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Cheechako · 23-03-2021, 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mjames

Thanks for the fluids suggestion...sounds about right. I've done searching for the 5 gallon buckets- found this set of four gallon ones- https://www.amazon.com/Square-Bucket.../dp/B010GC1E42. I also intend to put the low value, low weight Type II PFD's for USCG numbers in a net under an Atlantic Tower aluminum arch we installed. And bought this bracket for paddle boards- https://www.amazon.com/Magma-Product.../dp/B00MNQSHFE

Boy, they aren't giving them away are they! The round ones are $3 at Home Depot etc.

**JPA Cate** · 23-03-2021, 17:27

@MJames:

One thing to be aware of, if those are inflatable SUPs, for offshore, let the air out and stow them under berths. You wouldn't want to tear the stanchions off if a big wave hit one of them inflated.

Ann

ON edit: The same is true for on-deck stowage of fuel or water jugs: it carries a risk with it.

CassidyNZ · 23-03-2021, 18:02

When we first prepped our boat for a voyage from the US to NZ (two weeks after buying her), we despaired at the “lack of storage”. Now that we have sailed her for going on two decades and without any major changes, we have no problem packing everything we need for a passage.

I think the first realisation is you don’t need to turn your boat into a Tesco or Walmart. You don’t need more groceries than you will consume on the passage. So if you’re a pessimist, budget for twice the time you think it’s going to take. But the days of peeling labels off and varnishing hundreds of tins of food are long gone.

You don’t need enough tools to rebuild the boat. Many of the repairs sailors carry tools for can in any case not be done at sea. Same goes for spare parts. When I rationalised the spares I need it came down to a handful of components and half the tools and suddenly my previously stuffed “workshop” locker was half empty.

Before we left San Diego, my wife made me go to the fueling dock and squeeze the last litre of water into the tanks. When we got to Bora Bora, we took on 50% of our capacity, topped up a hundred litres or so in Rarotonga and made it home with half our capacity still in the tanks. This was pre-watermaker.

Also clothing. At first we had lockers jammed with clothes like we were permanently moving to a new country. Now, on a trip likely to take 2 weeks at sea, I will use lots of underwear, not so many T-shirts, almost no shorts and very little warm clothing. Of course this depends on where you’re sailing but whatever your initial thoughts are on what you’re going to need, cut that in half or even to a third.

On a 43ft boat, you already have more than enough storage, the passage of time will teach you where it is and how to use it. Don’t let that cause you pass on a boat you otherwise love.

Oh, and as Jim Cate alluded to, I never, ever carry anything up against the stanchions or (in our case) guard rails.

Mjames · 23-03-2021, 18:36

Really wise advice, thank you very much. This four months cruising the great lakes is a bit of a low risk shake out for us as cruisers. We will be heading to still somewhat tame cruising grounds of the Caribbean and we are willing students. I/we so appreciate the supporting advice.

Mjames · 23-03-2021, 18:43

Thanks for this advice. I was/am worried about the stanchions. I reseated every one of them after a winter shrink wrap (won't do that again) and I am not sure I trust them even with the spread footers. Definitely won't use them to store SUP's during passage, just local cruising. Plus we need to work off calories by inflating them after all the stores we will likely carry initially and laugh about a few seasons from now. You guys have been incredible!

Rohan · 24-03-2021, 06:36

I'll modify one of my earlier suggestions - if you have just two cabins instead of three, I would think hard before filling one of them up too much. When two people are living in a small box on the water for a length of time, it's good for each person to have a little space where they can close the door and get away.

Or if you do so, you can fill it with your consumables, so that by the time you are sick of each other some space has been created...