Live Aboard Preparations

[tristanperry]

Hello everyone,

I have decided to take some time off from this crazy world this summer and start heading for the clear waters, for an indefinite duration. We plan to leave in mid-late June. I grew up in the southern states aboard a 35' catamaran with my family of 5 for close to three years, so I have some live aboard experience, but I've never headed up a live aboard voyage.

I'm 19 and I run a marine assistance company in the Toronto harbour, hold a Transport Canada captains license and am extremely comfortable with different vessels including my own 1975 C&C 33 which I live on dockside during the summer. My girlfriend, who will be my first mate and only crew member, (with the exception of various friends tagging along for random legs of the trip) is 18 and just finishing high school in the graduating class of 2012. Her experience on the water is limited to small trailer boat cruising and wake boarding.

I come to this forum seeking the vast knowledge I know is out there. I am looking for friendly tips, recommendations and any advice I can get for everything from 12volt management strategies to good books to read.

So far the route is as follows:
Depart from Port Credit, Ontario, Canada (10NM West of Toronto)
Head south to Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario
Travel Eastbound on the US side of Lake Ontario to Oswego, NY
Travel through the New York State Canal System to New York City via Syracuse & Albany
Head south!

All input is greatly appreciated!
(Attached is a photo of our vessel "S/V Gaudeamus" and I in the St. Lawrence river near Montreal)

 

[Ross]

Pack plenty of food and money. try to stay at the top of the food chain. make sure Girl Friend has her"pills".

 

[Stu Jackson]

That's a pretty big, open ended question or six!

There have been recent threads on this trip on this board. I recommend a search on Erie Canal and The Great Loop. Those topics provided many helpful links.

Have a great trip.

 

[Bad Obsession]

How well is your boat set up for the daily grind? Do you have sun shading for the boat (Bimini or Dodger)? How about storage?

How high maintenance is your Girlfriend? Does she need to use blow driers, curling irons, and other devices?

There are a lot of considerations that you have to think of. You should try to figure out where you want to go and how far south you want to go. Are you going to Marina Hop or stay on the hook? How stout is your house bank?

 

[justsomeguy]

Congratulations! I am envious. And those are good questions, Bad Obsession.

How about stepping the mast, too?

 

[tristanperry]

How well is your boat set up for the daily grind? Do you have sun shading for the boat (Bimini or Dodger)? How about storage?

How high maintenance is your Girlfriend? Does she need to use blow driers, curling irons, and other devices?

There are a lot of considerations that you have to think of. You should try to figure out where you want to go and how far south you want to go. Are you going to Marina Hop or stay on the hook? How stout is your house bank?

So far the boat is set up fairly well for daily use with most supplies securely stowed in a strategic order.

There is mounting for a dodger in the cockpit, unfortunately since re-rigging the main sheet, there isn't room for one anymore. Thanks for bringing up sun shading, something I haven't put much well deserved thought into. I've explained to the girlfriend power consumption worries and she understands, it will be a change for her, but she's more than capable of adapting. Storage on board is ample, in addition to the vacant aft quarter birth there is good storage under the settee and the fore stateroom with an aux hanging locker and shelving.

The destination, so far is Stocking Island, Exuma, The Bahamas. This is where I spent most of my live aboard childhood.
For the sake of cost savings, we will try to stay on the hook as much as practical. Barring all unforeseen serious weather systems we may encounter.

My main worry, as of now is the house bank and power monitoring systems. The boat's systems were never designed for long-range cruising. There are two Interstate 27 starting/deep cycle batteries right now. I've estimated daily power usage while moored to be approximately 70-75 AHr. So I'm thinking Ill need to add at least one or two devoted deep cycle batteries.

Your thoughts?

 

[tristanperry]

Congratulations! I am envious. And those are good questions, Bad Obsession.

How about stepping the mast, too?

Thanks! For the canal system, we plan to step the mast and carry it onboard from Oswego Marina Inc. a few hundred yards before the first bridge with 35' clearance

 

[Rick D]

Good Job!

If any of us suggest spending money, ignore it. Along the way, you'll figure out what you need and what you don't and where to get it used or a bargain. Keep it simple. Start with a stout dinghy and reliable motor with cable locks on both. To stretch your money, you'll be cooking most of your meals or packing them with you, so look over your galley and cooking gear critically. For saving water, I suggest a raw water galley pump if you don't already have one. Silly to wash dishes with drinking water. The biggest power hogs are refrigeration and incandescent lights, so use LCD lights and try to improve the refrig insulation and use block ice when you can find it. Use an iPod base with battery speakers instead of the stereo and a laptop for movies which you can recharge on an inverter when the engine runs or ashore. Two sets of anchors and ground tackle for the bow and another lunch-hook size for the stern; you'll be anchoring more than renting marina space. Sail as much as possible and enjoy the light air drifters.

