tips for using the equipment,
and parts of a boat.
This page updated: April 2009
| Equipment for a boat, tips for using the equipment, and parts of a boat. |
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Please send any comments to me.
This page updated: April 2009 |
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Modifications for Living Aboard:
In the Eastern Caribbean where we sail in the winter, we observe that many sailors make their way from the USA to the area via the open ocean, often while doing the Caribbean 1500 Rally. Many European cruisers cross the Atlantic to get there, often as part of the ARC. The vessels making such passages are typically high-quality, well equipped and expensive, and hardly need modification for living aboard. We, however, always intended that our sailboat would stay in the Eastern Caribbean over the summer, and so we made a different choice of vessel. Although it was equipped with what you would nowadays expect on a modern yacht (GPS, VHF, standard instruments, windlass), we have found it necessary to substantially modify our production sailboat in order to make it really suitable for living aboard. If yours is a lightish displacement yacht aimed primarily at the charter market or at weekenders (who might also embark upon an occasional 2-week cruise) then you might need to change things to make it suitable for living aboard, as we have had to, if that is what you intend to do. The Vessel Itself The choice of vessel really is a personal one. Notwithstanding the comments above, there are people sailing and living aboard every conceivable variation of sailing vessel out here. We sail a 37-foot French production yacht [2004 Jeanneau 37]. She is spacious, comfortable, economical, and invigorating under sail. We have concerns as to how she would stand up to severe weather in mid-ocean, and take care to avoid finding ourselves in such a situation. (That said, we did once find ourselves in conditions of 40-knot winds and 12-15 foot seas and felt entirely confident in her. We have also seen a sister ship which crossed the Atlantic twice.) The issue of why some boats cost more than others is an interesting one, which had a bearing on our purchase decision. In order to illustrate the answer, let's consider 2 stereotypes: a high-volume French or German production yacht and a Swedish or New England yacht, almost entirely hand-built or at least hand-finished in limited numbers. The second costs twice that of the first, maybe more. Asked why, everyone will answer that it's a matter of strength and build quality, and that's true. But it also goes deeper than that. The stereotype production yacht hull was probably built and then filled with pre-assembled interior modules before the deck was placed on top. Deck and hull were joined by adhesive, held in place until bonding was complete by self-tapping screws through the deck at the gunwales. The stereotype hand-built yacht probably had the deck fitted before the interior was in place. This had to be so because deck and hull were bolted together, and access had to be provided to the nut on the inside to tighten it. Then the interior was completed, from the inside. This involved many more hours labour, hence an extra cost which is reflected in the price (apart from possibly thicker layers of fibreglass and resin and layup method). There is however, more to it than the integrity of deck-hull bond. Interior modules which are entirely assembled outside the vessel may have components fitted which are totally inaccessible once the unit is dropped into the hull from above. If the shower hose comes off its barb fitting on our boat, we will have a big problem because we can never get to it. There's no guarantee that access would be better in the case of a hand-finished vessel, but the chance of easy disassembly of panels etc to get where you need to be is much greater. This has major implications for the liveaboard owner and maintainer. We considered this and made a judgement. Our yacht is at the small end of the scale out here. We opted for this length because either of us can handle all the working systems (which we regard as an essential feature), because she is exciting to sail (and that’s the main reason we are out here, after all), yet big enough to be equipped with the things we regard as necessary. Electrical System The most important on-board system for liveaboards is also the least understood, at least this is so for many people we know and once included ourselves: the electrical system. If you want a refrigerator for cold beer and other drinks, storing foodstuffs, and possibly making ice, you will – like we - need to pay careful attention to the criteria for happy batteries. We cannot discuss the subject without some definitions. Try not to glaze over: we will try to keep it simple. A volt is a measure of potential energy. In the case of a battery (properly called a lead accumulator), it shows the state of charge: a fully-charged DC battery will show nearly 13 volts, a depleted one less than 12. The simple analogue voltmeter on almost every circuit-breaker panel will give an approximation as to battery condition. We have not found that to be specific enough, and fitted a digital one which also measures ampere flow and amp-hours consumed. See also below. An amp is a measure of energy flow. An amp-hour is a measure of this flow over time. So what are typical daily energy needs for living aboard? Our refrigerator system (a chest with evaporator plate ice compartment, rather like a small land-based refrigerator) alone uses about 60-70 amp-hours per 24 hours. Total daily usage for everything is some 90-100 amp-hours. We are not extravagant users: we have no microwave oven or electric appliances, no hair dryers, use the CD player fairly sparingly, do not keep the VHF on all day. Cruisers who drive refrigerator compressors directly using a belt to the auxiliary engine do not have anything like such a demand, but must run the engine every day at least once. Experts are not exaggerating when they state that the capacity of the house battery bank should be 4 times the average daily usage. That’s a lot of battery! Many boats including ours do not provide space for such capacity. We at one time had a 2 times reserve but in the end capitulated: it was simply not enough. We burnt out expensive fridge controllers, exhausted batteries quickly, and generally struggled. We now have 3.5 times, at about 350 amp-hours. The amp-hours used must be put back into the house battery by a combination of auxiliary-driven alternator, solar panels, wind generator, independent petrol-driven generator or some other means. As the charging process continues and the batteries are replenished, the voltage needed to drive energy into them rises, approaching 14 volts as they come up to full charge. The result is that the whole process slows down long before full charge is reached, and the batteries never seem to reach full charge. In addition, charging equipment does not perform at anything like the rated capacity, so charging systems must be over-sized. But not too much, because batteries can only accept a certain rate of charge before they overheat. The regulator sees to this task, but there is a limit to how much excess charge it can dissipate. As an approximation, a rated charging capacity in amps equal to 25-40% of the battery bank capacity in amp-hours is recommended. In our case, this defined the size of our alternator (at anchor, you can’t always count on the wind generator giving anything!) at 85 amps. We fitted one and keep the standard 55 amp as a spare. Now we find that the bigger alternator is at the limit of the alternator belt power range: we burn a belt a season and have to adjust the tension monthly. We really should have double pulleys… The wind generator is rated at 100 amps but it takes a constant 20-knot wind to yield this over a 24-hour period. If the anchorage is fairly calm, with an average windspeed of 10 knots, the generator cannot do better than make a 30-40 amp-hour contribution over the day. The solar panel we have is rated at 115 watts (the largest unit we could find in 2006). This means it is rated to yield some 10 amps per hour, but it only works at this rate during period of strong sunlight directly overhead, and when not partially covered by shadow. Over a typical day, it contributes perhaps 30-40 amp-hours as well. We thus have to run the auxiliary engine on most days. To speed up the charging process by alternator, 'smart' regulators have been developed which 'push' charge into nearly-full batteries at a faster yet judicious rate. We installed one, and suppose it helps. We also have installed a device which counts amps in and out, and hence gives the balance in terms of amp-hours. This helps us determine how long to run the auxiliary each day. I should point out that the refrigerator will cut out without announcement when the battery voltage is just at 12 volts, so careful monitoring is important (the rest voltage of a charged system is about 12.6 volts). Waking to find a defrosted icebox is not a good start to the day. Time and money spent on learning about the electrical system will be rewarded. We have covered the basics, not to educate the reader but to motivate him/her to consult and learn from experts. GPS Chartplotter GPS is now the standard piece of equipment for cruisers. Enough said. We have found the electronic charts for the area to be almost 100% accurate. That said, errors can be made using these navigation systems, and everyone can quote a story or two, but errors are just as easily made using traditional methods of navigation. The chartplotter was initially installed at the nav station below. When we