Annual Live Aboard Budget ?

[Jack Tar]

Take the top one and the bottom one and throw them out. Take what is left over in total money's and devide by 6. Now you have an average number. I used the medium figures I.E. 10K to 15K = 12K I came up with about 22,000 to 23,000 a year or roughly $2000 a month. Oh **** ! I cant afford to go cruising. It costa whatsever you can aford. If you cant aford inland trips you dont go. If you cant afford to go on a fishing charter you dont go. Resturaunts, movies, satalite phone whatever. It wont be any less enjoyable. Just different.

[chuckr]

RichT -- first good luck with the cancer treatments - it takes a lot more internal fortitude to go through those than take off and go sailing -- i wish you well
Getting a job at our age is also difficult as you say -- i had the opportunity to move but with the sig other and thinking that she and i were going to go curising together and the boawith SoulMates i decided to stay in Miami -- what a fool i was
as for SoulMates -- she is 2001 Jeanneau DS40 -- has incredible amount of storage and built very solid - she drafts 4'11" - she inmast furling with a roller furling jib - do i lose a bit of speed - yea i do as the main does not have battens and is taking a while to learn to set the sail properly -
she has raymarine autopilot with remote control in the saloon - with the large windows i can be downstairs and see all around me - the only i really leave the cockpit is to set the anchor and have a windlass that really helps - as for batteries - i have 6 golf cart batteries and one starter - so a lot of battery - i plan to add two solar panels - i also just got my ham license so will add a ssb --
hope this helps
chuck and s/v soulmates

[RichT]

Chuck,
Thanks for the encouragement. Things going good so far, no serious adverse reaction to the drugs. I definitely understand the significant other thing. When I was married, I had a job offer in San Jose, as DOM for a company with 5 Learjets. That was back in 1987, and they were going to pay me 70K at the time, way more than I was making at the airline. I didn't take it because the wife didn't want to move from the midwest. We divorced two years later. So much for hindsight.

I've been looking at some Irwins, and I really like the Irwin 43. It's interesting that you mention inmast furling. I thought it would make single handing a lot easier, but several people have advised me against it. From your experience would I be better off to stick with a battened sail with lazy jacks or some other flaking system? Have you done much overnight cruising? What do you do for sleep? Leave the autopilot on and sleep in the cockpit, rely on radar?? Does your radar have an alarm? I don't think I could stay up all night for more than a day. Any other helpful suggestions for single handing?? Thanks for the advise.

RichT

[RichT]

Make that advice, I hate it when I misspell.
RichT

[chuckr]

RichT -- don't laugh but SoulMates is my first and only boat - i past lives i used to climb big mountains (been to 18k), rock climb, mountain search and rescue and was a ski instructor -- i needed a new challenge when i got a bit to old for the other -- spent a lot of time reading and learn and taking sailing lessons and then more time working with a broker on what i wanted in a boat - that in itself took almost 2 years -
i made a long list of requirements using a variety of sources - broker, Dodds "Modern Cruising Under Sail" plus a couple of others - and of course let us not forget the budget - and the designed use ie what do i plan to do with the boat - i was lucky in the selection of a broker who took a real interest and worked with me and taught me over a period of almost 2 years before i bought SoulMates -
i knew what i did not care about - racing as an end all be all - i wnated a crusier that could race and be competitive (maybe not win but be in there) - a boat that could take me almost anywhere if i use my head and take the correct calculated risks - I also reseached the cost of curising and most folks put repairs at between 14-20% of your budget - knowing that i would be on a limited budget to begin i decided this would take some of the cost out - i did add some additional insurance cost but i would have done that anyway -
therefore i purchased new with a very solid boat that should be able to take me anyplace that i want to sail - she is easy to handle and likes to sail
NOW as for the sleeping part - i can run about 48 hours without sleep and if i nap i do it during the day when everyone can see better - i do run radar when ever i am at sea and maintain a constant outlook and with the deck saloon i can go move in the cockpit and in the saloon with ease and still maintain a good watch
As for inmast furling - first you must realize that you will lose a couple of tenths off speed - and if not careful can bunch in the mast if not furled under load - on the other hand - i have a multiple reef points and not just a couple of places - second it is easy to deploy and retreive and you do not have to go into the wind to drop the main - just the opposite you want to maintail a lot of pressure on the main as you bring it in to keep it tight - a lot of folks do not like them as they are not conventional but for me, i am not worried about what other think or convention but more concerned with what works for me (result of my climbing and mountain sar training)
hope this helps
chuck and s/v soulmates

[RichT]

Chuck,
Thanks for the info. I am also not prone to follow the crowd, although I do listen to others and try to glean as much useable information as possible. I still think I can make my own decisions, but I keep an open mind. I prefer not to make mistakes, and if I can learn from others, I figure I'm better off for it. I've been in aviation for over 30 years, and when it comes to aircraft, I figure if there's a way to screw it up, I've probably done it, but when it comes to sailing, I don't have 30 years left to learn, so have to depend on others to a great extent. But all that said, I still expect to do some things my way. I just need to figure out the smartest way, that works for me.

