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GordMay · 15-11-2003, 14:00

The often cited, 10% of boats value per year, may be a good long-term average cost of maintenance.

A newly outfitted, and well-found boat should cost much less to maintain, at least, for the first couple of years out. I would guess that full-time cruisers spend less than 5%/value per year. - and even less years one & two.

Cruisers generally do all their own maintenance, and nearly all their own repair. The wiser ones do this in a timely manner, so that things never get out of hand. You will save considerable time and expense by taking care of little things, before they become bigger things. Living aboard, you see things develop, so can implement preventative maintenance, rather than suffer repairs. You also have time to do the required maintenance. In fact, (at least psychologically) time should become your major capital asset, replacing money.

There are a lot of good websites describing “Cruising Budgets” - do the “Google”.

Cruising budgets, and cost-saving stratagems are an interesting subject. Lets hear some more ideas!

BTW:
Maggie & I set out for 6 months in the Bahamas with $300 US and a decent larder.
We've also set out with $10,000.
Spent nearly all of it - both times!

Regards,

15-11-2003, 14:00	#9
GordMay Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W Boat: C.L.O.D. (Cruiser Living On Dirt) Posts: 12,576	Cost of Maintenance? The often cited, 10% of boats value per year, may be a good long-term average cost of maintenance. A newly outfitted, and well-found boat should cost much less to maintain, at least, for the first couple of years out. I would guess that full-time cruisers spend less than 5%/value per year. - and even less years one & two. Cruisers generally do all their own maintenance, and nearly all their own repair. The wiser ones do this in a timely manner, so that things never get out of hand. You will save considerable time and expense by taking care of little things, before they become bigger things. Living aboard, you see things develop, so can implement preventative maintenance, rather than suffer repairs. You also have time to do the required maintenance. In fact, (at least psychologically) time should become your major capital asset, replacing money. There are a lot of good websites describing “Cruising Budgets” - do the “Google”. Cruising budgets, and cost-saving stratagems are an interesting subject. Lets hear some more ideas! BTW: Maggie & I set out for 6 months in the Bahamas with $300 US and a decent larder. We've also set out with $10,000. Spent nearly all of it - both times! Regards, __________________ Gord May ~~_/)_~~ (Gord & Maggie - "Southbound") "If you didn't have time/$ to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?" Last edited by GordMay; 15-11-2003 at 14:37.