Low Cost Cruising Details

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I don't feel it is "a lot cheaper" on a 29' boat maintained to same level.

4 gallons of paint instead of 2. I use the expensive stuff so $400 extra divided by 3 years = $11.11/mo more

Sail was $5800 (4500 for the sail and 1300 for the dutchman system added to it). The last sail lasted 19 years so 5800/4500 - 1200 = $4600/3300 divided by 19 years is $20.18/14.47/mo. Plus I bet a large boat will cover twice the distance on a set of sails as a small boat, so lasts twice as long, to get same wear and UV damage because they are up less for the distance.

Not exactly the budget busters they are made out to be now are they?

Meanwhile the comfort and extra enjoyment is Priceless.

Don't kid yourself, boat costs and maintenance go up exponentially with length. As previously mentioned by another poster a smaller boat simply has less complexity and complexity is expensive to buy and maintain. Over time much of a boats systems and structures require replacement, sails, rigging, engine overhaul, port replacement, Dodger, bimini, chain, windlass, the list just goes on. Nothing used in high heat, high humidity and high sun mixed with ample amounts of salt water lasts very long. Bigger boats require bigger budgets and if your comparing a 29 footer to a 41 footer it's a serious bit of money. If your a coastal cruiser and spend time in marinas that extra 10 feet adds up quick. Let's say you pay around 1000 bucks a month for your 41 footer the 29 footer would be paying 700 bucks. That's 300 bucks just for the marina every month. Insurance premiums add up as well.
It's nice to have the larger boat and if you have the money, why not but just don't think your getting a pass on the bottom line.

[Kelkara]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I keep records so I am pretty positive I'm not deluded.

You keep great records for a 41ft boat, but I don't see your records for a <30ft boat. You might be surprised.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

You keep great records for a 41ft boat, but I don't see your records for a <30ft boat. You might be surprised.

Maybe, prove it by providing records for yours.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Don't kid yourself, boat costs and maintenance go up exponentially with length. .

prove it with documentation

[smbdyiam2]

Originally Posted by newhaul

bingo .

Lets see my spender would take 3 gallons of Trinidad Sr. My 29 will take one with enough left for my tenders bottom
300 vs 900 for just the paint. Then there is the labor it would take me about 20 hours for surface prep on the Spencer and less than 6 on the defender . ( I calculate my labor at $50 per hour.) 1k vs 300 for me to prep the hull painting time 8 hours Spencer and less than 4 for defender
So not counting yard fees

So 800 for a bottom job on my 29 includes my labor which is not out of pocket cost .
The 42 Spencer would be $2300 . Yard fees go up exponentially when you cross that magical 30 ft number .

Here is why I do not include My labor.
Before I was retired I was self employed and worked around $20 Hr. After I was called at home at 6 AM on a Sunday morning To answer some questions about My work. I decided that on my off time or free time I would charge double time just like I used to get in a factory. $40 hr.
After I was retired I decided I would be a brain surgeon in my off time when not working. When not working can be anything one wants. So wages were $500 hr except weekends and holidays when would double.
I quickly found out I could not afford to work for my self. So now the only work I do is hobby . I don't pay self to work on hobby. simple
Have been thinking of becoming a rocket scientist. Get into some real money

[sailorboy1]

People, it's not about me or my boat. I am 100% positive that I have said that even I could cruise on less, but so what. I so far haven't had to because my plan has worked better than expected, so I don't.

The question of the thread is for the people claiming low cost cruising budgets to back it up with documentation.

I would think wannabes reading the thread would be interested in this info especially if they don't expect to have my budget.

