Our cruising costs - month 28 for a middle-aged couple on a 30' boat.

[sailorboy1]

Well CTHoops has a massive barn door rudder. I know it well having scraped the barnacles off it in past. A spare rudder

I have a spade rudder and I don't, and have never ever considered. carrying a spare.

I see you have a collection of fears. I bet they are all a source of a past thread here if you use the search function you can save time looking at those.

[Cthoops]

Originally Posted by My_Breakaway

Thanks for the reply. And yes I’m planning to carry extra jugs of diesel��somewhat unrelated regarding my safety planning, I have a spade rudder so I need to plan for the worst. Do you carry an emergency rudder?

Good idea on the diesel.

As Don knows so well, our rudder has a full skeg so we don’t carry an extra. We do have a Monitor windvane with the M-Rud which can act as an emergency rudder if needed. It’s pretty low on our list of things that can go wrong though. Now let me go find the nearest piece of wood to knock on.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions.

[sailorboy1]

I am a bad man

[My_Breakaway]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Well CTHoops has a massive barn door rudder. I know it well having scraped the barnacles off it in past. A spare rudder

I have a spade rudder and I don't, and have never ever considered. carrying a spare.

I see you have a collection of fears. I bet they are all a source of a past thread here if you use the search function you can save time looking at those.

You can lose a mast you can lose an engine but if you lose your rudder it does not matter if you have an engine or a mast does it.....

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by My_Breakaway

You can lose a mast you can lose an engine but if you lose your rudder it does not matter if you have an engine or a mast does it.....

by all means just carry one if you want to

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by My_Breakaway

You can lose a mast you can lose an engine but if you lose your rudder it does not matter if you have an engine or a mast does it.....

And there are lots of other parts of the boat that can be turned into a makeshift rudder if the need arises. Doors, plywood settee hatches, etc...no need to carry a sore rudder, especially in a place like the Bahamas.

[daddio862]

Again I thank you that are willing to provide real world data to those of us planning a budget. Very helpful information. Next fall we hope to be cruising for 6 months or so. Getting the financials right is a challenge.

[sailinglife]

I am confused..
It cost $2k a month to cruise the Bahamas?

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by sailinglife

I am confused..
It cost $2k a month to cruise the Bahamas?

Yep..

[James M B]

Is there a limit as to how much stuff you can bring in on initial arrival? Beer, wine, liquor, spare parts etc.
Or at some point are there duties/taxes on consumables on board on arrival?

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by James M B

Is there a limit as to how much stuff you can bring in on initial arrival? Beer, wine, liquor, spare parts etc.

Or at some point are there duties/taxes on consumables on board on arrival?

There are limits, but when you’re on a small boat like the OP the space is limited. We’re in the same boat so to speak.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Cthoops

Your question about the diesel made me laugh, because I used to think the same thing before we started cruising. We actually don’t use a lot of diesel. This time we topped off before we left (we had last topped off in Jacksonville Beach, one month earlier) plus another 15 gallons to top off when we got to Green Turtle (no wind made for a motor fest for the entire 160 NM trip). The diesel in the Bahamas was over $4 a gallon so that made the number higher. The total amount also includes gasoline for the dinghy and water maker.

Originally Posted by My_Breakaway

Yes, I’m planning to carry extra jugs of diesel.

Breakaway,

Just a postscript to Hoops' topping-off info. As a soon-to-be cruiser, it's basically good seamanship to keep one's diesel tanks full.

Unforeseen events can arise at any time requiring the extended running-of-the-engine, which is why Hoops bit the bullet of paying $4/gal, despite only needing a topping off.

Just this week, I read a report of an owner who found himself in an anchorage with poor holding, unexpected heavy weather blowing through (at least he was in an anchorage!), with the owner standing anchor watch throughout the night, engine running in neutral the whole time.

You can't plan for stuff like this - but you can be prepared. Hence, top up your fuel tanks when there is fuel available...

LittleWing77

[sailorboy1]

What good is a fuel tank if it is empty?