Month 2 Expenses & Costs of Cruising

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by chuckr

We use a couple of hand lines with bungee cords - we lose a lot less fish but the thrill of the fight is lost but when you are fishing to eat hand lines work better

yep, fighting a fish while under sail is for for the first few times, but then it just becomes more underway drama. So we ditched the fancy rods that cost more money and are just another thing to give maintenance to, in favor or the YoYo Cruiser Fishing approach.

http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angl...ductextensions

Some strong line with a 5ft-150lb leader and we have landed everything from 45lbs Dorado to 35lb Tuna as easy as boiling rice for Sushi!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by zboss

When you guys are saying 2K to 3K per month or 7K per month... what exactly does that include? Does that include insurance on your boat, maintenace, and taxes on your income?

For me it includes EVERYTHING!

BTW - what is income?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by pcmm

What are you spending $7k a month for?

consider starting at the beginning of the thread

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

What's the cost of those?

The Penn 80 series reels cost anywhere between $250-$600 used on ebay depending on condition and the trolling rods around $200. But after you have the equipment, it holds it's value and lasts forever.

Basically, you buy it once.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

For me it includes EVERYTHING!

BTW - what is income?

A lot of cruisers we met over the past 40 years were surprised how much more it cost them to cruise. Well they forgot to include medical costs including insurance; transit fees; tips and service fees; land travel costs; internet/communications fees; cleaning fees(some stuff just needs to be done by pros); and of course the biggie--entertainment.

Once you are exploring the world, you really do not want to be a hermit. So many places to see, things to do, people to entertain, etc.

For most folks, their monthly living costs were fairly close to their costs before going off cruising--just for different stuff.

No fun if you just hid down below in foreign ports to save money. Might as well have stayed home.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by zboss

When you guys are saying 2K to 3K per month or 7K per month... what exactly does that include? Does that include insurance on your boat, maintenace, and taxes on your income?

Good question,- I just read Reed1v's recent post and noticed that I was not all inclusive when I said 2 to 3 thousand/month.

My figure does not include my medical coverage that is deducted from pay monthly pay before my receipt and I over looked this. I also did not include money that we provide for family support and our possible future long term elderly care needs. Our estimate also does not include the money that we spend with costs for our worldwide holiday trips that are not travel on our boat. I also do not include our federal income tax that is witheld before our receipt and we have no state income tax.

My 2 to 3 thousand does include all boat related maintenance and boat insurance. Very rarely do I have outside labor working on my boat and I keep liability insurance only for my 44 year old vessel.

I could say that three to four times the cost of my cruising is engaged in all my activity, but then, that's not the cost of cruising is it?

I think of the "cost of cruising" is how much is spent on the boat and moving the boat about as well as sustenance while on the boat. I think if your asking for all you spend; then, that's not the cost of cruising.

I'll stick with 2 to 3 thousand each month.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

BTW - what is income?

LOL... yeah. Our plan is to generate income from our investments to cruise and touch as little principle as we can. So, we are going to have to take into consideration taxes on dividends and withdraws, maintenance fees, and so forth.

I'm still working for at least a few more years so while we spend money on cruising, we still have a substantial income. We have not yet had to deal with a set dollar amount.

We have learned that my wife can work a minimum wage job and produce income that not only can offset almost all our expenses (when we stay in an area for a season or two) but can also produce some savings for future cruising.

[MikeFergie]

I think where you decide to sail has an impact on the monthly costs. Places like Thailand, South Pacific and the Indian Ocean places like Madagascar can really be cheap. I have heard cruisers telling me of $100-200 per month for food etc.

If one wants to cruise the Caribbean or the med then I think expect first world prices and the same cost as living at home applies.

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

For me it includes EVERYTHING!

BTW - what is income?

When we say everything we mean EVERYTHING - it includes every penny we spend regardless - every penny - if we go to the USA to visit family and buy groceries we include that - we account for every cent during the year.


As for our income we live on social security only - we have not touched our 401k yet but as I turn 70 I must now begin to take some of it - probably just reinvest it as we have enough with ss to live
OH - one issue is we live in sin so we do not get the ss marriage penalty and we both had jobs in our last number of years where we maxed out our fica holding --

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

The Penn 80 series reels cost anywhere between $250-$600 used on ebay depending on condition and the trolling rods around $200. But after you have the equipment, it holds it's value and lasts forever.

Basically, you buy it once.

that's a lot of tuna

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

that's a lot of tuna

Lot's of tuna fish, but you need to consider we cut the fish up into tuna steaks.

[a64pilot]

I have a LOT of tackle from my fishing days left over, even electric reels for bottom fishing and five Penn International 30 SW rigs.
But from a fishing to eat perspective, you can't justify them, a handline will catch almost as many fish (tough to play a fish on a handline) and will do so with very little cost and takes little room to store.

However when we were fishing it was nothing to go through $1,000 of fuel a weekend, so what a few thousand in rod and reels that will if properly kept become Heirlooms?
Mine are, they were actually my Brother's who passed several years back, if I keep them up well, they will become my sons, like my guns will.

[fishsail18]

$7159.46 for 500 miles is roughly $14.00 a mile. that doesn't sound so bad?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by fishsail18

$7159.46 for 500 miles is roughly $14.00 a mile. that doesn't sound so bad?

Wow, you really need to take a look at that number.

I sailed in and around a 100 mile radius of Pensacola, FL for a few years (12) on beachcats for $450.00/month which was the cost of my apartment on the bayou. My boats were tied down just above the high water mark. (usually)

I used my car/Jeep when I wanted good barbeque.

For $7,159.46 you can rent your apartment near the water, pay your house and boat slip payment and still get in lots of sailing without limiting yourself to just being on the boat 24/7/365. It's something to think about

I love sailing and sailboats but do change my mind from time to time as to whether I want to sail a certain day or workout and take a long run.

Lately, I have started to combine the sailing with the workout as in hike/run the trails near where I anchor as well as climbing up and down the short cliffs (Kiptopeke, VA)

[Kenomac]

It's not a contest to see who can spend the least amount of money.