Published Costs of Cruising

[sailorboy1]

WTF

[zboss]

Yea.

I post my opinion on a topic because it impacts negatively on a regular basis, ask other sailors to show some courtesy, have a little insurance because some can't afford to pay damages on a piece of property you weren't permitted to use in the first place, and I am the bad guy.

Anchorages are more and more crowded, services are more common and cost money to provide, countries are seeking ways of increasing revenue, and lawyers are more common round the world. The world isn't all PNG anymore.

[Livia]

Published costs of cruising: I added a few new links in Dec and Jan. If you know of one not on the list, let me know.

http://thegiddyupplan.blogspot.com/2...-cruising.html

Also, is everyone taking their meds around here? No posting if you forget

[wolfenzee]

There is a beach off of Port Townsned and there are signs suggesting people not anchor thier for the purpose of being "ecologically friendly"....which doesn't keep people from anchoring there. Now if they were to point out that that area is historically bad holding ground, the bottom littered with snags and stuff that will cut through an anchor line of many sorts and kelp that no anchor will hold in....causing boats to end up on the beach on a regular basis.......then people might not anchor thier. But they feel if they appeal to the tree hugger instincts of the yuppies visting Port Townsend that is enough.
I just got an anchor back from there it took two divers w/4 tanks of air, the anchor had gone through the top of a commercial crab pot and when it dragged got wrapped around a 6' high pipe. The boats that stay out thiere on a regular basis are tied to someone elses anchor that is snagged.

[zboss]

I'm learning that costs questions are hard to answer in large part because the question isn't complete. Instead of asking "can I cruise on X a month" maybe the better questions is "can we cruise on X a month on the East Coast of US" or Caribbean or whatever. Its not an impossible question to answer if you ask the right questions.

The OP of this thread was trying to gather that data. Its actually a really good idea to collect that data because it allows each person to take their individual circumstances into account based on the costs reported by other cruisers.

[wolfenzee]

it is impossible to give an accurate amount for cruising costs because of the many variables involved...but one might be able to make a list of what one should expect to have to spend money on.

[Clamdigger]

REMEMBER NOW THIS IS referencing January, 1973,>I dove every afternoon to get our fish, lobster, or conch for dinner. Fitz prepared it with some of our ultra cheap rice which we had provisioned the boat with in Barbados. We had paid only $0.03/pound BWI for it. That was about 1 1/2 cent a pound US currency! It was crude but was wholesome. Once the trash was sifted out, the stones, etc., removed, it looked fine, even if it did smell like a fart when we cooked it. The smell soon earned it the name of "fart rice" aboard Dart.The location had other merit as well. There were several nice "bars" available. One very nice one called the "Frangipani" was a favorite, even if it was a little expensive for yachtsmen on a $0.60 a day budget.(from Mr Ron Reil's webpage> Ron's Tristan Jones Page)

It's reading old printings like this that have 'low budget folks' forgetting that INFLATION has occurred Worldwide, and that cruising costs are not 1970's, 1980's or even 1990's prices any more! I cruisied on $500 a month during the late 1970's & up until the late 1980's enjoying myself without restriction. Today I would say those same areas (outside of the USA) would be $750 month barring any major boat related expenses to 'enjoy' what I did back then. So inflation has as much to do with any sailor's 'cruising budget' as does the size of their wallet or their boat. Not to mention their personal 'tastes' or predilections for shore going attractions such as museums, historical venues, zoos, bars, etc.

It occurred to me reading this Thread on 'cruising budgets', that it often takes people years to get their boats (and themselves) ready to 'head offshore' that they (may) neglect to account for inflation due to their sole focus on boat and leaving. It's a shock to some that end up anchored in a far off place 'how expensive' it seems as compared to what they expected. At times (not in this Thread) it seems as if some folks are obsessed with the idea that 'everything' must be cheaper outside the USA (?!?) which is not always the case, ie having to have a specific part shipped to you in a foreign port. Food costs are realitive to what is essentially produced within a Country/Island and what has to be imported. The USA has much of what is needed here and folks genenrally buy the same things month in and out when shopping.

A current list of food,entertainment,etc costs for a given area should be able to be found from various sailing blogs.

