The Cruisers Essentials List

[atoll]

Atoll: Don't know what to do with your raw supplies. Can you really machine things on the open seas? Paint and metal I think you would use at port. I guess what I am asking is: Can you plan ahead and get those things in say New Zealand or do you use your stock often enough that you have to have it aboard? I'm listening.

running repairs!
you will be surprised how often things break when in use 24/7.
you also will be surprised how ingenious some repairs are due to lack of materials.
the most common repairs ive had to make underway are to the steering systems and rigging on boats ive delivered or owned.

i never miss a chance to beach the boat and touch up the anti fouling.
quite often when the oppertunity arises i'm hundreds of miles from the nearest chandler,or cannot get compatible paint!

[rover88]

I've been cruising now for six weeks, making my way slowly to the Bahamas. While I found I was well prepared for life afloat, I seem to have fallen short on preparations for time ashore. Some essentials I left or did not consider were: folding or regular bicycle, good walking shoes (well ventilated for the tropics) and a comfortable backpack. Unless you plan to spend all your time at sea, consider what you will need when visiting various ports. Something else I did not see on your list was a repair kit for your dinghy. I also agree that if you can budget for it, a sewing machine is damn handy (I have used mine twice already - once to repair a torn leech pocket and once to make a backpack out of sunbrella). A few other odds and ends to consider are: mosquito netting for hatches, cables and locks for dinghy and outboard, lots or reading material. I'd either bump the SSB up a notch or buy a cheap Sony SW/SSB receiver for offshore weather, monitoring cruising nets and entertainment. Finally, I have found that an antenna booster (apha) and Yagi antenna for wifi reception means I can stay in touch via email more easily and get more use from my laptop.

[RabidRabbit]

So I think anyone with battery Nav lights is askin for trouble, maybe on a dink, but thats it. If you only can afford battery nav lights, than you need to stay home and cant afford to cruise. For your own safety, for my safety. As a cost cutting measure all those batts after 5 years could pay for some nav lights for sure. For visabilty sure they work, but wouldnt you make sure your seen by all. Last summer I did the LED switch, went Hella Navi LED Pro. The tri/anchor from defender was $520, and in total spent $1200ish. I now have better, brighter lights than almost everyone, and wont worry about it for a long time. Also I never even considered puttin LED bulbs in my exsisting fixtures, defeats the purpose of a sealed unit. I'm not saying everyone needs to spend $1000, but batteries are a waste of money.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by gjordan

This should be a great thread, with opinions flying every direction. Here goes! Out of your primary list I would not argue with anything but the oil running lights, and the trysail. There are cheep D cell powered running lights to get you into port, and out at sea just keep a better watch and a flashlight handy. The trysail is on my almost useless list. (Refer to 2 reefs or 3 thread). Now I get to the optional list! I am glad someone else sees the usefulness of a 12 volt vacuum cleaner. I bought a 12 volt canister vacuum from an auto parts store and used it for years. Loved it. I also had a 12 volt drill and an extension cord that I bought from Radio Shack, so I could reach anywhere on the boat with either. Had a folding bike that turned into a ball of rust and was tossed. Carried scuba gear for the wife and I for a couple of years and used it so seldom that I left it home on the next boat. I got very good at free diving, but now that I am older I would consider carrying a small tank just for emergencies. I think I would move the sewing machine up to the primary list. Enough for now. (LET THE OPINIONS FLY.)____Grant.

I agree that trisails are useless PROVIDED the boat has a staysail.

[Doodles]

Isn't it sort of an oxymoron having "optional items" on a List of Essentials? Couldn't anything not "essential" be considered optional?

[denverd0n]

First, I'll do a little nit-picking. "Emergency Harness." To me the harness is not emergency equipment. When offshore it is pretty much standard, everyday wear. But that's me. A lot of people would (and do) consider it optional at best, if not completely unnecessary.

And that's the problem. What is "essential" to you might be "optional" to me and "completely useless" to someone else.

If you REALLY want to get down to a list of items that are truly and universally "essential" then it is going to be a VERY short list! Like:
1. usable sails
2. water
3. food
4. minimum, legally-required equipment (and only because they make me!)

Honestly, everything else is optional depending on your personal comfort zone.

[Canibul]

Duct Tape.

The expensive black stuff is better than the expensive gray stuff, at least down here.

[s/v Jedi]

Having a computer on the "optional" list makes it clear that this list is of times past. Let's call it the "old folk" list and make a modern one next to it for the next generation cruisers. Computer: essential. Autopilot: essential. Windvane: nostalgic. etc.

cheers,
Nick.

[Mike OReilly]

Thanks for starting this Newt.

I've reorganized the list into four categories which I find more helpful in trying to think my way through what is essential and what is not. My categories are:

Basic operations
Repair/Maintenance
Safety/Emergency
Optional Items (I left pretty much as you had it)

I've added a few items, and made notes on stuff I would remove or add in italic in this, my first pass through the list. I

Basic operations
Anchor ready
Anchor roller
Anchor windlass (mech vs electric)
Anchors (3)
Awning, cockpit canvas
Binoculars
Bosun's chair
Chain for anchors
Charts, nav tables, cruising guides
Chronometer
Depth Sounder
Dingy
Distance log and knotmeter: Not needed with GPS.
Dodger: Nice, but not necessary
Flags
weather gear">Foul weather gear (per sailor)
Fuel cans
Hand bearing compass
Handheld GPS
Harness and tether (per sailor): I removed the "emergency" from this. It is a basic necessity.
Navigation lights, electric
Radar Reflector
rain catcher
Sails, including storm jib, storm trysail, drifters and MPS: I’d ditch the trysail but make sure I have a deep third reef that is fully functional.
Ships Batteries
Shortwave receiver: I’d expand this to have full SSB bands including weatherfax.
Snorkling gear
Solar panel/ Wind mill (added)
Swim ladder or rear step up: Make sure it is accessible from the water.
VHF, handheld: I would prioritize a ship-board VHF higher than a handheld.
Voltmeter
Water cans
Whisker pole
Windvane self steering

