Cost of Cruising

[a64pilot]

Another "how much does it cost thread", but this one is different. I don't care if you eat steak and lobster for breakfast and or wear Gucci clothes or not, this is how much money does it cost to maintain the boat indefinitely in a seaworthy condition, no crew expense here.
Maybe it should be broken into categories? Or maybe not I don't know

1. Hull / brightwork
2. Sails / rigging
3. Engine / drive train
4. plumbing
5. electrical / electronic / auto pilot etc.
6. fuel
7. upgrades, which ones and why
8. cost of clearing in, whatever taxes or fees etc.

Assuming all work done by the cruiser, except specialized work like machine shop etc. Although how much does it cost to farm out work like maybe brightwork / hull buffing and wax etc. would be helpful, as well as where in the world should you get this work done.

Even if it's just a "we budget $200 a month for maintenance and have always stayed within that budget" would be helpful.

Also do you have an oh sh** account to cover unplanned expenses, if so how big should it be? What was your biggest un-planned expense?

[TacomaSailor]

Here is an update to my prior list of maintenance expenses. This list covers the period November 2011 thru mid-December 2014. These expenses are for a 20-year old very well equipped 40-foot sailboat on which two of us have lived and cruised for many years. We live on the boat full time in San Diego.

Also note most of the parts were purchased at a deep discount thru a professional boat mechanic account. None of the following (except for November ’12 yard work) contains labor costs because I do all the work myself. I would estimate I would have had to pay for several hundred hours of labor if I did not do the work myself.

We’ve owned the boat since new in early 1995. I have installed every piece of equipment myself and try to stay on top of maintenance. The following 3-year list of expenses is fairly typical in my experience.

The following list totals about $13,550, which is about $4,500 per year. I estimate our boat is worth $140,000 so the annual cost of maintenance is about 3% of it’s value.

EXPENSES November 2011 thru December 10 2014
- $30 replace 18-year old car on port genoa sheet track
- $90 replace 15-year old broiler element in Force-10 stove
- $48 replace 20-year old 30 amp AC circuit breakers
- $110 new seals and lid for LaVac toilet
- $17 repack prop shaft packing gland
- $20 replace coolant lines on Yanmar and coolant
- $42 rebuild forward head joker valve, gaskets, tubing
- $16 replace 20-year old suction lines for fresh water system
- $35 new cutlass bearing
- $600 replace 21-year old prop shaft
- $155 ONE Yanmar 4JH2E motor mount
- $1000 labor to help replace prop shaft, motor mount, rudder shoe, thru hulls
- $40 thruhull for anchor locker drain
- $220 fabricate new stainless shoe for bottom of rudder/skeg
- $45 zincs for prop, shoe, strut
- $520 two gallons of CSC Micron pain
- $650 labor and yard charges to paint bottom
- $65 parts to rebuild 20-year old Ardic diesel heater
- $2,900 new Raymarine SPX-30 autopilot to replace 20-year old Autohelm
- $375 rebuild 20 year-old Raymarine Type II linear drive
- $38 new XM antenna for stereo
- $28 fuel lines and petcocks for Nissan and Suzuki outboard
- $240 parts to rebuild starter and shifter on Nissan 9.8 outboard
- $30 parts and cleaner for carburetor rebuilds on both outboards
- $99 Small smart trickle charger for outboard AGM start battery
- $120 new shore power 30 amp connection & 40’ power cord
- $38 new pressure switch for Shurflo freshwater pump
- $15 Muriatic acid and baking soda to clean heat exchanger bundle
- $25 New impeller for Yanmar water pump">raw water pump
- $20 12V florescent bulbs for overhead galley light
- $320 New starter and solenoid for Yanmar to replace original
- $550 Isotherm 11-gallon water heater to replace 14-year old one
- $250 All new hoses, tubes, hose clamps for raw water cooling system
- $550 Mixing elbow for Yanmar diesel
- $1250 Heat Exchanger/Exhaust manifold for Yanmar diesel
- $99 Group 27 start battery from Yanmar
- $ 25 distilled water for batteries
- $100 propane for galley ($14 fillup every five months)
- $15 fuel filters for Yanmar
- $10 oil filter for Yanmar
- $30 oil for Yanmar (Two 150 hour changes)
- $25 waterproof switch for anchor wash down pump
- $25 replace various hose clamps that appear rusty or weak
- $35 replace shackles on heavy duty anchor snubber lines
- $45 replace shackles on 44# Bruce anchor chain
- $75 light weight snubber lines for anchor and thimbles
- $500 new halyards for main, genoa, spinnaker
- $ 5 gallon of Muriatic acid
- $50 replace lower forestay toggle due to long crack
- $5,800 new Hydranet Mainsail
- $350 repairs to Genoa
- $160 pay for inspection of standing rigging – all still perfect
- $60 Four bottles of R-134A refrigerant
- $10 various 12V light bulbs
- $25 10 and 5 micron pre-filters for watermaker
- $15 activated carbon filter for watermaker
- $475 rebuild 12-year old Spectra Clark Pump
- $250 new membrane for Spectra waterheater
- $25 various cleaners, brushes, sponges

The preceeding list does not contain the following ANNUAL expenses:
- $9,000 slip fees
- $1,250 insurance
- $820 property tax


When you add in those expenses the annual cost of owning our forty-foot cruiser in San Diego is about $15,570 or about $1,300 per month.

