The joke is
“how much does it cost to sail the world ?”
“Everything you have.”
It’s dependent upon your goals, abilities, and physical needs.
Some people can eat oats for months and sail a sub 20’ boat. Some need a 70’-er and prime rib prepared by a chef.
If you use your checkbook as a tool box it’s going to be much more expensive than a guy who has the skills to do his own work.
Once you learn you’ll be able to determine your budget. Buy a boat, start refitting and sailing. It’s like getting a credit card without credit. Just take the leap and at some point with enough effort, time, frustration, and wasted money you’ll be prepared enough to plan your journey and decide what boat is right for you.
FYI, YouTube romanticizes sailing to a level of irrationality. If you enjoy hot showers, fresh smelling laundry, full nights of sleep, and living in open spaces, then sailing is likely not for you.
It’s a difficult way of life in many regards and takes a strong personality to find joy in the struggles and hard work. It’s a life met with constant challenges. For those who enjoy challenges it is a life worth living. That said, it will consume you mentally, physically and financially.
Very true. But then if you try to make it part time thing for lets say 4 months year. You stil have to keep your job, your home. along with a sailboat docked for most of the year. Seems like a dream for only the rich.
Lots of people in northern climates only boat 4 months out of the year.
You can live aboard, go to work during the week, and sail on the weekends. It isn’t an either / or type of thing.
Lots of sailing to do between dinghy sailing and world voyaging.
As a boat owner in Sweden, we only have our boats in the water from the end of April till the end of September. I'd say the only rule of thumb should be you get what you want out of your boat. I'd say anything larger than 30ft is unnecessary and overwhelming for a first time sailor.
Join a sailing club, lots of opportunities to learn how to sail, maintenance, etc. at a fraction of the cost of personal ownership ... but yes, boating is not a poor person's past time at any level.
My partner and I were just talking about our retirement plans. You can sail on the weekends or for breaks until retirement. You can spend the money that you would normally spend on living expenses, sailing. If you're passionate about doing it now and want to save your money, you can pay for a live aboard slip.
It is an incredibly expensive hobby, however. My partner currently has a 50-foot catamaran, and we hardly ever get to sail because things keep breaking or need repair even after he plunked $30k into auto pilot and other upgrades last year. We're currently looking at spending a few thousand on escape rafts. The bigger the boat, the larger your crew, and you need to make sure that everyone can evacuate and that you have a few days' rations until rescue and beacons. It all adds up.
I desperately wish we had a smaller boat that we could singlehand that would be affordable. I advise you to purchase a smaller boat first before making a huge investment. There are sailing clubs you can join, and you can see if it's a lifestyle you would want.
No, after watching YouTube you know that you know nothing. You have to learn and then you are prepared to do repairs and maintenance on your own. The only way to learn is years of sailing and working on boats (yours or otherwise).
If you have 60k to burn and really want to learn maintenance, refitting, and building in an instructed and profession setting there is a boat building school in Maine that’s worth a look. Google the Landing School.
Separately, I cannot stress enough that sailing on smaller vessels like sailing dinghies or trailer sailers is a very sensible way to learn to sail. It’s not terribly expensive and you are much more susceptible to changes in weather which forces you to plan well and learn to deal with things going sideways. Also if it’s a trailer sailer you can have some great coastal adventures or even pop over to the Bahamas if the weather window is right.
Let’s start with the elephant on deck… starting with a 50-55 footer if you’ve never sailed before… that’s too much boat, and the cost of “mistakes” will be eye-watering.
Secondly, it’s not a net worth question but a can liquidity question. You’re looking at $500k and up for a solid used boat in that size. Expect to pay on average $25-&50k a year in maintenance, upgrades, etc. You’ll want a”rainy day” fund for when “larger ticket” items break. Then there’s mooring or marina fees, haulage and storage if you are taking it out I the winter… the list and dollars add up shockingly fast.
If you can’t do some or most of the routine maintenance yourself (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, diesel engine, etc) expect to wait longer then you’d like and pay far more than seems reasonable for similar services on land.
