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Solar power desalinator:

 

http://www.bluspr.com/solar_desalinators.html

BLUE SPRING solar powered desalinators are extremely compact in size and they boast a giant output of 300 - 6,800 Liters/day (80-1,800 gallons per day), depending on the model chosen.

 

http://www.seapanel.com/p_prod_RDM.html

 

hand operated - low capacity

 

http://www.seakayak.ws/kayak/kayak.nsf/ ... 0A005DF933

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I am hoping to sort out wind generation soon. Then larger Solar panels. Genset would then be more back up for cloudy windless days. it's noisy running the genset and they are expensive fuel wise when on the tight budget we are all talking and plus they have a limitied life with a big replacement cost at the end.

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Of course - if we accept this figure????? the next question is how to produce an income of $2,500 per month($30k pa) without having to work.

 

 

Sign up as a full time extramural student with Massey University and become a floating 'student'. I think a student allowance is about $250 a week - assuming that youre over 25 and living away from home :wink:

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I am hoping to sort out wind generation soon. Then larger Solar panels. Genset would then be more back up for cloudy windless days. it's noisy running the genset and they are expensive fuel wise when on the tight budget we are all talking and plus they have a limitied life with a big replacement cost at the end.

A cheap option for quick power is the $200-$250 2 stroke generators. At 2hp the use less than a liter an hour so at $2/hr it is quite cheap. I am on my 2nd one the first one lasted 5 years and cost $450. When the exhaust rusted I priced a replacement and it was cheaper to buy a whole new gen set at $189 off trade me.

My other thought was to rewind one as a 12V DC Gen set for even quicker bulk charging.

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Has anyone tried to put a wet exhaust on a 2 stroke generator?

Fishtank pump for the saltwater cooling maybe?

It would get rid of the noise and most of the smell surely.

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yep. I got one of those Chinese Diesel Gensets that are in the big solid steel totaly enclosed cases. Too big and heavy, so I stripped the case away. The exhaust went all over the place to quieten it down. that all went also. But then the thing was noisy. I tried all sorts of mufflers, but I always had problems especially with the Exhaust cracking all the time. So I then made a Goosneck and fitted exhaust hosing to the trhough Hull. Connected a Rule in line Galley pump to the downside of the goosneck. Stated it up and it barked like a machine gun. So I then made a water liftbox come silencer and bingo, bobs my mothers brother. Works a treat.

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We plan to rent out our house and live off the rental income. Hopefully should earn enough from the house and I figure that should be sufficient for long term crusing.

 

Food $800

Maintenance (short and long term issues) $1000

Treats (dinners / booze) $500

Insurance $100

Fuel $100

Emergency fund $500

 

I reckon you need $3000 per month to cruise 'comfortably'. Yep could be done cheaper but I want the right balance - and that probably isn't 'right back to basics' camping 365 days a year

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Nothing for marinas, I found we had to pay for a marina maybe 4 days/year. These are getting way more expensive and I worry that there are places (the Med) where it is difficult to find alternatives

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Depends where you're planning on cruising. For us the focus will the the Pacific, NZ, Australia. Cruising in the med does require spending time in marinas, as does spending time in the Caribbean involves picking up mooring bouys. Not always but often. Possibly need to add another $150 - $200 month if you want to spend 5-7 nights a month in a marina - which may be quite likely cruising the Australian coast.

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Nothing for marinas, I found we had to pay for a marina maybe 4 days/year. These are getting way more expensive and I worry that there are places (the Med) where it is difficult to find alternatives

Plenty of alternatives in the Med Squid. Much may have changed since I was there, but good anchoring spots in bays, I'm sure are still there. Just go into marinas to pick up water, or even better, eat at a Taverna for a few nights and he will give you water for free..

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Good to hear. One problem with relying on the internet for such information, most of that info comes from the type of cruiser that wont leave unless they have a booking at the next marina. The others are anchored somewhere and haven't checked their email for 2 months.

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You've got it! While, from what I've read, there has been a proliferation of Marinas in Greece and Turkey, there are still so many anchorages it's not funny. Also many of the tavernas in these isolated bays depend on yachts for business so are generalluy happy to provide water and showers, as long as you eat/drink there. Used to be cheap, but not sure now. I'd love to do a charter in the Ionion and see how much it has changed. (Or maybe knot :( :( )

When we were there, there were the marina dwellers (us) and the skinflints who would winter in a bay next to the marina and only come over for maintenance/water/shopping. They did it well, and on a lot less than us!!

