Cruising Essentials?

IMHO Solar is still very expensive. If one has a genny one is more than adequately prepared, especially if one of the engines has a high powered alternator. But they are quiet.
 
quote:
Originally posted by boatbum

IMHO Solar is still very expensive. If one has a genny one is more than adequately prepared, especially if one of the engines has a high powered alternator. But they are quiet.

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I've got my Honda portable genny. :D

Here goes a new thread.

Bob
 
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

Thanks Nancy & Bill: They sound great but I checked the web site but don’t understand how they are better or different than regular bags.

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They are lined with something that absorbs and/or neutralize the gas given off as fruits and veggies ripen. Thus slowing down the ripening process. So your fruits and veggies last longer.

A vacuum bag machine is nice to have too.
 
Oh no Mr. Bill not the Honda genny thing, I am making no comment, seriously!
Since I thought you were talking about emergency equipment I will change my post. Other than the obvious provisions, Sat TV, the largest house bank you can afford to carry without sinking the boat (LOL), an inverter is nice, a small freezer, to make the house bank last interior LED lighting and an LED anchor light (USCG approved) really help. For communications SSB as well as VHF FM is nice as is a VSAT internet connection (expensive) but they work everywhere and so does it's phone connection, to me the water maker comes in handy since even if I don't leave the dock and I am always the last boat out I can re-fill my tanks when the water is shut off a month prior to us being pulled it also allowed me to reduce the size of my water tanks for house batteries. Obviously for anchoring out 2 anchors or 3 and associated rigging. The primary anchor windlass system should be oversized and have BB chain with a swivel. 12 volt BORA fans are nice for cooling at night after the sun goes down and you don't want to run the generator. Me I like internet connections so have as many methods to get there be it WiFi, AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon. I left the VSAT out because it is almost $12 a meg so it only gets used in emergencies. I prefer a ham radio SSB unit over marine SSB because hams know how to help in emergencies and you can always find someone on the air. Trash is also a problem so a compactor is nice but they are heavy and require AC. I also have solar panels to help keep the house bank up while we are on deck sunning, at anchor or cruising. I know I left something out.
Bill
 
Dan, what kind of dinghy are you looking at getting? We still have our little 6 HP west marine inflatable from our previous boat but want to get something bigger. We have a davit on the new boat so I am thinking about a 12 ft RIB with a 25 hp motor. But it would be nice to have something big enough to take on the Atlantic side for fishing and diving when weather is nice. I dont mind fishing in the bigger boat but I am pretty nervous taking the big boat into the reef areas to dive. Our previous boat had outdrives and we could just tip them up if things got sketchy. Last year we took the new boat to the Bahamas a few times but I was afraid to to anchor near the reefs like we use to.

I am also curious what the you guys think is an acceptable weight to keep on the swim platform (which is integral with hull form under about 50% of the extension) and not affect ride much. Boat weighs 40,000 lbs.

-Rick

50 Viking Sport Cruiser
 
quote:
I've got my Honda portable genny. :D
Here goes a new thread.

Bob


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Heh! That's a good one!. We've been to the Abacos twice now, and still haven't died from our Honda. Heck, they're popping up everywhere down there. The sun starts to set and all the boats in the ancchorage start to hum with the low dB's of the Hondas coming to life for a few hours.

I'll agree with a lot of what was said above. Dan knows darn well since he's there right now. I do love having a watermaker (yes, it's 12v, but I bought it from Bill, so it's a good one!). We even carry a Wonder Washer (manual) washer and dryer when we're there. Explorer Charts are a must. My MSSAT dish with DishNetwork is great in the Bahamas (at anchor or on a mooring).

Heck, when are you going? We'll be back in Florida in May. We're toying with trying to get to the Exumas this year.
 
