Ep 56 | The Cost of Cruising

[@Bumsonaboat]

Estimating the cost of cruising is such a difficult task to tackle. You two did a thorough job and it was so beautifully presented. Your transparency and honesty with all costs will surly help others with similar dreams.

[@garyfroeschner2523]

good stuff

[@scottmurray5600]

I'm six years from retirement. The bureaucracy has worn my soul down. Covid has made me feel like a prisoner. Cancer has taken friends and family......BUT there is life, fun, laughter and a strong sense of the explorer left in me. I'm a Scot, we're never dour! I've used boats for many years for amateur & pro diving, but not sailing boats. I've followed your channel avidly and I really wanted a feel to your lifestyle and was also looking at costs for that lifestyle. Could I afford it? You did an absolutely excellent job of answering those questions. Now it's time to slowly build experience and count down the six year run to freedom. THANK YOU.

[@svfairisle]

Well I’m very glad if it helped & obviously you can halve the food budget with all the porridge so maybe go in 3 years?!

[@scottmurray5600]

@@svfairisle Haha, what's the song lyric, 'life is a roller coaster, you just gotta ride it?'. I think I'll sail mine! Comedy, scuba diving and beekeeping have helped me be nnnnnormal. I just have to find the normal that fits my expectation and budget. Competent Crew course booked for this year. It's a start. I loved the street dancing part of your video. Life truly is random and enjoyment/laughter can be found in the most unusual of places. It's a balmy five degrees centigrage, dreich, damp and now dark day. Were the gulags based on a Scottish winter? As I sniff a wee whisky by my wood burning stove I've raised that glass and wished you peace, good fortune, happiness and adventure. Slainthe mhath(gaelic for 'good health'). The whisky was the Macallan.

[@svfairisle]

Well good luck with the course if you’re doing that in one of the 3 good weather days in Scotland per year then it will be spectacular. Unfortunately the only time I sailed up there was on a circumnavigation of the British Isles and we got beaten back from cape wrath by a force ten then had to go through the Caledonian canal but really didn’t see much as it was thick fog for 2 days! And that was in June!

[@scottmurray5600]

@@svfairisle Thanks, I'm really looking forward to the course. Based out of Largs in Ayrshire. Scotland, a country made more beautiful by rain. It's been slightly more beautiful lately. I'm the opposite, I dived the Rabbit islands in the Pentland firth and you could touch the north Atlantic with your finger to make ripples on the water. Flat calm and no breeze. Visibility underwater was 20m. SPECTACULAR. Alternatively, I've also been on the Hamnavoe ferry to Orkney praying for my life and regretting stuffing my face with steak pie and a pint! Little steps for an auld lad like me....

[@svfairisle]

@@scottmurray5600 How funny, I sailed out of Largs when I covered the Scotland bureau for ITN many years ago, I had completely forgotten about that. I also hired a boat from there on the night a chinook helicopter crashed into the Mull of Kintyre, we spent the night sailing across so I could get ashore and film at dawn as we knew the whole peninsula would be sealed off by the military, the helicopter had been full of top brass MI6 and RUC

[@gianniskritikos695]

I think its the first time that a livingabord make the bill so clearly! I am 42 and dreaming to follow your path after some years that my childs will be adults and they prefer to be with their lovers!!! Have a nice winter in the neibourhood!!! Happy new year!!!

[@davidheflin5847]

Great video! Very informative. Wishing you clear skies in 2022.

[@frankbird5276]

I’m in awe of what you guys have accomplished so far…. Steve is such a knowledgeable hands on guy… Judy you must feel so safe with him around….. keep the videos coming, as I for one…. would love to continue the journey with you !

[@svcalaine2728]

You do great "informative" videos. We just bought a boat in Spain and I would like to see one on Med Cruising in general, covering subjects such as "checking in and out of Schengen", "formalities for changing countries within Schengen (formal customs ports or no?)", "availability of Anchoring spots in the Med or will I have to pay a marina", "Can I get VAT back?"

[@koenhontele1291]

Very nice and useful video. Enjoy life

[@AtSeawithAri]

Wow that's pretty cheap all things considered! It certainly gets tempting sometimes to follow in your footsteps, fortunately I get to scratch the boat itch quite a lot, but less fortunately its very rarely on lovely little sailing boats like Fair Isle. Wonderful video thank you Judy, thank you Steve.

