When you add it all up, it seems like a lot

This page contains the numbers for the purchase of our boat and initial costs (before leaving Ft. Lauderdale to start cruising). For our monthly costs after that, click here (we stopped publishing costs after 2018 because I think you get the picture...).

We have not run into anyone yet that doesn't love their boat and think it is perfect for them. Of course that makes sense because that's why they bought the boat in the first place. And once you start pouring your money and heart and soul into a boat, you get kind of attached to it. We are no different. So far we don't regret buying an older Privilege. Although I wanted a smaller boat, I am really happy to have our big old boat when we are in big waves and wind.

Below you will find what this whole enterprise is costing us in dollars. Some of the expenditures were expected and other things we didn't find out until after we started. The $20,000 we spent with Just Catamarans was supposed to be a "fixed bid" (for $7000) in the contract for expected work that ended up taking many times longer than estimated. Old boats, man. Also the fiberglass repair, electrical issues and mainsail track issue were things we did not find out about until later. We did not expect to spend so much time in a marina, so those costs are high and that is one area where having a bigger boat cost us more.

Matt also did a lot of the work himself (installing the auto-pilot, various electrical and plumbing tasks, insulating the refrigerator and freezer). If he hadn't, the cost would have been a lot higher. If we hadn't paid someone to do the other work, we would have been in the marina a lot longer. There are definitely trade-offs of time and money.

We don't expect to get back everything we put into the boat but we hope most of the depreciation has already occurred. Besides, if all goes well, selling it should be far in the future.

Below are our initial costs. Click here to see our ongoing costs by month (we stopped updating the spreadsheet after 2018).

	Boat costs (through February 2013)
	Boat purchase	257,244
	Anchor	770
	Battery	180
	Chart Plotter	3,114
	Electronics (auto-pilot, wind instrument, displays, cabling)	8,196
	Engine/generator maintenance	933
	EPIRB, Pump, Bosun's Chair	1,592
	Fiberglass repair around 3 stantions and random touch up painting	1,045
	Fire Extinguisher Maintenance	985
	Hardware/Tools/Supplies (no individual purchase was more than $100, but this catch all includes the roughly 200 trips to the hardware store, cleaning supplies, and all the little things that add up!	7,072
	Grill	392
	Just Catamarans work including 3 electric heads, wiring, propane solenoid install, new stove, ss railing on hardtop, holding tank, alternator, and more.	20,367
	Convert all bulbs to LEDs.  New LED lighting for cockpit.	577
	New mainsail track	5,705
	Backup manual bilge pump	325
	Marina (includes prepaid month at another dock that we thought we could move to)	5669
	Service for Man Overboard Unit (thanks for the MOM, Ken!)	340
	Propane (includes recertifying one tank and having US required overfill valve installed)	150
	Raw Water Pump for generator, Impeller	385
	Refrigeration (New freezer and service for AC unit)	4,553
	Spinnaker sock, anchor chain, running rigging	2,950
	Satellite Phone + Minutes	2,000
	Shark shaft + LED lights for dingy	520
	Fusion Stereo and VesperMarine AIS Unit	1,517
	Storage/bottom painting, small repair while in Freeport	4,102
	Dive Compressor plus frequency drive and spares	4,598
	Items sold	(675)
	Total costs boat	334,606
	Boat purchase expenses
	Haul out and power wash (Bradford's)	484
	Travel/expenses for all boats considered	2,815
	Survey for all boats considered (1,350 for boat purchased, remainder is haul and survey costs for a Rhode Island boat plus sight inspection costs for boat in Grenada)	3,325
	Total boat purchase expenses	6,624
	Other expenses
	Boat registration/Import taxes	8,822
	Boat Insurance	3,895
	Charts	302
	Dive gear	1,028
	Kayak and stand-up paddleboard	610
	Moving	1,653
	Health Insurance	1,335
	Life Insurance	683
	Mattress	217
	Medicine	717
	Total other expenses	19,262
	Provisioning (January/February 2013)
	Provisioning (includes all groceries Jan-Feb)	2,929
	Gas (diesel and dinghy fuel)	308
	Total provisioning	3,237