The current issue of Blue Water Sailing (not a magazine I read on a regular basis) has an article on “New Cruising Boats” and it seems that the cheapest boat listed is about $175,000.00 or so. Which, I’ll admit, does seem in the cheap-seats when compared to the boats on the list over a million bucks.
Apparently, blue water cruising is an expensive pastime but still you’d think they’d be able to include a boat or two which someone who actually works for a living might actually be able to afford.
That being the case, for those considering going cruising in a bit more affordable VolksCruiserish boat how does one survive in a pastime that continues to gentrify at such an alarming manner?
Face it, the maritime press is now only interested in running articles that appeal to wealthy readers and high end companies because high end companies have big advertising budgets. Just about all of the marine magazines who were once full of articles about fixing up old boats, DIY projects, and cruising stories by folks on limited budgets are now doing puff pieces on million dollar cats and monohulls.
It’s kinda depressing…
Which has me thinking that I really should do a series of twenty blue water capable production boats that have stood the test of time and can be bought by someone who’s working for $15 bucks an hour.
Ya think?
More soon come…
Re:That book idea. John Vigor wrote, 'Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere' many years ago. We'll be looking forward to your version.
I second that.