Month 4 Expenses & Costs of Cruising

[sailorboy1]

Traveled from Green Cove Springs to Vero Beach FL after spending all of Dec in GCS so wife could visit mother-in-law for Christmas. GCS marina is either a place for boats to go and die or get DIY work done and then get the hell out of. Even though the month of mooring at GCS was only $171 it was an expensive stop. Since it was 2 miles to the nearest gas station store and more to anything else, plus that we were there to visit, we rented a car and that was $855 plus gas. Just a lesson that a cheap marina may not be overall. Only spent half this period at GCS but all of the cost is in this month’s numbers as that is when it got paid.

Stayed a night on mooring in St Augustine, a night on a mooring in Titusville, and 4 days on mooring in Vero Beach. Could have anchored those nights but wanted to go ashore and the cost to use the dinghy docks etc. are almost the same as just getting a mooring. We also spent 3 days at slip in Dayton to have power during a cold front.

It was Christmas so this month has a lot of gift costs. Gift costs probably could be called whatever you got in grifts as all it is you buying presents for someone and them getting something else for you that you wanted.

Boats maintenance/repair/upgrade costs were low till the end of the month when I found the voltage regulator was only charging at half the rate it should and I replaced it, which was $310. Other than that, most boat costs were small crap that adds up. Another major part of boat costs was buying Bahamas charts, paying my 2017 boat insurance, and registering the boat and dinghy in FL (aholes made me paid sales tax on my 4-month-old dinghy).

We had health costs of paying our premium (small), paying a dental bill, and getting a 6-month refill of prescription meds.

We went to the grocery store a lot plus did a major stock up and filled the freezer and most of the dry food storage lockers for going over to the Bahamas.

We ate out of course. Mostly we ate lunches while running around doing other stuff. Most of the dinners out we had were with family. I also have come to realize that a lot of the eating out costs are related to entertainment because they happen at the same time.

So for month 4 we spend $7,602 cruising and living on the boat.

Posting a breakdown I have learned just gives the haters something reply to so I’m thinking I wouldn’t post it any more. But if you wish to know for your own planning PM me and I am willing to share it depending of course on who asks.

[Shrew]

That is unfortunately that the 'haters' have caused you to avoid providing an itemized breakdown due to their unsolicited criticism.

Personally, that was the best part of these posts. I've been following to be able to appreciate real-world costs. At worst, I would consider some things a 'cautionary tale' of what I might be overlooking or need to work to avoid.

I appreciate your openness and transparency in what you've been posting here.

[svHyLyte]

Some of your costs are "one-time" expenses, such as the Bahamas charts that are not likely to be repeated for some time and could logically be "amortized" over the length of your cruise; and, some are annual costs that should be allocated on a month-to-month basis such as the cost of your insurance (and, hopefully, you got your costs for that under control). Equipment repairs such as the replacement regulator are unavoidable but infrequent (hopefully) so one would expect "boat costs" to vary from month to month as need arises.

The one expense that stands out to me is the matter of the cost of a rental automobile which seems very high. In our experience, we've used Enterprise Car Rentals and on weekends-from Friday nights until Monday morning--have been able to spend less than $30.00. Paying for a rental car that sits in a parking lot isn't very cost effective so, at least in our experience, we only rent when really needed. Of course, if you had a need for lots of coming and going on a spontaneous daily basis, that's a different kettle of fish tho' we've done monthly rentals with "unlimited mileage" for about $450 (for 30 daze). Gas, of course, is an extra cost.

N'any case, I find your reports useful/instructive as to "what one might expect" and hope you will continue.

FWIW...

[Jeanneau 45.2]

Sailorboy1. Ditto the above kudos. As I am just 8 months into full time cruising, I found your data extremely useful and a benchmark for me to use in my (futile) effort at cost control. Thank you for your contribution to the forum. BTW, I'll be arriving in St Augustine tonight so I guess I am a month behind you on the sojourn south.

To the 'haters'. This is an example of the unintended consequences arising from your purile rants. GROW UP.

We also use Enterprise whenever we can. They do indeed pick up/drop off (saves the UBER cost) and we have been pleasantly surprised at how quickly we have racked up reward points which we use for free rentals in the 'expensive' cities.

