Question: What is the most important resource in the battle to keep the costs of owning a voyaging boat under control?
Answer: Your time.
Hold that thought for a moment.
Cruiser Fixation
Almost every time we write a post about buying or maintaining gear on voyaging boats, one or more people will comment to point out that there is a cheaper way to do or buy whatever it is we are burbling on about.
And very often they are right and we appreciate it and learn a better way.
The Dark Side
But having said that, there is a dark side to this understandable fixation on saving every dime that many of us cruisers have: Thinking that way can cost you a lot of money.
At this point I’m sure you are thinking “John has dropped the spinnaker pole on his head one too many times”. But hear me out, this tip will save you big money, I promise.
Hi John,
Great list. Our decision list includes one other question. How many of these (fill in the blank) can I break or need reworked, doing the work myself, before it’s cheaper to have a knowledgeable and reputable professional do the job once? Of course that opens the can of worms in regards to “knowledgeable and reputable” professionals.
Hi Clarence,
Yikes, you just wrote the next chapter for me!
When I read your list, my first thought was: This is my list to a tee.
Usually, deciding what I want takes relatively little time (well, I will have researched the matter for a while and make the final decision when funds become available).
I do seem to spend somewhat longer researching the cheapest possible source to buy whatever I have decided upon.
so if alternative ‘a’ meets or exceeds the first two considerations on the list of priorities, but alt ‘b’ wins out with the others, which would you select ? cheers…richard in Tampa bay
Hi Richard,
Hard to say. I guess that’s where judgement comes in. Having said that, in my experience, almost all gear that does well on criteria 1 and 2 also score high on 3 and 4—good design wins out.
On number five, I will happily spend more time on installation to get a solution that scores well on the first 4.
So much depends on your practical skills and knowledge. And the thickness of your wallet.
When building my boat I was able to make all blocks and many deck fittings from what would otherwise have been ‘scrap metal’ and many of these fittings could be welded directly to the deck (eg turning block cheeks, bollards etc). A considerable saving and not one has failed over 30 years.
In contrast some of the purchased blocks (which were supposedly amply dimensioned for the size of boat) simply broke after a few years when subjected to unexpected loads (ie bad gybe).
It really takes very little research time nowadays to find out which plastics are susceptible to which solvents and use the appropriate lubricants. All these products have their relevant details available online and are are often identical in composition to the ripoff prices charged by some manufacturers for their proprietary brands (which may simply be repackaged with a different name).
Many lubricants are universal and can be used throughout the vessel without having to have special lubricants for seacocks, another for sheaves, another for sail tracks, hiking boots etc. Not only far less expensive but far more convenient.
Hi Pat,
I think you hit the nail on the head with your first sentence.
Clearly you have skills with metals (and probably most other things) that I would only dream of. So for you making your own blocks is financially sensible, but for me it would not be—it would take me far too long and I would probably screw it up.
Having said that, I do differ with you on the second sentence:
My thinking is that your first sentence trumps the second. The point being that if a person does not have your skills, how thin or thick their wallet is does not really affect the fundamental idea that I’m expressing in this post.
To me, the person with a very thin wallet that wants to go cruising would be better served by keeping their boat super simple and maybe going with a smaller boat rather than going cheep and or DIY on everything—that is unless they have your skills.
Also, although you had a bad experience with manufactured blocks, that may in fact speak to my point. I have used Harken blocks for some 40 years and never had a failure. There are Harken blocks on “Morgan’s Cloud” that I installed when I bought her 24 years ago that show no signs of failure (main sheet). Surely that’s a pretty good endorsement for buying the best? Nearly a quarter of a century ago I spent probably an hour selecting the right Harken block and less than ten minutes installing it and I have not had to think about it since. Surely that’s the ultimate economy.
Hence to phrase ” penny wise pound foolish”
I have a pretty good grasp on how long thing should last and I’d rather replace something when it’s convenient for me than wait till it breaks and deal with it than.