moved it to the binnacle, life on passage improved immeasurably. And safety was enhanced: what the chartplotter shows can now be verified by eye without leaving the cockpit, and gets consulted more frequently. And unlike paper charts, it doesn't blow overboard. Night Vision (RADAR) Although most passages can be accomplished during daylight hours, it may be necessary to begin a passage well before dawn, in order to make a landfall in good light. Some passages may require a full overnight trip. In these waters, many vessels use inadequate or incorrect lighting at night, if at all. This necessitates diligent watchkeeping, and we have found that 2 people standing alternating watches under these conditions is stressful and tiring: for the long-distance crew, things apparently get into a stride by about day 2 or 3 on a long passage, but we never get that far. We added a small RADAR unit and have never regretted it. Many do not share our opinion and sail without. The addition of a RADAR was prompted by an event at night in the Anegada Passage, between St Maarten and the British Virgin Islands. While distracted by the approach dead on reciprocal course of a fast-moving vessel(s) showing the strangest set of navigation lights, we neglected to monitor what we initially took to be a cruise ship bound for St Thomas on a parallel heading perhaps 5 to 10 miles away, and therefore no threat to us. It was in fact a bulk carrier – bridge and forecastle lit up with arc lamps - moving at 20-25 knots straight towards our port quarter. We saw it in time, but it passed too close for comfort. Dinghy and Outboard A means to get ashore anywhere is essential. The cruiser's dinghy has a hard life: bumps and scratches from rough surfaces, all day in the broiling sun, being dragged up abrasive beaches. The outboard likewise has a hard time of it. Some writers suggest that a planing dinghy (with 2 up, and with load of provisions and/or jerrycans) is vital. The 8-15 horsepower outboard able to do this is heavy, maybe 40-80 lbs, awkward to handle and maybe needing a derrick to raise and lower it onto the dinghy. The dinghy too has to be robust and heavy to carry the weight of the outboard, making hoisting it onto the foredeck more difficult, or necessitating davits. Nice though it would be to have such equipment, we make do with a 3.5 horsepower 2-stroke outboard, a light rigid-bottomed inflatable, and suffer the inconvenience of getting spray in our faces and on our clothing in the rough waters common to open anchorages. But we do have to be careful in places where there are strong currents running. We invested in a small emergency pack which we take with us: mini flare kit, spare shear pin and spark plug and tools for the outboard, hand-held VHF radio and we never are without the oars. We also have a small dinghy anchor. At night, we make sure we are well lit up and visible. One night dinghying back to the boat in Simpson's Bay Lagoon, St Maarten, we were nearly ridden down by a speeding powerboat, despite our having a flashlight lit. Close to shore, when there is so much light clutter, it is admittedly hard to see slow-moving objects. Because he was approaching us straight-on, we too had trouble seeing him! We subsequently found small flashing LED lights sold in cyclist stores, a kind of personal strobe, and we now use these as well at night in the dinghy The following is unsubstantiated by us, so treat with caution. Apparently, PVC inflatables do not stand up well to the Caribbean sun. That said, the major manufacturer of this type is French, and I have seen many French yachts equipped with them. Furthermore, they are difficult to repair properly (the manufacturing process uses heat-sealing, not glue). The most robust and most easily repaired inflatables are constructed of Hypalon, which will have been glued together during assembly. Hence repair is second nature to them. Although they are naturally also the most expensive, we opted for this material of construction. Survival Gear Many (most) islands in the Eastern Caribbean have no national rescue service and little in the way of a Coast Guard. Some have a commercial rescue operator, but subscription is not worthwhile to the cruiser because one is usually there for only a short spell at a time. This means that one must be self-reliant. It is tempting to think of this lifestyle as one of carefree island-hopping by day, but this is an illusion: many of the passages between islands are open Atlantic for 30 to 40 miles and should one be forced to take to the liferaft, it is a long drift to the Central American isthmus. In our opinion, this is not an area for trying to make economies. So we bought a good one. And a crash bag which we pack before every long passage. And an EPIRB. Ground tackle If you want to sleep well, you need to have faith in your ground tackle. There are many types of anchor on the market. Although the majority of anchoring we do takes place in sand, the anchor had to be suitable for this but also for mangrove mud and also grass. Since no one anchor performs in all these conditions, the implication was that more than one type would be needed. Plough anchors, especially the Delta, have good holding characteristics in sand and grassy bottoms, albeit poor in soft mud. The Bruce type apparently works well in sand and mud, but not as well in grass. Danforth types are excellent for soft bottoms and sand, don't do well in grass and do not reset as reliably as other types. So we have a Delta at the bow, all-chain rode, and small Fortress kedge anchor set up for regular use. In the locker are a spare Delta and a massive Danforth-type fluke anchor. We have the last-mentioned for emergency use: should a severe weather system come through and require us to take shelter in a mangrove, the major retaining anchor will have to be in soft mud. It seems logical to us to use the anchor type which will perform best in these admittedly abnormal circumstances. Chain, snubbing line, anti-chafe system all had to be acquired. If you don't have a windlass, you will need a device which stops the chain running back out while you pause for breath between heaves. Canvaswork Generally, charter companies do not provide spray-hoods on their yachts, and weekenders also often do without. This is acceptable when sailing for a week but no-one can do without a spray-hood over the medium to long term. A bimini (sun awning) which offers protection from the sun was also essential. We also have mesh sunscreens which we use to shield the cockpit – where we live, practically – from the sinking afternoon sun. With wind consistently from the East and the afternoon sun in the West, these get daily use. Watermaker We humm-ed and haaa-ed about a watermaker, but heard so many tales about the need for careful husbanding that we opted for four extra 5-gallon jugs instead. These proved very handy for topping up in places where there is no fuel dock, and help us 'stay out' just that bit longer. We have also had a vinyl/canvas raincatcher made, which we span over the foredeck. Radio Equipment Information about the weather can be obtained off the internet, but most people use radio. Our prime means of hearing about the weather is via a Sony World Receiver (portable shortwave radio) equipped with SSB, have a wire connecting the aerial to the rigging to improve reception, a cable running from the earphone socket to the mic input of a laptop running weatherfax software which we bought from a commercial enterprise. Some software requires a modulator between radio and computer, ours does not. In the space of 30 minutes, this setup downloads 3 weatherfaxes showing wind and wave forecasts for 24, 48, and 72 hours ahead without (much) human intervention on our part. NOAA also provide radiofaxes showing sea-state up to 72 hours ahead, which we watch sporadically. We know cruisers who have thousands of dollars worth of marine SSB transmitter/receivers to do the same thing, and would have nothing smaller. It's a personal choice, and we have decided we have no use for an SSB transmitter, only a receiver. Were we making long ocean passages, we might think differently. (There is one disadvantage to radiofaxes: they do not show the likelihood of precipitation, which can have a significant effect on wind strength). The yacht came fitted with a VHF mounted in the cabin. While that is better than nothing, a mic and control at the binnacle would be most useful. But changing the radio is an expensive job, and we haven’t done this yet. Meantime, we have a second handheld VHF radio which we use in the cockpit, and which doubles as spare. Diesel Filter All diesel in the Caribbean is contaminated to some extent with water, thanks to area's naturally high humidity. Microbes grow at the water/diesel interface in tanks and when they die, produce a sludge which will eventually try to migrate to the injectors and cause a blockage. We installed a properly sized pre-filter in the diesel line. At the end of the season, it contains plenty of sludge. Fuel additives are commonly available to prevent the sludge forming in the first place and we use this too. We also invested in a filter/funnel which separates water out from the diesel as it goes into the tank. We have tested its performance and it certainly does remove some of the water. We will never know if it takes out everything... Books, Charts and Reference Material We have invested in more guide books, charts, manuals than you can shake a stick at, but all of them have been worth it. A list of these is given in the sister article to this one, on the Caribbean page. |
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I make awnings for under $15 using materials available at Home Depot.
