Owning a Boat is EXPENSIVE!

[mikehoyt]

While my experience the numbers are not the same it is good sober advice for anyone thinking of getting into boating. I rather doubt anyone will get to this point in the thread but here goes my example.

1979 niagara 26. Paid $14300. Sold 7 years later for $16750. Spend $1600 / year on marina fees, insurance,etc.... Total spent over the 7 years easily more than cost of boat - including 3 sails, instruments, cushions, hardware, maintenance. Not including marina fees probably spent just under $10000 on upgrades and maintenance. So cost of ownership something like $3000 per year after selling.

I also ski. Three sails cost me just over $5000 and i believe are still being enjoyed by current owners 5 years later. If thrown away today would be $1000 per year but suspect will get 8 years out of them.
Skis cost typically $1000 / pair for decent set at a discount. They need to be replaced every 3 - 4 years for any avid skier and no less than every two years for a racer. Only one person enjoys the ski at a time. We have 4 persons - 2 racing (2 pair each) so count on $3000 / year in cost of skis alone ... much worse than buying sails.....

Sorry for the long story. Simplified to me is how my father explained it to me. For a motorhome or boat put 10% of purchase price aside for maintenance each year - and that is for newer items. For old used stuff like boats expect 10% of what a newish version of the boat would cost. For a 26 footer that would be at least $3000 / year.

Oh - and remember that in boating it is usually the entertaining costs that are just as much ....

Mike

[N0NJY]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Eh, painkiller?
Anyone who claims to have been blogging, much less running a web site of any kind in 1992, must be Al Gore in drag.

1992? Internet? Ahuh, sure, plenty of private access and sites on the Internet in 1992.

Hahahaha.

I have been running FORUMS and BBSES with forums on this since 1982!

And I was there when the internet started, and before - and I think Algore is a dumbass. No such thing as Global Warming (It's really called GloBULL Warming).

But, blogging is pretty new. It's really only been around a few years.

Forums and BBSes however have been around a lot longer. Anyone remember what a "dialup" modem is, running at 300 baud?

hahahaha

[N0NJY]

I'm a new boat owner. My first boat hasn't hit the water yet.

She cost me $3500 out of the starting blocks.

Insurance is $100 bucks a year (covers the trailer, the boat, damage on the road, or sinking right now... but, it's going to be in lakes and inland waters, not the ocean).

The existing rudder and tiller - while they will work fine as is - are fixed and seem to be the wrong sort for the boat. Also the rudder appears to have been broken. While it will work, I spent $800 on an Idasailor rudder and kickup assembly (I'll be in shallow waters, don't want to break anything the first time out you know!)

I bought some material, thread and seamstick - $33 dollars, for repairs to the jib.

I bought some stain and varnish. $12 bucks.

Got my registration for the boat (state) $30.25.

License plates for the trailer plus new registration $35.00

Two new padlocks - $10.00

I need to get a yearly pass to the park where we will take the boat on the lake. I think it was $70.00 per year.

No slip fees (since I'll trailer the boat). At least for now.

Total so far is $4590.25

I still need to replace some lights...

That'll be around $200 total for lighting, wiring and some hardware.

I need to do some physical labor on replacing stuff - but have all the supplies, wood, glue, everything else I need laying in my workshop in the garage. So cost there but time.

So... by the time I count in the gasoline to haul the boat to the lake and the 200 bucks, I am still under 5K for a nice little boat that I can sail in the spring.

Now, if you want to start counting things like airline tickets to get to my classes, the class costs for two people and all that - well, that's put it up close to 10K so far.

And I haven't even sailed the boat yet.

But - so what? I budgeted twice that amount for learning to sail and getting a small boat to practice sailing.

Thus, I'm 50% under budget.

Now... where does it come out that this is important? If I didn't have a job and we were living hand-to-mouth every week, I'd think that necessities like eating and having a place to live would be the priority. I have at least one daughter and son-in-law who live that way.

And yes, I help them out. But, I refuse to SUPPORT them. They can get their asses out there and work and LIVE hand to mouth until they get the hang of life (they are in the mid 20s now).

The rest of the "inheritance money" is what my wife and I plan on spending. We didn't raise the kids and save money so we could croak and leave if for their asses. We saved money for OURSELVES to enjoy life, finally.

So - honestly, what difference does it make how much it costs. If you live within your budget, you make the BEST out of life, who cares how much it costs?

Who cares if someone doesn't care for their boat like, say, the REST of us WILL?

Those who don't care for their boat, probably didn't care for their children, dogs, cars or whatever else in life they thought they valued.

Ladies and gentlemen... Life is bloody hell SHORT. Do the things you enjoy, and get the most out of them. (Certainly stick to your budget as best you can, and understand that bad times come up, and bad things happen.... that's what insurance is for!)

