# Retirement Sailing



## dave6330 (Aug 16, 2006)

Can anyone point me in the direction of a fairly concise estimate on a budget for extended coastal cruising based on up-to-date costs? I've read a number of articles that break the budget estimates down based on lifestyle expectations but they all seem a little dated. The boat would be paid for, we will have no extra-ordinary monthly bills (survivor benifits and health insurance are factored into our retirement income), the crew would consist of myself and my wife and although we don't want to live in poverty, we don't require a lot of luxuries either. Cruising grounds would initially be on the North America West Coast.

V/R

Dave


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## chuck53 (Oct 13, 2009)

How about a little more info. Such as size, age and type of boat. Are we talking about an older 30' Catalina or a newer 46' Island Packet. When you cruise, do you prefer to swing on the hook overnight and grill up a couple pieces of chicken for dinner or do you prefer to tie up to some of the nicer marinas and take advantage of their on-site restaurants?
point is, you can cruise on the cheap or you can live high on the hog.


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## wingNwing (Apr 28, 2008)

Here's what we spent last year on the East coast of the US, on a 1980 CSY 33. Life Afloat Archives: Cost of Living ... Afloat


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

Your spending will expand to meet the available income, period. 

You can take Jaye's (wingnwing) round figure of 2500 as a pretty decent baseline; however keep in mind that 1k of that is gooey (marina's, fuel, entertainment). 

If you don't have the 1k, you anchor, sail, and play cards with others.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

There's a "cruising on $500 a month" discussion on one of the other internet forums. I never could I like dining out too much LOL


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## OffWeGo (Dec 12, 2012)

Great post, thanks wingNwing, your breakdown of expenses looked reasonable.


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## Skipper Jer (Aug 26, 2008)

And if you read the blog here,
Cost of cruising the ICW and Bahamas

you will find people spend anywhere from $4K to $160k to travel the ICW over a period of nine months. As chuckles said spending expands to consume the available income.


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## dave6330 (Aug 16, 2006)

Thanks for the responses. I found the "Life Afloat Archives: Cost of Living ... Afloat" both encouraging and enlightening.

...and yes, I knew when I asked the question I was prepared for the "it all depends" kind of replies.


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## deltaten (Oct 10, 2012)

Costs will be whatever you decide....
Spending usually expands to income limits; but if one is frugal and been a "saver" all one's life??
I plant to retire to the boat. While S.S. isn't the 'be all-end all', it will be enuff to support me in a lifestyle I choose and am accustomed to. Living on the hook, cruising instead of dock-ing and living day-to-day as cheaply as possible leaves more disposable income to blow on fuel and maintenance! LOL

Best of luck!


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

chucklesR said:


> Your spending will expand to meet the available income, period.


Unless the sailor protests to the contrary. 

To the OP's question, it all depends, there are so many variables.

Some questions that might help you figure it out ...


Do you cook, *or *eat at restaurants ?
Do you anchor out, *or *tie to the dock ?
Do you sail, *or *run the diesel ?
Do you entertain yourself, *or *go ashore for your entertainment ?
Do you get along without air conditioning, *or *require it ?
Do you get along with refrigeration, *or *require it ?
Do you get your fresh water from shore, *or *make it on the boat ?
Do you cook with free fuel such as wood, *or *purchase cooking fuel ?
Do you catch fish and other seafood, *or *buy all of your food ?
Do you get along without high speed Internet, *or *can't live without it ?
Do you have a small boat, *or *a big one ?
Do you live on a boat that requires little maintenance, *or *a lot ?
Do you maintain your own boat, *or *pay someone to do it for you ?
Do you sail in inexpensive areas, *or *pricey areas ?
Do you store supplies, *or *buy what is convenient ?
Do you use blankets as it starts to get cold, *or *require heating fuel ?
Do you live with limited solar power, *or *often run a generator ?
Etc ...

You said you don't want to live in poverty, what does that mean to you ?


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## wingNwing (Apr 28, 2008)

Thanx Dave6330 and OffWeGo. Glad you found it helpful. As so many have pointed out, so much depends on how you want to live. At least you now have a list of categories of expenses to consider as you make your own budgets.


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## dbmathison (Feb 25, 2013)

Thanks guys, I like this thread. WingNWings, your blog is great. Are there any recommend readings on this subject. My wife and I are seriously concidering similiar for the at least the early part of our retirement (we are early 50's right now). We are still a few years off but want to start making steps in the right direction. Cost vary by personality and what one conciders a need, we get that. But things like dealing with taxes? Mail? Registrations? Medications? Consideration we never even thought of? etc...

We boat in the upper Chesapeake now. Our plan right now would be cruising back here for summer months (come back and visit family & friends and deal with DR's and the likes), but spending winters south just drifting around under a variety of situations. Floriday, Keys, Bahamas, USVI, BVI and more. Some hook, some marina, little mix of everything.

Thanks!!!


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

I don't think you need very much.

But I need more than you so could you please send me $1,000 per month as I am a bit tight for cash this year..... And next year too....


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## night0wl (Mar 20, 2006)

This is a reprint (I think)...but the Bumfuzzles posted what it costs to cruise and then travel by land. I wish they would do the same on their new boat too.

Remember, these costs are now almost 10 years old, so they're probably *UP* by around 20%

What Does it Cost to Cruise? | Sail Feed


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## Thunderchild (Jul 20, 2012)

I like this most important thread!!! Gives a sense of what to really expect when trying to live the dream.


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

A couple of thoughts on this critical issue. A major consideration is how often you have to pa to sleep. In some areas (most of the world), you can anchor out every night. In fact, that is often the only choice. In other areas, (western Med and heavily populated parts of the US come to mind) you need to use a marina or at least pay for a mooring. This can really push up the cost and kill a budget. So consider where you want to cruise.

My other thought, is that it is really nice to have an emergency fund to fall back on. We cruise economically for the most part but have money available for big ticket items that are unexpected. For example, we had a $7000 hospital bill in South Africa a few months ago, not to mention the extra costs of flights to Canada. Not sure what the $500 a month people do if they lack an emergency fund when there is major engine work to be done or a sail blows out and can't be fixed.


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## Thunderchild (Jul 20, 2012)

I will start my "learning" phase in the Chesapeake Bay. I live in Maryland so it is close to home. My eventual goal is to sail between Martha's Vineyard and Key West. This will be my preferred area as i see it. Good points about the emergency fund! Always need to have one of those just in case.


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