Outfitting costs to date...

[Crazy Talk]

Originally Posted by Teknishn

No, not particularly a frugal shopper here. Shopping online for the most part (Amazon dot com is my friend!) Purchased the boat in August of last year so have a few months to do a lot of thinking, dreaming, wishing, and online research for what I feel will best meet my, and the boat's needs for the next year. That, and staying away from the West Marine website.

Haven't purchased particularly high-end gear, and some items will undoubtedly not be of the perceived quality shown online (buyer reviews aside).

No advantage to being anything in Egypt as nearly everything here is made in China and is not of a good enough quality to be distributed in Europe or the States (read that to mean "Factory Rejects"). If no made in China, then the cost is more than you would find in the States due to importation duties and taxes.

Cool. Thanks for the info. I appreciate you posting it. Good luck crossing!

[Teknishn]

Originally Posted by markpierce

If desiring any significant open-sea boating, I'd expect (in my circumstance) to spend several thousand dollars for epirb, life raft, and additional navigation devices and spare parts. I boat in inland waters, so am set OK in present circumstance.

Yeah, I agree with you 100% here. I already have a radar unit and a chartplotter (gifted from employer), 2 VHF's (One gifted from employer), 2 GPS antennas (1 gifted from employer), custom engine and tank level gauges, and power monitoring equipment (excess material gifted from, yeah, you guessed it.....ya know, I don't think this guy wants me to leave, or maybe he's encouraging me to leave, dunno...either way win/win situation ). Will be looking for a dinghy upon my return to the States and can actually eyeball the boat and potential dinghies with an eye towards storage concerns.

No serious plans for any open ocean (blue water) sailing in the immediate future, just gunkholing along the Chesapeake Bay (which can be challenging in its own right) and its tributaries for the most part. Maybe a foray or two out through the "A-hole" of Virginia, as we use to call it in the USN (meaning beyond the Bay Bridge Tunnel).

[Teknishn]

Originally Posted by Crazy Talk

Cool. Thanks for the info. I appreciate you posting it. Good luck crossing!

Thanks, I hope the crossing goes well too and the plane don't crash (My boat's on the hard in dry storage in Virginia at the moment ).

[a64pilot]

I think your last comment on your spread sheet is right on, you will spend what the boat cost again in getting it ready to go, and I sort of believe that is a universal truth for buying a bare bones boat, either $6,000 or $60,000.
I will likely have spent what I paid when I finish or it sure seems like it.
It took longer than I thought it would have and I have gotten tired of working on the boat, I'm getting less and less done now, but I know we will spend our first couple of months tied up in a Marina, so I think I'll let lots of things slide until then.

[Teknishn]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I think your last comment on your spread sheet is right on, you will spend what the boat cost again in getting it ready to go, and I sort of believe that is a universal truth for buying a bare bones boat, either $6,000 or $60,000.

Actually a64pilot...Yep, universal truth, that. My comment there was probably aimed more at myself as this ain't my first rodeo owning a boat.....just might have forgotten what it costs to own and maintain a boat as where I currently work the budget can sometimes seen unlimited (I think we hit 4-million Euros in restoration costs a few months ago).

In the end, it all comes down to balancing needs vs. wants vs. the bank account (I really hate it when the bank account wins that vs. thing! )

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Teknishn

No serious plans for any open ocean (blue water) sailing in the immediate future, just gunkholing along the Chesapeake Bay (which can be challenging in its own right) and its tributaries for the most part. Maybe a foray or two out through Bay Bridge Tunnel.

Going out over one of the tunnels works great if you are planning to head North later in the day to go to Kiptopeke etc. (Just keep an eye out for shipping traffic)

Plus it's a very pretty spot most summer days

You will then be able to take advantage of the SW Wind if it's in the days forecast. This especially works well if the tide is coming in after you are out there a bit

The lower bay is also a decent place to test your boat out in all sorts of weather and wave conditions

Coming in and out of Little Creek with a strong NE Wind can get exciting.....with the mixture of bay waves riding on ocean waves.

[Teknishn]

Originally Posted by thomm225

The lower bay is also a decent place to test your boat out in all sorts of weather and wave conditions.

My old stomping grounds. Sailed the lower Ches for about 12 years with both power and sail. My boat's currently up in Reedville and plan to spend most of my time after launching bouncing between Mobjack and Willoughby Bays until I get comfortable with the boat and re-learn some lost skills.

Yeah, heading into Little Creek with that short chop that the NE winds generate...but then again, that can also be the rest of the bay as well!

(Power boats: Lynnhaven Inlet in bad weather is a nightmare....that's a possible broach in any seas over 4-feet of wave height!)

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Teknishn

My old stomping grounds. Sailed the lower Ches for about 12 years with both power and sail. My boat's currently up in Reedville and plan to spend most of my time after launching bouncing between Mobjack and Willoughby Bays until I get comfortable with the boat and re-learn some lost skills.

Yeah, heading into Little Creek with that short chop that the NE winds generate...but then again, that can also be the rest of the bay as well!

(Power boats: Lynnhaven Inlet in bad weather is a nightmare....that's a possible broach in any seas over 4-feet of wave height!)