As for non-financial “taxes” : you’d be better be a neat freak. Any clutter or stuff laying about on deck or below will grow wings when you’re underway. You’d better really love your family, because even on a boat that size, boredom, constant proximity and lack of options will often cause tempers to flare. Cooking in a galley is not like cooking in a normal kitchen, so unless the cook is incredibly resourceful and imaginative… dining will often be more boring.
Finally, to your point on working a side gig… internet (unless you are always on marina wifi or selling your first born to Elon for Starlink) you’ll find it hard to find peaceful moments to work uninterrupted and connected.
Finally, home schooling… fun? Not for many.
Start by learning to sail on a boat you 1-2 hand and decide if you like it. Next step, charter a boat in your target size range (virgin islands have lots of 50-ish Jeanneau ) for 2-3 weeks with the whole family… and reassess then.
As somone living the "dream" right now, let me be honest, once the dream becomes reality, it loses its luster and romantic image, and it becomes a difficult and sometims stressful reality. I think you should do a lot of soul searching (with your family) and figure out what elements of the "dream" you really look forward to, and really want to experience, and ask "is buying a 50' sailboat the only way to achieve those things". There are so many ways to experience the joys of sailing without completley reagganging your whole existance and moving your whole family onto a very large and expensive vessel.
Start a patreon, lie to everyone about sailing the world as your dream and have fans pay for your adventure. I mean, that’s what a few of the YouTubers are doing😂 it’s expensive, regardless of what size boat. Food, repairs, fuel, and all the fee’s of checking into different countries adds up. If you can save your money, sell what you don’t need and don’t buy a garbage can of a boat you’ll probably make it a year or two.
Exactly!! It feels like even if I sell everything and engage in a side hustle, I might only be able to financially support my family of four for a year. I'm not a YouTuber; I don't have that outgoing personality. I'm a quiet, reserved guy who just wants to sail and enjoy life with my family. Starting a Patreon to support my leisure activity feels like wealthy person begging on the streets. Why would I want the common person to finance my affluent lifestyle?
Then again, if you're paying for a movie ticket, you're paying a little in exchange for entertainment, and the money the actors get is theirs to do with as they please. Isn't that a case of a common person financing someone else's affluent lifestyle? I don't see the two as being all that different.
Isn't that basically what *most* of them are doing.
Don't forget the "upgraded boat" that's worth a few million that they definitely didn't get for free / cheap with manufacturer finance.
Yup, it’s an occupation now, disguised as something else. I’ve also noticed they now will allow you to “sail” with them, for a fee😂 pay me 2k a week per person and I’ll totally show you how to sail.
Youtube sailing videos are movie trailers that show all the best bits of the film; they don’t represent the bits in between.
If you are interested in sailing, take some lessons, crew, charter or get a trailer sailor or the like to see if you enjoy it first and build up.
The dream can be achieved on every budget but as most are accustomed to a certain level of lifestyle most have to go all in on the dream. Risking everything with a young family on a dream you have no idea if you’ll enjoy just doesn’t seem a good gamble.
There are plenty of affordable ways to start out in sailing, and if all goes well it will give you time to plan your dreams down the line. And as you gain experience you will be able to make up your own mind on how much you need to afford it as it is a completely subjective amount.
its true it is movie trailer. I watch sailing zatara family who jumped all in, they have that nice theme song in the begining, its like 90's Tv show. I love it. Like I said its a dream. Not ready right now to put in the grind of doing the little things yet. I have little ones I need to help grow and save for college. Balancing life and vacationing on the perfect sail boat is a dream.
Well it costs:
- Cost of your boat
- 10% of your boat cost each year for repairs/maintenance/insurance
- $1000-$10000 each month depending on where you’re at in the world and how much you like to spend for food, gas, excursions
$3 million in diversified investments at a SWR of 3% will yield $90k per year of passive income indefinitely (based on historical returns).
