Finding & Equipping a Boat We can help you decide what kind of boat will be best for you and we can help you get her ready for departure. Contact us at OPO or email Dan Simmons at danosail@prodigy.net to find out how we can get you started. We have prepared this list to help you get a boat ready for going offshore. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of must haves, and having or not having most items should not keep you from going. People have been sailing successfully for a long time with a lot less. We have culled the information from various lists and not all equipment is needed for all boats going different places. If you think of anything that may be added as useful to other voyagers please feel free to email us with additional items. Use the list as a master list and cross things off that do not apply or you think you can do without. We are not making product endorsements and another companies products may be substituted as your experience dictates. BOAT Boats have been getting larger over the last few years. The 37 to 42 foot size used to be the norm for cruising couples. Now the average size is closer to 45 feet with some people sailing short handed into the 60 foot range. Modern day sail handling systems and new technology has transformed offshore sailing. Lighter sleds and moderate displacement boats are replacing the full keel heavy displacement boats of years ago. Which way to go has a lot to do with personal taste and philosophy but such a decision must address a few key ingredients. 1) Does the boat track well? Is she balanced under sail and can she steer a good course in a variety of wind conditions and direction? 2) Is the sail plan manageable and can sail area be added or more importantly shortened quickly? 3) Is the layout comfortable and safe both at sea and at anchor? 4) Does one have the knowledge or money to keep her operating? WHAT TO LOOK FOR A cutter or ketch rig is best for ease of sail handling (smaller sails) and to offer several sail combinations to balance the boat in a wide range of conditions. If not buying new try and buy something in the 2 to 5 year old range. Anything older will need replacement or overhaul of equipment or systems. However a good deal on a used older boat can me rebuilt and equipped to work for you. SAIL INVENTORY Roller furling headsail Detachable Inner fore stay with an ABI Quick release and a hank on staysail. Conventional main. If you go with full battens your will need a Battcar or Harken type system if your boat is over 35 feet. Over 40 feet you will need lazy Jacks, Dutchman or similar sail flaking system. An alternative to full battens is two full battens at the bottom and one or two shorter battens up top. Make sure you have spreader patches wherever the mainsail may touch the spreaders and shrouds when sailing off the wind days at a time. The mainsail should be very strong with three reef points. If you get a roller furling main system always take care when furling the sail in, to not get it jammed. Also make sure you have extra halyards since at least two will always be up and in use. It is amazing how many people are sailing out their with only one or two jibs and one mainsail. With roller furling headsails people can get by with simply pulling out as much or as little sail area as they need. If you have bought an ex-racing boat you may have many sails. The America's Cup boats have size 0 to 6 jibs. Normally two or three headsails are enough. With most furling systems having dual tracks you can run wing and wing with two headsails. Some people like to have a light wind headsail in addition to a couple of headsails. In the last few years this has often been replaced with an asymmetrical "cruising chute" that does not need a spinnaker pole. Knowing how your boat performs in heavy winds will dictate your sail inventory. Some boats may need a small storm jib. Cutter rigged boats can roll up the foresail and sail under a smaller staysail and reefed main. Many people advocate having a storm trysail to replace the main in a real blow. I have never needed one. Again, your boat characteristics will help you decide. KETCH RIG Besides the already mentioned easier sail handling benefits, a catch rig or any two masted boat, the mizzen mast can be used for Radar domes and antennas for VHF, GPS, etc. CANVAS - Other than sails Sail Covers - always keeping your sails covered, especially in the tropics will save a lot of UV damage to your sails. Dodger - Strong frame and good material Bimini - if sailing to the tropics and perhaps even an awning to cover the main cabin area Windwalls - tied to the lifelines outboard the cockpit to keep wind a spray off - especially important in higher latitudes. May want to think about a full enclosure. Below Lee cloths for all bunks. Spares for canvas work Sewing supplies (see sail repair) Grommet Kit Spare fasteners Two or more yards of matching fabric Shock Cord Elbow Joints and end joints for frames Extra set screws Scotch guard MAST Aqua Signal Tricolor with anchor light with anchor light at the top. Some people elect to get the strobe light model. One more bulb and you will almost never use it. Strobe is optional. Mini amp Mega Light that can be used in the rigging as an alternate or emergency anchor light. 