Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[goprisko]

Yacht Clubs
Actually Yacht Clubs can serve the budget cruiser...

Most clubs are actively seeking new members, and virtually all know that young people
are always strapped for cash.

While the docks are out of reach for someone on this budget, many clubs offer moorings to members and visitors at about 10% of the cost of a slip. Many of these same clubs offer launch service to those using moorings, and permit boats on moorings to go to a "loading dock" for a short time, generally a few hours at most, to get fuel, water, and load guests and stores.

There are clubs for the wealthy, The New York, Chicago, and Golden Gate come to mind... apparently the St. Francis too. But during races, everyone comes, prices are moderated, and the nearby mooring space is full. So, choose one catering to those on a budget... the Michigan City Club, the Indiana Harbor Club... if you live near Chicago.. The Edison NJ club if you are in the NYC area...

Regarding Free medical care in Martinique, it is part of France, it is on the French system... If you have a serious trauma problem, it is very likely you will be treated, but if you are thinking of a heart transplant, forget it...

I just checked the Budget marine catalog regarding anchors...

But first why 44# bowers for a 30-34 ft boat... the smaller ones have proven over the years to be too light to go down to seabed in the presence of turtle grass and kelp.

The recommendation on the kedges is for the same reason,, the lighter anchors don't reliably go down and into the bottom if there is grass or kelp present.

2 bowers... $ 280

2 Kedges $ 260

70# Luke 3 piece anchor $748

250 ft of 5/16" hightest chain $1500

I know for a fact that if you shop around.... especially for the chain and buy a barrel of it direct, you can beat the Budget marine price by a mile.

You can also shop flea markets, and used marine gear outlets and beat their price on the danforths.

Since the patent ran out... it is quite likely you can shop around and beat their price on the Bowers....

Which brings to mind.... since you are still connected via the internet and landline telephone and are located in CONUS ... you can do these and other deals... saving big bucks... which you can't do out here in the islands... don't think so...

Well, here's the story about my aluminum primer from Sherwin Williams....

A month ago, I ordered 2 gallons of their Seaguard MP epoxy aluminum primer, and 2 gallons of their Seaguard 5000 HS epoxy primer because the delivered price was $60 per gallon, which is cheap for this kind of paint. The MP came in, but they won't deliver it because the other didn't.. We are scheduled to leave shortly for downisland to haulout... I called the VP of sales last week about this... yes, the VP... in Cleveland...

Regarding the wanna be who asks if he really can go budget cruising... that's what this thread is all about... but I'm not going to respond to general questions... make a specific one... Before you do that go back to my post regarding priorities...

HULL DECK RIG FIRST!!!!!!!!

Get a budget together.... yes a budget.... know how much you can spend to outfit the boat.... PRIORITIZE !!! Know where you want to go... about how long it will take... and BUDGET to estimate how much money you need to do the trip...

If that means you don't fix the engine... you don't fix the engine...

If that means you don't fix the head... you get and install a bucket..

If that means you don't have money for an outboard... you row...

If that means you don't have money for redoing the plumbing... you put your water in jerricans... wash dishes in a dishpan... keep things cold using ice in a cooler...

But...

You must have a cooker...
You must have sound sails
You must be able to navigate
You must be able to anchor

INDY

[goprisko]

Essentials....
Essentials include the following....

Mandated safety equipment..

For US Yachts - (8M-12M in Length)
Personal protection equipment.
1. One Canadian-approved personal flotation device or lifejacket of appropriate size for each person on board.
2. One buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length
3. One approved life buoy with an outside diameter of 610 mm or 762 mm that is attached to a buoyant line of not less than 15 m in length.
4. A re-boarding device if the freeboard of the vessel is greater than 0.5 m.

Boat safety equipment.
5. One manual propelling device OR an anchor with not less than 15 m of cable, rope or chain in any combination.
6. One bailer
7. One manual water pump fitted with or accompanied by sufficient hose to enable a person using the pump-to-pump water from the bilge of the vessel over the side of the vessel.
8. One Class 10BC fire extinguisher, if the pleasure craft is a power driven vessel, plus another class 10BC fire extinguisher if the pleasure craft is equipped with a fuel burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance.

Distress equipment.
9. A watertight flashlight
*10. 12 Canadian approved flares of type A, B, C or D, not more than 6 of which are of type D.
*Exempt from carrying pyrotechnic distress signals if:
Operating in a river, canal or lake in which it can at no time be more than one mile from shore;
OR
Engaged in an official competition or in final preparation for an official competition and has no sleeping arrangements.