Repair/Maintenance
Awl
Basic engine consumables (engine belts, filters, oil & coolant)
Basic set of spares (fasteners, shackles, line, clamps, wire, connectors, sail thread, sail cloth)
Battery hand drill
Dremel
Epoxy & cloth
Black tape/Duct tape
Basic hand tools (wrenches, various pliers, cutters, saws)
Multimeter

Safety/Emergency
12v Spotlight
Abandon ship bag
Bilge pump, manual & electric
Emergency watermaker (hand held?)
EPIRB: Not sure. I might leave behind.
Fire extinguishers
First Aid Kit
Flares
Liferaft: I would leave this behind.
Lifesling hoisting tackle
Metal sextant: At this point I would leave it behind (don’t have the skills yet!)
Oil Lamps with red and green paper:
Sailing rig for dinghy: Nice, but hard to stow on a small boat. Probably would get left behind.


Optional Items: a must for some but not for others.
Radar
SSB
Autopilot
Fuel Filter (must for jerry cans)
High output alternator
Outboard motor
Cabin fans
12 volt vacuum cleaner
Watermaker
Refrigeration
Sewing Machine
SCUBA gear
Weather Fax
Inverter
Towing generator
Computer (must for C.F.er's)
Satphone
Video Camcorder
Folding Bike
Roller Furling Sails
Underwater Camera?
TV
Fully Battened main and Batt-cars

[Strygaldwir]

Duct Tape
Sail repair kit, including palm, needle, correct thread and extra sail material
Soldering Iron(butane works pretty good) and solder
Underwater epoxy
Fiberglass cloth
Jacklines
ships systems book/document.

[barnakiel]

Ooops!

We sailed WITHOUT like half of the top list (e.g. no EPIRB, no liferaft, no radar reflector) and perhaps 75% of the nice-to have list.

What now?

puzzled,
barnie

[barnakiel]

OK, maybe now I understand:

A) Newt's lists: you can do without most of the items (which ones - person specific),

B) to add:
- good supply of toilet paper - essential!

b.

[s/v Beth]

OK B, let's not get personal. As you can see Mike rehashed it just fine! What do you sail without on the list? (all of em bucko! ) I know, your just saying I'm one of those 1% with the silver spoon in his mouth.
Mike- some of the additions I disagree with. Remember this is only what you have to have. For example. My original list doesn't have an aux. motor. You also need a flashlight of some type. The backup navigation lights can be battery or oil powered. Duct tape is a good idea, as is the multimeter instead of the voltmeter. What if we cut out awning and just put a canvas tarp that can be positioned as a rainmaker or shade maker.
The optional list is for essential stuff that not everyone agrees with. I will put Aux. down there. Since the list has already changed alot I will reproduce it here.
Handheld GPS
Shortwave receiver
VHF, handheld
Dingy, unsinkable type with oars and sailing kit.
Windvane self steering
Depth Sounder
Distance log and knotmeter
Bilge pump
Emergency watermaker (hand held)?
EPIRB
Harness and tether (per sailor)
Flares
First Aid Kit
Fire extinguishers
12v Spotlight or Flashlight
Radar Reflector
Navigation lights, electric
Ships Batteries
Multimeter
Foul weather gear (per sailor)
Hand tools
Block and tackle to be used as vang/ preventer/ hoisting tackle
Whisker pole which can be used as boat hook
Water cans
Fuel cans
Bosun's chair
Swim ladder or rear step up
Snorkling gear
Oil or D-cell Lamps with red and green paper.
Anchor roller
Anchor ready
Anchors (3)
Hand bearing compass
Binoculars
Chronometer
metal sextant?
Charts, nav tables, cruising guides
Sails, including storm jib, 3 reefed main, drifters
cockpit canvas for shade, rain catch
Flags
Chain for anchors
Anchor windlass
Abandon ship bag
Optional Items: a must for some but not for others.
Dodger
Radar
SSB
Autopilot!
Fuel Filter (must for jerry cans)
High output alternator
Outboard motor
Solar panel
Cabin fans
12 volt vacuum cleaner
Watermaker?
Refrigeration
Sewing Machine
SCUBA gear?
Weather Fax
Inverter
Towing generator
Computer (must for C.F.er's)
Satphone
Video Camcorder
Folding Bike?
Roller Furling Sails
Fully Battened main and Batt-cars.
Fishing and crabbing gear
Crash kit for holed GRP
Drogues/sea anchor!
Sheet to tiller steering kit
Auxillary motor
Jacklines

[gjordan]

Rabid Rabbit, The little D cell running lights are only for use if your electrical system packs up. Your system sounds great, but a bit pricey. Having delivered many boats up the California coast, I consider a dodger essential on a personal boat. NEWT, you now have a full time job with this list.____Grant.

[s/v Beth]

BTW- the reason VHF is just handheld is that is the simplest you can get away with. And the ?/! signs are a vote to either move the item up(!) or get rid of the item (?). As for TP- a lot of the world does not use it (It's TRUE!! ) but I will put it under optional.