They sell poly tarps for around $10 depending on size. The silver is the thickest and strongest. I then get two stout PVC pipes and using lashing line to attach the grommets of the tarps to the pipes. Drill holes thru the ends of the pipes to do the corners. File the holes. Make long lines on each corner. The two pipes go opposite each other. Also put a 3' piece of line at the center of each pipe. I sometimes have to use PVC couples/cement to extend the pipes if they are not long enough. Then simply run a strong line from forestay to mast and mast to backstay. The 3' lines tie onto the stout support lines with rolling hitches. You can then tie the corners down to the life lines and put as much bend as you like in the pipes. Tie the corners fore and aft to put tension on the sides. It creates something that looks exactly like the Shadetree ad for less than $15 per awning. Easy to deploy and retrieve. Takes strong winds because if you set it up right, the whole thing is taut and the loads are spread evenly. The poly tarps last about a season of heavy use and several of light. They are easily replaceable for pocket change. You can get the blue material but for some reason, they do not make it in the heavy gauge so they don't hold up as well. I've been using this system for years and have been thru 20kt winds with them up. They take more breeze if you tie em down tighter to the lifelines. |
Also,
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Cruisers in the south Caribbean or South Pacific usually upgrade to
a hard-bottom inflatable dinghy with a 15+ horsepower motor.
They go longer distances and through more chop than cruisers in
north Caribbean or USA.
Larger-diameter pontoons (17-inch) keep you drier. |
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The best most successful tender option I have seen is two tenders. The
primary is a hard dinghy about 8 to 10 feet, easy to launch, rugged and can
take a beating. This many times is a good rowing, sailing and has the
provision for an outboard, say 4 hp. The second tender is an inflatable, say
ten to fourteen feet with a larger outboard, up to a 25 hp.
The idea is that you need a working tender, to set anchors, get to shore, what have you. Then in the islands the forty-foot sailboat becomes a stationary home and the "sportboat" comes into play. Diving, snorkeling, fishing, going after supplies, visiting friends, all those wonderful activities. If you are sailing with friends and cruising, having more than one dinghy is very convenient. Also there is security. It is a lot easier to lock up a rigid dinghy than an inflatable. Speaking of security, tenders are stolen a lot. It used to be that on the list of high desire inflatables ranked pretty low. Most of the time they were stolen for their larger engines. A 15 hp outboard is a couple of grand, in many islands this is about a year's worth of wages. The inflatable goes into the dump. They may be more sophisticated these days, recognizing that inflatables are worth something also. We always used a hard dinghy till our last trip to the Bahamas. With proper calculation I would go to shore with the inflatable without the motor and they are tough to row but can be done, I had a piece of single braid with a 1/8" cable inside, this I would lock to something. Never did have a problem with anyone stealing the tender. New on the scene, well relatively new, are rigid bottom inflatables. They are great, but they are also expensive. I have thought that they would be easy to rig as a sailing dinghy, very light and would scream across the water, especially down wind. They row a lot better than a regular inflatable, due to the rigidity of the bottom. Downside: they are expensive ($2000 to $3000); this is a lot of cruising, but it might be worth it. With moderate power they run great. We just bought one for one of our boats, a Carib 9'8" model, $2300 with tax and quite the boat. Even with the 4 hp and four persons the boat will just about plane. How hard could it be to install a centerboard and mast step ? ... The best situation we had was on a schooner, I vowed if ever I had the ability to make the decision I would have this again. We had a fourteen foot tender, on chocks. Ready to go at any time. This was located between the masts on a flush deck vessel. We had a pair of spare halyards, one from the foremast and the other from the main mast. One person could raise the tender about three feet off the deck, securing the halyards and then push the tender over the side. Simple tilt and over she would go. Then holding both halyards it was a simple matter to lower the tender into the water along side the vessel. I would then let out about two feet of slack. The tender being held both bow and stern would sit quietly along side. I would then enter the tender, start the engine and disconnect the halyards and steam away. Fourteen feet is a lot of tender, and it sure was nice. From concept to motoring away took maybe ten minutes at most. Coming back was easy also. I would come along side, hook up the bow halyard, hook up the stern and then climb aboard. Hoist one, then the other till the tender was back on deck. Sometimes as a simple overnight procedure I would only hoist the tender about four feet out of the water and let it hang over the side, ready for the next shore trip. One thing I have learned over the years, if it isn't easy it won't get done. Towing tenders is the first step to losing them. Having a good storage system means having a tender that is fun and practical to use. Bigger is better. |
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... When cruising, your boat is your home, and the dink is the
family car. If you're driving a clunker around the neighborhood, you're not too adventurous!
With a good and FAST dinghy you really expand your horizons! Sometimes you may want to explore a reef
that might be 6 or 8 miles away. With a slow dinghy you probably won't do that but once! But with a
fast dink it's a breeze!
A good example: our first trip to the Bahamas we took the rigid FBG punt I built. When we left I had only oars. And that worked for a while, but it soon became obvious that our explorations would be short! By the time we got to So. Florida it was obvious that we needed a motor. So we got a 2.5 HP. Then when we got to Bimini a fellow cruiser invited me along on a lobstering expedition. "Follow me!" So he took off in his fast dinghy, and I followed in my slow dinghy. Offshore! Out into the Gulfstream! And south nearly 6 miles to Turtle Rocks, which took me nearly an hour! Offshore! That's crazy in a little 8' punt! But, hey, what did I know!! By the time we got to Georgetown we were really feeling limited with our little slow dink. We anchored near Stocking Island, at what's called Volleyball Beach, and it was a full 2 miles across Elizabeth Harbor to Georgetown. It only took one trip with both of us in that dinghy to realize we were gonna have to have something faster! There's a good chop out in that harbor, and after a half-hour ride over, with the chop slopping into the dink, we were both soaked! Then we had to do it again on the way back to the boat! So, we bought a 6 HP Yamaha and that really helped! Much faster trips, but still very wet! And a VERY limited payload: just the two of us and 2 bags of groceries! No more! Boy, were we envious of those folks with a good fast dinghy! An RIB is the best way to go, especially with at least a 10 HP OB. The bigger the tubes, the better. I like Carib RIBs. Big tubes. The problem is storing it. RIBs are heavy, so they are tough to get on deck. Also not too compact, so tough to store. Many folks use davits, but I don't like them. I lash my dinghy on the foredeck, and that little punt only weighs about 90 lbs, so we winch it up with a Primary winch and a halyard. If you have the room on the foredeck, that is, I think, the appropriate place for a dinghy. You won't be able to do that with a cutter, though, as the staysail (which is typically on a self-tacking boom) is in the way. Island Packets are typically cutters and have davits. But, again, I don't like davits. Possibly a good compromise is the new inflatable floor dinghies. I've had some experience with them and they are pretty good. You have to get that damn thing up on a plane, and to do that you need a rigid floor. Inflatables with plywood floors don't plane so well, and that's why the RIBs are so great! However, these new inflatable floor jobs work pretty well. The floors inflate to high pressure and are solid enough to allow the boat to plane. ... |
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West Marine's "Inflatable Boats" BoatU.S.'s "Inflatable Boats" Bill Springer's "Inflatable dinghies" Lightweight RIBs (Apex, Aria, Zodiac) reviewed in 7/15/2000 issue of Practical Sailor Inflatables tested in 12/2000 issue of Practical Sailor RIB reviews in Practical Sailor's 1999 Gear-Buying Guide. Specs:
From Beau Vrolyk on live-aboard mailing list:
From Kathy Barron on the SailNet liveaboard-list:
From Jeff Smith on The Live-Aboard List:
From Brian Woloshin on Cruising World message board:
From JeanneP on Cruising World message board:
From DG on Cruising World message board:
From Rick Sylvester on Cruising World message board:
From sded on Cruising World message board:
From "Inflatable Maintenance" article by Jan Mundy in issue 2001 #1 of DIY Boat Owner magazine:
From S/V Scotty Ann on Cruising World message board:
Pump for inflating dinghy:
From ACB on Cruising World message board:
From McRory's Logbook:
From Michelle d'Aoust on the Morgan mailing list:
From Peter Hendrick:
From Lee Haefele on The Live-Aboard List:
About Tinker dinghies:
Chris Caswell's "Inflatable Repair" SailNet - Tom Wood's "Inflatable Maintenance" MDR's "Waterbased Vinyl Paint Products" (including painting an inflatable) Finding a slow leak:
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A dinghy can be:
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Build your own hard dinghy: Boat Plans OnLine Building a nesting dinghy:
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From Jerald King on Cruising World message board:
From Ray Henry on Cruising World message board:
From Tom O'Meara on The Live-Aboard List:
From Kenneth and Jane McKelvie on The Live-Aboard List:
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Here is what we have found
shipping [PortaBotes] that we sell:
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| Twin-Vee brand: an 8 ft catamaran, almost as stable as an inflatable, tows like a dream, obviously not prone to punctures. It's almost bullet proof, and at about 100 lbs (without motor) can be put on deck or on davits. I probably should have gotten the 10 ft version, but it's considerably heavier. I like it just fine as a basic tender, and when the 8 hp Yamaha (and re-pitched prop) is running well, it will plane with my wife and I aboard. With just me in it, it goes too fast. It is a little small for very long trips though, and it can be wet. One other negative is that it does not row very well. |
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I think a 10-foot to 11-foot RIB is good.
