Frequently Asked Questions -FAQs

Getting on/off Journal Update Notification?
How Do We Get Mail and Pay Bills?
Keeping In Touch--Phone Contact?
Our Favorite Cruising Area?
Cost of Living Aboard and Cruising?
Cruising Speed/Fuel Economy?

Getting on/off Journal Update Notification
We maintain distribution lists and notify people when we update our journal entries. The notification lists are sent as blind cc's to keep e-mail addresses confidential. There are 3 types of notification:

Web site update. A simple notification for people online. Click on the hyperlink to transfer directly to the latest journal entry.  This option gives access to any included pictures or maps.

E-mail text. A plain text copy of the journal entry without attachments is sent to your e-mail address.  Useful for people using a cell phone, or for those who just send and receive e-mail without going onto the Internet. 

Pocketmail. The journal entry is broken down into multiple one-page plain text messages to fit the restrictions of Pocketmail. Each page is sent in sequence.

If interested send us an e-mail indicating which distribution list you would like to be added.  Once a year we send out a notice that we are updating our distribution list. By sending back a yes, or a note indicating you'd like to stay on the list we continue notification for another year.  If we don't receive a reply you are dropped from the notification list.  Sending us an e-mail indicating you'd like to be dropped off the distribution list will get you off at any time.

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Mail Delivery and Bill Payments
We select a marina we'll visit in about 10 days, call and confirm we can have mail delivered. We provide the mailing address to our forwarder who sorts out junk mail and sends the good stuff. Usually the mail is at the marina when we arrive. We only have mail forwarded every three months since personal communications go by e-mail and bills are handled electronically.

Our cell phone and calling card bills are charged automatically against our credit card. Each month our checking account automatically pays the credit card bill. Pension checks are automatically deposited into our checking account. Our boat payment is paid automatically from our checking account. When necessary we can do banking by phone or via the Internet to move money between accounts.  We get cash through ATMs. We track our spending using Microsoft Money so we know where we are regarding income vs. spending.

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Keeping in Touch
Cell phone coverage along the coast has vastly improved since we first started in 1997. We use AT&T and their One Rate program so by watching minutes used we know our charges regardless of where we call. If a month's usage is going to be extremely high or low we can call and change to the most cost effective plan without extra charges.

Most of our e-mail is now done by cell phone. If the signal is strong the connection while slow (11k baud) works well. For updates to our web site we wait until we can find a landline at a marina. Connect speeds are higher (usually around 48k baud) and long sessions are not expensive since local access numbers are usually available.

When we go to the Bahamas we have an international calling card for both voice and e-mail.

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Favorite Cruising Area
Since starting in 1997 Lake Superior is still at the top of our list for favorite cruising area. During the 6 weeks we cruised the lake we encountered only 6 other cruising boats. Most of the time we had beautiful, remote anchorages to ourselves. The area has a raw, pristine, remote feeling we've only seen rare glimpses of since. Start with journal entry 3 and read through entry 6 for a feel of why Lake Superior still remains at the top of the list.

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Cost of living aboard and cruising
Cruising and living aboard cost matches what you can afford or want to spend. Anchoring out or using free docks most of the time can minimize cost. Not eating at restaurants or nursing a beer at happy hour until free munchies are gone saves money.  Fishing is another cost-saver. Traveling slowly saves fuel. Sailing is even more cost effective. However  we motored 95 percent of the time when we had a sailboat as do most other sailboats.  At the opposite extreme there does not seem to be an upper limit.

Marinas charge by boat length. Average daily per foot charges run from $0.50/ft up to $2.50/ft. Along the ICW we typically pay $1.50/ft. Many times electricity is extra at $3-8 per day. Discounts are available for staying a week; 5 days payment for a 7day stay is typical. Monthly fees run anywhere from $5/ft/month up to $40/ft/month. Nice places can be found at $10/ft/month. Electricity runs an additional $50-60/month. Some marinas have an additional live aboard charge running $50 to $150/month additional.

Where moorings are available they run $6 to $30 per day regardless of length. Most moorings are set up for boats 45' or shorter but there are exceptions.

Diesel costs (02/01) are now running $1.50-1.90/gal. Fuel and oil to move the boat costs us roughly $1.00/mile.

Unanticipated first year maintenance/replacement/new equipment costs can be a surprise.  Now we budget $3-6,000/year for unplanned boat expenses.

For those looking for annual numbers, the tight-budget cruisers get by on $20,000/yr or less. Comfortable cruising requires $30-70,000/yr. 

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CRUISING SPEED/FUEL ECONOMY
Simple answer for Odyssey, we run at 3300 rpm giving 14.8 mph and burn 8.0 gph. Table below has data we've accumulated.

Empty performance measurements were made by Endeavour using Flowscan meters for instant readings on hull 5. Endeavour ran with a full fuel tank (300 gal) and an empty  water tank. Both boats have AC and generators installed. Two people were aboard.

We calculate GPH by running for an extended period at about the same speed. A stick calibrated to read gallons is used to measure fuel tank level before and after the run. MPH reading is from our GPS.
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We run loaded with everything the empty boat had, plus a washer/dryer, full tank of water (115 gal), half tank of fuel or better, bikes, spare anchors, additional shelves, small air compressor and all our personal belongings. We are hull 9.

The dramatic jump in speed from 10.8 to 14.8 MPH is the result of the boat coming up on plane.  

Our sailboat Tranquility was easier. We ran at 3000 RPM at about 7.5 MPH and burned about 1 GPH for 7.5 mpg.

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