Necessities or Nice to Have?
- Thread starter Brian D
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Try it before you buy it.
Stock the boat up for a 2 week trip/live aboard and go sail. Sail anywhere, to any local site, around your harbour, up and down the lake. Live aboard the entire time. Do not leave the boat unless you are in the "dink" and then only to go to the store. (How do you carry your goods back to the dink?) When you're done you will know what you really need and what isn't important.
We dreamed the dream and planned for what we needed. Sold the house, loaded the car and drove cross country. Looked non-stop for 4 weeks from N Carolina to Key Largo, up the west coast of Fla. and over to Mobile Ala. where we found the boat we wanted. Stocked up and went out for the 2 weeks. Upon our return most of what I thought I needed was fluff. Spent 4 weeks mounting items that were a must, removed what was simply "busy items or "filler".
We absolutly had a ball. Safety items are EVERYTHING! They helped remove the fear of our "own limited sailing expertice and experence". It was a must factor for my wife and also for me. Our sailing experences were not the same as those persons that live and sail on the ocean.
Ground tackle and LARGE ground tackle is a must. You never want to worry about dragging. (P.S. We always laid out a 7 to 1 scope at the least!!!) We never dragged.
Buy any items needed to overcome/support any physical deficient areas you or your partner have.
2 weeks spent living aboard and learning your boat and its systems will be cheaper and will return factually supported data about what you really need.
Ray
Stock the boat up for a 2 week trip/live aboard and go sail. Sail anywhere, to any local site, around your harbour, up and down the lake. Live aboard the entire time. Do not leave the boat unless you are in the "dink" and then only to go to the store. (How do you carry your goods back to the dink?) When you're done you will know what you really need and what isn't important.
We dreamed the dream and planned for what we needed. Sold the house, loaded the car and drove cross country. Looked non-stop for 4 weeks from N Carolina to Key Largo, up the west coast of Fla. and over to Mobile Ala. where we found the boat we wanted. Stocked up and went out for the 2 weeks. Upon our return most of what I thought I needed was fluff. Spent 4 weeks mounting items that were a must, removed what was simply "busy items or "filler".
We absolutly had a ball. Safety items are EVERYTHING! They helped remove the fear of our "own limited sailing expertice and experence". It was a must factor for my wife and also for me. Our sailing experences were not the same as those persons that live and sail on the ocean.
Ground tackle and LARGE ground tackle is a must. You never want to worry about dragging. (P.S. We always laid out a 7 to 1 scope at the least!!!) We never dragged.
Buy any items needed to overcome/support any physical deficient areas you or your partner have.
2 weeks spent living aboard and learning your boat and its systems will be cheaper and will return factually supported data about what you really need.
Ray
Brian,
Boats themselves are nice to have...
Necessity is a state of mind. If you "need it" get it....
Boats themselves are nice to have...
Necessity is a state of mind. If you "need it" get it....
Well, this question wasn't for me, it was a general question. I know what I NEED, and that is very simple; roller furling headsail, halyards led aft, and radar. After my little accident last October, it is a must to have my lines led aft. Radar just so when I do decide to cruise up and down the coast at night I can see what is out there.
So really good answers all in all. Shows a wealth of experience talking.
So really good answers all in all. Shows a wealth of experience talking.
necessities = hand bearing compass, binoculars, a good spotlight in addition the items previously mentioned. and of course survival supplies like...beer.
Maybe I'm just too young and naive, but I think a Dodger ruins the whole sailing experience. I've sailed with an without them, but I wouldn't put one on my boat if someone paid me to! It cuts you off from nature, which is the reason I love sailing in the first place!
If you do a lot of single-handing, then I would sail roller-furling jib and aft-led halyards, along with your stern anchor, are your real necessities there.
If you do a lot of single-handing, then I would sail roller-furling jib and aft-led halyards, along with your stern anchor, are your real necessities there.