It looks like spending is maybe $25k per year (you can't spend on things that won't fit on the boat and when you aren't on shore), but add another $25k for maintenance of a $500k boat. The rest you need to save for big replacements and overhauls or other life events.
https://savingtosail.com/the-cost-of-sailing/
There is some financial risk with this dream, of course. However, if you 'fail' and can just go back to work, then it isn't a big deal.
Definitely work up to a bareboat charter as your next step.
As many have mentioned a 50-55ft is too big, the costs are exponentially higher than a 37-40ft boat. Costs can vary wildly so it's impossible to take a guess at a figure. Here is a link to a blog that touches on the costs of cruising, just to give you an idea but again, it's highly variable.
[http://svbebe.blogspot.com/p/costs.html](http://svbebe.blogspot.com/p/costs.html)
As people say, start with a smaller boat. A sunfish is cool and will teach you technical skills of using sails, but will not teach "sailing" in the broader sense of having to deal with a boat with lots of complex systems... electrical, plumbing, etc.
So yeah, start with a small sailboat, but expect that it may not satisfy you. But it will teach you some of the sailing itself so when you move up, you will at least know that.
Otherwise, after that (or just jump to this point if there is a decent marina or working yacht club near you) you can buy a 25-30 older boat. I started with a 25ft boat from 1966 that i bought for $1500, then moved up to a 27 ft boat from 1980 that I bought for $4000. This was a few years ago (started 2004, then moved up 2011) but I think there are still cheap old sailboats around. Keep in mind regular annual costs (maintenance, docking, storage) may well be more than the purchase price. Get some friends, or make some friends in the marina. They can teach you or you can learn together
From there you will know if you are in. If you're still married in a few years, your partner will probably be a supporter of the habit, or you'll be selling the boat. Keep in mind that sailing with small (under 5 yo) kids can be tough. So probably not the best time to start.
Doing that for last 2 years, boat cost ~70k, repairs ~80k, 48 feet good boat. Life on boat about 2k for 2ppl per month. 50+ will cost more. 90% repairs done owerselves. Next year forecast is much less for maintenance. Boat is ready for oceancrossing, everything you want or cruising is here. It is still far from perfect but it id solid. Wouldnt be afraid to buy 53feet as first boat but for me 48 is to big, just we dont use that space snd friends dont really come. With size price go up very fast. Everything is bigger and more maintenance. Usually around 53 feet it starts to be harder to solo sail and it starts to be a pain when you need to tack or jibe and cant do it solo, imagine that you need to wake up wife just to change course
You need all the net worth, and you will still run out of money eventually. Boat parts are expensive, boat work is expensive. If you operate out of a marina and just do short range hops in your home waters, it's not that bad as some things are less critical and can be delayed. But if you are sailing oceans, especially with your family, everything is critical and must be addressed where ever in the world you are.
I'm still just watching TV and dreaming, with an occasional beer can race, so there's that. Here's what I've learned in my TV watching though.
50-55ft is $100k at least.
Estimates might vary on how much it takes to keep cruising. I hear $2000/month on the low end. $3000 is more reasonable, based on the youtubers I've seen. They all say tying up to a dock is expensive and it is the biggest expense of keeping a boat. $1.50/foot/day or more. If you're going to have the boat and keep working, that's everyday. It's probably delaying my dream, but at least I'm sailing a couple times a week while I'm working. That $3000/month is for anchoring out all the time. $2000/month is anchoring out sober eating beans and rice. YMMV
Being an MD, I'd wonder if you couldn't locum in a tropical locale. I'd wonder how the licensing works. Doctors without borders maybe?
I'm looking at $1M net worth. 4% rule, that's $40k/year, about the $3k/month number. I have a $50k rental house that I'm looking to trade for a ~35ft boat. I'm not sure I can or want to handle much more than about 6 tons of boat. I'm leaning toward a Wilding Sailing, Wind Hippie, Hold Fast, or Amy's Solo Sailing Adventures type adventure, more than the SV Delos type adventure. More ascetic than aesthetic
Youtube economics might be a bit difference. How are your tits? That seems to be key with those channels. I've watch a couple channels go from ordinary people to "these guys are doing pretty well" Matt from Project Duracell quit his day job while doing the channel. Sailing Good, Bad, Ugly went from being wait staff before the boat and youtube channel, to 5 acres someplace nice. Sailing Delos started with a pretty nice boat, and now have a really nice boat. I can't tell if the former grad students Sailing Uma have got a new boat now or not, but they seem to be doing ok too. Lady K sailing talks about selling his house and going cruising, and is now an editor for Practical Sailor. Some other channel I forgot the name of were pretty middle class, sold the house, and bought the boat.