[@anthonymiller8989]

Susan & Tony here, It has been a pleasure watching your video's. We are almost there. Currently looking for a new boat. Safe travels.

[@vaidotasratkus7619]

not bad :) Especially in med. Have fun guys!

[@mike.garnham]

The most interesting, informative and well produced channel - not just sailing, but all the sectors I follow. Thanks and have a fabulous 2022.

[@peterdwyer6689]

I don’t usually comment on channels, but this episode was very informative. I love the honesty and charm of a retired couple enjoying life after their careers are completed. Although you now have a new career, it’s one that’s more a vacation and adventure than work. Thank you for sharing.

[@graham961]

Another super, interesting and varied episode. Difficult to say how much I look forward to your weekly films!. Please don’t stop for a long time!!

[@navegandomivandestadt34]

Brilliant ❤️

[@jkjobies]

A great episode from two lovely gracious people! The camera just doesn’t lie!

[@gregmorgan8900]

Thanks for being so honest and transparent with the $ numbers. Your $32k EU converts to about $50k AUD. The average income spending for a retiree couple here is around $65k. I think you guys are actually living (the dream) quite frugally.

[@markperrins9485]

Great film guys. I must say the cost has surprised me. I would say it’s on a par with living on land really. The difference in cruising tho is obvious to me and perhaps just saying that doesn’t mean it’s obvious to all your viewers. For me it’s the freedom of the open space and being able to breathe in where you are all the time. If my wife and I were to go ahead and do it we would be able to bring in an income by renting the house around £45k per year but wifey will not entertain it. Keep up the good work and I look forward to the new year and all the new films and of course seeing the lovely Judy.

[@bertmacdonald337]

Happy New Year, guys, stay safe xx

[@gavingrantham136]

Steve & Judy, Complements for the New Year may it be a wonderful and prosperous year for us all, and may the wind and sea gods be in your favor.

[@factanonverba6169]

Interesting information, thanks. All the best for 2022.

[@kingposeidon9362]

Brilliant.

[@thearchibaldtuttle]

Happy New Year!

[@avidviewer1]

Really interesting. Thanks!

[@williambunting803]

Very enjoyable.

[@SailingABSea]

(Baz) How long will you keep doing this? Is a question that we get asked a lot too. My answer is usually along the lines of "The plans of sailors are written in the sand at low tide."

[@svfairisle]

You’re a poet Baz!

[@danielmcneil3004]

Thank you Judy and Steve for this video. I think it is the most detailed and comprehensive review of the costs of cruising, that I have seen. Cheers and stay safe, Dan. ✌️⛵️🇨🇦

[@HeidiandFranny]

Absolutely perfect film! Thank you so much for this very helpful and very entertaining. Very much enjoyed that :) Safe travels! F

[@pmnfernando]

I really like Hans Christians, specially the 38ft Mark II, beautiful combination of classic looks, performance, comfort and above all seaworthiness. and at 100k USD its a lot of boat for the money. apart from a Pilot Cutter which would be my top pick for a cruising boat, HS are the absolute second place without an hesitation. instead i have a 1962 Van de Stadt Pioneer 9, so i got the classic look and seaworthiness, not so much comfort and performance, but it is what it is!

[@daviddrew7851]

That was very interesting and very well explained . Once you get past the initial cost of a boat purchase the costs as you outlined to me were very reasonable as I can drop that kind of money taking a family of 6 to the Caribbean for TWO weeks with no problems .

[@stephens4884]

Happy new year to you both from the dark side (motorboater) contemplating making the change to sail. I find your content both inspirational and informative……….keep up the great work!

[@dennisclarke380]

Another splendid episode and your videos are truly inspirational. Keep them coming as it motivates me...still stuck here in Mexico waiting for the UK to release travel restrictions 😢...so I can start my adventure ⛵...Thanks again

[@gmssails]

As always, a delightful episode. When I was a kid I remember hearing the expression, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it." I wonder if, on some level, that might pertain to cruising and boats in general. I hope not. Happy New Year.

[@svfairisle]

Yes I think it’s an expression that was certainly nurtured by certain areas of yachting in the past that liked to seem that way. I think that’s a good thing about a lot of the young guys running sailing channels on a very tight budget helping to dispel that myth.

