"How much does it cost to go cruising?" Is by far the most common question, whether expressed or not. The question is understandable, but kind of ridiculous too. The fact is, the answer is the same as if the corresponding question was directed at a land lubber: "How much does it cost to live on land?" Answer to both questions: "It depends." There are about as many variables to consider as cruisers. The most significant variables that will drive the spending of any cruiser are spending habits, locale, and boat size/condition.
What everyone really wants to know is how much it will cost them to go cruising. Of value is seeing the exact costs realized by real cruisers out there, hopefully living in the same manner you envision yourself living. I know of a few cruisers who provide just this kind of info: s/v Bumfuzzle, s/v Camille, s/v Hotspur, s/v Third Day, s/v Wondertime, and m/v Viking Star. Also, Livia aboard s/v Estrellita 5.10b keeps a more comprehensive list here. All of this accounting is both diverse and helpful. We aim to build on this data with our own accounting, below. Please let us know if you are aware of any other cruisers documenting their expenditures and we will list them here.
Following are the costs (with notes) incurred by the Del Viento crew on their 1978 Fuji 40, beginning April 2010 and updated regularly (listed in reverse chronological order).
What everyone really wants to know is how much it will cost them to go cruising. Of value is seeing the exact costs realized by real cruisers out there, hopefully living in the same manner you envision yourself living. I know of a few cruisers who provide just this kind of info: s/v Bumfuzzle, s/v Camille, s/v Hotspur, s/v Third Day, s/v Wondertime, and m/v Viking Star. Also, Livia aboard s/v Estrellita 5.10b keeps a more comprehensive list here. All of this accounting is both diverse and helpful. We aim to build on this data with our own accounting, below. Please let us know if you are aware of any other cruisers documenting their expenditures and we will list them here.
Following are the costs (with notes) incurred by the Del Viento crew on their 1978 Fuji 40, beginning April 2010 and updated regularly (listed in reverse chronological order).
JAN 14
|
FEB 14
|
MAR 14
| |
Moorage
|
19
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Transportation
|
166
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Boat Gear
|
461
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
77
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Postage & Comm
|
245
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Entertainment
|
108
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Food
|
532
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Other
|
28
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
$1,636
|
$ n/a
|
$ n/a
|
January 2014: Boat Gear includes boom repair and used kayak paddle.
February 2014: n/a
March 2014: n/a
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $37,476
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OCT 13
|
NOV 13
|
DEC 13
| |
Moorage
|
264
|
510
|
275
|
Transportation
|
267
|
799
|
155
|
Boat Gear
|
854
|
628
|
181
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
262
|
238
|
33
|
Postage & Comm
|
142
|
144
|
47
|
Entertainment
|
0
|
38
|
0
|
Food
|
637
|
968
|
274
|
Other
|
0
|
2543
|
172
|
$2,426
|
$5,868
|
$1,137
|
October 2013: Transportation includes only about $45 in boat fuel, the rest is parking fees and gas for cars we borrowed. Boat Gear includes replacement spinnaker halyard ($200), new continuous furling line and splice ($140), gallon-sized epoxy and catalyst and thickener, fiberglass, interior paint, boot stripe paint—all in prep for future work on boat in Mexico.
November 2013: Moorage includes 7 nights in Oxnard at $60 per night. Transportation includes about $300 for boat fuel, $275 for car rental, and the rest in car gas for our long Thanksgiving drive. Boat Gear includes two gallons of bottom paint ($500). Other includes annual family health insurance premium ($2,131) and Mexican liability insurance ($162).
December 2013: Other includes Mexico immigration fees and a mooring reservation for San Diego—for years from now.
JUL 13
|
AUG 13
|
SEP 13
| |
Moorage
|
370
|
390
|
278
|
Transportation
|
378
|
437
|
537
|
Boat Gear
|
76
|
145
|
375
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
102
|
31
|
12
|
Postage & Comm
|
62
|
326
|
118
|
Entertainment
|
137
|
326
|
118
|
Food
|
1438
|
1239
|
1670
|
Other
|
17
|
0
|
85
|
$2,580
|
$2,782
|
$3,090
|
July 2013: Entertainment includes helicopter ride for Eleanor. Food includes two extra crew for week in Glacier Bay.
August 2013: Postage & Communication includes cost to mail outboard engine in for repair.
September 2013: Boat Gear includes new battery meter. Food includes extra Costco provision in Port Angeles, $800. Other includes credit card annual fee.