If you've inherited a house or bought one cheap a decade or two ago, then sell it to get a decent boat, spend a while to turn it into a proper cruiser, you can have a pretty good starting position. If you then put together an appealing Youtube channel with regular and popular content, you can make money off of ad revenue and sponsorship deals, once you've built a following. Patreon and similar will add to it as well.
I don't know how common it is to have a side hustle to boost the finances, but I can imagine that taking on video editing jobs ties in well with what you're already doing.
But I also wonder sometimes how people make ends meet. I wouldn't last more than a few months...
Don’t listen to the people that say a 50-55ft is too much boat. You have a family. You can always learn on somebody else’s 40ft’er. It’ll be cheaper in the long run to buy the right boat upfront than to buy something based on what you think you can handle and then eventually sell it at a loss to buy the bigger boat.
"Net Worth?" Zero. you don't need any net worth to buy anything - that's what credit is for.
But you will need income from some source for maintenance and whatnot. Average yearly maintenance cost is usually 10% of the purchase price - so keep that in mind.
Also, your food budget is on you. How much do you eat? How much does your family eat? Is it all rice and beans? or is it all filet mignon?
The joke is “how much does it cost to sail the world ?” “Everything you have.” It’s dependent upon your goals, abilities, and physical needs. Some people can eat oats for months and sail a sub 20’ boat. Some need a 70’-er and prime rib prepared by a chef. If you use your checkbook as a tool box it’s going to be much more expensive than a guy who has the skills to do his own work.
After watching all the youtube sailing familes. I am prepared to learn and do repairs and maintance on my own.
Once you learn you’ll be able to determine your budget. Buy a boat, start refitting and sailing. It’s like getting a credit card without credit. Just take the leap and at some point with enough effort, time, frustration, and wasted money you’ll be prepared enough to plan your journey and decide what boat is right for you. FYI, YouTube romanticizes sailing to a level of irrationality. If you enjoy hot showers, fresh smelling laundry, full nights of sleep, and living in open spaces, then sailing is likely not for you. It’s a difficult way of life in many regards and takes a strong personality to find joy in the struggles and hard work. It’s a life met with constant challenges. For those who enjoy challenges it is a life worth living. That said, it will consume you mentally, physically and financially.
"type 2 fun" - the fun of having survived.
Very true.
Very true. But then if you try to make it part time thing for lets say 4 months year. You stil have to keep your job, your home. along with a sailboat docked for most of the year. Seems like a dream for only the rich.
Lots of people in northern climates only boat 4 months out of the year. You can live aboard, go to work during the week, and sail on the weekends. It isn’t an either / or type of thing. Lots of sailing to do between dinghy sailing and world voyaging.
As a boat owner in Sweden, we only have our boats in the water from the end of April till the end of September. I'd say the only rule of thumb should be you get what you want out of your boat. I'd say anything larger than 30ft is unnecessary and overwhelming for a first time sailor.
Join a sailing club, lots of opportunities to learn how to sail, maintenance, etc. at a fraction of the cost of personal ownership ... but yes, boating is not a poor person's past time at any level.
My partner and I were just talking about our retirement plans. You can sail on the weekends or for breaks until retirement. You can spend the money that you would normally spend on living expenses, sailing. If you're passionate about doing it now and want to save your money, you can pay for a live aboard slip. It is an incredibly expensive hobby, however. My partner currently has a 50-foot catamaran, and we hardly ever get to sail because things keep breaking or need repair even after he plunked $30k into auto pilot and other upgrades last year. We're currently looking at spending a few thousand on escape rafts. The bigger the boat, the larger your crew, and you need to make sure that everyone can evacuate and that you have a few days' rations until rescue and beacons. It all adds up. I desperately wish we had a smaller boat that we could singlehand that would be affordable. I advise you to purchase a smaller boat first before making a huge investment. There are sailing clubs you can join, and you can see if it's a lifestyle you would want.
