Challenge: Sail Around the World on $15k ?

[daddle]

MarkJ -

Critique: Bottom paint? Have you seen the cruisers out there? 20 of the cheap cruisers can share a liter of bottom paint.

GPS and charts: These can be had for free. I gave away the entire 50kilos of the Pacific Ocean, done with them. A $99 GPS will do if he can't get a garage sale one. I've a POS Garmin 76 he can have for a smile. EPIRB: Smart shopper $200. Throw the old engine out. Use some crappy dink and a cheap 8hp to putt around anchorages. Or, hey, sail! I bet he can charm his way out of most of the fees...I've seen it done. Registration in the US is cheap. You need to change something about your fishing technique. There's plenty of fish out there .... but none when you're really hungry. Panama, Suez, French Polynesia, skip 'em.

So...looks like a GO on the budget! :-)

[tager]

EPIRB:$450
BOAT: $5000
GPS: $50
SEXTANT: DAVIS MARK 3 $75
OUTBOARD: $1000
CHARTS: $200
FOOD: 1 year (you sail fast and nonstop) $2000
FISHING GEAR: $100
ENTRY AND EXIT FEES: $2000
SELF RESCUE DINGHY: $500
SPARES, TOOLS, MAINTENANCE: $1000
PANAMA: $700
SUEZ: $500
COOKING FUEL: $200

This is assuming absolute minimum size boat, minimum expenses, basically everything at a total minimum.

$ 133775 with everything at the borderline absurd minimum end of the range. More realistically you could do it with 25k. This would make it easy to just squeak by.

Of course you could be like this guy: Atom Voyages | Articles by James Baldwin: A Law Unto Himself - Kris Larson Sailing his Steel Junk

You would be able to sail around the world on $10,000 if you were this guy!

It's not about the money. If you want to do it, do it, you will find a way, even if it means getting an under the table job for a year in some foreign harbor, a couple of times.

[boatman61]

Take all you need from the posts above... then plot your own course..

YouTube - Yazz - The Only Way Is Up (Top Of The Pops)

[Katrinu]

i think you are fed up of working not the job. At 24 your still starting out like engine in use still on runningin time ! I cannot understand your reasoning because u are very young my opnion is that you wait until u are more financially stable ! Buying a 5k boat will put u in great danger because u would be travelling without good instruments which you need for the sake of your own health and safety. Always my opnion.

[sailorboy1]

lol - got to love the entertainment value of any thread asking a how much question

So after all this; lets hear from the orginal poster to see whether he believes he can do this and whether he even still wants to!

[barnakiel]

Round the world alone and no WINDVANE ???

You guys / girls must be joking !!!

OK, put another USD 1000 on top of the pile ;-)))

barnie

[daddle]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Round the world alone and no WINDVANE ?

Shall we propose which anchor and chain?

[Liam Wald]

Taking a break and sailing around the world is a great idea.
Doesn't mean that you have to do it on your own boat.
You could hitch hike as crew and buy the occasional cheap berth on tramp freighters.
Advertise for crew position wanted in LATITUDE 38 or other magazines to start. The rest will fall into place.
Best of luck to you on your bold adventure.

[Stillraining]

There are always those willing to eat bugs and sleep with fleas...easier when your young and full of spirit


Carry on..

Send us a update now and then...good luck

[hellosailor]

Good point about the Canal costs, Mark. Of course, the NorthWest Passage is arguably open and navigable now.<G>

EPIRB $500 <<Not required for a US pleasure craft.
Handheld GPS $250 <<As noted, under $100 and you can probably shave that to $50 used.
Registration For Australia $799 USCG documentation, done yourself, about 1/4 of that.
Filters 2 sets 2 x $50 = $100. <<Or you can get an Atomic4, no filters.<G>
Impellor spare $50 <<Spares?? That's contrary to a bare-budget philosophy.
Clearing in/out of countries:...try sowing 50+stars... Say 10 counties only = $2,000
<<And again, if you don't have $2000 you simply wouldn't fly courtesy flags. Or, for $2000 you could inkjet print and laminate a mess of them. Including the costs of the laptop and printer. After all, courtesies are for those who can afford them.
Proof of funds or Cash deposits. ... Say need $1,000 in bank <<Some countries he'd have to skip. No big deal.
Gas for cooking: Cooking rice/pasta/beans takes time. <<I suppose loading the v-berth with kindling and emulating peasants (fuel has always been a luxury) can only go so far. But, with or without a pressure cooker, most folks don't realize that you don't have to keep pasta and rice on a rolling boil. Contrary to popular cooking shows, a lot of it will cook if you bring the water to a boil, add the food, and then let it cook without flame for 20 minutes. A major fuel saver.
Fishing lines and equipment: We have caught 4 fish in 25,000 (?)nm miles
<<Fish watch my line when they can't get the comedy channel on fishcablevision. Some folks obviously have better skills at that, didn't Kon-Tiki get fish?

