What is really essential?

[poter]

So now I am into paying out for new equipment etc. for the yacht, but what is important, by way of a/ Saftey; b/ Convenience.

For instance there are two old Seafarer echo sounders an original S700 & a
later (circa 1991) seafarer 501. The 700 has given up the ghost so I am going to get one of the new Garmin FF80 fishfinders at £90 to replace it with, an easy choice.
But this got me thinking as to how much electronic and other equipment you should have for redundancy/backup?
I realise a lot depends on the type of cruising that you are going to do, but if we say that it will be offshore!
Should you have two GPS's on board, what about battery's, 1? 2? 10? .... can't have two much stored power!....how many anchor's on board. Do I have a parachute droge just in case of the F10< storm etc.etc!

The list can go on & on, you will notice I have left out emergency equipment - life raft, flares, epirb, which will be onboard, also the rigging, sails & the engine are all ok.
Now given that I have just spent a lot of dosh just purchasing, insuring, surveying & mooring the boat, & my budget is getting a bit stressed, along with SWMBO, in consideration what would you buy as an absolute must have, as against a nice to have?

poter

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[tillergirl]

I guess you could get a thousand answers to that question.

You could just get an echo sounder and a compass and keep good navigation practice on your charts. Lots of people sailed safely pre GPS and pre Decca! However, for added safety and convenience most, I think would argue that a GPS should be on board. I don't think that you need two in case one breaks down. Presumably you would still keep up sound navigation practices even though using the GPS and that will stand you in good stead in the event of a failure - yes it could fail in fog and then it could be hairy but you can go on and on.

A VHF and log would be the next things I'd think of and frankly anything after that is added convenience and comfort factor. I find a longish trip is so much more comfortable now I have wind gear and a tiller pilot. the whole lot is integrated so the tiller pilot will steeer to wind or compass course. In a way the more comfortable you are, the fresher you are, the more alert you are and therefore the safer you are. But frankly if budget is tight at the moment, I'd argue so for compass, echosounder, GPS and VHF and log. I wouldn't go to sea without compass and echosounder. I think you could argue all day about the priory of the next three. Be interesting to see what others think.

I assume, of course, you have up to date charts.

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[andy_wilson]

You have bought all the safety kit you feel you need?

Assuming hull, rig, machinery, lights and crew are sound and well serviced, the following are in approximate order of importance.

2 Good anchors of different types and with ample cable, each choosen for your cruising area. At least one bigger in all respects than they say it should be. Cable marked and markings recorded in the front of the logbook 'cos you might forget what the coloured tie wraps mean.

Fire extinguishers located at each point of exit of accomodation, plus one in the cockpit locker, plus a good fire blanket. Some would add a large axe in this section.

Two good pumps, one operable from the helm, and at least two strong buckets with lanyards, and frightened men to wield them.

Charts and publications for your sailing area, and ability to extract the best from them. Logbook pencils and rubber.

Food, drink, good clothing, hats and footwear.

First aid kit and sunscreen.

Good compass and deviation card, preferably drawn up by yourself, so a handbearing compass as well.

Log for speed and distance covered, preferably calibrated so you are reasonably confident in it's output.

Depth sounder, calibrated and offset noted in front of logbook so you remember what the reading actually means.

Weather forecast.

Crew briefed in how to get you aboard quickly if you are floating face down.

Off you go.

Some wouldn't set off without VHF (fixed and H/Held), GPS Wind instrument, RADAR Reflector, RADAR,

Personally I would put a good set of binoculars (with low light capability) a fog signal, a torch and set of softwood bungs tied tied to each skin fitting before most of the options above.

The list is of course endless.

Didn't I mention rope cutter on prop., and one in your pocket for that matter!

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[yoda]

Ensure you can see, be seen and be heard. When it comes to backups consider what you would do if any part of a system failed (GPS, fuses, battery, alternator, engine). While there will be many different answers to the question a good start is the RNLI Sea Check. Remember it is only advisory and will give you a starting point. I don't trust batteries so my cabin lights can run off AA batteries as can the Handheld GPS, a good torch or 2 can be invaluable as can a sharp knife in the pocket (and a means of sharpening it on board. Hacksaws and boltcroppers can remove a fallen mast but so can pliers if cotter pins on the bottle screws are well fitted with correctly fitting split pins. Flares are cheaper in France (and they still have english instructions). Spares can be as much about nuts bolts screws, bits of wood and a few good basic tools as haveing an expensive second instrument. Why not consider a small kedge anchor for the dinghy with a long line as a lead line. Don't forget the power house of any boat, the sails. Sticky sail cloth, thread and needle can work wonders when offshore. A spinnaker halyard is a good standby for the genoa and the topping lift for the main halyard provided it is man enough. Think before you spend.

Happy sailing.

Yoda

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[Mirelle]

Simple is safe

Waterproof clothing. A change of clothing. A means of providing hot food and drink.

A compass, a lead line or echo sounder, a chart, and a means of drawing on that chart. If you cannot afford to have the compass swung and adjusted by a professional, do your very best to put it well away from iron and swing it yourself, but don't try adjusting it - make up a deviation card.

A bilge pump and a bucket.

A means of reducing sail area to suit the conditions.

An anchor and a suitable warp for it.

A radio for weather forecasts.

Lifejackets for each crew member.

Flares.

That's the list of essentials for cruising along the British coast in a small boat, and in fact it will get you across the North Sea or the Channel as well. I've done it.

Given the low cost, a hand held GPS would be a very sensible addition to the list,
as would a hand held VHF (rather more expensive, but the best way to get the rescue services to you!)

A list of "desirables" would start with a dinghy to get ashore and to lay a kedge anchor with, it would continue with a cabin to allow a chance of staying warm and dry, then perhaps an engine, and it would go on via second bilge pump, radar reflector, lifebouy and so on to liferaft.

It is very important to note that most people get into trouble when some piece of equipment fails and the usual cause of this is lack of maintenance.

The bigger the boat and the more complex the gear, the greater the chance of something not being maintained properly, and letting you down.

This is nearly always what goes wrong, in yachting mishaps - it might be the electrics, the engine, the roller reefing headsail or the plumbing, but some item that has not been checked as well as it might have been fails and precipitates a crisis.

So my advice is check the gear you have, very carefully, amd m,ake sure it is good, before buying more.

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[poter]

Re: Simple is safe

Thanks for all the reply's...... It would seem that most of you adopt the same form of management stratergy for your cruising as I would for project management.....
KISS........keep it simple stupid!

Forget all the electronics...... if they fail, then basically your bug###ed if you aint got a pencil to mark a chart with.



poter.

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[longmoor]

The RNLI do an excellent brochure, free of charge. Call them or visit thier webpages

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[William_H]

There is one thing for certain about electronics on boats and that is that they will fail. So keep it simple. in my opinion a handheld GPS supercedes almost everythi8ng else for navigation except your charts. I have endless problems with weed fowling a log paddle and have removed the entire system. If you can do with a lead line when you really need to know how deep the water is this wills save the troubles of a sounder. It may depend on how hard it is for you to push the boat off a bank if you find the bottom. With clear water and a small yacht here in oz I have never felt the need for a depth sounder. Forget wind instruments you will soon know if it blowing! Al;l the other advice is good but most of all you need experience so get out there and start sailing and learning.

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[hlb]

On the other hand. I have never had any trouble with my eight year old chart plotter, fourteen year old depth sounder and log. But I have had a few charts blow overboard!!

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn