steve yates
Well-known member
Bloody hell Angus, I missed something here, I thought there was no bus service from lochinver? I was looking for one!
Boating on a budget - Scottish boat show talk
- Thread starter dylanwinter
- Start date
Kelpie
Well-known member
Hmm this thead has taken a funny turn.
Anyway, I second the 'fix everything yoruself' school of thought.
In this month's YM the venerable TC is expounding the merit of renewing standing rigging at lowest cost. Except he still employed a boatyard and a team of riggers! It wouldn't even occur to me to do that- swapping out standing rigging isn't exactly rocket science. Likewise, servicing the engine yourself- I am surprised by people who don't know how to do this.
My annual boating budget is probably under £500, which keeps a 33ft yacht in commission. OK I am not supporting my local boatyard or engineer, but if I had to do that I wouldn't be able to afford a boat at all.
Anyway, I second the 'fix everything yoruself' school of thought.
In this month's YM the venerable TC is expounding the merit of renewing standing rigging at lowest cost. Except he still employed a boatyard and a team of riggers! It wouldn't even occur to me to do that- swapping out standing rigging isn't exactly rocket science. Likewise, servicing the engine yourself- I am surprised by people who don't know how to do this.
My annual boating budget is probably under £500, which keeps a 33ft yacht in commission. OK I am not supporting my local boatyard or engineer, but if I had to do that I wouldn't be able to afford a boat at all.
AngusMcDoon
Well-known member
2 a day each way. There's the morning/evening one which takes the secondary kids to school in Ullapool, although it runs during the holidays & on Saturday too, then there is a daytime out/back which gives an hour at Tesco & stops at the door - popular with the pensioners & visiting sailors.
dylanwinter
Active member
thread drift is gennerally good thing
33 footer for under £500 a year - that is amazing
does that include car miles
at the moment getting to and from the boat is my biggest expense by far.
Hoping to nove to a serviced pontoon for the winter - assuming Kip plays ball - then the costs will ramp up some-what
D
ShinyShoe
Well-known member
Oooh - best not dig too much he might not have factored in all the costs and upset himself when he discovers things!
I do agree with the comment about people wanting to know how much it costs. Its very easy to start saying you can scrimp and save here and there and half your costs. But it depends what the costs were to start with! Someone attending the boat show thinking "can I afford this?" needs to know the numbers they will spend not how much they can save...
- Boat purchase
- Repairs, Servicing
- Upgrades / New Gear for boat, Safety kit etc
- Gear for people
- In Use running Costs (Fuel, Gas)
- "Home port" berthing (they also need to know if that means 6 months at home on the driveway as not everyone has a driveway)
- Insurance (comprehensive or 3rd party, can they afford to loose the boat)
- Visiting Port costs
- Food etc? But are they making savings by not eating at home?
- Getting to and from the boat
Gear for People hasn't been mentioned here yet has it? My top tip is Decathlon...
Kelpie
Well-known member
Well the boat is less than five miles from home so I often go by bike.
Yes that is the figure that I need to spend to keep her ticking over. But this year I forked out £300 on a new anchor. Discretionary upgrades I don't count, as you don't have to spend that money if you don't want to.
A rough breakdown would be:
Crown Estate mooring fee- £80
Antifoul- £70 (no labour or haulout costs as I do it with the boat beached)
Engine service consumables- about £50 (I bought six years worth of oil at a bulk price)
Insurance- third party c.£100
I suppose the mooring will need some new shackles at some point, standing rig will need done at about £800 so you could call that another £80 a year.
Fuel costs for a season's use- about two jerry cans so about £50 from the garage, or closer to £30 if the HM is about and I can get red. I would be happy to use the boat more and see this expense go up!
The big saving is obviously that I don't pay for a berth or for winter storage. The downside is the sleepless nights as she swings on a mooring whislt a gale blows through, and the hassle of donig all maintenance between tides.
jamie N
Well-known member
I do feel that many of the expenses would be reduced/minimised, if people thought issues through, for example whether they have to have a 'Yottie part', or something that hasn't been specifically produced for this market. I wouldn't be able to spend the money required for a full offshore set of waterproofs; they're around about £700 I believe, so I use Fladen, at £100 quid. Fishermen use Fladen because they're good at what they do, at a reasonable price. The idea of Dubarry boots!