APR 13
|
MAY 13
|
JUN 13
| |
Moorage
|
488
|
491
|
256
|
Transportation
|
20
|
80
|
548
|
Boat Gear
|
1296
|
515
|
66
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
546
|
356
|
50
|
Postage & Comm
|
0
|
276
|
88
|
Entertainment
|
98
|
45
|
107
|
Food
|
940
|
1880
|
619
|
Other
|
823
|
38
|
38
|
$4,211
|
$3,681
|
$1,772
|
April 2013: Boat Gear includes back-up iPad, propane heater, oil filters, Racor filters, 2 Polyform F5 fenders. Personal Gear & Health includes $280 for ECG and full blood work. Other includes $600 annual premium for boat liability insurance.
May 2013: Boat Gear includes oil, varnish, sink spout, 600’ spool of polypropylene. Postage & Communication includes $95 mistake in which I had something sent ExpressMail overnight to Canada. Food includes heavy provisioning for our trip north, done mostly in Port Angeles. Also, too many last dinners out in Victoria.
June 2013: Moorage, we paid for 5 nights during the month: Lund (2), Pender Bay, Gorge Harbour, Port Harvey. Transportation includes $525 for diesel.
JAN 13
|
FEB 13
|
MAR 13
| |
Moorage
|
535
|
528
|
513
|
Transportation
|
23
|
237
|
507
|
Boat Gear
|
256
|
895
|
0
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
868
|
278
|
326
|
Postage & Comm
|
12
|
137
|
100
|
Entertainment
|
358
|
27
|
110
|
Food
|
1089
|
1449
|
1092
|
Other
|
16
|
354
|
219
|
$3157
|
$3905
|
$2867
|
January 2013: Boat Gear includes raw water pump rebuild. Personal Gear & Health includes $522 for girls' drama class, $145 for new camera. Entertainment includes $280 for rock climbing membership. Other includes propane.
February 2013: Transportation includes several bus and ferry rides. Boat Gear includes $220 for Yanmar parts, $540 for heat exchanger and oil cooler service, plus spending on fluids and tools. Other includes two nights at a Vancouver hotel and a donation to the BCSPCA.
March 2013: Transportation includes rental car and ferry to visit Portland, OR. Other includes $200 donation to Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012 TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $71,239
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OCT 12
|
NOV 12
|
DEC 12
| |
Moorage
|
538
|
529
|
532
|
Transportation
|
169
|
133
|
6
|
Boat Gear
|
369
|
809
|
0
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
3053
|
542
|
536
|
Postage & Comm
|
397
|
157
|
13
|
Entertainment
|
119
|
74
|
274
|
Food
|
1374
|
1061
|
1149
|
Other
|
576
|
84
|
362
|
$6595
|
$3389
|
$2872
|
October 2012: Transportation includes $110 for LA rental car. Boat Gear includes $312 for two new reading lights. Personal Gear & Health includes $1685 for our family’s annual health insurance premium, $875 for gymnastics classes for the girls. Postage & Comm includes $176 for early termination of our US data plan. Other includes $287 for increased boat liability insurance, $105 for Seattle hotel.
November 2012: Transportation includes $100 for ferry to Port Angeles. Boat Gear includes $740 for 5 new cabin lights.
December 2012: Personal Gear & Health includes two doctor’s visits, computer repair, and $50 for showers and laundry. Entertainment includes $209 for IMAX passes. Other includes $236 for gifts.
JUL 12
|
AUG 12
|
SEPT 12
| |
Moorage
|
405
|
143
|
325
|
Transportation
|
529
|
608
|
560
|
Boat Gear
|
779
|
405
|
66
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
138
|
155
|
283
|
Postage & Comm
|
126
|
160
|
30
|
Entertainment
|
62
|
91
|
93
|
Food
|
984
|
1002
|
1466
|
Other
|
516
|
135
|
163
|
$3539
|
$2699
|
$2986
|
July 2012: Transportation includes $129 in fuel for cars we borrowed. Boat Gear includes $450 for new aft cabin hatch. Other includes cost of KKMI Sausalito haulout.
August 2012: Transportation includes $88 in fuel for cars we borrowed. Boat Gear includes $196 for new radar cable and parts. Other includes donation to Matt Rutherford's CRAB cause and credit card annual fee.
September 2012: Transportation includes $320 in airline and ferry tickets for quick trip to Los Angeles in following month. Personal Gear & Health includes warm clothing. Other includes donation to wildlife support groups and credit card annual fee.
APR 12
|
MAY 12
|
JUN 12
| |
Moorage
|
403
|
810
|
807
|
Transportation
|
1138
|
2152
|
305
|
Boat Gear
|
193
|
17374
|
2129
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
48
|
673
|
379
|
Postage & Comm
|
135
|
55
|
216
|
Entertainment
|
14
|
80
|
235
|
Food
|
753
|
1371
|
1274
|
Other
|
518
|
0
|
200
|
$3,202
|
$22,915
|
$5,545
|
April 2012: Transportation includes Eleanor's plane fare to D.C. ($511) and diesel for the Baja Bash. Other includes annual premium for boat liability insurance for the U.S. and Canada.
May 2012: Transportation includes Windy's plane fare from San Diego to Thailand ($1487) and a month's car rental in San Diego. Boat Gear--WOW!--includes the Portland Pudgy ($5900), new mainsail cover ($430), new v-berth mattress ($987), new windlass gypsy ($293), new coaming boxes ($391), new instruments ($1497), new radar ($1886), Torqeedo outboard ($2110). Personal Gear & Health includes a camera repair ($225) and some new power tools.
June 2012: Boat Gear includes a new forward hatch ($430), new propane tanks ($400), and a radome mount ($249). Other includes the dinghy impound fine from Dana Point.
JAN 12
|
FEB 12
|
MAR 12
| |
Moorage
|
181
|
580
|
447
|
Transportation
|
82
|
463
|
143
|
Boat Gear
|
247
|
2060
|
8606
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
10
|
1387
|
540
|
Postage & Comm
|
39
|
175
|
63
|
Entertainment
|
10
|
57
|
68
|
Food
|
779
|
701
|
736
|
Other
|
55
|
25
|
43
|
$1,403
|
$5,448
|
$10,646
|
January 2012: Nothing remarkable with regard to expenditures.
February 2012: Transportation includes Windy and Frances's trip to San Francisco. Boat Gear includes welding work to add an attachment point at the bow rollers for the foil-less furler, cost to test and rebuild the turbocharger, and new Yanmar injectors. Personal Gear & Health includes U.S. medical care for Frances's eye infection.
March 2012: Boat Gear includes a new main sail and a new Facnor foil-less furler, and new Code 0 light-air sail. This also includes over $500 spent on three separate and frustrating attempts to have a UV cover sewn to our jib. Personal Gear & Health includes four teeth cleanings and a new crown.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011 TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $47,925
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OCT 11
|
NOV 11
|
DEC 11
| |
Moorage
|
520
|
807
|
442
|
Transportation
|
59
|
86
|
234
|
Boat Gear
|
2826
|
2674
|
219
|
Personal Gear & Health
|
159
|
62
|
1916
|
Postage & Comm
|
285
|
59
|
151
|
Entertainment
|
15
|
34
|
143
|
Food
|
708
|
702
|
797
|
Other
|
121
|
50
|
0
|
$4,693
|
$4,474
|
$3,902
|
October 2011: Boat Gear includes all of the stainless work we had done on the bow pulpit, anchor roller, dodger, aft stanchions, davits, and upper chain plates. Other includes a charitable donation.
November 2011: Moorage increased dramatically with the season change. Boat Gear includes the 2 stainless steel water tanks and 4 lower chain plates we had fabricated. Other includes a charitable donation.
December 2011: Personal Gear includes an 11-foot rigid kayak we bought from fellow cruisers and $1,278 annual health insurance premium. Transportation includes $162 charge for diesel.
JUL 11
|
AUG 11
|
SEP 11
| |
Moorage
|
400
|
400
|
520
|
Maintenance
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Travel
|
1454
|
26
|
44
|
Outfitting
|
12488
|
2055
|
1074
|
Personal Gear
|
665
|
238
|
140
|
Postage & Comm
|
273
|
135
|
478
|
Entertainment
|
87
|
121
|
0
|
Food
|
890
|
817
|
867
|
Other
|
1863
|
2000
|
85
|
$18,120
|
$5,792
|
$3,208
|
July 2011: Other includes $660 for partial month villa rental and about $1,200 for Mexican car/boat liability insurance and taxes paid at the border crossing. Outfitting includes all of the boat stuff we boat in California, all of the boat stuff we bought in PV, yard fees for haulout, and the cost of hiring labor. Travel does not include food prior to arriving in PV, just gas and lodging.
August 2011: Other includes $2000 for monthly villa rental. Outfitting includes $1090 for reupholstering the interior cushions.
September 2011: Moorage is the monthly cost of our new slip at Marina Riviera Nayarit. Other includes a credit card annual fee. Postage and Comm is high this month due to using an iPhone in Mexico. Outfitting is strictly retail purchases for the boat.
April 2011: Postage & Comm is new this month reflects a $15 set up fee and $100 deposit for our mail forwarding service.
May 2011: Postage & Comm includes lots of mailing of heavy boxes to California for later pick up on our trip.
June 2011: Travel includes $1,665 for food, $442 for entertainment, and $1,556 for fuel and lodging.
January 2011: Outfitting is $30 at Apple App Store for Navionics software. Personal Gear is $95 for the medical kit supplies and $5 for a HAM radio license test application.