There's all sorts of ways to push a budget. Once upon a time, lots of folks in the US did home canning and bottling. Then folks noticed that if they bought the expensive store-bought stuff, they got food poisoning less often and the home-canning movement kinda died until the 60's. When again, some folks were really trying to push their budgets. Who's to say. But fo sailing around the world...I'd have to wonder, what kind of $5000 boat will come with sails that are still in good enough condition to simply make it around once and get home. Add some bedsheets and thread to that budget, maybe? <G>

I think maybe the simpler answer is in the alternative some folks have mentioned: At 24, without needing to support a spouse/kids/house/"stuff!"/career and all that...invest some serious time in becoming a dockrat. Focus life on one seabag with the necessaries in it, see if you can become good enough at crewing so that you can get some creds and hitch a ride on OPBs. Fill in with whatever you can do in port and let the OPBs take you around the world. Sure, it won't be easy or comfy and it might be outright dangerous, but then again, it could be a lot more fun than driving a desk!

[SailorKeddy]

Mark, thanks for the great post! I am 26, have a bit more experience than the original poster, and I am planning a similar journey. I've been compiling a list of items that are totally essential, but yours (considering your experience) is much better, especially the money for the canals, fuel and getting into and out of countries.

My plan differs though in that I plan to work around the world as I sail. Make enough money to put food in my mouth, make the necessary repairs and keep me sailing to the next port. I've put some good faith into this site about that: 101 Ways for the Traveler to Work&#160;Abroad

your thoughts?

[daedaluscan]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Yes, fine. As are all the romantic notions about working whenever the kitty gets low for good Whities dollars, not the local currency. But the OP said: "Sail Around the World on $15k ?"
Arround the WORLD for $15k.
The UK to carib doesn't hit any of the major expenses and can be done in just a few months there and back sitting on the hook the whole time.

Yes, my post is negative but at least its reality!

Instead of the balderdash about $250 bottles of wine and racism you need to come up with some facts to support what is, quite literally, crap.
Go do your sums and show me the figures how this person can do it for $15,000 including the price of the boat.

You can't do it because its not possible!

Put up the figures! Show me the money and how he can do it!


Mark

I absolutely agree, you could never do it.
However a lot of people could, and have fun doing it. Safety is relative (in my opinion more to the crew than the boat)
I am pretty sure I could.
There are a lot more skills out there than earning$$$ and spending them

Charlie

[dana-tenacity]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

OK heres the figures as I reckon them to be: (Feel free to check them and adjust)

Boat $5,000
EPIRB $500 (Required in many countries by law
Handheld GPS $250 (Or cheap good sextant for the purists)
Solar Panels 2 x$500= $1,000 incl fittings, wiring, fuse, diode but not smart charger (I paid 2X$800 but they are coming down in price)
Charts: Either Laptop at $1,000 and pirate charts on OpnCpn or photocopys @ $5 say 20 charts worldwide = $100 (But you really need a laptop!)
Registration For Australia $799 + Postage (ours was $500 FedEx) + Painting name and 'Marking" (I don't know what USA registration is)
Bottom Cleaning/painting x 2 tins International, brushes, sand paper, new Zinc, small resin for small chip in keel seller 'forgot' to mention. $2,000 either on buying boat or somewhere around the world. Careening not really possible because its pretty local knowledge.
Spare Oil for 2 oil changes 2x$30=$60
Filters 2 sets 2 x $50 = $100
Impellor spare $50
Fan Belt Spare $10
Hose Clamps spare 5x$2=$10 (not the ones with the SS screw)
Clearing in/out of countries: Average is about $200 per country overall, some cheaper, some hit you with extra fee for weekend arrival not negotiable. Includes prearranged visas, photos, photocopies of crewlists, rego etc De-Ratting Certificates, Transport to some authorities Flags for each country can't really be made... try sowing 50+stars... Say 10 counties only = $2,000
Panama Canal= $1000 incl transit $850, line rental (no you can't use your own!) tyres, food for 2 x pilots, cleaning materials so boat isnt rejected by pilots. Fuel for 45nms at max revs
Suez Canal $500 incl graft and corruption thats non negotiable, paperwork, agency - obligatory.
Government Tax $10 per country. Almost every country will hit you for some fee: fishing license, National Park entry fee, anchoring fee, diving fee, 10 x $10 = $100
Water, fresh. Rain water is not collectable in parts of Asia. Why? Catch a cup and look! Other parts of the world at the times one cruises there’s little rain, Carib in Winter, Middle East anytime, Med in Summer. Buying freshwater in 20 liter bottles has always been about $2 per 20 liter bottle, Or $15 tankfull paid at fuel dock/marina etc World cruise say $100
Proof of funds or Cash deposits. French Polynesia need you to pay them CASH $1,800 per person refundable at end of stay. Some other countries want proof of funds Europe, Thailand and Indonesia are examples So account can’t dip to rock bottom till last leg home. Say need $1,000 in bank
Fuel: Solar panels remove engine use except for motoring. Fuel costs: Most expensive $2.64 per litre - $10.02 per US gallon!(and that was duty free!). Average fuel cost around the world works out to be about $1 per liter = $3.80 per US gallon. Fuel use is NOT only up to operator, Suez and Panama are long runs at max revs, ports, harbours, coral cays, reefs etc, dive spots, surfing, are all under motor (We motored for 5 days without stopping in the convoy through Gulf of Aden): So what say $500? Most would spend several thousand.
Gas for cooking: Cooking rice/pasta/beans takes time. We use one gas bottle in 6 weeks(?) cost is average $6 if we get it to the main gas supplier (bus fare), $10 if local bottle shop. Most expensive was $20 in Carib: 18month cruise = 13 gas bottles @ $6 = $78 plus bus fare = total $100
Fishing lines and equipment: We have caught 4 fish in 25,000 (?)nm miles yet we have dragged a line over most of that. I have tried every form of home made lure and none have worked. The only ones have been shop ones for above $10 each… that I lose 1 per fish. OK I am not a great fisherman! But don’t rely of fish! $100

