As a cruising sailor who races occasionally with my local yacht club, I'm often amazed at how much money many racers spend on their boats. And maybe just a bit envious: some of those fast mylar sails probably cost more than my annual college tuition, but, man, are they fast! And all those fancy electronics! I confess, however, I'd rather take a couple extra unpaid weeks off work for cruising than spend that much on things that, frankly, my boat doesn't really need to get me safely from here to there.
So I was somewhat amused to read recently of a new high-tech pulsating laser device that can tell you the speed and direction of the wind up to 1000 meters away from your boat. Next time a club racer is bragging about his or her new equipment, casually mention you're thinking of getting the Racer's Edge Laser Wind Sensor - just like the one BMW Oracle used in the last America's Cup. Someone might actually be impressed. Of course, if they know it costs almost $150,000, they might have some other reaction.
Comments
Having just spent the day at the Sydney Boat Show and looking at all the boats and gear, I hear what you are saying. Some boats, particularly of the powered type without sticks are just ridiculous. Even sailboats are becoming more expensive with ever more expensive electronics on board. One example of gear was a combined wind, water generator. On my yacht when crossing oceans I used a wind generator on deck and a water towed generator off the stern. At 8knots that pumped in 9-10 amps continuously which meant we could run all the boats electrics 24/7 – electronics, fridge, watermaker etc. cost around AUD600. Add on about AUD400 installed for the little Aerogen wind generator I had, the total cost was AUD1000. Eight years on the combined unit on show, whilst admittedly delivering much better at 15 amps at 8 – 9 knots costs a staggering AUD6000 – six times! if you extrapolate that kind of increase across all the equipment you need to purchase to go cruising, you can see how the overall cost is escalating. Sadly, it will eventually put ocean cruising out of the hands of all but the very wealthy – and that should not be!
If you have to ask,then you can’t afford it is the rule in all maritime retailing.
You can buy socks,a shirt,a sneaker and label it yachting and charge at least 100% more than other exact replicas in the landlubber category.
Only airplanes have more expensive parts and additions,and they must be majored every few years which costs a whole lot of money.
The other rule of thumb goes like this:
If it isn’t your money,spare no expense.
Other people’s money–shareholders,tax payers,charitable or national challenges–means you must purchase wind shift meters for you might give up a second.
When you see a four hundred foot yacht you know this person has not and will not pay dividends,for he is plowing his profits back into capital improvements.The Navy is cracking down on cost overruns.Yes, Old Ironsides had parts from each and every colony,as the modern carrier forces do.
Why can’t we have a national or gender or ethnic effort in the yacht realm,we have it in the Olympics?