Can you control how much "stuff" you have on your boat?

[rognvald]

Why do you have a boat? Is it because you love to sail and wish to eliminate all extraneous and tedious elements of your shorelife and live simply or do you seek to have a condo on the water that provides you with all the creature comforts and amenities of home? Most "cruisers" we have met ascribe to the second philosophy ergo-- the need for bigger boats. It is usually because men need to offer their reluctant counterparts the "niceties" they need to make cruising more desirable and that translates into a fully laden vessel. Sadly, there are very few women who fall into the first category (some exceptions are on this website) as is seen regularly on the CREW WANTED postings. Is it the love of sail or the condo on the water? Is it the journey or the destination? Is it a simple creative life or a rat race on the water? You see that microwave in the corner? It's up to you. Good luck and simple sailing.

[boatman61]

Yup... Get a Divorce.....
Nasty side effect is it also reduces the amount in your wallet...

[tamicatana]

On land: if it's not used in six months, it leaves (covers seasonal stuff). So the concept of being parsimonious (sp?) with stuff on the boat is not difficult.

I have really got to need it if it goes on board, and I'm constantly looking out for ways to get rid of weight by changing out things for less-heavy things

[Reach]

Originally Posted by rognvald

do you seek to have a condo on the water that provides you with all the creature comforts and amenities of home? Most "cruisers" we have met ascribe to the second philosophy

That overused cliché seems to miss the fact that as "cruisers", our boat is our home. Not just a hobby for hubby, a vacation or crewed sail, but a way of life. Everything we own is on board from tools to cooking supplies to musical instruments. Yes it piles up, but it also allows us the freedom to live self-sufficient and creative lives wherever we wish to sail.

P.S. The irony here is that our microwave is used for more storage

[zeehag]

funny how generalizations are made about women and sailing--men really dont know much, sad to say--very arrogantly self absorbed, they seek arm candy,not practicality, subsequently making loud and obnoxious noises about spouses and their inabilities to understand them. they do not see the ladies who are actually doing that which the braying mouth cannot see...lol... i find human interaction quite entertaining.

stuff does, yes, breed more stuff..is impossible to quit it from mating and multiplying...is a major part of cruising, whether solo or in pairs or groups....

[boatman61]

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< E Haw....

Originally Posted by zeehag

funny how generalizations are made about women and sailing--men really dont know much, sad to say--very arrogantly self absorbed, they seek arm candy,not practicality, subsequently making loud and obnoxious noises about spouses and their inabilities to understand them. they do not see the ladies who are actually doing that which the braying mouth cannot see...lol... i find human interaction quite entertaining.

stuff does, yes, breed more stuff..is impossible to quit it from mating and multiplying...is a major part of cruising, whether solo or in pairs or groups....

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by gunkylump

It appears that we may have Kewalo sold.....sea trial tomorrow, then a purchaser's survey......all should be good.

Today, we decided to go to the boat and start unloading our personal items. Two full cartloads later....we still aren't done. Still have tools, cleaning materials....dishes.....stuff, stuff and more stuff!

How do you control what you carry on the boat? How much weight do you think you have added to your vessel?

When we called it a day today, she was bobbing about at the dock like a frisky colt in a new pasture.......ready to "race all comers"..lol....and she's a Bayfield 29....she just doesn't win races!

It seems with time....the adding of "stuff" just keeps getting deeper and deeper......can you control that?

gunk

May as well name your next boat some derivative of "Neotoma, AKA: Packrat", it's an almost unavoidable process. One must be prepared...

Pack rat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Reach]

Nice braying Boatman

Based on comments it does seem that stuff accumulates to fill spaces (& new spaces can always be found)! Wouldn't I love to find an answer to the OP's question, since I'm pretty well-teased by my friends about my provisioning prowess.

I enjoy finding a way to supply for 6 months at a time at anchor with no supplies, which we did over the last 2 years. However, those are specific places and adjustment is needed when in the majority of regions.

Then there are the tools and spares ~ aren't we glad to have them when something breaks! Sigh... it is really challenging & we are due for a good purge.

What are other options? Some people try and control what comes on-board... down to self-made rules like no more than 6 books on board at one time. That is an old example may have become obsolete with e-readers, yet setting restrictions is one way to do it. Does anyone control stuff this way?

[CatInHand]

Originally Posted by rognvald

It is usually because men need to offer their reluctant counterparts the "niceties" they need to make cruising more desirable and that translates into a fully laden vessel.

Eyup. I need my man to build me a raft so's we can tow the chicken coop behind us.

It's not breakfast without a fresh egg.

[zeehag]

6 books is only 3 days books--lol i have had over 100 on this v-boat. right now i am between book exchanges so i have way too many....lol--but now they be gold.

when i trade stuff, i try to make sure the new thing coming in takes up less room than that going out---the torqueedo motor and all its parts still takes up less room than the spinnaker bag full of spinny i used as a bean bag chair...and i may have located someone to repair it for me so i can use it!!!.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by Reach

That overused cliché seems to miss the fact that as "cruisers", our boat is our home. Not just a hobby for hubby, a vacation or crewed sail, but a way of life. Everything we own is on board from tools to cooking supplies to musical instruments. Yes it piles up, but it also allows us the freedom to live self-sufficient and creative lives wherever we wish to sail.

P.S. The irony here is that our microwave is used for more storage

Ergo . . . a house on the water . . . albeit a "creative?" house on the water?

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by zeehag

funny how generalizations are made about women and sailing--men really dont know much, sad to say--very arrogantly self absorbed, they seek arm candy,not practicality, subsequently making loud and obnoxious noises about spouses and their inabilities to understand them. they do not see the ladies who are actually doing that which the braying mouth cannot see...lol... i find human interaction quite entertaining.

stuff does, yes, breed more stuff..is impossible to quit it from mating and multiplying...is a major part of cruising, whether solo or in pairs or groups....

Generalizations are based upon the norm. There are always exceptions to the rule. A fair generalization is that men are more interested in sailing and living aboard a boat than their spouses. One does not have to write a treatise in sociological trends aboard sailboats to quantify this statement. These generalizations are not "loud and obnoxious noises" but the reality that most men face with the prospect of cruising as a couple. You, Zee, are one of the exceptions and kudos to you for sailing against the current. Perhaps a bucket of oats and trough of water and you'll be braying too . . . albeit with a lot more stuff on your boat than mine. Good luck, good humor and good sailing.

[zeehag]

b a a a a a a a oot time you mentioned oats.....these tin cans are killer, ma a a a an.....
gotta keep a humor....life rocks!!

[Synesthesia]

It isn't that men require less stuff, it's just that they consider the particular things they hoard as 'necessities' vs ladies things such as clean underwear (clearly frivolous!)

For the record, some clothes and books most likely less space than the jumble of fishing equipment, surfboards, paddleboards, electronics, redundant tools, and other assorted space hogging stuff that men tend to load up their boats with.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

. . . They each had one section of shelf that was theirs and invoilate. Katy did not see the need for three harmonicas. . .

LOL. Thanks for the laughs everyone. Once again it seems to come down to personal preference and priorities. I have 10 harmonicas (each plays a different key), guitar, and a ukulele. Also a bike on deck. . . yes it is my home and there is no storage unit except my dock box which is full of paint, tools, and tarps.

Sedna's 20yr PO left me enough spare parts to rebuild the engine 3 times, hose to re-plumb, and toooooo many tubes of epoxy. Sometimes I appreciate his forethought and sometimes I laugh hysterically realizing he bought new kits and tubes forgetting he had three on-board. Before I buy anything I look in every locker to make sure I don't already have it.