Welcome to SV Froo Gal

The blog of the frugal sailors

Desolation Sound, British Columbia
Copyright (c) SV Froo Gal 2014, All rights reserved

 Well, this is a first post from the crew of SV Froo Gal: what is this blog and its accompanying YouTube site (and related Google stuff) all about? You may well ask. Is it just another wannabe sail-around-the-world blog? ... Perhaps, but not entirely. So why should you read it? That's a good question (see below).

SV Froo Gal blog is not all about us --  it is not about the great places we are visiting (we only manage the odd weekend trip and 1-2 week per year sailing vacation currently) -- and it is not designed to keep our families informed about out exploits. They don't really use social media. Our aim is to share our experience of how to enjoy sailing in one of the most expensive sailing areas in the world frugally: How we think and work through the every day problems of boat ownership and use.

frugal [fru . gal adj]
not costly, etc.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/frugal

Why be frugal?

Are we tree hugging environmentalists?... well not completely, but we do care about the environment.

Are we trying to make a living (or some money on the side) from this blog? No.  But we are keen for the sailors of the UK (and further afield) to drive down the over-inflated prices associated with maritime services and equipment. And one day we would love to leave the rat-race, live a life on-board, and sort out a supplemental income whilst doing so. (But we won't make a living from writing, especially after you read this!)

Foremost, we would like to encourage others to enjoy the last real wilderness on Earth that is readily accessible to your regular Joe or the man on the Clapham omnibus -- middle-income families [note the US and UK idiom there].

Finally for this post... a warning.  You will need to decide for yourself which posts are completely serious money-saving tips about sailing and boat ownership and which ones we have posted just for fun (which are likely to be true). For example:

1. The well dressed sailor can save money by wearing odd cuff links.
2. Shop around for 'lift and scrub' prices.  A quick Google search will reveal that prices vary in and around the Solent (UK south coast) from c250GBP (or more) down to about half that. A quick day sail could save you 100GBP or more and give you a reason to sail from A to B and back again. The Isle of Wight services are very competitive at the moment. Some discounts for marina berth-holders close the price gap and could be much more convenient.

Understand the difference between cost, price and value!