Is your boat part of your Doomsday Plan?

[Richard5]

Ok, all kidding aside. Beginning with the assumption that this is a legitimate concern, here is my answer.

Residing in a metropolitan incurs a heightened level of risk which may be manageable prior to the event but unmanageable thereafter. Foremost in any escape plan is the assumption that you may be prohibited to leave or at least severely restrained from escape. It becomes more than a matter of 'elbowing' through the crowds/hordes/panicked populace. Policing authorities would present obstacles (literally) which confine you to your primary or alternate domicile of which you do not get to choose either location or length of stay, of personal comfort, or diet, or medical urgency. Think, 'crowd control'. However, the aftermath of Sandy may provide insight into how many hours you have to mobilize and relocate to your objective. Time is of the essence.

Even if you were to arrive unscathed to a floating vessel fully prepared to get under way, there is the experience of the aftermath of the twin towers on 9/11 to consider. Largely unreported (although perhaps familiar to you since you live there) was the aid rendered by an unofficial, unorganized flotilla. People will be streaming to the docks in hopes-by hook or crook-to escape. By dint of your objective being the waterfront, you'll be moving towards a secondary 'ground zero'. This may give you cause to remain in place for some time until things begin to settle down after the first wave.

Your course of action will be determined by type of disaster. If it is radioactive fallout, assume the position unless you can assure yourself of being ahead of the cloud. That makes mandatory being at a vessel fully prepared to get under way. Nuke fallout is initially localized so you do have a good chance if you act fast.

Jellystone eruption will entail ash and scoria with minimal risk of asphyxiation due to poisonous or noxious gas. Respiratory inflammation/infection is your biggest worry at such distance.

A tsunami emanating from the Azores. You best be in deep water already. Same same in the case of the 2004 Indonesian tsunami. Here, your plan A should be high ground unless you are already in deep water. Leaving NY harbor you have, what, 60 miles or more before what is considered deep water.

There are so many calamities which could occur that the question becomes should we prepare?

Take a look at Sea Mercy's and other's websites to see how the aftermath of cyclones Pam and Winston were dealt with. In examples repeated throughout the various islands, super yachts did lend aid but primarily through their large power generation and water distillation capacities. I seem to recall one yacht able to produce 3,000 liters/hour. That is immense, I may be incorrect about that number.

In the aftermath of hurricane Iniki, the US Navy provided 1,500 KW power to Kauai and that was before the nuke submarine Indianapolis berthed at the island.


All of the above has created panic in the general population and with aid from government being slow to come, if at all. It has generally been NGOs which are first on the scene. Then, they pose only a stop gap measure since their capacity to serve is exhausted by overwhelming demand. Look at the earthquakes in Haiti or hurricane Katrina to see the needs will severely impact even 1st world societies.

Conclusion. Unless you are already on a well supplied vessel and at sea, it is usually better to remain in place. Even then, you may lend aid as to your ability. However, to forward your utmost in cooperation with your fellows is your best bet. Be serious in aid, covert pertaining to your supplies, devising of a Plan B, C, D...as necessary.

[markpierce]

How many of us Californians will emigrate when California declares independence?

[RPZ]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Ok here's a grim topic, but it's something I ponder occasionally and maybe it could lead to some discussion... Do you have a "bug out plan", and is your boat a part of it?

I live in Brooklyn, and I can think of a few disaster scenarios where it could be useful having a boat to sail away in rather than elbow my way through crowds over Manhattan bridges to the mainland. Even without planning ahead, my boat usually has enough food, water and fuel on it for a couple people to last a week or more and/or get pretty far away from NYC. These scenarios are all unlikely but definitely not impossible... hey even the Yellowstone Super-volcano is overdue, right?

Then again, when the boat is hauled out for the winter I can't exactly push it in by myself, so that cuts out about half the year. And if I got away from the city, where would I go anyway? I couldn't fit all my family and friends on board, so how do I determine who makes the cut? And would I just be overwhelmed by throngs of angry Brooklyners before I could get off the mooring anyway?

Has anyone else had a thought process like this? How specific is your plan and how serious are you about it?

Leave early. Don't pass go, don't collect $200. Just go.

Have a crane standing by in winter.

Let family and friends who said you are a nut for preparing look after themselves. That should pare it down to no more than you have room for.

Have a few AR-15s and about 1,200 rounds of ammo handy and the angry mobs won't overwhelm you before you leave your mooring. Oh, wait, you're in New York. Call the police instead.

[Diesel Bill]

Hi OrangeCrush, I bought my current boat Jan. 2016 with the intention of having a 2nd home in the event of earthquake, EMP (solar or man made) economic collapse, zombies or any other event. No really, I want to teach my grand kids to sail and to love the ocean as I do. What's wrong with having a boat prepared for emergencies? I worked on ships for 20 years and we had to be pretty self sufficient while at sea. Currently retired and living in So Cal. so always wise to have supplies on board. Well stocked pantry and full fuel and water tanks. Seems to me better to have it and not need it than the other way around.
By the way I lived in Brooklyn as a kid 55 years ago (Brownsville, corner of Hopkinson and Livonia Ave)

[Diesel Bill]

Originally Posted by markpierce

How many of us Californians will emigrate when California declares independence?

I would try to move to Texas if they would have me. My Dad is buried at Ft. Bliss in El Paso and was a native Texas son, so I hope they'll take me in.

