MacGregorSailors.com

One of the cool things about the Great Lakes summer plan is

- unlimited supply of fresh water for showers on board.
- most of the regions away from cities in NY, PA , OH are cheap to live.

I brought a 32 footer back from Cleveland in 2002 and breakfast in the small towns for three of us was about 10 bucks....

..

This budget stuff (limited) along with some of the inconveniences previously mentioned are what I call the necessary evils or negatives of the cruising life. It's my feeling the positive aspects of the cruising life along with the experiences not easily duplicated trump any of these evils.

Don't believe me, take a look at the logs from freinds of ours that have been cruising since 2005 with their two children. Enjoy......

http://www.thevoyageofbluesky.com/logs.html

Cruzing costs, expenses, budgeting, etc.

Ive observed some liveaboards in my area that live like Sultans--nice boats, plenty of "stuff", and obviously money isnt the option.

Then, there's some ole saltys that live like wharf rats on something that floats (barely). This group (Ive met a few) probably dont budget, because there's nothing to budget.
One fella I know lives aboard his "boat", 38 ft. approx., and he claims it's being "fixed up" for crusing. Im wondering when it will sink, before he ever gets started...

My thinking is that costs at any level between the two above groups could be one's choosing, just whatever is one's comfort zone. I could be wrong, but one could likely live aboard & cruise very thrifty.

Food: beans
Clothes: optional
Fuel: air
Insurance: none
Teeth: none
Rx: none
Bedding: a few used blankets.
Special Equipment: fishing line & few hooks