Navigation equipment.

11. A sound signaling device or a sound signaling appliance.
12. Navigation lights that meet the applicable standards set out in the Collision Regulations.

For most of us this means the following
1 PFD per person
1 throwable PFD with an attached floating line (LifeSling0
Horn
Bell
Anchor and chain
Flashlight
12 Flares
Bailer or bilge pump
2 Fire Extinguishers
Boarding Ladder

These Items you must carry and make allowance for in your budget...

Some things to save money....

The horn can be mouth driven ... this means that a trumpet, bugle, conch shell, or other manual horn suffices...

The boarding ladder can be home made..

The flares can be of any type and very pistol flares are cheapest and last longest..

Extras to consider.....

406 Mhz EPIRB
Smoke signals
Parachute flares
Hand held VHF or VHF
an extra fire extinguisher...

The highest risk of fire aboard is from the cooker... it is essential that sufficient apparatus be available to counter such fires... It is also essential that a fuel shutoff valve be located OUTSIDE THE GALLEY to permit it's shutoff in the event of fire.

One extinguisher should be adjacent to the forward cabin.. it may be necessary to fight the fire from there, to retreat to there, or simply to suppress the fire sufficiently to clamber through the hatch t oexcape.

One extinguisher should be adjacent to the galley.. to permit immediate suppression of fires there.

One extinguisher should be adjacent to the cockpit to permit fighting galley or engine fires.

A fuel shut off for engine fuel should be located outside the engine room to permit closure in the event of and engine fire.

At no time should a fuel tank be installed in the engine room above the engine... this is asking for trouble..

Suitable fire extinguishers are available at CostULess for $25 each... they are cheap insurance..


INDY

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by tager

Maybe the guy is off his rocker, but that doesn't mean you need to go ad hominem on his argument. The point is that it is entirely possible to cruise on $500 per month. I absolutely guarantee that I could do so and have a great time on my Haida 26', it has standing headroom and is a proven offshore design.

Annual budget: $6000

Clothes: $200
Medical: $400
Food: $2300
Fuel: $200
Haulout: $300
Antifouling Paint: $100
Rollers and brushes: $20
Drop Cloth and masking tape: $20
Running rigging: $100
Standing Rigging: $100
New Sails: $500
Outboard: $100
GPS: $50
Electrical System: $100
Moorage: $460

I feel that each of these budgets is realistic for a 26' in good condition operating in Puget Sound.

It would allow me to replace my sails at reasonable intervals, one new mainsail every 3 years. Or a new headsail every 2. Used sails, junk rigs, or sailrite sails could stretch the budget even more.

I would be able to motor a reasonable amount. Approximately 50 gallons at todays prices, which is around 60 hours at 4 knots in my boat. 240 nautical miles. If I sail 240 days of the year while cruising, then I get to motor one mile per day. A pair of sweeps may be an alternative, but would be the cause of many days of waiting, begging for tows, and unnecessary suffering and embarassment.

At $200 a year for clothes I would look like a pauper, but I would still be dry and warm. That is only ~17 per month.

Medical at $400 would not be a stretch for a healthy 22 year old male who has no health conditions and takes no medicine. That's me.

Food, the more you spend on it the less you will spend on medical care!

Moorage at $460 would get you annual moorage at some seriously cheap marinas, but would be better spent on the occasional docking with 110v and running water.

A new GPS unit every 2 or 3 years.

With a $100 electrical budget you could afford one new thing for the electrical per year. One new battery or a new VHF or a new solar panel or some new LED nav lights.

I am sure there are a few things I have looked over, but I feel I have demonstrated that with an able person on a 26' boat you could cruise on $500 a month.

If you were to choose a 23' you may be able to do even better. I don't think the engineless thing is really realistic in todays times, with really great seamanship it is possible, but running channels, entering harbors, and locking through would all require quite a bit of ingenuity.

Thank you,

INDY

[goprisko]

Medical Insurance
When I left the US in 97, I subscribed to the PADI travel insurance Platinum Plan. at that time $200 covered me world wide for a year, I just looked and can't find this plan online, but did get two independent quotes for two people at $1200 per year..

