Voyaging on a Small Income [Paperback]

For anyone thinking of setting off for an extended period of small boat cruising (or voyaging, as Annie more accurately calls it), and not starting with a 6, or even 5 figure bank balance, this book is essential reading. It describes a philosophy of living very different from that maybe experienced before on a cruising holiday, weekend sailing, or even daily life. It starts from the point of view that long term, live-aboard life is both possible and sustainable, providing certain perspectives are adopted. These include rejecting any item of equipment not capable of extended, reliable, cost-effective performance on board a boat (this for example rules out most modern electronics, for entirely sensible and logical, rather than `back to mother nature' reasons), selecting, buying, storing and preparing food from the point of view of where you are, what's available, and how long you may be at sea, and most importantly, managing your limited finances using the most rigorous criteria possible.

Here, Annie applies the basic principles of sound commercial management to all financial decisions (is this a better buy than that over time? can I buy now and save later?) and demonstrates a complete and intuitive grasp of what in the parlance of modern management theory would be called `Total Cost of Ownership Investment Appraisal' - a valuable object lesson for many senior management in some of the largest corporations. She writes about it in her own unique and forthright style, clearly based on many years of real experience, that demands attention and respect.

This is not a `go there, do that, buy the t-shirt' kind of sailing book, but for anyone seriously contemplating long term voyaging on a small budget, or simply wanting a unique insight into an alternative lifestyle from the comfort and security of their armchair, and brave enough to venture past the warning on the cover that this might cause you to challenge some of your most basic beliefs in what passes for `normal' existence, Voyaging on a Small Income, as a useful reference source or a good read, is a must.

Annie's book is a treasure trove of how to live on a boat, eat well, construct your own boat, and cruise forever without working. She and her husband Pete live aboard BADGER on about $2000 per year, cruise to the Caribbean, Greenland, England, Europe, etc, etc. Even though Annie Hill has written a book primarily directed to the boating fraternity, her ideas regarding how to live and finance your life are applicable to any place you want to live. If your dream is a farm or a getaway somewhere remote, read this book and learn how to realise your dream. I have corresponded with her on occasion and always have to wait for my letter to catch up with her and Pete because they are somewhere exotic and are having a great time without worrying about financing their trip. They are a most remarkable couple who have done something that no one else seems to have done and she has been nice enough to tell us SPECIFICALLY just how to duplicate her accomplishments. She didn't know that she had written such a remarkable book and when I suggested that she write more about their life she told me that no one would be interested in her and Pete's day to day activities. She is wrong and I hope she shares more of their lives. This is a watershed book and is probably the most important book ever written about cruising. I have read my copy at least 9 times and it has changed my way of thinking about how I want to live and what I need to do to realise that dream. I'm on my way. This isn't a book about the actual trip but about how to do what they do. It's fascinating reading and you will learn an immense amount of practical knowledge and some skills few others ever learn. Annie and Pete aren't wealthy, in fact, they are what most of us would consider to be working class and fairly poor. Still, they know what they are writing about and can accurately convey the skills you need to live without working, yes, without working.

I'm 37, going on 38, with the dreams that many twice my age are now fulfilling. Nearly 20 years of sailing experience on San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento River delta, I've read a lot of books that might one day help me achieve one goal, to sail past the Golden Gate for destinations beyond, to live a simple and modest life among fellow cruisers, and on a boat that isn't born of the cookie cutter-mold. Annie and Pete Hill have echoed what my father and mother always believed, it is possible to own a simple sailboat and cruise far on a small budget. All it takes is the will and discipline to live within means and a very organized and well thought-out budget. In VOASI, Ms. Hill puts it in plain English, even if some of the terms are British, the plans and thoughts that went into building and equipping 'Badger' the way they did and how their decisions not only saved them money, but were sound.

Read this book with care, because it will blow your mind to know that one hundred years after Joshua Slocum, this brave couple are able to cruise simply and simply cruise on a small budget. Lots of great ideas, good examples of the decisions they made and why, and an appendix adorned with study plans of sailing dories from Jay Benford and Group.

If you're looking for a book that explains why you should outfit your boat with expensive electronics and fancy galley appliances, you may want to read one of the thousands of books that echo status quo advice. But, if you really want to know why you don't necessarily need all those fancy gadgets, then "Voyaging on a Small Income" is a MUST READ!

Thanks Annie and Pete.
Enjoy. As always, Fair winds and happy cruising.