Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[NorthPacific]

probably about 600 miles north and about 1100 driving miles. But if we have achance may head south this summer. Couple of stores in Vancouver and Sydney on the Island but all a bit of a trek. Does this store in Bellingham have a website?

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

. . . This thread has long surpassed the actual '$500 a month' topic it was intended for. But, it still makes a good place to talk about being cheap and thrifty, and I think we should at least attempt to keep the topic leaning towards minimalism and extremely low budgeteering.
(and I think we've done that fairly well so far, considering...)

I concur that this thread has covered the basics of what is necessary to cruise on a micro-minimalist budget arbitrarily set at $500 per month. In this age of 2012 US$500 is only Eur 392, GBP 326 and AUS $484. Living anywhere on that amount for 30 or 31 days is a real feat.

Staying on topic is never easy in any forum, but CF has been pretty good at self-correcting back to topic. Those who shout - well, I will post whatever I damn well please, or words to that thought would probably be a lot happier over on Sailing Anarchy or Lat & Atts.

Trying to stay on topic is very difficult especially with some juicy one-liners that manage to sneak in a post now and then.

But anyway to get back on-topic, the new direction of suggesting places where supplies and boat parts can be found so that you do not pay "retail" for stuff is refreshing.

In Florida each year there are numerous Nautical Flea Markets where "old boaters" sell their stuff for pennies on the dollar. The Dania Beach Marine Flea Market in March is one of the "biggies"- see: Dania Beach Marine Flea Market - The #1 Marine Flea Market In The World!

Usually with the fall and spring boat shows there are side areas with small marine flea markets.

Then just about every major city in Florida on each coast has used marine parts stores where you can find everything from winches to MSDs to pumps and sail hardware. One of the biggest is Sailorman on State Road 84 in Ft Lauderdale - see: Marine Supplies and Equipment | Boat Supplies | Marine Store

They are kinda like "pawn shops" for boaters. Folks bring in their old stuff and try to turn it into cash. If you spend some time asking around I am sure you will find such stores in just about every town/city with a boating population.

[44'cruisingcat]

Don't know if they are global, but most aus towns have "Tip shops" - local council garbage tips sell "good" stuff people have thrown out. You actually can find some boat gear at very good prices in these. Rope, shackles, etc.

[MacG]

There are - here and there in Holland such shops. I know one in Sneek, there is one in Vinkeveen albeit not the cheapest, Eemnes, Enkhuizen knows a real scrapyard where they sell everything worthwhile to save and then we have the websites like "Marktplaats" with a submarket for boats and pieces.
This one is my main supplyer as Marktplaats is something comparable with "Craigslist" - and a very good sort for all kinds of equipment.

Infrastructure at other places makes such a system unworkable because of tremendous distances and a slow working (if at all) postal system. When I buy and pay in Holland, mostly the next day or at the latest the day after the goods arrive.

[NorthPacific]

Once every few years I get to spend an hour or 2 in the one Sail junk shop I know. Could spend 2 days. Problem is what I want got sold the day before or will arrive the day after I leave. I really do live along way away from the big city.

Ebay is the modern junk shop and I have used it and this forum to buy the gear I need to go away for 10 years. One way I have figured to save money, is not to buy a new main sail. Mine is getting old, it was getting old 15 years ago when I bought the boat. So my logic is that if I buy a 12 year old Sail in OK condition it should last a few years. when it blows out I have my old one to fall back on.

Thinking

[MacG]

Although Marktplaats is an ebay company (now) ebay itself is not popular among our sailors. It doesn't work and lacks the simplicity of Marktplaats.
People in Holland put their excess stuff on Marktplaats, not on ebay. One of the commercial reasons ebay bought Marktplaats.

[NorthPacific]

I am Canadian Mac so your Plaats would not do me much good. Would it?

