Taking an old boat to the Med'. What's needed for Med'-ising

Shade, ventilation, cooling (for crew and food), big cockpit, walk through transom and bathing platform, light weather sails, autopilot, anchor handling equipment, lots of water and fuel capacity, big motor, high electrical storage and charging capacity.

TBH would probably start with a different boat from the one you now have as meeting the demands of comfortable living in the broadest sense is easier with a modern style boat as many of the desirable features are not possible with older designs. However, if you are keeping the boat you will have an idea of what you can and cannot do and the compromises you need to make.
 
+1 with Tranona.

For non-engine charging capacity in the Med, solar wins hands-down over wind, although wind gens work well anywhere, er...windy (Golf de Lions, Aegean in the Meltemi season). But for the most part the primary function of them is to cast shade over the panels.
Hatches which open forward (i.e. hinges aft) make a big difference when at anchor.
Plus electric fans: Caframo are the business; we also inherited a large mains fan with the boat, which we probably wouldn't have bought ourselves, but it's brilliant when we have shore power.
Being able to steer where you want in reverse is handy, too, if not altogether essential. If you're planning on berthing regularly bows-to, give some thought to your kedge gear and it's deployment, because that will be what's holding you off the quay.
Extra fridge insulation can't harm; if cooling air circulation is sluggish, a judiciously-placed 3 inch computer fan works wonders and draws very little power.

And get a hat if you don't have one already. With a bit of string to stop it going awol.
 
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Shade - you need permanent shade over the steering position as the sun gets too hot to bear without it. If you cannot manage your sails with your bimini up, then you need to revise your sail handling system so that you can keep the bimini in place. Think about some sort of shade tent to go over the boom to provide further shade when at anchor or moored up. We have one that clips to the sides of the boom and makeslife comfortable below it.

Ventilation - forward opening hatches are good,as are fabric wind scoops which channel whatever wind there is into the boat. We now have ones for both main hatches. 12v fans are useful too but only for short periods of time when not connected to shore power as they use a lot of electricity. Insect screens for all openings are a must unless you like being bitten to death.

Electricty generation - do your electrical calculations and work out how big you battery bank should be, then double it if you can afford to! A smart regulator for the engine alternator will increase its output and is well worthwhile,as is increasing the size of the wiring between the alternator and the battery bank. Solar is the best route for the Med; fit as much as you can via a MPPT regulator.

Fridge - unless you intend to drink all the time in bars and eat in restaurants, you need a fridge. If you have one already, increase the insulation if possible. We use a couple of the silvery windscreen sun shades as a blanket on top of the contents in ours, which helps keep the cooler air cool.... Also fit a computer fan inside the louvres to the compressor bit to help the air flow down there, his helps to keep the temperature in the often cramped compartment down. If you don't already have a fridge,look at the water cooled compressors that are available now; my understanding is that they are much more efficient than the air cooled ones.

Berthing - if you've got long keeled boat, then you'll probably want to go bows to for mooring. You will therefore need to deploy and recover your kedge anchor quite often, so it would be a good idea to look at stowage of he anchor and warp, plus perhaps a roller to help in recovering it.

Holding tank - do fit one and use it! There are not many active pump out stations in Greece, so make sure you can self discharge it at sea....

Could go on and on but if you want further bits, look through the blog....
 
Take as many cooling fans as you can carry, the oscillating types.

On an unrelated subject you will need various different electrical and water connections.

The midges don't seem to bite but sunblock is an idea; it gets really hot in summer, really cold in winter !

If you chat up Hotel barges they are mostly British crewed and will provide ice & cold beers if you are friendly. :)
 
Twister_Ken said:
All of the above plus as many opening hatches as poss. Did anyone mention a swim ladder?
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A swim ladder is a good idea for MOB, but I've seen unpleasant things floating past on the canals, also after hearing a Perch - Pike with jaws clacking at a 100 yards I decided swimming was out unless I had titanium undies !
 
Having worked on the French canals, that's certainly the way I would go ( and choose a boat suitable ) to get to the Med'; not as an easy way, but because it's wonderful !
 
