So tell me more...

[themount2]

about living the "Dream".

Morning All
I'm from Scuttlebutt and I thought I'd just put my head round the door and find out "how you do it". I would imagine some of you were fortunate enough to make a few bob when you had the energy, retire early and go for it with absolute regular interest generated security! I don't have a problem with that, good luck to you, well done!
But there must be others who took a bigger gamble and are doing it on a less secure basis. This is where my interest lies.
Assuming one has the right size and strength of yacht, and the plan was to just get up and go, what sort of running costs do you encounter on a monthly basis? It would be tempting to think that if you were sailing all the time there is little to spend it on but that's not the sort of trip I'm thinking of. There would be plenty of port hopping because one of the reasons for going would be to see as much new land as new sea if you see what I mean.
I'm not asking for detailed lists a la "Sell Up and Sail", (I've read that) or personal details, just rough guides would be enough. What opportunities are there for topping up the piggy bank en route? Limited I would imagine but every little helps.
My initial thoughts are sell property to give around £150k in the bank. At £1k per month for 2 people that's 12 years plus. (cost of yacht already accounted for) is that realistic? After that who knows (or cares for that matter) ???
I apologise if this is not an original question but I have missed previous posts so I'm afraid it has to be asked again!
Cheers

 

[snowleopard]

we went away for a year as a trial. this is what we found:

the costs for the year came to somewhere in the region of £20k, we ate out occasionally, hired cars for a day or two say once a month, didn't stint ourselves on food and used marinas a total of about 2 months (40ft x 23ft). quite a lot went on repairs and everyone we met had the same problem however new the boat. ARC and ARC Europe added an extra £1k. one of the biggest costs was up to £50 for a taxi tour of most new places, costly but well worth doing.

we could have cut the expenditure by half if we had stuck to anchoring and missed out on excursions and restautants. so on your budget you'd get by but it would be tight.

a lot depends on where you're going, for example the caribbean is quite cheap because you can always anchor for free whereas around britain you often have no option but to pay for docking.

for income, it's very difficult: selling services to yachties isn't easy, people on the cruising circuit are generally self-sufficient so unless you have a particular skill such as electronics or sailmaking there's very little work. charter is generally out as the locals usually have it all sewn up and don't allow outsiders to muscle in. also most places specifically ban visitors from working.

there are a few places where cruisers have set up businesses (st maarten being the prime one) but that means tying yourself to one place for a long time.

don't worry about the boat, there are lots of bog standard janbenbavs out there having a great time.

just go, it's great.

 

[themount2]

Thanks, it doesn't appear to be totally out of the question. Maybe more of the budget per year with a few less years. When the trial was over what did you do? Are you still out there or did you come home?

 

[JOANDSTEFFAN]

Hello there - Steffan and I (34 and 37 now..) left a couple of years ago. We sold our flat where we had lived for 12 years, bought a vagabond 47 in Spain. We had been looking in uk to buy but found it easier and far cheaper to look whilst out there. We rented a small cottage for £150 per month in the alpujjaras near Granada where we drove in our old beaten up Nisan patrol from Santander with two cats and our world in a trailer behind us ! It took a few months but we saved a whole heap of cash buying abroad. Flew over a UK Surveyor - a must - and off we went. We have sailed for two years now, wintered in Alghero last year and Cyprus this year. We did find however that we were consistantly over budget and realistically you need £1000 per month with repairs maintenance etc - it worked in peaks and troughs for us ie turkey was very cheap and alghero - only £600 for the winter including haul in and out - but balearics and parts of Sicilly quite expensive - The thing we found was that although we didnt have to sail to some of the more expensive places - we wanted to see them ! Steffan my partner is a carpenter/builder and although there are places you can make money along the way - boat baby sitting in the winter for people - odd jobs etc - you should really only look at this income as pockey money - its also uselful to research where low cost carriers fly into - i was leaping back to the uk from alghero for £20 return. Our main source of regular income was from a rental - we had a two year let completly hassle free and manageable - a friend earnt pocket money from haircuts on the quay side - There is no denying that if you are receiving North European rental income it goes alongway to paying for South european living. Although we had two properties and we have come back to find that property prices have increased dramatically - we have no regrets and cant wait to get back again - red sea and missiles permitting ! Good luck and go for it a'douf - Jo and Steffan on board Radiant Spirit

 

[JOANDSTEFFAN]

p.s We did manage to live off £1k per month - went site seeing - hired scooters in the Ionians - went into marinas once a week - unforeseen costs were having friends out and having to go into marinas to collect them - and to drop them off - this was a big costing which you never think will hit your piggy bank - so just a thought. Not sure where your house is but have you looked into letting? But this does limit how far you can sail and we all want to sail away but the med is usually the limit if you want to avoid heft management bills etc

 

[snowleopard]

home again

yes, we only planned a year as a try-out. meant we had to come back for boring stuff. had a bad experience with letting the house while we were away, had to take a big drop in rent and they did a lot of damage.

now trying to sell the house and liberate capital with a view to visiting kids in australia.

swmbo is a non-sailor and took a lot of persuading but coped well including doing the eastbound atlantic crossing with just the 2 of us.

