Starting from Scratch

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by theodyssey

......................
Azul + CaptForce [again] - had no idea such things even existed, but it was a worry of mine [mainly because a bottle of nice cool wine always seemed to go so well with a sunset off of a bow] - any in particular you'd suggest [IE: Dometic?].........................

I have a friend with a Dometic that he is very pleased with; however, I don't think they make one that is an actual freezer. -I may be wrong. We use one of the cold plates that operates with a Danfloss compressor and exchanges heat with the air using a small fan. The units that exchange heat with water by pumping sea water through the boat work well, but it takes far more energy to pump water than to move air. If you can do well without the freezer, then skip it. Devices that heat or cool are the biggest energy pigs on board!

[Azul]

1. that Manson looks like the way to go. I could only afford the galvanized steel version though, will that matter? .... galvanized is fine. Also check out the Mantus. If you are in a marina you can get by without a fancy anchor for awhile as you can just go out in favorable weather. If you are working it is extremely difficult to anchor out, I tried it and it wasn't worth it for me.
2. would you advise solar panels vs. wind generator? .... Solar. Look at DM Solar 145 Watt panels, two for $330 including shipping. And a cheap HQRP controller. WalMart 96 AH Marine batteries with a 3 year warranty. Personally I cannot stand the noise a wind generator makes, solar is extremely reliable, maintenance free and cost effective.
3. glad you brought this up - am considering a Sea Eagle inflatable kayak... thoughts? ..... Ugly hard dink with 6 foot oars. Nesting if you can find one or build a Danny Green Chameleon for $650 if you have time. An Avon Redcrest with a Honda 4 stroke is nice but costly and people steal outboards. Hard to stay dry in a kayak, although nice if you are single, don't mind getting your butt wet and like to explore skinny water.
4. impeller is on the list.
5. per insurance - am, as a lot are, I can assume, scared about damaging/sinking the boat. what insurance should I be looking at, and what would simply be a waste? Liability insurance, self insure the hull. Boat US for towing.
6. and 7. - on it.

My Dometic has a small freezer, enough to make ice and store a little ice cream in a zip lock but that's it. It will hold a whole case of beer though. Lots of things like eggs don't need refrigeration. These units are pricey new, circa $1000. You can turn your built in "ice box" into a refer/freezer if you are handy, there are lots of threads on how to do this but it isn't easy and takes considerable time. I installed my Dometic in an afternoon and it looks "factory installed." Plus, I can turn my large icebox into a huge freezer someday.

[onestepcsy37]

hope the other guys on this thread won't mind if i add my two cents to what they've said.

solar/wind. go solar. there's daylight every day but not always wind. solar is also much easier and cheaper to install, and, once it's installed it's generally trouble free. not so with wind power.

autopilot - an electric autopilot needs to be fed - electricity. if you have limited electric power you might not be able to use it on a long passage. wind vane autopilots demand no electric but do require some skill to use. your choice.

you can only afford a galvanized manson. that's great! you want the galvanized manson, not the stainless. never use stainless on your anchoring system. it has all kinds of problems when immersed in salt water. stick with galvanized. and thank you for choosing a manson supreme. i'll sleep better if i ever find myself anchored near you.

sea eagle inflatable kayak. don't think i would choose that. a plastic kayak might be a better choice and could probably be stored along your lifelines. look up the portabote at www.portabote.com. a long term cruiser i know swears by it.

insurance. depending on the value of your boat and the rate the carrier quotes, you may decide to go without insurance; spend the money on big anchors, chain, batteries, bilge pumps, and maintenance.

long term liveaboard i know had his built in fridge system fail after fifteen years. being short on cash, he trashed it and bought a stand alone dometic fridge. he didn't install it, just tied it to his quarter berth. says it uses a whole lot less power than his old built in fridge. on most boats, the fridge is the biggest power draw; mine uses more than 50% of my daily requirements.

[Hudson Force]

My 2 cubic feet of freezer space and four cubic feet of refrigeration space require an approximate constant 2 amps. This is my biggest power usage. Can someone give me an amperage use for the Dometics with a related cubic feet.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by theodyssey

let me apologize first - am sure a post like this comes up weekly.

long story short, in a few months, I'll be living on my 31' Grampian Classic... even though I've never lived aboard. and - aside from a 3-4 month stint in the English Channel with a little 24' sloop - know very little about sailing.

but making the decision to do it - even though I've not even met the Grampian - was the easiest one I've ever made.

the past hour has been spent combing through old archives of the experienced guiding the newbies, which is what I'm asking for now.

long story short - what do you wish you would have known when you first started cruising?

I would very much appreciate any and all advice you might have. from the big to the minute.

thanks a million..

Odyssey, that's the topic of my blog. I hope you'll check it out! This is a temporary site. I hope to move it soon to my own domain.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by theodyssey

great stuff so far - thank you.

for attempts at a much simpler life, it certainly can be daunting at first - everything one needs to learn.

wingNwing - such good advice. I think it'll be wifi for me [short hair and, from what I hear, a fridge would be a lot of work/power]... but yes. am currently camping while I bike around Europe for a year, so the furthest thing away from that will be needed!

any literature I should be reading right now? Bible's - so to speak - to absorb?

am also fighting the urge to buy everything I can, but have also seen what happens to GearHeads [see: stuck in the marina wondering which of their 100 wires has a short].

anything I should spend my money on, and shouldn't? a massive anchor, as mentioned, but solar vs. wind powered charging? an autopilot or [insert name of the old school wind auto pilot things]?

help mold me now, before I turn into one of those 30-somethings who sail for a weekend and come back knowing everything. wink.

I think you mean a wind vane.

Buy some of that safety netting and use it to cover shelves when you sail so stuff doesn't go flying. It goes up and down very easily.

[skipper68]

Definitely get an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, usually called EPIRB and register it.
BTW, have you figured how much food you will require?
Others here can give you their shopping lists for ideas.
Congratulations on your new boat.

[tbodine88]

Be sure to carry enough food for voyages, plan for emergencies. I wouldn't have run out of beer and been reduced to just eating crackers and drinking water sailing for Puerto Rico to Dominican Republic, when what I thought would be a simple day sail turned into a three day trip.

[theodyssey]

sorry for the delay, guys. Greek Islands called a bit too loudly.

am wondering if posterity wouldn't have me now take each of these questions I've asked and turn them into a separate post? what's the preferred method of that?

reason I ask is now, I'm wondering more than I originally thought [guess that happens with great information!], for example:

the true need for a fridge.
anchor comparisons.
if lifelines are an absolute need [mine currently doesn't have any]
plastic kayak vs. inflatable kayak for a boat tender.
RECIPES. [obviously one of the more important ones.]
where to take out a second mortgage to be able to afford a wind vane.

... and so on.

selfishly, I like it all being right here. but it would seem in the spirit to make numerous posts in the different forums?

regardless, thank each of you for helping out. it's turned initial worry into overall excitement... and it sounds like being in over-your-head will simply be part of the whole experience, right?