Shoestring Sailors (Cruising on $500 per month - part II)

[captain58sailin]

Well my story is going to be that I am self employed, that way they won't know I am retired. I'll go out for awhile and come back to the dock, tell everyone, I made a commercial fishing trip. Then they will pity me for working so hard to make a living. Not going to tell them, I anchored up in a remote bay and played cribbage with my wife and went beach combing. Not to mention a nice pot of fish chowder. Otherwise, I don't really care what other people think and their hostility is their problem, no one else pays my bills.

[Mattyb]

Originally Posted by haiqu

As usual I'm impressed with your skills and perseverance, sailorchic. Hauling an engine up to floor level and working on it while continuing to live in the same space would be a discomfort many people would gladly forego.

Unfortunately one of my engines has a hole in the block and the other is missing entirely, so it will involve crane barges and new mountings being made to suit. I'll do as much of the work as possible of course.

I hear you loud and clear! I am on a mooring in a remote mining town. I put a whole new engine in whilst on the mooring! Literally weeks of having engines and engine parts lettered throughout the boat. Getting the new engine on board from a dinghy was the most nerve wracking part but turned out to be pretty quick and easy. It can be done while on the water :-)

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by Mattyb

I hear you loud and clear! I am on a mooring in a remote mining town. I put a whole new engine in whilst on the mooring! Literally weeks of having engines and engine parts lettered throughout the boat. Getting the new engine on board from a dinghy was the most nerve wracking part but turned out to be pretty quick and easy. It can be done while on the water :-)

I very much doubt my 2.5m f'glass dinghy would support a 500lb engine without sinking. Besides, it has to go in horizontally through the companionway. I've considered setting up a temporary gantry but at $440 for the crane barge this seems like a better solution.

But hey, I'm mega-impressed!!

I still have nightmares involving floor supports giving way and the engine crashing through the hull. Will let you know how it turns out ...

[Mattyb]

Originally Posted by haiqu

I very much doubt my 2.5m f'glass dinghy would support a 500lb engine without sinking. Besides, it has to go in horizontally through the companionway. I've considered setting up a temporary gantry but at $440 for the crane barge this seems like a better solution.

But hey, I'm mega-impressed!!

I still have nightmares involving floor supports giving way and the engine crashing through the hull. Will let you know how it turns out ...

Ah yeah mine was only a Nanni 30hp and about150kg. Went in Horizontally through my companion way but was pretty easy off the boom. Crane here was 4k so you see how I made it work :-)

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by Wrong

Where in Northern California?

I don't know about others who live on the hook, but unencumbered access to shore, transportation and services is important to me. Also an anchorage adequately sheltered from wind and wakes.

Perhaps you you know something I don't.

You have my attention.

Oh the San Francisco bay to the cali Delta is where I generally hangout. While in the central bay your pretty much limited to Sausalito/Richardson Bay, and maybe off Alameda in the estuary. There are a few places on the SF side, but dinghy theft would be an issue.

There are three towns in the delta with public docks for short term (2-4 hours) use. In the delta there are hundreds of places to anchor, many with 360 degree protection, that offer flat water protected anchorage, even in storms. A bit cold in the winter though.

Other places to anchor include off mare Island across from Vallejo (out of the the channel), Off Benicia in the early spring or fall when the winds are down, near Pittsburg and Antiock, a bit noisy there with the trains and industrial plants.

So its pretty easy to find what ever you need. Just need to be a little flexible.

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by Mattyb

Ah yeah mine was only a Nanni 30hp and about150kg. Went in Horizontally through my companion way but was pretty easy off the boom. Crane here was 4k so you see how I made it work :-)

Yeah, that's the other issue - my boom doesn't extend past the pilothouse. I'd have to remove the whole roof to do it that way.

Four grand? Yikes. Still with the tides over that way you could have done the whole job on dry land too I suppose.

[Airshac]

They say money doesn't buy happiness but I'd sure be willing to give it a try...

[Boater24]

Originally Posted by Airshac

They say money doesn't buy happiness but I'd sure be willing to give it a try...

Me too!

I keep dreaming of winning the lottery. Then I wake up and realise I'm still in the $500 a month league. Sigh

Guess I need to 'get real' and be happy in the cheap seats. It's comforting to know I'm not alone.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Boater24

Me too!

