Preparing for Cruising

[Kevin84]

Originally Posted by roverhi

You've got a boat that is worth maybe $20,000 if it's in very good condition with a Diesel and good sails. Unless you got the boat for free, anything you add to it is going to be a money losing proposition. You can cruise with the boat as is with the addition of a self steering vane. You could sell he vane for what you paid for it if you buy a used one. monitor windvane | eBay

Refrigeration is going to be a total loss and not necessary. Done many thousand miles on two oceans without it and really haven't missed it. Running an AC frig system on an inverter is a losing proposition unless you are recharging the batteries totally with solar and/or wind. There is just too much loss in converting DC to AC for a big load item that will run a lot like a frig.

Think how you can steer your boat with a wheel with both hands working the jib. Simple to steer using your legs with a tiller, nearly impossible to do with a wheel. Also the wheel may defeat a self steering vane in light air. That won't be a problem with a tiller. But hey, if you want a wheel I'll sell you the Edson Wheel I took off my boat for $500.

With just a little care in your water usage, shouldn't need a water maker. Use foot pumps, disable the pressure system if you have one and your consumption will plummet.

Diesels are nice but hardly worth the $10,000 plus dollars installing one will cost. You might be able to squeeze two years of cruising out of the expense or leave that much sooner sticking with the A-4.

What it really sounds like is you should sell your Alberg and buy another boat that comes with all the things that you think you want. Adding them to your current boat is a money losing proposition.

Honestly, I'm not real concerned with what the boat is worth. I don't mind paying to update it and install what I want. Yes, I know running an A/C refrigeration system is nuts. Thats why I want to update it to a D/C system. I really have no desire to go cruising without refrigeration. Or live onboard as I do now without it. I've done my share of living on MREs and have no wish to do so again. As I have said previously, I DO NOT LIKE THE TILLER. So please, stop trying to sell me on it. My boat's cockpit is small enough that I can reach the winches while still holding a wheel. And I am not planning on doing a solo crossing. I will have someone with me.

[tybee22]

Engels makes many diferant size fridge freezer combinations, and I swear by mine. 2.5 amps when running from hot start-up. Presently mine is used as a fridge only, but I will be getting another one to use as a freezer. Will freeze ice cream to rock hard. The fuller the box the more efficant it is.

[barnakiel]

For the W-E Atlantic part I would ask a strong, deep dodger and as much canvas protection on all sides of the cockpit as you feel comfortable with. Then some sort of big ship alarm too: proper radar best but AIS will do.

For the E-W I would ask for a nice bimini, good downwind sails combo and plenty of ventilation once in the West Indies.

Priceless: a good windvane, both ways.

If sailing INTO the Med then a thick, thick credit card probably more important than dodgers and biminis ;-)

Cheers,
b.

[Searanger50]

Originally Posted by Patriot_Sailor

I would also ensure adequate tankage, consider solar, redundant fuel filter/water separators, make sure fuel tank is clean, etc. Maybe a keel-cooled Frigoboat DC refrigeration system. Good house battery bank and starting batteries. Also make sure you have a good medical kit with prescription items for long passages. A lot to consider...

I am also preparing for an extended trip. What would you say a "good medical kit " should be?

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Searanger50

I am also preparing for an extended trip. What would you say a "good medical kit " should be?

If you are healthy, it will be just the basics - things to manage the cuts, burns and anything that could happen otherwise in your landlife while doing sports and household chores.

If you have any conditions, take the medicine that is required - the passage may last longer than envisioned, or it may be unavailable at the landfall destination, etc..

There are those who sail with a drugstore onboard and others who do so with a pack of Aspirin. Make sure your kit fits the crew, and the trip.

b.

[chuckr]

Kevin84 -- i will not try to tell you how to outfit your boat as each of us is different - and there are others who have already done that - BUT - the best advise so far is from speakeasy -
take an extra year for a shakedown refit -- we bought a new boat, had a lot of stuff added, did the east coast a couple of times then took off and sailed the entire bahama chain - found out what we were missing - went back into to deltaville and added a few things then headed out again
since then we have done the west side of the carib, across the carib and down the east side and are potentially planning for a few yrs in the med -
so get it like you want it - run thru all and i mean all the bahamas from the top to the bottom and back to the top then see where you are - make adjustments and then catch that may wx window across

good luck
just our opinion and what worked for us
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in trinidad for hurricane season

[Dockhead]

OK, just concentrate, to begin with on the basics:

1. Watertight integrity of the hull: through-hulls, seacocks, hoses; stern gland (very important!); rudder seal; any leaking ports, hatches, mast gaiters, etc. Make sure you have stout, tight washboards.

