Published Costs of Cruising

[Kalinka1]

Just a question If you don't own the ocean floor. then what makes a mooring Private? I liken this to a Duck blind First day it's yours by common courtesy after that it's open to anyone.

Originally Posted by zboss

What? That is an insane statement and goes against every lesson you parents should have taught you. Shame on them.

So, if you have insurance and "save your financial ass" and are able to take care of your wife and kids, plus make right by the person you screwed over... that is being -what- irresponsible?

And yes, the person anchoring out and hitting another boat or running up on a beach because of negligence on their part is just as guilty.

Again, the OP asked about budgets and I am waiting.... I don't believe cruising on $500 without insurance is responsible and I will leave it at that.

And don't pick up mooring balls marked "private"... please.

[wolfenzee]

This thread has got me looking around at different insurance companies....the variety of what insurance companies ask is tremendous. You can read aolt in the sort of questions they ask.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by msponer

What is your guys experience with liability insurance; how do the rates compare to hull + liability insurance? Do they still require regular surveys, and are as particular about your itinerary?..................

I have a 1973 boat registered in Florida. After the devastating hurricane seasons of 2004-5 my insurance company dropped all Florida policies and all I was able to shop for offered premiums that came to 8% per annum of the market vaule of my boat. For the past eight years I've purchased a liability only poicy at less than 1/6th the full coverage cost with no requests for surveys or conditions. I am comfortable with recovery for my personal property risk out of my own pocket. To date, I've saved about 25K in costs and I remain comfortable with the risk and I remain responsible for any risk that I might present to others.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by Kalinka1

Just a question If you don't own the ocean floor. then what makes a mooring Private? I liken this to a Duck blind First day it's yours by common courtesy after that it's open to anyone.

We lease the seabed from the government and that lease comes with certain guarantees and responsibilities, one of which is the responsibility to keep mooring floating. If you need any other info... you can PM me.

[sailorboy1]

Hasn't this thread just gone way off track?

I keep looking at it to see if there new pulbished costs of cruising!

[zboss]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Hasn't this thread just gone way off track?

I keep looking at it to see if there new pulbished costs of cruising!

Yes - I tried to steer her back on course by asking if someone could post something about published budgets. I'll stop responding to questions about insurance and moorings.

Could we split the thread?

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by formrteki

Livia, I would love to see a "lonely planet" style financial guide to cruising. Separating the budget travelers from the high-enders, small boats to big, old boats from new boats, weekenders from liveaboards,

Try Cruisers Wiki. It's there on the right in Additional Links. I'm not sure how many areas have info by budget, but YOU can add it as you go along. Go on, it's easy!!!

[capttman]

Wow so many brainwashed by the insurance companies!!!!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by zboss

Yes - I tried to steer her back on course by asking if someone could post something about published budgets. I'll stop responding to questions about insurance and moorings.

Could we split the thread?

The problem with answering the question about budgets is the answer completely depends on who is asking and their personal preference for cruising style. Also depends on the boat: size, age, condition, time since overhaul or replacement of all the bits and pieces, on and on ad infinitum. So the question is about like asking how much a car costs. Depends on whether you're thinking about a used Toyota Camry or a new Rolls Royce Phantom.

So to get a meaningful, relevant answer about budget you would have to include in the question at a minimum:

1. Your boat: size, age, condition.
2. Planned lifestyle.
3. Your cruising style IE where, how often and how far you sail.
4. Cruising area.


Very generally here's my breakdown:

Food: Similar to what you spend at home. Very cheap IF you are willing to buy local and don't insist in getting the same items and brands you get at home. The alternative, if at home you frequently eat out a fancy restaurants and drink expensive wine with dinner you will have similar costs cruising. So, cook on board, buy local produce at the local market your cost could be as low as $150-$200/month. On the high end as much as $2000-$3000/month eating out every meal 4-5 days a week including wine and drinks.

Clothing. Living on the cheap buy a new bathing suit and a couple of t-shirts every few months. Hang out at fancy marinas you have to keep a new blue blazer and all the fixin's at hand.

Marina costs. Even more variable. If you anchor out every night the costs are zero. If you rent transient docks every night cruising around New England it could be $4000/month.

Entertainment. How much do you want to spend?

Insurance. In the US for full coverage costs me under $100/month. Liability only, much cheaper. International, more.

Fuel, oil, etc. Also extremely variable, depending how much you sail vs motor, and how much time you're moving vs anchored or docked. I spent an average of $20-$30/month max when I was cruising.

Parts and Maintenance, based on my 42' monohull.

- Haul and bottom paint. DIY in a cheap area, $600-$800 every year or two. Pay the yard to do it in Newport RI, $2000.

- Sails. Depending on how much you sail, new sails every 4-5 or 8-10 years. $6000-$8000 for good cruising sails, double or triple for fancy laminate or other high tech. Amortized monthly call it an average of $100/month

- Rigging. Experts recommend max 10-12 years life span for SS wire. Again based on my boat $3000-$4000. Call this $25-$50/month.

- Engine. For my boat a new engine would be around $12-$15,000. Don't plan on buying one but won't know that until it dies or doesn't.

- Misc rope, pumps, rigging shackles, this, that and the other. Hugely variable, guess $15/month if your boat starts out in good working order. Older boat where all this stuff is on the way out, triple or more until you get things under control.

When I lived in the Bahamas back in the late seventies I lived on about $100/month. I never stayed at a marina, sailed or rowed everywhere I went, mostly lived on beans and rice, spaghetti, etc and the seafood I caught. After a couple of years the big bills finally came due. New alternator, a new main, replaced some of the rigging and general overhaul. So the $100/month plus all this became closer to $300/month for a two year period.

[sailorboy1]

Dang Skip!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by capttman

Wow so many brainwashed by the insurance companies!!!!

Or someone who logically analyzed the potential costs and risks and made an informed decision. Insurance is just a way to cover your bets. You hope you never need it but if you do it pays off.

So what is your plan if say your steering jams and you ram someone's boat in a marina?

Maybe there are some boaters that are so skilled and experienced and with a boat in such perfect condition that nothing could ever possibly go wrong but then there's the rest of us.

Another example, a few years ago my wife had a heart attack. Spent ONE day in a hospital but was given every test you can imagine. Her bill was $42,000, just for that one day. The follow ups added a few more thousand. If we had not had medical insurance I probably would not own a boat today.

By the way, my father had a law degree and handled insurance claims so I know exactly how the system works.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Dang Skip!

Hey. It's a slow night and someone asked.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Hey. It's a slow night and someone asked.

Don't you have and refrigeration box to insulate or something?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Don't you have and refrigeration box to insulate or something?

I do but it's dark and spooky in the woods at night and I'm afraid to be out there all alone.

[Bluefuss]

Soooo.... I went looking for budgetery information and got a crash course in insurance. Oh well, I can use that too. By the way, wolfenzee, sailorchic34, oldragbaggers, barnakiel, and formrteki, you all make very good sense to me