You have probably followed the adventures of Blandine Max thanks to their videos that Bateaux.com has shared with you. This young couple left innocently to cross the Atlantic on a Dufour 4800 dating from 1981 has just changed course.
After a long preparation filled with surprises, a turbulent start to their journey in the Mediterranean, a transatlantic crossing and the discovery of the Atlantic islands, they are now cracking in the West Indies. But from this summer 2017, the trip will take a new turn with the sale of the sailboat and a road trip now land.
After a year at sea, it is an opportunity to take stock of the operation's financial situation. The Bohemian sailboat is sold. Blandine and Max, without restraint, present us the financing of their project.
How is a big sea trip organized?
It's a question we get every day by message! Many people ask us how we managed to set up our trip: process, financing, choice of boat, licence..
After 1 year of travel, we have gathered enough experience to share some of the answers. Trips like ours can be made for all budgets. You can see it with the sailboats you see on the water. We meet all types of boats from the most hi-tech to the most low-tech, of all ages and all sizes.
How did you choose your boat?
It all started when we decided to put money aside (that's what takes the longest...). Then we did a sailing course to validate if we got seasick. Finally, we read a lot of books to define our program. It is the program that defines the specifications to stop on a type of boat.
All that remained was to find our boat that we could buy and that it would be reassuring enough to launch us into the Atlantic.
We decided to leave on a second hand 10 m boat to be refitted in order to equip it to our taste later. The best part about Bohemia, our Dufour 4800, is that it had a berth for a year at the time of purchase, which allowed us to make quite a few outings to familiarize ourselves with the sea and the boat. It is also an opportunity to discover its advantages, but also its weaknesses..
How did you get engaged to buy the boat?
For the financing (the nerve of the war), we simply made a consumer credit of 25 000 € ? over 5 years. It will cost us 2.000? at the end. We refund approximately 480 € each month.
And the rest of your boat preparation budget?
Here is a small table with the main expenses we have made. Of course, we had to make trade-offs that always sought to minimize the budget, but without ever penalizing security.
Boat and crew preparation budget
One week sailing course (price per person) : (x2) 800 €
Offshore permit (price per person) : (x2) 350 €
Radio licence (price per person): 80 ?
Boat budget
Purchase of the boat: 20 000 €
Purchasing expertise: 1 000 €
Boat equipment and preparation
Garmin navigation electronics (GPS, VHF, Anemometer, Radar, Probe) : 6 000 €
Revision of the sails (in average condition we therefore decided to have them revised and retouched): 400 €
Replacement of standing rigging: 3 000 €
Replacement of the running rigging: 500 €
Cruise control - Cape Horn Varuna (used purchase) : 1 700 €
Parts for Volvo Engine - 1981 MD11 2 cylinders 27hp : 600 €
Given the year and the number of engine hours, we decided to buy the same used engine to have spare parts (starter, inverter, diesel pump/filter, injector...)
Total energy : 2 100 €
- Solar panels - 2 x 120 Watts Back contact
- Charge regulator - Power Sterling 12 V 80-130 A
- Battery servitude - 2 x 120 A gel
- Engine battery - 2 x 80 A lead
- Battery monitor - Victron energy BMV 700
- Converter - 12v/200v 300 watts
Security
Wide roof canopy with 2 hoops NV Equipment : 2 500 €
(yes, I know it's expensive ! but it changes life !!!)
Total: 39 200 € Soit 40 000 € ? with the beside.
So much for the boat budget, but for everyday life?
Besides these material expenses, living on board cost us about 1000 €/month for two people. This includes food, tourist activities (taxis, and others), boat do-it-yourself fees, fuel, customs and entry fees to the territories and the few nights in marinas that we have made since the beginning (we must count them on the fingers of our hands...).
That's an average. Obviously in some countries everyday life is not really expensive like Cape Verde where we spent in all and for all 15 €/day for two (or 450 €/month). And without depriving yourself!
In the Caribbean when you have friends on board, the week is around 600 € for 4 people (1200 €/month). That includes more restaurants and lemons for ti-punch!
PS/ After reading this budget, we recommend you (re)view the first video of Blandine and Max below in which they present their project.
