Mexico cruising $1k/mo

[Juat4fun]

I'd be happy to buy that fellow "cheesehead" a beer if you message me his contact info. I sail in the Milwaukee area.

[zboss]

IMO, the longer you live/cruise in the same general vicinity you learn where the money traps are and where to get the good deals. So, taking several cruisers examples of the all the time they have spent cruising mexico, they probably benefit from improved language skills, improved skills at finding stores and vendors that have parts cheap, learn what marinas and anchorages to avoid, and so on.

I know that the last year we have spent here in St. Augustine has really improved our ability to find the things we need cheaper. We know who has the best specials each week. We know who has the best rates and who is a rip off.

Its all perspective and experience.

[zeehag]

mazatlan.
500 month repairs.
350-370 month marina for summer
the rest of 1500 usd is mine to splurge.

one can not live on 1000 usd in usa. it does not happen.
one can live cruise and party in mexico on 1000 usd. if not wanting to party you can live, repair boat . and party.

[Celestialsailor]

There are people in the US living on less unfortunately.
P.S. I thought you were done with Mazatlan?

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

There are people in the US living on less unfortunately.
P.S. I thought you were done with Mazatlan?

i have only been here a month. have a lot of work to do and to have done.
yes, there are those for whom 600 usd ssi is their entire paycheck. i sailed gom with one of those folks. ends do not meet at that income level.

[Celestialsailor]

Yup...good thing we have Mx to the south.

[model 10]

[QUOTE=sailorcherry;2068876]
her 41 Formosa is $400 at an awesome resort marina, /QUOTE]

Our 40' long boat only costs $180 month at a really nice resort marina in Guatemala. They had a price war on beer down here, Brava was under 50 cents a can. Lunch in town costs from Q15-20 ($2-3.) On the other hand, a gallon of Trinidad is over $450.

[zeehag]

[QUOTE=Guy;2135647]

Originally Posted by sailorcherry

her 41 Formosa is $400 at an awesome resort marina, /QUOTE]

Our 40' long boat only costs $180 month at a really nice resort marina in Guatemala. They had a price war on beer down here, Brava was under 50 cents a can. Lunch in town costs from Q15-20 ($2-3.) On the other hand, a gallon of Trinidad is over $450.

again with PRESUMPTIONS as opposed to reality.

were you paying attention or even someone considered in real time a friend you would know i no longer happen to be in a posh resort. your inaccuracies at my expense are blatant to those who actually read.
i am paying summer rates of 24 uscents per ft perday per month for the 5 summer months proscribed by marina cesspool, gringoville, for repairs.
this is approx 350 monthly.
poshass hotelmarina in barra is 10 times in high season that which is paid in summer. winter here will be either in special low rate marina or at anchor, depending upon status of repairs.
cherry, message me
btw, my rent inbarra in summer was less than 350 monthly. ye gotta do your deal individually.
guatemala, lazt i heard, was still NOT mexico.

[chuckr]

Our costs for 7 years underway

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ta-164643.html

[Phisher]

Originally Posted by lorrie

Living in Bucerias, Mx
30 Minutes outside of Puerto Vallarta

My father died in Bucerias. The people there were wonderful. I hope to return someday.

[svrecess]

Originally Posted by chuckr

Our costs for 7 years underway

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ta-164643.html

Your link goes to an unrelated thread. In tapatalk at least

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk

[zeehag]

ok am now in mazatlan., i still live on less than 1500 usd monthly, inclusive of repairs and marina and catfood and me food and parts.
i know this as that is my total ioncome per month. i take advantage of the low season specials and during high season i either make a deal that benefits me or i anchor out for free. no problem. anchored out i can afford more extensive and invasive repairs.... and better foodstuffs.
sorry cherry i wasnt thinking you presumed anything, as you know ... but the quoted person has no clue. thankyou cherry--- whenye coming to mazatlan?
speaking of repairs-- my transmission failed-stuck in forward, so out it went to tour mexico with my mechanic here in maz, a fine mexican fella named benjamin. independent, and trusted by my trusted friend.
after this i will schedule the beginning of my electrical issues so i can step mast to repair or replace. that item got molested by the furycame we had plus wind gen on masthead. donot do that. there are places deeeeep under this area in dire need of repair and replacement as i continue onward with basic needs and finishes...

