Cruising budgets...

Now, a lot of folks will tell you it costs whatever you have, while others will say that it depends. The fact is that both answers really piss me off and it really bothers me to have to admit that they are correct in a kind of way.

A lot of folks spend all they have to cruise. Even worse, many people spend more than they have and wind up seriously in debt. We’ll come back to these folks later, but no one taught these folks how to budget or live within their means.

As for the “it all depends” folks, they’re right as well to a certain degree, but it reads a lot more like a defense of monetary ineptitude rather than actual unforeseen costs and issues screwing with their budget.

For instance, I hear a lot of excuses about budgets and cruising. Most of which revolve around things breaking, needful purchases, and maintenance issues. Sure, I get it. Everyone sails off to the sunset, not knowing that things might break, you might have to buy something, and that from time to time you’ll have to do a bit of maintenance.

Really?

Let’s look at the ‘things break’ mantra. Most things that break or quit working on boats don’t actually break or quit all by themselves, but are mistreated to the point of failure. Get the right gear and treat it like it deserves and you’ll find that things won’t break. Not all that long ago, my mast fell down and went boom. The mast, mainsail, jib, and furler are somewhere on the bottom of the Caribbean in between St Thomas and St Martin. The reason for the fall down and go boom episode was that I really should have reefed and that I should’ve replaced the chainplate that failed. My fault entirely. As a result, I had to build a new mast, build a new rig, and buy new sails. Not a mistake I’ll ever make again.

On the buying stuff subject, didn’t your Mom tell you that stuff costs money? Seriously, how is this a surprise? Didn’t you budget for buying needful stuff and the cost of rice in Antigua is an issue?

Then there’s the whole we had to haul out and put some bottom paint on the boat, change a few zincs, and fix that ding from the time you hit a buoy coming into a dark anchorage in the middle of the night escapade. Hardly sounds like a budget killer, but apparently a lot of folks do.

OK yeah, I’ll admit that the cost of things is depressing these days, but it’s not like you don’t have a brain with the ability to adapt and prepare a budget that will see you through.

When we lost our mast, I costed a new mast, and the quotes were just silly. Luckily, building a wood composite spar was within my skill-set, rigging was dead simple, and we have a sewing machine and access to affordable sail makers. The bottom line was that by doing all the work and fabrication, the rig was a fraction of buying a new mast or having the labor done.

Since I see a trip to Europe and back in the not-too-distant future, I’ve been monitoring the various costs involved. I know what groceries or fuel cost in Europe. I’m aware of various Schengen issues and costs associated with them. By the way, did you know Albania requires our boat to use a clearance broker to clear in and it costs 55 euros?

Simply doing your homework goes a long way to making a useful budget that will both save you money and keep your cruising surprise free.

More on budgets and numbers in the next post...

A VolkCruising advantage or something like it...

I'll admit that not following the crowd is not always easy. Being a bit different is going to be something of a chore when you're confronted with group think individuals who find your non-conformity a threat.

On the other hand, in my opinion at least, the freedom that not conforming to the status quo gives you a great edge, in my opinion at least, that more than makes up for it.

The easiest way to eliminate most of the hassle factor of not doing the same old same thing as everybody else is to adopt as much of a stealth profile as possible or, at least, don't rub their noses in it. Just do your thing. The good news is that most boats (as well as the folks on them) pretty much just look like boats and folks.

Having a boat that is too different tends to bring out the "You're not like us" reaction to a problematic degree. When we were sailing Loose Moose and Loose Moose 2 in Europe we found that having a different boat was a two edged sword in that it tended cause outrage in some but also introduced us to a lot of folks who were very interested in design, open to new ideas, as well being a bit nicer.

Still, our lives would have been quite a bit easier if we'd had a pointy bow...

Stuff you need to know...

Lectronic Latitude has a better than most article on the Anchor-out situation in Sausalito which is well worth reading.

The fact is that the spinoff from situations like this have a nasty habit of affecting all of us on boats in surprising ways so best to keep abreast of what's going on.

A cruising boat worth thinking about...

 

There's a Beneteau 235 for sale here that caught my attention and got me thinking about what a great little cruising boat it would make.

Now as far as French production boats go, I've never been a huge fan of the Beneteau boats preferring the Jeanneau designs back in the pre-conglomerate days. I expect that's mainly because of the designs of Philippe Harlé like the Sangria, Fantasia, and Tonic.

As far as the Beneteau 235 is concerned it fills the same design niche as the Tonic.

