Cruising on $5,000 / Month

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Well when my autohelm 3000 wheel pilot died, many years ago, I fixed it with a handful of darlington transistors for $5. What makes an older smaller boat cheaper is far fewer systems to break and easier to repair when they do break, then newer more complex stuff. Having no fear to take things apart helps some too.

Agree with this.

Would also point out it was interesting for me to check on how big a power hog nav stuff is. But perhaps more to the point there is a big drop in power consumption of an auto pilot if you trim the sails so the boat has a neutral helm. I would bet another advantage would be the auto pilot would also not wear out as fast.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by tomfl

Agree with this.

Would also point out it was interesting for me to check on how big a power hog nav stuff is. But perhaps more to the point there is a big drop in power consumption of an auto pilot if you trim the sails so the boat has a neutral helm. I would bet another advantage would be the auto pilot would also not wear out as fast.

In my case, you should not turn the wheel with the clutch engaged and the AP in standby The old auto helm 3000 does not have clamping diodes on the power feeds to the motor, so the transistors will burn out via current from DC motor generated by the wheel turning with the clutch engaged. OUCH. Still a fun time.

Just a guess that was the problem and it was. Just had to cross reference the old part numbers to newer transistors, (Two PNP and two NPN) Replaced all four and it was working again. Simple Really..

[StuM]

> Just a guess that was the problem and it was.

But what percentage of cruisers have the knowledge to make a guess like that.

My guess is that the majority would look at your post and say "what is a clamping diode". (And then ask "what do PNP and NPN mean"?)

[BandB]

Originally Posted by StuM

> Just a guess that was the problem and it was.

But what percentage of cruisers have the knowledge to make a guess like that.

My guess is that the majority would look at your post and say "what is a clamping diode". (And then ask "what do PNP and NPN mean"?)

Wifey B: Well I looked up PNP and it's Party and Play and then the use of party and the use of play in that context is really bad. Drugs and Sex.

NPN is the National Police of Nicaragua. Guess they would come into the picture after the PNP.

Seriously, what to her is so simple and straight forward is like a foreign language to many of us and I don't just mean a language from another country, I mean another planet.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by BandB

Seriously, what to her is so simple and straight forward is like a foreign language to many of us and I don't just mean a language from another country, I mean another planet.

Ah, sorry I am a little geekie sometimes. No worries, most of my friends eyes glaze over too. Even some of the young engineers eyes glaze over.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Ah, sorry I am a little geekie sometimes. No worries, most of my friends eyes glaze over too. Even some of the young engineers eyes glaze over.

We're both geeky in our own ways, me more than her, but it doesn't include anything mechanical or electrical.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Your out of the norm, You have the knowledge, skills and lack of fear to be able to do this, and having such, you can get by on pennies where others spend dollars
Very few people can do this, most have to spend heavily, or barter
I've been looking for bartering to be discussed on the cruising on a budget threads, but sadly I guess bartering has almost disappeared?

I'm guessing most folks at this budget level have few unique barterable boat skills, unfortunately, even if they're the brightest alternative investment broker on the planet. Mix that with a mindset that says "I probably can't fix that myself" and real, faraway-place cruising prospects are dimmed. And as was acrimoniously discussed here pages ago, even some with many skills would rather write a check than fuss around trying to save some shekels or a boat buck or two.

[sailorboy1]

I went back and reread the first couple of pages on the thread (waaaaay back in 2010) and then were a lot of people who didn't feel that $5k/mo was very much at all. I think I'll open up my "cruising kitty" spreadsheet and input some new lies and add some more fancy looking formulas to make it look impressive in order to talk myself into it .

Maybe it is just because it was 52 degrees last Saturday but is -1 now and I've feeling crazy!

[carstenb]

Don,

You've mentioned it, but not many seem care much. Health care insurance will be a big ticket item, especially for those over 60. I suspect that those cruising for under $500 don't carry health insurance.

You have to figure on something like 2-300 per month per person.

Boat insurance is toss-up. Some won't sail without it (me) some say they don't need it.

[Teknav]

Just the facts about private medical and dental insurance...If you are over 60, in the US, Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO medical insurance with Delta Dental coverage will cost you around $600 USD per month/per person; $1500 USD medical deductible per year. Maximum dental benefits per year is $1500 USD with two "free" dental cleaning; 20% deductible on dental.

Mauritz
The devil is in the details.

[sailorboy1]

Only a true $5k/mo cruiser could stay in the USA if they need medical insurance. I've always pretty much known that cruising involved getting out of the country.The medical insurance issue is a HUGE 9000# gorilla as medical costs are the leading cause of bankruptcy.

But I've tried to keep the thread from going down this rabbit hole as my experience is that it will cause the thread and topic to crash and burn and almost every medical insurance thread gets closed.

So lets not go there and do some it on another thread (I'll post one)

[BandB]

The point is though that many of those with the lowest cruising costs are foregoing things which others of us might consider essential. Various insurances would be some of those things. Boat insurance, health insurance, life insurance.

[Mike OReilly]

I think for the truly frugal cruiser (you decide what that means), money insurance is mostly off the table. I say "money insurance" b/c there are other ways to mitigate and manage risk, which is the purpose of insurance. Just like frugal cruisers need to be DIY boat owners, so too they need to mitigate risk in other ways.

[sailorchic34]

Medical insurance.. whats that.. Nope not in my budget Luckily, I've not needed it at all in the last 10 years. I expect life will get interesting some day.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Medical insurance.. whats that...

You know the product the Smarter than you Government now mandates you buy or pay a fine. Next up...4 servings of veggies per day from www.ChooseMyPlate.Gov