2. STEERING. Whether you go with wheel or tiller is not important, but whatever it is, make sure it does not have any weak points. Steering failure is one of the worst things which can happen to you in the middle of the ocean. Rudder bearings -- check them, replace if necessary. Make sure rudder itself is sound. Any steering cables or other gear. Backup steering -- a drogue and warps, a spin pole to which you can lash a cabin door, or ideally -- a self-steering vane with its own rudder.

3. Rig. Chainplates, turnbuckles, rigging -- replace or be sure that it's all very sound. Spare sails. Sail repair materials and tools.


If you have a watertight hull, steering, and rig -- then you'll get there as long as you have food and water enough not to die on the way. I would concentrate first on this.

As to the Atomic 4 -- there are two ways to look at it. A boat that size crossing an ocean is a sailboat and not even a good diesel engine -- considering the amount of fuel you can store -- will make that much of a difference. You will have to sail across in any case. So I'm not sure I would care so much about that. On the other hand, of course, a new diesel engine will be 1000x better than a cranky old Atomic 4 which might at any moment create a bomb in your bilges.

[mrohr]

KEEP theTILLER---there are other reasons beyond what roverhi and others have argued regarding this issue.I know it's your boat so I respect ANY decision you make;but consider that a tiller allows the helms person to steer from the protected area under the dodger.Too many boats today have the wheel shoved to the very rear of the boat so as to maximize the the accomodations without encroaching too much into the cockpit area.This is achieved at the expense of the the poor helms man who may puff out his chest with the sneer of cold command in benign conditions to the envy of all onlookers but will suffer when things go south.

You are proposing a northerly route across the atlantic ocean (sorry folks, it's NOT a pond!) . I have sailed these modern style craft in nasty conditions and one is constantly looking over ones' shoulder in big following seas wondering if that huge hissing sound is the last thing you will ever hear, or maybe worse is the icy bullets of north atlantic spray blast you at O'Dark thirty with each passing wave. Thanks but no thanks; my tiller and I will be huddled under my dodger keeping an eye on all and out of the thick of it.
Maybe I'm overstating my case ,but I have sailed this very route so I just thought you might need something to think about while contemplating those black waters as your seaboots slowly fill.
Best of luck , you have a fine boat for your adventures and if you already had your wheel I wouldn't be recommending bothering with any changes.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

OK, just concentrate, to begin with on the basics: (...)

+1! on all Dockhead says

Strong, watertight hull, sound and efficient steering and rig/rigging sails. Take plenty of water and some food.

b.

[Khagan1227]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

If you are healthy, it will be just the basics - things to manage the cuts, burns and anything that could happen otherwise in your landlife while doing sports and household chores.

If you have any conditions, take the medicine that is required - the passage may last longer than envisioned, or it may be unavailable at the landfall destination, etc..

There are those who sail with a drugstore onboard and others who do so with a pack of Aspirin. Make sure your kit fits the crew, and the trip.

b.

What Barnie said, but I'd make sure you have extra meds that anyone in your crew needs, as well as antibiotics, and most importantly, the knowledge on how to use everything in the kit.

[fisherman.ben]

on the list of stuff you should get you might want to add spare sails and lines, (your gonna also want to give yours a good once over)
you should also take it on a good shake down cruise, to make sure your ok with what work you have done, and then you'll know what else should be done.
i took the tiller off my columbia 39 and liked it so much better. i would recomend it.(save the tiller though)
if the atomic works well, leave it, re-powering is a wicked pain in the ass, and really costly.

[Kevin84]

Thanks guys! The more I've researched it, my main reason to replace the A4 isn't so much the fuel economy, its the fact that parts for it, especially in Europe or the Pacific are going to be damn near impossible to come by. As far as being protected from the weather, I've got a dodger, connector and bimini and I was considering enclosing it (not sure about that part though).

One question I do have though, in talking to some people around my marina, some have discouraged taking an Alberg on real long passages because of the deck stepped mast. Would that be a problem? Would I be better off buying a boat with a keel stepped mast?

[Khagan1227]

If the OP changes the topic of discussion, is it thread drift?

Cheoy Lees, Dufours and other "bluewater boats" have deck stepped masts. I personally don't think it is a big issue for the typical cruiser.

Other opinions will vary.

[Kevin84]

Ok, thanks. I didn't think so either, especially since I've read of Alberg 35s doing circumnavigations.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Kevin84

(...) in talking to some people around my marina, some have discouraged taking an Alberg on real long passages because of the deck stepped mast (...)

Well, next time you can tell them one barnie sailed a deck stepped mast rtw.

Our boat is over 30 y.o. and has sailed nearly 40k Nm in last 10 years alone. I cannot see any issues with the mast here.

BTW I believe my friend's huge HR has a deck stepped mast too - definitely unsafe and unseaworthy ... ;-).

b.