Now, I don't know about you, but the idea of a Tonic or a Bendy 235 as a cruising boat makes a whole lot of sense and inspires dreams of unfettered freedom.

Sure, they're small but small equals a low price, minimal cruising expenses, and small problems. 

That said a small boat is not for everyone.

Back when I was considering buying a Tonic for serious cruising my life was pared down to just the essentials and that's a given where cruising in a small boat is concerned.

These days, where anything smaller than a forty-foot boat is considered small, what is considered essential is a very different thing and people do love having a lot of stuff.

For me. the real beauty of a small design like the 235 is that there is simply no room for anything that is surplus to requirements. The idea of not having to contend with dragging stuff you don't need or use actually qualifies as something akin to a luxury.

Which is not to say it would be an easy transition for most. I'm in the middle of a never-ending struggle  to cull all the various stuff that seems to accumulate and just takes up room but never gets used. So I'm well aware how difficult it can be.

The attraction of a little boat like the 235 or Tonic, for me at least, has everything to do with jettisoning all the stuff I don't need and getting back to a simpler and more focused life. Which, when you think about t is why most of us decided to sail away in the first place.

I often do a mental exercise where I work out how I'd cruise a given boat where I use an Atlantic circle as an example. While doing an Atlantic circle on a 235 is not on everyone's with list it would be an excellent way to sort out just what you'd actually need after you've done your Wordle for the day.

Now, If only I can bring myself to throw away that bent stanchion I can't find a use for...

What about freedom from bespoke Yacht wood butchery...

Tool Guyd had a post on a very interesting tool chest the other day...

Now, I'll admit to admiring the art involved in the design and building of an over $1500-dollar tool box but appalled at just how impractical it really is as a tool box. 

Some obviously has got their form follows function manta ass-backwards.

Which has what to do with VolksCruisers exactly?

For starters, I love working with wood and I understand that whether you're building a guitar or a boat it is best to have some standards where quality is concerned. In my opinion if you're not doing a good job you really shouldn't bother.

That includes boat interiors.

The problem sets in where all of a sudden you're being told that the sort of finish you should be doing is akin to a Stradivarius violin or other works of art. Which is not that I object to building works of art but living in a work of art is problematic especially when it's a cruising boat.

Just like the $1500-dollar tool chest it's simply not practical in the real world. Or, to be more precise, it's just silly.

A good cruising boat need to be practical and easily cared for What it should not have  the sort of Bespoke Baroque woodwork where form is more important than function. 

Here's a well built simple chart table that I really like.

It's practical and does the job. No complicated woodwork, no exotic wood species, or ten coats of varnish that needs to be maintained. In terms of design it is actually quite refined as there is nothing there that's not earning its keep.

Or as a one of my design teachers would say when he thought a design was especially praiseworthy.

"Now that's a clean design."

 

Just spend less...

The real trick, where refitting an old boat is concerned, is simply to not spend a lot of money on it. Or just spend less.

While spending less is a very workable tactic, it butts up against the consumerist mainstream and viewed by a substantial proportion of people as being akin to heresy. I’ll point out that being heretical does not always make you Joe Popularity.

I’ve posted from time to time that pressure treated pine (AKA Miami Teak) is an excellent wood to use in various boat building projects. What’s not to like? It works easily, pairs well with epoxy, is more rot resistant than many boat lumber species, and it’s affordable.

Well, if any wood can be called affordable these days...

Most of the plywood in our 53-year-old CAL 34 is just plain painted exterior ply. Which might surprise some, as almost all of it is in good shape. The only issue being the bits that had teak veneer which peeled off because Jensen Marine used Weldwood back in the day. Which is actually pretty impressive when you consider Weldwood glue held up just fine for forty years.

Choosing more affordable wood or materials that do the same job as more expensive ones results in a more affordable boat. For instance, for the coach roof hand rails. Instead of using teak, I used pressure treated pine and the needful lumber cost all of twenty dollars. If I had used teak in the same scantling (I like beefy hand rails) the cost would have been close to $120 per handrail.

That’s a substantial difference and savings. Since I’m averse to varnished wood, no one actually knows what species the handrails are as they’re painted white.

It’s not just wood. All refits require you to make decisions and, at least in my experience, there’s always a less expensive option available that works. The only downside is you have to do some research to sort it all out.

