Buying the boat and cruising kitty

[wingNwing]

In generally the same price range as you, we chose a little less boat and more spending cash. Although remember, there's no wrong answer here, just different. Ours is an older monohull, and we're both fairly handy. Our detailed monthly budget for southeastern US and Bahamas is here: Life Afloat Archives: Cost of Living ... Afloat

[Barquito]

One thought: Two hulls have two of a lot of expensive stuff. I would love to have the space, but can't afford a cat (so I will stick with the dog I have)

[smurphny]

There's a psychological divide between "vacationing," (which all the people around you are doing) and just being on your boat for an extended period of time. IMO, you need to get it clear in your mind what combination of these very different goals you fall into. Expenses don't really need to be more than they are ashore if you do not get swept into "vacation" mode which is very easy to do. If you dine out all the time, spend a lot of time swilling down drinks with little parasols, pay for spas and souvenir trinkets, it will cost just as much as if you (stupidly) did these things at home--a lot. Pretty simple. Spending significant time on the boat and not going broke means paralleling the same basic lifestyle you do ashore, on the same budget, but in a lot less space!. It really is akin to camping out in any small (<65') sailboat but with more adventure, skill required, and risk. The amount of money spent is really in direct correlation to what your goals are. If the sailing is why you are on a sailboat, wind is cheap and food cooked on the boat tastes good. If it's vacationing, socializing, and rubbing elbows with the rich and famous that are paramount to your happiness, those things are more expensive. Everyone's budget will be different. The important thing is to have one that is well thought out and projected many months in advance.

[sailortrash]

dean 44 in great shape for about 200k use the rest to cruise