This got me to thinking.....Generally, on average: FUEL Loopers consider it to be about 6000+ miles and do it in 10 months, that's 20 miles per day. ( a long day is about 100+ miles, done that a few times, a short day is 5 miles or less, done that a few times more) Mileage varies by boat and how it's used. Larger trawlers maybe two miles per gallon? So that's 3000 gallons or $12000 using $4 diesel. Adjust up or down based on your actual mileage experience or expectation. If I go fast, it's four or five times more costly to double my speed! So, I don't do that often. FOOD Somewhat personal and variable. What is your average cost for a restaurant and how often do you go? $50? With tip? Daily for 300 days could be $15000? Am I high or low here? Should we add some drinks and bump it up? We rarely go to restaurants because we like to cook and due to the risk of food allergy issues for the admiral in restaurants. We eat well cooking on our own and do cook with wine....but still likely less than $50. DOCKAGE This again is personal choices. Low cost is 50 to 75 cents a foot. Moderate is a buck to buck fifty. High is two to three bucks? Often you have no choice but to use the closest dock. But certainly marina costs vary based on amenities and what region you're in. So what's the average cost if you stay at marinas a lot? $15000? Including power, water and pump outs? We try to anchor out a lot. It's cheap and wonderful out there. Downside is less interaction with other boaters. We love the free docks and walls found along the way. And beaching a trawler on that sandbar by the waterfall is most memorable! MAINTENANCE Regular and unexpected? Oil changes to dinged props.....somewhat boat specific. Are you doing it yourself or paying professionals? Large variations in budgets can be found there. ENTERTAINMENT It costs to see stuff along the way and thats part of the experience. Museums, aquariums, military parks, forts, space shuttles, etc. Rental cars? CONTINGENCIES and incidentals Budget some for the known unknowns and also the unknown unknowns, good and bad. STORAGE AND TRAVEL You may periodically take a break. Wet or dry storage? Weeks or months? Transportation? Lots of loopers report Travel breaks......illness, weddings, funerals, family, fun stuff too! There are lots of side trips possible too....TN river & tributaries, Keys, Bahamas, etc. In the end, I think the two biggest costs for powerboats doing the loop are dockage and fuel. You have to eat anyway and many loopers are tippers. As one looper said upon completing their loop " they were off to join weight watchers and AA ". Know of any loopers who wish they hadn't done it? Know any who went too slow or took too long? Not so far. But I do think there can be "looper fatigue" at the end when you do it all at once and you're looking for your wake. Enjoy Every Sandwich ! TWINS

With fuel running about $4.00 per gallon, with our single FL 135 burning about 1.75 gallons per hour cruising at 6.5 knots/7.3MPH, I figure our fuel cost is about $1.00 per mile. <><><><><><><><><><><><>Mozilla Thunderbird<><><><><><><><><><> Bob McLeran and Judy Young Manatee Cove Marina MV Sanderling Patrick Air Force Base DeFever 41 Trawler Melbourne, Florida Blog: http://mvsanderling.net/Blog Web: http://cruising.mvsanderling.net/ On 5/4/2012 2:23 AM, Jim Quince wrote: > This got me to thinking.....Generally, on average: > > FUEL > Loopers consider it to be about 6000+ miles and do it in 10 months, that's 20 miles per day. ( a long day is about 100+ miles, done that a few times, a short day is 5 miles or less, done that a few times more) > > Mileage varies by boat and how it's used. Larger trawlers maybe two miles per gallon? So that's 3000 gallons or $12000 using $4 diesel. Adjust up or down based on your actual mileage experience or expectation. If I go fast, it's four or five times more costly to double my speed! > So, I don't do that often. >