Some dinghy docks have a restriction: nothing
longer than 12 feet. Smaller dinghies give
a rougher ride, are dangerous in strong conditions.
Hard dinghies are tippier.
I think 8 or 9.9 HP is the right choice. Weight is VERY important; I hate the weight of my 15 HP 2-stroke. Low weight is better for davits, easier to service, easier to hoist to deck. Easier all around. 4-stroke would be very nice. They are more fuel-efficient, and seem a little more reliable maybe. The plugs on my 2-stroke keep fouling with oil. |
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Re: Bottom-paint for dinghy?
Keep in mind that most if not all bottom paint needs to be in the water to keep it's properties. So if you are going to always keep it in the water yes, but if you take it out for more than 24 hours and don't keep it wet then you will have wasted the money to paint it. |
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| We've got a cover for the life raft. The life of the life raft will be greatly extended by keeping some heat away from it. Apparently the rubber "bakes" when stored inside the fiberglass raft container. |
| If the CO2 tank in the liferaft has not been hydrostaticly tested in the last five years be prepared for a VERY BIG repack bill. My Avon six-man cost $600 to certify last spring. |
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[When buying a liferaft:]
Make sure the manufacturer puts it in writing that everything in it will be less than
a year old, or better yet, made within the last 6 months.
[2/2008] I just had a re-pack on my 6-man Deluxe, Off Shore Life Raft. I bought it at the end of May 2004 because we had a trip planned up the west coast. Our plans were changed due to family things and then my health has kept us home most of the time since. I took this "Deluxe" raft over to a very reputable dealer and was amazed to find the CO2 cylinder was dated 5-2000. What they did was legal, I guess, but not good business. Their ads say you should get your raft checked every year at an estimated cost of $150 to $200. If I had done that, my CO2 was already requiring a Hydrostat and new valve when it was one year old. $$$$ Our fishing package was dated 1988 and looked used. It was open, not sealed. The oars look used. Our sea anchor was packed so far inside it did not fall out as their ads implied it should so the entryway would be on the leeward side for easier entry. We inflated it with 100 psi air, except the lower chamber would not open for 100 psi, so the gentleman attached the cylinder again, using 1800 psi to "pop" it open. Then he continued with 100 psi. His reasoning for that is that the chemicals in the CO2 bottles can cause deterioration of the raft. The PRV valves did not have a plug. The actuating valve on the CO2 bottle is the old Sparklee, which had failure problems, so it is not used in most raft manufacturers, maybe all by now. I think the new valve is called the SEI. The cost of a hydrostat on the CO2 bottle and a new valve will not be cheap. I have asked the company to provide me with 2004 items at a minimum. If you have a raft and have never really thought about it, you may have a rude awakening. If you have never seen your raft on the floor or in the water, good luck getting in it. I did not understand what the expert was telling me until he held it up so it was positioned like I would be swimming up to it. I could not open the entry way, sealed with velcro, with my fist, elbow, etc. Now, those of you who are more experienced in these matters might point out there is a line you are supposed to pull. You are right. But which line? It is not written on the raft. My raft said it has a 50 ft lanyard. It has about 25-30 feet. I looked at a 1996 raft by the same company and the oars are bright and shiny, like new. The fishing kit looked better than mine, but it may have been replaced. This man spent 2 hours showing my wife and I how to really operate the raft. The video I was sent did not cover the stuff you need to know if you are in the water. I understand the entry door needs a real good seal because waves will hit it, but without the time this man took to help us, if it were dark and stormy, I might have just cut my way through the door, I wouldn't know where the correct line was on the raft. This is not necessarily the company's fault, but I wish their video had covered these things. The nylon "steps" that are supposed to aid you getting in will be floating in your way. The best way to get in appears to be reaching inside the raft for a line, hang on to it, then go down in the water and kick hard to help you get in. I am sure there are other ways, but his point was that few of us really know what we have or what is in it. ONLY the manufacturer can provide the new CO2 valve. If they won't send it to his shop, he says he will have to pack it and ship it to their facilities, then back to me. $$$$$ No one said boating would be cheap and I certainly did not have to buy a life raft. But compared to losing my wife or a friend because I didn't have one would be more costly. ... It gets worse. Another raft had a similar control valve for the CO2 bottle. I understood that is was put on a raft by the same manufacturer as mine, so the owner of the business brought it over to show me the difference between a Sparklee and a slightly different one. A picture really is worth a thousand words. When he opened this other actuator, the wire around the brass cam was NOT inserted correctly. In a life and death situation, the person using this raft would be sunk. Literally. The wire winds around and fits in a cut out. When you pull the lanyard, the wire moves the cam around and allows the CO2 to fill the tubes. The ball at the end of this wire was not set up correctly. I have a color, digital photo of it. I just looked at a photo of my CO2 bottle. It has TARE 8.55; CO2 4.50; N2 .35 and a total, also hand written in red -- 13.40. NEXT TO IT IS RED LETTERS SAYING 6-00. Yet the stamp on the tank says 5-2000. I wonder if the red is when they packed it, or they made a mistake and said the tank was made in June 2000 ? Givens is the manufacturer. My raft is number 3398. But lets try to be fair to Givens, this other raft may have been serviced by a less experienced shop than the one I was in. I ordered my raft early and Givens didn't get it to me so I canceled the contract for non-performance per time line. They shipped it overnight to me so I accepted it. I don't know if Givens is the only raft manufacturer that puts old things in the rafts. I am not going to get any satisfaction from them, but I hope anyone reading this will warn virtually every boater they know. Get it in writing. Nothing in that raft will be over N months old. Remember, I bought their best and got screwed. They can argue the CO2 bottle was within the 5 year period. 5-2000. I don't know how SOLAS or the USCG looks at these dates, but I received it in the last part of May 2004 as I recall. IF it were made on May 1, 2000, it would have been past its Hydro before my warranty year was up. Can you see Givens realizing they had really screwed up and I was canceling, so they grabbed whatever they had on the shelf and putting it in. A 1988 fishing kit? I have a photo of it with a new one next to it. ... A reputable firm should replace these items with an apology. I have been told Givens usually does not cooperate. ... if you have a Givens with a valve that looks like the Sparklee, have it checked by a really good pro. Please note I have not called Givens bad names nor said all their rafts are junk. That would not be true. But I have a photo of this actuator that shows the little ball is NOT in the "cut out" it is supposed to be in. The owner of this shop said the raft would not have been inflated if used in this condition. |
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Givens had an excellent reputation. There was a change of ownership and at one point
some very negative publicity about some bad repacks. It may be that your raft was one of these.