[sailorboy1]

The rental car never spent a day "sitting" at the marina and it was cheaper than doing a rental 4/x a week (plus all the hassle) or taking Uber to more than the very closest store.

St Augustine is 199 miles from Vero Beach, we probably are going to be here till at least next Monday

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

So for month 4 we spend $7,602 cruising and living on the boat.

Posting a breakdown I have learned just gives the haters something reply to so I’m thinking I wouldn’t post it any more. But if you wish to know for your own planning PM me and I am willing to share it depending of course on who asks.

I very much appreciate the real-world numbers. The haters are generally bitterly glued in their armchairs: ignore 'em! Thanks for the tallies.

[boatpoker]

I recently left Trawler Forum because of "a" hater (also an arm chair cruiser). It appears you can't avoid them. Hang tough.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

I very much appreciate the real-world numbers. The haters are generally bitterly glued in their armchairs: ignore 'em! Thanks for the tallies.

Ditto Don.

[robert sailor]

Thanks for sharing your numbers, not sure what effect it's having on the 500 bucks a month dreamers but I'm sure you'll be happy to get to the islands and getting those numbers down a bit. Enjoy your time in Florida.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Jeanneau 45.2

To the 'haters'. This is an example of the unintended consequences arising from your purile rants. GROW UP.

Yep, I agree.


The numbers are very important because they are real numbers not delusions brewed up.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Yep, I agree.


The numbers are very important because they are real numbers not delusions brewed up.

Yes, but he is beginning to worry me, cause I don't have $7K a month.
would be interesting to see the breakdown, insurance for example divide by 12 as of course its for the year.
I thought SV BeBe at $5K a month were living large, maybe not?

[Teknishn]

Am sad to hear that the haters have pushed you away from sharing your real world costs. The cost data that you have previously posted has helped me in my preparation to repatriating to the US after being gone for 20 years and moving onboard my yet-unseen boat purchased online last year (surveyed well however).

Don't let the haters get to you. Any one can be a critic on a forum. In my opinion, you have provided somewhat of a public service to this forum by sharing you information with those that would normally be asking "how much will it cost? etc., etc., by providing said real world knowledge and experience.

Please keep posting your expenditures and to the heck with the haters.

Best,
Fleming

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Yes, but he is beginning to worry me, cause I don't have $7K a month.
would be interesting to see the breakdown, insurance for example divide by 12 as of course its for the year.
I thought SV BeBe at $5K a month were living large, maybe not?

I don't have $7k/mo either for the time goal.

If I had broke the insurance into monthly amounts, spent less for Christmas, and not gotten a car; then $5k would have been pretty large.

My wife and I don't feel we are living large. Except that we like to eat out (about $500 last month) we feel we are being pretty frugal overall. Compared to the group as a whole we have come across we are "average" at best. If you never eat out, eat only cheap stuff, don't have insurance, don't go to a movie, never go to a marina, and let your boat fall apart then a couple might get by on $1000. But that would be living in tent under the highway bridge.

[s/v Moondancer]

Very good info. Please post a monthly accumulated total. Don't post fancy accounting my mind only understands the end of month deficit of my bank account!

[WildFireAus]

We are just about to embark on onboard living - albeight from Aus but the circumstances and expenditure costs are you are providing are real life living. I have found your info extremely helpful, as you list expenses that are situations which sometimes you can't plan for. I Like the others before me hope you can be encouraged to keep doing these monthly reports. Unfortunately there are always negative nellies who want to rain on your parade, and reckon they can do it better. Mind you most of these will sitting in a marina thinking they are big time sailors and who in actual fact haven't budged out of the marina in years, probably because they haven't budgeted well enough and don't have the $$$ to actually do what you are doing 😜😜😜 - they are probably very envious of your travels! Unfortunately you get trolls/haters on most social mediums, and maybe we all need to get better at calling them on their actions to shut them down and tell them their behaviour/comments are not welcome. So I say ignore the "grumpy old sea dogs" and for the benefit of us folk who value what you do - keep doing what you are doing so the "grumpy old sea dogs" don't win!!!
Regards Gaye