Boatless - What do I do for vacation?

[u079721]

This summer we find ourselves boatless for the first time in 20 years. Which leaves us with a vexing problem - what do we do for a vacation?

When we owned a boat the answer was clear - go cruising! But now that we no longer have that imperative need to amortize our roughly $5000 a year habit (my estimate of what it cost to own and maintain our Ericson 38) over every single vacation day our employers would allow, we are adrift so to speak.

Yes I know we could charter, and we problably will try chartering now that we have the time (and money) available. But more to the point, I now understand how it is that most Americans don't get around to using all of their vacation days. I mean, unless you have a boat, a cabin, or an RV just waiting to be used, it is easy to just sort of not get around to planning a trip.

And what is one of the worst things about not owning a boat? The fact that I now have time to do all that damed yardwork - which I hate - and never got around to doing before!

 

[Loren Beach]

Go West, Young Man....

Hi Steve,
You could find a discount air fair and fly out to the big Ericson bash at Port Townsend in June....

Then take your rent-a-car and wander around Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands for the rest of the week....
Stay in B&B's, etc, etc.
Maybe help "deliver" someone elses' Ericson back to Seattle or wherever...


Anyway, have fun!

Loren in PDX

 

[Sean Engle]

Hi Steve,
You could find a discount air fair and fly out to the big Ericson bash at Port Townsend in June....

Then take your rent-a-car and wander around Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands for the rest of the week....
Stay in B&B's, etc, etc.
Maybe help "deliver" someone elses' Ericson back to Seattle or wherever...


Anyway, have fun!

Loren in PDX

Yeah, I would vote for that - I, for one, would enjoy the opportunity to meet you -

//sse

 

[Sean Engle]

Besides, I have the same problem - and my vacation money goes to the University of Washington now...

//sse

 

[footrope]

Alaska Cruises

Why charter when you can cruise to Alaska? There are 3 huge boats leaving Elliott Bay (Seattle) every weekend. Take a couple extra days and one of your Ericsons NW friends will take you for a less luxurious ride, just to start or end your vacation on the right foot.

I'll let you mow my lawn if you come out!

 

[Sven]

Cost of ownership

But now that we no longer have that imperative need to amortize our roughly $5000 a year habit (my estimate of what it cost to own and maintain our Ericson 38)

That number seems awfully low; $400/month. Is that just the number you came up with to justify ownership or is it supposed to be a realistic number

Maybe your sailing season was really short and winter storage really inexpensive ?




-Sven

 

[u079721]

$5000?

First, thanks for the invitation to the get together. I too would enjoy meeting everyone. But my wife has to travel on business much of June, and my (neverending) job search does keep me pretty busy.

Though I do like the idea of the Alaskan cruise!

As for the $5000. I figured $600 insurance, $1500 storage (indoor), and $1400 for the yacht club membership. So here in the midwest you could get away with saying that the boat only costs me $3500 a year, which is not bad. But on top of that, if I am honest with myself, I am sure that I must spend on average at least $1500 a year on wax, bottom paint, new electronics, fuel, sails ($3500 for a new main last year) and so forth. If you add to that the sunk $80,000 in capital that I have in the boat, which could be earning say $4000 (at 5%) if it were in the bank, and the true figure is probably closer to $9000 a year cost of ownership. But hey, who's counting?

 

[gareth harris]

If you feel like being more active, I suggest www.foldingkayaks.org and a trip to a scenic coastline, such as Maine, Baja California, lakes in Montana, Alaska - you are spoiled for choice on this continent. I had one of the best trips of my life in the Sea of Cortez.

I think I am pushing $5000 for every day of sailing I have had on my boat.... Maybe I am exaggerating, slightly.
G