Frugal sailing

[[32511]]

Just wondered- are there many other people out there whose sailing is done on a state pension, no other income? So far, I am just managing.

 

[Davy_S]

I would imagine there are many such persons, It would all depend of course of the size of vessel and if you had to pay for mooring charges, a small sailing dinghy left on a launching trolley on a friends piece of land would cost you nothing to sail, aside from maintenance, which you may undertake yourself at minnimum cost. There are many scenarios, you do not mention under which category your personal requirements fall into.

 

[Ludd]

I come into that category,but I live aboard. Don't know how people manage keeping a house---

 

[ChattingLil]

Just wondered- are there many other people out there whose sailing is done on a state pension, no other income? So far, I am just managing.

I imagine so - partic during a recession - For me its about clinging on post-redundancy with household income down by two thirds. So not a case of no income, but actually almost nil spare income. Only managing because I have no other vices! (and some extremely good friends who are good with maintenance)!

 

[paulm299]

I am doing it on a Forces pension while I am unemployed .

 

[Davy_S]

Of course you could suppliment your income a little, there is a jovial character who posts on here, he lives in the lake district, it would seem whenever he sails, young women shed their clothes and pay for their photo to be taken, all in the best possible taste of course!
Cant quite think of his name though, has to be something simple--

 

[dylanwinter]

cutting corners

I would love to hear some money saving tips from sailors who have to rely on a state pension

here is one corner cutter I am trying this year

.... not antifouling

I put the boat ashore so often that as long as I remember to give it a brief scrub when I do then I should get by

eating on board is also a great way to cut costs

Non negotiables are coffee, whisky and gas for the cooker


The high costs for my venture are petrol and mooring fees

so the only way to keep sailing is to live within bike distance of cheap moorings

Costs this year ranged from £10 a month on the medway to £50 a week in Woodbridge and Ramsgate. Petrol.... well you all know what has happened to that since I started my journey.

Dylan http://www.youtube.com/user/dylanwinter1

 

[wotayottie]

If you can do that on the state pension of £90.70 per week, you have my admiration. I doubt I could feed myself on that little.

Unless you are talking of the state pension of a civil servant of course.

 

[[32511]]

If you can do that on the state pension of £90.70 per week, you have my admiration. I doubt I could feed myself on that little.

Unless you are talking of the state pension of a civil servant of course.

If only! I do have a SERPS pension, which works out to about £10k, before tax.

 

[wotayottie]

It's still bl**dy good going. Mind you my late mothers income was around that mark and she managed to save "for her old age" from it. She was 92

I can imagine it being an interesting challenge at first but wearying after a while.

 

[Ludd]

If only! I do have a SERPS pension, which works out to about £10k, before tax.

SNAP!
Thing is to have simple tastes. Ienjoy cooking,eat on board as a matter of course,don't need a car, cycle or walk to shops,buy stuff that's on offer.or as Idid on arrival in Largs --picked geens(wild cherries) and brambles so I could bake 3.142! I also bake my own bread if I can't get fresh although I think that's probably an extravagance!

Don't wear designer oilies or buy flash gear,either.
-

 

[Gwylan]

Sounds familiar. The nightmare is a big expense - like a new pair of winches or the engine. Otherwise becoming increasingly creative with the maintenance and doing more and more myself.
Started with a lump sum and got the boat into good nick, so we decline in a genteel sort of way together.
Agree with Dylan, will not compromise on coffee, good scotch and wine. Prefer to cook and eat on board - usually at least as good as whatever you find in the town. Catching fish and Lidl/Aldi have helped eke out the budget before now
Spending as much time as possible at anchor helps too - but can restrict any sort of social life

 

[aquaplane]

I think it depends what you are doing. My parents live aboard in the summer and tend to eat out for birthdays and aniversarys, not so often. They are also still sailing the boat they bought in 1982 so it don't owe them much. When they had to replace the roller reefing a couple of years ago it was written off as "a couple of weeks in the nursing home".

I have to work for now but try to get to the boat most weekends so we splash out occasionally. When we are on holiday/summer cruise we eat out more often, so it's more of a holiday. I just keep the expense down so I can do more with less for longer.