For my engine, a Renault Couach RC8D, there's no temperature gauge for either water or oil. Simple, I bought from Amazon a "fitTek Digital LCD Thermometer for Refrigerator Fridges Freezers" for £1.92. It's cable tied onto the exhaust where the cooling water exits the engine block! Result, I can see if the water's cooling/running. I 'like' to know the engine RPM, but to buy and fit a tachometer isn't straightforward, so think away from the engine, to a "LCD 14 Function Bicycle Computer Speedometer Odometer Clock Bike Cycle Cyclist" at £1.75, which gives me RPM and running hours. The main marina up here is Caley, who charge £54/hour for any engineering work! That's a lot of wine, where as generally the information is available online, which enables many people to undertake much of the work themselves, should they desire so, of course.
I'm fortunate, in that I enjoy this aspect of owning my wooden boat, and don't see that many things which I'd call an engineer in for, having fitted the engine mounts, and the new engine, with the fuel system, control cables and electrics also. It does take work, and worry, but I'd be unable to keep the boat unless I did these things.
I do realise that many(most) wouldn't want this level of involvement, but it does lead to a greater bond between the boat and the owner I reckon. (Pause whilst people reflect on my level of insanity
)
For my engine, a Renault Couach RC8D, there's no temperature gauge for either water or oil. Simple, I bought from Amazon a "fitTek Digital LCD Thermometer for Refrigerator Fridges Freezers" for £1.92. It's cable tied onto the exhaust where the cooling water exits the engine block! Result, I can see if the water's cooling/running. I 'like' to know the engine RPM, but to buy and fit a tachometer isn't straightforward, so think away from the engine, to a "LCD 14 Function Bicycle Computer Speedometer Odometer Clock Bike Cycle Cyclist" at £1.75, which gives me RPM and running hours. The main marina up here is Caley, who charge £54/hour for any engineering work! That's a lot of wine, where as generally the information is available online, which enables many people to undertake much of the work themselves, should they desire so, of course.
I'm fortunate, in that I enjoy this aspect of owning my wooden boat, and don't see that many things which I'd call an engineer in for, having fitted the engine mounts, and the new engine, with the fuel system, control cables and electrics also. It does take work, and worry, but I'd be unable to keep the boat unless I did these things.
I do realise that many(most) wouldn't want this level of involvement, but it does lead to a greater bond between the boat and the owner I reckon. (Pause whilst people reflect on my level of insanity
)
ProDave
Well-known member
There's an old saying. Never, NEVER add up and write down all the costs of owning a boat. (same applies to building a new house)
Jamie N is that your boat presently on a mooring at Fortrose. We were commenting as we sailed past "I wouldn't want that much wood to maintain (my crew for the day is in the market for a replacement small boat and considering just about anything at the moment, but is hankering towards a bilge or lift keel so he can move to a drying harbour)
Kelpie, how do you get all year insurance on a mooring for £100?
Jamie N is that your boat presently on a mooring at Fortrose. We were commenting as we sailed past "I wouldn't want that much wood to maintain (my crew for the day is in the market for a replacement small boat and considering just about anything at the moment, but is hankering towards a bilge or lift keel so he can move to a drying harbour)
Kelpie, how do you get all year insurance on a mooring for £100?
jamie N
Well-known member
"There's an old saying. Never, NEVER add up and write down all the costs of owning a boat. "
By goodness, there's the truth!!
Yup, indeed that's my floating forest of varnish decaying on the mooring! This coming winter is all about the cosmetics above water, and getting the varnish done properly, as last year was a disaster for time available, at the location she was in, along with the work scope required, the engine mainly. This years going to be different........????:encouragement:
By goodness, there's the truth!!
Yup, indeed that's my floating forest of varnish decaying on the mooring! This coming winter is all about the cosmetics above water, and getting the varnish done properly, as last year was a disaster for time available, at the location she was in, along with the work scope required, the engine mainly. This years going to be different........????:encouragement:
Kelpie
Well-known member
Third party only!
I'm really struggling to find a company who will comprehensively insure a 46yr old yacht on a self laid mooring. All year or not.
I'm actually contemplating putting her on the pontoons in Lochmaddy for the winter just to allow me to get valid comprehensive insurance, so that I can sleep a bit better at night. Ironically the boat would probably suffer much more damage because I would no longer be able to visit her every day.
jimmcgee
Active member
who would have thought that a "LCD 14 Function Bicycle Computer Speedometer Odometer Clock Bike Cycle Cyclist" at £1.75,
" fully water proof could be used for sooo many things , we just need to get it to show speed over water and you can save about 80 quid on nasa gear lol .
" fully water proof could be used for sooo many things , we just need to get it to show speed over water and you can save about 80 quid on nasa gear lol .
ProDave
Well-known member
We need someone on ebay to sell Chinese chart plotters for that sort of money.
