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Old 11-10-2007, 17:26   #1
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Age ol' question - Cruising Budgets

Good Evening

I know that this question comes up all the time. (And perhaps I should havechecked the archives first) But here goes:

For people cruising full time. Not shoe string, Not luxury, but middle of the road reasonable living - what does it cost.

Obviously cruising grounds, eating habits, size, age, complexity of boat all have an impact....

But if I want to take off for a year with myself, my wife and my 3 year old. On say a 40' Blue water capable boat (which we already own and is currently in good condition with up to date equipment, but not all bells and whistles.

Let's assume we'll not go out to eat more than 2-3 times monthly. Have a ER reserve etc. And stay fairly close to home (Florida) e.g Caribean?

What is my budget? Weekly? Monthly?

What is the experience of others?

Thanks
Paul
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Old 11-10-2007, 17:46   #2
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...(And perhaps I should havechecked the archives first)...
That would be polite. There is an active thread on this right now.

Paul L
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Old 11-10-2007, 17:50   #3
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Just for my wife and I (excluding: all insurance [life, health, auto, & boat] taxes or any land based expenses [storage fees, money to the kids, etc], we spend from $2000 - $2500 per month. We eat out five-six times per week, stay at marinas 5-6 nights per month, go to plays & movies, drink good wine, medical deductables and generally stay very active. We live very well on that sum.

It's really not hard to calculate a budget. Food, fuel, routine boat maintenance, cell phones, batteries for the camera, toilet paper, laundry, marina fees and entertainment. That about all you need to live a great life!!!!

The budget busters are unexpected large repairs to the boat, so try to have everything in top shape before casting off.

We cruise for six months then spend six months ashore. Without question, we spend much more ashore.
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Old 11-10-2007, 17:59   #4
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Take a look at our article in Soundings for the latest costs for our most recent adventure

Soundings Online– Real Boats, Real Boaters | Story Archives | Articles | Cruising on a working-class budget
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Old 11-10-2007, 18:16   #5
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I'm inclined to agree with rleslie, but the question is unanswerable. For speadsheets of the actual expenses of 6 very different cruisers go here:

cw_stories_9
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Old 11-10-2007, 18:20   #6
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Whoops!
Sorry about that.
I did have a look, but did not do an extensive search.
I am still somewhat new 'round here.
Anyway thanks for the information

Paul

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That would be polite. There is an active thread on this right now.

Paul L
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Old 11-10-2007, 18:36   #7
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Another great find

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Originally Posted by Chuck Baier View Post
Take a look at our article in Soundings for the latest costs for our most recent adventure

Soundings Online– Real Boats, Real Boaters | Story Archives | Articles | Cruising on a working-class budget
Thanks for the link, Chuck.
My 'CRUISING' bookmark folder is bulging with sites that have been recommended by others.
I hope to be a fulltime liveaboard cruiser in a couple of years time so I am constantly searching for experiences of those who are already living my dream.
Have printed your article and will settle down with a cold beer over lunch to read it.
Regards
Mark
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Old 16-12-2007, 17:53   #8
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My wife and I do our best to keep the expences down to a minimum.. We go out to eat about once a week.. we've been spending about 5 to 6 hundred a month.. not counting our slip which is another 350... I've installed all the equeptment on the boat so if repairs are needed, I do them..
But, we did spend a bunch to get where we are, Our boat was 100k, the first retro-fit was 50k, the second was about 35k and just finished the third at about 10k.
The boat is in prime condition with all new electronics, watermaker, solar and wind chargers and new wireing... I spend most of my time now, creating little things to make life on the boat easier....
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Old 16-12-2007, 17:58   #9
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, the first retro-fit was 50k, the second was about 35k and just finished the third at about 10k.
Over what period of time? Not 3 in a year, I hope.
3 in say 10 years?????? please
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Old 16-12-2007, 18:29   #10
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For speadsheets of the actual expenses of 6 very different cruisers go here:

cw_stories_9
The actual sailing costs of each of the boats were about the same. The big differences were those going home for a few months and renting a car ($11,000!!!!!). A side trip in New Zealand - $10,000 (how many Kiwis do you need to see?). 219 or 240 days in marinas - Are we cruising or sitting at a wharf???? Visit home $8,000 for ski trip! $7,000 for teath fixing - thats a sailing expense?

