Any Preppers ?

[Wavewacker]

The Today Show just did a segment on preppers, those people stocking up on food and supplies for the end of the world or some unforseen event that would put them in a position to live off what they had for some time.

They said there are over 3 million prepper households (guess that would be about equal to 12 million people with 4 in the household).

Cruisers probably were not considered, but you stock up provisions for each cruise. Being on a boat certainly limits space available to store beans, but does anyone have a stash ashore?

How would or how do you, prepare???

[knottygurl]

the hardest thing to store is water, so that would be your main concern to replenish, via watermaker, rain collection systen or both. Second would be power to run the items as in any place. Solar or wind is needed.
You would need to re learn how to cook with dried items because of soaking times and cooking times being changed.
then store the basics that would make up the major portion of your menu's.

There are lots of food choices, dried foods, thermostabilized, air sealed. Being able to dry and or smoke your own would be a good thing as well.
Lots of food can be dried yourself, then canning comes into play.
A combination of the above will see you through pretty much all.
One thing to remember if it's your time then it's your time.

[osirissail]

Well, certainly not for any "end of the world" purposes, but when you do go cruising to other areas of the world it is very likely that a lot of your favorite foods and spices and products will not be available. So it is common to "stock up" on specific brands and types of supplies that are your favorites and unique to your home location.

Especially paper products as folks in other countries do not often use the same style and brands that you are used to. And the prices at "home" are often considerably less than buying them someplace where they have to be "shipped in."

It is amazing how many "spaces" you can find to store things on a boat. A lot of the insides of a boat are made rectangular while the hull shape is curved. So there are quite a few "corners" and other spaces to stashing stuff away. However, the high humidity environment is not kind to metal or paper/cardboard packaging so we use a lot of different kinds of "sealable containers" and even vacuum packagers to "re-package" stuff for long term storage.

For my first time "down island" I was able to store about 2 to 3 years worth of "uniquely" American foodstuffs and other supplies on board. They lasted even longer than the 2-3 years limit I chose and the money saved by not having to buy "imported" replacements in the islands was significant. But even better, I had my favorites available to me when I wanted them instead of having to do without or with a local substitute that was not as personally desirable.

Funny thing, on some of the smaller islands, the foodstuffs in cans, etc. on the shelves of the little stores/shops was older than the ones I had bought down island on the boat.

[JoeDiver]

I don't because nothing is going to happen. The whole idea is silly. I've seen a few of those shows about Doomsday Preppers. To each his own ya know, but I just shake my head and sorta feel bad for those folks. Wasted time and energy, resources....and this time next year we'll all be laughing at these folks for wasting their time and money.

There is NO Mayan doomsday prophecy. Their long count calendar is ending. That is all. Nothing else. Nada. Zilch. There isn't going to be catastrophic volcanic activity, tidal waves, solar flares (CME's)....it's just going to be another December day for you to rush around finishing up your Christmas shopping.

EVERYTHING else is speculation, panic, self fulfilling prophecy and overall general sillyness. That, and ALOT of very greedy people making money off of people's fears! Don't be sucked in to stupidity.

So...speculation wise....why does it have to be bad? Why can't it be good? Maybe something good will happen? Has just as much chance of happening as something bad does.

[knottygurl]

There isn't going to be catastrophic volcanic activity, tidal waves, solar flares (CME's)....it's just going to be another December day for you to rush around finishing up your Christmas shopping.

Here's some FYI, looks like you nodded off for a spell.....

On December 24, 2004, the people of South Asia and East Africa were unexpectedly hit by a tsunami. This natural disaster resulted in tremendous destruction throughout these areas. However, Sri Lanka was particularly affected. In Sri Lanka, the tsunami resulted in 31,187 deaths, 4,280 missing people, 23,189 injured people, and the displacement of 545,715 people

March 11 2011 The most powerful earthquake in Japan’s recorded history hit the nation Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that caused widespread destruction and a death toll that continues to climb.

Japanese police said they found between 200 and 300 bodies in Sendai, the city closest to the epicentre.
By early Saturday, reports from the Kyodo news service said up to 1,000 were dead, with 10,000 missing.

