Boat info.

A few peaple have been asking about the cost of cruising. I will try to give a decent idea of what to expect. Please remember that things can change. First of all, The Bahamas are NOT cheap. Load your boat down with all your favorite foods like peanut butter, paper goods, coffee, chocolate, etc., etc. Most things are available but very expensive. Beer is $5 per can. A case is $5 per can at 24 cans = $120 US. Learn to drink rum which is very cheap and good. Some cruisers bring beer to trade for lobster, fish etc. Understand that this is illegal but alot of people do it.

As you move on to the DR things are more readily available and less expensive. Most prices are the same as the US and many home grown or handmade things are much cheaper.Beer becomes reasonable again, rum (very good rum) is still quite cheap. Eating out is close to or in some places cheaper than buying the produce and cooking it yourself. However, here in the DR you must be willing to learn your money in spanish and bargaining is the name of the game or you will be taken advantage of.
We will be leaving the DR soon and will have been here for close to 5 months. I expect our Immigration, Customs and Harbor control fees will total about $300 US. I'm on a mooring which costs me an addition $60 US per month and I get my bottom and prop and thru-hulls cleaned about once a month for about $20 US each time.

I hope this helped. Carolyn and I try to keep our costs down to $1000 per month and so far we have not had much trouble doing so. We get to do pretty much what ever we want to on this budget.

One of our propane bottles about to be taken into town to be filled. It is about the same here as in the US, but much cheaper here than further down island.

One of the propane bottoms hooked up and ready to go.