[@paulsj9245]

As already said, look around for the budget sailors - there are quite a few. From there, I took the saying that you can afford cruising if you can afford your life on land, at comparable costs. This may of course be as frugal and include a lot of DIY, and you still must have or make the money in the first place. Take Sailing Kittiwake as an example, a sound adventure from England to the Med and the Carribean, cut short after 2 boats and 3+ years only by health problems :(

[@lorenzoward946]

Cost efficient sailing implies that the owner is capable to manage standard repairs without resorting to professional help. To the question of “how much it costs”, the answer is “what do you need to buy?”

[@tonyarsenault4256]

Seeing the footage of high seas in the English Channel that where a full Keel boat really makes a difference.

[@lewiscowden9731]

Another great video Steve and Judy. 🥰🤗🌹

[@sailingcitrinesunset4065]

Nice video. Many won't share their cruising costs. Thanks for sharing.

[@alexrademeyer]

Should make a comparison what it would cost you the same time living on land. Then you can compare . Living on land or living on a boat you still have to eat and you still have to use wifi. So compare those living on a bout as living in a house.

[@svdisa]

As brand new liveaboards, we really appreciated this helpful breakdown of costs. We are South Africans and have seen our currency drop drastically in value in recent years, so we are on a tighter budget than you (not so much eating out!) but loving every moment all the same. We love following your channel.

[@svfairisle]

Thank you. Food is the variable for sure. We are spending less in Turkey than other places we have been and you don't have to eat out at all! You can certainly live on less and many do.

[@_MrOcean]

I thought you'd been doing this well before I subbed, but I guess I've been with you since the beginning. What a journey. Happy New Years too btw :D

[@savvynavvy]

Fantastic to learn more about life and the reality of life, as a live-aboard. Thanks for sharing guys.

[@rolanddunk5054]

Hello to you both, thank you yet again for another informative and entertaining video,I am never disappointed.I am hoping that you have some winter lay up boat projects worth filming for us to watch.cheers Roly 🇬🇧.

[@susanolsen9352]

Terrific, TERRIFIC episode and information. Happy New Year, Fair Isle!

[@judyaslett2]

We look forward to following your journey

[@andypag1071]

Guys, get that Watermaker fitted and hightail it across the Atlantic to the Carribbean. It's a paradise of islands and sailing.

[@svfairisle]

Water-maker is going in today!

[@andypag1071]

@@svfairisle congratulations. Going in in just one day? Nice work! Took me 6 months to refurbish, install and commission ours. Game changing in terms of independence.

[@jayschafer5385]

Very nice film. We love your episodes as much as any sailing channel. Thanks for all the work in preparing. Cheers!

[@philipwalker2380]

All the best for '22. Really appreciate the practical advice!

[@philgray1023]

Always interesting to hear this. You did well in the yacht purchase though, it is a very nice boat. I just checked, our marina is about 60% the price you paid in the Med, but we stayed in one here near Sydney and it was more expensive than that by about 40%. We found that we spend about the same afloat as in our house, but we can rent our house for the same amount per week that gets you a month in a good marina with electricity and water included. In fact you can get some excellent package deals at marinas only a day sail from the Great Barrier Reef where you pay for so many weeks, but clock in and out of the marina, so your overnights out of the marina don't count against your total weeks.

[@svfairisle]

The flexible days in the marina sounds like a great idea, wish that was more widespread. There are a chain of marinas here in Turkey that give you a set amount of days that you can spend in any one you choose

[@stephens4884]

Happy new year to you both from the dark side (motorboater) contemplating making the change to sail. Your videos are inspirational and I hope to be following j your footsteps very soon.

[@emlynjay8633]

Happy New Year to you and continued good fortune on your Voyages in the Years ahead.

[@rdderrick75]

You actually made a budget film interesting and entertaining! Frankly, I’m surprised u can do all that u r doing for such a modest spend.

[@earlashton1342]

Hopefully we will see you out of the Med. & going further.

[@judyaslett2]

That’s the plan

[@robruh4100]

That was a very interesting and helpful video. We have similar interests and likely have similar expenses. Thank you for your insights and sharing.

