Low Cost Cruising Details

[smbdyiam2]

So does what you spend while off the boat become part of cruising expense ?If you buy a part for boat it is expense. If You go to theater while in port? If you go to restaurant in different marina? To me it is just doing somethings in a different town. Not a boat expense. I know that you have to eat while on a cruise. I also know that I have to eat even when home . If I cruise to N Y C and go to a Broadway show spend $XXX on tickets I cannot see that as a boat expense even if I did get there by boat.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by smbdyiam2

So does what you spend while off the boat become part of cruising expense ?If you buy a part for boat it is expense. If You go to theater while in port? If you go to restaurant in different marina? To me it is just doing somethings in a different town. Not a boat expense. I know that you have to eat while on a cruise. I also know that I have to eat even when home . If I cruise to N Y C and go to a Broadway show spend $XXX on tickets I cannot see that as a boat expense even if I did get there by boat.

parts for the boat are expenses for the boat regardless of where you buy them .
Going to a show in another area while on your "cruise" is a cruise expense under the heading entertainment

[smbdyiam2]

well for all those looking for low cost cruising , When in marina's sit outside and bird watch it's cheaper.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by smbdyiam2

So does what you spend while off the boat become part of cruising expense ?If you buy a part for boat it is expense. If You go to theater while in port? If you go to restaurant in different marina? To me it is just doing somethings in a different town. Not a boat expense. I know that you have to eat while on a cruise. I also know that I have to eat even when home . If I cruise to N Y C and go to a Broadway show spend $XXX on tickets I cannot see that as a boat expense even if I did get there by boat.

This can be made as complicated as we want.

Some of these fellows are never off their boat so that may be a part of it.

The rest of us know that we spend a certain amount daily/weekly/monthly/yearly on food, gas, utilities, for one or two residences plus a boat and vehilces etc

So when we are on our boats we do not include those costs only the boat/cruising costs.

Those that live only on a boat are only considering their isolated world and want you to do the same.

It's only a natural thing if you are living full time on a boat and don't have rent, renter's insurance, house payment, home owner's insurance, lawn equipment, electric. fuel oil, natural gas, vehicle insurance, fuel for the vehicles, and so on plus the boat expenses

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by smbdyiam2

So does what you spend while off the boat become part of cruising expense ?If you buy a part for boat it is expense. If You go to theater while in port? If you go to restaurant in different marina? To me it is just doing somethings in a different town. Not a boat expense. I know that you have to eat while on a cruise. I also know that I have to eat even when home . If I cruise to N Y C and go to a Broadway show spend $XXX on tickets I cannot see that as a boat expense even if I did get there by boat.

The difference is that some of us are comparing life expenses, which include cruising on a boat, vs those who use a boat as recreation. There's no right or wrong here. But there are apples and oranges.

The question is, what does it cost to live and travel on a cruising-level boat? The OP has his answer based on detailed expense tracking. Others of us have similar, if less detailed, answers.

So yes, a full costing for those of us who call our boat our home includes going to the theatre, or eating at a restaurant. Or in my case, NOT going to a theatre (at least not one I pay for), and NOT going to a restaurant.

It's really a question of, what does it cost you to live?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by thomm225

This can be made as complicated as we want.

Some of these fellows are never off their boat so that may be a part of it.

The rest of us know that we spend a certain amount daily/weekly/monthly/yearly on food, gas, utilities, for one or two residences plus a boat and vehilces etc

So when we are on our boats we do not include those costs only the boat/cruising costs.

Those that live only on a boat are only considering their isolated world and want you to do the same.

It's only a natural thing if you are living full time on a boat and don't have rent, renter's insurance, house payment, home owner's insurance, lawn equipment, electric. fuel oil, natural gas, vehicle insurance, fuel for the vehicles, and so on plus the boat expenses

thom, I think that you and several others are missing the point of these discussions: they ARE for and reflect the expenses of FULL TIME live aboard cruising. The wanabees who seek t he info on budgets are contemplating just t his situation, and it is a big mystery to those who have never done it, and for them the data is useful.

