On Monday 13 September 2004 11:05 pm in rec.boats.cruising Todd wrote:

1) If the boat is paid for, what is the cost range to cruise full time?
What would the life style be like at the lower end of the annual income
range? To be honest, my retirement income will be $42,000.00 a year. Is
this way to little, adequate, or not nearly enough?

It depends on the lifestyle that you want.
Food and fuel will depend on your choices.
Repairs will always be needed, so you need a contingency
fund to cover the unexpected.
Insurance will depend on your choice of boat and where
you want to go, as well as your experience.
Marinas can be *very* expensive, especially in the more
favoured areas. Are you happy to spend most of your time
moored out in a bay rather than in port with all of the
facilities ?.

2) I have noticed that not all sailboats are considered suitable for blue
water sailing (for one reason or another). Does that same thing apply to
catamarans? If so, what are some suitable boats for blue water sailing?

Ocean going cats are more stable than monohulls, but you
get less space for your money because the accomodation is
crammed into 2 narrow hulls. Marinas will hit you with
heavy surcharges.
If you are buying a new boat take a look at the new
motor sailer at http://www.nordhavn.com/ this one
really impresses me, it is truly a global cruiser in
a small package.

3) My wife hates the water, sand, and hot weather. Is there any chance
that she will end up liking cruising? Any of you with spouses/significant
others that thought they would hate it, but ended up loving it after they
gave it a try?

Book a charter holiday with training before spending any
money on a boat. There are plenty of choices in the
caribean and the mediteranean. Get her involved and
see how she feels. Maybe cooler locations or air conditioning
would make her feel better.


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