I said long ago that I needed treatment for an infected coral cut in NEW CALEDONIA, in 2003 and at that time there was no payment mechanism at the clinic I visited... I also needed treatment for kidney failure in China in 2003 which cost USD$125.

I was asked if this meant Clyde could go to Martinique and get free treatment for an unknown condition. I asked Clyde to state his problem, his location, and his nationality which apparently created quite a stir...

Given a name of Clyde, is he perhaps a Brit? If so why doesn't he go to a UK territory where he can use his own country's social medicine scheme? Is Clyde in the Atlantic basin? If not, why not go to RSA? Namibia? Spain? or another venue much closer??

This thread is focused on minimalist cruising on boats having displacements between 5-9 tons.

In no case did I recommend removal of a working roller furling system.. and the decision to keep one must consider the costs of maintaining one..

But I will recommend you budget $1200 while preparing to go and put that sum in your health insurance fund... to pay expenses along the way...
And...

I will remind US citizens that Medicare does not cover them overseas.. if they expect to use that or another US scheme, they will need travel insurance with a repatriation feature.

As for things I recommend you add beyond the bare essentials...

Snorkeling gear tops my list...
I am specifically recommending you get a good outfit including mask, fins, and snorkel..
I just cleaned the bottom of Pegasus that way, and we are going down island for our first haulout since HongKong in 2005. Our SeaHawk bottom paint is still working where it still covers the bottom, and the rest we scrape off using a drywall knife.. you may want one of those too...

Exactly where I am going is no secret... I am going to cruise the west indies in Pegasus.. on a minimalist budget.. as I have been doing since 92...because I knew when enough was enough...

If you want roller furling, a water maker, refrigeration, an engine, solar panels, a wind vane, SSB radio, computers. pressure water, a washing machine, microwave, and other items by all means have them... and if like my friend at the Ft. Lauderdale YC, you set the condition that you cannot set off across the Gulf Stream unless all are working.... and try as you might one or another fails just before departure.. you too can consider buying a slip at Las Olas...

But....

If you want to go .... NOW.... and have limited means... PRIORITIZE !!!

KISS your boat...!!! and go!!!

Regarding GPS and electronic charts... GPS is a wonderful thing... until the US begins it's attack of Iran and shuts it off.. or.. it fails.. then what??/

Electronic charts are a wonderful thing... a complex thing... requiring faultless transliteration of the data in the original paper chart onto a computer matrix...and a computer... that works... which requires a house electrical system.. and means to charge it...

So...

Computer $ 650
Batteries $ 1000
Wiring $ 1000
Engine with alternator $5000
OR
Generator $4500
OR
Solar Panels $1200
Wind Turbine $1500

Charting Program $1000
Charts $ 1200
TOTAL $ 7500 - $10,000

Paper Chart Copies for a cruise from Florida to NZ...
BA charts for Bahamas $ 150 OR Explorer Charts $150
DR $ 79
PR and USVI $ 173
West Indies $163
Spanish Main $ 322
Galapagos - $ 32 (BA Chart)
Coasts of Colombia and Ecuador $ 119
Polynesia $ 178
Vanuatu to NZ $302
TOTAL $ 1518

IF you add the cruising guides as follows:
On and Off the Beaten Path
The Exeuma Guide
Cruising Guide to the Caribbean
Yachtsmans Guide to the Virgin Islands
Guide to the Leewards
Guide to the Windwards
Guide to Trinidad and Tobago
Guide to Venezuela
Guide to Panama
Guide to the Societies
Guide to Fiji
Guide to NZ
Adds about $250

Toss in the radio signals pub, the tide tables, the 4 BA pilots covering the route
Adds about $ 250 more

TOTAL $ 2000

AND...

IF you get the chart indicies for the US and BA.. and choose carefully you can halve the chart inventory and bring the total down to $1200..

SO..

If you want to go NOW... and must budget... and can get over your pride...

PRIORITIZE!

Treat your funds like precious GOLD... spend them on essentials FIRST !!

Go on short cruises thus equipped... add judiciously...

BUY ONLY WHAT YOU FIND ESSENTIAL !!!

KEEP THE REST FOR YOUR CRUISING EXPENSES !!!!

INDY

[Doodles]

Anybody read Dave & Jaja Martin's book about what they had on their Cal 25 when they first circumnavigated? Not 90% of what's being suggested as "essential" here. Its about a mind-set, not lists to be checked off.

