How much does it REALLY cost to own a sailboat?

[BarryL]

Hello,

You wrote:

> $277.77 - Repair & Upgrade ($10k yr) ~ (This is my
> bottom cleaning, haulout, new/upgrade gear fund. I'd
> like to itemize if I had good numbers)

How did you get that number? 10K / year is $833 per month.

Regardless, you should assume a new set of sails every 10 years (at $4K per set?) or $400 a year for sails. What about bottom paint? How much for a coat and how long does it last? Batteries don't last forever, what about engine maintenance? What about electronics?

For me, I spend 5-6K a year on my boat. That includes everything. I am cheap because my boat is on a town mooring.

Barry

[WouldaShoulda]

9% tax??

WTF??

[Delirious]

It just adds up & adds up. Spares, flares and 20% over-run from whatever you initially think any project or purchase will be.

Easier to just take your checkbook and bank account and empy them into the shredder. That saves car fuel to and from the boat. ;-)

Your numbers don't look far off. $10K for maintenance should be plenty. How much you can do yourself is a huge factor. Hereabouts we used VC-17m (freshwater) and that is a self-applied product that can be sprayed or rolled on; so for me bottompainting is a $175 annual cost or less.

Do you have to haul & drop the mast seasonally & re-launch in the next season? Pump outs, fuel fill-ups (we've had years with five gallons of diesel!)

Then there are the unexpecteds. Joker valve for head. Backing down on your own anchor line. Seagull strike on anemometer. Joker valve for head. Winch handle dropped on binnacle compass. Another freakin joker valve! "I thought YOU tied off the dinghy!" Bosun's chair after curious nephew unclips main halyard. "I thought YOU tied off the other end of the anchor rode!" Joker valve - that's it, that Jabsco GOES!" Glow plug. "Weren't both of your boat shoes drying on the deck?" Winch handle goes "bloop".

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that B.O.A.T. = Bring out another thousand.

[Ilenart]

I think there are four stages of boat accounting

stage 1 you record everything in detail
stage 2 you record only the big items
stage 3 you start lying to your wife
stage 4 you start lying to yourself!

I've heard that a good approxiation is 10-15% of the capital cost for a 10-15 year boat (excluding borrowing costs but including upgrade / replacement costs). My first year the number was 18% (1st year costs are always higher) and last year it was 14%.

Have fun

Ilenart

[sailingdog]

Stage 5—You just stop counting.

Originally Posted by Ilenart

I think there are four stages of boat accounting

stage 1 you record everything in detail
stage 2 you record only the big items
stage 3 you start lying to your wife
stage 4 you start lying to yourself!

I've heard that a good approxiation is 10-15% of the capital cost for a 10-15 year boat (excluding borrowing costs but including upgrade / replacement costs). My first year the number was 18% (1st year costs are always higher) and last year it was 14%.

Have fun

Ilenart

[rperret]

Stage 0.5 - Buy Boat
Stage 5 - Sell Boat.

to original poster - don't forget to add Yacht Club/Boat Club membership if you're joining a club.

Agree that the insurance number seems low for a $80K boat. What is condition of standing and running rigging? condition of motor? need to consider that as well.

Rick

Originally Posted by Ilenart

I think there are four stages of boat accounting

stage 1 you record everything in detail
stage 2 you record only the big items
stage 3 you start lying to your wife
stage 4 you start lying to yourself!

I've heard that a good approxiation is 10-15% of the capital cost for a 10-15 year boat (excluding borrowing costs but including upgrade / replacement costs). My first year the number was 18% (1st year costs are always higher) and last year it was 14%.

Have fun

Ilenart

[denverd0n]

Oh, come on! You guys are all making this WAY too hard!

How much does it REALLY cost to own a sailboat?

Everything you've got!

[AntiguaRum]

I want to thank each of you for your responses! And a special thanks to BobMcGov. Your post still makes me laugh!

SailDog, actually I do only plan on coastal cruising for the next several years. I'm not sure how much that affects insurance, maintenance and outfitting costs. I'd really appreciate line item type cost info for these and other reoccurring service and maintenance costs.

Truth is, I simply don't know what needs to be done, how often, and what it costs. Thanks again for all the great information. SailNet Rocks!

Eric

[Mark1948]

You actually plan to pay asking price??? Have you checked book value, looked for issues to negotiate etc?

[Delirious]

actually I do only plan on coastal cruising for the next several years.

Ooooo. The double or triple the cost of a slip as you'll always be paying the higher transient rates. And no matter where you try to anchor - "you can't anchor there".