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Advise to those moving aboard?

10K views 26 replies 9 participants last post by  SailNet Archive 
#1 ·
We would like to hear from those who live aboard and primarily stick to coastal cruising:

1) What is the handiest item you have aboard? Something you just can''t live without(non-human).

2) What single thing onboard cause you the most problems? (Excluding your spouse!!)

3) What is the most important piece of advice you can offer to those getting ready to move aboard for extended cruising?

Big Red; we can''t wait to hear from you!
 
#2 ·
I lived aboard a 22'' sloop for 4 months as a test to see if I liked it enough to do it permanently on a larger boat (the answer was a resounding YES)

1) The handiest item aboard was the VHF radio; my sailing partner in his boat did not have one, and really wished he did. Used almost daily for weather reports, bridge openings, asking directions or advice, making dinner plans, finding fuel and water, and confirming that the really big container ship behind you really *does* know youre there.

2) The single biggest hassel aboard was the dinghy - a cheap inflatable meant for lakes and rivers - it towed poorly, even with the bow lifted in a sling, rowed even worse, motored well til the tiny electric motor broke, and had a tendency to turn over in high winds... one time in very high winds (25-30kt) it actually flew like a kite at the end of the painter.

3) Put a lot of thought into what you bring aboard. Assuming most coastal cruisers are around the 30'' range, youre going to have slightly more storage and living space than, say, a Volkswagen Bus. I packed everything I thought I might need into that boat, and never touched half of it. I think ''Sensible Cruising'' says it best; something like ''dont think about what you can live with, think about what you cant live without''.
 
#3 ·
1-handy...a good tool kit, 2-hassle...little leaks from unknown sources, 3-pack light, then reduce it by 30%, don''t scrimp on safety gear or communications, maximize storage (few really do,use a berth as you seldom have 4-6 sleeping on board) spare engine parts, and good 12v system.
 
#4 ·
Ahoy, el, avast there ye knave ye not be from the " what n da h..''s " from Boston are ye? He.. He.. He.., sorry me simple mind gets out when me blood rum level gets low! AAHH thats better. Damn morning cafe taken up all that cup space for me rum. Ok me ballast is shifted and me keel be strait''n. What was that question ye had for ye Captian.. oh yeah well my wif(affectionatley referd to as me mushroom anchor) mighten dissagree wit me but technically I don''t live aboard. Used to be me cork screw but dem twiste caps fixed dat, damn Gulp , ahh , slipped on me deck again .Handiest you say? wit out a dought it would be the complete set of(5) 18V Dewalt power tools with extra batteries and chargers. Ye can tackle any project or repair ye need or want to do. Second would be your own swagging tools for yer rigging .Of course plenty of spare parts including stainless screws nuts bolts washers (I have no less that 25lbs of the stuff wit me at all times ) . Buy wholesale when ye start out and you''ll save yer self a lot of coin in the future. Why I even been know to sell some of me stock to unwary vessels at a pretty profit too.

Next item on ye manifest of questions? Can''t live wit out? I would tell ye about dem large rubber neon johnny sacks for ye port calls but wit the ole mushroom anchor tacking back and forth behind me shoulder I''ll lay another course.
Id have to say Ice, refridgeration. Dis here old salt could live offen the sea and keep h''is self appy with eggs wrapped in wax but me crew demands I provide more. So the second item would be the space for all that under me deck. In my climate formaldihide crystal packets are absolutley necessary for any period of shore leave when ye have to button up yer ship to keep the land sharks out.

Most problems ... eehh what problems? Ye be hearin tales yer captin ought to know about!! speak up ye knave. Gulp, gulp,AAHH, aye, sorry agin me ****** are a might testy today. Hiv testing after one of me bloody battles comes to mind but I figures I got enough run in be to kill even that. Aye but dem other bacteria be it on the cabin top on in de head or in ye cuts can be a constant chore to be sure. Me ships surgeon keeps his larder well stocked with all manner of ointments and dressings and powders, to repair the damage and keep ye fit for work. Aye the corrosive natureof the salt air on the electronics be just as particular to keep up wit lest ye be weak in a time of dire need.

Ye last question be the most difficult and me thinks ye be trying me patience wit ye foolish plans and dreams. Avast there... be yer answer in me wake. Ye got to be ready to fly yer Pirates flag and be dammed of it all. But truely I mean this no kidding .. you have to do it and not let anyone even yourself stop you. Make the hard decisions that keep you moving foward. Prepare , buy your vessel, stock your stores, minimize your need to interact with the outside world, and go. Time is comming like a freight train to put you back on shore for good. Im 45 and though I could make another 15 years of income whats the point? I barely have enough income to make it and thats just fine. When I need more than I have I go work for a temp agency or pick up odd jobs. In the real world Im here your there any questions? See you on the horizon! Big Red 56 the Pirate of Pine Island.
 