I can't afford new, at least not in a size and quality of boat that I want, so I hope to find a "vintage" boat, that someone else has thought enough to take really good care of. I figure I will have to pay a "premium" price to get this, but that should be offset by lower maintenance costs, and less of an initial outlay for additional equipment. I can handle a lot of minor maintenance items for myself, but major requirements, like hauling out for bottom maintenance, I will probably leave to the folks that do it for a living. I have been told that one can get such work done down in Mexico for a lot lower cost. Do you, or anyone else out there, know about this? Is it really cheaper, and can you get the same quality of work, "out of country".

I met a fellow in the Air Force while working at Offutt AFB who had a boat built, I believe, in Taiwan. He swore that the workmanship was first rate, and it cost him about half what he would have paid in the states for a comparable vessel. I believe it was around 50', and he only paid something like $80,000. That was back in the early 90s, so I'm sure things have gone up, but when you figure a new Hunter or Catalina in that range is over 350K, it doesn't sound bad. I checked with the Juneau dealer here in Oxnard, and I can't afford anything new from them. A 40' was well over 400K.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice, and input. I'm working on getting things lined out so I can head out in a few months. If you're going to be cruising anytime after May, give me a holler if you need a deckhand. My sister lives in Jacksonville, and has been bugging me to come stay with her for awhile, so maybe I'll do that.

Ciao,
Rich

[chuckr]

RichT -- i got lucky and got a great deal on a left over model at less than half of what you quoted above - there are a lot of great boats out there that are excellent condition and fairly priced - kinda like the end of a model year - yes you can get a lot of great work done in other countries -- just check other posting on this site or ssca --
one of the things i do is when repairs are needed like a bottom i may hire someone but part of the deal is they teach me - some are relucant but once started they realize i am there to learn and just ask questions they do end up teaching - so now i can do my own bottom - i leaned i do not have the tools to change a cutlass but at least know how -
Any time you are this way - let me know
by the way my real estate agent called and it looks like my house is suppose to close the end of this month
take care and hope to hear from you
chuck and s/v soulmates

[slomotion]

Here's an interesting article on cruising budgets together with a spread sheet showing the actual expenses for six very different cruisers:

cw_stories_9

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by slomotion

Here's an interesting article on cruising budgets together with a spread sheet showing the actual expenses for six very different cruisers:

cw_stories_9

And here is one from a ex fishing boat cruising couple in S/E Asia

This site is my inspiration.

Passagemaker cruising under power in Southeast Asia

In Queensland we lived a comfortable life on a budget of just under $A25,000/year. In Indonesia costs were next to nothing east of Lombok (not much to spend money on) and not much after that. Since we have been in Thailand over a year (2006/07) where we have access to western conveniences and products, we live much more lavishly on the same budget as Australia or less.

We can now afford eating out every day, having our laundry washed and ironed, fresh orchids on the table weekly, paying to have our hair cut, lots of land and air travel, hiring cars and so on. (And best of all, this time on the slip at Satun in southern Thailand, we stayed in a hotel and paid others to work on the boat).

Sound great.

Cost's of living and running

Untitled Document

We are actualy going up to this neck of the wood's early June, to make the decission if we will base ourselves here or not.

Dave

[Ex-Calif]

Thanks for that first link. I had found it one day and was reading it and forgot to bookmark it. I was looking for it for days!

[cat man do]

Posted above by me
"We are actualy going up to this neck of the wood's early June, to make the decission if we will base ourselves here or not."



And we have done the trip and will be baseing ourselves up there.

All of a sudden I only need a third of the dollar's i'd planned on.

More money for beer and cray's it seem's.

Dave

[Weyalan]

Just a simple observation, but as of Jully 11, 2007, the results show the following snapshot:
Cruisers on less than $10,000 p.a. = 16%
Cruisers on less than $15,000 p.a. = 29%
Cruisers on less than $20,000 p.a. = 41%
Cruisers on less than $25,000 p.a. = 54%
Cruisers on less than $35,000 p.a. = 73%
Cruisers on less than $50,000 p.a. = 86%
Interesting stuff (to me, at least)

[maxingout]

During our trip around the world, our monthly expenses varied wildly according to where we were.

When we were remote - outback and beyond - we spent less than $500 a month.

When we were in more developed areas, we usually spent about $1000 a month unless we took tours. We didn't eat out or rent cars often.

I can easily live on $1000 per month as long as I stay away from places like Fort Lauderdale and the Mediterranean. It's a big world out there, and the best places in the South Pacific were nearly free.

I don't worry so much about monthly expenses. My really big concern relates to health. If you have a major illness, your budget is meaningless, and your voyage may even be over since one major illness can wipe you out financially.

Cheers,

[seafox]

not to mention mentally and physically.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Just a simple observation, but as of Jully 11, 2007, the results show the following snapshot:
Cruisers on less than $10,000 p.a. = 16%
Cruisers on less than $15,000 p.a. = 29%
Cruisers on less than $20,000 p.a. = 41%
Cruisers on less than $25,000 p.a. = 54%
Cruisers on less than $35,000 p.a. = 73%
Cruisers on less than $50,000 p.a. = 86%
Interesting stuff (to me, at least)

Interesting all right. There are 299% of us?