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Seajet said:
Having worked on the French canals, that's certainly the way I would go ( and choose a boat suitable ) to get to the Med'; not as an easy way, but because it's wonderful !
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Perhaps you should read the original question. Scotty has a Tradewind 33 which would not fit the canals and is asking for suggestions on how to kit his boat out FOR the Med, not how to get there.

Always best to read the question first - avoids giving inappropriate answers.
 
My thoughts so far and some notes……… I agree with most comments, except for the fact that I don't have the ideal awb for the job and will not be changing. My old tub enables me to sail within my budget, comfortably in conditions many others find uncomfortable and so it improves passage making when required. I also intend to go the sea route not canals. I’ve sailed Plymouth-Spain before and intend to port-hop this time to enjoy my trip as more recreational and not an endurance exercise, although my son has other ideas.

For going in astern I will experiment with my bow thruster where possible in the last weeks of this season to see how well I can control my boat backwards against the bower anchor. Otherwise I need to sus out the kedge system to be able to go in bow first. That in itself presents the problem of what passerrelle system to make up to suffice, suggestions please. I have about 65m of bower anchor chain and intend to add rode to that. How much is advised, another 50m?

I will be fitting up a cockpit operated bower anchor free fall and I've watched other long keelers perform reasonably well going astern against their bower and how they prepare for that. It can be a bit of a lottery but I'm all for having a go.
Stern mooring rope or a ‘tape’ on a reel?

After spending the last 10 days in the Med' in a medium sized sugar scooped stern boat with ample comfortable cockpit space with swim ladder and stern shower, I fully accept that compromises have to be made in keeping the present boat.
That said, she does have solar panels and a wind genny, a bimini which needs modifying..... or maybe the mainsheet does. I have a cockpit conservatory and will have lightweight net sun screens made up to take the place of the waterproof windows. (pale or dark?)

I’ve removed the old teak deck and now have a pale coloured GRP/epoxy/gel so that and with a new insulation layer beneath my headlining, will help to keep cool below.

I’ve been considering fitting a small domestic air con’ into the boat. Has anyone done this satisfactorily? Possibly the greatest benefit would be in those hot weeks July/August, or when having to put into a well sheltered and airless marina when shorepower is available.…. but that will be seldom, I hope.

What about an inverter? Are the batteries and electricals involved expensive?

I plan to add another battery or perhaps two to the existing three, but finding the ideal space is a problem. Perhaps one dedicated to the bow thruster?

Also external hatch covers in a pale colour are planned, along with pale boat covers aloft at boom height for when moored, + window/porthole screens+ improving the midge screens used whilst in Scotland. I’ve seen internal blinds inside across hatches…. does anyone have a recommendation?

My water cooled fridge is to have a new compressor and controller and I'll look at improving its insulation.

Is it worth having a microwave?

To add to my water storage I'm considering building a fitted shelf across the lower quarter or so of each large cockpit locker, then line the sides to strengthen the hull to fit a flexible water tank in each. I have always found that to stern load the boat gives us a better ride in a seaway, so I can balance her up a bit by moving other stuff forward a bit more.

I’ll be getting an array of strong waterpipe connectors and hoses, also different electrical connectors, plugs, sockets and leads as I’ve seen a few different types in just a short visit around the Aegean.

I’m going to have the rigging replaced and convert all nav’ lights to LED.

I have a gantry with davits so good handy billies for the inflatable and outboard engine are planned.

I’ve fitted AIS and a two band active radar reflector for those areas where thought needed on my way, yet have to get the 10yr old Rayrine radar responding as it went dead on me this summer.

I inherited a swim ladder with my boat but I havn’t played with it yet.

All six hatches open.

I need new bow/stern mooring warps, but have lots of other ropes up to 50m long down to a string bag.

I have a calorifier but that is supplied off my Eberspacher and I intend to change that so it is supplied via the engines heat exchanger.

I have an old SSB radio which appears to function but needs an aerial fitting up…..any experts out there? (probably worth another thread)
 
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Tranona said:
Perhaps you should read the original question. Scotty has a Tradewind 33 which would not fit the canals and is asking for suggestions on how to kit his boat out FOR the Med, not how to get there.

