Powerboat vs Sailboat cost of ownership ...

I never took the step to owning a boat, only renting. However, most cabin sailboats also have a small motor for maneuvering. So you have all the maintenance items you mentioned for a sailboat and you still have motor/propeller, fuel tank, etc maintenance too. If it just came down to difference in fuel consumption versus maintenance, I'd say a sailboat is more expensive.

 

If your talking powerboat as in a cruiser or express cruiser sort, they will be FAR more expensive than a sailboat. Fuel costs are HUGE. I have a 34' SeaRay Sundancer with twin 6.3L MPI's that put out 320hp each and if you cruise around all day you can burn $300 in gas very easily. The larger the boat the worse this gets.... but I have gas engines and diesel are much more efficient. Still, any such powerboat will cost many times more to run and maintain than a similar sized sailboat, even given the sailboat will have an engine and generator.

But.... that does not mean you cannot go the powered route. Think Trawler. Lots of people choose a trawler over a sailboat because the costs end up being very similar over time. A trawler will usually have one larger very slow running diesel engine that is extremely low stressed. They often run for 50K hours between rebuilds. Trawlers are slow, you will probably cruise at 6-8 knots or so. The trawler will have more interior room due to the hull shape than a sailboat for a similar size boat.

What will you use the boat for? THAT is the key question. Where, when, how often and how many people? What is your budget?

We have a powerboat because its kept on a large lake 10 minutes from our home. We use it a great deal. On the lake, a sailboat doesnt make so much sense as it cannot get under the bridges and the wind is very fickle here.

But, my wife and I plan to retire aboard and spend as many years as we wish circumnavigating. We will definitely go sailboat, we are getting bareboat charter certified and will be renting boats for vacation several time a year. On the ocean if your going to live aboard and cruise, sailboat is the only way to go. It will not only be far cheaper to run and maintain but your not range restricted. Then there is the SAILING. Sailing is FUN. On something like a trawler the costs may be the same but if your cruising to a destination 500 miles away it will be one hell of a boring trip! Sailing on the other hand demands your attention and is quite satisfying.

If you want to learn about trawlers.... google search Grand Banks.



Terry

 

Ah on the nautical side...

up keep is big on both


Sail is my preferance actually the last 26footer i had didn't even have a motor... personal point of honor to be able to dock it and set out without aid of engine.... did have an aux outboard that would basically get it out of its own way if needed....

Sail expenses asside from hull maintance also include rigging and sail upkeep, the newer sails (especially the really high end stuff) actually deterioiates in sunlight so you see the problem... the wind is free but the sails sure ain't

The way i have always looked at it is "Any Idiot can turn a key and start a powerboat but sailing takes skill"

 

I'd rather take a ass whipping than skipper a sail boat. It's power for me all the way. Yes the fuel is a big cost but you get to your destination in 1/5 the time at reasonable speeds. Love the interior room of a sailboat but hate the going up and down the stairs. Power is easier to dock too.

 

Yes, but keep in mind there are sails and then there are SAILS. You can buy very durable and long lasting sails and have them treated with Sailkote dry lubricant when new and each year and they will last a VERY long time. But they will not be super-hot composite materials racing sails. If you want the absolute fastest and highest performance sails they will not last anywhere near as long.

What are you planning on using the boat for and whats your budget?



Terry

 

One item that comes into play would be storage. If both were in the water at a marina, costs would be about the same. For example, I had a 30' (10'wide) offshore cat, but, I could trailer it and get fuel at any gas station. (1-2mpg lets say with 2x450hp engines).........Storage was only $70/mth for a 12'x42' covered area.

That same size boat would cost about $350/mth in a marina, not to mention the upkeep of the bottom because it would sit in the water.........PLUS...the outrageous fuel cost at a marina.

Do you have an idea of what size boat you'd be looking at? (dont forget sail rigs also have small diesel engines and/or a generator........thats maint cost also).

One final word.........If you went non-performance and with what Tspringer had (lets say)........ diesel power would be great on fuel economy and an option, but, the upgrade cost is QUITE high (and again, maint is much higher on a diesel)

Guess what Im getting to is they are two different animals all-together, plus your usage plays a big part. (do you wanna spend all day getting somewhere, does water depth play a part)

 

That's what I was thinking of when it seemed sail might be more expensive. I've heard $5K to replace mainsail and jib for a smaller cabin sailboat. This supposedly lasts 3 years if used regularly, up to 7 years if lightly used. If you go exotic, then costs go up with the materials, size of sail, number of sails; also sail life decreases.

 

In the end, sail r power can both make owning a Ferrari seem cheap!!

 

The GOAL for me is to have the largest sailing catamaran that can be single handed, when I retire. Cats are twice as fast as monohulls, can sail up wind better, and you dont have to live your life at a 30 degree angle.
I did have the power boat itch for a while, Fountain, Cigarette ETC, but in the end it boils down to " My dicks bigger than yours".
Sailing is wonderful in that you have a direct hand in your performance vs your wallet and engine builder.
Maintenance-wise it depends on how long/far you plan to use it. Live on board and circumnavigate, or putz about once a month.