[MarkJ]

16 posts in 35 minutes goprisko. Thats a Cruisers Forum record!!!!

And only one response. I think thats a record too.

Wait a moment. This response is a response so thats 2 responses... still a record, though.

[Blue Crab]

Most of these posts are retreads as well. What's up with that?

[Surveyor]

Some people post ******** just so they can see their own thoughts in print I think. I am ****in tired of and have lost all respect for the hecklers in this thread.

I would like to thank Goprisko for taking time to provide some very good ideas and a ton of information to those who wish to learn to sail for less. Not everyone has a monthly dividend or mommy and daddy to support them. There are alot people who do appreciate this thread even if $500/month is not their cup of tea, just look at the number of views. Although I would say that 1/2 of the responses are made by the same 4 or 5 people who are totally dead set upon ruining any enjoyment that this thread might offer to others.

[goprisko]

I'm always intrigued about cruising costs. I think it's possible to develop a budget but there are variables, such as:

1. Where are you cruising/anchoring/swallowing the hook? There are cheap places and outrageously expensive places to drop the hook (if you can).
2. Are you going across the pond or down the chain to the next island/marina/anchorage/gunk hole?
3. Are you prepared to pay the fees to visit new places? Some countries have higher entry and exit fees than others.
4. What are your eating habits? Do you enjoy eating simply, like/have a talent for fishing, enjoy eating local foods or using local foods in new and interesting ways. Do you know what the bargains are in your current location - and what to avoid?
5. Do you have skills that can offset professional services? Maintenance done by you is going to be cheaper than hiring someone (and sometimes better quality). Do you have the proper tools to do most of the tasks?
6. Do you carry boat and medical insurance? These two items can significantly affect your cruising budget.
7. How active are you when at an anchorage? Some folks like to poke around in the tender, others take tours, go for walks, or dive.
8. How big is your boat? The larger the vessel the higher the costs, whether monthly or yearly.
9. Did you go KISS or bring the kitchen sink? It should come as no surprise that simpler vessels have far cheaper monthly costs (Lin & Larry Pardy have proven that).
10. Can you pass on the annual/semiannual visits home? Some folks have to go home for a variety of reasons.
11. Are you easily (and cheaply) amused? Is your idea of a great day reading a book, snorkeling, cooking a great meal, fishing, or listening to music?
12. How self sufficient are you? Do you have a water catchment system for those rainy days? Can you lug water/fuel in 5-gallon jugs from the source to the boat? Can you live within your vessel's power limitations and still have a good time?

While I had a budget in mind, I was amazed how different the proposed expenses were compared to actual. I knew that feeding a family of 4 isn't twice the cost of feeding 2, it is more expensive. However, they use lots more water, 12V power, and seem to be in the fridge all the time. And having good fishing skills, enjoying the challenge of cooking local foods, or being handy doesn't add diesel to the tank, repair that leaking sea cock, or buy another fuel filter because the diesel you got in the last part was mostly diesel.

Overall, I'd tend to think that $500/mo/person is low. That number may have had more credence in 2000, but not 2010. I'd be pleased to get by on $600-750/mo/person. You might get away with $1200/mo/couple, if you're happy being on board, not attending all the pot lucks, not being sun-downer central, or not buying souvenirs, dinners, or drinks ashore.

One gotcha, based on personal experience, is don't think that if you're ahead for the quarter, you can splurge the next. I did that once to find out that after my raw water pump died, getting what would have been a $150 part cost me $470 and 4 weeks.

But we need some kind of idea, don't we. So, I'd suggest the following:
1. When on the boat, keep track of _every_ expense.
2. Keep a detailed record of maintenance costs.
3. Understand that a weekend aboard will probably bear no resemblance to a month aboard, cruising, and visiting different ports/countries.
4. A month's receipts have no correlation to a year's receipts.
5. Take the annual maintenance expenses (zincs, bottom paint, hull cleaning, propane, oil, filters, life raft inspections, fire extinguisher checks/replacements, safety items, etc.) and divide that by 10, not 12.
6. Don't forget that things break, including you. Boat bites, cuts, scratches, medical problems and the like need attention.
7. You might think that the first year cruising will be the cheapest but I found out it was the 2nd and 3rd that was far more realistic. It took time for me to adjust to the cruising lifestyle, develop good habits, and stick to the budget. Planning ahead is nice but there are times when it's an exercise if futility or aggravation. I learned what items seemed to wear out the fastest (raw water impellers, fresh water pump rebuild kits and motors, head parts, etc.) and which ones seemed to last forever. I adjusted my inventory to carry more of those spares rather than others.

