Hello Everyone, My wife and I are planning a Great Loop trip in 2007. We plan to take a year off from reality and do the complete trip with the usual winter layover in Florida and the Bahamas. We don't want to rush ourselves and plan to spend the entire year on the boat and away from the pressures of daily life ashore. We currently are looking for a suitable trawler, 36-40' single screw, 3-4 gph at cruising speed 7-8 kts. My question is how much money should I budget for this adventure? My initial estimate is 40K for the year. I arrived at this number by assuming $100 per day x 365 = $36,500 plus 3,500 for fuel and minor repairs. We don't want to anchor out every night and skip all the good restaurants, however we don't plan to spend every night in a marina hooked up to electricity and cable TV ether. Both of us like to cook, and plan to do so most of the time. I know there must be some opinions out there. Is my budget frugal or lavish? What have others done?

John Gill replied: Scott, May I suggest that you start by purchasing Skipper Bob's book Cruising Comfortably On A Budget. SKIPPER BOBS GREAT LOOP CRUISING GUIDE BOOKS Author: Bob Reib and FirstMate Elaine Email Address: < SkipperBob@Worldnet.att.net > Website: < www.skipperbob.home.att.net > Mailing Address: Skipper Bob, 802 7th Street Rochester, PA 15074 Skipper Bob has several other books on the America's Great Loop Cruise which you will also be interested in purchasing when you get closer to your trip. John and Judy Gill Two J's V, a 36 ft Carver Mariner AGLC in Progress ___________________________ Scott Coles wrote: > Hello Everyone, > > My wife and I are planning a Great Loop trip in 2007. We plan to take a year > off from reality and do the complete trip with the usual winter layover in > Florida and the Bahamas. We don't want to rush ourselves and plan to spend > the entire year on the boat and away from the pressures of daily life ashore. > > We currently are looking for a suitable trawler, 36-40' single screw, 3-4 gph > at cruising speed 7-8 kts. > > My question is how much money should I budget for this adventure? My initial > estimate is 40K for the year. I arrived at this number by assuming $100 per > day x 365 = $36,500 plus 3,500 for fuel and minor repairs. We don't want to > anchor out every night and skip all the good restaurants, however we don't > plan to spend every night in a marina hooked up to electricity and cable TV > ether. Both of us like to cook, and plan to do so most of the time. > > I know there must be some opinions out there. Is my budget frugal or lavish? > What have others done? > _______________________________________________ > http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawler-world-great-loop