Still, there’s the pressure to buy “Marine Quality” a misnomer if ever I’ve heard one. The truth about marine quality is all about high mark-ups and has little to do with the actual product. I know a chain of marine stores who stocks their shelves with stainless fasteners that are seconds or closeouts. Their selection of screws and bolts is so bad that you have to examine each one, as so many are defective. Whenever I shop there, I see people buying these fasteners at inflated prices in bulk when they could easily buy better for pennies on the dollar.

The same goes for goops and suchlike. I don’t use marine paint except for anti-fouling. For topside paint, I use single component paint that costs a fraction of what marine paint costs and works just as well. Since I use a lot of epoxy and glass, I buy bulk from folks like RAKA who have excellent products that work as well or better than the “name brands”. My experience with caulking compounds has led me to prefer cheap hardware store polyurethanes. It’s become almost impossible to find fresh 5200 or Sikaflex resulting in goop cured in the tube and expensive waste.

You can reduce pretty much everything you need to buy for a boat using the same formula by simply choosing what works well but costs less.

Let’s just call it educated frugality.

Why $5K or less?

Yesterday’s post generated quite a few questions, with the largest number being why was I limiting my search to boats selling for $5000 dollars or fewer. 

Well, for starters, I find boats in that price bracket a lot more interesting than more expensive ones. You’re more likely to find a deal at that price point since folks, selling boats at that price, have a good reason to be selling, which motivates them.

Talking to sellers, you’ll find good reasons for selling that have nothing to do with the boat being a dog. There are many reasons where the owner needs to move. They’ve bought another boat, or can’t justify spending money on marina fees for a boat that they seldom, if ever, use.

Since I expect any used boat will require some work and expense, so I’ll always add the cost of the boat to arrive at the overall budget. A $5k boat will have another $5k budgeted for any needful work and so on. Which doing the math equals a potential $10K boat.

When I look at a fixer upper, I budget what I think it will cost, then double the number just in case. Which, more often than not, is just around the purchase price. The goal is not to spend the entire budget but to have a refit fund to deal with expenses that the project generates.

Just to be clear; I’d never buy a $5K boat if I felt I was actually going to spend another $5K to sort out problems. It’s simply good practice to budget a safety factor. Keep in mind many project boats are being sold because the seller ran out of money and the project stalled.

More on the subject and an exception soonish...

A quick note for fans of the CAL 34...

Being that  there are a few admirers of the CAL 34 who read VolksCruiser I'll point out there's a real cheap 1968 CAL 34 for sale in the San Diego area. No idea of the condition but, apparently, it floats right side up.

At $500 it's worth checking out.

The current cost of boats...

Just about every Sunday I use Search Tempest to check out the cost of used boats under $5K on Craig's List. It's a cool search engine that allows one to check all the boats for sail on Craig's List in the USA.

I mention this because I keep hearing that the cost of used cars has skyrocketed and that old beaters are now selling for crazy prices. That added to the howls of anguish over so called inflation has me a little nervous on the state of the used boat market.

The good news is that my weekly price comparisons don't show a trend towards higher prices and, if anything, support the premise that there are still a lot of good boats available at realistic prices.

Nevertheless, markets are skittish and trends, where costs are concerned, can turn on the proverbial dime and nothing is forever.

That being the case, it's good to keep in mind the truism that good boats at good prices sell quickly and won't be around for long. Just like good boats at stupidly high prices sit around forever.

Just sayin'

some VolksCruierish dinghy thoughts...

While I know that the overall consensus is that the best cruising dinghy is an eight or ten-foot RIB with a 9.9/15 HP engine but I'll just have to disagree.

For a long time I'll admit that I thought the best cruising dinghy was Phil Bolger's Tortoise as it did everything we needed it to do, no one wanted to steal it, and it was the most boat you could get out of two sheets of plywood.

Sure it could have been bigger and prettier but any reasonable attempt to do so would result in a boat that would not work as well and cost more.

A while back I noticed that the late and much missed Dynamite Payson had included a "Big Tortoise" in his "Instant Boat Building with Dynamite Payson" and that while a lot bigger it still only used two sheets of plywood so we built one. 

It's a great boat.

Being longer it rowed better, carried a bigger load and was even more stable than the smaller Tortoise. Plus it's homely looks meant no one ever felt compelled to steal it. The only downsides are that it's a bit heavier and takes up too much room on the deck.

I've have built a sorta/kinda nesting version of the little Tortoise so I could fit it into a space I had on the deck of LM2 but it was a crude hack and, while it worked, the kludge factor irritated me.

