Cruising on $500 per Month . . .

[s/v Breakaway]

But it would be a shame to sail in the South Pacific and not see them, wouldn't it?

[goprisko]

For various reasons, boats are plumbed with hose, barbed fittngs and band clamps.

Many years ago, the hose of choice was black rubber. The choice was easy, it was the only kind available.

The barbed fittings of choice were bronze, galvanized was inferior and reinforced nylon and poly were as yet unknown.

The band clamps came from an auto supplier.

Today, PVC in it's reinforced forms is the hose of choice, except in Europe where multi-layer hose is found.

Bronze fittings are still available and appropriate for many boats, but fibre reinforced nylon and poly are long lived, don't corrode, and much cheaper.

The band clamps available today range from the superior SS ones available in Europe to the cheaper ones imported from the Orient and sold in discount stores in the USA.

Virtually all hose one is likely to use squirms after installation. This works to your advantage, provided you use barbed fittings, for the hose deforms and conforms to the profile of the barbs, effectively locking it into place. However, should you use smooth pipe nipples instead, the grip will relax and your joints will fail.

To prevent failure of your hose connections, it is imperative that all connections be DOUBLE CLAMPED, I repeat DOUBLE CLAMPED.

I forgot this when replacing the hose on the cooling circuit of the Perkins, and suffered separation of the inlet hose from the water pump">raw water pump while motoring upwind to Admiralty Bay. Fortunately, the Perkins has a cast iron block, and the severe overheating did no damage.

So, DOUBLE CLAMP all hose connections!!

INDY

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by w1651

I have to agree when you need that extra oooomph to pull in that sail or halyard they are a necessity.

On another note I was looking at noonsite the other night. Fiji the Solomons, Marquesas etc... are a little extreme in their entry fees and clearance fees. So what are some good destinations at a lower cost to cruisers? I am thinking Washington island, The Hawaian islands and their chain, the upper pacific coast as well as the Russian side Allucheans. Have to pack for cooler climates though.
Anyone got a great destination at reasonable cost? And don't say just go their and don't check in or out.... I hate jail in my own country much less some one else's country. And I'll need my boat to get back home someday.

The NoonSite INFO on clearance into Polynesia is very old and no longer true.

You can clear in properly in the Marquesas, including posting your bond.

And you can clear out in BoraBora and retrieve your bond.

Regarding Fiji, I'd do the FAX from Samoa and would enter at a port other than Suva.

[w1651]

Originally Posted by goprisko

The NoonSite INFO on clearance into Polynesia is very old and no longer true.

You can clear in properly in the Marquesas, including posting your bond.

And you can clear out in BoraBora and retrieve your bond.

Regarding Fiji, I'd do the FAX from Samoa and would enter at a port other than Suva.

I got a clue how to do it from a thread here, to contact a marina in French Polynesia to enter the country. They will take care of the formalities,costs and everything else a head of time. I will have to look on my other computer to get the web address.

[CharlesFCook]

Originally Posted by goprisko

And you can clear out in Bora Bora and retrieve your bond.

Do they still give you cash (French Pacific Franc)?

When we were there in 2001 we did not want to leave the country with a ton of francs. We bought fully refundable airline tickets in Papeete and used them to get our bond back. Returned the tickets to the travel agent. Used the cash to pay local bills.

[osirissail]

For up to date information about cruising the South Pacific go to the Pacific Puddlejumpers website and/or join their GoogleGroup. This is an annual grouping of cruisers who are planning and are actually going to be cruising the South Pacific. The previous year's groups chime in and post their real experiences as they made their way across. There is also very good information on how to "get around" or mitigate the French Bond requirements.
Pacific Puddle Jump Official Web Site

[goprisko]

A very good friend of mine likes to build dinghies. He cruises on a 32ft
Nordic Tug these days.

His latest adventures are chronicled in his blog:

Tugging

His newest dink comes from this website:

Eastport Pram: Ultra-light Sailing Dinghy That You Can Build!

Dean was cruising the Virgin Islands during the 70's, then went on
to medical school.

INDY

[goprisko]

Originally Posted by w1651

I got a clue how to do it from a thread here, to contact a marina in French Polynesia to enter the country. They will take care of the formalities,costs and everything else a head of time. I will have to look on my other computer to get the web address.

While I have no doubt a marina may be of great service, that really is
not necessary.

The French Gendarmes speak perfect English, so there is no need to hire
translation services for them. The French Bank tellers likewise.