[@beigenomadscaravangroup8171]

Your films are so enjoyable and informative. Look forward to your adventures in 2022. Happy New Year and stay safe.

[@omvaren]

That was a very good and educational story! I enjoyed it very much! Thanks!

[@fgansell]

What a well organised summary to share around, am thankful you do this as I really enjoy your explorations.

[@masteriti01]

Thank you for sharing! I imagine the boat costs were just maintenance items and not upgrades! That figure seemed quite low!

[@svfairisle]

It was a mixture but you’re right it is low because we get most products at trade prices or below as we test and review a lot of gear.

[@returner323617]

Thanks Guys, an interesting insight into the live-abroad life. Ah, the Three S's: sailing, sightseeing, and servicing... Happy new year and all the best for the upcoming season.

[@stevet5248]

Really good video. Keep living the dream as long as you can. A pleasure to watch.

[@ronschwolsky1626]

Very informative. Fair Isle is a gorgeous boat... probably the nicest out there of all the YT sailing channels. I'd have thought the boat expenses/maintenance costs would've been a much larger piece of the pie. Wishing you both good health and many more years of happy adventures ahead. Cheers!

[@svfairisle]

We are lucky that we get a lot of items for the boat cheaply, I can't remember the last time I had to pay more than trade price so that helps a lot.

[@MoggAndrew]

Well done you two. Nice video and explanation. I'm hoping to follow down that path soon myself. It's hard to factor in what real costs are, and I suspect your video equipment costs are higher than that, plus you don't mention the unpaid work time it takes to make the videos at the quality and level you are achieving. Also if you were to factor in the cost of the boat and refit and divide that by your 3 years on the water, the number would be vastly different. A boat usually has a depreciating value but some would be returned upon sale, whenever that time comes. Having said that.. you have a lovely life full of experiences you would not get any other way. Thanks for sharing your lives in such an interesting way.

[@philgray1023]

That boat would sell for much more now. Especially given the work they have put into it. My experience was that after sailing for 5 years we sold our boat for 20% less than we paid. It sold within two hours of being advertised (I was almost in tears) You have to maintain it, but I did all my own work. I would say with maintenance included it cost around £2000 a year all up. That was sailing every week and about 4-5 weeks extended cruising per year. If you consider that charter rates are around £450 a day it works out pretty well.

[@jumpyX2]

Marvelous and detailed video. Good work.

[@marcellodavanzo7471]

Great video. I can show my wife this one! as I'm encouraging her to join me this year on my boat as I sail from Portugal to Turkey

[@svfairisle]

That will be a great trip I am sure. I hope it goes well

[@nigelcaughey2119]

Another excellent episode. Loved the recap from the early days. Keep doing what you are doing and a Happy New Year to you both. Happy cruising in 2022.

[@johnbell7552]

Happy New Year to you both, and thank you for the ‘l👀k back never mind the cost breakdown, which was extremely interesting. I’m not a sailor, but do dream of just such a life as your’s.

[@michaeldickins4258]

Hi Steve & Judy. Wondered where you might have got to. The last time we met was in Flaine, where every morning, Steve would put his skis on, and jump off the top rail of the chalet balcony to save that "long passage" down three flights of stairs in his ski boots. Great to see you are still surviving. I expect you have told your audience in earlier episodes that you were once both highly professional media stars, Judy as a presenter with ITV, and Steve as camerman/ photographer. It sure does show in your very slick video. We have just returned from a trip round the Carribean, and both coasts of Florida, so we are very envious of your "full time" lifestyle at sea, albeit a bit flat for downhill skiing. Best wishes for your journeys in the future. Mike & Sue Dickins.

[@svfairisle]

Hi both. Great to hear from you. We have been doing this for a couple of years now as this video shows. Past videos chronicle our journey so far and who we are. It is a bit different being the subject of our videos rather than reporting but we are finding a balance! We haven't managed to ski for a while (due to COVID) but let's hope that changes

[@sergest-pierre6160]

Great video as usual. Can wait to visit more of Turkey. This is great as your life style is what I plan to do and now I know I can afford it. No KZbin video for me but that money will go into boat maintenance and upgrades. Thanks

[@Outrageousconduct]

Fantastic episode very informative about liveaboard life

[@gregvaughn4286]

happy new year, love your videos and your channel, thanks so much

[@benb4032]

Thanks for sharing your amazing journey and cost. Your videos are always of very high quality and informative. Happy New Year!

