The REAL Costs of Owning a Boat!
1/06/09 UPDATED! Contains all new breakdown of costs, and 3 seperate scenarios, see page 2!
Everyone who ever wanted to buy their first boat has gone through the same thought:
“I’m going to buy this $10,000- $30,000 boat, and take my friends and significant other out at least several weeks per summer.”
You believe you will go out for several weeks.
But realistically, how many days will you, your SO, your friends, or THE WHOLE GANG be able to break away to go sailing? Is it a few weeks or a few weekends?
What about winter? Are you in a climate where you can even imagine sailing in anything less than peak summer weather?
What about maintenance? Slip fees? Insurance?
SEASONAL WEATHER AFFECTS THE NUMBER OF DAYS YOU CAN ENJOY YOUR BOAT
If you own your own boat, car, train, plane etc. you are faced with issues related to seasonal conditions. If you only envision balmy summer breezes and pleasant evenings, sailing or motoring along placid waters… remember a couple of things:
Unless you live in the tropics, the seasons will change, but still, the tropics have their own set of issues like hurricanes or tropical storms. Winter will come and with it a set of conditions that many times cause people to lose interest in “taking a trip in my boat this weekend. “ If you are beyond 35º north or south of the equator, you may want to consider what has to happen to sailing vessels and power boats when October rolls around in the north or May, “down under”, it may be time to put away the golf bats and put the “yacht” on the hard, where it may be less expensive, but not available to use.
Taking seasons into consideration along with job related time constraints and family duties, HOW MANY (wonderful/warm/sunny) DAYS A YEAR WILL YOU BE ABLE TO ENJOY YOUR FLOATING DREAMBOAT? 30? 60? …I wonder!
On the next page, we’ll look at the real costs of owning a boat and break it down.
Pages: 1 2
Very informative. somewhat what I expected but a little worse.
I am used to simular figures from having ben an Owner Operator Truck driver/Contractor for 30+ years
Is there anyway around Dock or sloip fees? Such as anchoring?
Are you on east or west coast? I would luv to meet you over coffee and chat.
Thanks for responding to my posting.
Al voisine
Al, Thank you for your post. You are very like the ideal person to have and enjoy a boat. The spirit of discovery and adventure that lies just over the horizon, (Down the road in a truck) If it falters you will nurse it to the next port (truck stop) with bailing wire and spit if necessary. Having spent many thousands of miles towing a 35 race car trailer and many driving an old Mack Bobtail de regged with a box w/hydraulic gate, I know who you are. You’ll do just fine. Guys with a passion for truckin’ just seem to “get it” when it comes to dealing with reality. (Sailing is all dealing with reality…. with paradise the reward)
I’m west coast. a good marina in the $10 to $12 per foot in the L.A. area (Wilmington, San Pedro) Is possible. I have two thirty foot sailboats in two adjacent slips. Total less than $600 per month for both. Anchoring is tough in So. Cal. I have been told about a guy who does it by constantly moving.
If you can be content to be in some of the out of the way places, you may do O.K. Power or Sail? How big? Fred
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