True cost of boating story for MBY

[Hugo Andreae]

Anyone out there happy to share the annual cost of running their boat for a story in MBY magazine?

Partly inspired by a previous thread on this forum, I thought it would be interesting for readers to see how some people do manage to run their boats on a relatively tight budget.

A couple of brave forumites have already agreed to bare their souls, as have I, but we could do with at least one more UK based cruising boat, preferably in the 30-40ft size range.

Here's a brief of what we need. If you are interested send me a quick PM as I will need your words and pics by Monday.

Thanks

Hugo

Words
500 words of running copy describing you, your boat, how you use and run it. This will need to cover the story of buying it (why, where, when and how much you paid for it). Where you keep it and why (marina or swing mooring as well as location )? How often you use it (estimated annual engine hours would be helpful) and what for? What you chose to do yourself and what you chose to pay other people to do for you (eg antifouling, polishing, servicing etc)? Any means you have for offsetting those costs (boat sharing, chartering, tax deductions etc). What you get out of owning a boat and why you think it’s worth the cost of owning and running it.

List of costs
• Make and model of boat
• Approx value
• Where you keep it (eg Cobbs Quay Marina, Poole, UK)
• Approx no of days use p/a
• Estimated depreciation p/a
• Berthing p/a
• Fuel p/a
• Insurance p/a
• Regular engine/drive servicing p/a
• Regular maintenance costs p/a (antifouling, lifts, cleaning, winterising etc)
• Unscheduled repairs p/a (averaged out over several years)
• Any other costs (please state what)
• Any offsets such as boat sharing or charter income (eg boat shared so all costs divided by two)
• Total cost to you p/a (ie sum of all costs minus income or shared costs)

Photos
A small selection of good quality high resolution photos of your boat and at least one nicely lit head shot of yourself.

 

[Murv]

Would be happy to help, but no chance by Monday morning. If later is OK, feel free to PM me.

 

[oldgit]

and let the wife find out how much is really spent on the boat....

 

[matthewriches]

I'm happy to contribute for a Fairline motorboat in the 40-50ft range. Twin screw diesel undergoing full refit and exterior works.

 

[Hugo Andreae]

I'm happy to contribute for a Fairline motorboat in the 40-50ft range. Twin screw diesel undergoing full refit and exterior works.

Sounds promising. It's the normal annual running costs we're interested in at the moment (although the refit might make an interesting story at a later date). Have you had it long enough to know what the annual running costs are?

 

[sc25 Sweden]

Hi
I own a sc29 in Sweden. Could be intersting for the forum to compare costs. UK v Sweden.
Kind regards Terence

 

[rubberduck]

Are you trying to kill off future readership ? :courage:

 

[jrudge]

Could do and I published most of my costs in a forum post a while ago but I am on the boat until the 7 Dec and Monday is unfortunately not particularly very realistic !

 

[matthewriches]

In my 3rd year.

Sounds promising. It's the normal annual running costs we're interested in at the moment (although the refit might make an interesting story at a later date). Have you had it long enough to know what the annual running costs are?

 

[Hugo Andreae]

Could do and I published most of my costs in a forum post a while ago but I am on the boat until the 7 Dec and Monday is unfortunately not particularly very realistic !

It was your original post that prompted the idea so I already owe you a drink! Apologies for the tight deadline. Christmas printing schedules always play havoc with our production cycle.

 

[TheOrs]

and let the wife find out how much is really spent on the boat....

Or, even worse; find out yourself!

I choose blissful ignorance!

 

[kashurst]

whoa - if you publish the reality you could be responsible for quite a few divorces! (my wife doesn't ask and I don't tell her )
Can you do a feature first on man maths, followed by man budgeting, then an article on a few used boats and how happy their owners are and what a bargain they are and how much pleasure their families get etc etc. Just drop a few hints about fuel consumption at displacement speeds, and how far you could explore at D speeds, volvo parts are reasonably priced compared to caterpillar, just don't be specific, you can do your own servicing for free etc - that's all anyone needs to know.