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

. . . One way I have figured to save money, is not to buy a new main sail. Mine is getting old, it was getting old 15 years ago when I bought the boat. So my logic is that if I buy a 12 year old Sail in OK condition it should last a few years. when it blows out I have my old one to fall back on.
Thinking

If you Google "used sails for sailboats" you will get a lot of listings of places that have/sell used sails. One of the best known is Atlantic Sail Traders - see: Atlantic Sail Traders - Used sails, New sails, Sail Broker

On the Left coast of the USA there is: MINNEY'S YACHT SURPLUS - WE MAKE BOATING AFFORDABLE

[boatman61]

Don't know if it still happens as I've not wintered in the Med since the 90's but most Marina's used to have a cruiser arranged 'Locker Sale'... on the designated day everyone who had something to sell loaded it onto the space by their boat and one could wander from boat to boat...
I loved boat jumbles... kept me going more than once... buy here .. sell there.. or the following winter..lol

[MacG]

I got my complete VDO windset today - 400 Euro' s for the mastheadunit plus the three displays: Close Haul, Windspeed & Winddirection. Ideal for nightsailing. Another item from the list. Next month I hope to be throug everything.

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Don't know if it still happens as I've not wintered in the Med since the 90's but most Marina's used to have a cruiser arranged 'Locker Sale'... on the designated day everyone who had something to sell loaded it onto the space by their boat and one could wander from boat to boat...
I loved boat jumbles... kept me going more than once... buy here .. sell there.. or the following winter..lol

That's a good idea for anyone in a marina. Just find a few things you want to get rid of, then try to organize a dock sale with everyone else

[zeehag]

here in mazatlan, there is a swap meet every other saturday and sometimes there is actually some goooood stuff--like th e bronze horned hawse i found..LOL.. perfect for my formosa-- and the.....


there are many more places than ebay for cheap stuff-- ebay isnt available in mexico without a usa fone number. craigs list is difficult here.
BUT
there are boat dismantlers and they sell stuff cheap. local facilitators, as i call em, have many items for sale from these dismantled boats--is easier to dismantle and sink an abandoned boat than to sell it sometimes. it takes many years to sort papers on an abandoned boat in mexico. but it is done and do able. just find the facilitator.
as far as selling your stuff in a foreign port--is often disallowed to do so -- like in mexico-- but is done. listen to your cruisers net for info.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by zeehag

here in mazatlan, there is a swap meet every other saturday and sometimes there is actually some goooood stuff--like th e bronze horned hawse i found..LOL.. perfect for my formosa-- and the.....


there are many more places than ebay for cheap stuff-- ebay isnt available in mexico without a usa fone number. craigs list is difficult here.
BUT
there are boat dismantlers and they sell stuff cheap. local facilitators, as i call em, have many items for sale from these dismantled boats--is easier to dismantle and sink an abandoned boat than to sell it sometimes. it takes many years to sort papers on an abandoned boat in mexico. but it is done and do able. just find the facilitator.
as far as selling your stuff in a foreign port--is often disallowed to do so -- like in mexico-- but is done. listen to your cruisers net for info.

In 2008 I started a used clothing store in central Mexico after one year I had 3 stores and all I did wa take the merch. down to Zac. Mex and my partners did the rest.Everything was going good until one day I showup at the border and was told I could not do it anymore...Now the largest used clothing store in mex. is owned by a former Presidents brother...Nafta doesent seem to work both ways...It is tough to sell used stuff in Mex . and for Americans it is illegal to bring it in for that purpose...If you take used stuff in now it has to be a gift for someone and it has to have their name and address written on it ...DVC

[MacG]

With all the Hurricanes, tornado' s and whatever what, I can understand that it is not so difficult to find 2nd hand stuff.
Although I can still save a wee bit the gap between 2nd hand and new becomes thinner and thinner.
The 400 E I laid down for the windset could have bought me a brand new Nasa Clipperset.
But no VDO quality of course.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

In 2008 I started a used clothing store in central Mexico after one year I had 3 stores and all I did wa take the merch. down to Zac. Mex and my partners did the rest.Everything was going good until one day I showup at the border and was told I could not do it anymore...Now the largest used clothing store in mex. is owned by a former Presidents brother...Nafta doesent seem to work both ways...It is tough to sell used stuff in Mex . and for Americans it is illegal to bring it in for that purpose...If you take used stuff in now it has to be a gift for someone and it has to have their name and address written on it ...DVC

i hear it helps to have a temp import permit for boat so parts and items new and used can be transported/received for boat.