So, to some degree, only those who also participate in this small niche of the sailing world can contribute data that is useful, or for that matter, benefit from it... or apparently, understand it. If they did, all this silly squabbling about what expenses "count" would cease. Try to understand this: if you are a full time live aboard cruiser, EVERYTHING you spend is a cruising expense... its your life, not a hobby or a weekend jaunt or even seasonal sailing in a short climate driven season.

Personally I'm not convinced that some other person's data is all that useful, but some folks are finding it helpful, and that's enough to make such threads appropriate for CF.

So, why not just back out of the conversation and let those who can benefit from it learn what they can? We already know what your sailing style is, for you have repeatedly described it... and it has no relevance to the subject of the thread.

Meanwhile, I agree that boat size and complexity do indeed have a big effect on one's costs. It is foolish to deny that. Whether this fact has a big effect on one's OVERALL cruising expenses depends on lots of variables. I think this has been amply shown by the diversity of responses relating to the question, but mostly it seems that the differences in costs/size relationships is of more importance to lower budget folks than to higher budget folks. And that makes sense to me!

Enough... please let SB have his question and whatever answers he gets without distracting him from his quest... even if you don't think it interesting or worthwhile.

Jim

[Fore and Aft]

Jim I agree that other people’s data is really not that useful as we all have different ideas of how we should spend our money. But it is interesting, I don’t even know SB yet I know more about his finances than my best mates finances.
I must admit some of the budget sailors I have met have missed some great experiences because of being so tight. To me there seems little point cruising if you do not experience some of the shore attractions.
Cheers

[Jim Cate]

I must admit some of the budget sailors I have met have missed some great experiences because of being so tight. To me there seems little point cruising if you do not experience some of the shore attractions.

True, but I've seen that some low budget folks have a better and easier time integrating themselves into indigenous populations that the well off folks. Perhaps because the indigenies sense a closer rapport with a cruiser who has less affluence than his mates, I dunno.
The low budget guy may miss out on some museums or performances, bt will be welcome in the nakamal for a bowl of kava, and I'm not convinced that he is the looser in the comparison.

Jim

[a64pilot]

SB,
I was going to quote it but couldn’t find the post, the one where you listed expenses of new dinghies, new main sails etc.
Depending on how low cost your talking, but the real low cost group, never buys a new dinghy, they have an old tinnie or whatever they can come up with, plastic Kayak maybe, they don’t have an outboard, they row, they don’t buy a new sail, ever. I’ve seen house paint on sails and bimini’s trying to get more time out of them. They sneak into the marina shower late at night, or maybe join a fitness center as I’ve heard some are cheap, and all have showers.
They anchor close to something that they get a WiFi password for.
If they break their shoulder, they are what is called indigent care, they don’t pay. If they break a tooth, it’s pulled, no crown.

But they are not the type to keep spreadsheets on expenses, most live day to day, if they score a little money however they get money, then they have a little money, if they don’t, they don’t.

You yourself have said only two of you are keeping track of expenses and posting them, why would you think someone living day to day would?

I believe you have become concerned that it cost more than you thought, and let the market come down off of that High it’s been on, and you won’t have enough, and are looking to see where you could cut back.
If so then I think that’s an intelligent thing to do, so don’t take that as an insult as it’s not mean to be one, but the plain simple fact is, that if you don’t have money to spend, you don’t spend it, and you survive.
You May start wearing ragged clothes and the boat will become run down, you will learn to do without air conditioning and entertainment, and your choices of food will become much more plain.

We were kids, but I’ve lived that way, for several months after the oil field shut down in I guess 1981, then decided the Army was my only way out, and to get what I wanted meant delayed enlistment so a few more months of living on a shoe string.
We would get one piece of cheap meat, lots of potatoes as they were cheap and make a large pot of stew, ate beans etc.
You can live that way, I have. But I sure hope we never have to again.

[sailorboy1]

Well i looked again as am weak

For those with plans to become time cruisers and interested in the original question of “what will it cost” for different “levels” of cruising this is my suggestion and what i ended up doing 6 years ago during my research.