[contrail]

OK, my mainsail was about 10k, with a trade discount. I use five gallons of bottom paint and get 1.5 years. I have two engines, six showers, four heads, three aircons and three refrigeration units plus two generators and a water maker, just for starters! I wouldn't have anywhere near this stuff on my old boat or any smaller boat. How about six bilge pumps? It's a LOT of peanuts, make no mistake about it. If I dock, it's 46 feet x whatever surcharge there is for a cat, usually about 50%. Same for boatyards, clearance, you name it. I actually had a 33 foot mono, as I have said, and my cat is between three and four times as expensive to operate, because its a much, much bigger boat. As in about three times the actual size. Many, many, many peanuts.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by contrail

Having cruised extensively on a 33 foot mono, and now on a 46 foot cat, I can tell you that the difference is a whole lot of peanuts. In fact, it's an elephant, more than I ever anticipated. In my 33 foot days, I was right in there with the low cost folks. Now I am up in the Sailorboy range. Size does matter.

Agreed. How can it not? I've heard the argument that a pump still costs the same, whether it's on a 30-footer or a 50-footer. But the point is, you have a lot more pumps on a 50-footer. Everything from sail area to docking to paint, let alone the cost of acquisition, goes up rather dramatically with size.

One of the best ways to live the "low cost cruising" life is to go small. Go with the smallest boat that you need.

[Up Helly Aa]

Even if you plant a garden on a deserted Bahamas Island, collect drinking water, don’t pay for a slip, fish for your food, don’t start your engine, and just anchor out.....it will still cost you $50 bucks a month. .....��

[contrail]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Agreed. How can it not? I've heard the argument that a pump still costs the same, whether it's on a 30-footer or a 50-footer. But the point is, you have a lot more pumps on a 50-footer. Everything from sail area to docking to paint, let alone the cost of acquisition, goes up rather dramatically with size.

One of the best ways to live the "low cost cruising" life is to go small. Go with the smallest boat that you need.

How true! My advice was always to "sail a boat you can afford to lose." Not because I planned on losing it, but to keep one from making stupid decisions to avoid doing so.

[369thegoose]

[QUOTE=Hudson Force;3084673]From 1972 until 2002 we lived aboard while employed with seasonal cruising. In 1972 we made about $1,000/month; slip rental was $50/month; overnight slip rental was 10 to 15 cents/ft/day.

In 2002 we made about $9,000/month; slip rental was about $450/month; and overnight slip rental was about $1.50/ft/day

During 2017, our last year of 15 years of full time cruising, we were making about $10,000/ month; slip rental was available at about $600/month; and overnight slip rental was often about $2.50/ft/day. While full time cruising we often anchored out, but sometimes took something like a $65/day mooring at Nantucket.

During this year, living ashore due to my wife's loss of mobility and our boat sold, we live in a 1,300 sq. ft apartment for $1,282/month; however, no maintenance cost, still no property tax and a utility bill of about $100/month.

During all these phases of our lives we have lived on between one-half or two thirds of our income. Our greatest amount of saving was during our fifteen years as full time cruisers.

I know this is not the detailed account that the OP was asking for, but it is a valid summery. We also recognize that we did almost all self maintenance on our vessels and have inexpensive tastes.[/QUOT

[369thegoose]

Good post I’m reading all most of them and soon will buy a live aboard

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by contrail

How true! My advice was always to "sail a boat you can afford to lose." Not because I planned on losing it, but to keep one from making stupid decisions to avoid doing so.

Another good way at avoiding footitis.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

it isn't money spent if no money leaves your pocket, that's just spinning a story to try to backup a claim

if I use that a 29' boat doing the trip I did to Bimini the other day at 4 knots would have taken 14 hours more than what I did it in. So that is $700 wasted.

Don

I only put my labor in to show that the work costs just in labor.
If I didn't you would have called that a problem to .

You pay the yard to do it .
Btw your analogy of the sailing time is BS and we all know it .
You just don't like being proven wrong ( and yes this is an observation from over several years on here )

yard fees

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

it isn't money spent if no money leaves your pocket, that's just spinning a story to try to backup a claim

if I use that a 29' boat doing the trip I did to Bimini the other day at 4 knots would have taken 14 hours more than what I did it in. So that is $700 wasted.

fine 25 per foot for the yard to paint
29 ft 725
42 ft 1050.
That's in one of my local home yards I posted the screenshot of.

$325 difference that's about 4 times my annual fuel costs