First time cruising, what should I have on board?

[impi]

Got it guys - sorry for the mix up - clearly irritating a lot of folks on this one so will scoot outta here - cheers for now - Brent

[fishbait58]

I second the motion bringing plenty of tools and make sure all bilge pumps work. Also, frequently checking all systems during trip. We just purchased our boat and moved it from Freeport, Tx to Gulfport, MS just this past week. Twice we took on water. Once from the rudder post seal and the second time was from drive shaft thru hull bearing. Luckily, caught the leak before we took on a lot of water. During the second leak, the bilge pump didn't kick on. The bilge pump worked during the first leak but wouldn't kick on the second leak. Luckily, when I unwired and rewired bilge pump it started working. I will be replacing it.


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[Paul Annapolis]

Great advice to take tools and make sure the bilge pumps work. Really? Check systems during the trip? Really? Oh and don't forget to bring some food and water....and a working compass too...and an anchor is a good idea--preferably attached with some rope and chain....So you took on water in the rudder post and drive shaft and the bilge pump did not work and you are giving basic, simple advice here? Again I am confused. You just bought a boat and took her on a long trip and you learned a few things and you are sharing that--which is of course to be commended but I must ask--why was your boat so woefully unprepared? Did you not survey or inspect it? Did the surveyor miss these things? Did you not check the pumps and thru-hulls? I am absolutely interested in trying to be of help here with many OP's and in many comments but I am constantly amazed at some of the level of questions posed and the well meaning and earnest attempts of many to provide answers but at some point the level of common sense just sinks--and perhaps we need more bilge pump commenters to start cleaning out the mess. When we get to the point of telling someone to check bilge pumps on a boat trip is it because nobody else thought of it or are we insulting each other's intelligence here or what? I suppose if you did not do it then perhaps others did not as well. I am really trying to understand how to make this excellent forum even a better forum and I am feeling as if some of the threads are just plain old silly. Oh--and take some drinking water. Sea water is not good for you either leaking in the boat or in your tummy.

[fishbait58]

I'm not sure why some people have to so rude and snarky. Our boat was surveyed but if a boat hasn't been used much in a while unexpected problems can arise. Nothing wrong with being prepared. The question was asked about to bring. Not everyone has the same experience, knowledge, and thought process.


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[Paul Annapolis]

My response was neither rude nor snarky. I believe I raise serious points. Of course there is nothing wrong with being prepared but let's have some serious discussion of what that means. How can one be prepared if they have to be reminded to check bilge pumps and bring tools? What else do they need to know? Bolt the keel to the hull?First off you say your boat was surveyed but you and the surveyor missed some pretty important things that should be a integral part of any survey--and of your own inspection. That is the lesson to be learned. Don't trust surveyors! Or at least double check them/ You advise us to check bilge pumps--and bring tools and check systems--well yeah! I mean of course. How much more obvious can we get?-yet you apparently did not do it. Of course we have different levels of experience and skills and thought processes but what happens to us all on this forum when basic common sense disappears? How much of a basic level should we all sink down to in order to be useful? Check bilge pumps? If we need to give such advice DO NOT GO ON A CRUISE because you will forget to do everything else of importance. Are we helping to avert mistakes and provide knowledge or are we encouraging something else--real danger and lack of common sense processes perhaps? I want to make this excellent forum even better and I am beginning to feel that the level of input and common sense in so many threads is just...plain silly, enough to question whether they are useful. Instead of calling me snarky--why not consider what I am saying?

[deckofficer]

I'm just hanging around for RadioZ to give his trip report. From what he said in the 1st post was he was leaving last weekend. My money is on a nice, uneventful passage.

[sparrowhawk1]

Fishbait58. The question was from a first timer and you gave some good appropriate advice. Attacking you was ridiculous.

[dangerfield55]

When the bilge pump didn't kick in the second time was it because it was taken off automatic and left on manual? I agree some of the posts are absurdly basic. The reality is that most people can get off the water in an hour or two if problems arise. Also sailboats have two non over lapping propulsion systems making it even safer. The greatest risk is falling overboard.


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[impi]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...at-adrift.html

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

Please God make it stop. He is is doing a summer sail from Connecticut to Nantucket and already gotten dozens of responses--most of them repeating the same information because commenters don't read previous responses...really an AIS transceiver????? Sailorboy tells you to take lots of money! Good advice except if you follow all the other advice you will have aleady spent it. Let me know if you are buying everything at West Marine so I can buy their stock.

Paul - I scooted on out of here when I realised your irritation with my response and yes, clearly misunderstood the ops CT to be Cape Town and Stanford to be Stanford in Cape Town ... hence I thought he was crossing the Atlantic. We are not all American who immediately know CT is Conneticut and yes, perhaps if I had read the posts more thoroughly I would have gleened this info.

Still, we are all part of a sailing community and should take whatever we can from posts and as a sailor sailing around the world, I have opinions. I wrote the post from an island off Fiji somewhere having departed Cape Town a number of years ago ... I struggle with internet at the best of times and put effort into my response because I felt there would be an opportunity for the sailor op to consider the options available and make the APPROPRIATE choices for himself .. only he knows his boat condition, the sea state he would sail in and his ability.

Some people who consider themselves open minded and intelligent come across exactly the opposite. Opinions are just that ... opinions .. we all have them and it is not necessary to be so arrogant that we believe ours are any better than others.

Today I thought I would go ahead and say this ... especially given the following tragic story where an olympic sailors boat arrived without him onboard. I shudder to think what went through his mind as he hit the water and I bet he wished he had a personal Epirb (PLB), a personal AIS reciever and some more ...
If we have the money, which I do ... then buy the safety equipment folks!