#5 ·
The most SAGE advice I could give a NEWBIE LIVEABOARD IS: bring aboard what you need to feel comfortable to cook immediate meals.Clothes for two days!! Your personal Hygiene needs.GO!!!! After that !! add only what you really need. you would be surprised how little you really need!
GOOD LUCK!!!
 
#10 ·
Ahoy me matey''s Dancy8888 and Halyardz ye both be good seamen in me book . But if ye''s feel the neeed to slug it out on me deck well... ok I''ll referee the bout but mind ye I ain''t about to let the Marquis of Queensbury git in da way of me decisions. Aye I''ll stop ye before someone gets kilt, but mind ye when its over yer gonna have to kiss like the good Pirates ye are. Me thinks the topic of yer arguments about blue salt and sea salt ? Big Red 56 the Pirate of Pine Island.
 
#13 ·
Dancy8888''s rantings to Halyardz have caused me to question the "resume" he emailed me after I posted something he did not approve of. I don''t see how someone with his sailing credentials could be wound so tight.

Here''s something I know plenty about, and can spout advice ad infinitum. I''m a NEWBIE!!
We newbies reserve the right to ask stupid questions, post what others might consider inane "observations", lead our genoa sheets inside the shrouds, sail along smartly with our fenders out, forget the name of that thing that tightens the mainsail luff, yada yada yada... I myself even posted a while back that I loved my asym with sock so much I would never learn how to fly a symetrical spinnaker. Ooops, wrong again, in the next couple of weeks I''m getting spinnaker training. Like most all posters with limited experience, I try to state my limited sail time in most every post.

Most people are not raised at yacht clubs. I''m sure a lot newbies are just like me. Later in life, kids moving out, a little time and $$, so it''s time to do something we''ve only dreamt about. The problem is we have a short period of time to learn skills you have honed for a lifetime!

If you want to do it right, the task is incredibly daunting...sail handling, boat handling, navigation, maritime law, diesel mechanic, anchoring, man overboard, hull/deck maintenance, hardware, safety gear, sail repair, line splicing/knots, electrical, plumbing,reading, reading, and then reading some more, and oh yeah, SAILING.

Anyway Dancy8888, if HalyardZ (a college professor no less), me or any other unqualified sailor posts something you disagree with, try lighting a candle, instead of cursing the darkness. You have some inborn paranoia that we are trying to give advice, which is clearly not the case. If in your strange little world you think that me saying "I think larger boats are safer" affects anyone on god''s green earth, you are completely dillusional.

Lastly, the "leaving the security of San Diego Bay" cracks have not gone unnoticed. I''ve got a little experience with the ocean. From age of 12-40 I surfed extensively throught California, Hawaii and Mexico.

I have been out in conditions that would make you cry like a school girl!

WITHOUT A FREAKING BOAT!!


p.s.-I look forward to a spirited response.
 
#14 ·
I can''t resist this. There is nothing in my profile, other than heading south via ICW and cruising the Bahamas that would indicate just what level of sailing experience I''ve had...but FYI, I''ve been boating since 1957 and sailing sloops since 85, mostly NE coast.Cruised the Virgins and Bahamas. My Navy vet Dad put me on the water early. Have I lived aboard for more than a few months? No. Big blue water? No. If there are tests to pass for various levels of knowledge, please let "newbies" like aasault and I know.

Now, maybe dancy is reacting to my profession. Well, there are a lot of professors I don''t like. They are snooty, filled with self-importance, know-it-alls...
not the kind you''d call mates.

I, probably like many, find knowledge about sailing from any source I can locate. Often the information provided by old-salts conflicts. But you can learn something from nearly anybody. I think I can learn about near-shore waves from a surfer (right aasault?) Hell, I could probably even learn something from BigRed...aarh...let me think about that one.

It''s not the term newbie its the spin behind the delivery that''s irksome. Lighten-up Dancy, you might even learn something from these hideous, ignorant, newbies. My God,it
just struck me, if Dancy hasn''t surf''d or sailed the islands...that makes him a newbie.
 
#15 ·
halyardz:
I started SURFING at a place called RainBow pier in about 1943.That was when the L.A.
Breakwater had not yet been extended.Oh! and
yes I have not yet been to the Bahama''s that is why we brought the boat to the right coast!I carefully restated my view point and
since you profess to teach it should be crystal clear to you!Try to help those less knowledgeable than your self,not by when you have read about but by your actual deeds!The God of the sea only respects experience and even then will piss on you! I backed off yesterday and tried to lighten my comments regarding your comments So think very,very carefully before you continue this dialog!
 