What is necessary, upon arrival in the Marquesas, is for the skipper to proceed ashore with crews passports, crewlist, ship's document, and previous outbound clearance. Destination is the local Gendarmerie. If prepared with an open dated plane ticket to one's home country (Hawaii if a US citizen), there is no need to visit the bank, otherwise visit the bank after consulting with the officials regarding the amount of the bond required. The bond may be paid via a Credit Card withdrawal, for which you will need your passport. The bank will give a receipt for the bond, which you must present to the officials. Once that is done, inbound clearance will be completed, and you will receive a clearance document. Keep the bank receipt and the clearance document, as you will need them later.

Fair Winds,

INDY

[goprisko]

For various reasons, Natalie and I are cruising to Florida from Culebra, PR in the very near future.

We had many friends in the Ft. Lauderdale and Ft. Meyers yacht clubs and other organizations, who saw us off on our circumnavigation in 97. We would very much like to meet them again and compare notes on the intervening 15 years.

This is an opportunity, albeit on very short notice, for up to 2 persons, to experience a voyage from PR via the Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, to Florida. If you come, you will observe first hand the management of a small ship at sea, and in port.

Should anyone have interest in participating, we are leaving PR in 2 weeks time, and expect to take 2 weeks over the voyage.

Naturally, expenses will be shared.

Email me at:

goprisko@publicresearchinstitute.org

if interested. Or if you have friends in one of the Yacht or Boat Clubs I mentioned.

Fair Winds,

INDY

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by ImaginaryNumber

If you no longer find this thread of interest, why do you keep reading it?

On really long threads, some just go on and on and on about subjects that only so much that can be said, some are just really fun and continue to keep alive....this one is an important subject that can not be worn out because there will always be unlimited variations of how to cruise on a $500 budget.

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by goprisko

If you have hanked on sails, you should bag them while still hanked on to the stay, with the luff barely out of the mouth of the bag. Then remove the hanks, stuff the luff into the bag, and stow the whole lot below.

When we were racing, we'd do this regardless of point of sail. Since this is a cruising thread, by definition we aren't racing, so why not point the bow down wind, or onto a broad reach, with the wind from the quarter. and change sails in relative comfort? If the sail in question is a very large drifter/spinnaker, use the main to blanket the sail, and make the job much easier.

INDY

I made a nifty little device consisting of a cable with a clip at one and a toggle at the other. You bag your sail on the stay, then transfer the hanks to the cable so when you go to reattach attach the sail all the hanks are right there on the top, in order, facing the right direction. As far as handling large sails on deck, this is when lifeline netting comes in handy. I have also seen some boats that have sail ties on their lifeline, sail it pulled in tight, dropped inside the lifeline and simply tied to the lifeline untill it can be bagged.

[dana-tenacity]

Interesting discussion on stowing headsails. Of course if cost of maintenance and longevity were the issues ($500/month) you would never choose a boat with headsails. Problem is that's 99.9% of all sailboats. Google Lug yawl, cat ketch...........

[w1651]

Originally Posted by dana-tenacity

Interesting discussion on stowing headsails. Of course if cost of maintenance and longevity were the issues ($500/month) you would never choose a boat with headsails. Problem is that's 99.9% of all sailboats. Google Lug yawl, cat ketch...........

The secret is to have your boat ready before you leave. New sails, New rigging, Parts on board for replacements, etc.
If you can get all your ducks in a row before you leave the better off you will be.

[zeehag]

i didnt get my stuff done before i left and i am finding i am in better shape than had i been good about fixing my stuff at home. i consider my trip a series of shake down cruises. i am finding close to everything is easier and cheaper to repair out of usa than in the usa. is fun and easy.
had i waited to finish out this boat, i would be still in sd and stuck there for another 10 yrs. much can be done en route or under way less expensively, for real, than in the slip in the home town,us of a. is why i left...
they just dont have a sail maker in mazatlan--they DO have upholstery shops.....

[w1651]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i didnt get my stuff done before i left and i am finding i am in better shape than had i been good about fixing my stuff at home. i consider my trip a series of shake down cruises. i am finding close to everything is easier and cheaper to repair out of usa than in the usa. is fun and easy.
had i waited to finish out this boat, i would be still in sd and stuck there for another 10 yrs. much can be done en route or under way less expensively, for real, than in the slip in the home town,us of a. is why i left...
they just dont have a sail maker in mazatlan--they DO have upholstery shops.....

Point taken. Good to hear!