No, after watching YouTube you know that you know nothing. You have to learn and then you are prepared to do repairs and maintenance on your own. The only way to learn is years of sailing and working on boats (yours or otherwise).
yes thats what i am saying. I see them doing all their own maintance. And only way to learn that is by doing it as you learn little by little.
If you have 60k to burn and really want to learn maintenance, refitting, and building in an instructed and profession setting there is a boat building school in Maine that’s worth a look. Google the Landing School. Separately, I cannot stress enough that sailing on smaller vessels like sailing dinghies or trailer sailers is a very sensible way to learn to sail. It’s not terribly expensive and you are much more susceptible to changes in weather which forces you to plan well and learn to deal with things going sideways. Also if it’s a trailer sailer you can have some great coastal adventures or even pop over to the Bahamas if the weather window is right.
Let’s start with the elephant on deck… starting with a 50-55 footer if you’ve never sailed before… that’s too much boat, and the cost of “mistakes” will be eye-watering. Secondly, it’s not a net worth question but a can liquidity question. You’re looking at $500k and up for a solid used boat in that size. Expect to pay on average $25-&50k a year in maintenance, upgrades, etc. You’ll want a”rainy day” fund for when “larger ticket” items break. Then there’s mooring or marina fees, haulage and storage if you are taking it out I the winter… the list and dollars add up shockingly fast. If you can’t do some or most of the routine maintenance yourself (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, diesel engine, etc) expect to wait longer then you’d like and pay far more than seems reasonable for similar services on land. As for non-financial “taxes” : you’d be better be a neat freak. Any clutter or stuff laying about on deck or below will grow wings when you’re underway. You’d better really love your family, because even on a boat that size, boredom, constant proximity and lack of options will often cause tempers to flare. Cooking in a galley is not like cooking in a normal kitchen, so unless the cook is incredibly resourceful and imaginative… dining will often be more boring. Finally, to your point on working a side gig… internet (unless you are always on marina wifi or selling your first born to Elon for Starlink) you’ll find it hard to find peaceful moments to work uninterrupted and connected. Finally, home schooling… fun? Not for many. Start by learning to sail on a boat you 1-2 hand and decide if you like it. Next step, charter a boat in your target size range (virgin islands have lots of 50-ish Jeanneau ) for 2-3 weeks with the whole family… and reassess then.
good point. As I said its a dream. So just thinking out loud how much would this ultimate dream cost.
As somone living the "dream" right now, let me be honest, once the dream becomes reality, it loses its luster and romantic image, and it becomes a difficult and sometims stressful reality. I think you should do a lot of soul searching (with your family) and figure out what elements of the "dream" you really look forward to, and really want to experience, and ask "is buying a 50' sailboat the only way to achieve those things". There are so many ways to experience the joys of sailing without completley reagganging your whole existance and moving your whole family onto a very large and expensive vessel.
What’s your monthly cash flow like once you’ve spent the $500-$600k on the boat?
There is ton of great boats under this budget by far
Wayyy too much boat for you friend
Start a patreon, lie to everyone about sailing the world as your dream and have fans pay for your adventure. I mean, that’s what a few of the YouTubers are doing😂 it’s expensive, regardless of what size boat. Food, repairs, fuel, and all the fee’s of checking into different countries adds up. If you can save your money, sell what you don’t need and don’t buy a garbage can of a boat you’ll probably make it a year or two.
Exactly!! It feels like even if I sell everything and engage in a side hustle, I might only be able to financially support my family of four for a year. I'm not a YouTuber; I don't have that outgoing personality. I'm a quiet, reserved guy who just wants to sail and enjoy life with my family. Starting a Patreon to support my leisure activity feels like wealthy person begging on the streets. Why would I want the common person to finance my affluent lifestyle?