There is a report on "Equipted to Survive" of the problem getting thru the canopy - as you suggested. There are a lot of rafts which do not hold air even after relatively short time. I don't know how Dave's raft was kept, but many are in fiberglass container, in the high humidity and high heat environment, plus lower temps at night -- give expansion and contraction -- so that moisture gets into the packed raft and deterioration occurs. If I was buying a raft today, I would want one which is vacuum-packed and does not require a repack for 3 years -- and then keep it in a valise, or below decks or at home when I was not using the boat. The tradeoff is not being able to get the raft on deck in the emergency. You did good, by spending time with the repacking technician! |
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We kept the raft in the V-Berth for the summer of 2004, thinking we might still go up
to the San Juans. Then we stored it in the house, in a spare bedroom most of the time.
It was in our garage a while, but mostly in the house. At most, its exposure to sunlight
was a few days on the sun deck, and our boat is in a covered slip.
This life raft has never sat in the hot sun that I can remember.
I may not be using the correct terminology, but to me, an original packing is not a repack. This is the only "repack" of this raft. I understand you need to replace the items annually if you are going to use it, but due to health issues, I knew we would not need it. |
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Several years ago, I bought a previously-owned Zodiac Offshore Racing 4 valise raft
through the BoaterEd classifieds. When it came time to have it serviced and repacked
I took it to LRSE in RI and I asked whether there was any chance of seeing it opened up.
They said they heartily encourage owners to be present when the raft is inspected and
I can tell you this is an absolutely invaluable experience . I was a lot more fortunate
than DLL in that everything inside the inner vacuum-pak bag looked like new though
of course there are batteries, flares and rations that need timely replacement and cylinders and
tubes to be tested/filled.
This owner-inspection is the only really good way to get to intimately know before a real emergency exactly what to do to deploy and to expect from your particular raft and have peace of mind that your life-saving equipment is in better shape than what DLL traumatically confronted and should be reliable when needed. I learned so much about this raft that I hadn't thought about and took about 30 or more digital pics while asking about every single feature, and the service tech was more than happy that I was showing the interest this particular subject truly deserves. It helped me understand why it really is important to keep to the recommended service schedule, not the least reason being to change the fold positions to lessen the risk of tube material cracking over time. I think the vacuum-pak may possibly slightly increase fold crease stress but expect it also considerably increases the overall longevity of all the contents as long as servicing is done. You just have to compare the somewhat painful cost of servicing to possibility of an unknowingly unusable raft boaters may be confidently relying on. I was then able to later go over the pics and features and peculiarities of proper deployment, entry and use with my usual offshore crew, and expect to do that yearly to refresh. I had seen and even been in plenty of rafts at boatshows but this experience was so much more valuable. ... |
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The most sobering thing about our raft was that I could NOT knock the velcro loose with
my fist or elbow and I was standing on concrete, let alone in the water. We have a couple
of lanyards that plainly say "PULL". But you don't have any more directions. I could have
been flushing a toilet for all I knew.
All I can say to anyone operating their boat after dark, and if they have a life raft they might need, they had better do like you and I did. The sales brochure talks about a heavy-duty boarding ladder or some such terminology. It is white, lightweight nylon that looks like it would float on top. I guess you could find it, push it down to where your foot is and lift yourself upwards. Our expert showed us the line inside and said most people would be better off grabbing that to pull themselves inward. Since our sea anchor was buried inside the life raft, we would not have the advantage of it stabilizing the raft. And the 50 ft lanyard being approx 25-30 ft would complicate it some. Our expert recommended using a red nylon "breakaway" line -- sorry, can't remember it. It is supposed to break at 500 pounds pressure, which our guy feels is better than having your lanyard pulling the rubber patch off your raft. I know I did not use the correct terminology, but I hope you get the idea. I also wish the manufacturer would put a weight in the ballast device, so it would sink faster, allowing stability for the raft quicker. One thing our expert will NOT do is make any changes to the factory equipment. I can't buy another CO2 cannister or actuator from him. I don't know if that is the law or just his comfort zone. [As of end of 4/2008, no satisfaction from Givens.] |
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Suppose you have a dinghy with positive flotation and quick release.
Does that mean you don't need a liferaft ?
Certainly means that you'd be sure it is in working shape,
which is not always true of a liferaft.
Could even have two such dinghies on board instead of a dinghy
and a liferaft. Maybe would want a survival suit per person, in addition.
Might be harder to launch than a liferaft, and more likely to capsize
and lose the contents. Good things about using an inflatable, second dinghy (with suitable additions) as a liferaft:
I asked John Dunsmoor this:
A good liferaft also has features not satisfied by an inflatable dinghy:
Modifications to make to use an inflatable, second dinghy as a liferaft:
From Genesis on BoaterEd forum:
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In out of the way places they can't even repack it.
You will understand quickly why most cruisers do not carry life rafts. They are expensive and a good sailor and a good boat has about as much opportunity to actually use the life raft as a good driver and good vehicle has of getting a flat tire. I say that as I am knocking on wood. Life rafts are interesting creatures and most can not take much abuse. The best ones like a Givens are very robust but are also very expensive, large and heavy and they are expensive to have serviced. I am not sure what the ratio is for servicing cost. I know here [Florida] I have paid seven or eight hundred dollars for a commercial raft with a lot of extra gear. Radios, flares, distillation unit, blah, blah, blah. Not that these were replaced, that would have been thousands of dollars. Many cruisers elect to rig a hard sailing dinghy with survival gear or go with an inflatable that has an auto-inflate option. Sliding scale of cost vs options vs weight vs available funds. Everything is a compromise. |
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... a life raft can be as much a help as a hindrance.
If only we had the statistics to show how many people perish
in liferafts off boats that are found still floating.
Will you ever need it anyway? Will you even have time to deploy the raft? Will it inflate? Will it stay attached to the boat long enough for you to get onboard? Will you be able to stay in the raft once you do get in? Will you ever be found even if you do get in and stay in? ... |
| Most boats do not carry liferafts. For crossing oceans, I would seriously consider one. My boat had a liferaft in a hard case mounted on deck when I bought it, and after a few years the sun cooked it to the point of being useless. I took it off the boat and do not plan to replace it. For coastal cruising, the latest generation of EPIRB's are great, the next generation will be even better. |
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We had our liferaft serviced ... While being inflated, one of the
seams exploded. We were so glad that it didn't happen at sea ...
We also had our EPIRB tested and it was found to have a defective battery, which thankfully was under warranty and was replaced. |
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Hydrostatic releases are typically designed to release when about 12' under water.
The idea of waiting till the boat is that far under for the thing to hopefully
pop up and inflate doesn't appeal to me too much. And if you're in a gale,
there's always a chance if it doesn't come up quite where you're expecting it,
the raft will blow away before you can get to it anyway. The guy I was talking
to at Winslow also said when a canister is dropped from the foredeck it will
often inflate upside down, and getting into it becomes a problem. Being able
to place a valise in the water from the stern is definitely the preferred situation.
I had heard from a friend who used to fish in Gloucester about a brand new 40'
downeast boat up there that was rolled by a rogue wave while fishing, and despite
the fact that the raft was brand new and so was the hydrostatic release, it never
came up. They were fishing in a fleet and were quickly picked up, but everyone
was a bit bothered that the release failed like that. On a boat with a full tower
like mine there are too many places for it to get caught up anyway.
