Cruising and Modern Conveniences- All is good with Universe

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

For me, I underestimated how much stress full time cruising in low latitude climate places on boat systems. Not everything has a practical spare - who carries a spare inverter for example?

Not trying to one-up you Weebles, but we have no installed inverter. We carry a couple of small (200/300 watt) portable plug-in ones for the odd device that only has an AC charger. Most seasons it doesn't even come out. It would be absolutely no issue to cruise without an inverter for me.

Although, ironically perhaps, the last time I really used my inverter was to power our friend's Starlink. He was having battery problems, so I strung a cord from our boat over to his when we were tied up together.

Originally Posted by mvweebles

The days of the Pardeys being cruising role models are long gone. Few are willing to tolerate that level of austerity full time. However, I do think there is a happy medium for complexity. But you do have to set aside the typical house as template.

Here I disagree. The Pardey's style of cruising is not desirable for most people, but they still provide an example of what is possible. However, it's more about their principles, not their exact cruising details, that I find still very much a worthwhile lesson, even in this day of Starlink.

... which, btw, I do like. As I said, I'd probably get one if it were within my budget. Whether it leads to more isolation, or less, is likely more dependent on the individual than the system itself.

In general though, there is a fair bit of research to indicate that heavy Internet users, and especially those heavily engaged in so-called 'social media', have reduced social connections. So in that sense, one can see how Starlink might lead to more isolation.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

For me, I underestimated how much stress full time cruising in low latitude climate places on boat systems. Not everything has a practical spare - who carries a spare inverter for example?

I did have an inverter fail about 8 years ago, so I replaced that one and later bought a backup 1500 watt inverter which I still haven't used.

But it's my backup.

The online inverter is 400 watts.

I use it to run an AC fan, my computers, my HDTV/monitor, to charge my phone, to charge my headlamp, and to charge my handheld VHF/GPS.

I can also run some power tools off of it, but if it isn't strong enough, I have the 1500 watt spare. The 1500 watt inverter will also power my shop vac if necessary.

The inverter also told me when my battery power was getting low as it would alarm at night when the voltage dropped below 12 volts.

This was before I got my 6 volt golf cart batteries which are 225 ah batteries and quite huge as compared to the 12 volt batteries I used to have.

With the 12 volt batteries, I would leave an anchorage lots of mornings at 11.8 volts and just run the autopilot until the Sun and solar charged the batteries a bit.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Here I disagree. The Pardey's style of cruising is not desirable for most people, but they still provide an example of what is possible.

In general though, there is a fair bit of research to indicate that heavy Internet users, and especially those heavily engaged in so-called 'social media', have reduced social connections. So in that sense, one can see how Starlink might lead to more isolation.

All I can tell you is what I observed over the last 6 months of cruising 2400 nms south of the border. Not many austere 'Pardey style' boats anymore. And for us, being connected digitally has facilitated many more interactions and led to more friendships than we ever imagined possible. But it could have different elsewhere.

As I write, I'm in the central valley of Costa Rica traveling with another couple who we met cruising a month or so ago. If I were not averse of sharing pictures of people online, I could bore you with dozens of pictures of various potlucks and beach trips and river trips with fellow cruisers. Not many smartphones visible when folks are together. But the interactions are planted via electronic means.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

All I can tell you is what I observed over the last 6 months of cruising 2400 nms south of the border. Not many austere 'Pardey style' boats anymore. And for us, being connected digitally has facilitated many more interactions and led to more friendships than we ever imagined possible. But it could have different elsewhere.

I'm sure you're correct, although in my neck of the woods we still see Pardey-style boats; small and simple that go everywhere. But I agree with you, most people are not interested in living like the Pardeys. However, their guiding principles of safety, simplicity, and making a boat "unstoppable" are one that are still worthy ideals.

If more people learned these lessons of old, perhaps there'd be fewer cruisers stuck in remote locations, trying to fix systems that they don't really need.

As for the Internet access, it's like any tool: Use it. Don't let it use you. But the fact remains that there is a correlation between heavy Internet use -- and most particularly 'social media' use -- and decreased social connection.

But I still want a Starlink .

[thomm225]

Some of us always wanted to cruise in what we call the right way.

Not on a boat loaded with all the modern conveniences because that is simply too easy.

But on a sailboat without an engine or using the engine as little as possible.

This is one of the reasons I kept my old boat.

Plus as a History Major (BA History) I saw how tough it was back in the day like as far back as Magellan! (1480-1521)

Somehow I have to tie that in with my tech skills which are totally up to date as I was forced to get a Comptia A+ Computer Tech Cert for computers and smart phones in 2020 to keep my job even though I have been in management since 1995.

So I figured keep the small but seaworthy old Bristol 27 and overload it with electronics.

Plus folks my age admired those that came before us. Kids like Robin Lee Graham and Tania Aebi. Later Matt Rutherford, etc.

Graham circumnavigated starting at 16 years old and Aebi 18.

I found these National Geographic Magazines for sale at a library in Tennessee before I started learning to sail and still have them.

Tania Aebi's Contessa is also a great boat that is after her shakedown cruise which was to Bermuda.

Since we are so spoiled on land, I thought it would be a good idea to sail/cruise locally with minimal comforts.

I may change my mind after a couple weeks but that's how I have done my short 3-5 day cruises for the last 12 plus years.