Rick

[N0NJY]

Originally Posted by Danny33

Mr. Cotton, Its what you make of it .
Steak or hamburger...What do you really want.

If its in your heart ,you follow thru . The doors always open to travel into.
Good luck to you ,Its all a learning experence !

A lot of people forget that "hamburger" used to be steak.. and umm.. other parts.

LOL

[seawitch1906]

I'm keep reading about crunching numbers, more or less , expense lists,difficult matrix-es, monetary so called logical raster's... ans it still amazes me .. You call your self a sailor ,yet giving advices unsolicited ..
Try to "noble up" your agenda with your "warning" to the naivete ...or just parade around your superior fiscal talent ..I don't know ..but I do now one thing ..
If we make every step our life a rational planned calculated step by step ..well then life become unbearable..
If we don't learn to dream and realize dreams against odds,and let be illogical , and wide eyed sometimes , then you are a champion of the misery what follow your list of lists .
most of us will ignore your "Armageddon" but if one single newcomer will stop to become a sailor .. then you caused harm fr all of us .. and most for that guy who will miss out an sailing , smelling the salt air , be alone on the water, learn to enjoy , feel alive, be independent, and LIVE ..

if Your stick in mud (at best) downer post causes that .. then I and (others I'm sure) will would like to see you with your post look for brownie points in a less harmful place ..like "site for the dreamless" , or "bean counter extreme "

I will keep poor money in the water, hang on hock some place and happy I never met you .. nothing personal ..I like dreamers, you like ill fated logic ..
sailing expensive ? what is expensive ? to be alive ?



ta ta

[Yamsailor]

Here are my two cents.

I sail for pleasure and I also do Captained charters as well as teach sailing. In my opinion, it comes down to how often one uses the boat. If you are on the boat 2 or 3-days a week--cruising, I think it makes sense to own. On the other hand if you don't have the time to use the boat more than 3 days or so a month or only have time for day sailing, then I think it makes sense to either 1) Join a fractional sailing/ownership arrangement OR buy a 28-30 foot used boat for day sailing and charter where ever like OR 3) join a community sailing club where you can sail at a much lower cost.

I think the cost of boat ownership has increased so high that one really has to look at the cost/benefit in terms of dollars/use (enjoyment.)

IMHOP--The future of sailing lies with community sailing programs, fractional ownership (e.g., the new benneteau program and no I am not a boat dealer nor do I own a fractional sailing business.) Sailboating will come to a demise (except for the very wealthy) if we do not enable the future generations to be able to enjoy this sport/lifestyle. The next generation --Gen Xers and Yers will not have the time nor a lot of disposable income the previous generations enjoyed. The industry really needs to start thinking about marketing to the Gen X and Y crowd if they want to maintain future business.

[seawitch1906]

[

IMHOP--The future of sailing lies with community sailing programs, fractional ownership (e.g., the new benneteau program and no I am not a boat dealer nor do I own a fractional sailing business.) Sailboating will come to a demise (except for the very wealthy) if we do not enable the future generations to be able to enjoy this sport/lifestyle. The next generation --Gen Xers and Yers will not have the time nor a lot of disposable income the previous generations enjoyed. The industry really needs to start thinking about marketing to the Gen X and Y crowd if they want to maintain future business.[/quote]

[Yamsailor]

Wrong? Why Wrong? I didn't know an opinion can be wrong---it is my opinion.

[seawitch1906]

I believe the gen x and y and Z do have the time .. only use that time .. pounding on keyboard, busy with urban dwelling, have absolute abstinence to do something with they hand .. nor stop for a moment and look "up"

they have the income but they spend on the all mother of gadgets, phones, computers,bigger TV, more noise makers, less books less anything but a mighty technology
you don't have to be wealthy , just imaginative,and willing to exposed to other then sit in Starbucks,
It is not the money, not the lock of time it is a UN ability to live ...

Educate , expose, and lure in people is our job ..as I see the need .

sailing clubs, sailing events , "Go boating" programs .. get those atrophy laden,white skin gen x y z and get them wet !

never the money ..always the mind set

cheers

[knothead]

Originally Posted by seawitch1906

[

IMHOP--The future of sailing lies with community sailing programs, fractional ownership (e.g., the new benneteau program and no I am not a boat dealer nor do I own a fractional sailing business.) Sailboating will come to a demise (except for the very wealthy) if we do not enable the future generations to be able to enjoy this sport/lifestyle. The next generation --Gen Xers and Yers will not have the time nor a lot of disposable income the previous generations enjoyed. The industry really needs to start thinking about marketing to the Gen X and Y crowd if they want to maintain future business.

[/quote]


Sailing for the average man will never die. As long as there is water, trees and freedom. Men will sail.