 

[Mudplugger]

Permissable pensionable activities:

You are not alone!! and yes it is a struggle, but it all comes down to where your priorities are. Very noticeable this past couple of years (since retirement) how many other OLD? sailing couples are still out there, particularly so, when the school holiday's are ended..all of a sudden there are no longer sails on the horizon, anchorages are empty, and one can sit in the cockpit (with G&T) and savour the view!! great isn't it. Then there is the time aspect....No longer having to thrash back on a Sunday night for work in the a.m....Just get on the boat some time in May....get back end Sept/Oct....Living costs work out more or less the same in terms of food/fuel etc and the available time allows for a much greater cruising area.....'08 Benelux,'09 West Coast Scotland, '10 Poss: Baltic?
Must admit tho, that all maintenence/ upkeep/ servicing is d.i.y. and biggest annual cost is insurance! but we manage to keep around the 2k mark all in.

 

[dangermouse117]

Go Asia

It it were me, I'd be cruising spots of Asia. Cost of maintaining boats in Thailand is 1/3 our rates here in NZ, and the sailing is warm, sheltered, and superb. Everything else is relatively cheap, and medical costs especially so, if this is a concern.

As a guide - when I was in Bali, Indonesia (land-based), I was spending around the equivalent of 90 pounds per week, living out of good value hotels and eating out on every meal. Thailand I found was about 1-3x more expensive depending on locale.

 

[wotayottie]

...Just get on the boat some time in May....get back end Sept/Oct....

How do you do that? We're retired but that seems to leave just as many committments to block off sailing - ageing parents, kids getting married and sprogging not to mention all the ad hoc things that come up. And gardens to look after, jobs on the house to do. Boat maintenance - I've given up doing that in winter preferring to sail then and maintain when its warmer.

 

[Poignard]

Just wondered- are there many other people out there whose sailing is done on a state pension, no other income? So far, I am just managing.

There used to be a man posting on this forum who seemed to be existing on a pittance, and enjoying life living on a Folkboat. I can't remember his username but I think he was French. Someone else may remember.

Anyway, if you caould track down any of his posts they might interest you. They were full of useful advice and amusing to read.

ps Just found a reference to him: his username was "trouville" but how you would find his old posts I don't know. I expect there is a way.

pps Click "Search" then "Advanced Search" then enter trouville in "User Name" box then click "Search"

 

[DownWest]

Trouville was actually English (prob still is ) and enjoyed his wind ups in pidgin French/English. Think he got banned a while back. I missed the ones that caused his demise, but enjoyed the others. Research says he posts on other forums.
A

What about the '£200 millionaire' related in 'Sailing on a small income' Annie Hill. Different world then, when people weren't looking to squeeze every passing boat for loot.
I find that around here, the attitude to small yachts is very relaxed. Plenty of (free) ramps for trailer sailers. Any fees are minor.
A

 

[Poignard]

Trouville was actually English (prob still is ) and enjoyed his wind ups in pidgin French/English. Think he got banned a while back. I missed the ones that caused his demise, but enjoyed the others. Research says he posts on other forums.

Well that's a shame because I enjoyed his posts [wind-ups or not]. Can't the management allow him back now?

Regarding the "£200 Millionaire" I once did a projection using an on-line "inflation calculator", and I think that is equivelent to around £10,000 a year now, so still very affordable. Mind you, there were no marina fees to pay then, or electronic gizmos and safety gear to eat up your money.

 

[rivonia]

SNAP!
Thing is to have simple tastes. Ienjoy cooking,eat on board as a matter of course,don't need a car, cycle or walk to shops,buy stuff that's on offer.or as Idid on arrival in Largs --picked geens(wild cherries) and brambles so I could bake 3.142! I also bake my own bread if I can't get fresh although I think that's probably an extravagance!

Don't wear designer oilies or buy flash gear,either.
-

We, my wife and I live on my state pension/serps. We only have the boat no other property. We seem to to be living quite well and enjoying life. I do know several other yachties here who are in the same position as us.

Peter