No AC, no shower, sometimes no power, no chart plotter the first few years, no marinas.

I don't like to be dirty and sweaty too long though especially when the temperature is around 90 degrees so I usually have my bath in the cockpit after dark especially if there are other boats anchored nearby. This usually takes a couple gallons of fresh water.

All my water is bottled. I don't use the 22 gallon onboard tank for drinking or showers. I'll get a bladder before sailing any distance that could keep me on the boat for more that a couple weeks.

Photo of Contessa 26 similar to Aebi's.

[Munoz]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

The days of the Pardeys being cruising role models are long gone. Few are willing to tolerate that level of austerity full time. However, I do think there is a happy medium for complexity. But you do have to set aside the typical house as template.

Oh, we are still out here (currently French Polynesia in my case), but we consider ourselves "nomadic anchor-outs" since the Marina rats appropriated the term "cruisers"

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Some of us always wanted to cruise in what we call the right way.

Not on a boat loaded with all the modern conveniences because that is simply too easy.

But on a sailboat without an engine or using the engine as little as possible......

Yea, I read all those books too, and many more. My takeaway is, with some exceptions, they sailed with the best equipment available at the time. Calling these now dated boats the "right way" to cruise says the hundreds of people I've met with with a binder full of Zarpes and dog-eared passports are doing it the wrong way. Why not harken back to Slocums hay barge turned cruiser as the right way?

Odd coming from a guy who hasn't launched yet. Heck, how long could it take to get an old boat without equipment underway?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Yea, I read all those books too, and many more. My takeaway is, with some exceptions, they sailed with the best equipment available at the time. Calling these now dated boats the "right way" to cruise says the hundreds of people I've met with with a binder full of Zarpes and dog-eared passports are doing it the wrong way. Why not harken back to Slocums hay barge turned cruiser as the right way?

Odd coming from a guy who hasn't launched yet. Heck, how long could it take to get an old boat without equipment underway?

I "launched" my boat 2-3 weeks after I bought it in 2011 and have been sailing it ever since.

I also said some of us "wanted" to do it the right way, but after sailing engineless for 14 years, I will use the engine when there is little to no wind.

When competing in a 100 mile beach cat race, it's a PITA when the wind drops off at 6-7 pm after you have already been racing for almost 12 hours and still have 30-40 miles to go.

On the other hand, I have completed the same race in 12 hours.

I've motor sailed in from about 50 miles out before with my 5 HP 4 stroke Mercury Outboard, but I had to go easy since I only had 1.5 gallons of gas onboard.

1st video is heading home on a Sunday Morning. 2nd video headed home on another Sunday Morning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpZhq35etcw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRzpei2hZf8

[sailorboy1]

what a judgmental thread

[thomm225]

The boat has been through a lot of changes though since 2011, and I have had to replace lots of equipment to include:

the dodger, mainsail cover, autopilots 2X, tiller, sails, GPS, engine, outboard bracket, cabin lamps, cabin shades, backstay and lowers, anchor, bilge pump, batteries, solar controllers, inverter, running rigging, furler line, shroud chainplates, forestay chainplate bolts, and lots of bottom, topside, deck paint, and cabin paint.

Also replaced a working VHF because I wanted AIS.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

The Pardeys championed the notion of making your boat "unstoppable." By this they meant, in part, building redundancy into all boat systems, and never making any one system so critical to your boat's operations that it would stop your cruise if it died.

It means that outside of a serious hole in the boat, the voyage can always go on. One should never be stuck in a marina, waiting for parts. [or a tow * ]

I like this as a guiding principle,

Lin and Larry Pardey sailed the equivalent of five or six times, around the world, in engineless boats.
* However, they were often towed, in and out of anchorages, by other boats.
And, Don Street sailed his “Iolaire” without auxiliary power, for half a century.
However, I think going engineless, shitting in a bucket, and living without electricity, are unnecessarily extreme - but the [guiding] principles are basically sound.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by GordMay

However, I think going engineless, shitting in a bucket, and living without electricity, are unnecessarily extreme - but the [guiding] principles are basically sound.

Apparently it's the "right way" to cruise. At least to those who haven't cruised yet.

[Cheyne]

The Pardey's are the equivlent of taking a DC-3 instead of a a 787 Dreamliner to fly around the world. I just shake my head and say why.

Cheyne

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Apparently it's the "right way" to cruise. At least to those who haven't cruised yet.

I said some of us "wanted" to do it the right way, but after sailing engineless for 14 years, I will use the engine when there is little to no wind.

When competing in a 100 mile beach cat race, it's a PITA when the wind drops off at 6-7 pm after you have already been racing for almost 12 hours and still have 30-40 miles to go.

On the other hand, I have completed the same race in 12 hours.

I've motor sailed in from about 50 miles out before with my 5 HP 4 stroke Mercury Outboard, but I had to go easy since I only had 1.5 gallons of gas onboard.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Cheyne

The Pardey's are the equivlent of taking a DC-3 instead of a a 787 Dreamliner to fly around the world. I just shake my head and say why.

Cheyne

Well some consider a circumnavigation with all the bells and whistles an achievement, other consider the same trip minus the bells and whistles a liberating challenge.
As for comms like Starlink.. folks used to go to sea to escape 'civilisation', today like with all the shore based convieniences they want to take the Western social life as well.. I mean, who wants to socialise with the 'ethnics' unless they're tour guides or waiters..