 

I dont know much about blow boating, but I know plenty about powerboats. Since you are on a Ferrari board, I would imagine you could get pretty caught up in 'footitis' and motor upgrades. I have a business associate that got into poker runs and has dropped well over a mil in the last 5 years. The nearest lake to him is 200 miles away. If you plan on using the boat in the ocean, your upkeep will be very expensive. I made the mistake of buying a boat from Fla. and after new outdrives, engines, and wiring I still have issues.
I cant imagine a canvas sail and some stainless cleats can approach the cost of a marine engine.
I also wouldnt plan on relaxing on your boat. All of your friends will gladly come along and drink your beer, and at the end of the weekend toss you a $20 for gas. I have a 150 gallon tank, it costs me $20 to idle out of the marina. Then I get to clean the boat and wax it so my buddies can have a good time again after I finally fix whatever broke on the last trip. For some reason I cant bring myself to sell the son of a b/tch.

 

3 years for a good mainsail, genoa or jib? Only if you abuse the heck out of them. A good set of durable sails should last 10+ years if you take care of them. I know guys with 15 year old sails that are still fine.

With sails, its not just replace however. They do need frequent fixing and cleaning and treating. So, you will drop some coin from time to time on sail maintenance. Same with rigging and electrical stuff and such.

I would base this choice more on how you plan to use the boat and what you want to do than purely on the financials. They are both BOATs. BOAT= Break Out Another Thousand.



Terry

 

Boats are great, however sail or power they make Ferrari's look cheap.

 

Is there a forum; or site; to learn about sailbloats? I know power boats very well, but would like to buy my wife a sailboat in the next couple of years. I don't know the names etc, and would like to learn more...........
Thanks in advance.

 

Hydraulics for the sails? What kind of boat are you on? I would think a sailboat would be less costly. Sure, the sails are expensive to replace or repair, but if you know what you're doing, they won't start flapping in the wind and rip. Ropes are expensive, but last a long time if you take care of them. It is sure a hell of a lot cheaper to go out for the weekend on one than a powerboat, and is more comfortable IMO. I grew up on them, so I'm a bit biased. Give me a nice Island Packet or Hans Christian, some Buffett, and a margarita, and I'll be good to go.

 

Subscribe to Sail magazine. Go to boat shows. Read books.
Join a sailing club, learn to sail, rent different boats to experiment.
Hang out on the docks on the weekend; you'll usually find someone who needs a warm body to help sail the boat.
Charter the boats that interest you (anywhere in the world!).
Buy the one that gives you the most enjoyment.
Yes it will cost money; so do most fun things (Ferrari's).
Worked for me.

James

 

The definition of a "boat":

"A hole in the water into which one pours money"

 

BRING OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND = BOAT

 

Impossible question to answer.

That being said,

A 20' Bayliner vs. a 20' Catalina. The Catalina would be more expensive due to maintenance.

A 50' Wellcraft vs. a 50' Hunter. The Wellcraft drinks so much gas, but the Hunter has so much maintenance cost. I guess it could be a tie. But the Wellcraft would have a lot of maintenance also even though it’s not a sailboat. And I’ve had to motor for hours in a sailboat when there was no wind but I had to get home, so sometimes gas in a sailboat is expensive.

My conclusion: Impossible to answer. They are both holes you pour money into. Kinda like some Italian cars I know.

 

Anyone can turn a key and steer.

It takes a real person of the sea to know how to manuver a sail boat. When to tack, jibe, sheet in/out, etc.

Wind > Power

 

My freshman year in HS, my dad's best friend bought a '46 Morgan and needed an experienced crew to help him bring it back. Since my dad had taken a 65' Hatteras and a 44' Defever (sp?) from Kemah to Key West, he was invited. I got to go (grew up around boats) and the 5 of us were offshore for about 5 days. One of the best experiences of my life. It was the 3rd sailboat he has owned, and his "dingy" is a 24' Bayliner.

 

There is another saying, "the happiest day of a boat owners' life is the day he buys....and the day he sells."

Here is your answer.

A power boat is going to cost MUCH more that a sailboat.

The only boat I have ever owned is a Sabot, which is a small pram. I blow my money on Ferrari maintenance. I have enjoyed many boats owned by others, however. My father has owned two boats, a 35 foot sailboat and a 22 foot bowrider. Discounting dock fees, which are constant, he has spent WAY more on the power boat. Gas is REALLY expensive. Sailboats use very little fuel. The engine blew on the ski boat. That was expensive to fix. The sailboat had to be varnished four times a year, so I guess it depends on who was doing the varnishing. The sailboat had a small diesel engine. We filled the tank once a year. The ski boat has a 100 gallon tank that we fill almost every weekend. You do the math.

 

When I lived in Atlantic City, I looked into a CSY44 to live on. (But I couldn't figure out where to put the garage. )

Docking with sail is showing off or a small daysailer. The larger units use power for docking. I've seen a hydroturbine rig that would let you maneuver arbitrarily in two dimensions (sort of like Harrier thrust nozzles for boats).

But one thing you'll notice if you visit marinas in both the Northeast and California: On the east coast, they teach you to wrap your sheets around the mast so they don't blow in the wind and slap against the aluminum mast (klank klank klank) all night!

Oh, and this was decades ago, but a new CSY44 back then cost more than a house on the 14th fairway.

And by the time you could sail anywhere, your vacation would be over. (Fly to the carrib and charter when you get there.)

 

A ferrari is much cheaper to run than a power boat in the uk as our petrol is 3 to 4 times more expensive here in the ok and mooring a boat over here is 3 to 4 times more expensive as we dont have as much water and moorings over here in the uk
I sold my 27ft formula 5 years ago and to park it in lake windermere on a jetty it cost me £300 $450 a month and the lake is only 14 miles long with speed limits everywhere and petrol was £4.00 a gallon on the lake 5 years ago