Hi, i am a newbie.

[fujiwara takumi]

Im pretty curious about sailing. I've been around boats and that since I was a baby, it's pretty hard in Wisconsin not to see a lake from time to time. I grew up on Eagle Lake and Lake Michigan...I own a house about a 1/2 mile (too far) from the lake.

I'm trying to convince one of my dads friends/business associates that he should take me out and teach me a little, but I guess other than that I'm wondering where else I can absorb information.

I am also intermiably curious about the number of pennies a boat might eat of mine...I remember when my dad had a cheap little fishing boat and the old adage about a boat being "a hole in the water that you throw money into" coming up on a weekly, (or bi-monthly since he was partners), basis.

Oh well, in the end I just need a lot of answers but I'm unsure of the questions so I'm going to hang out and absorb.

[BC Mike]

If you want exspenses buy a horse. A boat can cost a lot of money or it can be thrifty, it depends on what you buy and how handy you are. A boat under 30 feet is going to cost a lot less than one over 40 feet. You are more in touch with the enviroment with a smaller boat. There are only three sizes of boats. 22 feet about 30 feet and about 36 feet. The 22 foot boat will not have much room but would be a good daysailer. A 30 footer will have enough room but it is not a house. A 36 footer is big enough for anything. Anything over 40 feet is like living in a hotel. BC Mike C

[Stede]

I agree with Mike on the horse ownership. I thought boats were expensive until we bought my daughter a horse For what I was paying each month on the horse, I could easily have made payments on a nice 37-38 footer.Luckily, my daughter moved on to other things, and so did the horse.

Also, to echo Mike's statements, a boat can be as expensive as you want it to be. You can load it with all types of "necessary" systems, like generators,inverters,radar, repeaters,etc. and the maintenance/repair costs of the boat go up dramatically. On the other hand, I remember running into a fellow single-handed sailor down in the Keys, that had his boat "bare-boned."To introduce myself, I called over to him to see if he would like to have a cold beer with me. Once on board his boat, I couldn't help but to notice how he kept running his fingers up and down the beer can. I asked him about it and he said,"I haven't had any refrigeration,or ice on board for about 3 months now.I bet my girlfriend I can go without it." I don't know if he eventually won the bet or not, but he sure did enjoy that cold beer!!

[fujiwara takumi]

I do some autoracing right now, basically thats a 20k layout for your whip coupled with about a k for your licensing and $500-1000 a weekend if nothign goes wrong. if somethign does you can double that.

If i could get into sailing for under 10k and keep my yearly expenses under 5 I think it would be very enjoyable.

Like i (may have) said, i live on the lake, id like to be able to sail across to Michigan once in a while, if im out of line and this is crazy tell me so, but I am about as green as they come.

One thing im not limited by is my ability to learn and adapt and I just try to continually find new things to do. Im not looking to race, im just looking to have some nice days on a boat.

[Joyce GVL]

Well, I do have to disagree about horses being more expensive. I have three. The cost for up-keep is less than slip fees. But, i do agree, a boat is only as expensive as you make it. We have a day-sail 26 McGregor that only costs about 1K anually. We keep her on the lake. That includes mooring & taxi service. The big sails are in San Diego, which is a lot more. A real easy lake sailer might be like a 22ft Capri, or something. Especially on Michigan. The winds are good. I used to live near Winebago & did sailing there, great conditions & easy to learn, yet not so far to row if all goes wrong. Try some rentals first, see what you like.

[CSY Man]

Don 't know about horses, but am painfully aware of how expensive cats and dogs can be: Recently an infected annal gland on the mutt cost $1,300.00.
But then again, the vet is a collector of exoctic cars...

As for boats.
I bought my 33' for $40K 5.5 years ago. Have put another 40 into it in repairs, upgrades and maintenance.
So far we have done almost 40 trips with the short and the long ones included.
Therefore: each trip is costing about $2K plus operating expenses: Diesel, food and beer, etc.

Not even counting dockage, loss of investment capital, (Since the boat is paid off) depreciation, insurance, annual fees and such.

Previous boat was an older wooden 44' sailboat: Bought it for $30K, put 30 into it over 3 years and sold it for $30K.
(Sounds like bad accounting, BUT we lived on the boat full-time, and sailed her all over the Virgins....Did not pay any money for rent or mortgage on a house, or chartering bareboats...See how ya can justify a boat?...)

[BC Mike]

$10,000.00 Canadian would buy a nice Tanzer 26. They are solid and roomy, sail well, are good in rough weather. They require the usual hull maintanence as any other boat. The cost of the berth will determine your other costs. BC Mike C

[fujiwara takumi]

CSY Man once whispered in the wind:
Don 't know about horses, but am painfully aware of how expensive cats and dogs can be: Recently an infected annal gland on the mutt cost $1,300.00.
But then again, the vet is a collector of exoctic cars...

As for boats.
I bought my 33' for $40K 5.5 years ago. Have put another 40 into it in repairs, upgrades and maintenance.
So far we have done almost 40 trips with the short and the long ones included.
Therefore: each trip is costing about $2K plus operating expenses: Diesel, food and beer, etc.

Not even counting dockage, loss of investment capital, (Since the boat is paid off) depreciation, insurance, annual fees and such.

Previous boat was an older wooden 44' sailboat: Bought it for $30K, put 30 into it over 3 years and sold it for $30K.
(Sounds like bad accounting, BUT we lived on the boat full-time, and sailed her all over the Virgins....Did not pay any money for rent or mortgage on a house, or chartering bareboats...See how ya can justify a boat?...)

did you buy both boats new?