What Happend to a cheap sailing trip...an eye opening tale..

[richandlori]

Being a bit on the anal side, I saved all of my receipts from my recent boat trip and when the admiral glanced at them, her comment was, what happened to your trip on the cheap? I was a bit surprised and if I was to estimate the cost of a 4 day 3 night boat trip, I would have guessed close to of what I actually spent ($348.82). Are cheap boat trips another Marketing myth dreamed up by Rodger? I did make some land excursions with the kids, but I dont feel too bad about them because they were educational trips (Zoo and Aquarium). Here are my expenses. This was a very interesting exercise for me to make, as again, I would have thought I would have spent the actual amount. I guess in the future I need to cut out the Restaurant meals (would have saved me $86 ), buy my provisions at home (could have saved about $20 there), try NOT to buy fuel in the over priced marinaafter all that is why I bought 4-6gal fuel tanks instead of two 12 gal.(could have saved $20 there).

Day 1: Total $136.8

Fast food Lunch at Taco-Bell $7.35
Pizza Dinner $20.45
13.7 Gals of Gas at Marina (yikes) $38.09
Ice Cream for the Kids $2.58
Guest Slip $15
Grocery Store-provisions for trip $53.33


Day 2: Total $59.61

Breakfast (doughnuts & Juice) $8.78
Santa Barbara Zoo Admission $23
Guest Slip $15.6
City Trolley rides to/from Zoo $2
Porta-poty Chemical $10.23


Day 3: Total $86.46

Restaurant Breakfast $21
Ice Creams for all $7.55
Guest Slip $15.6
Santa Barbara Aquarium $15
Fuel $27.31


Day 4: Total $65.95

Restaurant Lunch $21.45
Fast Food Dinner on Drive Home $7.50
Vehicle gas to/from Boat $37

Total $348.82


One of the big selling points I used to assist me in getting the boat was the cheap trip aspect, which I obviously need to work on. There is the argument that $350 for 3 people on a 3 night 4 day trip is damn cheapbut its still more that I would like to regularly spend!

So its time to turn to the Mac forum for some thoughts? What would it cost you to make a similar trip? What are some cost savings tips? Help me out here!

[Catigale]

Easy one

3 nights 4 days with the kids, not thinking about work, teaching them that life isnt about trying to steer the wind, but to adjust the sails, patience, patience, patience, patience...

PRICELESS...to coin the commecial.

Seriously, Rich, the Admiral and I were planning a week on Nantucket last August, which is a $2000 rental at high season easily,,,,instead we took Catigale all over the Cape for 5 days and spent a total of $350, eating every meal out.

ANother way of looking at it, where else can you entertain and feed the family of four on $90 a day???

[richandlori]

where else can you entertain and feed the family of four on $90 a day???

No where! And that is a good point that needs to be kept in perspective when looking at costs of a trip. Basically the Hotel is $15/night and the food can be made "close" to what you would spend at home. We did have great meals aboard Enterprise Sea, a typical dinner consisted of: 4-5 varieties of fruit all sliced up and placed on a platter, some great sourdough bread, some precooked sausages of some semi-gourmet verity, washed down with their choice of Orange juice, water, or hot chocolate. I fancy myself some type of a gourmet cook, so we dont lower our standards to top-Raman while on the boat!

While in collage, I could eat on $2/day..and could again if I needed tobut Im not quite there YET!

[James B]

Rich, you took the family on a 4 day vacation for $350. I didn't think anybody could take a trip that cheap.

[Frank C]

Rich,
Bakersfield to Oxnard to SBC & back, with excursions to Zoo and Aquarium.... sounds to me that's just a car trip made in the boat. Using fairly economical car and hotels, what would that have cost without the boat?

Now by comparison, how much would you have spent taking your kids to Santa Cruz Island for an 'educational' hiking & nature excursion? There's no criticism here, just an attempt at perspective. A clearer definition of "boat trip" can help predict its costs.


Further, the Catalina portion of your trip WOULD HAVE clearly been a boat trip, but choices of activities while AT Catalina would bear significantly on costs, right?