#16 ·
Ahoy me matey''s , pipe down a minute and let me wash some of ye blood and guts from the decks. Now I admit me surfing be limited to a few afternoons at Big Sur in 1968 unless you want to count those two days aboard me dead fathers 33'' Dickerson Ketch in Hurricane Agnes dodging Garages, Houses, submerged boats,telephone poles and dead bodies pouring out the Susquehanna River and following us down the Bay till we slipped into the Severn, sans motor since hour two of day one. Standing on the bow pulpit as lookout, was for me the ultimate" Hang Ten Experience " and I''ve been a might glad to have had the earlier your gonna die with the next wave if you don''t get this one right experience in the Pacific under me belt. Surfing is the right mindset for the sailor in all of us," Point Break" , otherwise understood as becomming "one with the wind and the waves and yourself at the same time." Aye that be My Quotes so mind yer tone and watch me royalities. As for ye newbies there is no more important a purpose than yer education from us old salts cause we need ye to carry on cause we''re all half dead anyway. As fer the Question of the Profess'' ers line of work ye be below the belt Dancy 8888. Not always a bad thing to a pirate I''s just marking yer point.I''ve had me a long thought on the subject of experience and the qualifications of salt and blue water nerve, and I ''ve come to the conclusion that anyone with the desire to head the direction of the sea is on course in me book. Mind ye some one mentioned the Navy? Me own, Dad and Mom both be wearing the uniform in thier time, in fact its where a hood from Philadelphia met a farm girl from Illinois both trying to escape to da sea!!. But that be another story ye not be want''in to e''re. Aye that be the trick of it gettin us to tell ye. Me minds awash in ye argument and the young surfer mentioned som''in about Spirits wot got me thinking I need to run to the chandlery . Big Red 56 the Pirate of Pine Island.
 
#18 ·
Gentleman, I''m the poster of the original 3 questions. As a woman, I thought it might be fun to here your responses. I anticipated both serious advice and a good bit of humor. Instead, we have received the ranting of some obviousely insecure, frustrated, humorless, old men (probably stemming from being under-sexed). I guess I''ll find another BB where sailing in ENJOYED & our experiences can be SHARED to everyone''s BENEFIT!!!!

Good-bye
EL

ps: BigRed We''ll look you up when we make it down yer way, ERRRR!!
 
#20 ·
Ahoy, ye be breaking me pride filled heart wit your last post my dear "el" . The old pirates bemonning the wind being knocked out of his sails by yer hurt and iffin it was in yer heart to forgive us all we be on our knees begging you not to leave, I mean where else can you cross swords wit yer equals and live to tell about it? OHH please say it ain''t so , I be taken it personally and wit me grief can be a bad thing. Makes me meaner than usual . Iffin ye has to sail a hard course to make yer mark I''s be understanding and dis here be one old red Pirate that be glad to welcome ye to his fleet. Big Red 56 the Pirate of Pine Island. P.S. I love you !
 
#21 ·
el,
I too thought your questions were interesting and to the point and was looking forward to reading many and veried answers. To my surprise I read the rather rude exchanges.
My suggeston is to post your thoughts and let us all sift through them and decide the value and merit of each without having to post each of our CV''s. I for one find enormous value in speaking to people of all levels of experience.
Good sailing, JEF
 
#22 ·
El, As a person who is going to be a "newbie" member of the liveaboard community within the next couple of months, I was very interested in your questions. It was one of the most important questions with respect to the liveaboards posted on this board for a long time. There were some great answers that will be of help to me when I move aboard. I think that Dancy8888 was trying to say sorry. Let''s all loosen up a bit. I thought sailing was supposed be full of fun people? Nice topic!!!!!
 
#24 ·
Handiest thing is an inexpensive "flexible grabber" The kind where you push one end and little claws extend from the other. I use it nearly daily. Removesdog hair from the cockpit drains and my hair from the shower drain, retrieves items dropped in the bilge, holds little things like a third hand. Cost about $4.00.
Biggest problem is recurring small leaks and condensation drips. For everyone found and stopped, a new one appears within a month.
For living aboard in port, an adequate 120v electrical system. For sailing, Sail the weather not the calandar.
 
#25 ·
Cannot live without: A good 12 volt system
Biggest Pain: My 12 Volt system. :)
Wish List Item: A desal plant.

Newbie or not newbie? Hmmm... I was first exposed to sailing in the summer on Lake Winnipeg when I was about 10. Sailed for a couple of seasons and drifted away from it until age 38. Saile a couple of weeks a year with my friend who owned a boat. Chartered a boat in Greece two years ago then bought my own. Weekends and holidays spent sailing. Leaving on a cruise in May.

Yup. I''d classify myself as a newbie. But d*mn I''m having fun learning!
 
#26 ·
Attitude is the most important aspect of living aboard and cruising and only you can control yours.

Remember, it''s supposed to be fun. (But not at anyone else''s expense-be considerate and aware that noise carries.)

Be open to change (your changing, the weather changing, your neighbors changing), be flexible in your body and your mind.

All the other stuff really will fall into place.

Also, adults tend to think they should be able to do something new on the first try. It''s not true, we still have to learn how to do some things. Give yourself a chance to learn.
 
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