I have to add that the first trip we didn't have a dink (our draft is 18", and our foredeck is a set of steps that drop down to walk off the boat when beaching). However, last year we got a great deal on a little dink with a 2.5hp 2-stroke Merc. Now we can't figure how we ever lived without the thing. So, to agree with Dan again, a dink is a must.
 
quote:
Originally posted by mixman

Heck, when are you going? We'll be back in Florida in May. We're toying with trying to get to the Exumas this year.
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Right now I am looking at mid-May. I have decided to do a few more things to the boat before I go and will take until about then to get everything done and fully tested.

I already have a dink so that part is easy.

I do appreciate everyone's suggestions. I haven't done this in a while except for short trips and I know things have changed so all the input is appreciated.

My boat is only 28' so not much way I can carry everything suggested unless I buy a 35' dink. :)

Dan, the Soda Stream is a good idea but I drink my Bourbon "On The Rocks" and I do have a counter top ice maker. So, with that and my little Honda genny and I am good to go.

Plus, I am going to have my watermaker on board before I go.

Thanks again.

Bob
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If one is not hard wired already, an inverter can come in handy. Aligator clips onto the battery & run the engine if in doubt of your reserve battery power.
 
Oh, I forgot to add, a Verizon Wireless global data connection (aircard, netbook, or PDA) with a cellular amp and an external cellular marine antenna. They've got a roaming agreement with Batelco for unlimited data for around $65/month. Speeds are GSM (around 120k). I had signal all through the Abacos last year (even at Great Sale). Batelco maps show they have most of the Exumas covered as well.
 
Bob make sure it's an AC unit. The DC stuff has to run forever to fill a tank. They make less water over here. We are going to upgrade to AC when we get back to the States.

Rick you'll soon have mail.
 
Dan,

My Katadyne 12v system runs great. I think you got a bum unit. What brand is yours again?
 
Kurt I am working with them still. How many GPH at what current do you get? We're lucky to get 6 GPH at about 28 amps.
And that is at about 200 PPM TDS, and you should be testing yours with a hand held also.

Bob add that to the list. A hand held TDS meter so you can keep an eye on the fresh water you make or purchase. It fluctuates quite a bit down here and some marinas are well above WHO water standards to the point people think they're in Mexico (for a reason).
 
quote:
Originally posted by mixman

Oh, I forgot to add, a Verizon Wireless global data connection (aircard, netbook, or PDA) with a cellular amp and an external cellular marine antenna. They've got a roaming agreement with Batelco for unlimited data for around $65/month. Speeds are GSM (around 120k). I had signal all through the Abacos last year (even at Great Sale). Batelco maps show they have most of the Exumas covered as well.
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Did your Verizon phone work as well? We didn't go to the Bahamas last year, but the year before our Verizon phone did not work anywhere in the Abacos even though Verizon claimed that it would.
 
We have a global enabled phone and BTC did not cooperate well. I was thinking about getting a sim card for it but since Skype was adequate we didn't bother.
 
I never tried the phone service as it's $1.99/minute and we have a sat phone on the boat. However, Verizon data was fantastic and the bill was as anticipated ($65 flat for the month). I had signal all over the place.

Dan, I have a 180E from Katadyne. I think the peak draw is about 20 amps (the average on the meters between "pumps" is quite low, around 5 I think). Output is only rated at 3.5gph, but I tell you what, that's been plenty for us. I runn the genny a few hours each evening while charging and run the watermaker at the same time. We've always had enough H2O. You'd probably need the model 160E which is rated at 6gph.

Simple systems that work. That's the good part.

Edit: If you've got the cash, get a Spectra. I hear nothing but great things about them (Bill has one, which is why I ended up with his Katadyn).
 
Hmm. I know two people here that have Spectras, one loves it the other dumped it for a 220v AC unit. As long as we are not doing laundry the output is adequate now given the improved TDS numbers the latest fix provides. But if one intends to spend a month or so I'd opt for a solid 15 GPH unit.
And watch out for daily production claims. A 300 GPD unit might only make 60 in 12 hours!
 
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