[a64pilot]

Tacoma,
Outstanding, thanks. One can assume your slip fees and the occasional Marina stay etc would be very similar, although of course the marina stays are under your control

[chuckr]

Take a look at our 5 years of cost of cruising. We do not break out the specifics as you may need but we break out boat supplies which includes disposable items such as wax, soap, ect., boat parts which are what the business world would call depreciable items, and of course boat upgrades are upgrades such as a new fuel tank, water maker, ais.

As for work done if foreign, wow - it really varies. In Cartegena Colombia we had a new cooler box put in our reefer that is 8x larger than what we had. The total cost was about 150-200 USD and that included 2 guys all day and refrigerant plus follow up. However, we had to get a new generator in Italy on our way south this year and had to have it flown in and it was $600 USD and that included overnight delivery. So it really varies where you are as to rates on parts and items. We had a new mainsail made and shipped from the UK to Croatia and it cost us about $3,700USD.

If you stay in the eastern Carib there are a couple of chain chandleries that have parts and you can shop between them to find what you want. In the western Caribbean it is much more difficult.

[a64pilot]

chuckr,
Where are your five yrs cost of cruising located?

Thanks

[skipmac]

Several if not all the categories will depend. For example, sails and standing rigging will depend on how much you sail and where. Figure min 5 years for rigging for a very active sailor in the tropics, up to 10-12 years for a dock queen in temperature areas.

Sails, 3-5 years up to 8-10 years.

For my 42' cutter all new standing rigging, chainplates to the masthead $3500 I do the installation.

New main and new 135 genoa, a bit over $3000 each.

Engine. Unless something breaks a couple hundred or so for filters, oil, belts, impellers, etc. With luck nothing big breaks for years. Same answer for autopilot. Good one should work trouble free for many years but if it conks out could be many hundreds to a thousand or more.

Plumbing. Zero unless a pump goes. Then $100-$200 for a pump.

Electrical. Same as plumbing, zero unless the charger or inverter or alternator or transformer blows up. Then get the checkbook.

Barring major accidents (losing the mast for example) the biggest unplanned expense would probably be a new engine. That could be $12-$25,000 depending on DIY vs yard and engine vs complete drive train. If just a transmission then 1/3-1/2 of that amount.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Another "how much does it cost thread", but this one is different. I don't care if you eat steak and lobster for breakfast and or wear Gucci clothes or not, this is how much money does it cost to maintain the boat indefinitely in a seaworthy condition, no crew expense here.
Maybe it should be broken into categories? Or maybe not I don't know

1. Hull / brightwork
2. Sails / rigging
3. Engine / drive train
4. plumbing
5. electrical / electronic / auto pilot etc.
6. fuel
7. upgrades, which ones and why
8. cost of clearing in, whatever taxes or fees etc.

Assuming all work done by the cruiser, except specialized work like machine shop etc. Although how much does it cost to farm out work like maybe brightwork / hull buffing and wax etc. would be helpful, as well as where in the world should you get this work done.

Even if it's just a "we budget $200 a month for maintenance and have always stayed within that budget" would be helpful.

Also do you have an oh sh** account to cover unplanned expenses, if so how big should it be? What was your biggest un-planned expense?

[sailorboy1]

The last 4 years of using my boat mostly on the weekends got 7 months has cost $10k/yr. Of that normally about $3k is just maintenance and upkeep (with me going all the labor). This of course doesn't even budget for big items like sails.

In my cruising budgeting $1k/mo goes to the boat maintenance/upkeep/upgrades/marina costs (even though in 6 years I've never been in a slip). If it is lower that is great, but I prefer to plan high and be wrong that plan low and be wrong.


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[a64pilot]

Yeah I'm starting to get the idea that for a 40 ish ft 20 yr old boat in good condition with almost all the systems less than three yrs old, that it would be prudent to put back 1 grand a month for maintenance, and have a 25K or so Oh Sh** fund, that is there to cover a dismasting, blown engine kind of emergency. Think of it as insurance.

I think the average cruising boat is a 35 to 45 ft boat, and is around 20 yrs old?

[StuM]

Your categories look like a good way of analysing the cost, but I would take fuel and clearing in out of there and make them separate budget categories. Unlike maintenance/upgrade costs which should be similar for similar boats, those items are more specific to where/how you cruise.

[thomm225]

Those numbers are ridiculous.

It kinda looks like you folks just like to spend lots of money on your boats.

