Preparing a Squib for camping cruising

[Kukri]

My teenage son wants to go camping cruising in a Squib on the coasts of Essex and Suffolk in the summer school holidays. This runs in the family - his father went camping cruising in an Mumbles YC OD (18ft carvel centreplate dayboat designed by Jack Jones) in 1971 and his grandfather went camping cruising in his brother in law's clinker centreplate dayboat in 1921, in the same waters.

This being 2018, I thought I would seek advice on what the modern singlehanded camping cruiser in such a boat takes along...

The boat: A Squib should float on her buoyancy tanks (memo to self - replace hatch O rings!) and since she sits happily bolt upright, rigged, with lifting chains hooked into the keel bolt eyes, she will no doubt do so if flooded.

Rig - I find myself wanting to put a row of reef points in the spare mainsail - and the jib? - or suggest that he carry a smaller jib? - do others agree?

Tent, sleeping bag and change of clothes in waterproof bags, food, cooking stuff cutlery and crockery, washing up bowl, water container, two buckets. Oilskins.

Anchor (7kg CQR - (well on the safe side!) and chain and warp, fenders, compass - Sestrel Grid - more overkill!), riding light.

Deflated Avon Redstart and paddles.

Charts - paper plus Navionics on smartphone in bullet proof case. Battery for charging phone and running echosounder.

Hand held VHF. Flares.

What have I missed and what can be omitted?

Thanks

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Does he really need the inflatable which is a fair bit of weight.

 

[Kukri]

Does he really need the inflatable which is a fair bit of weight.

Good point. He could tow a rigid dinghy - we've done it and she still gets along OK. But with a metre of draft he will need a dinghy of some sort, I think.

 

[SiteSurfer]

You have ticked the majority of the boxes I'd want to be ticked, didn't see the (perhaps obvious) lifejacket or BA.
Also - may be worth looking at a solar charger, the battery will only last so long.

 

[Kukri]

Yes, he has both LJ and BA - good idea about the solar charger.

 

[Neeves]

Power bank, how does he get weather forecast (phone?); torch; how old is he - if 13 an EPIRB for your peace of mind; radio (he'll want to keep up with something, football, cricket, Trump; water proof camera (or is that the phone?) fishing gear.

The phone could get a lot of use - think about charging critically

 

[Kukri]

Power bank, how does he get weather forecast (phone?); torch; how old is he - if 13 an EPIRB for your peace of mind; radio (he'll want to keep up with something, football, cricket, Trump; water proof camera (or is that the phone?) fishing gear.

The phone could get a lot of use - think about charging critically

Good point. Sixteen. Torch and simple radio, certainly - he may as well learn the Shipping Forecast rituals. Yes the iphone in a Catalyst case does for the camera. And you are quite right - he will need to charge it constantly, unless he takes the clingy gf with him, in which case he won't use it at all, but her parents might have a sense of humour failure. PLB if not an actual EPIRB.

I suspect that times have changed since 1971 when the village shopkeeper, who happened to be an auxiliary coastguard, remarked to my father, "Saw your son out yesterday. He blew his mainsail out. But nothing to worry about - he knew what he was doing!" It was a knackered cotton sail and that persuaded my father to spring for a new one in Terylene!

 

[TLouth7]

If it were only for a few days I would probably ditch the dinghy - wade the camping stuff ashore and then let the boat drop back on the anchor, with a shore line to recover it. On a gently shelving shore you might have to shorten up on the rode and then swim back ashore.

If he is planning to camp on the foreshore I would add a decent sleeping mat (and work out in advance where it is actually possible to land). I would also go for a tarp rather than tent, but that is just a personal thing.

I probably wouldn't carry flares for such an undertaking, but would not make coastal hops in marginal conditions (only if confident I could complete them in daylight/good visibility), especially true if he has no outboard (and where would be the fun in that?).

If he is going to be singlehanded (or with a crew who would not be able to pick him up on their own) then a tether to a strongpoint on the floor, for use whenever out at sea.

I'm getting quite jealous now

PS You forgot the food...

 

[Kukri]

If it were only for a few days I would probably ditch the dinghy - wade the camping stuff ashore and then let the boat drop back on the anchor, with a shore line to recover it. On a gently shelving shore you might have to shorten up on the rode and then swim back ashore.

