What else - prep for the big trip

[tomdmx]

Hey All,
I though I'll share my progress with you and seek any further input on what we're doing...so I bought an older 31 foot steel cutter for not a lot of money in reasonable condition...its a van der stadt yacht with a lot of old stuff though all working well...now she's out of the water and we're prepping to take off in approx 2 months time to head to S America though first few months its the French canals, then the N African coast and finally the big crossing (a first for the three of us)
So out of the water and mast removed we're just about to finish painting her top and sides (bottom is in good nick) and we are working on:

• Rigging - replacing existing with stronger..its 6mm at the moment, got myself some 8 and 10mm cable and fittings so getting a pro to do the work (thinking 10mm fore and aft and 8mm on the sides), we'll also be replacing all running rigging and servicing the mast (its wooden) along with any shackles etc
• Toilet - removing the sea toilet and patching up the two holes...replacing with a porta potti...thought is that its better for the inland waterways and my old school thinking of less holes -better.
• Rust - learning now that its a constant battle, win some loose some..
• Safety - only have one pump (manual) externally so fitting a decent electric one internally and thinking of adding another manual inside also...
• Steering - adding an older but fully functional aries wind vane, not sure if a tiller pilot will come in handy? Also thinking of changing to a wheel steering...though in two minds about it, its more comfy to steer but less space in cockpit...
• Electrical - replacing all lights with led type and whilst at it change some of the dodgy cabling (all works just not very well installed and guessing efficient) as well as adding solar panel to existing wind genny and two batteries (so we'll have one for the engine and two 120a/h for house, total 240 a/h..is that enough?)
• Comms - not much there originally so new vhf/dsc radio plus a hand held...was thinking about long distance comms so thinking either phone or hf setup (seems very expensive up front)
• Nav - an ipad for nav plotting, got a gps laptop also for additional measure plus two gps systems and a hand held one just in case..hoping that is sufficient?
• Insulation - we've also removed the interior top panels to remove old insulation and replacing with kingspan type...
• Systems - again fairly old stuff so adding a nasa sounder and log
• Drive - servicing the old but very good lister 18hp (oils and filter recently changed, need new alternator belts)..have a two blade prop at the moment, thinking of replacing with 3 blades..would that make any difference?
• Sails - All good sails no need for service but I am installing headsail furling (all hank on at the mo), bearing less which apparently lasts longer or less problematic
• Living - adding a cheap deck shower, adding more f/w capacity..140l at the moment in plastic tank in keel (removable)..adding another 120l in fwd space (flexi triangle tank,double skinned)...should I be thinking more water?
• Comfort - thinking of a 12v tv for watching movies etc, a new radio to replace the very old tape one, plus a new bimini for the deck

So these are the main things....what else should I think about?

 

[lustyd]

I started a thread here recently asking about failures.

Pumps, especially electric ones were very high on the list. By all means fit more but carry spares for all of them.

LED lights were high on the list too. Again carry more spares than you expect to need.

How will you charge an iPad in the middle of the Atlantic? Yes you'll have the wind power but do you really want to use it all on a toy? (I have an iPad and love it but a proper GPS it is not)

You have not mentioned taking sewing kit. This was very high on the list of failures indeed. take sail cloth, needles, thread etc for mending any or all of the fabric items on the boat including clothing, cushions, sails and covers.

Wheel steering offers more room in the cockpit, not less. You have this completely backwards in my opinion - tiller is comfy sitting on the sides holding a stick. Wheel is not comfy as you probably cant see over it sitting down. Auto pilot is also easier and cheaper with a tiller.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Seajet]

Tomdmx,

I worked on a hotel barge in Burgundy...

For a start, the weather can get really seriously hot, so have cooling fans aplenty ( for people trying to sleep, not engines though they're a consideration too ! ).

The majority of hotel barges I knew had mainly British crews, and we were always willing to supply free ice and the odd beer etc, so worth making friends.

I never ran into the slightest hint of 'agro', but in a small boat I'd have some sort of welded grill one could place over the hatches to enable ventilation and security.

In Burgundy every place we stopped at had a different shore power connection ! So a variety of plugs and a simple long mains lead are necessary.

Water connections were also usually a long way from the boat, so a very long hose or portable tanks are required.

Pushbikes to get along the towpath into town or village would be very useful, good fun too; we had pushbikes for the guests, and a moped for crew to scoot around; a good rucksack is always handy for carrying parts, shopping or fuel cans.

A good First Aid kit and the training to use it, combined nowadays with a mobile phone and VHF, could be life savers, one is often a long way from help if something goes wrong.

Don't lean over the side above floating bollards in locks, someone on another barge had his day spoiled by being decapitated when the thing stuck then shot upwards !

Fenders in the form of old car tyres are frowned upon.

If you haven't tried it yet, I recommend the book 'Narrow Dog To Carcassone' by Terry Darlington, very funny and a fair bit of info' accidentally seeps through.