 

[[2068]]

This is a really bad idea on so many levels.
Add up all the costs, then divide by the number of trips ... ouch.

 

[Gwylan]

and let the wife find out how much is really spent on the boat....

Too right! At the outset of our real sailing the CiC and I agreed that we wanted to sail and we would afford it. We never discuss it, we work on don't ask, don't tell. But the prospect of some serious expense on the engine we may have to review things.

Anyway for skiing and sailing if you add up the costs then it's time to stop.

 

[mainshiptom]

I think ownership of a boat and running cost are so different to so many people for instance

I do my own servicing as much as I can and own my own moorings so annual costs are insurance mainly otherwise its Fuel and cost of buying for parts.

I do not stay in expensive marinas so prefer to anchor IE I look for boats that accommodate a generator and comfortable to stay on board for a long time.

I have been on boats where the owner just gets on board in marina has a G&T and off he goes again

so horses for courses.

just my take on boating and expenses...

also I am unique in a way that I have never lost a penny on selling a boat so it is really an extension to how you make something like a hobby work for you?

just my thoughts and I have a very supportive SWMBO which helps.

 

[oldgit]

Or, even worse; find out yourself!

I choose blissful ignorance!

+1.
Presume this is to encourage others to take part in our hobby ?
Seriously..wonder if any single example of boat ownership would realistically represent the Mr Average.
Sheer range of the money thrown at the hobby in my club alone varies enormously from those who do absolutely everything themselves to those who confine themselves to walking up the pontoon and turning a key.
All no doubt, enjoy their boating to the same degree in a club where average cost of mooring a boat is around £1000 PA.
Within a mile or two, you could pay from £200 for a Peel Port trot mooring up to a marina mooring of £ 5000 plus.
Perhaps you need three examples at both end of the spectrum and one in the middle. ?

Recently a blurb in the RYA magazine extolled the virtues of Motorboating for the average family man.
The boat used in the piece was a 3/4 of million £ masterpiece and the cost of the courses suggested to enable you to enjoy the lifestyle probably cost more than some folks boats.
Well above my pay grade to suggest a sensible solution tho !

 

[Bigplumbs]

This sort of thing would only be useful if people posted what they spend on their boating against their annual gross income. Then people could judge. It is no good reading that someones spends say £20,000 a year but you have no idea of their income.

I recon the range of cost is as low as £1000 a year and the upper limit I dread to guess

There is a terrible unfairness of wealth distribution in the world and that is certainly true in boating

Dennis

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

This sort of thing would only be useful if people posted what they spend on their boating against their annual gross income. Then people could judge. It is no good reading that someones spends say £20,000 a year but you have no idea of their income.

I recon the range of cost is as low as £1000 a year and the upper limit I dread to guess

There is a terrible unfairness of wealth distribution in the world and that is certainly true in boating

Dennis

I can't see that people's income is even remotely relevant to the article that Hugo's trying to write. It's not about how rich people are, it's about how much it costs to run a boat; the cost is associated with the boat and how it is managed. The running costs of my Targa 40 wouldn't vary very much even if my income was 10x what it is now. Whether or not I'd still own a T40 is a different question altogether - and again, not at all relevant to Hugo's article.

 

[Bigplumbs]

I can't see that people's income is even remotely relevant to the article that Hugo's trying to write. It's not about how rich people are, it's about how much it costs to run a boat; the cost is associated with the boat and how it is managed. The running costs of my Targa 40 wouldn't vary very much even if my income was 10x what it is now. Whether or not I'd still own a T40 is a different question altogether - and again, not at all relevant to Hugo's article.

It is simple the more money you have the more you spend on your boat. Also while there are rich people around who will pay, the more prices for boaty things will be

 

[oldgit]

Still think it would make good article but suspect it will merely confirm every boat owners suspicion that the bloke next door can only be funding that boat by way of the BVI, people smuggling or worse
Would be very interested to know if the cost of buying/running boat has become more expensive or less compared to 10/20/30 years ago.
Possibly as a proportion of income less or is a widening income gap obvious here as well ?