How much does it cost to cruise ?

[sailaboutvic]

Firstly everyone HAPPY NEW YEAR .
Now the party's are over and the Christmas deco are about to come down most of us old timers are working on plains for the coming season ,
while the newbees are trying to work out if their too can leave land for a life out at sea .
Soon or later in the coming weeks the six millions dollar question will be asked once again .
How much does it cost to be a liveabourd and cruise ?.
Well here is some answers to your question .

http://www.distantshores.ca/boatblog_files/budget-for-cruising.php.

Just one last thought ,
while chatting to most of our friends over the holidays ,
who do keep a full accounts of what they spend , a figure of 25000 to 35000 euros kept coming up .
BUT that includes every thing including flights back home to visit family , car rentals and other non boating stuff .
It does not include major repairs like a new engine or replacing rigging .

 

[Carmel2]

Which is the best anchor Vic?

 

[sailaboutvic]

Which is the best anchor Vic?

Don't go there Paul , that must be the next most asked question .

 

[blampied]

Firstly everyone HAPPY NEW YEAR .
Now the party's are over and the Christmas deco are about to come down most of us old timers are working on plains for the coming season ,
while the newbees are trying to work out if their too can leave land for a life out at sea .
Soon or later in the coming weeks the six millions dollar question will be asked once again .
How much does it cost to be a liveabourd and cruise ?.
Well here is some answers to your question .

http://www.distantshores.ca/boatblog_files/budget-for-cruising.php.

Just one last thought ,
while chatting to most of our friends over the holidays ,
who do keep a full accounts of what they spend , a figure of 25000 to 35000 euros kept coming up .
BUT that includes every thing including flights back home to visit family , car rentals and other non boating stuff .
It does not include major repairs like a new engine or replacing rigging .

Were a couple, cruising arround West end of Med, in a 10 meter motor boat.
Using marinas and eating out more often than not, keeping a home maintained back home and travel home several times a year.
Slightly over the upper end of your range.

I've no doubt that avoiding marinas, giving up eating out, reducing travel home and getting rid of the house costs by selling or renting it out.
The lower end of your range would be very doable.

 

[jonic]

I was once told as much or as little as you have.

And I think that is probably quite true.

The Med is probably more expensive than the Caribbean, certainly we found that to be the case.

It's a few years ago now, but in the Caribbean we were happily getting by on £6-800 a month. That was anchoring everywhere and shopping local - avoid all tourist areas.

It was bliss. We were anchored off some of the finest beaches in the world. On occasion these beaches had some very exclusive hotels on them but we were encouraged to anchor off "as the guests like to see yachts off the beach". In exchange for staying a while we were invited to use the pools and the sun loungers. One morning after coming ashore in the dinghy, we were even greeted by a charming lady with hot towels and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.

I keep wondering why we came home.....

SWMBO's book has some useful info www.sailawaybook.com

 

[lindsay]

My liveaboard costs as a singlehander in the Mediterranean over the last 20 years have come in uncannily in at 20,000 gbp each year, with the exception of events like a daughter's marriage. 5000 gbp of that goes on travelling to see my family in various parts of the world over a total of 3 months a year, mostly living in hotels, furnished studios etc and not with them.

I still feel I want for absolutely nothing, but then I am getting older, older and older and life becomes increasingly simple!

Somehow I have fallen into a perfect lifestyle where there is no such thing as inflation. Maybe I should write a book?

Best of luck with your project. Don't let anyone put you off

 

[Carmel2]

I have to say trips and travel are a major haemorrhage for us, We have just come back from Christmas meeting up up with old friends in Palma and that cost more than double what we have spent on marinas this year, inc 6 months winter berth.

 

[BobnLesley]

My liveaboard costs as a singlehander in the Mediterranean over the last 20 years have come in uncannily in at 20,000 gbp each year...5000 gbp of that goes on travelling to see my family in various parts of the world...I still feel I want for absolutely nothing, but then I am getting older, older and older and life becomes increasingly simple...

It's not just us then? Having cruised since 2003 we've also found that our costs in doing so have remained fairly consistent - about £16k +/-10% a year - irrespective of where we've been. That's included boat maintenance and upgrading (admittedly not for the year we bought a new one!) and at least one extended trip back to the UK each year to catch up with family and shore-based friends.

Sailing in Caribbean and USA there have been substantially higher health insurance & flight home costs, but these are offset by having no winter berth to pay for; similarly when in the Med, we found that if berthing costs were high (Italy) we'd be less likely to eat meals ashore. We too have noticed little cost-inflation over the period, though I suspect that this might be a case of such inflation having been offset by our becoming more cost efficient over the years? As an example I would estimate that excluding winter\lay-ups, we spent perhaps one night per week on a paid-berth during the early years, whereas now it'll be nearer to one night per month. Better communications (internet particularly) have also helped; it's very much easier in 2016 to find out where and where not to go to find a reasonably priced berth, spare part or repair than it was twelve years ago.

You could easily spend a lot more and probably have just as much fun whilst spending a bit less; as someone noted earlier: It costs what you can afford.

