How Cheap Could It Be Done

[SailingFan]

Yup, until that one that kills your and your guests... or just your guests. Or kids, or spouse. Am I carrying extra stores? Sure am. Every time I pull the hook. Am I watching the weather? Yep. Am I checking rigging? Yep. Am I maintaining and repairing my sailboat? Sure am. If I get nailed, it won't be because I had my head in the sand and just waited around for the bad situation to get us, and then count on someone else to get us out, risking their lives as well as our own.

But to each his own, I suppose.

[boatman61]

Actually you've got it backarsewards.. she does take prisoners.. they're the ones who don't make it across..

[weavis]

Lets just move on from the differences of opinion....

[SailingFan]

The ones she takes, she kills. Prisoners could be traded back, potentially. The ones she takes, she takes to the bottom (or at least, she holds them until the sea life are fed, THEN what remains goes to the bottom).

[SailingFan]

Originally Posted by weavis

Lets just move on from the differences of opinion....

Sorry Weavis, no battle intended. I was just trying to offer insight that the OP obviously had not considered. I have said what I needed, the OP can use or not, and I will try to keep on the cost topic now.

[SailingFan]

Ok, so assuming you are ready, and the vessel is ready, and that you have an initial point to aim for, as well as an understanding of what the Pacific High is doing as well as where the low pressure systems are and which season to depart in so as to avoid the nasty cyclones and typhoons that live there on occasion, you should determine how long you will likely be at sea before your first supply stop. Remember that some locations are not going to have much in way of supplies, and that those supplies will often be costlier than what they were in the US (talking food and water, because repair supplies will cost more and be far less available if your luck is like mine).

I take more food and water than I need by at least half. Consider your speed and the weather circulation patterns to calculate time at sea, and then add some sort of buffer to account for mistakes and slow times (because it will not be optimal for most folks especially inexperienced ones), and get your initial food and water stores situated before departure. We will assume whatever you spent getting ready included the food and other stores, boat costs, initial fitment and supplies, and a set of spares to the point that you were satisfied that you met the level of safety margin you were comfortable with (it varies, as this thread has shown), the next phase is to calculate the costs of fees, passports, and other regulatory issues, and then pay for them ahead of time as applicable. The fees for visiting other countries and islands will likely have to be dealt with as they occur, so I won't count those here because it depends on which you go to, how long you stay, and what services you use there.

Once you are out, and if you can provision and stretch your budget in this regard (and hopefully catch a few edible fish along the way with lures you make yourself or bring along), and you stay away from costly marinas and guided tours, shops, and what we used to call "Heyjoes" you should be able to get by on maybe $500 a month with two people pretty easily, maybe less, and maybe a lot less depending on your level of desired comforts and tastes in food offerings.

Of course, that will not pretty cover all the needed maintenance and repairs/replacements for your boat, clothing, sails, rigging, electronics (if any), etc... You will need to learn to navigate to the level of technology that you use, as Uncivilized has wisely mentioned, of course.

My two cents and change, worth double what you paid for it.

[SailingFan]

Bring medicine and medical supplies too, because both may be missing wherever you are going. You should also consider some form of medical insurance protection, even if self-pay, as a potential issue because US insurance is not exactly commonly accepted overseas. I have heard of companies that do offer such protections, others here will know more, but if I recall, there is a thread on that in the forums here, something about a company that essentially gives charge information to the provider when you seek service, and the provider is paid immediately via that Visa card the insurance company holds, and you pay a premium each month for the availability of this service. I have no idea what the deductibles are, but given the nature of the warm sea prevalence of poisonous and dangerous animals, it would be wise to at least consider such a program so that you could examine what it does to your costs to have coverage or to self-insure (pay cash) for injuries.

A lot of boat injuries come from walking around on deck or in the cabin without close toed shoes (broken toes and ankles are common), slips, trips, and falls on deck, and the occasional slipped line in the hand abrasions. Also, pinched fingers, banged noggins on spars (and cabinets in rough weather), and the occasional steps on sea urchins or bites by predators in the oceans if you are swimming or wading in the water. Jellyfish are a big deal in the Atlantic, not sure about the Pacific, I imagine they would factor in if you spent time in the water, but I don't know. Again, this all depends on how much "extras" you want in terms of experiences other than just being able to eat food and drink water as you float by an area. Another reason this question is impossible to definitively answer.

Food cost will be possible to reliably estimate per day (with margin for spoilage, depending on what is stored). Fuel costs can be estimated if you are not motoring everywhere. The rest is up to you, how well-found the vessel is at start, what maintenance you do (or calamities occur because you neglect it), what stores you bring and you level of competence in repairing things, and how well you treat your vessel (do you push her for max speed and therefore strain rigging and craft to the point of increased wear?).

[Dirk Williams]

Stuff will vapor lock you. I'm a new ocean goer, lots of lakes, time. Without a boat, you don't know where to start. Mine was a freebe, Great shape, missing a couple pieces,,and the motor just got rebuilt. Needs install.

I've purchased the parts I HAVE to have, and fumbled over the items I think I need.

My battle is required VS want. I have friends who've done both the Atlantic and the South Pacific with a hand held GPS and a compass. I'm not comfortable with that.

I keep having to ask myself " what's reasonable" what do I need. My boats sound, and in great shape for an old classic. I can cook, poop, talk on the radio, and sail, in comfort.

I have an anchor and rode for currant location. I have charts, a full tank and 40 gallons of water.

Yet I'm vapor locked, I feel the need to add redundancy, safety and human needs. I now have what I actually need, I don't have exactly what I want to
add.

Wants.
Composting toilet. On lay away.
Water maker saving for.
Solar. Have a bunch of 100 w panels, new in boxes renorgy. Want 200 watt panels.
Self steer. Have a monitor, AUTOHELM needs install.
Hot water instant on. Have
Propane bottles have.

I don't need any of these things to sail. Yet I feel the need to have them installed and functional,before I leave.

Goals Alaska summer of 2018. Budged 2/3 k month.

I guess these are not really bad problems to have, we're headed in a positive direction.


Good luck
Dirk