Always best to read the question first - avoids giving inappropriate answers.
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Well done Seajet... your thoughts still appreciated though. :)
 
Scotty: why do you need us? By the look of it a lot of practical nous has gone into your proposals. Anyway, point by point:

My thoughts so far and some notes……… I agree with most comments, except for the fact that I don't have the ideal awb for the job and will not be changing. My old tub enables me to sail within my budget, comfortably in conditions many others find uncomfortable and so it improves passage making when required. I also intend to go the sea route not canals. I’ve sailed Plymouth-Spain before and intend to port-hop this time to enjoy my trip as more recreational and not an endurance exercise, although my son has other ideas.

Assert paternal authority and have a great time.

For going in astern I will experiment with my bow thruster where possible in the last weeks of this season to see how well I can control my boat backwards against the bower anchor. Otherwise I need to sus out the kedge system to be able to go in bow first. That in itself presents the problem of what passerrelle system to make up to suffice, suggestions please. I have about 65m of bower anchor chain and intend to add rode to that. How much is advised, another 50m? I will be fitting up a cockpit operated bower anchor free fall and I've watched other long keelers perform reasonably well going astern against their bower and how they prepare for that. It can be a bit of a lottery but I'm all for having a go.

65m of chain is as much as most folk have, typically with 50m or so of additional warp. For the most part that will be plenty. However, many anchorages in Turkey (and maybe Croatia) have very steep drop-offs, so more won't harm if you can carry it. Consider extra chain, and a spare hook, for extreme conditions, whether laying in tandem or Vee. And of course there's always the chance of losing a hook. If you don't have one, you'll also need a snubber line of stretchy nylon, plus a hook to attach it to the rode.

You don't mention your anchor windlass, but I'd suggest controls in both cockpit and at the bow (and a very clearly understood system for ensuring they're not both used at the same time...and locate the cockpit switch where it cannot be activated by accident, which I've known happen: luckily no fingers lost). This is particularly handy when going stern-to: person at the bow pays out chain as needed, but at the last minute has to go aft to throw stern lines ashore; at that point helmsman takes over windlass control (we're centre-cockpit, which makes it especially necessary).

Bow thruster should do the job. (There was a recent thread on reversing long-keelers with a thruster, to which I daresay you contributed. If not, it might offer some tips.) Good luck with the reversing practice :)
Passarelle system is a thread in itself, although the old standby, a mod'd aluminium ladder, works fine. My one comment, and others may differ, is that it should not pivot laterally (ie with a single vertical pin). Pain in the butt.

Stern mooring rope or a ‘tape’ on a reel?

Ease of deployment is key, especially if short-handed. Whatever you have, one line should be capable of being taken ashore by a swimmer. Tape is very convenient but reaches a limit of practical size and thus practical strength. Both tape and a substantial line wouldn't harm. There are also occasions when you might want two lines ashore. You'll need a couple of short lengths of chain plus shackle for securing the line ashore without the line's fraying (good if parked long-term in a marina, too); a few loops of old line are also handy for the same and for general use.

...she does have solar panels and a wind genny, a bimini which needs modifying..... or maybe the mainsheet does. I have a cockpit conservatory and will have lightweight net sun screens made up to take the place of the waterproof windows. (pale or dark?)

Pale is more reflective. Consider Phifertex, an acrylic (ie UV-resistant) mesh available in various grades to exclude more or less light. Lets the breeze through but cuts the sun's heat considerably.

What about an inverter? Are the batteries and electricals involved expensive?

Handy to have and fairly affordable (about £200 for 1kW for a decent one). Electricals straightforward. It's more a matter of what you're likely to run with it. Also consider a small one, say 150W, for charging small items (not least 'cos guests often turn up with 'essential' items for which they have only 240V chargers). Plus get 12V chargers for phones, laptop etc, and cigar lighter sockets to use them.

I plan to add another battery or perhaps two to the existing three, but finding the ideal space is a problem. Perhaps one dedicated to the bow thruster?

Again, a topic in itself. To me it makes no sense, particularly if finding place for extra batteries is difficult, to have one battery unavailable for domestic use (starter battery excepted, of course).

Also external hatch covers in a pale colour are planned, along with pale boat covers aloft at boom height for when moored, + window/porthole screens+ improving the midge screens used whilst in Scotland. I’ve seen internal blinds inside across hatches…. does anyone have a recommendation?