15" Windex Telltales - An old cassette tape works well and provides a many years supply. Mast guards - Port and starboard of the mast to give added support and free up both hands when working at the mast. Radar Reflector either permanently mounted or flying from a spreader halyard. If flying from the halyard make sure you have a set up that will not cut through the halyard and drop the reflector on deck. SAFETY GEAR ON DECK Appropriate offshore liferaft mounted for easy deployment but protected from boarding seas. To be included in liferaft or in the abandon ship "panic" bag. a) Hand operated Pur survival watermaker. b) watertight survival container for extra flares, batteries and ships papers and passports. c) ACR Satellite 406 Epirb d) Life jacket for everyone on board including reflector tape, ACR Strobe light and ACR whistle. OTHER ON DECK SAFETY EQUIPMENT Forespar or equivalent man overboard system with flagged Pole, ACR Strobe, Horseshoe Buoy with small drogue, die and whistle. Life sling MOB Retrieval System Jack lines (prefer flat strap webbing - round wire or lifeline cable can cause one to slip if stepped on) with proper strong attachments and a safety harness for everyone on board. Short and long tethers work when having to work forward. ABANDON SHIP BAG/LIFERAFT Reverse osmosis desalinator Hand held radio in a watertight bag Hand help GPS Flares Daylight signal mirror Whistle Fish hooks Knife and small cutting board non thirst producing food rations Containers of water Watertight receptacle to carry drinking water non rusting drink cups spare line (polypropylene floats) Flashlight "Cyalume" light sticks Waterproof paper and pens Survival Manual, reading material, cards Crew passports, ships papers and crew wallets in dry bag for when you get rescued Back-up small sea anchor First aid kit 5 day supply of any personal medicines Spare eyeglasses Liferaft repair kit, leak plugs or patches Liferaft pump Paddle (to help when rescued) SYSTEMS WATER At least two separate tanks with valves to close of a tank not in use. Closing the valves prevents loss of both tanks if their is a leak and also to be turned off if heeled for a long time. If you no not have a water maker carry extra bottles of water and a 3/4 filled Jerry jog of drinking water (3/4 full so it will float). Have at least one fresh water foot pump from your main water source just in case you lose power. Consider adding a third isolated tank if you have room, bladder tanks work in tight spots. Do not over do it and change the displacement of the boat too much. A working 12 volt mater maker can help life nicer. If you have a generator 110 volt water makers are even better. We recommend modular units rather than boxed because they are easier to work on. Get one that has the membrane cartridge close to the pump but mounted in a way to minimize salt water damage should the pump or a hose spring a leak (a common occurrence). Get a UV Light downstream of the tank for monitoring. Sea Gull Water purifier under galley sink. With spare filter Hand driven Pur water maker as described with safety equipment. Water catchment system of either damming up the deck near the water fill or laying out some canvas or mainsail catchment system with hose and funnel for filling tanks. PLUMBING 12 Gallon or larger Hot Water Heater plumbed to heat water through the heat exchanger off the main engine or by 110 when dockside. Parr Itt Jabsco water pressure pump (or a Shur Flo 4 chambered) with spare parts kit. Include 2 spare water pressure switches. Bosworth Y Valve between the Head and holding tank to send for treatment in a Lectra San Treatment system for use offshore. Make sure you use strainers on the bilge pumps and between the shower drain and the sump pump. Conserve water by having a shut off valve on the shower head. ENGINE The modern diesel engine needs clean fuel and air. If your engine control panel doesn't come with a temperature gauge and an oil gauge have them installed. Idiot lights and alarms are for back up. SPARES Spare Injector Spare Raw and fresh water pump with three spare impellers for each. Spare Lift pump with gaskets Two sets of spare belts Valve cover gasket twp sets of engine zincs 3 oil