I came across a post today on the Iolite’s blog about what’s essential for cruising. Of course, this list is different for everybody, but one thing that is the same for all cruisers is that at the end of the first long cruising trip, you’ll realize that some of the “essential” items that were brought are now buried at the bottom of a locker and some of the afterthoughts are indispensable.
In my case, I can’t believe that I tried to talk my husband out of buying our Garmin chartplotter, arguing that it was too expensive. It has literally been on deck with us every moment that we’ve sailed the boat since we purchased it. (To my credit, I’ve apologized numerous times for that oversight.)
So what was essential to Iolite? I’ve reproduced their list below, highlighting my favorites. My additional comments are in italics.
- AIS Transponder-ships call us by name when needed!! and we call them by name so they actually respond! (Still in the nice to have category for me. at the moment I don’t do a lot of overnights, and fog isn’t an issue where I sail)
- Espar forced air furnace – ducted to all compartments
- Oversized (read huge) inflatable storm fenders from Aire
- Solar powered hatch exhaust fan-tireless/quiet/effective
- - Ziploc bags (Absolutely – you can never have enough of these)
- West Marine folding cockpit seats with head rests
- Dual Racor fuel filters (we installed them in a noncabin but accessible space to avoid smells in the living quarters)
- Waterway Guides
- Good prescription polarized glasses
- LED lighting
- Solar panels
- Quiet interior fans (upper qualty Hella) (Seems like such a small thing, but so nice to have – we upgraded ours)
- Polar fleece sheets
- Laser temperature gun
- Good dinghy light(s)
- - Our 33 kilo Rocna anchor
- Good quality mattresses-very expensive/painful to purchase, but great every night!
- High tech fleece pants and tops
- Micro fibre bath towels
- Good flashlights (small ones too for your pockets at night/on watch) (headlamps)
- Good binoculars with internal compass (ours are West Marine Tahiti-they have been great for years)
- a BBQ that stays lit in 20 knots and has a button starter that always works & not too big
- - Big screen chartplotter at helm
- 2nd chart plotter inside that allows you to confirm your anchor holding(without going out into the cold wet night) or allows you both to view different things/ranges without disturbing the other plotter
(or a portable chartplotter) - Various sizes and colour Post It notes-for navigation, lists, reminders
- Several VHFs (handheld & attached)
- Warm, comfortable sea boots
- Bow thruster
- Heavy duty dinghy and dinghy davits
- Jib furler
- Bimini and dodger (an awning works too)
- Lots of grabbable snacks
- Commercial labeler (like DYMO) with nylon tape – sticks really well & stays
- Leatherman
- Spares of everything you can fit on board
- SSB Radio
- An abandon ship bag with EPIRB
- A high-quality first aid kit for serious emergencies plus a separate bag of first aid basics like Advil, Bandaids, etc.
- Laptop and a good quality wi-fi antenna/extender
- An extensive music library
- A good rum punch recipe
What would I add to this list?
What’s on your list? Let us know in the comments.
A good sun hat is essential as is some zinc oxide.
A strong non-rusty knife is essential. Hopefully you never need it but if you do, you’ll swear by it.
While these might seem trivial, some wet wipes and Gold Bond powder can make a few showerless days much more comfortable.
A reliable outboard engine to help explore those beautiful beaches
Solar panels: cut the number of stops for fuel in half
Wind, preferably following.
Let me know the name of the BBQ that stays lit in 20 knots. We have abandon gas for charcoal because the grill will either not lite or stay lit in winds of common strength in Maine.
Ditto for wipes ! Discovered this “technique” last month on a convoy from Beaufort NC to Nassau.
Ditto Rocna + Ultra anchors, SSB, medical kit…
Fortress to set via dinghy
Dinghy with hard floor
Generator (works when wind and solar don’t)
Self steering (wind vane and autopilot)
SAT phone as a complement to SSB
Good GRIB file program
Blackberry when in range
Awning (global warming)
Extensive book library
Personal EPIRB for pocket while on watch
Inflatable life jackets with crotch strap and double tether
Hot water heater
Watermaker (lots of places running dry)
Head lamps
More tools, less clothes
Solas flares and prior experience with setting them off in daylight so you can read the instructions and know how not to blow up your boat if you get in trouble
etc etc etc
That’s why we raised our waterline, but we used most of it during three Atlantic crossings in three years.
And our book, Happy Hooking. The Art of Anchoring., so we can update it with all the ‘interesting’ things we see in anchorages around the world.