what it takes?

[Brandywine]

Ok guys not to bring up the new vs used debate but let say you are getting ready to go on your circumnavigation on a 5/10 year old catamaran that is basically show room stock. What would the full list of major add-on’s look like?

Radar
Charter plotter
Auto pilot
Solar panels
Backup/auxiliary anchor
Spare rode
Para anchor and/or drogue
Electric heads (have on our current boat would not go with out them)
Life raft
EPRIB
Water maker

+100,000 littile things I can not think of…

[Hud3]

You'll need an SSB, Pactor modem and laptop to keep in touch with family, friends, and fellow cruisers.

Here's one that you might not think about until you start cruising. Get some Textilene, or similar porous fabric, vertical panels made to attach to your cockpit cover to block the sun when it gets lower. Nothing worse than blinding glare when you're trying to enjoy a sundowner in the cockpit. Our panel is the 95% variety. You can still see through it, though.

[Brandywine]

wow not sure how I forgot that;

SSB, pactor modem
SAT phone


I am leaving laptops off as in my line of work I normally have 3 or 4 around the house at any one time.

[Southern Star]

You'll need to make sure you have adequate amp/hour capacity in your battery banks, high output alternators/smart regulators, consider a wind generator (offshore in conditions when there is little sun, there is often decent wind), at least 3 anchors (including, in all likelihood, a new and larger primary), adequate backing plates for all mooring cleats, jack lines, a proper bosuns chair, spares, spares and more spares, back up paper charts, cruising guides, a good digital barometer with memory, a back-up handheld VHF, a good radar reflector, good 7x50 marine binos with float strap and a back up pair, a large assortment of current parachute and other types of flares, bolt cutters (in case you lose your rig), a decent inflatable with outboard (and proper documentation for the same), a liferaft and ditch kit, a man overboard pole, a rig for preventing jibes, an alarm system, a hidden area for valuables, a good medical text and kit (with prescriptions for painkillers etc.) and....

The larger than standard battery bank, high output alternators and wind generator may seem like overkill - but if you are planning on using your SSB, electric toilets and refrigeration you are going to need all the capacity you can get.

Brad

Brad

[Brandywine]

Thanks Brad,

We Have a 36 foot boat out here on SF bay... so we have a lot of the little stuff, Hand held GPS, hand held weather station, hand held vhf, good 7x50... as well as a good pile of foul weather gear. There is a good chance we will pick up a boat in Florida so not sure how much it will be worth shipping.

the question was more directed at things like the Battery Bank, I think most are around 450 stock and it sounds like 850 is more the norm for cruisers I will have this or more if I can get away with it.

I like solar a lot so was planning at least 520watts in solar might go all the way to 680 but at what it cost per panel right now we will just have to see

How about a good list of engine spares?

List of tools to bring?

[henryk]

Don't forget the most essential piece of equipment when going offshore ,a reliable windvane [sic: windvane type self-steering]

[2Hulls]

Fillet knife.

[David M]

A dinghy. Ditch bag. Gumby suit in colder latitudes. Type 1 PFD's. Machinery spares. Sat phone. Paper charts. Hand held backup GPS. Maybe a sextant with reduction tables with nautical almanac and battery powered chronometer. Perhaps a HAM radio. Fishing gear.

Your favorite adult beverage. Stuff to read. MP3 player. Movies.

[imagine2frolic]

& the MRS.

[Maren]

Originally Posted by Brandywine

Ok guys not to bring up the new vs used debate but let say you are getting ready to go on your circumnavigation on a 5/10 year old catamaran that is basically show room stock. What would the full list of major add-on’s look like?

...

+100,000 littile things I can not think of…

I'd add AIS, rum, repair manual, tool and parts. And some books and games, a digital camera. And more rum, cut resistant gloves for cleaning fish while moving.

Oh, and a sense of adventure. Don't forget that.

[Southern Star]

Good grief, Imagine to Frolic - I forgot the Mrs.! As to spares: shop manuals for the diesels and transmissions/saildrives, four waterpump impellers, sufficient oil and filters for 2 changes, gearbox oil plus a pump with hose and holding container, 2 spare engine fuel filters (and replacement elements, if required, for the others), spare alternator (if you convert to Balmar or other high-output alternator and smart regulator, keep the original as spares), good lengths of anchor (or other proper tinned marine wire) of various gauges plus heat shrink butt connectors and captive end fittings, decent lengths of spare hose of the appropriate type and diameters for all plumbing/thru-hulls, spare holding tank hose of good quality (odorsafe or equivalent), spare s/s hose clamps of various diameters, spare anodes for the diesel, saildrive/propshaft and hull, spare in-line fuses for all equipement that is wired with them, spare breakers, spare docklines, sheets and halyards (the old ones will do if you upgrade), sailcloth, sail tape, twine, cotter pins, clevis pins, one spare turnbuckle and, if you use staylock or equivalent, spares for it and a spare piece of 1x19 rigging of adequate length to replace the forestay, a spare camcleat if used on the traveller, spare snatch block, one spare jibsheet block, caulking (both 5200 and 4200 (or equivalent )and also silicone, spare main and jib (again of you upgrade, the old ones will do), spare battcars for the main (both for the batten fittings and the rest), one length of batten sufficient to replace the longest (or to be cut down for the shorter ones), a rebuild kit for the head, a spare electric bilge pump, spares for the manual bilge pump, two spare winch handles, spare clips for the winches (especially if they are not Andersen) plus proper lube for them and your windlass, spare bulbs for all navigation/interior lights, spare spark plugs and fuel filter for the outboard, spare gear lube for the same, spare prop for the outboard (plus spare pins), assorted ss screws, bolt, nuts,locknuts, washers.... Gotta fly, but that would be a good start.

Brad

[David M]

Good grief Brad. I think you sank the boat.

[Southern Star]

That's what I'm carrying and, while it may seem excessive to some, it provides not only some comfort at being able to perform most basic repairs while underway, it also provides spares that may be difficult to locate quickly in various areas of the world. It has also been my experience that you are far less likely to need to replace something for which you have a ready replacement.

Really, if you look over the list, the only particularly heavy items are the alternator, the back-up sails and the oil. I wouldn't leave home without any of them, particularly since the sails and alternator are items that I already have. In any event, on my admittedly rather heavy displacement 40 foot cat, the inventory will add less in weight than I will gain in security.

Brad

PS - I don't consider any of my three anchors to be 'spares'.

[Gene :^)]

Can I bring spares in case of trouble with the Mrs? Or should I expect to replace that with locally available?

[Southern Star]

In my experience Gene, women aren't quite as easy to replace as fuel or oil filters - regardless of the source. I guess that's the exception that proves my rule - carry a 'spare' woman on board and I can virtually guarantee that you'll need to replace them both.

Brad