All good. Blinds are worth it, and obviously much quicker to deploy than external covers. Can't recall where we got ours but there was a very recent thread on the subject....Ocean-something? Ease of use is key to everything: without it, you'll often not bother, which can become a habit. But if you continue to put in the thought you already have, you'll be fine.

My water cooled fridge is to have a new compressor and controller and I'll look at improving its insulation.

You're already there! We have a good-sized fridge, but the demand for ice can be so great, especially when thirsty guests are aboard, that it can't keep up (not to mention all the faffing with ice bags). So we routinely buy bags of ice: readily available and cheap out here.

Is it worth having a microwave?

We have one which came with the boat. We use it on shore-power, and it's handy. But handy enough to have bought one? I think not. You can buy one easily enough out here should you decide to.

To add to my water storage I'm considering building a fitted shelf across the lower quarter or so of each large cockpit locker, then line the sides to strengthen the hull to fit a flexible water tank in each. I have always found that to stern load the boat gives us a better ride in a seaway, so I can balance her up a bit by moving other stuff forward a bit more.

Flexi tanks are great...or rubbish. Do not go for an off-the peg one, esp Plastmo (are they still available?). They split along the seams. I had one made a few years ago by a company which makes hovercraft skirts. Not cheap, but tough as old boots. You'll access to them to remove the air they always seem to accumulate. Fill them slowly to avoid taking in air with the water.
On the other hand, consider how much you'll miss the los locker space: you will accumulate a mountain of 'essential' junk.

I’ll be getting an array of strong waterpipe connectors and hoses, also different electrical connectors, plugs, sockets and leads as I’ve seen a few different types in just a short visit around the Aegean.

The water adapters are mainly just a question of diameter. Most are regular garden hose connectors. All three (?) sizes cost less than a fiver in plastic and are resdily available when one drops overboard.
An adapter from 30A to 30A shore power connectors is handy. Ditto a made-up 16A one-to-two for when there are insufficent shore power sources. Also, bring a good supply of UK domestic plugs for any electrical items you might buy out here.(We went the opposite route and converted everything to continental plugs, but only because our shore-power sockets are continental.)

I’m going to...convert all nav’ lights to LED.

LEDs are good (at least, good ones are). Consider them, too, for interior lights (mainly 'warm' white). We changed almost every light except a couple of flourescents on our 43-footer for around £150. Makes a huge difference to power drain. So far none has failed: www.bedazzled.uk.com

I have a calorifier but that is supplied off my Eberspacher and I intend to change that so it is supplied via the engines heat exchanger.

Get one with an immersion heater (most have them). If you do, consider speccing it with a 500W element rather than 1000/1200W: the smaller element can be driven by a modest inverter when motoring, shortening the time it gets up to temp. On shore power you won't notice the difference (unless you have a posse of teenage girls aboard, lucky you). In fact I know of one boat where that's used exclusively, the calorifier having no engine plumbing at all. Just choices,

I have an old SSB radio which appears to function but needs an aerial fitting up…..any experts out there? (probably worth another thread)

SSB is little used in the Med. No harm in having it, but put it low on your list. An iphone or Android is great for downloading grib files etc, providing you're not paying too much for data. (The missus does all that so I'm not the man to advise on contracts.)

Good luck. We'll try not to use up all the sunshine.
 
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Just a passing thought on July/August heat (and busy-ness) - the Cruising Association has hundreds of members in the Med. A lot of them come back to Blighty mid summer and do their med sailing Spring and Autumn when there's less competition for space and things are cooler and cheaper and there's more chance of sailing breezes.

Don't forget umbrellas. Raining in South of France today!
 
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Scotty - after reading your long list of planned actions, I reckon you are making hard work of it, and expensive work at that. Boats are like cars in the sense that there is no such thing as a boat or a car that is good for every type of use. You risk spending money and time and still ending up with a poor boat for hot climates.

The med is full of awb boats - you dont need heavy long keel narrow beamed down there. But more to the point its also full of boats already equipped with the necessary gadgets and for sale and at all price levels. So why not sell a boat ideally suited for west scottish waters and buy one ideally suited for the med?
 
Bosun Higgs said:
Scotty - after reading your long list of planned actions, I reckon you are making hard work of it, and expensive work at that. Boats are like cars in the sense that there is no such thing as a boat or a car that is good for every type of use. You risk spending money and time and still ending up with a poor boat for hot climates.

