How Much Sailboat Should I Buy?

[Copacabana]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I bet the past 2 years of full time cruising the cost of maintaining these things are:

- generator: $120 and most of that was because I didn't clean the strainer and blew the exhaust hose out
- air conditioning: $10 the past 7 years for standard intake filters
- refrigeration: $45 for filters I installed on the condenser intake and just yesterday to replace the mechanical thermostat with a digital one
- power this and that: $220 to replace macerator pump each year because it's real important to be able to pump the tank

Cost of the enjoyment of having these things: Priceless

Not exactly budget busters in the big picture are they?

I'm not questioning your expenses, but the reality is that more complex boats with more "systems and gadgets" are more expensive to maintain in the long run.

My engine hasn't cost me anything in the last 2 years except filters and oil, but I know that, sooner or later, it's going to rack up some big bills. It's the same for generators, watermakers, electric toilets, air conditioners and so on. As the equipment ages, it needs repairs and, eventually, an expensive replacement.

I think the OPs budget of 6K per year is fine for maintaining a smaller and simpler boat. It would certainly cover all my expenses and leave enough for the big ticket items that eventually come up, like an engine overhaul, new sails, new rigging etc.

[sailorboy1]

Yet very very very very people suggest to go without a boat engine. Yet they suggest going without inexpensive “complex” things to hardly save any money in the total cost of cruising picture.

It must be kind of miserable on some people’s boats who are trying to go cheap

People can spin the facts of my real use numbers all they want. In the end it doesn’t really matter to me what people talk themselves into.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

10% of you net worth seems a decent max. 6k isnt much budget if you're also buying full civer insurance. If you keep to the 10% likely will be comfortable without insurance.

This short note (above) is the gem I've been wondering about myself. Thank you Boatguy for your wise words.

Now where's my calculator...what is 10 per cent of zero?
JK!

[Lihuedooley77]

We sail monohulls, and again, I mean sail.

However, if your catamaran is too small for you, looks like a mono hull is out of the ball game.

We generally now, sail a 36 ft sailing monohull, is not all that roomy, and when you add in all of the stowage areas for what you will need, plus having friends and family come sailing with you .... .

We would go for a catamaran, but I have only sailed on them, and not as crew, just passengers on Napali Trips on Kauai Island .

Do check out those previous posts by those two suggested cruisers and see what their costs have been. They are really very good about itemizing most everything. That will give you a realistic idea of the costs.

We have friends , who have been cruising the caribbean for years, maybe still are, on a Crealock 34 Pacific Sea Craft. ( monohull) Solid well built vessel. They were very happy with the cruising life. Ran into them when we dinked back to our vessel from from the Baths. BVI.

As to what is how much sailboat to buy, that really does depend on you two what what is manageable and comfortable and what systems , electronic, refers, generators, A/C, that you would require. The add ons the larger the vessel.

Good fortune to you, and bless your bones for transitioning to the cruising life style.

[Captain Anthony]

In my opinion, the real question is what are your lives worth to you and your wife. What good is having money in your "investments" when you get caught in a blow or a prolonged storm, whether in shore or off shore. You know it's not "if" but "When " the feces hits the rotating oscillator. We all think that we will watch the weather and only travel when the forecast calls for a nice high pressure system with winds at 8 to 14 Knts.


I think you should ask the forum members the following question " How many of you , while riding out a storm or squall, cursed themselves for not purchasing the more expensive much better constructed vessel ? Who in their right mind would undertake a adventure like what you have planned in a " low cost vessel"? I did years of research before I purchased my current vessel. I only plan on using the vessel for costal cruising. I purchased a vessel constructed like the provable Brick Sh t House.


Before purchasing my current vessel,I have been in very strong storms and prolonged squalls where we had ABSOLUTLY NO CONTROL of the vessel that I was crewing on. With that being said, I purchased the same model vessel that I was crewing on when we got hit hard by the weather, because, we survived, without a injury or any damage.


So, back to my original question; HOW MUCH IS YOUR LIFE WORTH???

[SV_Harbinger]

Ok so I'll tell you what I do, I take my basic maintenance costs (excluding living costs) and ensure I have that plus 25% put into the boats account every year (the extra % never gets touched unless the boat needs it, so it is a growing number every year) for me it isn't all that much, only $500US each year that accumulates, but it has covered all the emergency expenses I have encountered so far. Living expenses come out of my account and that is roughly 4x what the boat costs (and includes marina and mooring costs)
Admittedly my vessel is something smaller that what your looking for, but I would not consider her uncomfortable, I shower when I need/want to, I have heat when it's cold, I make enough electrical juice to cover my needs with a decent remainder, I watch TV (broadcast or DVD) when I want to.
On the flip side I'm more of a live-aboard that goes on a cruise once or twice a year, usually only as far as Bermuda, but I do get out there.... Sometimes....
My advice is look for a solid boat you can trust that is the minimum you will be comfortable on, even with occasional guests and go with that, for me it's a 30' but for you I think maybe the "right" 36'-40' or so might be in your future, and remember a well found boat from the start will probably* cost less in the long run...