Be patient with the girlfriend. Let her have her space and fix it up her way. Involve her in your plans and thinking. Talk to her about what you are weighing when you are making a decision. Get her comfortable with every aspect of boat handling, but by small steps with practice in between. Do things she wants to do; go some places she suggests; it's her time too. Don't yell and don't scare her; laugh a lot.

Anyhow, the boat stuff I think you already mostly know. Just go and enjoy yourself. Think it through and listen enough to be responsible but remember you can do without a lot of 'stuff' and electronics. A simple GPS and chart book will work well for you.

Anyhow, that's my advice.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Electrical is a major issue, as will be water when you're offshore in the Islands.

Don't know what you know or don't about electrical.

Free great book: http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=904627&highlight=scribd

"Electrical 101": with many links to Maine Sail's contributions http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5977.0.html

I agree 75 ah is a good target, BUT my experience has been more like 100 ah/day. You'll need a good 400 ah house bank. (3) 130 ah 12V or 4 6V golf carts would get you there. Don't forget the tools, too.

Happy reading, come back with any questions.

 

[JVB]

Perhaps it's off topic but plan on taking the Intracoastal waterway from Norfolk, VA to Morehead City, NC to avoid "the graveyard of ships" Cape Hatteras. Spend the money required for full coverage hull insurance. What's your plan for dealing with hurricane season and worse, a homesick first mate.?

 

[Bad Obsession]

You may want to hold off on going to the islands until after hurricane season. You may consider summering in the Chesapeake Bay. There is so much to see there that is very unique. There is Baltimore, Annapolis, Solomons Island, St. Michaels, Smith Island, Tangier Island, Deltaville, Hampton, and a bunch of other cool places to go. A lot of those places are good places to anchor too.

A bimini is really a Godsend when you are in the summer heat.

If your GF is not use to being aboard there will be a huge adjustment. I am still breaking my wife into cruising and I do take a little flak from her because showering is different, the head is a different experience, and power issues are also something I hear about. It is a lot like camping but extended camping. We as men don't realize that there are a few more complications that most women experience when adjusting to this lifestyle (probably why some of us have a hard time getting our ladies to come aboard for long trips sometimes).

Another thing that I know about C &C boats is that they don't always have as much ventilation as other boats. You probably want to consider adding 12V fans in some areas like the V-berth and galley. You will also want to make some mosquito nets for the hatches. One other things is that you may have draft considerations if you are going down the ditch.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

Captain Tristan, (and i mean this endearingly) it is we who should take advice from you!

 

[Bob J.]

Good for you Tristan!

I wish I had been that focused at 19, instead of other pursuits as Ross has noted.
It's funny how wisdom comes with grey hair, but that's OK cause none of us listened either

Best of luck to you!

 

[RonRelyea]

Good Luck Tristan!

Good for you Tristan!

I wish I had been that focused at 19, instead of other pursuits as Ross has noted.
It's funny how wisdom comes with grey hair, but that's OK cause none of us listened either

Best of luck to you!

Wisdom comes with grey hair?????? I must be a genius!

Tristan ...best of luck to you!

 

[Joe]

Good for you Tristan!

I wish I had been that focused at 19, instead of other pursuits as Ross has noted.
It's funny how wisdom comes with grey hair, but that's OK cause none of us listened either

Best of luck to you!

hear, hear.......... well said... and good luck young man... write a book aboout your adventures.

 

[Ross]

A book to read that has said it better than we can. "Cruising in Serafin" by Lyn and Larry Pardey. The biggest difference is they built their boat before they set out. When asked when they were coming back they said when it stops being fun. Nearly forty years later they are still out there.

 

[sailormanbigd]

Ditto on Cruising in Seraffyn but also...

Lin and Larry are old now, but started out early and in a different time than now. Their shared exsperiences are wonderful as well as there idea of cruising essentials, ie no motor. Another of their books is well worth the exspense is, The Care and Feeding of Sailing Crew check amazon. In it she offers insite into alot of the provisioning of a small sailing vessel. Inform yourself like you are on this site. Make wise decisions, and go for it. Dont let people talk you out of it. Where ther's a will there's a way! Happy sails.

 

[Ross]

Re: Ditto on Cruising in Seraffyn but also...

Sailormanbigd, Watch your mouth. I am older than the Pardeys and I ain't OLD! Lin and Larry were able to live in a small boat because they are people of small stature, Like Nancy and me.

 

[mitiempo]

Lin is 68 and Larry is 73.

You are old.

 

[Ross]

I'll beat you with my cane if I can find my glasses so I can see where you are.