IanCC
Well-Known Member
Nic' 31, closest off the shelf surely.
Sailing around the world on a budget
- Thread starter Halcyon Yachts
- Start date
CrossedThreads
Well-Known Member
I am sat contemplating this right now, at my desk at work might I add. All replies gratefully received.
I am definitely leaning towards going as small as reasonably practicable for a family of five rather than waiting. The career can be picked up later on if needs be. The hard part is having the faith to let go of the comforts of life with the faith it’ll all work itself out eventually.
I am definitely leaning towards going as small as reasonably practicable for a family of five rather than waiting. The career can be picked up later on if needs be. The hard part is having the faith to let go of the comforts of life with the faith it’ll all work itself out eventually.
Marsali_1
Well-Known Member
I've followed their (The Sailing Brothers) adventures since they circumnavigated the UK. I have enjoyed seeing parts of the world I will never be able to travel to through the eyes of a couple of ordinary blokes and, while I'm not one of their Patreons, I don't really have an issue with them being supported in that way. I see it as similar to a street performer busking for quids in a hat. You're not obligated to pay for what you are enjoying and if you are not enjoying you can always move on.To go back to the OP's question. The sailing Brothers You Tube series of videos have shown how they have reached Australia in their Rival. "Atlas" ( is it a 34 or 36?). But inspite of their love for their boat they have had to admit that they need more room & are selling her, for something larger. Further videos will tell us what they have decided upon, although right now they have gone home to see their family. That suggests to me that they may have had enough of being slung around in a box. Regardless of size. They need a break.
As for how much money- It seems that they survive off you tube income & poncing off patreons. Not the sort of way I would like to live. But many do. Beats begging in shop doorways in Ramsgate.
Having watched all of their videos I think they have directly and/or indirectly explained their decisions and and actions. They have been relatively open about such things as Luke's mental health struggles and in a video from not too long ago, there was some mention of their mother being unwell and in the hospital. That is likely the explanation for the flight home (I believe it is the first time they have been home since they began the voyage) and part of the reason for selling a 34' boat for a larger one. "Two footitis" seems to be a common enough illness in sailors who rarely go out for longer than day sails so it is unremarkable in this case.
I think their videos have clearly shown that you don't need a lot of expensive clobber and a posh boat in order to go far and have a great time while doing so. I am really curious what they will have to say about the new (to them) boat.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I am not so sure that return to work is so easy. I have heard that those who paid to race round the world found returning to work quite difficult. My wife & i took a year off to sail to the Med ( which we never reached) & when I returned i had a contract to extend a house locally. But the client was not ready so my cousin asked me if I would like to go on the tools for a few weeks on a project that he had in Canterbury.
I was so nervous that on the trip driving to the site I fell asleep & ended up in Sevenoaks. In the first week & constructed 3 shower cubicles out of square. Installed the plastic waste system to them & forgot to glue the joints. The end came when I broke a basin.
When my own contract started it was 3 weeks before my brain could engage properly.
I have taken long breaks most years since- working in the winter, first as a builder, then as a consultant- but i worked hard to prepare my brain whilst away & never really stopped work, keeping in touch to avoid that sudden drop off from the real world.
I was so nervous that on the trip driving to the site I fell asleep & ended up in Sevenoaks. In the first week & constructed 3 shower cubicles out of square. Installed the plastic waste system to them & forgot to glue the joints. The end came when I broke a basin.
When my own contract started it was 3 weeks before my brain could engage properly.
I have taken long breaks most years since- working in the winter, first as a builder, then as a consultant- but i worked hard to prepare my brain whilst away & never really stopped work, keeping in touch to avoid that sudden drop off from the real world.
John_Silver
Well-Known Member
Remember the French 6 month tourist visa (VLS-T).........The boat qualifies as your French address......other than that, an SSR, EHIC/GHIC, P45, UK Passport & sight of a bank account containing £20k (per applicant) should secure one.
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Supertramp
Well-Known Member
Interesting discussion which is revealing that the boat is less important than will and commitment, which I think is right.
Sailing Brothers is a good example of a sensible boat on a budget. Much depends on how many people are involved. Singlehanded and a sub 30ft Vancouver or similar solid, simple design would be my choice. If two or more and not a couple, I would look for separate sleeping areas. If a family of 5 it would be hard to argue against multiple cabins. Good sized tanks and storage, accessible systems and fittings and boat condition would sway me.
With hindsight, doing it when younger makes a lot of sense - it's harder to uproot from family, children, comfort and health care.
Sailing Brothers is a good example of a sensible boat on a budget. Much depends on how many people are involved. Singlehanded and a sub 30ft Vancouver or similar solid, simple design would be my choice. If two or more and not a couple, I would look for separate sleeping areas. If a family of 5 it would be hard to argue against multiple cabins. Good sized tanks and storage, accessible systems and fittings and boat condition would sway me.