[@Rob-r2s]

I've watched several of these videos that talk about how much it cost to sail around the world and most of them say that it's around $16,500 usd a year. That was being on the more budget friendly side of things but not the tightest. From what I've gathered is that cruising the med is the most expensive so I think that your right in line with those other sailors if they went to the med to explore. They didn't so I'm just going of of a general overview of what they have said combined with what you have said. The least expensive place to cruise is Asia. It sounds like the Caribbean is the second most expensive place to cruise besides the med although I've heard that Australia is pretty expensive. Sailing Life on Jupiter told us that they spend about $50k usd per year. That's having a great time. I would say that that's on the higher end. What's crazy is how much money you've spent on camera gear for the KZbin channel and how fast the salt water kills your electronics. No one really talks about that aspect.

[@svfairisle]

Yes that’s true, if you add it up since we started 8 years ago we’ve killed 2 Panasonic GH5’s, one Fuji xt50, 4 lenses, 5 action cams, 1 x 360 camera, 1x insta go2, various mounts, 4 x drones and 2x edit macs that’s around $15,000, so it certainly mounts up!

[@Rob-r2s]

@@svfairisle Do the I-Pads hold up better than the laptops and what about smart phones? I don't plan on making KZbin videos but would like to get a drone, a GoPro or two and an insta 360. I guess I'll just have to plan on replacing my expensive electronics every now and then. That's going to suck.

[@svfairisle]

@@Rob-r2s Yes iPads hold up very well for everything but the charging. Those USB-C ports need regular cleaning, we've actually got a section all about it coming up in a video about boat gear for Xmas that will come out at the weekend. With the smart phones make sure you get one that can be induction charges as the ports get flaky in them quickly, especially apple's lightning cables for the older phones.

[@Rob-r2s]

@@svfairisle I'll for sure watch that video. Thanks for the tip!

[@lorenzoward946]

Very interesting. Excellent episode. My own SY in Greece needs a new teak deck; if you happen to hear of a good and competent yard in Turkey for that, please give me a nod.

[@svfairisle]

Cesme is a good yard, I'm not sure how the cost would compare with Greece. If you need wor done then labour may be cheaper here, the Turkish Lira has been devalued massively so those costs are at an all time low. Turkey is difficult to get goods into though so you might want to bring what you need with you. We will look out for any yard specialising in decks.

[@mikeherbert7664]

A very interesting video thanks for sharing & a happy new year to you both

[@t540985]

Love you guys :)

[@ChrisWilson-nw4gk]

Excellent video. Happy New Year.

[@DeanColegate]

Thanks guys for being so open about this. At the start of the video, Helen (my wife) and I had a little wager on what the final annual tally would be. She guessed £45k! I think she thinks stainless anchors and chain and all the other upgrades you've done are more expensive than they actually are. I think she thinks an extended sailing adventure might be within budget afterall :)

[@svfairisle]

Ha! yes but as we said in the video we did get some boat equipment at trade price or less as we get some good deals from manufacturers that want us to test their gear. You would need to add some money to the boat budget if yo were paying full price at the chandlers for everything.

[@erbrock1]

Another great video. Thank you. As new boat owners, one of the challenges we have had is getting insurance. It would be great if you could provide some insight and guidance on insurance and how you go about it. I'll search your channel to see if you've done that already. Thanks again and I wish you a pleasant 2022!

[@svfairisle]

We have insurance at the moment with GJW. I get different quotes each year depending on where we are sailing. It is worth shopping around

[@erbrock1]

@@svfairisle Thanks.

[@tomriley5790]

Just looking at the route you followed through the Med - was avoiding Italy (mainland) and the South Coast of France part of your cost considerations? Nice to see your grandchildren graduating from Queens' (Brings back memories of me doing so years ago too!). Perhaps I missed it did Insurance for the boat come under "boat"?

[@judyaslett2]

Yes boat insurance comes under boat. Actually the route to Venice was largely time constraints after lockdown. I would love to see France!