I've been working on a couple of ideas on a replacement dinghy for our Big Tortoise where it would nest but keeping its qualities at the same level while still only using  two sheets of plywood. Funny how tiny changes on a very simple boat seem a lot like rocket science.

More on the subject soonish...

A very nice boat...

Atom Voyages does their thing on a Cape Dory 27.

Problem solving...

So, here’s the ongoing question most of us are trying to deal with: what is the most needed attribute for successful, low-budget cruising or building/refitting a boat?

Is it your sailing ability?

The ability to make a perfect dovetail?

Having the right gear?

Enough money?

Maybe the correct answer is none of the above, and the simple answer is the ability to solve problems. Take building or refitting a boat as an example. Every boat building or refit project I’ve undertaken has been a collection of problems that need to be solved.

It’s all about problem solving. Some are simple, others are difficult, and then there’s the odd dilemma which is right up there with solving the world peace equation while juggling chainsaws.

The same goes for cruising on a budget. It’s not just a money thing, as money is just a math issue. It’s more of “How do we cruise in a way where money is less of an issue?” kind of thing. Thrown together with the “Quality of Life” issue, suddenly we’re looking at how to achieve world peace and someone just threw a brace of chainsaws for you to catch.

So, here’s where you get to put on your thinking cap and work through a couple of problems…

Problem # 1

You notice a 1972 CAL 29 listed for $1500 that does not have a working engine, needs to have the under-mast I-beam replaced, as well as the corresponding bulkhead. The boat otherwise is clean and everything works. The sails are in good shape, but the rigging is as old as the boat.

There is another CAL 29 selling for $10K with a working Atomic Four engine that appears to be in good shape, albeit with no information on the rig or I-Beam. At the moment, you have $5K in cash for a boat. What are you going to do?

Obviously, this scenario is really a cascading collection of various issues. You need to work through the problems before you get to the “should I buy or not” problem. Let’s see how you get there.

Problem #2

You want to sail to Europe as part of a two-year Atlantic circle in your CAL 29 but folks you’ve heard from say Europe and the Med are too expensive to cruise on a $1000 a month budget, the Schengen treaty won’t let you, and that you’d be better off in the Bahamas or Caribbean instead. Is the two-year Atlantic circle doable or not?

Again, here’s another plethora of potential issues that you have to research.

The good news it that all you need is available online and really shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours.

Leave your answers in the comments, but remember the moderated comments take a while before your answers show up.

Here’s a quick hint. Don’t bother with forums as that way lies madness.

a big leap...

"Ninety percent of everything is crap"

                                                                                                  -Theodore Sturgeon

Back when I had the great good fortune to actually meet Theodore Sturgeon and get to talk with him on a semi-regular basis I considered Sturgeon's Law to be somewhat cynical. Now, almost fifty years later I've come to the conclusion that Mr Sturgeon was actually something of an optimist.

I mention this especially where boat advice and wisdom is concerned as far too much is inclined to the crap end of the scale.

Whether it’s advice on boats, advice on cruising grounds, or the best color to paint your boat, it’s more than likely going to be excremental.

If you want to get terrible results, just ask around for information and advice on budgets where boats and cruising are concerned. It’s fun when the Crap-O-Meter pegs out. 

The big problem is where budgets and frugality cross over into the boat zone. For successful refitting, building, or cruising a boat on a budget, you need to up your game. A task that involves a different head-space and rely on your own critical thinking.

Almost all the advice that’s someone’s volunteered for my various boat builds has been just plain wrong. Taking said advice, I would have been doing stuff ass-backwards at a cost that I could not afford.

However, I sought advice from folks who knew what they were doing and walked their talk. Vetting people’s knowledge and experience takes time and is more difficult than just getting on a forum and asking a question, albeit very worthwhile. Many experts inhabiting forums are of the all hat/no cattle ilk and guaranteed to cause problems.

The downside for many is that being responsible and accepting that the buck stops with you can be problematic, as our modern society does not promote doing your own thing or swimming upstream.

Doing your own research can be rewarding. As far as finding stuff you need to know is so much easier than in the dark ages when I built the first Loose Moose. Today, if I wanted to build another Loose Moose, the task would be so much easier, as the needful information is available. Even having to sift out all the incorrect information you’ll find on the net, it’s easy once you get the hang of it.

Next up, we’ll look at a couple of problems that need solving and see how you, Dear Reader, will solve them…