The med is full of awb boats - you dont need heavy long keel narrow beamed down there. But more to the point its also full of boats already equipped with the necessary gadgets and for sale and at all price levels. So why not sell a boat ideally suited for west scottish waters and buy one ideally suited for the med?
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Fair points, Mysterious Particle. But you see many contented couples in the Med on non-AWB's which they've had the satisfaction of setting-up 'just so'. And it may well be that Scotty's boat has been painstakingly made just how he likes it -- a fairly important attribute in something that's about to become his home. Reading between the lines of his posts, he's a chap who finds that sort of stuff rewarding in itself. Only he will know, of course...as only he will know what budget he's comfortable with. Price isn't everything.
 
That in itself presents the problem of what passerrelle system to make up to suffice, suggestions please. I have about 65m of bower anchor chain and intend to add rode to that. How much is advised, another 50m?
Passerrelle for the bow: I've seen lots of idea, the simplest of which is a bit of stainless tube of the right diameter held in the forward jaws of the bow fair leads, held in place by a bit of rope lashing, to which the plank is held by a bit of one by one and lashing. Other solutions include ever more complex brackets welded to the bow with pivots fitted to the gangplank. Anchor chain: we have 70 metres and have only used the full extent once or twice. No rope added to it, although we do have 50 metes or so we could use in extremis.

I will be fitting up a cockpit operated bower anchor free fall and I've watched other long keelers perform reasonably well going astern against their bower and how they prepare for that.

we have a wireless remote control for the anchor winch, which means that it can be controlled anywhere on the boat. Only one controller, therefore removes the chance of a second person using the winch at the wrong moment and cutting fingers off...... Cost about £15 off eBay just search for winch remote control and take your pick.

We use some redundant climbing ropes for our son for long lines to take ashore. They live in nylon stuff bags so that you fasten one end (either to the boat or ashore) and the line then just pulls out of the bag. No coiled ropes to tangle or reels to find a place for and the rope has lots of stretch to act as a shock absorber.

I’ve been considering fitting a small domestic air con’ into the boat. Has anyone done this satisfactorily? Possibly the greatest benefit would be in those hot weeks July/August, or when having to put into a well sheltered and airless marina when shorepower is available.…. but that will be seldom, I hope.
air con - don't have it ourselves and never really thought about it. Sme friends of ours did bring one with them but took it home after the first summer as it was never used.
What about an inverter? Are the batteries and electricals involved expensive?
we have a 1000 watt Maplins inverter that is wired to the main battery's via a switch. Cost about £90. It does fine for the very few times it gets used. By now, guests know that it's no use bringing their hair dryer with them.... We have accumulated 12v charging leads for just about all the major mobile phone makes, along with iPod and iPad chargers, so the only thing routinely using 240v is the computer printer and the hot glue gun.
I’ve seen internal blinds inside across hatches…. does anyone have a recommendation?
we have roller blinds over the hatches in the saloon and fore cabin, silver on the outside. Kept closed during the day when there's no wind
To add to my water storage I'm considering building a fitted shelf across the lower quarter or so of each large cockpit locker, then line the sides to strengthen the hull to fit a flexible water tank in each. I have always found that to stern load the boat gives us a better ride in a seaway, so I can balance her up a bit by moving other stuff forward a bit more.

there really isn't much difficulty in finding water in the Med. We have 300l on board and with a sea water tap for washing up we can easily go two weeks between fills. If you have space available, then a water maker may be a better use of space.

I inherited a swim ladder with my boat but I havn’t played with it yet.
do play with it and make sure SWMBO is happy with it. Splashing into the sea is an essential part of temperature management in the summer.


I have an old SSB radio which appears to function but needs an aerial fitting up…..any experts out there? (probably worth another thread)

as has been said, not much used in the Med. Probably not worth the costs involved in fitting new antenna and counter poise. Hope that helps.
 
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For my med sailing, I wish I had had the following:

New generation anchor - Manson, Spade, Rocna, etc.
Honda Eu20i generator, (or inboard diesel genny).
Sterling/similar charging regulator both for alternator and shore power charger.
 
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