If he is planning to camp on the foreshore I would add a decent sleeping mat (and work out in advance where it is actually possible to land). I would also go for a tarp rather than tent, but that is just a personal thing.

I probably wouldn't carry flares for such an undertaking, but would not make coastal hops in marginal conditions (only if confident I could complete them in daylight/good visibility), especially true if he has no outboard (and where would be the fun in that?).

If he is going to be singlehanded (or with a crew who would not be able to pick him up on their own) then a tether to a strongpoint on the floor, for use whenever out at sea.

I'm getting quite jealous now

PS You forgot the food...

Thanks.

Draft of a Squib is one metre. She tows my 9ft stem dinghy quite happily. But he is planning to sleep aboard as there are rather few good beaches in our rivers. Good idea about the LJ harness to a strong point.

I hope he remembers the food...

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Thanks.

Draft of a Squib is one metre. She tows my 9ft stem dinghy quite happily. But he is planning to sleep aboard as there are rather few good beaches in our rivers. Good idea about the LJ harness to a strong point.

I hope he remembers the food...

Used to mess about in the Orwell late 50s and early 60s with my cousin we often camped at Nacton shores, hope your grandson has a great time.

 

[Seajet]

If he can't make it ashore to a cafe ( dare I say pub ), Amazon do a lot of self heating meals.

A good unbreakable stainless flask is handy to fill with boiling water before setting off, useful for cup a soups and pot noodles as Plan B to keep one going.

Speaking of which I used to use Kraft ' plastic cheese ' slices inbetween Jacobs crackers as a quick snack under way ( which worked well until one day my crew left the b*****y plastic film on ! )

A local chart

Chem-lights to use as anchor lights, and one can never have too many waterproof torches

Lots of socks

One of those portable cookers with an aerosol type gas bottle would be handy - and a small First Aid kit especially savlon, plasters for minor burns and sunblock.

Sunglasses.

Cheapo binoculars for navigation and collision avoidance.

I'd definitely forget the Avon dinghy, much too heavy and bulky; use a resort style beach inflatable.

If he can't fit reef rows, a spare main from a smaller dinghy may be a cheap idea - may be able to borrow one ?

As an autopilot is out, remind him to tie the jibsheet ends together so he can control them from the windward side.

Can't go far wrong in a Squib, they had a good designer :encouragement:

 

[LittleSister]

This being 2018, I am sure he would not contemplate going without his smartphone, which I imagine will be the thing that makes the most difference to the experience he has compared to yours and your father's.

Is it right that you are researching and deciding what he should take? Would it not be better to let him do so? (With a watchful eye over his shoulder, of course.)

 

[Kukri]

This being 2018, I am sure he would not contemplate going without his smartphone, which I imagine will be the thing that makes the most difference to the experience he has compared to yours and your father's.

Is it right that you are researching and deciding what he should take? Would it not be better to let him do so? (With a watchful eye over his shoulder, of course.)

This is the watchful eye over the shoulder.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Good point. He could tow a rigid dinghy - we've done it and she still gets along OK. But with a metre of draft he will need a dinghy of some sort, I think.

If you can get hold of one, I recommend a SportYak for this - I tow one behind my Hunter 490. Sure, it's small, wet and looks like the bastard offspring of a flubber and a soapdish, but it's light, tough and works well as a dinghy for small boats.

Of course what your son really needs is a Hunter 490. By a curious coincidence, mine is for sale ...

 

[Neeves]

And a complete et of Swallows and Amazons.

 

[JumbleDuck]

And a complete et of Swallows and Amazons.

Literally, and without the slightest exaggeration, the first thing I put on my boat when I got her. Nicely battered old hardbacks. My crew and I are coming to the end of Great Northern? for the fourth time and will be starting a fifth reading of Swallows and Amazons on our summer cruise this year.

 

[michael_w]

Tarpaulin to go over the boom. Also read the section from Three Men In A Boat about equipment. 'It's not what you would like to take, it's what you cannot do without'.

 

[John the kiwi]

I am sure you have the obvious things well covered, but one thing i discovered late in life was an inflatable pillow for tramping(hiking).
When tramping i always used to use a sleeping bag carry bag stuffed with spare clothing and towels etc, but it was never good.
Then i discovered inflatable pillows. Worth their weight even when you have to carry them every step of the way.