I keep dreaming of winning the lottery. Then I wake up and realise I'm still in the $500 a month league. Sigh

Guess I need to 'get real' and be happy in the cheap seats. It's comforting to know I'm not alone.

I too would love to give the big-money life a try, but as a self-employed writer (who doesn't buy lottery tickets), I know it's never going to happen . Besides, as I mentioned earlier, research clearly shows that unless you are moving from real physical poverty (not enough food, not enough shelter, etc.), then more money doesn't change most people's level of satisfaction or happiness. After six months, the person who wins the lottery is as pleased with his/her life as before.

Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, the effect works the other way as well. The rich guy who loses lots will be less-happy for about six months. After that, as long as they're not in abject poverty, will return to the same level of happiness as before.

Turns out our level of happiness is mostly about who we are and how we view the world. If you are a generally optimistic, upbeat person, then you will remain that way, rich or poor (but not impoverished). If you are an Eeyore; someone who generally views things negatively, then you will remain that way as well, no matter how much wealth comes your way.

[Mike OReilly]

To pull this thread back to more practical levels, here's a question I have for the experienced folks:

I (and my spouse) are moving on board full time next spring. We are going to move our floating home, over the span of a few years, out the St. Lawrence and down to the Caribbean. We have no real time line, but money (or the lack thereof) is a real factor. How would you do it?

Specifically, which locations would you avoid and which would you aim for on the east coast? Assuming we hop down the coast, which locations are good for the budget sailor? Which are to be avoided?

[svseachange]

Hey Mike,

We are one year ahead of you.

We loved the state of Michigan, but it might be better to stay on the Canadian side of Superior and Huron. In Michigan, most harbors of refuge have been taken over by state run marinas so it is hard to avoid marina fees

I know you are not planning on taking it, but the Erie Canal is a real bargain. Most towns have free tie ups.

The W 79th St Basin moorings in NYC are uncomfortable but at $30/night an amazing bargain for NYC.

In order to save money, buy the best cruising guides possible for each area.

And take time to visit the veteran cruisers in your anchorages. You can easily tell the veterans from the weekenders by the amount of deck space dedicated to power generation. The veterans know where the good free or cheap stuff is.

To avoid marinas good power generation and/or miserly power usage is required. We also have a six gallon water can we take to shore and fill up our water tanks as we go. Diesel is cheaper at gas stations, unless you need a favor from the marina. Today we took our jerry cans to a marina because they let us use dinghy dock for free

I'm guessing you are already super-self suffucient being a Lake Superior cruiser. Those skills are going to save a lot of money. That said, plan to spend a little more on marinas and moorings the first month or two. After the first month or two you are going to felt a little stupid paying for transient slips.

Take it easy,

Shane

[Mike OReilly]

Thanks Shane, I'm following your progress, and appreciating all you've done for us already (Shane is a Prince of a man!). Good tips about water and power. Our systems should allow us to be self-sufficient for long periods. Small power usage coupled with solar and wind gen. We have a 200 gallon water tank and 80 diesel. I hope that keeps us out of marinas most of the time.

It probably simplifies things if e stay on the Canadian side, especially since we're heading out the St. Lawrence. What are people's experiences anchoring out in Lake Erie and Ontario? I look at the charts and it looks rather uninviting from an anchoring standpoint. I know we're fine all through the upper lakes, but any tips re anchorages on the lower?

[toggles]

Mike,
I did my first ASA courses on Erie, I really liked the anchorage on the north side of Kelly's Island, just to the east of the swimming beach. The island is something to behold too if you make it ashore, it's like stepping back into the 60's.

Cheers.

[svseachange]

Originally Posted by toggles

Mike,
I did my first ASA courses on Erie, I really liked the anchorage on the north side of Kelly's Island, just to the east of the swimming beach. The island is something to behold too if you make it ashore, it's like stepping back into the 60's.

Cheers.

North of Kelly's Island is pretty and the island is cool (walk south across the island to town) but the holding is iffy and the anchorage is totally exposed to the north.

You can find places to anchor in every harbor of refuge on the south side of lake pexcept Cleveland. The best anchorage on the south side, by far, is the one in the Presque Isle State Park across the harbor from Erie, PA.

The prevailing winds make it possible to do Lake Erie in two of three days. I did it over I would plan to rush through it and save my time and money for future destinations. They get better and better after Lake Erie.

[Fearnow]

You go girl!!!!! Good for you!