Shoestring Sailors (Cruising on $500 per month - part II)

[sailorboy1]

you people need to get better shoes, they have better strings!

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

you people need to get better shoes, they have better strings!

you know I don't have those fancy shoe's with shoe string either. So not in the budget

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

you people need to get better shoes, they have better strings!

Don, the adults are talking. Go on back to yer big buck thread and get pissed at the thread drifters.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by SURV69

The popularity of this thread makes me wonder if a person living an on-board minimalistic life, could make a living expousing and lecturing on this type of lifestyle?

Lin and Larry Pardey have been doing just that for what....40 years??

[Ballenxj]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Nope, shoestring sailors need a very low maintenance boat. The Baba 30 is a lovely boat, but is not low maintenance.

Is this more along the lines of what you're thinking?
1979 Catalina 27 (recent price reduction)

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by Ballenxj

Is this more along the lines of what you're thinking?
1979 Catalina 27 (recent price reduction)

Yes, Very little teak and simple systems. That is the key to living on less. Though the price is a bit high for a low cost 27 foot sailboat. Though its had some love, so maybe $5000. $7k just seems a bit pricey for a 79 . I'm not big on outboards either.

[Ballenxj]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Yes, Very little teak and simple systems. That is the key to living on less. Though the price is a bit high for a low cost 27 foot sailboat. Though its had some love, so maybe $5000. $7k just seems a bit pricey for a 79 . I'm not big on outboards either.

That's just the first price. I'm betting you could talk them down quite a bit. I have also seen similar going for less as well.

[Vino the Dog]

Got lotsa teak and love it. Not expensive, just work in trade for charm. Don't have teak if you are not going to maintain it. Craftsmen love it cause it gives us something to do while the rest of you are laying on the beach.

[weavis]

I just love this thread.

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

[SIZE=3]
This is the shoestring boat. And for only 2 grand: Hahahahahahahahahahahaah!

$100 buys that boat. And that's far too much. Free would be too much. It's former grandeur and splendor is in the seagrass.

Aww c'mon Crabby. Think of it as a 'fixer upper'. And half the hull has already been washed.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by frank_f

Aww c'mon Crabby. Think of it as a 'fixer upper'. And half the hull has already been washed.

I like that part but what I really hate about the concept of fixer upper is that it can cost far more in the long run to get the boat sailable, and that's assuming you do get it back in the water at all after all the sweat equity, storage expense or hassle, and ever-spiraling material and gear costs.

I've had it work out both ways.

IMO, one is way ahead of the game to find the better-kept boat with a motivated seller. Folks just reach a point where they don't want to watch another nickle go down the drain. Interests change. We all know that buying a boat doesn't guarantee that boating is going to work out for ya.

Sailing is more fun than grinding fiberglass. Working two jobs to save $ is more fun than grinding fiberglass. This is a boating forum. If one is just looking for a cheap place to live, that's a different mindset. Likewise, a lot of folks are really in it for the work and craftsmanship rather than the sailing.

Optimism has to be tempered with reason. Kinda like some people: A fixer upper has caused many a broken heart.

[sailorboy1]

coming soon to cable channel near you "Flip That Boat"

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by Vino the Dog

Got lotsa teak and love it. Not expensive, just work in trade for charm. Don't have teak if you are not going to maintain it. Craftsmen love it cause it gives us something to do while the rest of you are laying on the beach.

i've got lot's of teak and it sucks.

i would gladly exchange my useless teak caprails for a useful slotted toe rail.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

my useless teak caprails for a useful slotted toe rail.

They are not useless....they keep the makers of Cetol, Epiphanes, and Blue Tape in Business...good for the Marine Economy

Our Ideal Boat was one with NO Extrenal Teak...so we did the only sensible thing and bought a Teak Forest on Deck...but it sure looks good when we keep up on it.

[sailorchic34]

I should confess that my boat has more then a little teak on the outside, including the cap rails, cockpit covings, five hatches, dorade boxes, etc, etc.. While I love the look of fresh varnished teak, I am FAR less enamored with sanding and varnishing. Plus good varnish costs a small fortune, least wise to me.

Being a poor sailor, last year, I purchased a can of exterior acrylic and painted most of the exterior wood. In pink of course... One $12 quart of paint from the big box hardware store is good for the cap rails. Its been holding up pretty good and best of all comes in a rainbow of colors. A gallon of paint is only $30 or so and good for many years of coverage. Without all that sanding, scraping, cleaning, etc.

I also painted the old sacrificial insignia cloth I was using on my jib that was getting long in the tooth. I did that a few years ago, and it too has held up well. I do need to touch that up in a few places this year, on the jib, but it works rather well all in all. Much cheaper then sewing new sacrificial cloth on the jib. I had read where experimental aircraft folks paint the dacron cloth used on wings. Being a cheap sailor, I though, hey I can do that too.

Added bonus, the boat is color coordinated too in a two tone color scheme , all for about $50 in paint. That's how this shoestring sailor saves money. Not to mention all the time I save not having to varnish, etc. Plus paint lasts for years and years. Big win...