[sailorboy1]

I see the thread is starting to head into the "fear factor" for making boat choices.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I see the thread is starting to head into the "fear factor" for making boat choices.

yep and it seems not in a good fashion.
I would put my $1,500 columbia up against any newer boat.
Cost doesn't necessarily mean safer.

[SV_Harbinger]

There will always be the doom and gloom, but the average well found vessel is almost always more capable than her crew, storm, sea and fog will eventually make a fool of most of us at some point to some extent or another, that happens ...
The best advice I could give the op is get a well found vessel of the smallest they will be comfortable with and take care of her well...
For them I would guess something high 30s low 40s would be about right ....and always put some aside for when she needs more than basic maintenance as she will...

[dcstrng]

I've opined elsewhere about lessons I've learned about buying too big -- "too big" is different things to different folks, so that doesn't convey much useful information. My experience with buying enough boat so family can spend time with you, is that they will do precisely that -- and the non-sailors discover a new way of life and never leave -- in our case, we eventually left them on the boat and moved on ourselves. I'd suggest buying exactly what you need, nothing more, maybe less... I also agree with Benz, folks who place value in apartment house/condominium amenities on their vessel are certainly welcome to it, but their values system is different than how mine has developed -- I've had A/C, bath tubs and many of the techno-gizmos on previous "live aboards" -- I find now that most of my time underway, the power panel is totally off unless I need running lights (GPS, when in use, usually runs on AA batteries, or equivalent) probably another sign of a developed philosophy... that is not to say mine is worth mimicking, but rather that your vessel and its operation should reflect yours, whatever it is -- and after the experience you already have, I sense that "frugal" is not an anathema for y'all, so won't encroach on your piece of mind either.

Bestaluck...

[Mike Banks]

Buy the smallest vessel into which your kit will fit and in which you feel safe and comfortable. The cost of sailing, maintaining and berthing a vessel rises exponentially with type and waterline length.

I would go for a catamaran myself--better re-sale and shallower draft--but that is just me. I sailed a wooden trimaran--lovely thing to sail but hard to insure. The maintenance never stopped. In the end I just gave it away..Next vessel will be fibreglass or aluminium.

[stormalong]

A huge factor in maintenance expense is your DIY skill level.

Materials are not all that expensive compared to labor. If you can fix it yourself $6000 goes a very long way. The biggest expense you would have is a haul out every couple of years.

On the other hand if you need to get someone aboard to do simple things like changing oil you will eat up the $6000 very quickly.

[Junk Viking]

By that I mean, that the quality of living is more dependent of usable space than the size of the boat.

Some features makes a boat feel and work as if it's bigger on the inside that on the outside.
And a lot of boats waste space on hallways and walking area, just like most houses.


Examples:

- Raised settee with 360 degree vision (or similar on a cat) gives a spacious connected feeling.

- Good ventilation and lots of light (both natural and electric) makes smaller seem bigger

- Cabin near the center of the boat makes for better sleep and kinder movements (fits nicely under the raised settee)

- Good and usable stowage

- Separate shower

- A space you can hide away alone and recharge

- A large cockpit

- A separate engine room (no diesel smell) or electric.

- A toilet that doesn't smell - well maintained / fresh water flush or compostal.

- Plenty of power for conveniences from large inverter.
Induction stove, micro combi oven, kettle, sandwich maker & gadgets.
Think 5kw inverter fuelled by bimini made from solar cells and LiFePO4 batteries.

- Plenty of water from large tank or watermaker


Size does cost over the years: sails, fuel, bottom paint, new chain, houl out etc.

I offer you some inspiration from the expensive but innovative little German boat builder Sirius:
(And yes you can find similar on the used market, or adapt something close enough).


https://www.sirius-werft.de/wpsirius/en/yachten/35ds/

[valhalla360]

If your current cat is too small for you (very personal choice), you probably need to move up to a 38-40' cat or a 45-48' monohull to really see a big difference in living space. Yes, the cost to maintain will be at least 50% higher if not double.

With an overall budget of $2k/month, you can do it if you live a very simple lifestyle but unless you have a healthy emergency fund, you will live in dread of anything major going wrong.

Sure in good years, you can change the oil and filters yourself for minimal money but if the main engine fails, you can be looking at eating up 25-50% of your annual budget paying for repair/replacement. Have 2 or 3 years in a row where murphy's law hits you with big repairs and suddenly it's a nightmare.

At the $2k/month level I would really reconsider if your current boat isn't big enough. How much do you really want to sacrifice lifestyle for a little extra space?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

How much do you really want to sacrifice lifestyle for a little extra space?

At "little extra space"? I moved from an older 1988 style 39' boat to a more modern 2001 41' boat. The space difference is HUGE! If it were not for the space there would not be any "lifestyle".