Wansworth
Well-known member
I was born under a wandering star…….
What is a boat for?
- Thread starter Babylon
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Slowtack
Well-known member
.....sailing
PeterV
Active member
A boat is for that night when you set off under the stars, the breeze is warm and gentle and you sail all night under beautiful stars with phosphorescence in your wake. And so that you can forever hope that the last time you experienced this will not be your last.
Stemar
Well-known member
Oops, YesI think you might mean Lee Marvin
Trident
Well-known member
Rebuilt a hurricane damaged one because it was the model I wanted rather for financial reasons but it turned out to be about £100K positive after all my costs because I did it myself. Then rented out the house to sail the world and and that more than covers the boat. On our first boat we did the Med for 5 years, lived very luxuriously, ate and drank and went where we liked and spent so little we trebled our savings whilst sailing. I find those who spend fortunes to use the boat for a few trips in summer to be quite odd but each to their own.
For me, a boat is to see the world without destroying it. I could fly everywhere and anywhere and stay in hotels or villas or whatever for the rest of my life all year round but I would be using air travel and contributing to the problems the protesters in Spain etc are fighting against this very day - tourists wrecking their lives. On the boat I use almost no fossil fuels (perhaps 50L a year! ) , I make all my own power and water and I need no accommodation that deprives the locals. I can go everywhere and be a positive impact when I arrive by contributing to their economy without causing any harm (not even to the seagrass
) . It's also so much more of an achievement to reach new continents under one's own steam (wind?) and have all the things you want with you (the cat gets to come too) So a boat - a sailing boat - is probably the last means of ethical freedom and fun
Sea Change
Well-known member
Speaking my language.Rebuilt a hurricane damaged one because it was the model I wanted rather for financial reasons but it turned out to be about £100K positive after all my costs because I did it myself. Then rented out the house to sail the world and and that more than covers the boat. On our first boat we did the Med for 5 years, lived very luxuriously, ate and drank and went where we liked and spent so little we trebled our savings whilst sailing. I find those who spend fortunes to use the boat for a few trips in summer to be quite odd but each to their own.
For me, a boat is to see the world without destroying it. I could fly everywhere and anywhere and stay in hotels or villas or whatever for the rest of my life all year round but I would be using air travel and contributing to the problems the protesters in Spain etc are fighting against this very day - tourists wrecking their lives. On the boat I use almost no fossil fuels (perhaps 50L a year! ) , I make all my own power and water and I need no accommodation that deprives the locals. I can go everywhere and be a positive impact when I arrive by contributing to their economy without causing any harm (not even to the seagrass
So a boat - a sailing boat - is probably the last means of ethical freedom and fun
The no fossil fuels bit really hits home. On the boat, we basically live off sunshine and rain. We use a sailing rig on the tender and use less than 20l of petrol per year. Boat engine is never ever used to charge batteries and only rarely for propulsion. Rainwater collection system extends times between tank top ups, and in future we hope to have a watermaker too.
We've been back home for the summer and it took a while to adjust to how much higher our energy and water consumption is in the house. Just mowing the lawn has used way more petrol than my dinghy every did, and we use more fuel in the car in a month than we do in a year on the boat. Not to mention the cost of running the house itself. What are these things called 'bills'... I'd forgotten about those
Wansworth
Well-known member
Unfortunately millions live in houses and need cars……Speaking my language.
The no fossil fuels bit really hits home. On the boat, we basically live off sunshine and rain. We use a sailing rig on the tender and use less than 20l of petrol per year. Boat engine is never ever used to charge batteries and only rarely for propulsion. Rainwater collection system extends times between tank top ups, and in future we hope to have a watermaker too.
We've been back home for the summer and it took a while to adjust to how much higher our energy and water consumption is in the house. Just mowing the lawn has used way more petrol than my dinghy every did, and we use more fuel in the car in a month than we do in a year on the boat. Not to mention the cost of running the house itself. What are these things called 'bills'... I'd forgotten about those
Metalicmike
Active member
Escape!
Wansworth
Well-known member
To and what for ?
Daydream believer
Well-known member
In 2004 my wife & I headed south in the boat for the Med. We only got half way down the Bay of Biscay & the weather the whole time can only be described as s..t. We met quite a few coules heading home with stories to frighten the wife. On the day we left, the FIL was taken to hospital. So eventually the wife had had enough of the French(so had I) & the boat, so went home, telling me that I could go where I wanted. I turned round & sailed home. I learned to sail single handed & for once enjoyed sailing . She joined me in Ostend & we finished the season in the Dutch canals, which we both loved.Speaking my language.
The no fossil fuels bit really hits home. On the boat, we basically live off sunshine and rain. We use a sailing rig on the tender and use less than 20l of petrol per year. Boat engine is never ever used to charge batteries and only rarely for propulsion. Rainwater collection system extends times between tank top ups, and in future we hope to have a watermaker too.
We've been back home for the summer and it took a while to adjust to how much higher our energy and water consumption is in the house. Just mowing the lawn has used way more petrol than my dinghy every did, and we use more fuel in the car in a month than we do in a year on the boat. Not to mention the cost of running the house itself. What are these things called 'bills'... I'd forgotten about those
But the point of my post is that our expenditure for the whole season was almost £500 per week everything included. Miles more than the £100 we kept reading about. But we saw no need to change our standard of living & had no intention of living like paupers, just because we were on a boat.
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Refueler
Well-known member
I am fairly confident that I can outspend a large proportion of posters on these forums ... but I will never pay what I term outright scam ...
In fact many of the clients I have earn more in a day or so than I do in a year .. but do they go to exclusive restaurants etc ? No .. that's the realm of the ones who want to be SEEN and want to BE one of the top guys ...