With hindsight, doing it when younger makes a lot of sense - it's harder to uproot from family, children, comfort and health care.
Supertramp
Well-Known Member
And at the risk of thread drift, that's a very big anchor (or a very small boat).......
RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
I recognize this. I am retiring and the wheels are in motion. When I was young and poor, time rich, I did everything DIY, then I stopped and paid for everything to be done, mostly because I became time poor. Since my working time has wound right down, I have handed over my role, I have rediscovered a love of DIY stuff again. The hard part was kicking the habit of convenience to pay for something to be done, that and the fact that I am not as flexible as I used to be, but that too is improving. I think you will find confidence will come back fast the more you do something.
There is a name for it “vision of reality” and it is entirely subjective. You are the sum of your experiences and working life transformed your vision of reality with new experiences. We have an autohelm, cognitive bias, that try’s to keep us in our vision of reality, which is a comfort zone. It’s why people can adapt to long term unemployed, live with abusive partners et cetera, humans find it difficult to break free from institutionalized behavior. As you do new things, you will reset your vision of reality and the autohelm will make that the new default position. Positive affirmations and the fact that you think about new stuff and are doing will will very likely reprogram you easily with little discomfort.
spindly_killer_fish
Well-Known Member
An inspiring thread. Im slowly working towards selling the house (a few years off maybe) buying a boat and getting off this rock. We took our first day sail last year in plymouth and another booked for this july in the solent. Also booked a yacht for the week for me to do my day skipper practical and wife and daughter to do comp crew. Hitting 50 this year so times a wasting and im slowly downsizing by selling all my tools and machines. hopefully with a 5 year old 40 footer we should be ok on 20k a year to sustain us..but who knows
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I think that one needs to be sure that it is what one wants. A year's trial nearer home first with a means to return to "normal" life if needs be.
We met several examples of lonely partners etc. but one in particular always sticks in our minds.
When my wife & I were away we met a very ( I mean Very) Unhappy lady on a Moody 40ish boat. She & her husband had sold everything to buy the yacht new to avoid too much hassle in the early years. The house had gone. They had read the books but never dipped their toes first.
Off they went & they soon realised that whilst it was nice at first learning etc.. Plus stayingin touch with friends at home soon dwindled & they were on their own. People one meets on the circuit are just that. They are not friends. Do not believe the Liz Copland type books. Once they had walked up one hill to look round one decrepit old monastry the novelty soon wore off.
They were desparately lonely.
They were heading for home with the knowledge that the husband was the wrong age to get a job in his old industry & the boat was not worth anything like the money they had spent. They had sold the house & were never going to get it, or one like it, back again. They would have to start buying from start all over again & it frightened them both.
When we set off we made sure we had funds & somewhere to come back to as soon as we needed to. & boy are we glad we did. No way could be live on the claimed buget at the time of £100 P week. Simply because we were not out to live like paupers. I did go to look for a bigger boat at LIBS , but the family stopped me. My wife played Golf & went on holidays wherever & whenever she wanted. My boat suited my SH sailing for several weeks at a time. 31 ft is useless for real long term saiing. For 2 or 2 plus one needs 40ft plus. We (family) have tried 4 up for 2 weeks at a time but once you have had a bum shoved in your face five a day for a week, it does get a bit boring.
Now we are both suffering health issues ( She with incurrable cancer & brain tumour & me with heart & walking problems) we are comfortable at home. How would we cope half way round the world, knowing that one of us could be gone at the snap of a finger?
We met several examples of lonely partners etc. but one in particular always sticks in our minds.
When my wife & I were away we met a very ( I mean Very) Unhappy lady on a Moody 40ish boat. She & her husband had sold everything to buy the yacht new to avoid too much hassle in the early years. The house had gone. They had read the books but never dipped their toes first.
Off they went & they soon realised that whilst it was nice at first learning etc.. Plus stayingin touch with friends at home soon dwindled & they were on their own. People one meets on the circuit are just that. They are not friends. Do not believe the Liz Copland type books. Once they had walked up one hill to look round one decrepit old monastry the novelty soon wore off.
They were desparately lonely.
They were heading for home with the knowledge that the husband was the wrong age to get a job in his old industry & the boat was not worth anything like the money they had spent. They had sold the house & were never going to get it, or one like it, back again. They would have to start buying from start all over again & it frightened them both.
When we set off we made sure we had funds & somewhere to come back to as soon as we needed to. & boy are we glad we did. No way could be live on the claimed buget at the time of £100 P week. Simply because we were not out to live like paupers. I did go to look for a bigger boat at LIBS , but the family stopped me. My wife played Golf & went on holidays wherever & whenever she wanted. My boat suited my SH sailing for several weeks at a time. 31 ft is useless for real long term saiing. For 2 or 2 plus one needs 40ft plus. We (family) have tried 4 up for 2 weeks at a time but once you have had a bum shoved in your face five a day for a week, it does get a bit boring.