 

[Kelpie]

A pro rigger will offer better advice than me, but why should the cap shrouds be less manly than the forestay and backstay?

 

[tomdmx]

Thank you all worthy comments...re rigging that's what I've been advised, got a pro rigger to provide ultiamte direction next week...
As to ipad charging, will have two boat gps systems (well one working one backup) but ipad for chart plotting (or the laptop)..planning for power to come from wind and solar, and if need be engine and worst case genny so hopefully sufficient..at open sea we'll only do 2 daily fixes and use the chart plotting if need be closer to shore...i guess a chart plotter is better but then I heard conflicting suggestions on this so went with the laptop and ipad option (ipad for other things too lol)
Seajet some very practical advise there too thanks! Especially the hose and bike info, we're planning to take on a couple of bikes to explore

 

[emnick]

Getting ready

Have you had a look in the diesel tank(s) may be worth having a look and if possible cleaning out.
while you are at it try and blow out you fuel lines, supply and return.
I would carry plenty of spare primary filters and perhaps a filter type funnel.

Good luck with the trip.

 

[Seajet]

Tomdmx,

another thought; I've seen on these forums - especially Grehan on the Liveaboard forum who knows far more about the French canals than me, that boats ending up at one end or the other can offset the cost of the pilot books & charts by selling them to people going the other way, just beginning the trip.

I must say I loved being on the canals and have vowed to return in my own boat, as soon as I find a way to convince SWMBO she'd enjoy it !

On the barge we had a tour guide who took the guests to chateaus, vineyards, balloon flights and museums etc, I think it would be worthwhile getting some history books on the areas travelled through, maybe also on bird watching if that's of interest.

I met one British couple in a 23' Magyar yacht, as they were short on funds the husband towed the boat on the narrow canal stretches with a long line over his shoulder, fine once he got the boat moving but I didn't find out how they stopped at locks !

 

[ridgy]

10mm wire on a 31' boat seems very OTT. Just adding weight and expense.
Porta-pottis not much fun in warm weather, to say the least. I replaced a sea toilet with one, and I've just changed it back again. I would say you'll end up chucking no2s over the side shortly after anyway so why make yourself the middle man?

 

[Tranona]

Couple of comments. Think your proposal on increasing rigging size is way OTT. Those are sizes for a boat getting on for 40'. You will never get anywhere near the breaking strain of that size wire. Why increase weight aloft and cost for no benefit? Find out what the designer specified and stick to it.

Forget about wheel steering. Not necessary and would require a huge budget to do properly, as well as make it difficult to make the Aries work.

If you have not bought your tank yet I have a brand new Plastimo flexible triangular 120l tank for sale at big saving on current new price. PM me if interested.

 

[Erik C]

If you plan on visiting Brazil make sure you have all the spares needed, spares are hideously expensive here. To make up for it beer and meat are cheap.

 

[ridgy]

While I'm at it, filling in perfectly good seacocks in a waste of time as well.

These sorts of questions are totally an expression of inexperience and overthinking. There are many, many boats sailing around the world right this minute skippered by very experienced sailors who have standard (ie engineered) rigging sizes and the normal number of seacocks who are perfectly happy with the arrangement.

Do yourself a favour, leave the boat as it is, replace anything that is suspect like for like, and get on with your sailing.

 

[Seajet]

10mm wire on a 31' boat seems very OTT. Just adding weight and expense.
Porta-pottis not much fun in warm weather, to say the least. I replaced a sea toilet with one, and I've just changed it back again. I would say you'll end up chucking no2s over the side shortly after anyway so why make yourself the middle man?

That, with all due respect, is nonsense !

I have had a porta potti equipped boat for 34 years on & off; contrary to the first thing quoted by non - users, these chemical loos do not usually smell of chemicals or anything else !

They do smell if the seals have gone, say after about 10 years; there are repair kits available, but I'd say the thing has had its' day and dispose of it, get a new one.

In fairness, we did once leave an expired one by the refuse skip, it seemed to stay a while then vanish; we always suspected it went to Porton Down NBC warfare centre !

N.B. these loos can be used when the boat is dried out or in a marina without embarassment.

By nature they have a holding tank, in case that's the next regulation inflicted on boat owners - easily carried like a briefcase to a loo disposal point though I wouldn't keep my sandwiches in it.

Porta potti's come in various sizes to suit headroom of the boat, and have a guage to inform one when it's reached critical...

The contents are liquified by the - literally green in every way - chemical and there's a pressure relief push button valve to make pouring easy.

Compared to a sea toilet with holes in the hull and seacocks to go wrong ( a chums' boat, not mine Fireball ! ), I know which I prefer.

 

[oldbilbo]

I didn't notice any mention of anchors. Plural. Nor the several long lengths of chain you will certainly need. Long, strong warps ditto.

Dinghy/tender? Outboard?

Have a good trip....