 

[Guest]

We are in the throes of extricating ourselves from the rat race in London with the aim of chasing our dream. Having read the books and logged on to the forums etc etc it seems to me you just have to go and find out for yourself. Isn't the whole point of the exercise to learn from your mistakes and enjoy every experience, good or bad? After all, you know what boat you will need, like you know what sort of house you will need. Is not a sailor, by definition, someone who enjoys a challenge? Life is out there, go and get it.

 

[mikewilkes]

Re: home again

Like you we are a cat and have to pay the "exess" for having her marina bound. We have been living aboard for nearly two years now but only started keeping costs last Sept. Bloody stupid month to start cos she came out of the water and had both her bottoms sand blasted!!! That kind of put up the costs a wee bit.
We also travel to and from the boat every month because for my sins i am still employed, this is the reason for having to pay for a marina berth.
We do go out, we do enjoy a drink and we live very well. Our costs seem to be running about £1,500 per month. Bearing in mind what it includes, 4 scheduled flights for SWMBO, cos they give her food and a drink! we are still manage to save a fair amount of dosh, and I dont get paid that much!!!
My attitude, with hindsight, is that we should have done this years ago and let the future take care of itself. We have come across a lot of youngsters living aboard in the sun and surviving very well. Just do it.

 

[wazza]

Re: home again

SWMBO ???????

Sailing
Wife
Moater/Male
Boat
Owner

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[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[wazza]

Re: home again

Mmmmmmm, well OK

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[MedMan]

Re: home again

She
Who
Must
Be
Obeyed

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/yachtretreat/>http://www.geocities.com/yachtretreat/</A>

 

[MedMan]

Just to give you an idea, our expenses during 2001/02 broke down as follows:
Expenses - 2001/2002
Converted to base currency: British pound
Between 01/04/2001 and 31/03/2002

Boat
Chandlery & Repairs 1,076.49
Charts & Pilot Books 126.29
Engine Servicing 92.63
Fuel and Oil 427.86
Gas 33.80
Harbour Charges 1,700.82
Insurance & Licences 436.37
New Equipment 823.19
Water 2.18
Total Boat 4,719.63

Books & Magazines 126.86
Clothing 441.81

Communications
Cards, Postage & Stationery 61.82
CompuServe & AOL 179.14
Mobile Phone 237.37
Payphones & Fax 19.21
Total Communications 497.54

Entry Fees 168.76

Food & Consumables
Dining Out 655.22
Groceries & Consumables 3,185.83
Total Food & Consumables 3,841.05

Healthcare
Eye & Hair care 445.51
Medical & Dental Fees 149.05
Medicine & Prescriptions 104.90
Travel Insurance 259.80
Total Healthcare 959.26

Laundry 21.66

Leisure Activities 50.69

Life Insurance 155.88
Miscellaneous 628.28

Photography
Developing, Film & Batteries 74.82
Photographs & Albums 7.18
Total Photography 82.00

Travel
Air Fares 851.05
Bus & Train Fares 342.72
Car & Cycle Hire 409.00
Ferries 105.29
Fuel, Parking & Tolls 444.04
Taxi Fares 109.86
Total Travel 2,261.96

Total Expense Categories 13,955.38

MedMan


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/yachtretreat/>http://www.geocities.com/yachtretreat/</A>

 

[themount2]

Many thanks David for an extremely comprehensive response. It doesn't look as though 1k p.m. is completely out of the question with a little care and a touch of frugality. Enjoy yourselves and have a nice life.

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[Stingo]

The good folk on this forum have given me incredible encouragement. I am due to leave at the end of March and am finding that the most difficult thing to do is to cut the proverbial umbilical cord. There are plenty of other cruisers that had the same problem and every one of them have said that once cut, they couldn't understand why it took them so long to cut it.

I hope to see you out there. Good luck

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stingo.co.uk>http://www.stingo.co.uk</A> <font color=blue>- now showing at a computer near you</font color=blue>

 

[wazza]

Hello Snowleopard..

I think you must be the first I've heard to say that the Caribbean was cheap, all I ever hear is how much MORE it cost than to what was budgeted.

Also I heard that there was a charge for anchoring, is that true or is that info from so called experts that have never been???? Would be intresting to know which island charges and which dont and how...

Cheers W

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[snowleopard]

cheap caribbean!!!

yes, by british standards the caribbean is quite reasonable, especially if you try to follow the example of the locals. by contrast to iberia and the canaries it seemed expensive but almost anywhere would.

buy food in the local markets, use public buses, eat out infrequently and when you do, choose a roti rather than a lobster, drink local beer, stay out of marinas.

the question of charging for anchorages never arose and we visited most of the windwards and all the leewards. there are a few anchorages where you can't avoid boat boys demanding money to 'help' you anchor, one of the reasons we avoided st vincent.

a major engine repair in st lucia cost less than the same job in falmouth, including air freight for the parts. the big chandlers in st maarten were a little cheaper than back home. even marinas were less than back home despite a universal 100% multihull surcharge.

phone calls from a call box back to the uk cost $us 8 for 55 mins in the french islands. the only things we found more expensive than back home were water (5p/gal) and internet cafes (£6-15 per hour).

i think the key is 'compared to what was budgeted'. if peole think they're going to a 3rd world destination and can live on next to nothing they'll be disappointed. you can live very cheaply indeed but most 1st world comforts are available and most people want them.

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[wazza]

Re: cheap caribbean!!!

See what you learn when you listern to someone who's been there!!!

Thanks snowleopard

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