Month 23 Expenses of Cruising and Living on the Boat

[sailorboy1]

Under budget this month again and that makes 4 months in a row! This month we traveled from New London Ct to Rockland Me to get lobster rolls. Since this was our homeport waters back before we left we did some friend and family visiting.

Boat costs were low and over half was the diver yesterday to go take the lobster pot rope off our propeller. Other than that it was general things like some paint etc. But we are here in Rockland Me and there’s a Hamilton Marine here and I have a shopping list that will show up next month.

Marina costs were for 10 days of moorings along the way, 5 of which were just so we could family/friends visit. For some reason once you go through the Cape Cod Canal into Mass Bay everyone in Massachusetts thinks their moorings are worth more. But they also included launch service and that was the first we had had that since we left.

Did a few good grocery runs. Dining costs were higher related to visiting and eating out while doing, but pretty much the normal amount we spend. Of course, the dollar amounts don’t show the number of days we gunk holed just to not be able to go ashore and spend money. Gunk holing is now our budget control mechanism.

The total expenses were $ 2,889.64. Cost breakdown as follows for planners and hecklers:

Food, soda, alcohol, clothing, sundries - $ 961.23
Boat upgrades, repairs, maintenance - $ 160.83
Fuel (diesel, gas, propane) - $ 88.59
Dining out - $ 845.56
Entertainment - $ 128.71
Communication, storage, shipping - $ 166.09
Fees – $ -33.15
Marina - $ 430.50
Electric - $ 0
Medical - $ 20.19
Transportation - $ 10
Gifts - $ 11.09

[MV Wanderlust]

You're doing great, SB! Thanks for continuing to post. It's helping more people than you realize.

[sailorboy1]

Gald you get something from them

[JMitchell]

Love these posts. Thanks for putting them out. Gives us newbies an idea of expense planning and expected costs.

[JiminVA]

Thank you for sharing. This is great information to help me plan for when we cut the lines. Do you have a web site that gives more information regarding the boat you have, number of people, etc for context? Or is the an initial post with this? Thanks!

[svMarite]

Making sure I understand - "month 23" as in costs of the 23rd month or "23 months" for $2880.

[johnnyH]

i think that you can teach us all about living this inexpensively!!!

[Sparx]

We love Rockland! Spent 5 nights cumulative there spread out over May. We were coming in to provision as needed, then back out. Spent some money at Hamilton Marine too.

Where are your favorite places to provision groceries in Maine? We often bought in small shops in waterfront villages, usually at a premium price. I am looking for towns with a full on grocery within walking distance of the town dock.

[SV Bacchus]

Holy Crap! Ten days of mooring for $430.50, I see what you mean about them thinking their mooring are golden..

Good job SB1, thanks for the continuing inspiration..

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by JiminVA

Thank you for sharing. This is great information to help me plan for when we cut the lines. Do you have a web site that gives more information regarding the boat you have, number of people, etc for context? Or is the an initial post with this? Thanks!

I don’t have a website.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Sparx

We love Rockland! Spent 5 nights cumulative there spread out over May. We were coming in to provision as needed, then back out. Spent some money at Hamilton Marine too.

Where are your favorite places to provision groceries in Maine? We often bought in small shops in waterfront villages, usually at a premium price. I am looking for towns with a full on grocery within walking distance of the town dock.

Going to Maine is almost like going to the SC ICW or the Bahamas. Real stores are few and far between so you better have stocked up before hand. But basically a “real” town in Maine has a real grocery store somewhere. So far the past couple weeks we have seen big ones in Bath, Rockland, Boothbay. tenants Harbor had a pretty good little basics store.

I have always gotten a kick out of that a marina store will have beer and wine, but no eggs, bread, or soda. Pretty much says who boaters are.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by svMarite

Making sure I understand - "month 23" as in costs of the 23rd month or "23 months" for $2880.

You are seriously wondering if my wife and I have cruiser for 23 months on just $2880 are you? That wonder make me some internet legend.

[alansmith]

SB, thanks for posting up. Are I still thinking of cutting us off at 24 months? I can imagine how lobster pots are hard to miss! Do u carry a wet suit and mask and fins for emergency dive for such events? That would not be a fun job trying tonsaw through rope with the hull trying to bash your brains in an open seaway.

[achil]

Originally Posted by JohnEasley

You're doing great, SB! Thanks for continuing to post. It's helping more people than you realize.

Agreed, this is invaluable information.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by alansmith

SB, thanks for posting up. Are I still thinking of cutting us off at 24 months? I can imagine how lobster pots are hard to miss! Do u carry a wet suit and mask and fins for emergency dive for such events? That would not be a fun job trying tonsaw through rope with the hull trying to bash your brains in an open seaway.

I was thinking of stopping the monthly reports after 24 months. But they don't take a lot of time as I plan to keep tracking for my own knowledge so may just keep doing as long as I can tell it is getting read. ChuckR does a yearly posting and has more number detail/categories than I do, but I feel the monthly story behind the numbers is useful to some.

I don't have a wet suit, but do have snorkel stuff. I'm been toying with the idea of getting a Hookah system, but haven't been able to make myself pull the trigger.