I originally bought a Crewsaver for my previous 26' express sportfish (Regulator). My mistake there was buying it without ever seeing the valise and trying to pick it up. The thing weighed 110 pounds, and the only place I had for it was in the v-berth in the cabin. Getting it in and out of the cabin at the dock was a pain, doing it offshore in bad conditions would have been a nightmare. I stuck with it for 6 years anyway, but when I bought the bigger boat and had dry storage out on deck I decided I would buy something that would fit there. The Crewsaver would not fit under the bench seat, actually the standard packing of the Winslow wouldn't either. But one of the reasons I bought from them is that they will custom pack to your dimensions within a certain range, so I got it packed so it fits under the seat with room to spare in all directions so it won't be wedged in there. The Winslow with some options I got came out to 64 pounds in the valise. It's pretty easy to carry, and compared to what I had seems really light. They do make lighter versions with less gear inside also. ... |
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Get one that is just due for an annual inspection.
Make a deal with the seller that if it passes inspection and looks OK to you
that you will pay for the inspection. If it fails he pays for any charges.
Go to the inspection and watch them inflate it. Ask the inspector how much life
he thinks the liferaft has left. If the CO2 canister needs to be hydroed it will
add a lot to the inspection cost. For my Avon it added about $200.
Never, ever, buy a liferaft without having seen it inflated first. You have no idea what you are buying. There are con artists selling valises full of bricks and rags. I see no reason not to buy a ten year old liferaft if it is in good shape. Mine is now fifteen years old and at last inspection it looked like new. |
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[2006] I just completed some research and went to the Strictly Sail
boat show in Oakland in April for the express purpose of getting up close
and personal with lots of different life rafts from as many of the various
manufacturers as possible. My conclusions in a nutshell (which of course
are just mine, Y and everyone else's MMV):
Switlik is the top-of-the-line product, really good stuff, but it's also the most expensive, by a considerable margin. You're paying a lot for the name. Viking is extremely solid, industrial grade, also really good stuff, used in a great many commercial applications (fishing and working boats, cruise liners, etc). Doesn't have the brand/name recognition (yet) that Switlik does among cruisers and rec boaters, but according to the Viking sales mgr I talked to in Oakland, they're catching up and may be hiking prices in the next year or two to capitalize on that. The four-man self-righting also packs into a remarkably small canister, smaller than the unserviceably old Givens 6-man I have now. Winslow makes good products but the more affordable ones that they market to the recreational yachting crowd (objectionable label, but that's you and me) are lighter because they're made of much lighter fabric -- it's basically their aviation-grade raft. If you move out of that product tier and into some heavier products, you get into some heavier pricing as well. DBC, in Surrey BC or thereabouts, used to make very good, solid liferafts but is now owned by Zodiac. If you can buy an older, pre-Zodiac one that is still serviceable cost effectively, that could be a good option. Zodiac is a French product and I ran into more than one person whose perspective I respect who didn't think their products held up that well compared to other manufacturers. Revere is an economy-level product. It costs less for various reasons. You have to decide for yourself if you want to rely on that sort of a product if worst comes to worst and how you'll think about the subject if it's your sorry butt winds up floating around out there waiting to be rescued. 'Nuf said on that account. Givens wasn't at the show, although I talked with the head sales person by phone a few times prior to the show. Some kind of weird politics are going on there -- the guy who started the company sold it, then bought some part of it back, or retained some of the manufacturing rights but not the brand name, or something. Serviceability worldwide (or even on the West Coast) could be an issue with Givens. Also not clear to me whether the people now manufacturing under the Givens name are doing it right, or the original Givens guy, again manufacturing but now under the RCR name, I think, is still doing it right. They also suddenly got unresponsive when I didn't take their bait immediately and asked a lot more questions. Too complicated for me; I was outta there. I wound up getting a 4-person Viking self-righting life raft. It's a bit bigger than the regular 4-person, although not quite as big as either the Viking or the Switlik 6-person raft. (I'm a pretty big guy, about 6'7" and 230 lbs, and don't really expect to be cruising with more than four people aboard.) Including the stainless steel rack to deck-mount the canister in, it was about $3K, boat show prices. A very big-ticket item, at least for the atmosphere I live in. But at that it was $2K less than the rec yachting-level Switlik, and I couldn't identify any differences in design, materials, or workmanship that could begin to explain the $2K price delta. And all of this, like your life insurance policy (which this basically is) for a product you hope you never have to use. I felt that Viking offered an excellent quality product at a reasonable price point, below which compromises lurked that I personally did not want to make. But that was just my conclusion. As I say, YMMV. |
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A person can live for:
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Your boat may have more seawater filters/strainers than you suspect; don't overlook:
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Tankage
What material is best for an onboard tank? How are tanks best installed? These and other questions came up when we were performing several tank replacements during recent refits. Fuel tanks have been discussed in this newsletter before, but let's go through the basic requirements for various tanks again, as this is a recurring issue for many boatowners. Marine-grade aluminum is the most common material used for constructing tanks. If it is installed correctly, it can last for years; if poorly installed, it can corrode very quickly. Even the best alloys cannot stand to be washed with bilge water or even held against a wet surface, so a dry platform with drainage is vital. This means the platform cannot be bare wood, as its moisture content can damage the alloy. You should epoxy-coat plywood and then use strips of neoprene or starboard to allow the tank base to stay dry. To avoid galvanic corrosion, never use any brass or copper alloys in direct contact with the tank. You also must use stainless-steel bushings for the pick-up and return lines, and the grounding wires need a stainless washer between the copper lug and the tank grounding tab. Do not let the tank move at all, as chafe can damage the soft alloy. If aluminum is not the best choice for the location, you can use cross-linked polyethylene (pex) or a custom fiberglass tank; the polyethylene must be cross-linked to resist hydrocarbons. Since such a tank will expand up to 3 percent, provision must be made for growth. Fiberglass tanks can be very successful, but this type of material is best left to an experienced builder, as the fittings for a fiberglass tank are harder to engineer than for other tanks. Stainless steel can be used, but it has lots of potential problems and should only be built after consulting the ABYC standards. One of those standards is that a stainless tank be cylindrical with domed ends, which wastes space. Remember that no matter which material you choose, all tanks should be capable of being cleaned out from a top inspection/cleaning port. Most modern boats are built with the tankage in place before the deck is on. We have had to cut bad tanks into sections to remove them, and the replacements were multiple smaller tanks that could fit through the companionway. So a good installation can save thousands of dollars in the future. Black-water or head holding tanks should only be thick-walled polyethylene or fiberglass composite, as corrosion potential rules out all but expensive alloys. Potable water tanks can be stainless steel, or they can be a food-grade plastic/polyethylene or composite material. But they should not be constructed from aluminum. The key is using a material that is safe to store water for human consumption, with no chemical leaching from poorly built composite tanks. In an emergency or if there is no other alternative for the space, an inflatable bladder tank is available for every application, just be aware chafe is an issue with these tanks. |
Water tanks:
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Re: Epoxy tank coating:
We are using epoxy for a water tank. We are trying to rehab a built-in 112 gallon aluminum water tank. It developed corrosion holes ... Our search for Epoxy finally ended when we found a product called Brewcoat - which is FDA-approved for water or beer and wine. We earlier talked to the West system epoxy experts ... they cannot recommend their epoxy for water tanks as it has never been tested and approved by FDA - though they noted very good techniques for you to use it if you desire to do a water tank in it - as many boats have done for many years. |
| It's never a good idea to connect hard pipe (or any other rigid device) directly to any other rigid objective -- the toilet, the tank, pump, or through hull. Boats are subject to quite a bit of shock in heavy seas ... or just banging the dock (it happens to the best of us!) -- enough shock to move things ... a little or a lot, depending upon how well-secured they are. When that happens, if it puts enough stress on the connection, the weakest part will crack ... in most cases, it's the PVC pipe ... but a female plastic holding tank fitting is equally at risk. In cold weather, the risk is even greater, 'cuz the colder it gets, the more brittle PVC becomes. Always "soft couple" hard pipe to anything else with enough hose to act as a shock absorber ... to let whatever is gonna shift, shift without putting stress on the connection. |
| ... make sure the Y valves are oriented so that they drain out. We found that a small pool of standing waste inside resulted in calcium deposits that jammed them within just a few days. ... |
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Use water filters between shore and tank, and between tank and faucet.