[@tedvz]

I know this video was nearly a year ago. But, as someone in their mid fifties I've been struggling to get a handle on what liveaboard life budgets might look like. I see some young couples posting their crushing costs in the $12-$20k range while another middle-age cat couple revealed their costs around $62k. I appreciate you guys and your transparency in sharing your costs. One final selfish question if I may. What's your headroom in most of the gally/saloon area? I'm just shy of 6'6" (198cm) and having a hard time finding boats where I won't be hunched over doing further damage to my neck. I like the size and features of your boat. I'd love it if I could stand up in one.

[@svfairisle]

It's going to be tough finding a boat with enough head room for sure. You'd be okay with our boat, we have 203cm throughout the boat, but that's unusual. Look for either an older design of boat like ours which have the sole of the boat nice and low because the full keel means you can do that (boats with bolt on keels tend to have flat bottoms & the sole is higher. Or look at more modern designs that have the deck saloon option i.e. the coach roof is higher than normal to give more windows & light below, and consequently more head room!

[@tedvz]

@@svfairisle Thank you so much for your prompt and helpful reply. I'm going to keep going through more of your videos. So much good stuff to know and learn. BTW, I have looked at used boats of same make/model as yours and thought them very nice but was concerned about headroom. I'm so happy to hear I could stand straight in yours! Thanks again!

[@ribeironeto6553]

Bom dia! Obrigado por compartilhar informações importantes sobre viver em um veleiro. Desejo vida longa ao casal e bons ventos. Um forte abraço. Ribeiro Neto, nordeste do Brasil.

[@svfairisle]

Muito obrigado, esperamos navegar para o Brasil em algum momento.

[@BarracudaHawk]

Nice work guys!

[@DDixon3121]

I envy your lifestyle and wish you the very best in 2022. Although I would love to be cruising, even on a limited basis, aging hasn't been kind to my wife so my retirement has dwindled down to being a care giver, which is killing the opportunity to wander.

[@svfairisle]

I’m sorry to hear that Dick, at least you have each other. The wandering is nice for us but having Judy with me is the main thing.

[@davidcoop779]

Hi Steve How did you get on with the nano coating on fibreglass ? I know you were impressed on brass but I was wondering if it was any good on the hull. I have an old Malo and I want to get the topsides looking better for longer. Gel coat has obviously lost its shine and polishing helps but not for long. I remember you trying on your hull and was wondering how it was holding up. Great show. Really enjoy it. David

[@svfairisle]

Hi David, well you must be psychic as the update on that is in the next episode that I’ve just finished editing and put out to the Patreons, it will be in YT thus Thursday. In the end the Gtechniq product I was trying in the brass worked well short term but didn’t last long ( it wasn’t meant for metal to be fare, I just thought I’d try it ) The Ceramic base and top coat that I tested on the top sides last winter in Venice did hold up really well though so I’ve now coated the whole boat, got it done last week when we were out for Antifouling. I think it’s fantastic stuff but be warned it’s expensive!

[@davidcoop779]

@@svfairisle Thanks for the reply Steve. I will look forward to the update on Thursday. I don't think I'm psychic but I do know that anything to do with boats is expensive before I even start. If Gtechniq works I will give it a go. These coatings are getting more popular in automotive field so fingers crossed that they beome a bit cheaper as the volume grows. Wishing you both fair winds. David

[@theoffroadexecutive]

Thanks for this Judy and Steve - well done, well balanced, great editing as usual! One question: isn't there a category like "insurance/health care/social security" or "foot in the door back home/back on land"? Just to get the overall budget requirement for the living aboard...I would appreciate some insight, since this is figuring quite high in my calculations ;-) Happy New Year from Lake Constance

[@svfairisle]

Yes it's a difficult issue. We pay taxes in the UK and paid National insurance there which gave us some cover before Brexit in Europe.At the moment we have health insurance in Turkey ( you have to as part of the short term residency) it very cheap though €150/year. Our real worry is the costs when we cross the Atlantic, US health care is expensive.

[@theoffroadexecutive]

@@svfairisle Looking fwd then to your videos on the Atlantic crossing... - Thanks and fair winds!

[@jimlofts5433]

@@svfairisle just saw a vlog on the costs of the BVI compared to the AVI

[@svfairisle]

@@jimlofts5433 interesting, what was the verdict?