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by klawrence

Your link goes to an unrelated thread. In tapatalk at least

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk

Just tried it -- worked for me -- hummmm

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by sailorcherry

$1k for a couple and $1200 for them - 40' mono, two adults, two teenagers, one small dog. That's a conversation I had not too long ago, theyve been back two years.
They don't drink and Id say they seem pretty frugal but not destitute. Boat, I'd wager is worth between $40-$65k, some solar, not sure if theres wind or a watermaker.

She said stay in the SOC and out of the gringo shopping areas (Sam's club type places). Obviously on the hook most of the time.

Okay, so recent or current cruisers,would you please share, is she right, is it possible?
If so what does the avg week look like?
Also any details on medical costs, from visits to surgery or alt therapy would really be appreciated.

Muchos Gracias,
Sailor Cherry
S/V Hooked

We did it for 4yrs...so yes it's possible.
But here is why you get all the "can't be done" comments.
Most of the people that have the financial means to go cruising are not into strict budgets or denying themselves the things they want. So off they go to a marina rather than anchoring out for free, they hit the nicer restaurants with the menus printed in English rather than taco carts where the locals eat. It becomes almost a slap in their face when it's pointed out that someone could comfortably cruise on HALF of what they are spending...so you get this push back to justify THEIR way of cruising rather than a true comment of "Can it be done".

We did it on two different boat (36ft and 50ft) and included two haulouts in those 4yrs for bottom paint and our average cost was $1400. Could I have shaved another $200 or even $400 off of that...sure...easy, but I didn't have to, so I didn't. We ate out almost every day and had the time of our lives. But we also didn't visit marinas...that's the No 1 cost cutting tool right there. Otherwise we didn't feel that we skimped on anything.

We did boat maintenance...
We did boat upgrades...
We had boat insurance at $130/mo...

Having spent 2yrs on a 36ft boat and then 2yrs on a 50ft boat...we found that besides 3 vs 6 gallons of bottom paint our costs were almost exactly the same. Why...because the free anchorage didn't care what size our boat was and you can anchor 365 days/yr all around Mexico, only touching a dock for fuel...we did it and have lots of friends there now doing it as well.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Then there is the duration of your cruise issue that comes up.
People falsely assume that the average cruiser spends 10-15yrs out cruising so they must figure in major maintenance items, but that's just not reality in most cases. The vast majority of average cruisers outfit their boat well before they leave (I would argue almost too well) and then cruise for 2-3 maybe 4-5yrs. Done..they then sell the boat to the next guy. Are their exceptions to this, sure I know cruisers who are on year 45 and on the same boat. But that is NOT the norm at all.

Most of the Cruisers that went down to Mexico in 2007/08 with us, where are they now? The vast majority have sold their boats and are onto other adventures now. But why play the exception game unless you want/plan to be one (a long timer). Sure there are long timers, but they are not the norm so why plan and budget like that? Will you really need to change your rigging on a 3-5yr cruise...no, so why act like that is a reasonable budget item, but yes maybe on a 15yr cruise. Neither will your boat need a major refit during that typical duration cruise....so why panic about that major refit budget that the next owner or you will do once home and making money again.

So take this reality into account and ask the question again:
Can I nicely outfit a boat and then cruise Mexico and the SOC for 1-5yrs on $1000 to $1200/mo...****...it's almost impossible NOT to at that point.

Then you come back to the States and start ripping off the Teak Deck like I'm doing now...ha ha ha...in preparations to head down again to the land where $1500/mo makes you a King.