[Hearts Content]

How do you and your family get to your boat? If it's nuclear or EMP, your electronics msy be shot. If it's natural, then your marina is likely destroyed or ability to get out blocked.

Political unrest and slipping out in the middle of the night could work.

[Diesel Bill]

Originally Posted by Hearts Content

How do you and your family get to your boat? If it's nuclear or EMP, your electronics msy be shot. If it's natural, then your marina is likely destroyed or ability to get out blocked.

Political unrest and slipping out in the middle of the night could work.

I always figured in a SHTF scenario every one would be trying to head out of town, so might be easy to go the opposite way and head towards the city to the marina. My old diesel truck might make it if the road is open. For a real survival situation I could make it with out electronics to Catalina and anchor till the mess is over. Or head south down Baja way and hole up in Turtle Bay. Stopped there last July for a layover for 5 days while doing the bash from La Paz
to San Pedro. Nice Little town way off the beaten track. You can trade a can of beer for a Bonita from the fishermen. If I can't make the marina I would bug in at home. Either way would be fine by me.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Not really. The boat would have to be equipped with a watermaker, huge watertanks, huge power gen capacity, huge diesel tanks. You would need huge food supplies stored always onboard. Then a gun with huge number of rounds stored onboard.

Cheers,
b.

Sounds like we're all set.

[CaptTom]

I admit, it's an interesting thought experiment. Everyone wants to imagine they'd be the only one to survive.

The chances of that happening, however, pale in comparison to the chances of winning the lottery.

Being prepared for every possible contingency would be prohibitive, in both time and resources. I'd argue that trying to do so puts you at more immediate risk.

On the other hand, being prepared for general, minor or local emergencies is easy, and something we should all do better. As a life-long New Englander, I'm always amazed that there's a run on snow shovels and snow blowers the day before the first snowfall each year, and no way you can buy a sump pump following an unusually heavy rainfall.

I do like to think that if I found myself near an area hard-hit by some disaster which wiped out infrastructure, my little boat could contribute something (power, water, communications, a dry place to sleep, whatever) for a few affected residents. I knew some folks who were on a US CG cutter, one of the first vessels to arrive at Haiti after the earthquake. Very heartwarming what those guys and gals did.

[Byrdman]

When I get my boat, natural or man-made disaster bug out, no way!

I have definitely moved my sailing and retirement preparation plan up due to my personal and professional thoughts about the next recession that will be hitting us in the next 3-5 years.

Real doomsday, no way. The next economic meltdown, getting prepared now for sure

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Well you wouldn't need huge water tanks if you had a watermaker, and why a huge generator? Why anything not already on a well equipped cruiser that was ready to cross the Pacific?
I'm with you on the Nuke thing though, I grew up during that era and as my home town had a huge B-52 base at the time of the Cuban middle crisis, we were supposedly number three on the hit parade.
Even as a kid I figured out the horror of a Nuclear war would be surviving one

I think the genset is required to run the watermaker. The tanks are required to store the water produced in open water for use when anchored - you do not run the watermaker in lagoons, bays and rivers - think of the fallout and the washoff (no longer sewage treatment ashore - all crap goes to the rivers and then into the bays ....).

Still, it all works only as long as your diesel tank lasts, or at best till that RO unit needs a new membrane ...

We cannot go long without society and technology. And these two will be absent past the doomsday.

Indeed surviving a major collapse of our civilisation could be much worse than any other option.

If I think the doomsday is coming, I am throwing a wild party, get completely wiped out and then we will see how it all develops. ;-)

Cheers,
b.

[Jason Flare]

Very well written book worth reading:


https://www.google.com/search?q=one+...&client=safari

[robert sailor]

Waring nations have made many countries into doomsday senarios so you don't even have to use your imagination, just read some unbiased history if you want to know what it's like. Look at what Iraq went through and now Syria, its amazing that we can sit in our luxury and even worry about something like this when it's actually happening in many places in the world and some of us have a hand in it.

[pyroray]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Naah..!![emoji3]Portugal's my 'Bug Out Plan'.. who'd be interested in bombing us.. no ones been interested since Napoleon..

Maybe being conquered isn't so bad?

[captmikem]

A few thoughts on the subject.

Imagine if you will, someone or some group sabotages and destroys the power grid, power plants etc of any large city.
If you are in the city with no power you lose:
1 refrigeration
2. Gasoline (gas pumps need electricity to work)
3. in a short while water.
4. cell phones and internet.

Granted a lot of folks will panic it if they do not have internet and cell phones, but they are lost anyway.

Now imagine a few million people after a few days with no food or water. They are near the point they will kill for food and water, a few days more and it will be far worse. This is just if the power goes out. People will be searching for any food and water they can take. Not some place I would like to “sit tight” in.

People have been crossing oceans for many years without watermakers, generators, large diesel tanks, even engines.
A means to move (sails), a means to find food and water (what most people on ocean passages have managed to do for many years), the knowledge and skills to do so and the ability to defend oneself and family , plus the will to survive are all that is required.( and a little luck).

We have become a very dependent society, and with GPS and small engines it has moved into the sailing culture. Engine quits, call Sea Tow. Weather picks up, call the coast guard. Something breaks, call the mechanic. Self-reliance is becoming a lost art.

We have become the nation described by Nevel Shute (On the beach).

Life was not designed to be easy. Life is an adventure....You deal with whatever comes your way. Do or Die. 100%

M