"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:10:59 GMT, "Janet O'Leary"
wrote:

A small, bluewater boat, at the right price will leave me some odd
thousands to
get the stuff.. New sails, windvane [maybe], ground tackle, electric
generation
by wind or sun.. on and on.


All well and good but make sure there is lots left over for
maintenance and living expenses, both of which will cost more than you
might expect.

Lots?? Depends upon how coddled she expects herself to be. 6-8000K per year
and she can live like a queen while cruising. But, no marinas except perhaps
a couple times a year for special occasions. She'll have to get used to
anchoring out. Maintenance, depending on the boat, could run more than that
if she pays somebody else to do her work. However, if she learns how and
does it herself (or trades favors - like doing brightwork - get your mind
outta the gutter) it might not be more than a couple of grand a year. Bottom
paint haulings are the most expensive routine maintenance. A gallon of
premium epoxy-based, scrubable, tropical bottom paint like Petit Trinidad SR
costs upwards of 400 bucks at most do-it-yourself yards. She'll probably
need two gallons to give a thirty-footer about four coats. But that can last
her three or four years if she doesn't mind getting in the water and
scrubbing every month or two after the first two years.

But, God help her if she has diesel troubles. Mechanics cost upwards of 200
bucks an hour for house calls and parts and filters are through the roof.
Diesel fuel got over five bucks a gallon this summer and I don't expect the
lower prices seen now to last much longer.

She should look into the exploits of one Rebecca Burg. Who cruises Florida
and the Bahamas on a similar-sized boat. Rebecca is my kind of woman. Just
look at the color of her fine Bayfield.

http://www.artoffshore.com/sailingpage.html

And, she's a hottie: swoon

http://www.artoffshore.com/images/60...stAtAnchor.jpg

But, she's got a little Skippy in her:

http://www.artoffshore.com/images/480_WEBagroundA.jpg

But, unlike Skippy, she knows how to anchor to stay put in a storm:

http://www.artoffshore.com/images/480_ScaryStorm.jpg

So, as you can see, Janet, women can cruise single-handed just fine.

Wilbur Hubbard