[@svfairisle]

We’ve sailed around the BVIs a couple of times, love it there, haven’t tried the AVI’a yet

[@dropthatfone]

Great video! Very informative! I have some questions about your budgeting. I don't see a category for boat insurance, or health costs/ insurance. Perhaps your boat insurance is baked into your overall boat costs? If this is so, the number seems low? I would estimate a minimum of $6K for boat maintenance (including fuel), and $8K for boat insurance? Do you have boat insurance? I saw a comment where you say "£1280.34 in 2022"? What kind of insurance is this? This can't possibly cover an ocean passage? How much do you think you spend on Diesel? Health costs for 2 people I would estimate to be at least $6K. I see you commented that you have health insurance in Turkey for €150/year. That sounds incredibly cheap. How good is the coverage? Will you be able to keep this coverage long term, or do you expect to pay a higher rate? If health care and boat insurance are factored in, I think you may be off by as much as $11K, around €10,000?

[@svfairisle]

Hi Nick, yes some good point, I'm sorry if it wasn't clear. Our boat insurance is around £1,300 at the moment. They insure by the region you sail, we have to update them as to where we are planning to cruise each year and sometimes during the year too. Cost will obviously go up when we cross the Atlantic. ( We also had a bit of a scare when we crossed the bay of Biscay because when we called the week before to say we were going - they already knew that was the plan but wanted to know when we left- they said we needed an extra crew member aboard to be insured. They eventually backed down when we showed them the original email that that was our plan and they had said nothing) Health insurance in Turkey is very cheap and also very good by all accounts, it's only for the year we will be in Turkey however and then yes costs will go up. Boat maintenance is lower than it would be for most as we get most things at trade price or below, some things for free, this is a major advantage of having the sailing channel. Our diesel costs are low as we rarely use the engine. We expect a hike in costs of about £6,000 / year when we leave Europe because of insurance costs but other costs may come down, slip fees in the Caribbean for instance as we would expect to be pretty much permanently on the hook, same in the Pacific and with a lower general cost of living there too.

[@sammyhudson7274]

Happy new year 🎆

[@jimbellas459]

Really enjoy your videos, keep up the good work 👍 I’ll would like to buy a cap as you both wear, where can I purchase one?

[@svfairisle]

There’s a merch page on the website… www.sailingfairisle.com

[@jamesmoriarty9637]

What about clothing and other sailing gear?

[@svfairisle]

We thought about including clothing but we bought so little in that time as we already had what we needed it wasn’t worth including as a category and sailing gear is in Boat, but bear in mind our cost for that is low because we get a lot of gear at trade prices or lower. The final cost figure is correct as we worked backwards from what we spent over that period.

[@123boat]

Best sailing channel ever 😁 Always fantastic content, never boring. One of the few channels I don’t fast forward, unlike mine 😂

[@svfairisle]

Ha! Thanks, but i'm sure the bit about your channel is not true!! (and if it make you feel any better our own children admit they spool through bits of ours!

[@123boat]

@@svfairisle My channel is a proven cure for insomniacs 😳 I think you need to part exchange your children for ones that appreciate a cultured channel 🤔 Best of luck for this years sailing. So looking forward to many more exciting videos.

[@sailingcalypso]

Another great episode, very interesting thanks. We move aboard our boat this weekend and will cross the Atlantic mid Feb from Cape Town South Africa to Grenada in the Caribbean . Perhaps we will share an anchorage one day!

[@svfairisle]

Yes I’m sure we will cross tracks, heading that way in a year or two

[@adriansayers7002]

It would be interesting to see how much income you receive through your channel/Patreon etc to see how that stacks up, costs/time/effort and how much of your costs it covers. Creating the KZbin channel comes at a cost with equipment, is it worthwhile, or are you making so much you daren't be transparent:) The big hidden cost I suppose is that with the exception of the flat you have cashed your main house in and sat on a depreciating asset watching a record property boom in the UK. The true cost of 'dropping out' for a number of years won't be known until you sell the boat and return to UK and buy back in with a similar property to the one you sold at the outset?