Boats notoriously have bad-tasting water. Ametek 151002 (Kleen-Plus ?) with CBC-10 filter cartridge (e.g. from Tim's RV Parts and Supply). Systems IV F7-GBH (West Marine #193755, $20). Seagull. From Al Hatch on Cruising World message board:
From JeanneP on Cruising World message board:
From Erik Hammarlund on Cruising World message board:
From Rick Kennerly on The Live-Aboard List:
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| If you have a pressurized water system, there's nothing "marine" about the sinks and faucets ... so check out Home Depot and major plumbing supply houses that have a really good selection, especially those that cater to high end homes ... 'cuz they're the ones which have the best selection of "nonstandard" shapes and sizes for wetbars -- which are mostly stainless. If you want it to last, just make sure you get the best quality stainless hardware. |
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The West Advisor has a great section on regulators for [direct connection to] dockside water.
I would recommend three safeguards besides the regulator:
1) Never leave the water on when you leave the boat. We disconnect the hose so that passing folks aren't tempted to help us out. 2) Add a water alarm in the bilge. Pick your location carefully to assure you aren't irritated by minute water alarms. These alarms are cheap and reliable. 3) This last one is an option but a good one. Talk to your local plumbing supply guy. They make water counters for sprinkling systems that limit the volume throughput to whatever you set it at, say 60 gallons. You might have to reset it manually occasionally but it does give some additional peace of mind. |
| ... I do not want to be plumbed in - the water in your tanks will get stale, necessitating much fooling around every time you want to go away ... |
Water tank:
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From Evans Starzinger on Cruising World message board:
From JoeC on Cruising World message board:
From Jeff M on Cruising World message board:
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BoatSafe's "Boat Smart from the Start. Wear Your Life Jacket." BoatSafe's "PFD Basics" BoatSafe's "Choosing and Using the Correct PFD" BoatSafe's "How Do You Test Your PFD?" US Sailing's "PFD's and FAA" Automatically Inflatable PFD's article in 7/2000 issue of BoatU.S. Magazine. BoatU.S.'s "PFDs" BoatU.S.'s "Inflatable Life Jackets" Inflatable PFD review in 10/1/2000 issue of Practical Sailor "Inflatable PFDs" test by Quentin Warren in Nov/Dec 2000 issue of Blue Water Sailing magazine PFDs article in 10/1/2001 issue of Practical Sailor From Ric on Cruising World message board:
From Van on Cruising World message board:
From Andy on Cruising World message board:
From Richmond Marine Police, in letter from Linda Cahill in 2/1/2001 issue of Practical Sailor:
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Stewart Tweed's "Care and Use of Immersion Suits" Michael Maurice's "Survival/Immersion Suits" tips $300-$600 new; $150 used. Better to get mittens (keep hands warmer) or gloves (can use hands without taking protection off) ? When in doubt, get larger size suit. Stearns, Mustang are popular brands. BAYLEYSUIT at Activity Marine Viking-Life Survival Products' Immersion Suit |
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West Marine's "Safety Harnesses and Jacklines" SailNet - John Rousmaniere's "Safety Harnesses And Tethers" US Sailing's "1999 Harness and Tether Study" Want:
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Fire types:
Extinguishing agents:
BoatSafe's "Marine Fire Prevention and Control" SailNet - John Kretschmer's "Fire Aboard" SailNet - Don Casey's "Fire on Board!" Ron Holmwall article about a boat fire Capt Matt's "Marine Fire Extinguishers - Which is best for you" BoatU.S.'s "Fire Extinguishers" Fire extinguishers tested in 8/15/2001 and 6/2005 issues of Practical Sailor Fire extinguishers article (including automatic system choice and installation) by Susan Canfield in issue 2002 #3 of DIY Boat Owner magazine According to a BoatU.S. study, electrical problems (such as wire chafe) cause 55% of boat fires. Engine or transmission overheating caused 24% of fires; fuel leaks caused 8% of fires. From Mo Girard's "Spring Check Up":
Mount fire extinguishers horizontally instead of vertically to help keep powder from settling/packing as boat moves. From CCHIPFIRE on BoaterEd forum:
From Dave Pascoe on BoaterEd forum:
Automatic fire extinguisher (in engine compartment) should have manual release too. From article by Margaret Williams in Cruising World's "Safety at Sea": "All portable extinguishers discharge in a matter of seconds." [So you'd better know exactly how to use it, and get it right the first time.] Portable 5-pound extinguisher discharges for about 14 seconds. Powder residue from dry-chemical extinguisher can destroy bearings in engine. Best extinguishing agent: aqueous foam. Versatile, non-toxic, easy to clean up, but not USCG-approved. Kidde Fire Out Foam ($60). Flamestop ($15) from American Safety Products When time to recharge, take fire extinguishers to a recharge station and ask to set them off yourself, to see how they work. Novel automatic fire extinguisher (melting tube releases charge): Stinger. From article in 6/2005 issue of Practical Sailor:
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BoatU.S.'s "CO and Fume Detectors" West Marine's "Fume Detectors and Alarms" David Pascoe's "Carbon Monoxide Alert" Patricia Baasel's "Propane's Pleasures and Perils" Modern CO alarms give fewer false alarms than older units. From 3/2006 issue of Practical Sailor: Nuisance alarms are a problem: "... gas venting from a conventional lead-acid battery that is charging can activate a CO alarm." "CO is practically the same weight as air and will therefore go anywhere - unpredictably !" Only safe way to test CO alarm using actual CO is to return it to the manufacturer. In comparison to gasoline exhaust, the CO component of diesel exhaust is extremely low. Xintex CMD-2M CO alarm $80 Xintex propane/CNG alarms From Todd Dunn on Cruising World message board,
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EPIRB Types:
What is an EPIRB ? BoatU.S.'s "Why Buy A 406 MHz EPIRB?" USCG's "Comparison Of The 406 MHz and 121.5 MHz Distress Beacons" SailNet - Jim Krezenski's "Betting it All on EPIRBs" Equipped To Survive's "PLB FAQ" Article by John Kettlewell in Mar/Apr 2008 issue of Ocean Navigator magazine ACR Satellite2 406 EPIRB: $540 at Landfall Navigation Seimac SatFind II-406 EPIRB model S1115: approx $700. 406 MHz EPIRB's can be rented for $45/week from BoatU.S. USCG has a program of free testing of 406 MHz EPIRBs. It tests the actual transmissions (self-test button doesn't do that). The registration you filled out when you purchased your EPIRB is good for two years, after which it needs to be updated. I called NOAA (888-212-SAVE) in 7/2004 and got this info:
From articles in 12/2002 issue of Cruising World magazine:
From sidebar article by Ben Ellison in 5/2004 issue of Sail magazine:
From West Marine advisor 81 version 1 7/2004:
From Alejandro Paquin on Yacht-L mailing list:
On most EPIRBs, replacing the battery is very expensive ($200-$300), and requires returning the unit to the manufacturer. Replacement is required every 5 to 6 years and after every emergency use; includes new seals and gaskets, testing, etc. But for some reason, several major brands of PLBs do have user-replaceable batteries (still $200). "When you are looking for a 406 EPIRB, determine the cost of battery replacement before you buy. My $800 EPIRB requires a $350 battery replacement after six years." My opinion: I'd rather have a Marine SSB radio than an EPIRB. The EPIRB is single-function, one-way (no indication that someone has heard the alert and is doing something about it), and not fully testable. The radio can be used for many things. On the other hand, the radio requires more equipment and installation, in a quick emergency you may not have time to use the radio, and you can't take the radio with you into the liferaft. From Clyde Kennewick on Cruising World message board:
Both EPIRBs and PLBs are registered with NOAA for free, and both will work internationally. Summarized from article by John Kettlewell in Mar/Apr 2008 issue of Ocean Navigator magazine:
From Peter Ogilvie on World-Cruising mailing list:
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Article in 9/2000 issue of Practical Sailor Article by Gordon West in 5/2004 issue of Sail magazine McMurdo SeaMarshall Emerald Marine Products ACR (Mini B2 and Vecta2) |
Types:
Article in 1/2006 issue of Practical Sailor |
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Jim and Diane:
"Yes we had a folding bike but never used it outside the States.