Finally, not having a budget shouldn't prevent or deter you from cruising. Cruising costs what it costs. You should have a rough idea but be prepared to modify your expectations and life style to align the two. Spending more than you make may be common for governments but the rest of us have learned to live within our means. Cruising is worth the uncertainty.
__________________
Capt. Douglas Abbott
USCG/MCA IV/M.I./C.I. 500-ton Oceans

Thank you very much for these cogent thoughts,

INDY

[goprisko]

The point of this thread is to focus upon the essential functions required of both the ship and the crew thereof, with the goal of minimizing the monthly sum required to keep the ship running and the crew functioning.

I hope we will see more experienced people coming forward with ideas they yave used to minimize expenses.. in that light a few of mine...

1. Make a rain catching awning.. we have two.. one goes from the mast aft to the back stays, and the other goes from the mast forward to the staysail stay... in most places we get most of our fresh water this way... other boats I know, plug the scuppers and open the deck plates to fill their tanks...

2. Make your own sails, dodger, weather cloths, courtesy flags. The materials cost far less than the completed items..

3. Do your own engine maintenance, including starter, alternator, and pump repair. You will know that the job was done right and it is far cheaper..

4. Paint your boat yourself... both topsides and bottom...

5. Dry out against a wall and paint between tides... done in NZ all the time.. Hiscock wrote about such a party on a cruise in Dyarchy.

6. Bake your own bread..

7. Use lentils, peas, and beans instead of meat.

8. Entertain aboard... invite your cruising neighbors over for a gam and potluck.. much cheaper than a restaurant.. we did that last night !!

9. Consider engineless cruising... think of the Canadian boat that sailed from Vancouver to BoraBora direct.. they prided themselves on not using the engine at all at sea... unfortunately, water made it over the gooseneck of their exhaust and into the cylinders, so what arrived in BoraBora was a block of rust.. ruined.. Had they added sufficient skill to tack into and through the pass and into the lagoon, they could have saved the cost of the original engine, and the replacement..

10. Get a sailing dink.. build it yourself... make the mast and boom yourself.. the sail too.. greatly extends your cruising range...uses no fuel..

Regarding the Med... We now live and cruise in the Virgin Islands... yet we have found places to anchor, free water taps, and public transport... you simply must look.. ditto for the Med... As I suggested earlier, join a YC at home that has recip privileges in the places you want to go... Sorry to say, that none of the UK, EU folk have made any suggestions in this regard... The Pardeys made a point in their book that the UK cruising club made excellent guides which showed the anchorages, including the free ones.... You need something like this to get away from the madding crowd.... to places just as nice.. but seldom visited... and cheaper..

INDY

[goprisko]

Please examine the attached photos showing corrosion of keel bolts and propellor shafts

INDY

[goprisko]

So lets reprise:

The budget minded guy must look for a classic boat of 5-8 tons displacement with an OAL between 28-34 ft.
Given this person has a budget of < $25 k for the boat and ~ $ 10 K for outfitting the boat, the following boats come to mind:

Southern Cross 31
Oday 34
NorthEaster 32
Pearson Vanguard.

All these boats were built during the 70s and 80s, thus they are 30-40 years old.

Since they are so old, the buyer must assume all the fastenings, thruhulls, seacocks, and deck fittings are that old, and need replacement or refurbishment. This is the price for a cheap boat. Because they were built before the resin formulations were changed, they don't have blister problems.. this is an important plus.

To help you deal with outfitting this sort of boat, I posted the following:
Am I ready Checklist

If you can answer YES to every item on this list, your boat is ready to go cruising and so are you…

Am I ready Checklist

If you can answer YES to every item on this list, your boat is ready to go cruising and so are you…
Hull:

All through hulls removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, and rebidded
Rudder removed, all bearings inspected , replaced as necessary and rebidded and refastened
All sea cocks removed, inspected, replaced or lubricated as necessary, rebidded and refastened.
Cutlass Bearing replaced and rebidded.
Stuffing box removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, repacked with Teflon packing, reinstalled with new hose and hose clamps.
Propellor shaft removed, inspected, replaced, and aligned as necessary.
Propellor removed, inspected and replaced as necessary.
Mast step inspected, and refurbished as necessary.
Bonding straps inspected and replaced as necessary, with all connections refurbished.
Keel bolts if present removed and replaced with new ones properly bedded.
Bulkheads inspected to ensure all are properly bonded to the hull, and rebonded as necessary..
Hull deck joint refastened and rebedded or sealed with multiple layers of GRP tape.
DECK:

