Boating is an expensive activity. Today, with various geopolitical crises and inflation, the maintenance costs of our boats are clearly going to increase even more. Indeed, most of the equipment on our sailboats is metallic, and metals have become very expensive. At the same time, the hulls, decks of our boats, and our maintenance products are made from chemical products derived from the petroleum industry, such as polyester. Finally, as inflation impacts wages, all services requiring a lot of labor will be affected by this cost increase. So, if we want to continue sailing on a small budget, we will need to watch our spending and save on the maintenance costs of our sailboats. But how can we reduce our boat budget?
4 Golden Rules for Boat Maintenance
Before diving into the subject, I wanted to remind you of what I consider to be an imperative: Respect the 4 golden rules of boat maintenance. These are my rules. Do I always follow them? … I should!
- When in doubt, there is no doubt: Whether when buying a boat, or even more so during your seasonal boat inspections, you must take the time to thoroughly examine it. If something seems strange to you, if you have any questions, you are right to be cautious. Analyze the situation well and don’t wait for surprises that will cost you much more, quickly.
- Work does not add value to a boat: Before committing to any work, other than repairs, remember that this work is maintenance and renovation. You will never be able to sell it for more when you sell the boat. You will therefore not be able to overestimate the price of your boat.
- Estimate your monthly spending capacity before looking at the price of the boat: Sometimes, when searching for a boat, we might fall in love with a really cheap, larger, or older unit than what we were looking for. This is a bad calculation. You must first think about your annual or monthly spending capacity. It is this available annual budget that will determine your choice of boat. If your budget allows you to maintain an 8-meter sailboat without major work, do not buy a 10-meter sailboat, even if it is cheaper. You will not be able to maintain it properly.
- Mutual aid among boaters: Finally, we often forget, and I admit I am the first to do so, that sailors are a community, and we should exchange ideas with each other. I know that forums and social networks are often a war of egos and mockery. But talk to your neighbors on the docks and in the boatyards. We have a lot to learn from each other’s experiences.
Now that this is said, let’s see what we can do to reduce our boat budget for the year.
Save on Marina Fees
Here we have one of the biggest expenses, and undoubtedly the most discussed topic among boaters regarding available marina spaces in France. It is surprising that we complain about the lack of spaces when we see the annual rates offered along the coast. However, there are alternatives. Indeed, why pay for a marina space all year if we only sail for 4 months? So, to reduce the marina budget, there are several solutions:
- Opt for a mix of dry storage and mooring
- Choose to sail with a transportable sailboat
- Look for a spot in a mooring area, in a small port, at the end of estuaries, or in tidal zones.
- Rent a marina space only for the high season, if possible
Winterizing the Boat
Winterizing the boat also has a cost that should not be underestimated. Indeed, many of us take our boat out every winter to store it on land, in a boatyard or a dry dock. At the same time, others will leave their boat in the water and take it out for a few weeks for maintenance. These operations are expensive:
- Hauling out and launching the boat
- Renting the dry dock
- Renting the cradles
And during this time, we generally continue to pay for our berth or mooring. It’s quite sad.
The best solution is still to have a dinghy on a buoy, which is dry at each low tide, at the end of a cove or sheltered in a small port. Your boat spends half the time in the water, and you can leave it afloat all year. Before the sailing season, you can bring your boat alongside a dock to clean it (while respecting the environment).
I know that some marinas offer packages that include a few boat haul-outs. Check with your harbor master’s office. So, it’s up to you to choose between winterizing afloat or on land.
Boat Maintenance Costs
Here is an expense that hurts the budget. It is also often a subject of discussion within couples. Is it just at my place? If a new boat slightly reduces maintenance costs, time will take its toll.
To save on boat maintenance, I only know one solution: Take an interest in your boat to get to know it better and maintain it yourself.
It’s work, time, and stress at first… even later. And yet, even if you are not a handyman (which is my case), some maintenance tasks are doable by exchanging tips with your dock neighbors:
- Basic engine maintenance (oil change, belts, etc.)
- Bottom painting
- Cleaning the sails
- Lubricating the rigging and maintaining the winches
- Changing valves
- Changing halyards or sheets
All these tasks are mostly labor, which means man-hours. If you do it yourself, you will save hundreds of euros. Obviously, this DIY stops at what becomes technical. I would never, for example, touch anything structural on a boat. In short, remember that the more you take care of your boat regularly, the fewer expenses you will have on it.
The Cost of Boat Equipment
Let’s admit it, many of us enjoy browsing through the catalogs of chandleries or the e-commerce sites of nautical equipment specialists. But let’s not succumb to good deals if we don’t need them. If the safety of the boat and crew is not at stake, wait a year before changing your sheets. A good wash in the washing machine, and your running rigging will be as good as new.
If you absolutely must change your equipment, check out general merchant sites and DIY stores. You can find very good equipment at lower prices.
Comfort and Fittings
Finally, there is our comfort equipment for fitting out our boat. Again, there are solutions to reduce our boat budget. There is, for example, not much difference between camping equipment and the same equipment for a boat. So, look into that. And you can also use this equipment in winter if you go hiking.
These alternatives are possible for:
- Solar panels
- Small electronics
- Kitchen equipment
- Personal effects
- Interior fittings
To organize your cockpit, handlebar bags can easily replace a bow bag. And to optimize the interior space, Swedish furniture stores already have considerable experience in this area.
So, to conclude, I was saying that exchanging ideas among ourselves is important. So don’t hesitate to leave a comment to share your best practices.