The 8.9-magnitude offshore quake struck midday in Japan, causing massive damage to the northeastern part of the nation as buildings toppled and fires raged. After the major temblor hit at 2:46pm (Japanese time), a huge tsunami followed, washing away vehicles, homes, and anyone unlucky enough to be in its path.

nothing, NADA zilch ????
It happens everyday some are just worse then others. But to outright disqualify this as disastrous is just juvenile.
And this was 2 mins to find copy and paste some info.

Mt St Helens comes to mind, tornado s, and DFW does get those, I have seen them when I was in Duncanville, and Red Oak as well.
then the flooding in Texas was a big deal back in 2008.

Stuff happens everyday and everywhere, and some kills and destroys property and lives.

[Nemo55]

I'm with JoeDiver on this one, I used to be worried when the big Bad USSR was our main enemy, living under the threat of nuclear war and all.
But all this end of the world crap is just like those loony tune churches which get ready for the assencion everytime the earth hiccups.

[Wavewacker]

Joe, I find some of these people plain nuts, some think a space ship will be on the way....

But as to prepping, my GF has about two weeks of normal stuff and some is stored in the garage area that is pretty secure from tornados. I agree with taking stuff in for unexpected disaters that do happen. Lastest out break of tornados as an example, do you think flashlight batteries are on sale right now? LOL

If you take advantage of sales and specials on food, you will get to a point where you only have to buy when things are on sale, never paying full price for much at all, so it saves you money.

Prepping is a big business, books, tapes and survival classes, it gets pretty silly I think. I can see where people who have never been in the military may not have a clue in an emergency, but I'm hard wired for survival anyway, I'm not worried. If that astroid hits me, it's all over anyway!

BTW, in a tornado area (large area) all communications can be destroyed. In Joplin, the police and fire radios were out, cell towers were out and those that were upwere crammed with traffic and went down a 100 miles away. The only commo we had was Ham radio and CBers. I was with the Red Cross on emergency calls to assist over the years and when a house burns or gets blown away, you'd be surprised maybe to know that most stand there with nothing, no food, no water and no clothes or very little.

But prepping can save you money.

[Tellie]

Predicting a certain future either way is foolish. History has a funny way of doing things more than once.
That being said, if there is any group out there that probably has the best grasp as a whole on how to survive on their own, with little, who can generate their own power and water in a survival pod it is a small cruising sailor. And with that being said, a sailboat is probably the worst idea for a survival pod when the Zombies take over.

[osirissail]

Silly "End of the world crap" - I think maybe there were a few dinosaurs back 65 million years ago sitting around a "dino-tiki bar" that said the same thing. "Nah! nothing bad could happen, drink up, be happy."

[Sorry couldn't resist . . .]

[Nemo55]

My comments cant be any more crazy than the comments of the worrywarts out there,,if the earth doesnt want us around anymore,,there is nothing you and your can opener can do about it....Period!!!!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

The Today Show just did a segment on preppers, those people stocking up on food and supplies for the end of the world or some unforseen event that would put them in a position to live off what they had for some time.

They said there are over 3 million prepper households (guess that would be about equal to 12 million people with 4 in the household).

Cruisers probably were not considered, but you stock up provisions for each cruise. Being on a boat certainly limits space available to store beans, but does anyone have a stash ashore?

How would or how do you, prepare???

Two things surprise me.
1. What is the use of a huge food stash (or whatever) if the world ENDS, can't live without planet earth remaining pretty much like it is now.
2. Why do we always assume that we are the lucky ones who will survive some major unforeseen event that kills off most of the others?

[atoll]

i'm still looking for nubile boat building girls to join the harem............must be low maintanance,of pleasent disposition.....................

[amytom]

I'm glad this thread came up. Reminds me it's time to refill our "hurricane stash" I guess that's what Florida preppers do.
Surviving the end of the world? Not likely. Getting hungry after a hurricane knocks out power to the grocery stores; been there done that.

[Wavewacker]

I'm not at all on the "end of the world" line or reasoning. If the world explodes I'll be happy to go with everyone else, thinking of scrounging over the face of the earth with total devistation is for the movies.

Natural disaters are real things and it makes life alot different for awhile. I've been in floods, ice storms, tornados and fire storms. Some may think prepping is just for the end of days bunch, but those folks are the smallest group of prepping from what I have seen or heard of, it's for short term disaters so you can take care of yourself.

Zombies, LOL! Is that referring to civil unrest, like riots and bands of looting gangs? That is a possibility if things don't get better, but I don't go there.

[Tellie]

What! You don't believe in Zombies?