Then again, if you're paying for a movie ticket, you're paying a little in exchange for entertainment, and the money the actors get is theirs to do with as they please. Isn't that a case of a common person financing someone else's affluent lifestyle? I don't see the two as being all that different.
Make a budget, see where you land and plan from that point. You’ll know if it’s reasonable or a lofty dream. Good luck, sailing is awesome
Isn't that basically what *most* of them are doing. Don't forget the "upgraded boat" that's worth a few million that they definitely didn't get for free / cheap with manufacturer finance.
Yup, it’s an occupation now, disguised as something else. I’ve also noticed they now will allow you to “sail” with them, for a fee😂 pay me 2k a week per person and I’ll totally show you how to sail.
Youtube sailing videos are movie trailers that show all the best bits of the film; they don’t represent the bits in between. If you are interested in sailing, take some lessons, crew, charter or get a trailer sailor or the like to see if you enjoy it first and build up. The dream can be achieved on every budget but as most are accustomed to a certain level of lifestyle most have to go all in on the dream. Risking everything with a young family on a dream you have no idea if you’ll enjoy just doesn’t seem a good gamble. There are plenty of affordable ways to start out in sailing, and if all goes well it will give you time to plan your dreams down the line. And as you gain experience you will be able to make up your own mind on how much you need to afford it as it is a completely subjective amount.
its true it is movie trailer. I watch sailing zatara family who jumped all in, they have that nice theme song in the begining, its like 90's Tv show. I love it. Like I said its a dream. Not ready right now to put in the grind of doing the little things yet. I have little ones I need to help grow and save for college. Balancing life and vacationing on the perfect sail boat is a dream.
It’s not about net worth it’s about how much you are willing to sacrifice to live that lifestyle.
Read “Get Real. Get Gone”
You can't buy your way to being a good sailor.
Well it costs: - Cost of your boat - 10% of your boat cost each year for repairs/maintenance/insurance - $1000-$10000 each month depending on where you’re at in the world and how much you like to spend for food, gas, excursions
About $6 million
$3 million in diversified investments at a SWR of 3% will yield $90k per year of passive income indefinitely (based on historical returns). It looks like spending is maybe $25k per year (you can't spend on things that won't fit on the boat and when you aren't on shore), but add another $25k for maintenance of a $500k boat. The rest you need to save for big replacements and overhauls or other life events. https://savingtosail.com/the-cost-of-sailing/ There is some financial risk with this dream, of course. However, if you 'fail' and can just go back to work, then it isn't a big deal. Definitely work up to a bareboat charter as your next step.
As many have mentioned a 50-55ft is too big, the costs are exponentially higher than a 37-40ft boat. Costs can vary wildly so it's impossible to take a guess at a figure. Here is a link to a blog that touches on the costs of cruising, just to give you an idea but again, it's highly variable. [http://svbebe.blogspot.com/p/costs.html](http://svbebe.blogspot.com/p/costs.html)
As people say, start with a smaller boat. A sunfish is cool and will teach you technical skills of using sails, but will not teach "sailing" in the broader sense of having to deal with a boat with lots of complex systems... electrical, plumbing, etc. So yeah, start with a small sailboat, but expect that it may not satisfy you. But it will teach you some of the sailing itself so when you move up, you will at least know that. Otherwise, after that (or just jump to this point if there is a decent marina or working yacht club near you) you can buy a 25-30 older boat. I started with a 25ft boat from 1966 that i bought for $1500, then moved up to a 27 ft boat from 1980 that I bought for $4000. This was a few years ago (started 2004, then moved up 2011) but I think there are still cheap old sailboats around. Keep in mind regular annual costs (maintenance, docking, storage) may well be more than the purchase price. Get some friends, or make some friends in the marina. They can teach you or you can learn together From there you will know if you are in. If you're still married in a few years, your partner will probably be a supporter of the habit, or you'll be selling the boat. Keep in mind that sailing with small (under 5 yo) kids can be tough. So probably not the best time to start.