Expenses Total= $10,179 or 9279 if photocopy charts used and no laptop. Incl Boat = $15,179 + proof of funds (and Panama buffer) = $16179



It doesn’t include Food, groceries, Internet, Phone calls home, Postcards home, rides on local busses, beer, museum visits, exploring, Medical, Pharmaceutical, Insurance of any type, Clothes, souvenirs, Pilot books or photocopies, sail repair tape, contingency funds, breakdowns or repairs, other Spares, upgrading the boat i.e changing Halogen to LEDs, Outboard motor fuel (get fit rowing), glues, soap, washing, cleaning products, toilet paper, UHT Milk or the coffee it goes in, a chicken to cook when you pick up some chick, or any luxury not matter how humble even an icecream.

Good things: No drugs, cigarettes, Alcohol, McD’s

It also doesn’t include ANY PERSONAL SPENDING MONEY WHATSOEVER!

So even without food there would still not be the money to circumnavigate.
So how about doing it the was Slocum did it via the Horn, top of Australia, Indian Ocean and the Cape. Do you really think a $5k boat could go around the Horn the wrong way? IE into the wind, and then the Agulhas current and the Cape also the wrong way about? Remember that it took Slocum many months to transit the Magellan Straits including one knock back during a gale that took him 6 weeks to re-sail!
Even without the Panama Canal and Suez factored in the real costs are above the $15k. So how about a non-stop 3 capes Southern Ocean trip. The money would be fine.

Let's assume a folkboat or Contessa 26 mentioned earlier.

Epirb - go without
GPS - get one on eBay -$100
Solar panels (no room on this boat for two), go without.
Laptop - go without
Charts, borrow, trade copy trace -$100 easy
Bottom paint - a 26 fter doesn't need two cans of paint, I got one on our equivalent of eBay for $70, try to avoid yard bills, a boat like this has other options.
Engine spares - get rid of the engine - consider oars/yuloh or if you really must an outboard will do.
Clearing in /out - yep this one sucks as costs have more than quadrupled over the last few years, be really careful choosing your route.
Panama -look for a local with a flatbed truck - this is only a 26 ft boat
Suez- go the other way
Govt taxes - see earlier note about clearing in/out
Water, I don't remember it being that big a deal, if the locals drink it you can, but there will be occasions you'll have to pay.
Fuel - remember we threw the engine overboard
Fishing, one off cost for some line (sportfishing types throw this stuff away) and some hooks, make your own lures - my kids can do it you can. But don't count on fish to supplement your diet, it's a welcome treat.

I think I could trim your estimate by about 5k.

But the question would be do you want to. As mentioned, stipulating RTW makes it way difficult. I think there are lots of cool adventures you could have with a boat on that budget it you drop that stipulation.

For Instance:
Microcruising in the Bahamas

[jbosborn]

Someone mentioned wanting to hear from the OP. Here he is...

To the people who say it's impossible, I beg to differ.

To the people who say it's unlikely, I might agree.

To everyone, whether a naysayer, a supporter, or somewhere in between, I really appreciate all your posts. I am learning a lot from your experiences and figuring out a thing or two about some of the costs I can expect to encounter - which will help me make the best decisions budget-wise and achieve as much as possible.

In light of all these posts, my plan has not changed dramatically, but I have learned a lot. My hope is to still sail around the world. It will probably take a few years rather than one. I may have to work in some ports. I may have to pass on many, many opportunities to have fun at port or sight see. And I make not make it all the way around the world.

Nonetheless, I will take it one day at a time. I will try to be reasonably safe. It is good to have goals, so long as they are achievable, and I believe this one is achievable. I am a smart guy and I will take it one day at a time. I will leave this dream only when I am convinced that it is either impossible or not worth the effort. Or when I fulfill it!

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice! Please keep the posts coming if you have more to say. I will continue to follow this thread, start new ones, and read old ones. Thanks all!

Currently, I am shopping for boats...

27 Ft. Custom CAL Sailboat (1974)

Sailboat 26 Ericson * Sail Away, Lots of Upgrades

Ericson 25+ Sailboat, Recent upgrades

[slomotion]

I don't like outboard power on cruising sailboats, but .... whatever. The Ericson 26 is the only one with an autopilot. You absolutely have to have one (or a windvane) for solo passage making in a modern sailboat.