lustyd
Well-Known Member
They don't match with the actual prices in shops near me. As I said, I've been paying attention while shopping and I know the prices in supermarkets near me (and near the boat).
Sailing around the world on a budget
- Thread starter Halcyon Yachts
- Start date
dansaskip
Well-Known Member
I have been trying to avoid commenting on this thread ever since it started but now with thread drift it has turned into arguments about the price of butter.
Anyway back to the origin I will put in my pennyworth. Amazed of talk of a budget of £70k and only slightly envious who manage to set off when in their 40's or 50's
Of course I would have like to set off on my travels earlier but I had to wait until after I retired. When I set off I didn't know how far I would get or even whether I would like the cruising lifestyle. So I managed to do it on a standard state pension and I didn't have a big savings pot. No I didn't have to scrimp and save always had enough for a beer and a meal ashore whenever I fancied. No not fancy restaraunts but good healthy eating. Local food bought from markets or roadside vendors.
OK I didn't make a complete circumnavigation - covid and worldwide lockdowns put a premature end to that. But I had a good 6 years away and did get halfway (NZ) plus more cruising in S Pacific.
So as a final note, you don't need a lot of money to do it and it doesn't matter how old you are - just go when you can.
Anyway back to the origin I will put in my pennyworth. Amazed of talk of a budget of £70k and only slightly envious who manage to set off when in their 40's or 50's
Of course I would have like to set off on my travels earlier but I had to wait until after I retired. When I set off I didn't know how far I would get or even whether I would like the cruising lifestyle. So I managed to do it on a standard state pension and I didn't have a big savings pot. No I didn't have to scrimp and save always had enough for a beer and a meal ashore whenever I fancied. No not fancy restaraunts but good healthy eating. Local food bought from markets or roadside vendors.
OK I didn't make a complete circumnavigation - covid and worldwide lockdowns put a premature end to that. But I had a good 6 years away and did get halfway (NZ) plus more cruising in S Pacific.
So as a final note, you don't need a lot of money to do it and it doesn't matter how old you are - just go when you can.
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
I thought the important part of butter was at what latitude it melted?
[194497]
...
Back on topic, there's a Halcyon 27 on Apollo Duck for £4600, pretty well set up for low budget liveaboard complete with windvane self steering, solar panel on an arch that could take more or a bimini, a solid fuel heater and two sets of sails. It's in Greece. World cruising on a really small budget could start there...
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
Who dares wins !……good sea boats ,looks like somebody had to abandon their dream
lustyd
Well-Known Member
I thought it was interesting the SY Florence said in a recent episode that they've all but stopped using their wind vane since upgrading the power with lithium etc. and other boats like Delos have never had one despite doing a couple of circumnavigations. With the proliferation of solar arches and other stuff cluttering the stern I wonder how long wind vanes will be around for, especially given the price of new units.
[194497]
...
I think it comes down to budget and philosophy, you can choose to fit out a boat to generate and store as much electricity as you want to use, or you can fit it out to use as much electricity as you want to generate and store... If I was prepared for long term cruising (insert mournful sigh here) I'd prefer simplicity and easy maintenance to luxury and expense, so windvane every time. But chacun a son gout, as the French so wisely say.
lustyd
Well-Known Member
Have you watched Sailing Yacht Florence? I'm guessing not, based on this response.
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Hydrovane is awesome. We hand steered across and back first time because of a continuously failing autopilot. Much better second time.
The wind generator gave us enough power for normal use. Didn't bother with freezer or fridge. Ate healthily and well.
Keep it simple is a handy motto.
The wind generator gave us enough power for normal use. Didn't bother with freezer or fridge. Ate healthily and well.
Keep it simple is a handy motto.
Sea Change
Well-Known Member
I sympathise with this.
On the previous boat, we insisted on adding a Hydrovane. There were some mental gymnastics and conpromises involved getting it to fit alongside the dinghy in the davits.
The davits were used daily, the vane ended up only every being used on a handful of long offshore passages. And on those occasions, the dinghy was lashed on deck anyway!
We're now on a different boat which has a sugar scoop and overhanging arch with solar panels. I still have the Hydrovane but it's in storage. I have zero intention of fitting it until we are next contemplating an ocean crossing.
The only real justification for fitting one these days, outside of the terminally paranoid who expect to lose all electrical power, is the ability to have a backup rudder. And that could probably be achieved more easily with a dedicated emergency rudder that could be bolted to the stern.
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
A hydrovane is tireless. It never sleeps, never wants feeding or a cup of tea, pilots hundreds of people on ocean passages and doesn't know what the Internet is.
Fab u lous
Fab u lous
Sea Change
Well-Known Member
You could say the same about a good autopilot. On the old boat I had two completely separate electrical systems, either of which could power out. To lose both systems would probably mean you had bigger problems at hand.
I've had two windvanes and the Hydrovane was nowhere near a good as the servo pendulum I had first.
Doesn't cope as well with big changes in wind strength, and has much less power available.
But it does provide a complete second steering system, which is amazing for peace of mind. So I am not selling mine any time soon.
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
I've delivered a few yachts with rubbish autopilots. Love ones with hydrovane. But of course, it's all subjective. 
Sea Change
Well-Known Member
I'd only advocate an autopilot if it was a good one, linked directly to the rudder shaft.I've delivered a few yachts with rubbish autopilots. Love ones with hydrovane. But of course, it's all subjective.
We fitted a new ram and carried the old one as a spare for our Atlantic crossing.
It would have taken a lot of different things breaking before we'd have ended up hand helming.
lustyd
Well-Known Member
I didn’t say they weren’t good. I said that some people who circumnavigated on what these days is considered a very basic boat have said they no longer use it. Florence are very back to basics people and I doubt they said that lightly.
lustyd
Well-Known Member
You seem to be implying that there’s never been a bad windvane. I’m confident that’s not the case, in fact the sailing brothers one broke on multiple occasions.
[194497]
...
No, but I doubt that watching it would change my opinion that there are various ways to fit out a yacht and that everyone has their own tastes in these matters.
billskip
Well-Known Member
That's free....
lustyd
Well-Known Member
My point was that their philosophy as a couple that sailed around the world on a small and basic yacht is to keep it simple, and they decided that the electronic AP was better. Otherwise my post would just be that another couple decided to go electric which would be pointless as thousands do so all the time. They are an exceptional couple whose opinion I’d trust, given their documented experience.
Supertramp
Well-Known Member
Just reread Peter Pye's "The Sea is for Sailing".
29ft boat "Moonraker", 3 people, an engine sometimes, no autopilot, watermaker etc. Whale of a time.
Don't we just overcomplicate things!
29ft boat "Moonraker", 3 people, an engine sometimes, no autopilot, watermaker etc. Whale of a time.
Don't we just overcomplicate things!
