Cost to Cruise – July

July comes, July goes;  all of a sudden we are in a place where we can receive TV and what do we see?  Office Depot and Target Back to School ads..   Wow, just one-more-reason to stop watching TV all together.   But August also brings another update to the Cost to Cruise, this time for July.  And with it we complete our 2nd year of tracking (and reporting) costs.

Some highlights:  While still in the USA we took the opportunity to top off the fuel tanks.  Too bad we did not do it in June on the way down as fuel increased about $0.20/gal on us, but it still was less then it is now!  Plus, we have more than enough to get us into the winter, and perhaps even through it.  Carrying 500 gallons gives the option to tank-up when costs are lowest, and ride out the peaks.  (Providing my crystal ball is working).   Under Travel we  show the car rental fees for both my quick trip back to Portland and our planned trip back to Minnesota.  Communication reflects an overlap between TELUS in Canada and us Turing Verizon back on while in the USA.  Other than that, typical month for us.

Viking Star Costs - July 2013

And having said that, over the past two years we HAVE come consistently in at the mid $40K’s, higher then I still am hoping for, but it is what it is.  Kristi and I do not really pace ourselves (Might have to start, given my contracting job is all but finished), and we have seen some expenses that are a bit out of the norm - I would say namely:

• Kristi’s early cataract surgery.
• Hauling Viking Star once a year while I decided how she behaved in saltwater (am moving to a every other year schedule and will reassess at the next haul out)
• BOTH inverters needing replacement last winter, plus adding in the whole solar system.
• Extra travel associated with unexpected family events.

All the above can account for upwards of $15k, maybe $20K ‘extra’ over the two years.  Again, going forward time will tell.

Solar worked well, in fact given 193Ah/day average and well exceeding the projected 157Ah.  ‘Generator’ time reflects us firing up the Watermaker, though to be honest there is also some of the ‘let her run to fully top off the batteries’ in there as well.  We are finding with the anchorages being closer in the Gulf Islands we do not put as much time moving, and hence recharging the batteries from the main motor, as say when we were in the South Sound.

Ok, On to the Dog Days of Summer!