filters 6 fuel filters Baja Filter to clean the fuel as it goes in if you think it may be contaminated Biobor additive to help keep fuel algae free enough oil for two oil changes 2 Gallons Anti Freeze Hose mending kit like safety wrap Oil change pump (hand or 12 volt) Oil Filter wrench ear plugs safety Goggles ELECTRONICS If you do not have a windvane AUTO PILOT Good electronic auto pilot. Below deck hook up directly to the steering quadrant is better than belt driven on boats over 35 feet or heavier than 15,000 lbs. Spare components will help you from having a marathon steering contest on passages. DEPTH SOUNDER Your most important instrument. A back up or at least a spare transducer to hang over the side or shoot through the hull is a must. Lead line for stone age back up but also for use in the dinghy. SPEED INDICATOR/LOG Very important for dead reckoning and sail trim. A very inexpensive add on to your log is a meter to count the miles. It can be mounted inside near the back of the instrument. A back up taffrail log or trailing log. APPARENT WIND INDICATOR/SPEED Nice to know which way the wind is blowing. If you are behind a dodger of enclosure it may be hard to feel the wind. Especially helpful at night. The wind speed is nice to know for bragging rights after a storm. (We had a 53 knot gust!) COMMUNICATIONS Permanently mounted below deck VHF (Icom or Standard) and a remote mike, with channel control for cockpit use. Icom Hand Held. Interchangeable back up antenna that fits both units. Hand held VHF power outlet mounted in the cockpit. SSB Transceiver (ICOM or SEA) that also carries the HAM Bands for listening to all weather reports (if you do not have a Ham License you can still listen but you can not transmit. Optional: Laptop computer and modem to work with the SSB for weather fax and e-mail. Satellite communications is changing so quickly that soon the SSB as a transceiver will be obsolete. Take a look at what is new before you depart if you want to stay plugged in and email friendly. Even if you do not have a SSB two way radio you really should have a SSB Receiver so you can at least listen to the weather reports. Hand held GPS (Magellan or Garmin) that can also be hardwired into bracket down below or mounted in the cockpit for times when it is more useful there. Being portable you can also carry it in the dinghy or in the liferaft if you need to go. Back up hand held GPS if in budget. RADAR Furuno or Raytheon 24 Mile range Placement preference a) Mizzen mast (if any) b) Tall stern post c & d) gimbaled backstay mount or gimbaled on main mast. If on main mast don't forget a reinforcement patch on any headsail who has a leach that may hit the radar on each tack. Perimeter warning Anchor drag warning GENERATOR AND OTHER POWER SOURCES If there is room available (meaning room to work on it), a good Genset such as an Onan, is nice to have. You can run 110 power items, make more water and charge 12 volt systems. High output alternator (120 to 150 amps)on the main engine at normal RPM's with a Heart interface "In Charge" 3 stage voltage regulator. Guest or Perko Manual Battery Switch to charge each or both banks. Get the type which you can wire for a safety voltage regulator shutoff to protect it should the ignition switch be accidentally be turned off while running. We recommend using diodes for battery isolation because of heating problems, voltage loss, and sensing interference with state of the art battery monitors. Heart Interface Freedom 20 Inverter/Battery charger with Link 2000 Battery Monitor. Small Siemans or equally quality Solar Panel to trickle charge batteries while the boat is unattended. Make sure you include a diode to prevent battery discharge. REFRIGERATION Start with a well insulated box. Separate Freezer and fridge with a spill over window. Large holding plate system with an engine driven compressor mounted on the engine if practical. Prefer a dual charging system with alternate AC driven compressor (Genset or dock side driven). If can't have AC then a good 12 volt system can be the second power source. GALLEY Force 10 Propane Stove with oven thermostat or equivalent. (This stove has a thermocouple safety shutoff and a thermostat controlled oven that works without a pilot light.) Small microwave (optional) Pressure Cooker Good high quality can opener BBQ type lighter DINGHY Largest dinghy that can be safely carried on deck or on davits, such as a hard bottom Avon. If you are mounting on davits make sure it can handle side loads for sailing offshore. Largest outboard that you can handle. The boat should be able to get on a plane with crew and supplies. Dinghy running light (Recmar) Extra gas hose for dinghy tank Small Jerry Jug for gas only 2 cycle outboard