[Clamdigger]

Any time I was asked to pay for a mooring the morning after I had been tied to it all night I did so gladly. I consider an 'open mooring' a 'safe harbor' in an unknown to me sailing venue, rather than anchoring before I know the local conditions or problems as Wolf elaborated. I would much rather know their are anchoring hazards than have implied it's not good for the environment to anchor 'here'.

[wolfenzee]

There was a thread "cruising on a $5000/mo budget" (not as popular as the $500/mo one)....which some people have trouble doing, a friend of mine cruised on aprox $2500/year.

[sailorchic34]

I would love to cruise on $5000 a month. Alas For me anyway cruising on $500 is actually far more doable. I do agree that its much easier to do that in the US.

I've been pondering heading south, but I'm not sure I can live in mexico for $500 a month. When I add up the 6 month visa issues, Getting to the border, etc. it really jumps the price up. Seems I'll not qualify for a temporary resident visa, not on $500 a month anyway. Which is a major bummer... Maybe once SS kicks in. Sad when I can cruise northern Cali on $500 ish a month and not mexico.

[Celestialsailor]

I guess I'm not getting why the US would be cheaper than Mexico. What is the Visa thing all about?

[sailorchic34]

Well as best I understand it the new temporary resident visa (old FM3) requires that the visa be applied for in the country of origin. You need proof of $1900ish a month income. I think with a boat that drops to about $1000 a month, but have not had that confirmed yet. Which is still twice what I can even get close too.

So I would need to renew the 6 month tourist visa at the border. The costs for traveling to the border, staying for 48 hours and then traveling back to the boat could easily add $50 to $75 a month to a 6 month budget, could be more). Oh I might be able to grab a ride to the border, But its not cheap. For the $500 ish a month cruiser it starts looking not so nice.


Of course, I'm pondering just cruising further south and avoid the whole mexican visa dance thing. Still pondering that..

[NorthPacific]

I am hoping against hope that we can manage on our limited income. Sounds like the BVI's maybe the place to go, lots of fee moorage and reefs for fishing!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Well as best I understand it the new temporary resident visa (old FM3) requires that the visa be applied for in the country of origin. You need proof of $1900ish a month income. I think with a boat that drops to about $1000 a month, but have not had that confirmed yet. Which is still twice what I can even get close too.

So I would need to renew the 6 month tourist visa at the border. The costs for traveling to the border, staying for 48 hours and then traveling back to the boat could easily add $50 to $75 a month to a 6 month budget, could be more). Oh I might be able to grab a ride to the border, But its not cheap. For the $500 ish a month cruiser it starts looking not so nice.


Of course, I'm pondering just cruising further south and avoid the whole mexican visa dance thing. Still pondering that..

Found this site. Looks pretty easy unless it is out of date. The folks at Latitude 38 say be patient that it is a new government with new rules.
Also Noonsite stated that it is a good idea (especially on the East Coast) to get a zarpe on the US side.

[Sailor_Hutch]

Originally Posted by Clamdigger

REMEMBER NOW THIS IS referencing January, 1973,>I dove every afternoon to get our fish, lobster, or conch for dinner. Fitz prepared it with some of our ultra cheap rice which we had provisioned the boat with in Barbados. We had paid only $0.03/pound BWI for it. That was about 1 1/2 cent a pound US currency! It was crude but was wholesome. Once the trash was sifted out, the stones, etc., removed, it looked fine, even if it did smell like a fart when we cooked it. The smell soon earned it the name of "fart rice" aboard Dart.The location had other merit as well. There were several nice "bars" available. One very nice one called the "Frangipani" was a favorite, even if it was a little expensive for yachtsmen on a $0.60 a day budget.(from Mr Ron Reil's webpage> Ron's Tristan Jones Page)

Well, I don't think we'll ever see those days again. From the food perspective, I'd have the low budget cruise quite nicely in the bag. Heck - I get by on around $150 per month for food as a landlubber. That's not necessarily because I have to, but because I just have a penchant for simple, inexpensive food. I can eat beans (you name the variety, I'll eat em) every day and still look forward to having them the next day. Yum!

Essentially, my wife does not appreciate my fondness for the simple cuisine, and she'd be the budget buster. I guess it's the old Venus/Mars thing. In any case, if it takes a busted budget to get her onto the boat - then bon 'appetit