[@svfairisle]

Yes I suppose the YT equation might be of interest to people trying to do the same. All I can say on that score is good luck! You Tube paid us just over $300 this month, Patreon slightly more. No one who hasn’t made videos before would understand the hours that go into that but it works out to a tiny fraction of minimum wage. So no the economics of it don’t add up at all we could make the money in one day filming a corporate job or something for broadcast for instance. We choose to make the YT videos because we enjoy them. As we said in the film there are other none monetary advantages too. You’re right that just retaining a small flat in the UK will probably price us out of the housing market there if we ever wanted to go back, but we probably won’t and if we do we will be old and a tiny place will be fine! I think you have to be aware that changing your lifestyle like this comes with risks. I also think that trying to mitigate the financial risks, by say, keeping the family home in the UK, would be a mistake as you will never free yourself of the land based ties that way and doing this half heartedly wouldn’t work I think.

[@adriansayers7002]

@@svfairisle Thanks for that, fair to say your videos with your experience and equipment go well beyond the average YT channel. I totally take your point regarding successfully fully committing yourself to the adventure means severing home commitments. I think as a sailing man and wife of similar age most don't realise how rare it is for a couple to be so on the same page. What you have achieved takes bravery, commitment and more than a splash of derring do!

[@amiabledave50]

Three seasons under your belt. Which ports and areas where the most reasonably priced, Stores load, marinas, etc.. The most expensive?

[@svfairisle]

Most expensive, Croatia, cheapest Turkey & Greece. There are always good deals to be found in most countries though.

[@jamesnguyen9033]

You did not include health insurance for the annual cost. What do you have?

[@svfairisle]

Yes we've actually just got the local health insurance that you need in Turkey to get short term residency. It was €150 each so doesn't break the bank.

[@notrut]

I thought your lockdown in Mar Menor was a ridiculous act of the Spanish ... Contrast that with TWELVE planes landing today a Heathrow, from Madrid.

[@jumpyX2]

Isnt the Med supposed to be the most expensive cruising ground anywhere?

[@svfairisle]

I’m not sure. The popular areas where the charter companies go maybe, but there are places off the beaten track that are still good value. We are staying in a 5 star hotel tonight while Fair Isle is out of the water for€39/ night and that price includes breakfast AND dinner!

[@amiabledave50]

During Lock Down, how did you replenish stores if you weren't aloud on shore

[@judyaslett2]

We were allowed to dinghy ashore one at a time for half an hour to go to the spa shop. It’s in videos 15 and 16

[@paulkelly7896]

Can i ask you about health and medical insurance; cos the reality is that most sail when they retire and so your health is really important as you get older

[@svfairisle]

Yes that is going to be a much bigger cost going forward. When we first left we had reciprocal cover in Europe but post Brexit that’s gone. Here in Turkey we have medical insurance (you have to as part of the short term residency) but it’s cheap €150 each per year. When we cross the Atlantic costs will rocket

[@paulkelly7896]

@@svfairisle appreciate the reply, happy new year to you both, enjoy the winter sunshine :-)

[@imkersbud]

25 euro a head in Cartagena????? Crazy.what was is It a 4 or 5 star hotel?

[@judyaslett2]

No just the average restaurant

[@geoffwhitfield9113]

Thanks for this update. Really interesting. One question though. How do you cope with the language barrier? Alan Whicker briefed Michael Palin once by saying you shouldn't attempt to speak the local language. Is that a fair comment or do more people than I think understand English these days?

[@svfairisle]

Well as much as we try to speak local languages we find the locals almost always speak much better English than we can speak their language. Any native English speaker should count themselves fortunate as it’s the default language for a mixed crowd. I remember at Cartagena on the BBQ days there were often tables full of Dutch, Italian, Germans etc ( no English ) but they were still all speaking English. Turkey is the first country we’ve found where sometimes you might be in a place where no one speaks English, but we always get by.

[@geoffwhitfield9113]

@@svfairisle Many thanks. I wish you both fair winds and good weather. I will continue to watch with interest.

[@stephenmahoney9531]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@davidpoole2294]

What do you pay for insurance?

[@svfairisle]

£1280.34 in 2022

[@davidpoole2294]

@@svfairisle may I ask which company you use? This topic seems to be a bit of a nightmare for many

[@svfairisle]

@@davidpoole2294 we use GJW

[@davidpoole2294]

@@svfairisle many thanks! I will ask them for a quote

[@johnhayes3314]

But what about income breakdown?