Dig through all different cruising blogs. Read ones with enough detail to get a feel of the cruisers lifestyle etc to see if it matches what you hope for. If they have a costs section read it of course. If not try reaching out to them to see if they can tell you (many have details they just don't openly share it). There are cruising blogs that cover the full range of those basically at beggar level to mega yachts. You can even try PMing people here and some will answer.

Since this topic is the original question i was trying to answer for myself when i joined CF I have tried to help provide. But for some reason people just don't want to share (you can see how it opens one up to be trashed) or others just want to muck the answer.

[robert sailor]

I'm not so sure people are trying to trash your views, I'm certainly not. I think people all process their personal financial details differently. I'm a big picture sort of person so as long as we have adequate funds for our ongoing retirement I'm good to go. My wife who is a math wiz has to see where every penny goes so she creates monthly spread sheets that are detailed up the ying yang. This is all good and we could share it with the masses but we are not cruising on a tight budget and I don't see any benefits as people that have money are not really interested in how cheap you can cruise on and people with little money are very interested on how little some folks can get by on. There is nothing wrong with the topic, it's a good one and I'm sure there are people that get lots out of it.
When I was much younger it was a common topic when we sat around a beach fire doing wine and cheese, cruising kitties were shared openly among cruisers so it was a very common discussion.
As Jim mentioned back in the day cruising was much different. We went out of our way to hook up with locals and learn about the customs. We were invited to share in many of their customs and one year when my wife was having her birthday the whole village got into the act and between food and dance it was really an unforgettable experience. More often than not, these days very little of that is going on where 90% of the cruisers hang out. Its lots of restaurants and marinas and touring by rental cars. So for the younger crowd there are still places to go and see to get the old experiences from the past but your not going to find them where most cruisers hang out. You have to venture far off the milk run but they are out there. Living is easy and cruising is cheaper and the adventures are much higher.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

...Personally I'm not convinced that some other person's data is all that useful, ...

Agreed. Especially when taken as a single question with a presumed single answer. A more useful way to approach this question, would be to lay out a fairly specific scenario, and then try and determine what this lifestyle will cost.

• What boat? Yes, size matters, but so do other factors such as age, build quality, storage/tankage capacities, etc...

• What's your cruising area? This creates a huge difference in costs. Traveling in well-trodden areas, especially near large populations, will generally be more expensive than areas more off the beaten path.

• What style of travel are you planning? Marina hopping? Anchoring out? Ocean crossings/long distances vs short?

• Lifestyle needs/wants? How often do you eat at restaurants? Take land excursions? Fly back "home."? Rent cars? Visit touristy sites? Or are you more inclined to get away from urban areas? To hang out with the locals? Or to simply explore wild places on your own?

And perhaps most importantly for people planning, ask yourself how you currently live. And try and be honest with yourself (probably the hardest thing any of us can do ). Most people don't change dramatically when they move from land to sea. So if you live a wealthy urban life on land, you will likely live the same on a boat.

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Well i looked again as am weak...

Seriously, @sailorboy1, every time I see you start a thread I subscribe to it.

But, I manage to see the humor in your attitude.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

...I must admit some of the budget sailors I have met have missed some great experiences because of being so tight. To me there seems little point cruising if you do not experience some of the shore attractions.
Cheers

This is the perfect example of what I mean about knowing your lifestyle needs. I go cruising, in part, to get away from "shore attractions." But if this is one of the main reasons you are going cruising (and I'm in no way denigrating this choice), then it will drive some of your financial needs.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This is the perfect example of what I mean about knowing your lifestyle needs. I go cruising, in part, to get away from "shore attractions." .

But not the internet

But you must be successful are avoiding “shore attractions” as i don't think I have ever read about something you saw or did anew ashore.

I only got into cruising to see new and interesting “shore attractions”

Meanwhile back on topic, the goal of the thread was to provide info so wannabes could plan for their “lifestyle needs” on a boat while cruising. Not to provide a never ending chance for people to provide reasons of why they can not have or use that info.

Btw - other people’s experience on topic as VERY useful to me and for me it was a good thing i took it to heart for planning.