The roads are just too rough." Bikes corrode badly and are hard to stow, hard to haul to shore, and hard to use on bad roads in less-developed areas. Folding bikes may have non-standard-size tires, which are expensive and hard to find. See bicycle review in Practical Sailor's 1/1/2000 issue. From Ray Henry on Cruising World message board:
From Logan S/V Scotty Ann on Cruising World message board:
From billy on Cruising World message board:
From John / Truelove on The Live-Aboard List:
From Bruce Bowman on the WorldCruising mailing list 1/2001:
From Ray Thackeray on the WorldCruising mailing list:
From Steve Van Slyke on SSCA discussion boards:
From Carey Johnston on SSCA discussion boards:
From John Mason on The Live-Aboard List:
From Mark Mech on The Live-Aboard List:
From Nemo on Cruising World message board:
From Lee Haefele on The Live-Aboard List:
A To B Magazine Bike Friday ($700+) Brompton ($800+) Dahon ($200+; Mariner 26 is $400) Montague NexiBike (but the web site is gone) Strida ($380) Walmart.com sells a Kent International Folding Bike with aluminum frame ? Heavy but cheap. Convert a complete bike into one you can break down, using S and S Couplings ? |
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We use a yak as a second dink ...
The yak has lots of functions. Using it and a dink you and your crew/partner/whatever are not tied to one another, i.e., one can go back to the boat while the other is at the yachtclub bar and will likely be until closing. In the waters we are in (tropics and sub-tropics) the wet butt is no problem. You can add a large waterproof bag to carry stuff. The yak will let you poke around in the rocks and play in the surf and generally is more fun than a rowing or motordriven dink. We tried a flooding kayak, i.e., a Folboat. I have owned Kleppers. The poor Folboat died because salt water didn't like the alloy and the tropical sun and ozone hole didn't like the nylon and the plastic just wasn't up to the job. A Klepper would have fared better but I still think it might have died. They sell very short single plastic kayaks. It would be my preference. The yak lives on the deck and is in the way a lot. But, Scotty Ann is only 31 feet. The place for the kayak in truly bad weather is somewhere where it will break loose from its own buoyancy in a knockdown or capsize or if a lot of green water comes aboard. I think it would be in the way below in those conditions. You may need to get to part of the hull in a big hurry and I wouldn't want to have to shift the yak to get there. By all means - take a yak. We have only been without for maybe a year intermittently over the past 8 years and missed it when it was gone. |
| I have two of the Ocean Kayaks, which is a "sit-on-top" type where you are not encased IN the boat, but are sitting on it. I bought that kind because I felt that there would be a number of "newbies" trying it out, and they've been very successful for all of us. You don't have to learn to roll, to save your life! My cousins use them in the surf, for which they're wonderful. I use them on the Chesapeake Bay, which allows me to poke into shallows where no one else can go. They enhance a weekend cruise and open new horizons every time we take them along. I have a power boat, and when the boat is loaded I tie them to the swim platform (they weigh less than 40 pounds each) and when I have room they fit nicely across the back of the cockpit. If I were going to do it over again, I think I might buy one two-person, and one single. A MUST for me has been the snap-in padded seat, which gives you support in the shallow seat of the kayak. Maybe that's because I'm over 50 ... I also have rubber plugs to close up the scupper holes when the water is cooler. |
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... We have
lots of barnacles and rocks where we use it, so having a RUGGED kayak
was important for us. It didn't need to be designed for ocean use, since
we only use it while anchored - when the weather is nice. We also want
it light, since it needs to be lifted on deck every night. And we want
it to be very stable, since it might be tricky entering and exiting from
our Tashiba 40 sailboat. The Necky Gannet we chose seems to meet our needs
perfectly. We really like the SKEG it has, which makes paddling in a
straight line much easier.
I thought that it would be difficult to enter and exit the kayak while at an anchorage. I was pleasantly surprised. With two hands and one foot on a boarding ladder you gradually transfer weight from the ladder to the kayak. No sweat! |
| As a past user of 'real' kayaks, I find the sit-on types sluggish, wet, and slow. You probably won't notice the difference because you've never tried a real one before. We had friends that loved theirs on their Cheoy Lee 40 ketch. I didn't as noted above. Most have self-draining bailing holes. Some of these are in the seat (stupid idea). When you go too fast - instant cold water enema! |
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Kayak's are great for liveaboards ... And if stowage is
an issue, a klepper or Folbot are terrific, though they
still require a large amount of space. I've had a Folboat
as well as fiberglass and the newer plastic kayaks. When
living aboard you will want a multi-purpose kayak (as opposed
to a playboat, a lake or sea kayak, etc.) so the plastic knock-about
variety are best. LIGHT WEIGHT! This is critical.
I hang mine on the lifelines ... So it's out of the way when not
in use. If you have a tendency to
go topsy-turvy every now and then, you'll want a wider beam.
26 - 28" is really very stable. I use mine as my dinghy most
of the time ... and it's better! The covered bow and stern
handle lots of cargo ... and keep it dryer in rough weather.
... Just a word on the inflatables. They are fun ... and take up much less room onboard. But they don't 'drive' like a kayak. They're hard to paddle and they don't slice through the water ... it's like paddling an inner tube. But fun! The best I've seen has a 'glass' bottom. I can't remember who makes it ... saw it in the Defender outlet in Connecticut last spring. |
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Steve's Digicams There seem to be 3 ways to go:
JIS Grades of Water and Dust resistance Need flash: From Ikelite: "Flash model cameras are definitely preferred for underwater photography to illuminate the colors. ... the pictures will be blue, green and 'blah' without flash." From a friend of mine who has an Olympus D-340R:
From Pentax Optio W10 reviews 12/2006:
Article in 10/2001 issue of Latitude 38 magazine says: Want 3+ megapixels and 20mm to 300mm focal length. Editor in 5/2006 issue of Latitude 38 magazine says: Fujifilm digital cameras produce blues and greens that are people-pleasing without having to be tweaked in Photoshop. Fujifilm E550 is cheap and great, but has shutter-lag that makes it bad for action photos. Bjorn Vang Jensen's "Guide to Underwater Photography" Sandy Lindsey's "Making Your Underwater Photos Better" From Image Crafter's "Nature Photography Tips and Tricks":
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| You take a 5 gallon plastic pail, cut a large hole in the bottom, cover over the hole with a round piece of clear plastic that's held into place with the sealant/adhesive of your choice, and viola! ... you have just made a lookie bucket. You can use this device to check the set of your anchor without gettin wet. Don't be fooled into buying the inflatable kind at the marine store like we were. |
| Cut the bottom of the bucket leaving a little material on the bottom of the bucket and glue the clear plastic inside. Now you can use the bucket to carry things as well as check the anchor. |
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