[waternwaves]

84 hours............350$.............4 people........... less than a buck and a quarter per hour per person...

[richandlori]

Now....wait a minute....there was 57 miles of motoring involved and we did sleep on the boat. I'm sticking to my definition of a Boat Trip! We were scheduled to head to Marina Del Rey on Friday then out to Catalina for the weekend and come back Monday. The Catalina portion of the trip was scrubbed due to CA storms.

So lets see, trade the three $15/night slip fees with a hotel charge of at LEAST $150/night in that area and the difference would be $405 just for hotel. Then throw in the 5 meals that we ate on the boat vs a Restaurant and there is another $100 easy worth of savings. Subtract about $40 in fuel that I wouldn't have needed with the boat vs a car and that comes to a BOAT trip savings of $465, if the trip would have been made in a car.

I would have loved to head out to Santa Cruz Island for the four days, but without the Admiral, I dont feel comfortable yet being 25 miles offshore with two young kids, so with just the three of us, I am limited to being close to land and staying the night in harbors vs out on anchor.which I would prefer.

[Scott]

Rich, The big expense I see on your trip was meals out. There are a few threads on provisionong in the archives. We preprepare everything and package in ziplock so most everything we eat is heat and prep and eat.

We feed all of us for generally $20 or less per day. Then 1 big meal and drinks at the dockside eatery.

[They Theirs]

Same here, we packed our own staples, picked up a few necessities, and always dined out the last night at Tahoe at Bacchies. Great Food, Great Times.

[Sloop John B]

Hey, whats the matter with you guys? Sailing dont cost nothin.

Get your mate to put all the good scraps shes about to pitch and put them into a brown paper bag and roll it up.

You have your two six gallon tanks topped off. Yes, cost a fortune, but get your sails up before you get out of the harbor.

Second night out youre into the large cans of Dinky Moore Stew. Yeah, it does add up.

Meanwhile, powers off on the house, saving $2.17 a day.

Booze isnt really any more than youd be consuming at home if you were at home. Well, pretty near.

Now watch it best you can coming back into the harbor channel.

Inadvertently, hit a big rock and bust a blade. I mentioned the Schwartzenegger bite that caused me to toss the $106 prop, and get another $106 prop.

Neglected to install a thrust washer between new prop and lower end that resulted in $987 casualty.

Best estimate so far on cost per mile is about $94.16.

Other than that, sailing dont cost nothin.

[aya16]

Ok Rich you can save some more money next week, check events,
Oil change and tune up around 200 bucks
steaks at a eatery for four around 200 bucks
400 bucks

Or

come down MDR next week
gas for tow car around 80 bucks
oil change tune up 25 bucks
steaks for four 25 bucks
gas in boat free you already filled up right?
good time freeee

130 bucks

[Captain Steve]

Gotta love your math, Aya16!

[Mark Prouty]

Day 1: Guest Slip $15

Day 2: Guest Slip $15.6
Porta-poty Chemical $10.23

Day 3: Guest Slip $15.6

Anchor out and dinghy in.
Total for Slips: $46.20

Pee overboard else use public facilities.
Porta-poty Chemical: $10.23

total savings: $56.43

Increase fuel capicity: 13.7 Gals of Gas at Marina (yikes) $38.09

[Divecoz]

"but without the Admiral, I dont feel comfortable yet being 25 miles offshore with two young kids, " . . . . .Alone with Dad on an Adventure. . !
Value. . . . . . if you took pictures?? Someday Priceless!!!!!!!

[Frank C]

Now....wait a minute....there was 57 miles of motoring involved and we did sleep on the boat. I'm sticking to my definition of a Boat Trip! ...

You missed my point, or maybe you're just viewing it in the mirror.

I meant that the cost of your "Boat Trip" was perhaps higher than an average boat trip, only because it accomplished many things that otherwise demand a much more expensive car trip. It was higher on the curve than many boat trips, but still inexpensive by alternative comparisons.