One of the richest clients I have ever had - he loved the typical Brit Transport Cafes Breakfast !!
Stemar
Well-known member
Real class is being able to pick up the phone and get a table for tonight at the Fat Duck - and not doing it
Metalicmike
Active member
Obviously to the boat and from day to day normality.
kingsebi
Active member
Speaking my language too.Speaking my language.
The no fossil fuels bit really hits home. On the boat, we basically live off sunshine and rain. We use a sailing rig on the tender and use less than 20l of petrol per year. Boat engine is never ever used to charge batteries and only rarely for propulsion. Rainwater collection system extends times between tank top ups, and in future we hope to have a watermaker too.
We've been back home for the summer and it took a while to adjust to how much higher our energy and water consumption is in the house. Just mowing the lawn has used way more petrol than my dinghy every did, and we use more fuel in the car in a month than we do in a year on the boat. Not to mention the cost of running the house itself. What are these things called 'bills'... I'd forgotten about those
It’s been ten years I live aboard and sail around. Best decision of my life.
Gustywinds
Well-known member
Living cheap in Paris if my wife has her way…
For various reasons our canal/river trip through France has taken us to Paris much earlier than planned. We have a winter booking from November 16th for 2 months so decided to go right through and out along the Marne.
But… we both got a little stressed out going through Paris as commercial traffic and leisure/tourist boats were very busy and the locks quite difficult. So we called the Arsenal to see if we could stop for a day or two to chill out.
Now, having been here for two days, Her Ladyship asked the capitanerie if we could roll this into our long stay which they are happy to do at the same rate as long as we take another full month.
Her argument is we are getting a ‘hotel’ in the centre of Paris for 14 Euros a night, we have already filled up the time we had booked with having people onboard to stay ( apart from Xmas and Hogmanay when we are going home) so it will be nice to have some time in Paris together (haven’t been since before COVID).
Deal sealed when she got an EMail this morning offering her some work she can do in a couple of hours a day and play the rest of the time.
Plus ça change…
For various reasons our canal/river trip through France has taken us to Paris much earlier than planned. We have a winter booking from November 16th for 2 months so decided to go right through and out along the Marne.
But… we both got a little stressed out going through Paris as commercial traffic and leisure/tourist boats were very busy and the locks quite difficult. So we called the Arsenal to see if we could stop for a day or two to chill out.
Now, having been here for two days, Her Ladyship asked the capitanerie if we could roll this into our long stay which they are happy to do at the same rate as long as we take another full month.
Her argument is we are getting a ‘hotel’ in the centre of Paris for 14 Euros a night, we have already filled up the time we had booked with having people onboard to stay ( apart from Xmas and Hogmanay when we are going home) so it will be nice to have some time in Paris together (haven’t been since before COVID).
Deal sealed when she got an EMail this morning offering her some work she can do in a couple of hours a day and play the rest of the time.
Plus ça change…
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Trident
Well-known member
We have an electric motor on the dinghy so no petrol at all. We sail everywhere we can and use very little diesel in the year - I think 65 hours or so on the engines so far and and they went in 4 years ago! We have lots of real estate so 2.5kw of solar which means a big water maker and full size domestic fridge and a freezer etc - we live very well and as we're veggie, in total when I worked out our carbon footprint it was something like 7 kg a year!Speaking my language.
The no fossil fuels bit really hits home. On the boat, we basically live off sunshine and rain. We use a sailing rig on the tender and use less than 20l of petrol per year. Boat engine is never ever used to charge batteries and only rarely for propulsion. Rainwater collection system extends times between tank top ups, and in future we hope to have a watermaker too.
We've been back home for the summer and it took a while to adjust to how much higher our energy and water consumption is in the house. Just mowing the lawn has used way more petrol than my dinghy every did, and we use more fuel in the car in a month than we do in a year on the boat. Not to mention the cost of running the house itself. What are these things called 'bills'... I'd forgotten about those
Sea Change
Well-known member
That's very impressive.
I did dabble with an electric outboard on the dinghy, bit mine was just a cheap trolling motor. It actually worked pretty well but it wasn't all that much better than rowing so I gradually let it disappear in to the bottom of the locker and rarely use it now.
On my 38ft mono I could only fit 1200w of solar aboard. But it was still enough to switch to electric cooking, and to never have to run the engine for charging.
rotrax
Well-known member
The OP reminds me of a just post war feature in one of the popular weekly motorcycle magazines. At the time crash hats were only seen on the heads of Geoff Duke and Tommy Price, racing world champions.
An RAF irk on his two years National Service had arranged for a lift back to camp. His oppo turned up on his 500cc Triumph wearing a papier mache cork lined pudding basin.
"Whats that on yer 'ead John?" Asked the waiting irk.
"Its a crash 'elmet Pete!" came the reply.
"Wots it for?" he again questioned.
The reply was enlightening. "Keeps me bloody 'ead warm!"
And there you have it - a boat will mean different things to different people.
An RAF irk on his two years National Service had arranged for a lift back to camp. His oppo turned up on his 500cc Triumph wearing a papier mache cork lined pudding basin.
"Whats that on yer 'ead John?" Asked the waiting irk.
"Its a crash 'elmet Pete!" came the reply.
"Wots it for?" he again questioned.
The reply was enlightening. "Keeps me bloody 'ead warm!"
And there you have it - a boat will mean different things to different people.
pandos
Well-known member
Isn't a boat really just an inanimate mistress..?
Stemar
Well-known member
Mine certainly gets me in less trouble with Madame than an animate one