What's needed and what's not?

[PEEJAYSEA]

As previously stated, we recently bought an old dutch steel yacht to tinker / learn / get more expereince on as a family. She is solid but comestically challenged - very much work in progress but hopefully all the fun of the fair

Basically she is "bare boat" with an old suite of sails / electronic equipment.

What do owners consider as "must carry" vice "nice to have" - primarily focused on essential spares and safety equipment first? My cunning plan is to slowly procure essentials over the winter period and be ready for the 2012 season post returning from sandy places with work......

Many thanks

Paul

 

[Deleted member 36384]

From Ocean Crossing To Day Sailing - It Depends: Some Resources

It depends on what type of sailing you wish to do, the type of boat and the age of the equipment.

Here is a safety check list compiled for Atlantic Rally For Cruisers (ARC). This organisation arranges a big cruise in company from the Canaries to the Caribbean: -

http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/plus/409934/arc-safety-checklist

The check list is obviously way to much for day sailing in and out of a local marina. However, for cruising offshore around the coast of the UK / Europe it wont be much different.

It gives you a flavour of the whole safety package that some consider essential. You should keep in mind that people have sailed many thousands of miles across oceans with but a fraction of this.

I like to keep things simple and cruise with my family fairly locally on the First of Clyde and I carry the following on a Rival 41C (41' LOA Cutter rigged yacht): -

1. Lifejackets with integral harnesses for all.
1.1 Horse Shoe LifeBelt with light and drogue.
1.2 Dan Buoy Attached To 1 x Horseshoe Lifebelt
2. Liferaft with hydrostatic release.
3. Coastal Flare Pack.
4. DSC VHF fixed radio station.
5. VHF Handheld radio station.
6. EPIRB.
7. GPS.
8. FM / MW Radio for weather forecasts.
9. Engine Fuel and Oil Filters.
10. Engine Sea Water Pump Impeller.
11. Morse cables for the engine throttle.
12. Some hoses and alternator drive belts.
13. Tools to allow me to service the engine and bleed the diesel system.
14. First Aid Kit.
15. Fire Extinguishers.

For day sailing you could miss out 1.1, 1.2, 2, 4, 6, 7

Below is a link to the National Standard For Recreational Boat Safety Equipment (Australian): -

http://www.nmsc.gov.au/documents/nat_rec_saf_equip.pdf

The UK's Royal Yachting Association (RYA) used to sell a small booklet on exactly this topic, The RYA Boat safety Handbook, but I cant see it in their index anymore. Amazon has a few copies in this search, buy the newest edition if you are interested, its number 6 on the list (although 4, 5 and 6 are also good enough): -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...=stripbooks&field-keywords=RYA+safety&x=0&y=0

 

[JenneJames]

Thanks a lot for sharing the list of precautionary measures and items that one must be having on board when he is going for boating in water. A great post, well done....

 

[DavidMcMullan]

PJ,
It would be helpful if you gave a bit more info (& photo) of your boat and your intended sailing area/destinations in your first year's sailing. Otherwise it is a very generic question and difficult to be specific in a response.
David.

 

[daveyw]

Anodes!