What does it really cost to run a boat? Six owners reveal their boating budgets

Counting the Cost

W

e’ve all heard the jokes about

boating being a good way to

make a small fortune – out of

a bigger one – but is the truth

really as bad as some people

like to make out? We spoke

to six owners who run a wide

variety of craft on relatively

tight budgets. Wherever possible, we’ve kept the costs as accurate

and comparable as possible by converting overseas currencies

to sterling. We’ve even tried to account for annual depreciation

by averaging out any likely reduction in value over the length of

ownership, although a number of owners have managed to avoid

this altogether by buying secondhand boats at keen prices in the

hopes of retaining their value. The results may surprise you. While

we would never claim boating to be a cheap hobby, with a bit of

smart thinking and a willingness to get stuck in on the DIY front,

it needn’t be an expensive one, especially when compared with

the cost of a long-haul holiday, a second home or the plummeting

depreciation of a luxury car.

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real life