Don't forget Onancock is a nice place to visit and is almost due east from Reedville with free anchorage right near the wharf. It would be a nice sail in Summer with the SW, S, or SE Wind

They have a dinghy dock also and there is a restaurant right there

It's about 4-5 miles " up the creek " but it's around 8' deep all the way

Lynnhaven can be rough entering against the tide on a kayak as well.....the tide rips there

Official Town of Onancoock Website Home Page

https://www.google.com/maps/place/On...!4d-75.7490966

[Larry Florida]

Originally Posted by doc_cj

I've purchased all kinds of stuff based on pictures and description only. Corvettes, Harleys, and now a boat. Hopefully the luck I've had will visit you as well.

If you find yourself near Myrtle Beach then let me know, we can swap online trade details over lunch ... my treat.

Have not purchased a boat straight off the internet yet but I'm keen on that free lunch

[MarkJ]

OP says in Totals "Yikes! Outfitting costs the same as the boat!"

I think people ought to go sailing BEFORE they go outfitting.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

OP says in Totals "Yikes! Outfitting costs the same as the boat!"

I think people ought to go sailing BEFORE they go outfitting.

Your right but it depends. Im going through the outfitting thing now as mentioned earlier, spending and spending.

When I took off 7ish years ago I was quite green, didnt really know what I needed or wanted. The thing is ive been out cruising for a while, so I now know what works for me. Ive only done 130nm on this boat, been working my ass off adding my wants /needs. Some can take off with 12 year old rigging some cant, im the some cant. Also depends where your cruising , if I was just going locally then I wouldn't be so anal because there lots of help, but if my auto pilot fails crossing the Indian ocean this year, that's different! My shake down cruise will be to cape york, 1000+nm, I consider that local from there on it isnt local.

If your new to this, yep get out sailing and workout what you need,if your not new and know what you need/want and can afford it then why not get it sorted prior to going.

Opinions we all have em :-)

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Teknishn]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

OP says in Totals "Yikes! Outfitting costs the same as the boat!"

I think people ought to go sailing BEFORE they go outfitting.

MarkJ, you are absolutely correct....if one doesn't know much about boats and boat systems. This is good advice, no argument there.

My "Yikes" comment was aimed more at myself as a wake up call on spending (The needs vs. wants thing). This will be my 5th boat (3rd sailboat). I have had it surveyed and have a list of the boat's equipment, videos of engine and sea trials, and problems to be addressed (mostly minor in nature on a 35-year old boat). Survey results are "Good" in all areas except for a "Fair" rating on 12-VDC electrical systems. The PO has also flooded me with pics and videos of the boat. So much so that I can almost "feel" the boat from where I am currently at, which has greatly aided in determining what to purchase in preparation for moving aboard.

To reiterate, I am repatriating to the States (the day count is now down to 13 days and a wake up) with nothing in the States but a boat, a bank account, and a military pension....and no place I have to be.

My outfitting list, with the exception of the paintball gun and ammo, are what I consider the minimum needs in order to upgrade the boat's systems to be able to live aboard in some comfort and safely do coastal cruising in the Chesapeake Bay area.

As an example, the boat currently has a single 13-lb Danforth anchor with a single 6-inch cleat on the foredeck. Would you trust that to hold the boat in a Nor'Easter on the Ches Bay? I wouldn't....i.e. upgrade the anchorage package. No midship cleats, which makes mooring pierside a bit more challenging (Have since purchased toe rail cleats).

I am aware that there will be much more work to be done on the boat and more purchases to be made. I have no illusions about this.....

I've spent years repairing and maintaining boats and yachts for other people for a paycheck. Now it's time for me to use my marine repair skills for me. The "Grand Adventure" is starting soon and I am so looking forward to the challenges!

[JPA Cate]

Well wishes from JIm and me, Teknishn, don't know about those rail cleats, though, and the stresses on the hull to deck joint. Might be better to install proper cleats and backing plates amidships, and yes, sorry, but I do know it's a pita, but quite possibly a better solution.

Ann

[Teknishn]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Well wishes from JIm and me, Teknishn, don't know about those rail cleats, though, and the stresses on the hull to deck joint. Might be better to install proper cleats and backing plates amidships, and yes, sorry, but I do know it's a pita, but quite possibly a better solution.

Ann

Ann, thanks for the Well Wishes, much appreciated. Concerning the rail cleats.... for now I'm thinking that they would be a happy medium for docking purposes only and not to be used for long-term dockside mooring (I had asked about this in another post a few months ago). Permanently installed cleats with backing plates, as you suggest, would be ideal. A pita? Isn't everything on a boat like that? Will suss it out once I get to the boat in a few weeks. Best Regards to the both of you as well

[Teknishn]

Hello again all! Well, I am now back in the States and have launched my boat after a lot of cleaning, a rudder repair and bottom paint. Am currently at anchor in a small protected creek waiting out weather for the next couple of days before heading further south in the Chesapeake Bay.

Concerning my boat budget which I had previously posted...only went over my planned budget by $128.32 (that's USD). The boat's PO left quite a bit of stuff onboard which also probably saved me another $500 in expenses.

With that being said, I will be returning to Egypt in a few weeks to finish out that boat project and then return to the States in mid-August. At that time I will drop the mast, replace the standing rigging, replace the Windex, install the radar and GPS antennas, among other things...all costs not planned for in my original budget.

So overall, I consider my budget planning a bit of a success in that I accomplished what I set out to do and am now comfortably living aboard my new home, got underway, have no boat issues except 12-VDC systems (which all work...just needs to be overhauled). All materials for that are on-hand...guess what I'm doing while swinging on the hook for the next couple of days? Best to everyone out there!