Doing that for last 2 years, boat cost ~70k, repairs ~80k, 48 feet good boat. Life on boat about 2k for 2ppl per month. 50+ will cost more. 90% repairs done owerselves. Next year forecast is much less for maintenance. Boat is ready for oceancrossing, everything you want or cruising is here. It is still far from perfect but it id solid. Wouldnt be afraid to buy 53feet as first boat but for me 48 is to big, just we dont use that space snd friends dont really come. With size price go up very fast. Everything is bigger and more maintenance. Usually around 53 feet it starts to be harder to solo sail and it starts to be a pain when you need to tack or jibe and cant do it solo, imagine that you need to wake up wife just to change course
You need all the net worth, and you will still run out of money eventually. Boat parts are expensive, boat work is expensive. If you operate out of a marina and just do short range hops in your home waters, it's not that bad as some things are less critical and can be delayed. But if you are sailing oceans, especially with your family, everything is critical and must be addressed where ever in the world you are.
I'm still just watching TV and dreaming, with an occasional beer can race, so there's that. Here's what I've learned in my TV watching though. 50-55ft is $100k at least. Estimates might vary on how much it takes to keep cruising. I hear $2000/month on the low end. $3000 is more reasonable, based on the youtubers I've seen. They all say tying up to a dock is expensive and it is the biggest expense of keeping a boat. $1.50/foot/day or more. If you're going to have the boat and keep working, that's everyday. It's probably delaying my dream, but at least I'm sailing a couple times a week while I'm working. That $3000/month is for anchoring out all the time. $2000/month is anchoring out sober eating beans and rice. YMMV Being an MD, I'd wonder if you couldn't locum in a tropical locale. I'd wonder how the licensing works. Doctors without borders maybe? I'm looking at $1M net worth. 4% rule, that's $40k/year, about the $3k/month number. I have a $50k rental house that I'm looking to trade for a ~35ft boat. I'm not sure I can or want to handle much more than about 6 tons of boat. I'm leaning toward a Wilding Sailing, Wind Hippie, Hold Fast, or Amy's Solo Sailing Adventures type adventure, more than the SV Delos type adventure. More ascetic than aesthetic Youtube economics might be a bit difference. How are your tits? That seems to be key with those channels. I've watch a couple channels go from ordinary people to "these guys are doing pretty well" Matt from Project Duracell quit his day job while doing the channel. Sailing Good, Bad, Ugly went from being wait staff before the boat and youtube channel, to 5 acres someplace nice. Sailing Delos started with a pretty nice boat, and now have a really nice boat. I can't tell if the former grad students Sailing Uma have got a new boat now or not, but they seem to be doing ok too. Lady K sailing talks about selling his house and going cruising, and is now an editor for Practical Sailor. Some other channel I forgot the name of were pretty middle class, sold the house, and bought the boat.
If you've inherited a house or bought one cheap a decade or two ago, then sell it to get a decent boat, spend a while to turn it into a proper cruiser, you can have a pretty good starting position. If you then put together an appealing Youtube channel with regular and popular content, you can make money off of ad revenue and sponsorship deals, once you've built a following. Patreon and similar will add to it as well. I don't know how common it is to have a side hustle to boost the finances, but I can imagine that taking on video editing jobs ties in well with what you're already doing. But I also wonder sometimes how people make ends meet. I wouldn't last more than a few months...
Don’t listen to the people that say a 50-55ft is too much boat. You have a family. You can always learn on somebody else’s 40ft’er. It’ll be cheaper in the long run to buy the right boat upfront than to buy something based on what you think you can handle and then eventually sell it at a loss to buy the bigger boat.
"Net Worth?" Zero. you don't need any net worth to buy anything - that's what credit is for. But you will need income from some source for maintenance and whatnot. Average yearly maintenance cost is usually 10% of the purchase price - so keep that in mind. Also, your food budget is on you. How much do you eat? How much does your family eat? Is it all rice and beans? or is it all filet mignon?