One guy says he's spending 10k a year for weekend sailing. One guy has a new XM Radio Antenna on his list. One guy is concerned about brightwork. Funny stuff!

I sail my boat more than most around here and I have spent maybe $25.00 a trip.

I lost a tiller autopilot overboard so that was around $400.00.

I bought two more solar panels yet to be used for $80.00.

I usually have to buy a couple gallons of gas before each trip so that's maybe $6.00.

Then there's the beer, water, apples, pork and beans, bait for fresh fish, etc

That's about it.

[El Pinguino]

My list for the last 11 years.... 1986 built boat.

New Mainsail 2004 (10yo), New Genoa 2015 ( 20 yo but not much use in the last 10 years...totally burgered after the recent sopac crossing)
New dodger and sail cover twice (new in 2003....2009/2015).
All the rope and string and stuff involved with the rig at least twice.
Standing rigging new in 2003 replaced in 2013/14.
New lifelines 2006
Replace head gasket and bits on MD17D ( 2006)
General overhaul of engine, injectors twice, fuel pump once, lift pump twice, FW circ pump once ( long story which involved about 6 pumps in 6 months).
Impellors, shaft seals, filters etc etc etc.....
New pressure FW pump.
New batts twice ( wet cell trojans ).
New stove in 2014 to replace 1994 one.
Rebuild windlass ( muir..electric ... new 2003... replaced original Vetus manual one) once
Re-galvanize chain once
New dock lines at least twice. Fenders almost due for replacement.
All instruments ( Stowe 1984) replaced in 2013 when the last one died.
New control head for Raymarine Autopilot 2008.
New course computer ( Raymarine) in 2004 to replace original.
New shipboard PC 2008, new led screen for same 2012.
Usual haulout and antifouling costs.

Now however at 28 years of age she is under going her half life refit... Hot-Vac treatment of osmosis (about $28k NZ ), paint topsides, new treadmaster on deck, drop keel , blast and refit, .... and assorted other stuff some of which is mentioned above....

Best you set up a 'sinking fund' so you can pay for the big ticket items 10 years down the track.. or use the money to replace her with a newer boat.....

[thomm225]

It's all about what makes you feel good and comfortable.

Some folks like to spend a lot on their boats, and it makes them happy. That's great.

Others do the same with less and sometimes live a more healthy lifestyle besides while sailing longer distances for a very few dollars:

Example:

$1,000.00 boat plus fix-up costs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lwbHYOFD-4

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by thomm225

It's all about what makes you feel good and comfortable.

I feel good and comfortable when I have fixed or replaced broken and worn out stuff.

[panfiltp]

I have a 1988 Island Packet 27 in a marina on the northern Chesapeake Bay. I've owned it for 7 years. It was in fair to good condition when purchased (good survey and very sailable). I spend $3000/yr on slip fees including winter storage. I spend another $700/year on the bare maintenance items (zincs, oil, filters, paints etc). I also have averaged $2000/yr on major maintenance items and upgrades. I've yet to buy new sails or batteries.

Hope this helps,
Tom


Ps: I do not include diesel fuel or food in these costs. Also I do all the work myself. Major upgrades included: 200 watts solar, Engel fridge, and 120VAC air conditioner.

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[thomm225]

Originally Posted by panfiltp

I have a 1988 Island Packet 27 in a marina on the northern Chesapeake Bay. I've owned it for 7 years. It was in fair to good condition when purchased (good survey and very sailable). I spend $3000/yr on slip fees including winter storage. I spend another $700/year on the bare maintenance items (zincs, oil, filters, paints etc). I also have averaged $2000/yr on major maintenance items and upgrades. I've yet to buy new sails or batteries.

Hope this helps,
Tom


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Hey Thanks, but I don't need too much help. I did once though.

I bought my first boat (motor and trailer) for $300.00 in Wachapreague, VA. (seaside) It was a 16' Chincoteague Scow. (plywood hull) Some kid mentioned the three R's on the way to buying it. He said it might come in handy. (I borrowed $150.00 from my brother yet to be paid back but don't remind him!)

I immediately took it to the water. (Pungoteague Creek, bayside) The trailer rim disintegrated on the way there but we (my brother and I) "borrowed" another one.

That was in 1972. I finally did motor over to Tangier on my 3rd boat (bought the same year). It was a 14' aluminum with a 25 Evinrude.

Yep, we came out of Onancock Creek (with only 6 beers) with 2' of boat touching the water and cruised over to the wrecks near Tangier and caught a few trout.

I'm sure though up there where you are conditions are so tough you gotta spend tons on your boats. Different Chesapeake right? What is it half as wide up there?

Btw, one of the kids I grew up with had a Dad that was a watermen (crabs/oysters). Many of the kids actually. Anyway, he ran his boat with a Brigs and Stratton engine maybe 5 hp. I'll never forget it. I was amazed even as a kid.

These ole boys were on the bay back then almost everyday of the year.