So, the fun begins with insurance companies. I have written to a number already, here is a compilation of responses so far:

From http://www.admiralyacht.com (I thought it was amusing my boat wasn’t worth enough to insure… I thought that would have been a good thing! Nay.)

Thank you for submitting your online enquiry.

Having regard to the age and relatively low value of your vessel together with intended cruising plans we regret to advise that Underwriters have declined to offer terms.

We are grateful for your interest in Admiral and are sorry that we are unable to assist you on this occasion.

From http://www.pantaenius.co.uk

Many thanks for your email.

Unfortunately, Underwriters will not cover this size vessel for the cruising areas that you have requested, even Third Party Liability only.

From http://ghinsurance.com

Many thanks for your yacht insurance application.
I regret to advise that due to the vessel and the extensive cruising in
which you will be partaking, our underwriters are not currently in a
position to offer terms. I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and I do hope we may be able to help you in the future. Many thanks and kind regards,

Fun, positive and hilllaaarious post next, I promise (to maintain self esteem!)

Soldier on.

n.

While these people don’t actually get to come along (I’m going solo remember), they will be in my head along the way, having put up with me in general, my questions, ‘idea poking’ and my incessant annoyance!

Celeste	For putting up with me, plain and simply!
Duane Rodgers	For actually thinking I can do this - And the rest
Martin Gleeson	For listening to me all the time, and for being a fair ‘dinkum business partner!
Daryl Cook	For being my personal blog consultant, and also for listening and making numerous suggestions along the way
Craig Widdon	For giving intelligent advice on sail types and materials
Lorin Clarke	For taking the time to reply to my enormous emails on how to ‘get attention’
Tudor Rose	For showing amazing patience and helping with advice and encouragement whenever I needed it.

This post is just a brief exercise on sketching some costs involved, based on some of the items I have in the Stuff I Need section, which is not even near complete. Prices are in ?Ǭ£ pounds, because the boat is currently docked in the UK, and because it makes things look ‘cheap’ (until you do the currency conversion, and realise back in to AUD you multiply it by 2.5!).

These prices are also all for *new* equipment. I should probably do another price column for secondhand. Much to be added and correctly sorted.

…Not including the boat.

Oh dear. I’m too scared to add it up.

n.

I promised to do a proper costs breakdown for my next post, but I just had lunch, and, well food was on my mind.

As I mentioned previously, saving is paramount for this entire thing. I’ve managed to spend even less than 13Euros a day (that includes everything, ie. rent, bills etc) with this week hovering at 11.50Euros. That means, I’ve spent 1.50Euros on food. Yes, I have been eating tuna fish and pasta since the 3rd of July, however I ran out last night, and sat down to a plate of Gummy bears and left over chocolate biscuits, from my American housemates who left last week.

I’ve managed to find the Turkish (Turkische) bread at Lidl, which runs at 65cents for a big loaf, and lasts me two lunches. Onion dip seems to last about four days, and muesli lasts a week. Coping with the heatwave, I’ve found my morning coffee dregs mix in well with chocolate powder and milk, making a … Refreshing afternoon drink. I think for my next food improv, I will take the remaining Gummy’s and melt them like the Czechs do into Absinthe. So inventive, I know! I hardly call this abstinance, but, I am trying.

In other news, I really like Mark Twain:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowline. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

More sombre and technical post on costs next time, promise.

n.