Now we are both suffering health issues ( She with incurrable cancer & brain tumour & me with heart & walking problems) we are comfortable at home. How would we cope half way round the world, knowing that one of us could be gone at the snap of a finger?
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Sea Change
Well-Known Member
@DD that's a very sad tale (and I'm very sorry to hear about your wife, having not long ago lost my own mother to cancer).
But both your own experience, and the one you describe of the lonely couple who had sold everything, bear no resemblance at all to our experiences.
The friendships we have made while cruising have been, if anything, more meaningful than some of the ones back home. It's a pretty intense way to build a friendship and even if you are only cruising together for a few days, neither of you has any work pressure taking up your time, and you inevitably end up in and out of each others' boats helping with jobs, or at least helping diminish the beer supply, whilst discussing passages, anchorages, etc etc. We buddy boated with another two families for a whole year around the Caribbean, when you find people you click with it's absolutely amazing, and the great thing is that if you don't click, you can just sail in a different direction.
We recently spent six months back home. We barely saw the friends from our old life, who were all busy with work etc, but to my suprise and delight a whole string of our cruising friends from the previous three years made the effort to come and see us. It's kind of crazy that I saw more of a guy I met in the Caribbean than I did of a good friend from work who lives three miles away.
But both your own experience, and the one you describe of the lonely couple who had sold everything, bear no resemblance at all to our experiences.
The friendships we have made while cruising have been, if anything, more meaningful than some of the ones back home. It's a pretty intense way to build a friendship and even if you are only cruising together for a few days, neither of you has any work pressure taking up your time, and you inevitably end up in and out of each others' boats helping with jobs, or at least helping diminish the beer supply, whilst discussing passages, anchorages, etc etc. We buddy boated with another two families for a whole year around the Caribbean, when you find people you click with it's absolutely amazing, and the great thing is that if you don't click, you can just sail in a different direction.
We recently spent six months back home. We barely saw the friends from our old life, who were all busy with work etc, but to my suprise and delight a whole string of our cruising friends from the previous three years made the effort to come and see us. It's kind of crazy that I saw more of a guy I met in the Caribbean than I did of a good friend from work who lives three miles away.
spindly_killer_fish
Well-Known Member
Yeah i think circumstances play a big role, my wife has her family in SE Asia and I have just lost my mum after losing my dad in 2020, there really is nothing keeping us here. I see no reason not to sail around to SE Asia and parking up, selling the boat and buying a condo if we decide to give up, we certainly wouldn't be retiring in this county regardless.
JRCO26
Active Member
Firstly, sailing in general, whether going round the world or going down the coast- will cost you "as much as you have or as little as you have" ..... I think Moitessier said that.
Then there are some other major things to think about ~ are you married with children? If so, are they literally going to be onboard with your dream, or are you constantly going to have to 'coerce' them into your dream?
If you are a bachelor, like me, with no dependents, then you can do what the heck you want, and succeed or fail, it doesnt matter to anyone but you- be it rebuilding a plastic classic like I am doing now, (which would be financial lunacy if you had a family to feed) or buying a clapped out 40+ year old boat doing nothing to it other than minimal upgrades and going for it. Or perhaps you are one of the new breed that spends a bit more and have an attractive partner you can pimp out thumbnail views on Youtube to make a good income that way to keep going....
Do you want to make sailing your life? Or is this just a 'bucket list' thing to sail off for a few years then come back and rejoin 'normality'? Your decisions , planning, budget, and type of boat will be dictated by if you just see sailing as something cool to do for a few years, or you really want to be a Hiscock, Pardey, Moitessier type and make the sea your life, or at least a very large part of it until the body creaks too much...
Some people because of their personality and family circumstances and what they therefore feel is the "right" thing to do because they will be responsible for others, will say that they must have all the latest safety equipment, a planned budget of $X per month, a boat no smaller than 40 feet, and this and that and this and that - "and only then we can go".
Others will eschew all that, helped by the fact they only have to answer to themselves, and just get a boat and go or do buy a cheap older boat and do it up (like me) - and then there are all those in between, who are neither over cautious or over relaxed and will find a happy medium in a boat and budget that suits them or them and their family.
In the end these types of threads are interesting as you see all those perspectives, from the Shane Acton's on his 18 footer through to the two Sailing Brother lads that think a 34 foot mono is now too small to finish off the last half of their circumnavigation. And even the Cat Condo types who want to take all the comforts of home with them. Those Condo Cats are anathema to me, but who am I to say that they are wrong for the choices they make? Whether you agree or not these people are making what they feel is the right decision for them to get into the sailing life, or continue their sailing life - so there is no "I'm right / you're wrong".