 

[duncan99210]

When we started out we kept detailed accounts of what we spent and what we spent it on. As time has gone on, we've given up that habit and instead budget by a simple method of drawing out a fixed amount of cash each week and not spending more than that unless something unforeseen happens (usually something breaking/getting lost....). Weve found that this works quite well, leaving us able to build up a bit of a reserve for winter moorings and big ticket items like travel to and from UK.
We've also noticed little or no change in the overall cost of living over our time on board. How long that will last if difficult to say but being based in Greece I think it likely that the current economic situation will tend to keep,prices stable for the near future.

 

[lindsay]

Interesting reactions re an inflation busting life. We also get smarter. I recall very early on, in France, that by substituting a single espresso in a cafe providing its own French newspapers instead of a daily milk coffee, 2 croissants and an English newspaper from the newsagent across the road, I could in theory save close on 1800 gbp a year.

Without making a conscious effort to do so, I seem to have applied that thinking across the board.


This of course results in a cold financial shower when spending 3 weeks in London with freespending family and friends where my total outgoings would have kept me for 4 months summer pottering around happily on board.

Yet another confirmation that the liveaboard life should be pursued to the very limit.....then hopefully a bit beyond.

 

[jonic]

Yet another confirmation that the liveaboard life should be pursued to the very limit.....then hopefully a bit beyond.

+1 :encouragement:

 

[charles_reed]

Firstly everyone HAPPY NEW YEAR .
Now the party's are over and the Christmas deco are about to come down most of us old timers are working on plains for the coming season ,
while the newbees are trying to work out if their too can leave land for a life out at sea .
Soon or later in the coming weeks the six millions dollar question will be asked once again .
How much does it cost to be a liveabourd and cruise ?.
Well here is some answers to your question .

http://www.distantshores.ca/boatblog_files/budget-for-cruising.php.

Just one last thought ,
while chatting to most of our friends over the holidays ,
who do keep a full accounts of what they spend , a figure of 25000 to 35000 euros kept coming up .
BUT that includes every thing including flights back home to visit family , car rentals and other non boating stuff .
It does not include major repairs like a new engine or replacing rigging .

I've just been doing my cashflow for 2016.
It's based on my actual expenditure for 2015 - including flights, a new genoa and flight visits by my wife.

All I can say is that 6 months cruising in Greece costs about 60% of 6 months' living in the UK.
Now that's comparing two very similar lengths of string - the usual problem quoted by many when the question is asked.

My question, totally different, is "How on earth do people afford to live in a house, on dry land, in the UK?"

 

[Artic Warrior]

Hi all,
I stopped working at 41 now 46 and have been living on £1000 euroes a month from my house that I rent out.
That covers everything and running a car for a few months when im in the uk.
I live free on a house boat in the uk when im back to see my father.
My boat in Greece is 45ft so have to search the cheapest marinas when im away from her.
A few months a year are spend in Thailand etc, so thats cheap living too.
I have no ties except dad so makes it much much cheaper.
Tight budget but I luuuuuuuuuuuve not working
Happy days

Colin

 

[Artic Warrior]

And eventually I might catch my pension up if they don't keep moving the goal posts....

Or they might stop it all together,,,,,,Most likely

 

[jonic]

Hi all,
I stopped working at 41 now 46 and have been living on £1000 euroes a month from my house that I rent out.
That covers everything and running a car for a few months when im in the uk.
I live free on a house boat in the uk when im back to see my father.
My boat in Greece is 45ft so have to search the cheapest marinas when im away from her.
A few months a year are spend in Thailand etc, so thats cheap living too.
I have no ties except dad so makes it much much cheaper.
Tight budget but I luuuuuuuuuuuve not working
Happy days

Colin

Excellent :encouragement:

 

[sailaboutvic]

It's Always interested in hearing what others people budget are .
by the way blampied , there are not my figures (the 25 to 35000 euro ) it what others have told me it cost them , to be honesty we have never kept a record although we thinking of keeping one this year , just out of interest ( I,m not sure I want to know )
I have to take my hat off to cruisers who can manage on 10k , taking a guess I would say we go though £14k

 

[Monique]

Hi Vic,

After buying you lunch today, you have blown my budget for the next 2 years. Nice to ride with you though

 

[sailaboutvic]

Hi Vic,

After buying you lunch today, you have blown my budget for the next 2 years. Nice to ride with you though

Hang on , I drive back to the airport and give you a refund ,
Safe flight see you when you get back , very windy back at the marina

 

[Thedreamoneday]

90 days left till 'Thedreamoneday' actually becomes that day!

We're only pressing the pause button on the 'rat race' for a couple of years or that's the plan at the moment but who knows, I've read and heard plenty of of people saying they do this for a year or two then are still cruising 5+ years later.

Jonic, I've read your wife's book, which I enjoyed and from memory I believe you fell into the above too.

Very excited!

 

[Thedreamoneday]

Hi all,
I stopped working at 41 now 46 and have been living on £1000 euroes a month from my house that I rent out.
That covers everything and running a car for a few months when im in the uk.
I live free on a house boat in the uk when im back to see my father.
My boat in Greece is 45ft so have to search the cheapest marinas when im away from her.
A few months a year are spend in Thailand etc, so thats cheap living too.
I have no ties except dad so makes it much much cheaper.
Tight budget but I luuuuuuuuuuuve not working
Happy days

Colin

Very similar to our plans, boats in Greece, renting our house out and in early 40's so great to hear it's working well.