February 2011: Personal Gear is $89 for butane hot knife/soldering iron.
March 2011: n/a
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010 TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $77,644
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 2010: Outfitting and Personal Gear is money spent on boat stuff at Annapolis Boat Show (see full list here).
November 2010: Outfitting includes boat items we bought at West Marine: set of stainless steel fasteners and miscellaneous; oil filter and impeller online; and a hand-held vaccuum cleaner, FoodSaver, P-Touch labeler, and $150 in first aid kit supplies.
December 2010: Travel costs are for Windy's trip to Puerto Vallarta. Outfitting cost is for file folders bought at Staples to organize boat manuals/etc.
July 2010: Maintenance fees began this month--$60 each for our boat minders and bottom diver. $40 extra to minders to buy dehumidifying agents at Home Depot, as needed. Also included is $59 dollars to diver for spare zincs.
August 2010: Other includes Western Union charge to wire money to bottom diver (Danny of Sparkle Dive Service).
August 2011: Other includes $2000 for monthly villa rental. Outfitting includes $1090 for reupholstering the interior cushions.
September 2011: Moorage is the monthly cost of our new slip at Marina Riviera Nayarit. Other includes a credit card annual fee. Postage and Comm is high this month due to using an iPhone in Mexico. Outfitting is strictly retail purchases for the boat.
APR 11
|
MAY 11
|
JUN 11
| |
Moorage
|
400
|
400
|
400
|
Maintenance
|
120
|
60
|
60
|
Travel
|
0
|
0
|
3763
|
Outfitting
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Personal Gear
|
0
|
0
|
445
|
Postage & Comm
|
115
|
128
|
172
|
Other
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
$549
|
$588
|
$4,820
|
May 2011: Postage & Comm includes lots of mailing of heavy boxes to California for later pick up on our trip.
June 2011: Travel includes $1,665 for food, $442 for entertainment, and $1,556 for fuel and lodging.
JAN 11
|
FEB 11
|
MAR 11
| |
Moorage
|
400
|
400
|
400
|
Maintenance
|
120
|
120
|
120
|
Travel
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Outfitting
|
30
|
0
|
0
|
Personal Gear
|
100
|
89
|
0
|
Other
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
$650
|
$609
|
$520
|
January 2011: Outfitting is $30 at Apple App Store for Navionics software. Personal Gear is $95 for the medical kit supplies and $5 for a HAM radio license test application.
February 2011: Personal Gear is $89 for butane hot knife/soldering iron.
March 2011: n/a
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010 TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $77,644
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OCT 10
|
NOV 10
|
DEC 10
| |
Moorage
|
400
|
400
|
400
|
Maintenance
|
120
|
120
|
120
|
Travel
|
0
|
0
|
820
|
Outfitting
|
4,270
|
406
|
32
|
Personal Gear
|
680
|
0
|
0
|
Other
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
$5,470
|
$926
|
$1,372
|
October 2010: Outfitting and Personal Gear is money spent on boat stuff at Annapolis Boat Show (see full list here).
November 2010: Outfitting includes boat items we bought at West Marine: set of stainless steel fasteners and miscellaneous; oil filter and impeller online; and a hand-held vaccuum cleaner, FoodSaver, P-Touch labeler, and $150 in first aid kit supplies.
December 2010: Travel costs are for Windy's trip to Puerto Vallarta. Outfitting cost is for file folders bought at Staples to organize boat manuals/etc.
JUL 10
|
AUG 10
|
SEP 10
| |
Moorage
|
400
|
400
|
400
|
Maintenance
|
219
|
120
|
120
|
Travel
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Other
|
0
|
25
|
0
|
$619
|
$545
|
$520
|
August 2010: Other includes Western Union charge to wire money to bottom diver (Danny of Sparkle Dive Service).
JUN 10
| |||
Moorage
|
400
|
430
|
400
|
Maintenance
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Travel
|
0
|
1,755
|
0
|
Other
|
99
|
65,110
|
0
|
$499
|
$67,295
|
$400
|
April 2010: Found a private slip on the Puerto Vallarta Craigslist, began paying on the 15th ($400/month). Other is HELOC closing cost.
May 2010: Travel is cost for Eleanor and I to Mexico to check boat out and sea trial. Other is cost of boat ($64K, no sales tax!) plus survey, rigging survey, and haulout. Moorage includes prior owner's slip per diem before we could have the boat moved.
May 2010: Travel is cost for Eleanor and I to Mexico to check boat out and sea trial. Other is cost of boat ($64K, no sales tax!) plus survey, rigging survey, and haulout. Moorage includes prior owner's slip per diem before we could have the boat moved.