Anyway just some thoughts on this interesting thread in the early hours of the morning as I sip my coffee down here in the southern hemisphere.
Then there are some other major things to think about ~ are you married with children? If so, are they literally going to be onboard with your dream, or are you constantly going to have to 'coerce' them into your dream?
If you are a bachelor, like me, with no dependents, then you can do what the heck you want, and succeed or fail, it doesnt matter to anyone but you- be it rebuilding a plastic classic like I am doing now, (which would be financial lunacy if you had a family to feed) or buying a clapped out 40+ year old boat doing nothing to it other than minimal upgrades and going for it. Or perhaps you are one of the new breed that spends a bit more and have an attractive partner you can pimp out thumbnail views on Youtube to make a good income that way to keep going....
Do you want to make sailing your life? Or is this just a 'bucket list' thing to sail off for a few years then come back and rejoin 'normality'? Your decisions , planning, budget, and type of boat will be dictated by if you just see sailing as something cool to do for a few years, or you really want to be a Hiscock, Pardey, Moitessier type and make the sea your life, or at least a very large part of it until the body creaks too much...
Some people because of their personality and family circumstances and what they therefore feel is the "right" thing to do because they will be responsible for others, will say that they must have all the latest safety equipment, a planned budget of $X per month, a boat no smaller than 40 feet, and this and that and this and that - "and only then we can go".
Others will eschew all that, helped by the fact they only have to answer to themselves, and just get a boat and go or do buy a cheap older boat and do it up (like me) - and then there are all those in between, who are neither over cautious or over relaxed and will find a happy medium in a boat and budget that suits them or them and their family.
In the end these types of threads are interesting as you see all those perspectives, from the Shane Acton's on his 18 footer through to the two Sailing Brother lads that think a 34 foot mono is now too small to finish off the last half of their circumnavigation. And even the Cat Condo types who want to take all the comforts of home with them. Those Condo Cats are anathema to me, but who am I to say that they are wrong for the choices they make? Whether you agree or not these people are making what they feel is the right decision for them to get into the sailing life, or continue their sailing life - so there is no "I'm right / you're wrong".
Anyway just some thoughts on this interesting thread in the early hours of the morning as I sip my coffee down here in the southern hemisphere.
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capnsensible
Well-Known Member
My 2p worth.
Get going as soon as. Don't worry about the middle bit. Plan for the end of liveaboard time throughout.
Worked for us.
Get going as soon as. Don't worry about the middle bit. Plan for the end of liveaboard time throughout.
Worked for us.
webcraft
Well-Known Member
My wife and I are living aboard an old, narrow, cramped 30 foot monohull for around six months a year.
We would like a bigger boat, but we love this one. Living in a small space is challenging but rewarding.
- W
We would like a bigger boat, but we love this one. Living in a small space is challenging but rewarding.
- W
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
Very sobering
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
And 18 years oldWhen you take that to its logical conclusion
18' seems to be about right.
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
Although probably they don’t have hands on experience the yachtingmagazines might inject sensible inspection of the idea of cutting loose
John_Silver
Well-Known Member
A lot to be said for the “summer swallow” approach, I find.
Like @webcraft: 6 months aboard cruising, somewhere warm and agreeable. Means the boat only needs to be big enough to carry the essentials.
Return home during October. Catch up with friends and family. With Christmas and New Year as the grand finale. Followed by getting the boat ready to go again in April.
‘Variety is the spice.’
Like @webcraft: 6 months aboard cruising, somewhere warm and agreeable. Means the boat only needs to be big enough to carry the essentials.
Return home during October. Catch up with friends and family. With Christmas and New Year as the grand finale. Followed by getting the boat ready to go again in April.
‘Variety is the spice.’
steve yates
Well-Known Member
We had hoped to cruise the med together though with my wifes cancer we knew it was always probably going to be a bit of a pipe dream. She died suddenly last year and I have been bobbing about in a daze since, but it was always a given that I would take off in a boat eventually. So now I am in the process of going through probate, then downsizing to give the kids some money, and leaving essex, either back to cumbria, or prob to scotland. I will need to finish our longbows full refit this year and then take off in a year or two from now, not sure where. Kids are all grown, working and partnered up, and no grandkids due anytime soon, so I will be unemcumbered. I will however keep a base wherever I move to, and aim to use the boat I have, at least at first, ( and if I upgrade it will be an older looked after boat at a sensible price, a very long way south of six figures) and put any extra house money into property, to protect the capital and have an income, rather than splurge it on a 40 plus foot white boat with showers and watermakers etc. If I can do it without working, great, if I have to work, I have my photography skills and retrained as a marine surveyor, but hoping I can manage not to have to go back to work. Doing some from choice to make some extra cash is an entirely different scenario. I would hope to be able to cruise for about £2k per month by avoiding heavy use of marinas.
