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can I afford to continue sailing

15K views 115 replies 75 participants last post by  schelli 
#1 ·
So at the end of this season my wife tells me she cant justify the dock fees associated with me having a sailboat and she dosn't think we can afford it next season. I didnt keep track but I'm sure i went out 25 or more times and my dock costs about $1300 for the season. That breaks down to about $50 per outing worth of dock fees. I have to admit when she puts it that way it sounds like a lot of money. I'm your typical middle class 30 something sailor with a wife and 2 young children. I dont make a lot of money but we arent poor either. Now I have about 5 months to get her to change her mind on this or were going to have a seroius disagreement. I'm not willing to give up sailing. After my father passed 4 years ago at 61 I decided that if i keep waiting for the right time to own a boat, I might wait forever. He died never setting foot on a sailboat and always dreaming of doing so. I also want my children to know the freedom of sailing. When they become adults they can make their own informed decision on weather they want to partake in my love affair with the water. Its not a money thing. Its a priority thing. I'm looking for some advise on changing her mind. I'm also willing to make consessions like go to a Mooring rather than a dock to roughly cut my costs in half if I can find one here in Buffalo N.Y. Anyone in the area that has any suggestions on where to go that would be helpful too.
 

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#100 ·
Get a bigger boat. ....... errr yes I am single now but happy.
 
#101 ·
I have a small 14' dinghy sailboat (Lido 14) that I trailer.I also am a member of a sailing club in San Diego. It was a one time up front fee of$295 which included the ASA 101 class for free. I rent the larger boats and the monthly dues($30) are applied to the rental. I am able to go out for 4 hrs on a Catalina 22 for $45. other days , I sail the Lido. This arrangement works for me. Dock fees here run between $13 -20 per foot with long waiting times to acquire a slip. Maybe a similar arrangement might help you in your situation
 
#104 ·
"Stand your ground" is not the approach I'd take. I wouldn't give in, either, but don't approach this as a confrontation- a good wife is hard to find and divorces are more expensive than dock fees. Discuss it.
You are both right. It's impossible to justify sailing from an economic standpoint. It's an expensive thing to do. However, if y"Stand your ground" is not the approach I'd take. I wouldn't give in, either, but don't approach this as a confrontation- a good wife is hard to find and divorces are more expensive than dock fees. Discuss it.
You are both right. It's impossible to justify sailing from an economic standpoint. It's an expensive thing to do. However, if you spend your life worrying only about money and not enjoying what you're doing, it's wasted.
Convince her that you are mindful of what it costs and you try to economize as much as you can, but sailing is too important to you to give up and the two of you need to find a way to make it happen.
Maybe if she gives up new clothes for 6 months?
ou spend your life worrying only about money and not enjoying what you're doing, it's wasted.
Convince her that you are mindful of what it costs and you try to economize as much as you can, but sailing is too important to you to give up and the two of you need to find a way to make it happen.
Maybe if she gives up new clothes for 6 months?


I agree with msmith 10 divorces are expensive and on the other hand sailing is not cheap either. Me and my wife owned a Beneteau 285 that cost us $295.00 per month to keep at Port Sidney in BC. We now own a Beneteau 34. In a 36 foot slip which is costing us $525.00 per month. We love to sail and spend about 31 to 38 day per year on the boat just kicking back. Stick to what you love dont be held captive.
 
#105 ·
Let me start out by saying I was really looking for some good arguements in my favor. Not advice on how to get devorced. We have decided to agree on disagreeing. That dos'nt mean I won't be sailing next year. It just means that I will need to make some extra money this spring or deal with trailering it. I don't plan on throwing her overboard or sending her into exile as some have suggested. Fortunately we are able to disagree on many things and still work for and accomplish a common goal. Our Family. There is still a couple of months to work on her too.
 
#113 ·
Let me start out by saying I was really looking for some good arguements in my favor. Not advice on how to get devorced. We have decided to agree on disagreeing.
Well I for one wish you the best of luck with your situation but quite honestly no matter how this shakes out, there will be no winners.
 
#106 ·
While I am no expert on the subject you may want to investigate using the boat as a tax deduction. I believe the IRS allows a percentage of the cost of ownership to be deducted provided the boat has certain necessities and you live on it a few weeks a year. Worth looking into and doesn't cost anything to find out if you qualify.
 
#109 ·
Yes, that is my understanding. You can treat your boat as you would say a second (vaction home), but on your boat you need to have a toilet and cooking and sleeping facilities. Then you can make similar deductions that you would make on your home. If your boat was your home, same deductions would be allowed.

If you charter your boat, you probably could deduct all expenses (include dock fees and maintenace- it would be just like a rental house), but then I think you are limited to the amount of time you are allowed to use the boat each year (not sure but think it is something like 21 days a year).
 
#110 · (Edited)
This is a joke ...

Tell her that you were about to leave her and the kids because you just can't get it out of your mind how much you have given up. You gave up your friends, all of the extra money you had, all of your freedom, the motorcycle (you did want a motorcycle if you don't have one!), the sports car, you gave up dating, you gave up your bachelor pad, your video games, good movies (now you only get to watch Disney and "family" movies), and now you have to drive this stupid mini van all the time. That's it! you say, you're leaving! You just can't take it anymore! You feel trapped, and you feel like you are going out of your mind! You are going to go back to working in a fast food joint and hang out at the bar with your friends and go fishing on the weekends, she's on her own. Love just isn't enough anymore, and you hate her mom.

Then tell her haha, just kidding, but you're keeping the boat.

(By the way, I only read the first post on this thread and I'm going back to read the whole thread now, so hopefully this post is taken as the light hearted joke it is meant to be!)
 
#111 · (Edited)
Can you afford NOT to continue sailing???

Face it, it's a 'decompression' sport. Relaxing and recharging yer [inner] batteries. It'll smooth ya out, make you more even-tempered and mellow and better able to deal with the day-to-day stress of work/marriage/kids whatever.

Mebbe an approach like that?

Or; do a comparison budget vs golf or bowling in a league?? I did a few Regional matches per year. It worked out to much less than a (cheaper) vacation [for one] at the Shore. That and a couple weekends away were good for my soul.:D
I'm sure sailing will fill the same bill! ;)
 
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