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Month 53 Cost of Cruising and Living on a Sailboat

1K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  Don L 
#1 ·
Spent half the month in Boot Key/Marathon Fl and half in the Bahamas. The last couple weeks in the Bahamas has been pretty low cost, but the costs to get here added up. The costs to get here: $358 COVID-19 testing, $120 health visa, $300, cruising permit, around $90 car rental to go get the tests. But I can tell you the Bahamas really needs cruiser money and Nassau almost seems a ghost town.

General living - Grocery, beer, supply runs, sundries, clothes, “other” etc. for the month were semi high as we stocked the panty and have months of food on the boat. Think we got some clothes and other stuff in the category, so it isn’t all food and drink.

Boat costs were medium. Biggest part of costs were $149 for some parts for the watermaker. $90 for a spare prop for the outboard and then just small everyday adds up “stuff”.

Dining out and entertainment costs were normal range with get together with our fellow boat scum and Happy Hours off the boat in general. Biggest part was taking our daughter and my mother-in-law out for their birthdays.

Entertainment going out to see a local play stage production.

Fees were Corvid testing, health visa, cruising permit, less around $63 in credit card cash back

Communication was cell phones with internet and data. Plus, we activated our inReach tracking, bought a MiFi for the Bahamas and a month’s service plan for it for internet and phone connection.

Marina costs were a few days on a mooring at Boot Key/Marathon and a few days in a slip at Bimini Bahamas waiting the weather to change.

Medical/dental was just monthly ACA plan payment.

Transportation costs were 2 car rentals with one being an expensive 1-way trip and the other being a day to go get the COVID-19 tests. These were offset a lot by a refund on car insurance because we sold our car last month and cancelled the insurance.

The total expenses were $ 3,645.18. Cost breakdown as follows for planners and hecklers:

General Living - Food, soda, alcohol, clothing, sundries, other - $ 1,104.77
Boat costs - upgrades, repairs, maintenance - $ 446.63
Fuel (diesel, gas, propane) - $ 101.09
Dining and drinking out - $ 315.18
Entertainment - $ 82.35
Communication, storage, shipping - $ 408.40
Fees – $ 711.67
Marina - $ 238.29
Electric - $ 9
Medical - $ 46.99
Transportation and travel - $ 113.96
Gifts - $ 66.85
Water - $ 0
Registration - $ 0
Insurance - $ 0
 
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#5 ·
I just want to say thanks for putting this series out there! Like a LOT of people, I have that dream of living on the water. Realistically I'm ~7-10yrs out. I've been going through and looking at your posts and it really helps us understand the true costs. A lot of Youtubers paint a picture of bikinis and martinis, but having sailed for 2 years now on my little SJ21 I know for a fact that isn't the whole picture! Again, thanks!
 
#7 ·
Don keeps sending me photos of him in a bikini.

o_O

Not too bad, actually. ;)

Costs will plummet now you are in the Bahamas. Those entry fees are crazy. But amortised over a few months they're OK.

Its a place to hang out and view the scenery, not waste heaps of money on "Atlantis" type places.

Mark
 
#8 ·
Don keeps sending me photos of him in a bikini.

o_O

Not too bad, actually. ;)
Must not be me or you have a good automatic photoshop filter. Been a while since I was able to get into my bikini
 
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