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We are presently in Egypt, nearly finished the Red Sea. We have been left NZ exactly a year, this time. Cruising costs are variable , we have found that if you are a big spender when land based you are a big spender while cruising and vice versa if you watch your cents on land and live to a budget same thing will happen when cruising. We spent about $NZ35000 for a year NZ to Thailand in 07/08 that included lots of land travel throughout the area, boat expenses, haulout etc and marina berth in Langkawi. This time through the Red Sea has been quite economical not many places to spend money and we hadnt stayed in a marina for 6months before we got to Port Ghalib in Egypt. Biggest costs have been Port fees, visas, agents fees and customs charges when entering countries. Suez canal has cost $US400. Those things you cant escape, but if you stock up well in the cheap places, food and fuel that helps the budget. Officially here diesel is 90US cents a litre but we are managing to Jerry jug it in through the marina gate for 48NZ cents a litre that includes taxi fares to the service station and baksheesh money to guards on the gate. A bit of a hassle when we want 600 litres its worth it considering the prices in Turkey and EU countries where we are headed next.

We have booked into a marina in Turkey for one year for about half what it would cost for us in Westhaven. It was cheaper to book for one year than two seperate periods 6 weeks in July/ Aug (sons wedding in NZ) and 6 months during the northern winter.

Some cruisers complain about the costs of setting up an HF radio but it probably saves us alot of money as we listen to and are part of a daily net that has been going since we left Phuket. Information about anchorages,weather forecasts, costs, things and people to be wary of and good deals are all willingly shared. Just the information about how to get fuel into Ismailia marina by the time we have finished will have saved us about $NZ630 over 500 litres. Going into the Med we will need all the money we can get!!

The big plus for having an HF radio is Sailmail well worth the costs when sailing in isolated areas with no internet, also good for downloading weather info. The best example I have is getting an email from daughter travelling in Russia while we were sailing in the middle of the Java sea. Keeps mums especially happy. :thumbup:

 

For anyone considering the Red Sea , we recommend taking your time,spend the time in Eritrea and Sudan, both great with excellent snorkeling and diving, nice people. Egypt you cant avoid but dont spend alot of time here!!

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Great Post Jean. Thanks a lot.

I will be very interested to hear what you think of Turkey now as it's nearly 20 years since I cruised there. Also the real situation in Turkey regarding the grey water and pumpout plan they are implimenting. A report from someone doing it is always better than old news from us who did it years ago. Thanks again.

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Sorry having trouble putting a photo on here, not sure what I am doing wrong but if you look at my blog at www.sailblogs.com/member/tuatara you will find photos on the gallery.

 

I also left out Yemen as a good place to spend time, once again far nicer people we found, than most Egyptian men. I say men because thats who we deal with mainly here! 8 out of 12 countries in the last year have been muslim and as a woman I am especially looking forward to a change.

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Nice Blog Jean. Great stories and photos. Well done! I am over in the gulf off Saudi near the Iranian border and quite cloes to Kuwait on a commercial diving boat. I think we got the same sandstorm you did. It was around the same time anyway. Damn stuff is so fine, it gets everywhere. Add water and you have instant mud!! The compressors and air pumps hate it, as do airconditioning condensers!! I hope you will post some more when you get into the med..

I hear what uyou say about Egyptians. All our deck crew are Egyptian and some leave a lot to be desired! Good luck with the cruise to Turkey!!

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Great stuff Jean - thanks heaps for sharing! Youre now on my favorites list.

 

Id love to know a bit more about your boat, what gear you've taken, whats been usefull, whats been a pain in the %$^& etc etc

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Id love to know a bit more about your boat, what gear you've taken, whats been usefull, whats been a pain in the %$^& etc etc

 

That could be very good info .... very helpful for those of us with aspirations for international cruising.

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Id love to know a bit more about your boat, what gear you've taken, whats been usefull, whats been a pain in the %$^& etc etc

 

That could be very good info .... very helpful for those of us with aspirations for international cruising.

 

Grinna, if you’re interested in this kind of stuff, I found a book by Hal Roth (can’t remember the name) in which he divulges everything hes learnt for 50 odd years of cruising the world, including on BOC round the world race. He cruises on a very tight budget, and goes into a great deal of detail. It’s a great matter-of-fact, down to earth read based on solid experience. It opened my eyes a lot to what ISNT needed as much as what is.

 

There ya go Squiddy – 100!

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