Month 8 Expenses & Costs of Cruising

[sailorboy1]

This past month we traveled from Emerald Bay Exuma Bahamas back to the USA to Vero Beach Florida. Hiding and running from the weather in the Bahamas finally just did us in, so we did a couple of hard rough sails and left!!!!!

We spent about 8 days in a marina at Emerald Bay during the month. We really only stopped there to get fuel and water, but the seas breaking at the entrance made it too dangerous to leave so we joined other sailboats trapped there. The dock was cheap at $0.50/ft with no power or water, but each night sucked with the wind on the beam and the surge on the bow/stern and in the end we left in conditions that were still bad because we just couldn’t take it anymore (wind/surge in the Bahamas even sucked while in a marina).

When we got back to the States we rented a car for a few days. We also went on “vacation” for a week and I slept on land for the first time in 8 months and sat around in air conditioning while binge watching Netflicks etc. The biggest cost of the vacation really was dining as we ate out each night for dinner. It was also our 35th wedding anniversary this month and that was a dining out at a higher level than normal.

The boat needed some stuff; new macerator pump (real shitty job), head pump, dinghy repairs, and a sail repair when I get to it. We got a couple of used sport chairs that we had wanted a long time and there were numerous little boat parts that add up. We also after 6 years figured out that the odor we get in our aft berth than we thought was the holding tank related was really from the vent outside that gets swirled into the cockpit and into a hatch, so I got a vent filter.

Entertainment expenses were for some Kindle books, movies, the vacation condo, and video rentals.

We did food restocking (you know there are stores here in the USA that have anything you would want and you don’t even have to plan around the delivery boat schedule).


The total was $ 3,423.24, which was more than the budget of $3,000, but almost all of it was our “vacation” (still was money spent). This breaks down as follows:

Food, soda, alcohol, clothing, sundries - $ 930.92
Boat upgrades, repairs, maintenance - $ 616.95
Fuel (diesel, gas, propane) - $ 121.91
Dining out - $ 918.44
Entertainment and vacation - $ 280.28
Communication, storage, shipping - $ 194.71
Bank Fees - $ 4.40
Marina - $ 192.70
Medical - $ 22.27
Transportation - $ 90.87
Grifts - $ 50

BTW - when I ask my wife how much she thinks we spend in each category she says a number a lot higher than what we really did. So I guess in her world we are WAAAAY below budget!

[NorthernSeaWolf]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Boat upgrades, repairs, maintenance - $ 616.95
Dining out - $ 918.44
Grifts - $ 50

I'd say considering you're living the high life ($900+ dining out) and had to add in the inevitable repair/maintenance costs, you did well!

Now, if you could just rule out those pesky grift costs... lol

[model 10]

Oh man, we spend way more than that on food and drink, way more. The only time we haven't spent way more was when you couldn't spend way more. You know like the east coast of Nicaragua for example.

[Vasco]

Glad you got out of Emerald Bay safely. Many go there to hide when a front approaches but you're much better off staying in GT. There are spots there to hide if you're so inclined but the fronts blow through fast enough and staying anchored off Stocking Island is usually fine. And if it goes east and blows you're stuck in Emerald Bay and the cheap (no service) dock is the worst place. Much more peaceful at anchor.

[Symphony]

thanks for keeping up this info stream.

Congrats on your 35th anniversary. May we all be so successful as you in partnerships and love.

[Shrew]

Many thanks for sharing. It is very much appreciated. Please continue to ignore people who think they can live your life better or cheaper than you.

I love the Food, Booze and Dining Out line items. All big ticket items on our expense account too.

[Kenomac]

Don,

Where do you plan to hang out during the hurricane season?

[dennismckim]

Happy anniversary, and thanks for continuing to share your data with us.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Don,

Where do you plan to hang out during the hurricane season?

Going to be in Brunswick Landing Marina in Georgia for Aug/Sept/Oct.

[akprb]

Thanks again for checking up on Ohana! Emerald Bay gets that swell for sure!

Another interesting question.

How are your expectations aligning with your experiences?

Keep enjoying!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by akprb

Another interesting question.

How are your expectations aligning with your experiences?

Sight seeing has been less than expected. Some of it is the need to rush a little for weather considerations and some I feel is poor planning on my part because I didn't have good guides.

The Bahamas on the other hand fell way short overall and I type a long Bahamas review post but lost it on a bad wifi connection and lost motivation to type it again.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Going to be in Brunswick Landing Marina in Georgia for Aug/Sept/Oct.

I'll see you there then, look for an IP named Stargazer.
I hope to be there by July, we will hopefully be getting a new Bimini, sailcovers etc. and the cushions in the Salon replaced during Hurricane season, plus me installing the HF and a watermaker.
Just a continuation of the refit.
I'm hoping living on the boat will make it easier, only having weekends and boat being a three hour drive away really slows things down.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I'm hoping living on the boat will make it easier, only having weekends and boat being a three hour drive away really slows things down.

It wouldn't because once you start living on the boat there is always something you would prefer to do other working on it. When you drive a long way to do something, you do it!

[akprb]

Thanks for the honest answer. Kind of thinking of a good topic to post.

Funny, when we were cruising Fiji the thought crossed my mind that out of all of our travels the Bahamian Islands were the jewel.

Really does depend on the season and winter not the one, especially the northern Bahamas, front after front.

Enjoy Vero! We'll be in Stuart next week. You in that area? We'll stop by and say hi!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by akprb

Thanks for the honest answer. Kind of thinking of a good topic to post.

Funny, when we were cruising Fiji the thought crossed my mind that out of all of our travels the Bahamian Islands were the jewel.

Really does depend on the season and winter not the one, especially the northern Bahamas, front after front.

Enjoy Vero! We'll be in Stuart next week. You in that area? We'll stop by and say hi!

Next week we are going to be in St Augustine