Must Have for my cruising sailboat??

[Aquaholic101]

Narrowing down my boat search that the wife and I will be crusing on 6 months a yr. Currently living in FL and will be cruising the Keys, Bahamas and eventually Carribean. What would you say are "Must Haves" i.e. Electronics, Watermaker, Solar panels etc? So I will decide buying a boat that will cost more money that will have these items or will spend less up front and upgrade the boat with must haves. I appreciate all comments

[Benz]

Sir,
What you MUST have is different for every single cruiser out there. Only you can decide what you must have. For me, plenty of water jugs, good paper chart coverage, heavy ground tackle, and gobs of storage for food are absolute musts. Everything else (a decent boat being a given), is negociable. Most here will add far more than that.

[minisailor]

What is your budget?

[Teknav]

Shallower draft; preferably under 5 feet keel. A stern with dinghy davits and an access ladder. A compact and safe galley. Reefing system leading to the cockpit's electric winches. Three essential equipment: A water-maker, an Autopilot and an AIS. Electrical generators: Wind turbine and solar panels. Communications: A Satellite Phone and a SSB radio. Extra fuel tank storage, for long haul cruising. Comfortable berth. That's all!

[Tellie]

Every person is going to be different. But "Must Haves"? There are no "Must Haves" because a boat in the first place is not a "Must Have" It is a luxury, therefore anything you add to it is a luxury. Get the boat first and play with it for a while then it will become far more clear as to the luxuries you'll want to add that will fit you and the type of cruising comforts you'll want.

[sailorboy1]

I assume we are talking beyond the absolute minimum stuff, so:

good autopilot

[TacomaSailor]

The things I would not going cruising without

- good autopilot that can steer to apparent wind
- backup autopilot
- windvane
- radar
- easy and deep reefing
- big anchors
- more big anchors
- lots of chain for my big anchors
- lots of extra rode for my big anchors
- lots of snubbers for my chain for my big anchors
- paper charts
- good dodger that will protect me from rain/spray
- watermaker

I may be wrong about the list above 'cause all my cruising has been done with the stuff listed but I've used all that stuff endlessly and would be lost, unhappy, and probably really scared without it.

[Jimbo485]

1. Hull
2. Mast, rigging, sails
3. Rudder
4. Rum

[Teknav]

Jimbo! I definitely forgot RUM in my post of must have! Rum is an all purpose elixir. Not only you can make rum punches, but if you are cut/scrapped you can pour rum into the wound to sanitize it thus preventing infection. Cheers! <hic>

[Tim Godber]

Well most of the above have summarised my requirements, but one ommission is good refridgeration. Yes, ice in Rum is important, a cool place for food as well, but we find that now we have a proper freezer we have really extended our time at anchor or sailing as opposed to harbour time. Notwithstanding good solar and wind power, a must, this unfortunately takes us into the generator zone. When speccing up our boat requirements over the years, there is a point at which they become a must have, and thus the size of boat becomes important, so be aware that as your must haves increase, so does the minimum boat size! I cruise on my Little Harbor and love it, but back at home I have a simple day boat, which gives most pleasure? Very difficult question!

[carstenb]

Every time you add something, it becomes a good reason to buy a bigger boat. My advice? Buy a big enough boat that you both can be comfortable in, safety equipment first, necessary comfort equipment second, "really nice to have" third.

That didn't answer your question, because only you can.

[Tim Godber]

Ah yes, that is the best way to do it, but most are in our place, they buy the biggest boat they can afford and over the years their available cash increases and the must have that were unnecessary become necessary! Is it the flip side of ageing, as you do your eyesight fails and so the wife you have stays as lovely as she ever was?

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Tim Godber

Ah yes, that is the best way to do it, but most are in our place, they buy the biggest boat they can afford and over the years their available cash increases and the must have that were unnecessary become necessary! Is it the flip side of ageing, as you do your eyesight fails and so the wife you have stays as lovely as she ever was?

Well my boat got bigger over the years, fortunately, my wife did not

But you're right of course. Some "nice to haves" have become "must haves" as the years have gone by

[SkiprJohn]

Dear Santa,
Dodger, bimini, windvane, anchor with chain and rode, anchor roller, windlass (manual or electric), vhf radio, propane stove, EPIRB and a liferaft. Good rigging and good sails and a strong rudder post or pintles and gudgeons. A good running diesel engine. Opening ports. A couple solar panels and good LED running and cabin lights.

[Teknav]

John! You forgot to ask for a new SINK! Happy holidays!