‘We feel truly alive’ - Observer article about the newest crop of liveaboards.

[Franziska]

Today's entertainment for the meager cost of running (for the most part) one Yamaha 9.9Hp at 3kn for 2 hours was going up the River Douro until the second bridge.

Right to the historic center of the world heritage listed old town of Oporto in Portugal.
Now we are calmly anchored on the river, for free.
No need for a hotel or the expensive marina across the river...

Had dinner on board, grilled feta cheese with home made pizza bread.

Perfect afternoon, almost for free (except, agreed to get the boat and spend some years getting her ready).

Be happy!
.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

It would be interesting to have an accurate demographic picture of cruisers. I bet it would vary widely from place to place, but I’d love to see if there are any trends in the data.

My sense is that the cruising lifestyle shifted dramatically to the more senior ages in the past couple of decades. Basic economics explains this.

But the same economic argument could drive a resurgence in younger people coming in. Why? Because as the article indicates, and as a few of us know here, it is very possible to live quite inexpensively this way.

Live inexpensively yes. £5 a day with all expenses including boat maintenance? No.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by Anders

Live inexpensively yes. £5 a day with all expenses including boat maintenance? No.

Come on, let's not get hung up on that 5GBP/€/$ figure, this is so much more about whether it's possible to live (&cruise!!) in an enjoyable way on a boat without spending a lot.
My, and others point here is, absolutely, it is, only depends on the person doing it.

[sailorboy1]

this crazy

I can do it for minus $5/day
- wind is free
- fish are plus $20/day when I sell my extra
- good used sails are right in the trash
- rain is free
- sun is free
- don't need any batteries = free
- never have to haul out because diving and bottom cleaning are free
- health care is free is you know where to go

The reason I don't is because I don't have to

BTW I am good friends with a mid 20s couple on a 26' boat. They are spending $1500+/month not counting cat food, ..................... for the cat

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

My sense is that the cruising lifestyle shifted dramatically to the more senior ages in the past couple of decades. Basic economics explains this.

Perhaps it's a "do it now" vs. "wait till later" thing?
It seems as though back in the '70s young people read about the Pardy's and, (where I was,) everybody and their brother seemed to be building a Westsail 32 in their backyard to "go cruising".
Those who didn't, and kept their "Nose to the grindstone" to accumulate assets and then later "cashed in" to buy expensive boats?
It's an interesting thought.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Bowdrie

Perhaps it's a "do it now" vs. "wait till later" thing?
It seems as though back in the '70s young people read about the Pardy's and, (where I was,) everybody and their brother seemed to be building a Westsail 32 in their backyard to "go cruising".
Those who didn't, and kept their "Nose to the grindstone" to accumulate assets and then later "cashed in" to buy expensive boats?
It's an interesting thought.

Oh, there were other categories too. Remember the Ferro-cement movement? "I can build a hull for $2000 in 3 weeks." Most of those ended up as unfinished projects, bulldozed into landfill.
There was a quite a movement in the late 60's, early 70's to escape to paradise. A few actually made it.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I can't find it now but this thread reminds me of the thread that was active on CF for the longest time...Cruising on $500 a month. Same results as we're seeing here.

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...nth-40051.html

[Fore and Aft]

Franziska Porto sounds like an awesome place to anchor and hang out. But if we were there then it looks like a visit to Palacio da Bolsa would be on the cards and a visit to the local bakery at the very least so there goes the budget. No doubt a walk around Porto looks like fun, but it's nice to actually participate not just look.
Boatman61 your completely right about buying cheaper electronics. My budget reflects that fact it's a tax write off. Franziska I only seem to get three years out of a camera just because I would have taken over 60,000 photos and it has been in my pocket or in and out of my bag countless times in so many different environments. The same with the laptop, they just wear out from being moved and used. Even my boys school laptop is lucky to last three years, his last one the hinges gave out.
Thom225 this is probably a crime in some people's eyes, but it was not until my boy was 12 or 13 that I realised he had never eaten a Big Mac. I took him for his first experience which was his last and left him very underwhelmed. Burgers and fries are one of the last things on our food radar.
Cheers

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...nth-40051.html

Yup..That's the one. Just breezing through the first pages, I see the hallmark of $500 needs to be drastically increased.

[Jim Cate]

Thom225 this is probably a crime in some people's eyes, but it was not until my boy was 12 or 13 that I realised he had never eaten a Big Mac. I took him for his first experience which was his last and left him very underwhelmed. Burgers and fries are one of the last things on our food radar.

I'm reminded of a superb bit of advert seen in Auckland a few years back:

On the window of a gourmet burger palace was a sign saying "For the price of one of our deluxe burgers you could buy two Bigmacs... but then you'd have to eat them"

I concur!

Jim

[thomm225]

Either way most kids stilll love hamburgers, fries, and a coke which is why there are about a Billion McDonald’s Restaurants world wide!!!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Either way most kids stilll love hamburgers, fries, and a coke which is why there are about a Billion McDonald’s Restaurants world wide!!!

...Yes and uneducated parents.

[double u]

"living on a dollar a day!" -
well, twice 3 months in Chagos: zero $/day...
...but $$$$/day when stocking up, $$$/day when buying a new sail/antifouling/new line/new..., going to the dentist/paying Panama/Suez Canal
so yes, but only half-truth.
Over the course of a, say 3 or 4 year circumnavigation: not a snowballs chance in hell
3 & 1/3 rtw, first one with extremely low budget & very simple boat - - but what do I know...

[double u]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Come on, let's not get hung up on that 5GBP/€/$ figure, this is so much more about whether it's possible to live (&cruise!!) in an enjoyable way on a boat without spending a lot.
My, and others point here is, absolutely, it is, only depends on the person doing it.

...a "lot" is very, very subjective, very!
(& on maintenance day...)
& btw: bluewatercruising has become very expensive, compared to the 80s...

[boatman61]

True.. and in the 60's you did not even need a Passport in many places.. your Blue Book was good enough for entry.