When you're sailing in the early part of the season in New England, being cut off from mother nature a bit isn't a bad thing... same for late in the season...
lake sailing =no dodger! ocean/gulf sailing---NEED dodger lol....storms in open water mean wet wet wet....hard to dry out when salt is in the water..lol...i also like to keep my 4 legged silent alarm with me--he lets me know about upcoming rain. wind, and strange folk sneaking up on me in dinghies.....gooooood bubba.........
Some of those things depend on where you are sailing.
Important things:
Charts
Compass
Bimini
Dodger
Connector
Lifejackets
Throwing device
Good primary and secondary ground tackle.
Depth Finder
VHF
Nice things to have:
Radar
GPS
Chart Plotter
Wind Instrument
Speed instrument
Hot Water
Good stereo
Good dingy
Grill on stern rail
Boat drinks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is all about where your priorities lay!
Important things:
Charts
Compass
Bimini
Dodger
Connector
Lifejackets
Throwing device
Good primary and secondary ground tackle.
Depth Finder
VHF
Nice things to have:
Radar
GPS
Chart Plotter
Wind Instrument
Speed instrument
Hot Water
Good stereo
Good dingy
Grill on stern rail
Boat drinks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is all about where your priorities lay!
necessary
fridge/freezer
coleman "hot water on demand"
fan
extra towels
extra life preservers to use as fenders
spotlight
nice to have a/c
extra gas
weather band radio
fish bait
fridge/freezer
coleman "hot water on demand"
fan
extra towels
extra life preservers to use as fenders
spotlight
nice to have a/c
extra gas
weather band radio
fish bait
on pickwick there's lots of anchorage. we use the danforth off the stern mostly. it depends on the fish to how long we stay. dodger panels do not float, caps do not float long enough, handheld gps is nice for speed info. roller furled genoa is great. 12v. norcold helps, a better placed and larger holding tank is in our future. larger fenders for the locks and a good sized umbrella for the ocasional water from the walls.
Nice! Think I will check with the harbor master and find out where I can drop anchor for the night. Give me a 24 hour-on-the-boat thing. Never thought of that. Thanks
I'm sorry, but I still have to disagree with you. Upstate NY is not very different from New England, and I have been sailing from April through November (basically whenever the lake is free of ice) on a Hobie Cat. The frigid spray in your face is what makes you know you're alive!
Disagree all you want...but what is fine for a daysail is not acceptable when sailing a longer voyage. Staying dry is pretty key to staying comfortable, especially when on a night passage in 40˚ weather.
I'd also point out that I'm likely sailing in rougher conditions than you are. Buzzards Bay is not generally known for light winds... and we're often sailing in 25-30 knots with gusts up to 35-40 knots at times... I've had a third reef put into my mainsail for just this reason. What is a nice cooling splash in 5-10 knots of wind is really chilling at 30 knots.
I'd also point out that I'm likely sailing in rougher conditions than you are. Buzzards Bay is not generally known for light winds... and we're often sailing in 25-30 knots with gusts up to 35-40 knots at times... I've had a third reef put into my mainsail for just this reason. What is a nice cooling splash in 5-10 knots of wind is really chilling at 30 knots.
Hmm..
I wrote this about a new boat I saw at a boat show: Helm instruments. Call me crazy, but unless you're a professional basketball player there's no way you could see over that package of electronics. While we prefer to "keep it simple" on our boat, I know people love and some depend on this array, but I think it takes away from the sailing. First there's the plastic to look around or over, then there's a dodger with plastic to look through...
While I agree with you in concept the reality is quite different, and zeehag is right. We sailed for 15 years without a dodger, but now that we have one, I wonder how I did it so long without one. The water here is cold, cold, cold, year round, and it's quite windy, as you may have heard. Smaller boats generally don't have dodgers, like our C22 and C25.
Other than that, our dodger is LOW. Our PO was short! But I've kept it low so I can see OVER it and NOT be forced to see through it all the time.
Your boat, your choice.
Necessities:
Loose footed main
draft stripes
tell-tales
Cunningham
inclinometer
rigid vang
self tailing winches
Nice-to-have:
Beer!
sam
Loose footed main
draft stripes
tell-tales
Cunningham
inclinometer
rigid vang
self tailing winches
Nice-to-have:
Beer!
sam
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