More costs of cruising...

Lin and Larry have a very interesting story about some cruisers who needed a new fuel pump...

Now I'll admit that it is important (but not always crucial) to have all systems up and running but there is one element of this story that I find troubling.

What's with $1179.60 for a fuel pump? We will forget for the moment the silly costs of shipping said pump to the folks who need it but that $1179.60 makes me wonder! I mean that is one expensive fuel pump... One wonders if it comes with Ruby accents, Gold plating and a lifetime supply of KY jelly?

To put it into perspective, I can replace my entire motor for less than $1179.60 (for those with a need to know $500 is the cost of a NEW motor)... Fact is, there is no single component in my Electric propulsion system that costs as much as $1179.60! Just to rub it in, if I have a problem there is a very good chance that I can go to a local motor starter guy and get the whole motor rebuilt for at most a couple of hundred bucks.

$1179.60... YOWZA!

Now, we as boat folk tend to take it for granted that things of a marine nature cost more than they should. It is no secret that we are as much a part of the problem as the greedheads who charge silly prices as WE pay said silly prices and enable them!

Now I'll go out on a limb here, but one way to save a lot of money in this sail away and cruise gig is not to pay silly money for things we need... YOU CAN DO IT!