Hull deck joint refastened and rebedded or sealed with multiple layers of GRP tape.
All stanchion bases, including those for the pulpits and pushpits, removed, inspected, and rebedded and refastened to foundations rebuilt as necessary so the core in cored decks is hardwood, and the fastenings go entirely through the deck and into backing plates at least as large as the bases themselves.
All cleats removed, refastened and rebedded.
All portlights removed, refastened and rebedded.
All hatches removed, refastened and rebedded.
All track removed, refastened, and rebedded.
All winches removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
All hinges and other deck hardware not mentioned before, removed, replaced as necessary, refastened and rebedded.
MAST:

All cleats removed, refastened and rebedded.
All wiring removed, and replaced.
All Mast steps removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, rebedded and refastened.
All tracks removed, refastened, and rebedded.
All winches removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
All tangs removed, refastened and rebedded.
All spreaders removed, refastened, and rebedded.
All lights removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
Gooseneck, disassembled, inspected for wear and serviced or replaced as necessary.
BOOM:

All cleats removed, refastened and rebedded.
All tracks removed, refastened, and rebedded.
All winches removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
All tangs removed, refastened and rebedded.
STANDING RIGGING:

All wire older than 10 years reterminated or replaced.
Bobstay if present, replaced.
All rigging pins older than 10 years, replaced.
All rigging screws of closed type, or of stainless construction replaced with open barrel bronze screws.
All toggles, shackles, link pins, link plates, diamond plates, and other rigging hardware, removed, inspected, and replaced as necessary, with all pins or bolts replaced outright.
All tangs removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, rebedded and refastened.
All chainplates removed, inspected, replaced as necessary, rebedded and refastened.

Running Rigging:

All halyards and sheets which show hardening from the sun replaced.
All blocks removed, serviced as necessary, and or replaced, including masthead sheaves…
All winches removed, serviced, refastened, and rebedded.
ANCHOR:
Chain regalvanized, and end for ended as necessary, or replaced as necessary.
Pawl installed or serviced.
Anchor chock modified so it is closed, or can be closed.
Anchor roller removed, inspected, refastened and rebedded as necessary.
Spare anchors properly chocked on deck and below.
SAILS:

All sails opened, inspected, replaced if they fail the poke test, restitched, patched, and cleaned as necessary.
All sails set to verify sheet leads and fit.
RUDDER:

Rudder removed, bearings, or gudgeons and pintles, removed, inspected rebedded, and replaced as necessary.
Cable for cable steering replaced.
Tiller removed, inspected, and replaced as necessary. Spare tiller stowed together with spare tiller fitting for rudder stock.
Hydraulic steering inspected for leaks, which are fixed, generally via replacement of defective components. Cylinder rebuilt. Helm pump rebuilt, control valves removed, inspected and refurbished or replaced as necessary..
GALLEY:

Cooker opened, inspected and defective parts replaced as necessary.
Sink, removed, inspected for excessive thinning due to corrosion, replaced as necessary, rebedded and refastened.
All plumbing replaced with new.
All pumps removed, inspected, and refurbished or replaced as necessary.
Insulative capacity of ice box or refrigerator assessed via the ice block test, with insulation replaced if test fails
Refrigeration system inspected, checked for leaks, and refurbished as necessary.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE EQUIPMENT:

Fire extinguishers serviced and mounted in strategic locations.
Flares examined, and sufficient purchased which are in date, to meet regs.
PFDs inspected and sufficient maintained aboard to provide each crew member with a serviceable unit.
All PFDs equipped with strobes, and whistle
Bosn’s chair inspected and refurbished as necessary.
Safety harnesses, inspected and refurbished as necessary.
Throwable PFD, (horseshoe ring, lifering, lifesling) inspected, strobe verified as working, line verified to be in good condition, and mounting verified to be solid and to permit rapid access and deployment.
ENGINE:

All zincs removed, inspected, and replaced as necessary.
Impellor replaced.
Oil changed.
Compression checked, and engine problems assessed; if check fails, defective items refurbished as needed.
Injectors refurbished.
Inspect engine mounts, refurbish or replaced as necessary.
Injection pump refurbished as necessary
GEARBOX:

Oil changed.
Operation checked, with special emphasis on slippage, if found, replace clutches.
If leaks are found, replace seals.
If rear seal leaks, suspect improper shaft alignment.
Align propeller shaft.
Navigation:

Navigation skills appropriate for the voyage have been acquired via coursework or self study, including coastwise piloting, dead reckoning, speed estimation, deck log entries, celestial navigation, weather prediction, and tide and current prediction.
Pilots and pubs covering the area to be cruised are aboard, including:
BA pilots covering the area, cruising guides covering the area.
Admiralty List of Radio Signals(Vol 3(2) for the Americas for met broadcasts
Admiralty Light List for the area
Admiralty tide tables for the area.
Nautical Almanac covering the time of the cruise
Charts or facsimiles thereof covering the area to be cruised.
Duttons or Bowditch
Plotting sheets
Weems Plotter
Dividers
Pencils
Pens
Log book
Hand held VHF or VHF
Grundig or similar HF receiver.
SPARES:

Sufficient spare parts are aboard to maintain the critical systems of the ship at sea, including:
Spare line
Spare blocks
Sail repair kit
Engine oil and filters
Fuel filters
Spare set of Injectors, with copper washers and torque wrench.
Cable cutter capable of cutting the largest rigging wire on the boat, and the anchor chain.
Hack saw
Hammers
Drill and bits
Wrenches
Screw drivers
Come along
Axe
Panga
A spare piece of rigging wire sufficiently long to replace the longest stay on the boat, with one end terminated, and a staylock or other field installable terminal for the other end.
Hose clamps
Hose
Hose fittings
WATER:

Sufficient water storage capacity in tanks, jugs, or bladders available below decks to provide each crew member with 1 gallon per day over the longest passage envisioned.
DINGHY:

A hard dinghy of sufficient size to carry the entire crew and emergency provisions, including water, and emergency navigation equipment, including sextant and compass and charts, with a set of oars for each man, and preferably with a sailing rig, to provide means of escape in the event of sinking, and assess to shore when in port.
Chocks and padeyes, and ratchet tiedowns to secure the dinghy on deck.

[goprisko]

Medical Care while cruising....
Earlier, I mentioned that I began cruising while covered by the PADI Platinum Medical Travel Insurance Plan. Curiously, no one expressed interest in this or the plan offered by DAN which provide low cost coverage.

Along the way, I discovered that the cost of medical care is much lower in the rest of the world, and in some places, free. So I dropped the travel insurance, and put the money into a rainy day fund, to cover emergencies. This worked out quite well...

Springbok, decided to use this issue to discredit the blog.. Fixating on Martinique, he chose to pervert my experience at New Caledonia into a generalization covering the French Caribbean Islands, for the record again.. this has been my experience getting medical care during our 15 year cruise...

New Zealand.. medical checkups, and prescription drugs including those for Malaria at a private clinic recommended by friends USD$ 200

New Caledonia, treatment for infected coral cut on both sides of my right achilles tendon... USD$ 0

China, Treatment for acute kidney failure due to kidney stones, including hospital, ultrasonic breakup of the stones, drugs, and transport USD $ 125

Namibia, Treatment for malaria twice, and an infection that put me in hospital for a week on a drip to control my heart rate of 100 and BP of 180/120, USD$ 0

US Virgin Islands, treatment to control the aftereffects of the Namibiia illness, including doctors visit every 2 months, blood work, Xrays, ultrasound USD $ 0

Bruce Van Sant, who wrote "The Gentlemans Guide To Passages South"
has a new book out called "Tricks of the Trades" in which he details his experiences world wide with Public Health Care. What he relates is pretty much the same as my experiences, as related above.

For more information please visit his wevsite:

About the author and rat race refugee Bruce Van Sant

INDY

:
INDY

[Springbok]

Must have had too many of those " beans " Indy as you are repeating yourself, repeating yourself, repeating yourself
Clyde

[goprisko]

Earlier FishWife did us the courtesy of mentioning Beth & Evan's cruising cost survey.

This survey is available at the following URL:

http://www.bethandevans.com/pdf/costofcruising.pdf

Charts therefrom are attached for reference, please note these are the work of Beth and Evans, and I thank them for theiir thorough effort.

INDY