Onions a couple of months ago I was paying $.39 a pound were $.99 a pound...
Yams which I'm used to paying $0.69 a pound are now $1.79...
Scrag end stewing beef I would never ever even consider at $3.95 a pound is now selling for $6.95...
I think I can detect a trend.
On the other hand, boats still seem to be a whole lot more affordable than they used to be. take this 1969 CAL 34 for instance...
...with an asking price of $7K that works out to about $0.74 a pound.
Sure it is an old used boat but, judging from the photos and description, it appears to be floating right side up and is a very doable project that would take you wherever you care to go.
Of course, being that I own a 1969 CAL 34, I am somewhat partial to Bill Lapworth's excellent design but not unaware of its foibles so have a fairly good idea what would go into fixing it up for long term cruising and the hassle factor and costs involved.
Offhand, I'd expect that at a bare minimum, you'd want to replace the chain plates, rigging, deal with the mast support beam (if it has not already been replaced before), maybe replace the bulkhead associated with the mast, get a new (or newer) sail or two, add a self-steering gear, replace some things that don't work and fix a deck issue or three. You might also want to thrown on a coat of paint and antifoul as well. Which does sound like a lot but only really works out to a couple months of work and maybe $3-5K in outlay. Which adds up to a worst case scenario of $12K and about $1.27 a pound.
Which, I should point out, is a big chunk cheaper than the going rate of yams where I live.
All the fixes and improvements needful to put a CAL 34 back into cruising trim are fairly easy with no overly heavy lifting or rocket science involved. No need to pay people silly money to fix or change things and, as such, would be an accessible project for just about anyone with the right inclination.
More on the costs of fixing up such a beast next...
Food prices here in BC have essentially doubled over the past two years or so. Yet our central bank maintains that the inflation rate has been a steady 1.8 percent or so. Based on, of course, things like cells phones and other stuff that cannot provide essentials of living such as shelter and nourishment. I'd say we are in collapse now, and those in power either don't care or can't do anything about it. Homelessness here in Mission for example, based on my observation (because authorities are reluctant to publish true stats) has quadrupled in the last year.
ReplyDeleteAnd the supermarkets all have security now because of food theft.
Vegetables often cost more in February than in August (supply). Used sailboats often cost less in February than they do in June (demand).
ReplyDeleteYou could also throw the cost of a repower into your calculations. The unpictured A4 scares me, "80 hrs since overhaul" or not. But then we would be talking heavy lifting and rocket science.