The Cruising Life, by Jim Trefethen, and Cruising Financials

[xort]

Originally Posted by Freesail99

In the late 70's and even the early 80's you could buy CD's paying 20%. I had a lot of them.

Led Zeppelin?


Oh, PAYING, sorry, I thought I read PLAYING

[quidam1947]

This was a very interesting read. I noticed the original thread was started back in 2006. A lot has changed since then. I wonder what some of the people posting back then are doing today (in this economy)???

[quidam1947]

Bruce and I were working towards a modified version of option 3) Doing an open-ended cruise in our 50s, and working along the way. 50 is just around the corner. We're building a boat we can be comfortable on and specifically one that I can handle. We always planned on going soon and going cheap. We determined the best time to go was after Bruce's youngest graduates H.S. and it'd be just the two of us (and our dogs). Our launch date is still scheduled for some time in 2010. His daughter graduates 2011.

I thought I had a nice little nest egg to fall back on but not anymore (lost in the stock market and can't make it back) so now we are REALLY going cheap. Timing may slip ever so slightly for putting in all of the systems we want/need -- and/or our destinations may be fewer and further between changes in scenery once we get out there. We pay cash for everything going in. And Bruce can repair or make just about anything. I'm taking a basic electronics course and hope I maintain our electronics onboard.

Hopefully, the real estate market will come back up so we can sell and have that money for savings.

The world is a bit different today versus 2006. But the dream's the same!

I can't wait.

Michele

[bluwateronly]

What the frak do you spend so much money on. Come on you need a million dollars to go cruising. This is the kind of stuff that ticks me off, big time. I guess you have to be rich to sail, you need a quarter million dollar boat, all the lasted and greatest and must spend a ton of money at every port, refit the entire boat every few years. Do you rich folks think the rest of us live like that, well, we don't. If you have a good boat, some sense and don't expect to live higher than you do on land you can do it on a whole lot less. I will be watching the same sunset as you and will sail my boat like a true captain and not let her get into trouble and I can fish and fix my own stuff not spend a ton of money on bs stuff just sail the boat like the old guys did. Sorry, you will never stop me and I won't be doing it unsafe or endanger your million dollard yauht and I bet the locals will hang with me and have a great time. Yes, I am pissed.

[xort]

blu

what, or who are you addressing?

What is your budget for your cruising lifestyle? $5000/year?

[xort]

Q

Pretty much the same exact story here. We were going this year and never coming back. Now, it will have to wait a year or two and be under much different conditions. At some point, we have to say the hell with it and go or the hell with it and sell the boat.

[bluwateronly]

xort, I just see this kind of talk by people who have alot of money and can't even fix a broken toliet. I am not mad that that's the way they live, we all don't live like that and I really don't think some of the fiqures that are thrown around are for us that have never had that kind of cash and prob never will. I work full time raised 4 kids that are all going to college bought my boat as a project and fix her up when I can spare the money. I will be cruising when the boat is ready. Yes, I have money in my retirement fund so if I need it, it's there, did not lose a dime in stocks don't own a house just my boat, which is my home by-the-way. Yes, I think you can do it on 5 grand a year and be happy. Yes, you must have enough to fix a major problem stashed some where that's safe. Yes, you need all the safety gear. The anger was directed towards the author of this ridulous book not any one here.

[bluwateronly]

I say the hell with it and go.

[xort]

OK, you didn't direct it to anybody here..it sounded like that.

But $5,000 / year?

We think we need about $35,000 to cruise comfortably including food, insurance, some dockage, fuel, and repairs/maintenance. I hope I'm over on the numbers, maybe we only need $25,000. But I seriously doubt we can do it for less than that.

One also has to plan on inflation. It will hit us probably pretty hard after all this stuff is over. That's the only way the govt can afford all this. But that's for a different thread.

[quidam1947]

Bruce and I are going for $18,000/year ($1500/mo.) or half that, if we can. We're very frugal and have successfully cruised for less on our old boat, Amphora. We prefer remote locales and anchoring out. I'd rather curl-up with a good book than hit the night-life and I can't stand shopping or crowds. Bruce is a gourmet cook and can make anything taste amazing, so what more do we need?

We're friendly and fun and when we pull in and anchor in our vintage boat, good people with food, wine, and conversation to share. That's the best part of cruising - the people you meet along the way.

Again, I can't wait. Seems we're all a little Land-Crabby these days due to the stresses in the world we all share.