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

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by 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.

Only if you worked for the Grey Funnel Line, the 'Scots Navy' - my old firm - or similar. And then it could end in tears if you missed your ship and were sent home as DBS in steerage.
Side bit - recall memorable case in mid 60's when almost the entire deck crowd on a U-C ship in Kaapstad - less the bosun and one AB who was too pissed get down the gangway and join in the fun but including the deckboy - were still in the slammer when the ship sailed and she went home with a full DBS complement.

Back on track.

Living on UKP5 a day? Thats about $AU11 or $AU77 a week
I could do that - currently I spend somewhere south of $AU200 a week for two.
Take out what is spent on 2 dogs and 3 cats ( cat food is $AU2 a tin) and beef, lamb and fish at about $AU40 a kilo ( daily consumption +/- 350 g ) and chicken ( about $AU15 a kg) and I'm down below $AU100 - for two - so under $AU50 per head.

The infrastructure? That cost a bit more to set up.

[boatman61]

I seem to recall if you sailed in on your boat the Lloyd's Blue Book was accepted by authorities as it was your proof of ownership of the vessel/residence and this was enough for them back when life was less complicated.
But back then private yachts were few and far between and registration was not so casual.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

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.

Never seen this studied, but I bet this cruising trend back then was part of the bigger “back to nature,” or “back to simplicity” movement of the latter 60s & 70s. The Baby Boomers were still dreamers and rebels. But by the 80s most had discovered the joys of double-digit financial returns, plus the fact that they were parents with mortgages.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

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

Let’s just call it a metaphor, and move on. Focusing on the exact amount is a distraction. The point is, how to live frugally in this cruising lifestyle.

[sailorboy1]

People can not even agree on what "frugal" means. People start talking of watermakers as "frugal" Then there is "lifestyle", what does that mean? Or "cruise", what does that mean?

Can marinas be "frugal". I am currently paying $385/mo at a marina that includes all the water and electric I want. Is that "frugal"?

[Ita]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

People can not even agree on what "frugal" means. People start talking of watermakers as "frugal" Then there is "lifestyle", what does that mean? Or "cruise", what does that mean?



Can marinas be "frugal". I am currently paying $385/mo at a marina that includes all the water and electric I want. Is that "frugal"?

Yes [emoji106]

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I seem to recall if you sailed in on your boat the Lloyd's Blue Book was accepted by authorities as it was your proof of ownership of the vessel/residence and this was enough for them back when life was less complicated.
But back then private yachts were few and far between and registration was not so casual.

Ah, my mistake. Thought you were referring to the seaman's ID card.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Can marinas be "frugal". I am currently paying $385/mo at a marina that includes all the water and electric I want. Is that "frugal"?

No.

[Mariefred]

The way they're talking about heating bills on land up here in the frozen wastes this winter, pretty much any boat in a warm climate seems frugal right now.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

People can not even agree on what "frugal" means. People start talking of watermakers as "frugal" Then there is "lifestyle", what does that mean? Or "cruise", what does that mean?

Can marinas be "frugal". I am currently paying $385/mo at a marina that includes all the water and electric I want. Is that "frugal"?

Well, watermakers can be frugal

We used to take on 2000 litres of water when we put on 2000 litres of diesel
Worked fine for a few years, then the fuel dock owner had a dummy spit about the cost of water ($6 vs $4000 in fuel) I was happy to pay the $6 but nah, only got worse.
That and a few other petty complaints and he lost our business - we now have a bunker boat come to us at a cheaper price.

We have a 200 litre bladder in the tender but several trips in for water when anchored a mile out due to lack of depths adds up in fuel and hours to transfer

A marina berth to take on water is $100+ a day for us or $1500/MTH + so that's out

Got a good 2nd hand 150 lph waternaker for $2000 and on a sunny day it runs 100% from the sun

Paid for itself in no time.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Mariefred

The way they're talking about heating bills on land up here in the frozen wastes this winter, pretty much any boat in a warm climate seems frugal right now.

I know it's cheaper for us out cruising full time than it is to be in a dirt house, especially one with water views.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

...Yes and uneducated parents.

That's ridiculous.

It's quite hard to be uneducated about proper nutrition these days.

You know you can research that sort of thing on your phone right.......??

Most all parents allow their kids to have fun food at times.

Funny thing is many so-called educated parents and their children are overweight but eat all the "right" foods.

Go figure.

Lack of exercise maybe .......

Btw, the chili dogs I had for dinner last night were very good! Most excellent! Plus "a couple" beers......

They were earn though by an old man doing 8 pull ups, 25 push ups, followed by a run/jog of 3.85 miles in 90 degree temps.

Calories burned according to my Polar HRM: 808

For those interested the Polar app has a HRM Graph, GPS track on your run, max and avg HR. plus other stuff

Followed by 16 oz Endurox mix.......then an hour later canned tuna and crackers for lunch plus two bottles of water

Then Twizzlers after work.

Then a fruit cup large

[smj]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

People can not even agree on what "frugal" means. People start talking of watermakers as "frugal" Then there is "lifestyle", what does that mean? Or "cruise", what does that mean?



Can marinas be "frugal". I am currently paying $385/mo at a marina that includes all the water and electric I want. Is that "frugal"?

$385 per month in these times is a good deal. We paid $65 per month all bills paid when we first lived aboard, but that was the late 80’s..........

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Well, watermakers can be frugal

................................

Got a good 2nd hand 150 lph waternaker for $2000 and on a sunny day it runs 100% from the sun

Paid for itself in no time.

Well in the Bahamas at $0.50/gal it would take 4000 gal to break even. In Boot Key/ Marathon Fl water is $0.05/gal on the honor system, so that needs 40,000 gal.

Watermakers are never "frugal". The only way to call them that is to make excuses because you don't want to haul water to the boat.

I have one now once I decided the convivence was worth it, but it isn't "frugal"

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Well in the Bahamas at $0.50/gal it would take 4000 gal to break even. In Boot Key/ Marathon Fl water is $0.05/gal on the honor system, so that needs 40,000 gal.

Watermakers are never "frugal". The only way to call them that is to make excuses because you don't want to haul water to the boat.

I have one now once I decided the convivence was worth it, but it isn't "frugal"

But you said we don’t even know how to define “frugal”. Seems to me you have a clear definition in your mind.

But this is yet another distraction. If you don’t think a watermaker is frugal, then don’t get one — assuming you aim to be frugal. It’s that simple.

As for your dock costs, well… you are paying nearly 1/2 of what I typically spend each month for everything. That would not be a frugal choice for me… but it still could be worth it based on other needs, and it might be a necessary cost depending on the situation.

This is the concept you can’t seem to understand Don; frugality is not just about what you spend. That’s part of it, but it’s more about value. Convenience is certainly a frugal value. Self-sufficiency is another.

This is not a competition. It’s not about right or wrong. It’s about sharing ideas.