Reason for me responding now after deciding to let it go is for one reason alone ... I am out there crossing oceans ... I respect the sea ... sometimes at the least expected moment we could be in trouble ... and because I care about the sailing community at large. I go to a lot of effort to share what I learn with others not for self gratification, but because I have lost enough friends to the ocean and seen the despair it causes loved ones.

So, a bit of patience with us sailors who have not read through every post, perhaps have misunderstood what we read would go a long way to keeping cruisers forum a happy forum. Sorry buddy, but you were rude!http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3140710/Olympic-sailor-30-missing-Miami-boat-adrift.html

[impi]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

My response was neither rude nor snarky. I believe I raise serious points. Of course there is nothing wrong with being prepared but let's have some serious discussion of what that means. How can one be prepared if they have to be reminded to check bilge pumps and bring tools? What else do they need to know? Bolt the keel to the hull?First off you say your boat was surveyed but you and the surveyor missed some pretty important things that should be a integral part of any survey--and of your own inspection. That is the lesson to be learned. Don't trust surveyors! Or at least double check them/ You advise us to check bilge pumps--and bring tools and check systems--well yeah! I mean of course. How much more obvious can we get?-yet you apparently did not do it. Of course we have different levels of experience and skills and thought processes but what happens to us all on this forum when basic common sense disappears? How much of a basic level should we all sink down to in order to be useful? Check bilge pumps? If we need to give such advice DO NOT GO ON A CRUISE because you will forget to do everything else of importance. Are we helping to avert mistakes and provide knowledge or are we encouraging something else--real danger and lack of common sense processes perhaps? I want to make this excellent forum even better and I am beginning to feel that the level of input and common sense in so many threads is just...plain silly, enough to question whether they are useful. Instead of calling me snarky--why not consider what I am saying?

I really and honestly hope serious sailors do not follow your advice Paul!

[sartorst]

HEY paul click that x in the upper right hand corner the pain will end

[GordMay]

Nobody's mentioned the essential "Jeremiah Peabody’s Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving Fast-Acting Pleasant Tasting Green And Purple Pills"
➥

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQIfp1TAo2I

[Bulawayo]

I am partially in agreement with Paul; I wouldn't be surprised if others are to but prefer to avoid the potential deluge of subequently indignant / caustic postings. Whether or not you agree, why shouldn't he be able to say what he feels? Is he really incorrect to point out that some 'advice' could be construed as being so obvious that it should not require to be written?
I also happen to agree that when people use geographical terms like 'CT' that some readers immediately think of Cape Town. Just as we think of PE as Port Elizabeth etc.
I believe Paul has some valid points - lift the quality of the postings, read what others have written previously to avoid duplication and assist with keeping the interest flowing.

Yeah, I dared say it. Now let the sarcasm flow......... I'm a big boy and can handle it!

[impi]

Originally Posted by Bulawayo

I am partially in agreement with Paul; I wouldn't be surprised if others are to but prefer to avoid the potential deluge of subequently indignant / caustic postings. Whether or not you agree, why shouldn't he be able to say what he feels? Is he really incorrect to point out that some 'advice' could be construed as being so obvious that it should not require to be written?
I also happen to agree that when people use geographical terms like 'CT' that some readers immediately think of Cape Town. Just as we think of PE as Port Elizabeth etc.
I believe Paul has some valid points - lift the quality of the postings, read what others have written previously to avoid duplication and assist with keeping the interest flowing.

Yeah, I dared say it. Now let the sarcasm flow......... I'm a big boy and can handle it!

Nicely balanced response ... I can live with that

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

My response was neither rude nor snarky. I believe I raise serious points. Of course there is nothing wrong with being prepared but let's have some serious discussion of what that means. How can one be prepared if they have to be reminded to check bilge pumps and bring tools? What else do they need to know? Bolt the keel to the hull?First off you say your boat was surveyed but you and the surveyor missed some pretty important things that should be a integral part of any survey--and of your own inspection. That is the lesson to be learned. Don't trust surveyors! Or at least double check them/ You advise us to check bilge pumps--and bring tools and check systems--well yeah! I mean of course. How much more obvious can we get?-yet you apparently did not do it. Of course we have different levels of experience and skills and thought processes but what happens to us all on this forum when basic common sense disappears? How much of a basic level should we all sink down to in order to be useful? Check bilge pumps? If we need to give such advice DO NOT GO ON A CRUISE because you will forget to do everything else of importance. Are we helping to avert mistakes and provide knowledge or are we encouraging something else--real danger and lack of common sense processes perhaps? I want to make this excellent forum even better and I am beginning to feel that the level of input and common sense in so many threads is just...plain silly, enough to question whether they are useful. Instead of calling me snarky--why not consider what I am saying?

As a full time subscriber to SARCASM DAILY, I enjoy a good commentary laced with the aforementioned.

Sad to say Paul, as a communicator and self declared writer, you failed in the delivery.

It is rude and snarky. Does not mean that the point of the diatribe was not a good one, I happen to think it was, but the delivery? Not so much.

You alienated and divided instead of educating and aiding. The "arrogance" of experience resulted in irritation and invalidation. I dont know what you sell on the forum, but I for one will be cautious in dealing with you if this is an example of your interaction with someone of a lower knowledge threshold in marine matters. I need to trust you, not be intimidated or ridiculed.

You stood your ground and said what you thought. Fair do's. Your entitled to do so. Dont waste the sarcasm on inexperience, give it to someone who SHOULD know better and doesnt apply it.

Flame on if you must. I have a new supply of wax dolls and heaps of syringes. I dont get mad, I get even.