Month 33 Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat

[sailorboy1]

The pay back from last month’s record low cost month is, a rebound month!

Traveled from Sarasota Fl to Carrabelle FL when I I’m going to stay for a month just to have electric and air conditioning. Really the whole month was on a mooring in Sarasota except for the last 3 days that were transient across the Gulf to Carrabelle.

Did grocery, beer and supply runs as normal. There were some things like new sandals, some clothes and haircuts etc. in the month.

Due to the heat decided to get a Honda generator to be able to run the smaller air conditioner at night. Between that and all the things involved it was around $1200 of the month’s “boat” expenses. Our diesel generator heat exchanger had a leak and we got that repaired and got some spare parts for the generator that all added up to around $200. This looks to have been a waste of money as the damn generator looks to now be dead just 50 hours later. Because my expensive Seahawk bottom paint is CRAP, I put together a hookah system to be able to scrape/clean the boat bottom and this added up to around $320. The rest of “boat” related expenses were things like oil filters etc.

Got a lot of fuel this month. Out of the total of $256.89 about $185 was just to run the generator for air conditioning. When I add that to the cost of the mooring I was on all month it’s about $485 and makes looking for an inexpensive marina with electric as a better option overall.

Did a lot of “dining and drinking” out. I think the most expense was like $60 as lots of times it was to just get out of the afternoon heat. This needs to get factored into a marina cost decision as I know from past that we dine out less if in a marina for a month.

Marina was for stays on mooring ball in Sarasota FL ($303.88) and a deposit on a slip in July/August in Panama City Fl ($252.77).

Transportation was a couple of car day rentals, a week car rental, gas for the rentals and an Uber ride. One of the day car rentals was just because I needed a $5 fitting for the hookah, but that’s the way it works.

Entertainment was a couple of movie nights out, museum trips, mini golf, kindle books etc.

The total expenses were $ 5,618.07. Cost breakdown as follows for planners and hecklers:

Food, soda, alcohol, clothing, sundries - $ 1,150.90
Boat upgrades, repairs, maintenance - $ 2,299.02
Fuel (diesel, gas, propane) - $ 256.89
Dining and drinking out - $ 735.58
Entertainment - $ 239.39
Communication, storage, shipping - $ 118.43
Fees – $ -47.22
Marina - $ 556.65
Electric - $ 0
Medical - $ 5
Transportation - $ 303.43
Gifts - $ 0
Water - $ 0
Registration - $ 0
Insurance - $ 0

[a64pilot]

Yeah, the boat got you, and it seemed to get you several times last month, but next month ought to be better [emoji1303]
Boat is a pay me now or pay me later thing.
Unless things have changed, eating in Carrabelle ought to be excellent, but it’s not going to be a fancy place, expect to see people wearing white rubber boots.
My Sister in law told my wife that they were going to the best looking Women in Carrabelle, because they had all their teeth

But that was back when the Moorings were the new, nice Marina, and I don’t think that’s true anymore, and probably hasn’t been for quite awhile.

Where are you going to stay in PC? Eating out will cost more, the food won’t likely be as good, but it will be in a nicer place.

If your going to be where I think you will be, look up a place called Finn’s, a little artsy, outdoor eating, but they have good food and a great break from the normal fried seafood, they have excellent ceviche, assuming they survived the Storm.

[sailorboy1]

I bet my boat costs this month will still be $500 as I need to get the soft start for the air conditioner and that's $300.

The marina costs this month with electric is only $419, which is better than last month's combo of marina and fuel.

Haven't been closely paying attention here yet about the women. But the few in stores etc. I've spoken to have had teeth. So maybe the place is moving up :-)

Carrabelle is looking to be an excellent low budget cruiser stop. It is fairly protected as it survived Michael last year that hit just up the coast, it is inexpensive, it has a large IGA and hardware store just a short walk away, it has a liquor store just across the parking lot from me, there are "high end" and "low life" restaurants and bars in walking distance, the wifi seems good and we watched video last night.

I found a place in PC called CSS Yacht Basin. It is right next to St Andrews Marina which got destroyed by Michael last year so I think it would take a direct hurricane hit do do it in.

[a64pilot]

And here I thought St Andrews survived.

of course if you chose to you can put off the soft start. Hurricanes scare me so much that I now try to be in a safe Marina, I rode out a near miss in PC in a Bayou and wasn't real comfortable with that decision, but I knew the City Marina wasn't survivable. Luckily it went East of us and wasn't an issue
Marina's if bought by the month are survivable budget wise, and it's just too hot this time of year for me, I'm no Hero.

You should be within easy walking distance of Finn's, its only maybe a block fro St. Andrews.

If you do the soft start let us know how it went, ease of installation, how the Honda handles it etc. I've been curious. I did the hard start cap, not much difference, still hits hard


I haven't been to Carrabelle in probably 20 years, it's sort of like Brunswick, just no "Hood"

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

If you do the soft start let us know how it went, ease of installation, how the Honda handles it etc. I've been curious. I did the hard start cap, not much difference, still hits hard I'll do it while here in Carrabelle so I have the air conditioner available when I leave as I have a week of anchoring planned on way to PC


I haven't been to Carrabelle in probably 20 years, it's sort of like Brunswick, just no "Hood" haven't see any "hood" here, just a small town that is probably less of a dying off "downtown"

now if I can only get the boat tied to the quarter dock in a way that allows us to get off, but so the boat doesn't hit the corners and boards as the tide goes out and we sit on the keel

[MV Wanderlust]

Well, you took a hit this month but it’s “prepare for the long term” stuff. The important thing is Debbie and I won the Price is Right. ��

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

My Sister in law told my wife that they were going to the best looking Women in Carrabelle, because they had all their teeth.

LMAO 🤣

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by CaptJohnEasley

Well, you took a hit this month but it’s “prepare for the long term” stuff. The important thing is Debbie and I won the Price is Right. ��

only because you were the only guessers

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

only because you were the only guessers

That doesn’t mean we didn’t win. 😉

[Scatterling]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

My Sister in law told my wife that they were going to the best looking Women in Carrabelle, because they had all their teeth

I heard the toothbrush was invented in Carabelle. If it had been invented anywhere else, it would have been the teethbrush.

[Scaramanga F25]

As we are speaking about costs, the average ARC Rally participant spent $35,000 preparing for this event. Lowest was $15,000 on newish already well-equipped boats. LOL

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Scatterling

I heard the toothbrush was invented in Carabelle. If it had been invented anywhere else, it would have been the teethbrush.

and then there's the "toothpick"

I heard that got imported to Canada from South Africa





Personal joke, sorry for the cruising budget distraction.

[Avionics_Joe]

"I put together a hookah system to be able to scrape/clean the boat bottom and this added up to around $320"


Can you please tell me how you did this so cheep?
Maybe with links to sources?

As my bottom paint is shot I need to make one when we get back from the Bahamas.

Thanks,
Joe and Tina
SV Sea Seeker

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Avionics_Joe

"I put together a hookah system to be able to scrape/clean the boat bottom and this added up to around $320"


Can you please tell me how you did this so cheep?
Maybe with links to sources?

As my bottom paint is shot I need to make one when we get back from the Bahamas.

Thanks,
Joe and Tina
SV Sea Seeker

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-3-Ga...sor/1000258241

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 gues that's out of stock but it was $25

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and then there's hose fittings and a filter for the air hose, I ran it off my Honda

[Avionics_Joe]

Thanks sailorboy1,

$25 for a regulator is a good buy, hopefully they will be back in stock by the time I get back.
It has to be good enough to go down 4 feet. 😁

Joe and Tina