What's the one item you couldn't live without on an ocean passage?

[zeehag]

snake catching stick. forked.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Is that like "fire water"?

Mauritz
No idea what you're talking about!

When distilled to 151 levels.... YES!

[vtcapo]

Water and a lot of it. Watermaker if you can afford it.......

[virginia boy]

Mosquito netting/screens!

[svstrider]

Originally Posted by Teknav

The MOST important instrument in an airplane's cockpit is the COMPASS!

I vote for a compass. Having done lightning alley (aka Malacca Straits) twice now. When in the middle of an electric firestorm and put all the electronics into the oven, the compass and some pink streamers off the stays have been all I have had to work off. It amazes me how dependant we have become on electronics. The old standbys were all we had in 1977 and we managed.


Had to relearn that if the boat is heading too far to starboard then steer to starboard & vice versa. Something to do with my weird compass. After half an hour I got the hang of it - but one hell of a learning curve in driving rain with nil visibility.

[gjordan]

Since the OP NOMN has a small boat and is asking about 20 day or longer passages, with presumably limited water, I would recommend baby wipes. Yes you can live without them, but when water is limited they make a lot of sense for comfort. Used for what they are designed for and for just a quick wipe down bath they make life better. Even on a larger boat with plenty of water, it is nice to do a 60 second wipe down at the end of a watch, when you dont want to take the time for a real shower. You sleep better when clean. -------Not a must have, but a Nice to have.______Grant.

[rebel heart]

I like fishing, so my penn vsx 50 and a calstar rod. A cedar plug and a sharpening stone. Some knives.

FISH ON!

[rebel heart]

From a few days ago, nailed a dorado on a cedar plug with a bunch of dolphins hopping around in the background there. Where there are dolphins, you best have a plug in the water!

[boatsail]

Originally Posted by Teknav

The MOST important instrument in an airplane's cockpit is the COMPASS!

Mauritz

wings?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

From a few days ago, nailed a dorado on a cedar plug with a bunch of dolphins hopping around in the background there. Where there are dolphins, you best have a plug in the water!

The planet you are sailing on seems very small - your circumnav is going to be faster than you thought

Mark

[goboatingnow]

"A real comfy, secure" DRY, "sea bunk with excellent ventilation"

unfortunately I find you get to choose only two of the above

[In Training]

Ok, I don't fish so this will appear to be a stupid question -- but -- so then you don't have to worry about the dolphin taking the plug?

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by In Training

Ok, I don't fish so this will appear to be a stupid question -- but -- so then you don't have to worry about the dolphin taking the plug?

Never heard of it happening, and normally tuna boils have dolphins and you try to bum rush right in. I think dolphins are way too smart.

[NOMN]

Snake catching stick. wtf?!!

[roverhi]

A self steering vane, never leave the dock without it. Can't imagine going anywhere having to steer the whole way there. Don't trust autopilot reliability and they get very expensive feeding them all those electrons when run 24/7 in the real world.

Other than that, a dry bunk is kind of comfy.