So it looks like from that case study if you don't squander your money on crapola you can do a crusing life on a budget thats the same as the rich bugger next door!


Mark
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Old 16-12-2007, 18:55   #11
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Mark
When we bought the boat, the cost was around 100k but all the equeptment was dated.. The boat, a FIRST 42 is a 83.. The first 50k was done within the first 3 months, New SSB, Icom M802, VHF, Icom M502, Radar, chartplotter, bottom job, ground tackle, and new standing rigging..
We made the first trip from Coos Bay to San Francisco where we did the second fit.. Bimmini, dodger, watermaker, solar, windcharger, and batteries..10 of them
Freedom 4ds at 800 each.. and new refrigeration.. A "Cool Blue"
Made the trip to Mexico and came back to do the 3rd.. Controlars for the solar and wind.. waterheater, new galley and we turned the quarter berth into a pantry..The wife got all new stainless and I got a new dinghy, actally two.. A hard bottom inflatable, and a Fatty Knees... and we put in all Diode lighting..and Oh ya,
New wireing and pannel from pannel-tronics
Somewhere in there we added a new Auto-helm and smart-pilot from Raymarine, and a weather fax, new sails (20k) and running rigging..
All of this had been done within 3 years...
Were on year 4 now and feel the boat is done, and ready for a 5 to 10 year trip around the world.. we'll be leaving this comming spring........
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Old 16-12-2007, 19:00   #12
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By the way Mark, we travel and sometimes stop to work, not as much for the money but to involve ourselves with those around..........
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Old 16-12-2007, 19:05   #13
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Well, you've got all the kit!

$8k for batteries is interesting.

Agree with you on the point of working gets you to meet the locals

All the best for your cruise in what sounds like a sensationaly set up boat!

mark
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Old 16-12-2007, 19:11   #14
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By the way Mark, we travel and sometimes stop to work, not as much for the money but to involve ourselves with those around..........
What kind of "work" do you do?
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Old 18-12-2007, 09:15   #15
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As for the work we do,
We've found, and this is for us, that a number of different things would balance out our income, without really pushing us out of our cruising plans.......
I was welder for a number of years, and then a building inspector.. the wife worked retail and is a seamstress, we are both photographers and are building our stock in a stockhouse.
So we've added a sailrite sewing machine (as well as 2 others) to do canvas work, I'm also a rep. for Spectra Watermakers.
Each thing we do brings in a little, and its not overwhelming..
A good example, Recently we did some re-stiching on some canvas for a couple..
I doubt we spent 1 dollar on material but we traded the job for dinner on their boat, the dinner was a simple stew with wine.. but it was great and we all sat around all evening telling stories of of our sailing..
Another is where we are now, Its Christmas and we wanted to spend it around the kids.. We're tied to a sales dock and to pay the rent, I power wash down a few boats on the dock each week.. 6 or so hours a week for rent, not bad...
And even though we have a good chunck of change in the bank, we're always up to doing something to assist our plans without causing them to change.
We'll be leaving here after Christmas and moving to San Francisco for about 3 to 4 months where we'll be working with the Non-profit of the Spaulding Wooden Boat works.. sure it a non-profit, and no money exchanged but to have the experance of working in a true wooden boat shop.. and who knows, I might learn something, and thats one more thing on my Resume...
So I can see some day while we're out in the south pacific, I'll be assisting in a boat project on some island, and being part of the evening feast..
So for me, this is cruising, And this is the lifestyle we've decided to live...
My hopes are to work with some fisherman in Mexico...and photograph it.
Or to be in the pilot house of a tanker going through the panama cannel....
So working is a part of our cruising lifestyle..........
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