How much is this Sailing lark?

[Herald]

As a wise man once said if it's got tits or sails it's going to be expensive........

If your concerned with the costs and asking if you can afford it I would start with something smaller unless you have deep pockets.

For my 36 footer annual cost around £5k for mooring, insurance, maintenance, lift out etc

Think carefully and follow the head not the heart...

 

[peterb]

As it sounds like you are a relative beginner, I'd be tempted to do the RYA course(s), and then join a local sailing club, and spend a few seasons sailing on other peoples boats.

Where are you? To some extent the advice will depend on your local sailing water.

 

[awol]

There is a marked reluctance by many boat owners to actually account for the total spend on their boats. This form of denial is a defence mechanism against the harsh reality that there is very little, if any, economic argument for boat ownership, and if the time actually spent on a moving boat is factored in, the cost per hour is totally indefensible. There is also, in the case of a non-sailing partner, the possibility of reciprocal spending demands.

As an annual act of attrition and masochism, I actually tabulate my spend and the totals for each of the last 3 years have been around £6k. This is for a 32' boat spending 6 months on a swinging mooring, 3 months in a marina and 3 months ashore at the marina with all maintenance carried out by yours truly. The split has been ~£1.8k on mooring/marina/insurance/lift in/out; ~£1.5k on running costs like gas/fuel/marina visits/visitor moorings/canals; ~£1k on maintenance bits and pieces; and the rest (~£1.7k) on new things like rigging, oilies, sails, liferaft, flares, instruments, toys. However, I have managed over 3000nm each year so at a nominal 5kts that equates to £10/hr - but that ignores the time spent decorating, cutting the grass, etc. to gain the brownie points to trade for sailing permission. So far this year I've spent £1.3k and she won't be launched until the end of the month.

And don't forget, you have to have almost instant access to several £k just in case she needs new sails, or engine, or lifted ashore, or ......

Hope that helps!

 

[Iain C]

"Boat-hole in the water surrounded by wood or glassfibre into which one pours money".

Echo the fact, it's as expensive or as cheap as you want it. Some interesting parallels a fellow Fireball sailor and I were drawing up on a weekend recently on my 27 footer

His second hand Fireball, about ten grand, same as my cruiser
A new main for him, £800, a fraction more than mine, but a lot less cloth and it only lasts 18 months
His insurance...about £50 more than mine...his boat lives on a trolley in a dinghy park for 99% of it's life, I'm on a swinging mooring
His foul weather gear, about £400, just a smidge less than mine
His fittings and string-load more than mine, even though they are a third of the size
Etc etc

However, once you start replacing even just a few odds and sods, things do get VERY expensive. If you buy a boat, and even just want to equip it with new flares, a liferaft, fire extuinguishers, gas alarm, a couple of sets of guest foulies, danbouy, MOB sling, first aid kit, and get the engine serviced, which you may well need to do even before that first trip, you are starting to talk about a fairly significant percentage of the purchase price! Don't overlook these costs if the old owner is transferring this kit to his/her new boat!