 

[ridgy]

I'm glad that you had a better porta potti experience than I did. I recognise all of the features that you describe, and I agree that in a small boat that did not already have the plumbing it would be a good option. However if a holding tank is not mandated and he already has the holes, well better out than in I say.

 

[Seajet]

I'm glad that you had a better porta potti experience than I did. I recognise all of the features that you describe, and I agree that in a small boat that did not already have the plumbing it would be a good option. However if a holding tank is not mandated and he already has the holes, well better out than in I say.

ridgy,

fair enough; I forgot to mention, if anyone is going for a Porta Potti go to a caravan shop, there's an extra figure on the price tag for 'marine' kit...

My boats' loo has lacing eyes each side and a bungee strap across the top to hold it in place, the alternative in a breeze doesn't bear thinking about !

 

[LadyInBed]

I had a boat with a porta potti for 15 years and did circular trips round the French canals twice - no problems with smells or emptying it.
Mooring lines - Don't use your 'good' lines for the canals, cus they will be good for nothing by the time you get to the Med!
Rigging - OTT, furling foresail is good but no mention of an inner fore-stay with a selection of hank on sails (ie storm and Yankee).
Cooking - Get a BBQ welded into the back, cooking inside in heat is no fun! Tie up for night, forage for wood, cool bier while it heats up, another cool bier while food cooks. Any neighbours will be taking envious looks and thinking 'they've got it sussed'
Spares - Be sure to include exhaust elbow, a length of fuel line and olives, drive belts and impellers.
Water - If you haven't already got fresh and sea water taps, use one of your loo sea-cock holes for a sea water tap.
I reckon you should try and double your stated water capacity! I carry 100 gals (450 ltrs), the more you have the longer you can stay out at anchor.
. . . . that will do for a bit

 

[tomdmx]

While I'm at it, filling in perfectly good seacocks in a waste of time as well.

These sorts of questions are totally an expression of inexperience and overthinking. There are many, many boats sailing around the world right this minute skippered by very experienced sailors who have standard (ie engineered) rigging sizes and the normal number of seacocks who are perfectly happy with the arrangement.

Do yourself a favour, leave the boat as it is, replace anything that is suspect like for like, and get on with your sailing.

Thanks for your comments mate, you're right I dont have the experience of crossing an ocean...I guess I do things according to the 7Ps ..anyhow the rigging needs changing as I noted some breakeges near the top of mast on a couple of cables..and 3 different people suggested changing the 6mm to at least 8mm...I'm talking to a rigger about this further though..

Re seacocks, without going into details my own experience dictates that less holes (especially the toilet ones) in a boat the better

Though I take the point of just getting out there...we are and its only two months to go before we leave the UK for good (or for a long while at least) but I'm looking to see if there is anything else I should be thinking about as we haven't crossed an ocean before...

As to everything else I didnt want to bore with details...but we've got 3 different anchors, cqr as main, bruc and fishermans as they came with the yacht (and plenty of chain and warp), got a avon dinghy and I'm working on getting a decent outboard...

Didnt think about the diesel tank and lines clean out..good point that Seajet I'll see if I can get in touch with Grahan re canals..right now the missus is researching the place we'll be going through (she seems to enjoy planning the cultural aspects of the trip) so point well taken

 

[tomdmx]

I had a boat with a porta potti for 15 years and did circular trips round the French canals twice - no problems with smells or emptying it.
Mooring lines - Don't use your 'good' lines for the canals, cus they will be good for nothing by the time you get to the Med!
Rigging - OTT, furling foresail is good but no mention of an inner fore-stay with a selection of hank on sails (ie storm and Yankee).
Cooking - Get a BBQ welded into the back, cooking inside in heat is no fun! Tie up for night, forage for wood, cool bier while it heats up, another cool bier while food cooks. Any neighbours will be taking envious looks and thinking 'they've got it sussed'
Spares - Be sure to include exhaust elbow, a length of fuel line and olives, drive belts and impellers.
Water - If you haven't already got fresh and sea water taps, use one of your loo sea-cock holes for a sea water tap.
I reckon you should try and double your stated water capacity! I carry 100 gals (450 ltrs), the more you have the longer you can stay out at anchor.
. . . . that will do for a bit

BBQ absolutely..I am an aussie after all lol...yes she's got inner stay also (outer is on a bowsprit) and I got a few sails to hank on...
I'm building out a list of spares also but good points, oh and we've got a wwaeco portable fridge freezer (picked up on ebay for not a lot) with a great spot for it onboard
I'll need to give some thought as to water tank placement then to increase capacity...
Our tap is already sea water and I will be installing a new f/w tap

 

[oldbilbo]

FWIW, I noticed today in a local Lidl store some Porta-Pottis at £39.95. If I was in the market for a plush flush loo.....

 

[Allan]

Friends of mine, Brian and Sue on the boat Blue Bear set off nearly two years ago. They are sailing a Moody 33 which, apart from a wind vane, is a standard cruising boat. No special sails, rigging etc. At present they are in New Zealand.
Allan