Post 42 owners - check my maintance cost assumptions?

This is going to happen again; Another hump in fixing those surprises, mission updates, decorating and new soft stuff.

Where did you get $1k/ft/year from?
Your rather conservative number above already blew that formula up.

IMO, With no warranties left, it is closer to $2k/ft/year just sitting there (in Florida), for most diesel boats of our sizes.

With a smaller boat, Yes; Hopefully your overall expenses, compared to your Viking, will go down,,, some.

Hang on
My wallet is still on life support after last fall. New shaft and inverter batteries.
New inverter & ships batteries the Year before.
New battery cables and new #2 cables to the helm just run.
Piles of little things.
Some new 24V equipment installed. New 19' antennas on order now.
And I still have 4 pages of things to fix. List keeps getting longer (fix one, find two more issues).
Shopping for new 24" laundry machines also (again).

This all started 20 years ago on a $90k boat.
Probably cost way over $250k in repairs and upgrades thru these years.
It's only a $150k boat now (maybe).

It's just the two of us now, I can not afford to get a smaller boat and give up what we have.
Ole 48', 45 year old tank.

Then this thread comes up. I think I messed up that money / foot / year formula so please don't hold my feet to the fire for to long.

But, It is still a lot of cash moving into another boat.
You may not get the cash back on your current boat.

Up north, Boat season and service is different. Still expensive just different expenses columns.
I'm still convinced it cost way more in Florida. We boat all year so just more wear & tear keeps my wallet in ICU.

But cash just hurts. Smiles covers the pain (so I'm told).
Bottom line;
Will the smaller boat really get used more? Usable by the family? Keep peace with the wife?

This is a tough one. There are no hard and fast rules on the cost of boat ownership. So many variables, where is the boat located, how much use does it get, who made the boat, how does the owner like to keep the boat, etc. My experience with owning my 1995 54 Viking since 2007 has been that annual cost of ownership goes up with the age. I get the impression that your boat stays behind your house and that you are at a minimum moderately handy. That means if you have the time and desire you can take care of a lot of the small maintenance that doesn’t require a professional. My situation is that I live in VA and keep the boat in FL. I have to pay someone to do most everything. Also I have spent the bulk of my life looking after buildings, heavy equipment, trucks, etc. I have had engines rebuilt, bought reman engines, have had compressors go out on AC units, on and on. What I am getting at is that I have learned at some point you are money ahead to replace a system with new than to keep rebuilding existing and dealing with the downtime, loss of production, frustration etc. therefore I have been replacing AC systems, painting the boat, installing a new davit, on and on. On an older boat you start getting into replacing systems and components and that all is expensive but it does result in me enjoying my boat more. Boats are very expensive luxury items so one has to love it to put up with it.

I think after you sell your 58 pay the commission and buy your 42 Post and fix things up you won’t have that much left over. But if you don’t travel (spending the night) on the boat a lot then a 58 is overkill. Sounds like the size of the 58 is restricting your use. If that is the case then downsizing might be right for you, but I don’t think it will significantly lower your annual operating expenses. If this were my dilemma my primary question would be will the downsize result in me and my family taking the boat out more and go from there. The post will probably give you a foot less draft. Is that enough to make a difference? Could you remove the tower, and get under the bridges easier. Don’t throw things at me but get your wife’s thoughts on this. If both spouses aren’t in agreement on boat and boat Money that usually results in friction. Good luck

How much, how deep, how long of a DIY project are you asking about?

Just an over all answer depends on a few topics.

Are you competent to work on your engines?
All the little tools?
Have an understanding of AC and DC volt systems?
Have an understanding of galvanic erosion.
Carpenter and plumbing skills?
Understand the correct hose clamp cost bux. Not to use the hose 15cent hose clamp from the local hardware store.
Understand the correct wire and crimps don't come from that hardware store also.
Understand the correct screw does not come from that hardware store also.

I feel the materials cost about the same. Some materials and parts are warrantied to/by the tech, not to DIYers..

Not on blood thinners.

Have a realistic approach on issues.
Your Aqua Space Ship must be safe and self reliant. Lives depend on it.

You may not have an insurance claim if your DIY project sinks the boat.
Read your policy or a quick call to your agent.

If your still reading this, then yes, you can work on your own boat.
Your probably not going to save a lot but you may learn more about your boat.

Famous quote from the movies;
A man must know his limitations...
Clint Eastwood.

I have my own DDC tools, But no sir, I'm an not a DD expert.
I purchase my parts and have an open ear to my DD vendor who are THE experts.
Same shop for near 40 years.

If you can work on them, That is great. I'm not typing that down.

I'm not just a DIYr, but a guy for many years that raced around coastal FL & GA working on boats.
After my many insurance companies were paid off, I still had bacon on my plate,,, sometimes.
Never an unhappy customer. Never an insurance claim.
And when we could afford it, that bacon was dam good.

During these years is when/where I have witness so much calamity of folk trying to fix it them selves and it needing to be fixed again.
Hence most of my wind in post #17.

To answer your broad question required this wind but the conclusion is and will always be correct, for any DIY project;
A man must know his limitations...

I'm not allowed out of these swamps now days, When you travel down here, We'll put some beer/hooch down for sure.