4 years, but then it would really start to eat into our longer term retirement plans.

I reckon I would need about 50-55,000 in U$ per year so my wife is comfortable and I can sail including looking after the necessary boat repairs, eat well, use a marina once in a while etc.

How do you do do this, especially those that have partners that do not sail? Any perspectives? Do you throw caution in the wind, use up your savings and hope neither of you live to a ripe old age, so you won't need money for long? Or do you find ways of having an income once in a while, for example by cruising sometimes and then - if you can - go back to your old job on a periodic contract basis? But that kind of defeats the purpose of it all. I just like to find out what people (even singles) do and what the alternatives are. Thanks.

The math is hard to justify when a couple cant move to the boat full time.

Renting out the land yacht works well.

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[Kenomac]

I don't see why other responders to this thread think the living arrangement can't work out. There's really no place for the "get a new spouse" kind of negative posts.

My wife and I presently have a six months on the boat, then six months off and go back to work arrangement. But during the six months on the boat portion, I'm alone 11 of those weeks while my wife chooses to continue working and commuting back and forth to the boat. During that time, I do maintenance, sometimes I move the boat to a new location, long bike rides, photography, scuba diving and visiting with fellow cruisers at anchorages.

My point is... The scheme works for us as it can also work for the OP.

Good luck with your plans.

[zboss]

My wife and I have run into a few male single handers that had that arrangement with their wives. I kinda got the feeling that they were pretty lonely. I know for at least two I spoke too that they were not sure it was worth it. On the other hand, we have run into a few boats crewed by 2 or 3 guys with wives back home while they went cruising for 6 months or so. They were generally having a blast.

So, if you can get a bunch of your guy friends together to agree to share boat expenses for 6 months of the year while the ladies stay at home... why not?

[JPA Cate]

^^^
Quite right, zboss, what could possibly go wrong?

If they are all okay with who is captain, and their personalities are all compatible, it should be mega fun for them.

a.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

^^^
Quite right, zboss, what could possibly go wrong?

If they are all okay with who is captain, and their personalities are all compatible, it should be mega fun for them.

a.

All I can think of is the overused Vegas line. What happens on the boat...stays on the boat.

If you are both happy living apart for large parts of your lives, good for you but I won't claim to understand it.

[Bulawayo]

You make a lot of sense.....

Originally Posted by first wind

I don't have any suggestions. I am sure there are many, here, that have plenty of good ones. I do, however, have a question/observation.

I don't get this. honestly. if you are not going to be together and your lives are going different ways ( you don't care for each other's company anymore?) then why stay married? is it financial: it's cheaper to keep her? kind of a don't take everything I own and leave me with nothing and i'll keep you for life kind of thing? I mean, what's the purpose in being married in such a situation?

don't get me wrong. it's your life. I am not trying to judge you and you certainly don't owe me an answer. i'm just curious and trying to understand.


to my mind, a relationship (marriage, living together, whatever) is about being with someone you love and sharing your lives together. sharing your happiness, your adventures, the hard times and the good times. it's about two people enriching each other's experiences in life. for instance, long distance road trips on the chopper are so much richer when shared with someone you love.

if I was with someone in a relationship where I did everything I loved to do... the things which made me happy...by myself, only spending the drab bits in between with her, i'd have no reason to be in that relationship...except sex. and, since you won't be with her but once in a very great while, you won't be having much of that. in fact, for the price of dinner and drinks and maybe a daysail, you could get that a lot more frequently in your port of calls and get some variety, too.


to me, it looks like a financial burden back on shore with no real benefit. kind of like keeping an old pair of jeans that no longer fit because, you just can't stand to throw them away. only, it doesn't usually cost you thousands of dollars a year to keep an old pair of jeans that you can't wear anymore

I mean, I guess it's a sure thing to return to (a guaranteed place to rest your head) if your health fades or your money runs out and you need a fallback. kind of a guarantee that you don't have to be alone in your final days.

I just don't really understand it.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by zboss

My wife and I have run into a few male single handers that had that arrangement with their wives. I kinda got the feeling that they were pretty lonely. I know for at least two I spoke too that they were not sure it was worth it. On the other hand, we have run into a few boats crewed by 2 or 3 guys with wives back home while they went cruising for 6 months or so. They were generally having a blast.

So, if you can get a bunch of your guy friends together to agree to share boat expenses for 6 months of the year while the ladies stay at home... why not?

'A few male single handers that had that arrangement with their wives' 🤔

Seems to me there not single then

Im a bit saddened by this. Im planning my retirement with solo cruising. My wife plans on meeting me in places. Shes ok when we are 'somewhere', its the getting there shes not keen on.

To be honest, im not sure i can go for more than a couple weeks without her. Usually i start missing her after just two nights alone but im stuffed if im staying at home weeding a vegie garden i hate gardeneing.

[JPA Cate]

^^^

Bless you, Ted! I never heard that weeding veggie gardens was in the marriage contract, but then neither was going out on a sailing boat, and being wet, cold, and terrified for hours on end!

Maybe there's a meeting ground between these extremes? and from my idosyncratic point of view, the more your good lady knows about piloting and radio procedure, the more comfortable she'll feel.

Ann

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

^^^

Bless you, Ted! I never heard that weeding veggie gardens was in the marriage contract, but then neither was going out on a sailing boat, and being wet, cold, and terrified for hours on end!

Maybe there's a meeting ground between these extremes? and from my idosyncratic point of view, the more your good lady knows about piloting and radio procedure, the more comfortable she'll feel.

Ann

"Wet, cold, and terrified for hours on end" 😳 Whats that

My wife gets initially sea sick. But does nothing to try to alleviate it. She curls up on a bunk and wont come out until we stop. But, she seems to like it in bays and beaches and things like that. The more comfortable i make the boat on board i think the more she will come around. i hope

[Timeguy]

Seems like several people have this issue. Why not find a like minded person and "share" the boat. Might be hard to find that person, but might be easier than you think.

[Steven UK]

My wife and I are going through these discussions now. We don't have a problem with me cruising solo and her visiting me at major ports every 3 or 4 months. What is interesting is other people's attitudes to it when we discuss it. Screw them and do what suits you two. It's called being individuals there is no mold to fit into...!



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