Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailsail1
Reading blog posts of people blue water cruising the world and Maintenence costs coming in at around $17K
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Agree.
Going to buy something in that range for full time cruising (blue water). Maybe new or maybe TOTALLY refitted.
Nevertheless, my calculation is about 400US$ per month for maintenance. All work (or at least most of it) done by myself (I'm a practical
engineer with mechanical,
electric, electronic and
software expierence. No deep dive in all aspects, but deep enough to fill the gaps by investing a bit more time).
ADDITIONALLY there are 600US$ in my calc for
repairs (including the long term things like
sails, standing and running rigg, electronic exchanges, additional installations, etc.).
Or the other way round. That's the "it depends" thing.
At least 1 kUS$ should be pretty close to the reality.
The next "it depends" things are
insurance (depends on location, season and of course your sailing skills), marina costs, etc.. The "etc." things is a 1k points list
So, another 3 kUS$ has to be in the calc. Maybe you can safe some two or three hundred per month, if you don't have to finance your admiral. But that's it.
Sailing isn't cheap! It is, under the bottom line, much more expensive than living in a condo. That's something you've to face. If you don't, you'll end up after 10 years with unsellable wreck.
So, to make a summery: Do you have 4 kUS$ per month (starting with a boat as I mentioned at the beginning)? --> Go sailing
If you don't have --> rethink your plannings!
There's a pretty good YT from the O'Kellys about living abroad costs. They end up at nearly 50 kUS$. That's real life and not a "I like to sail but can't believe the costs".
My first calculation was about 3kUS$. Unrealistic!!! It's one third more!
And that's just living abroad. Not a "let's have party all day" or "I don't like
cooking and pay for the next lobster in a nice bayside restaurant".
I yet don't have a boat but nearly 40kNM in my wake. A bit of charter but mostly transferring yachts for a friend. So I only saw a little slice. But that convinced me to better believe what all the other, much more expirienced full time cruisers, are saying.
Cheers
Dirk