motor oil Small dinghy anchor with small chain and 100 ft of line Waterproof case for carrying hand held radio, submersible flashlight, flares, whistle, hand bearing compass and reflective mirror. Cover to protect in the tropics. Spare spark plugs and repair kit Make sure you have a spark plug wrench aboard Dinghy lock to lock engine to boat. About 25 feet of chain or lifeline cable wire and a lock to lock boat to shore in high risk areas. Long tether for towing the dinghy short distances. (Note: never tow dinghy for long distances, you will loose it.) Extension Handle for outboard Dinghy Repair Kit OTHER ITEMS Good offshore Binoculars with lighted bearing compass Weems & Plath Barometer and Hydrometer Spare winch handle Spare snatch blocks 12 volt Guest Spotlight with cable and outlets both in the cockpit and on the bow. Spare flashlights (The BOC list makes participants carry 10 extra flashlights) Spare lines - You always run short of line for lashings, docklines etc. ANCHORING Horizontal windlass with an all chain wheel on one side and a chain/rope wheel on the other. CQR Primary, Danforth Hi-Tensile Secondary, Bruce, light weight Fortress (for stern anchor) and the Luke folding fisherman (storm and rocks) are good choices. Minimum three anchors. 300 feet BBB chain for the primary. Secondary 40 feet of chain plus 250- to 300 feet of appropriate size line. Make sure you size the chain to the chain wheel. If going through the Panama Canal you will need a minimum of 4ea 125 foot lines. The secondary anchor line may be used for two lines if you plan it right. We recommend a spliced thimble and shackle to connect the chain and rope rather than a rope to chain splice. Snubber line 10 to 15 feet long with chain grab hook. Anchor weight Anchor float and retrieval line. Chafe Gear - Old fire hose from your local Fire department works well. Telescoping Boat hook (keep clean a free of salt and grit) ADDITIONAL TOOLS Metric and standard wrench set with one end closed Metric and standard Allen wrench set. Metric and standard socket sets. 3 sizes of adjustable crescent wrenches. 3 Sizes vise grips Set of flat and Phillips screw drivers set of miniature screw drivers Hack saw with good blades Pliers Wire cutters Crimping tool Caulk Gun Stuffing box tool Claw hammer and heavy ball peen hammer Set of cold chisels and punches Measuring tape Two ice picks Mechanics dental picks AC Drill with bits, and sanding and grinding wheels Battery operated drill Dremel Tool Volt-ohm-meter Several good knives Butane soldering Iron - solder & rosin Paint Scrapers Round file - Flat File - Half Round File Bench Vise either permanently mounted in a work area below or able to clamp on somewhere. Bosun's Chair with pockets Bathroom Plunger for working on thru-hulls when the boat is in the water. REPAIR MATERIAL Length of rigging wire as long as your longest shroud Norseman or staylock fittings to match rigging wire Several Bulldog clamps sized to wire Tapered wood plugs for all thru-hulls (best if some are attached to thru-hulls) Several Tubes of Life Caulk, Boat Life silicone and JB weld. 3-M 5200 sealant Underwater Patching compound 1/4" plywood sheet 2' x 3' two 2' x 4" boards Block of wood 1" thick by about 8" square as a base for drilling Fiberglass Cloth and West Epoxy 1/4' Aluminum Stock for backing plates etc Permatex Liquid gasket material Electrical Tape (white,black,green,red,yellow) Spare bulbs for all light on board 2 shaft zincs Assortment of SS Screws, bolts, cotter pins, clevis pins, hose clamps Bag of 7" and 12" electrical tie wraps (some with screw holes) Assortment of electrical crimps Roll of ss or seizing wire Spare Gasket Material Duct Tape Sandpaper Marline or small braided line for lashing 4' x 4' collision mat of heavy fabric with heavy grommets and 10-15' lanyards to tie in place SAIL REPAIR Stainless Steel Scissors Seam Ripper Sail repair kit 3/4" Nylon Webbing Hot Knife Heavy canvas for chafe gear at least 6 Needles Two Palms (right or left handed) At least three rolls sail twine Beeswax Can of spray adhesive Spare leech-line Proper sized spare slides and hanks Spare batten material Rolls of reinforcing nylon or Dacron tape Yarn for telltales One yard spare cloth to match sails carried on board. For longer cruising you may want to consider a sewing machine like the Sailrite Miniwalker or SR 200 PEST CONTROL Cockroach motels Mouse or rat traps Borax Screens for all ports and hatches Mosquito netting RECREATIONAL mask, fins and snorkel if you do not have full scuba gear Fishing gear - Hand lines work well Fillet knife and cutting board Reference books on shells, fish and sea life COURTESY FLAGS Yellow Q Flag Flag for every country you plan to visit HOUSE KEEPING Foxtail Brush - works well in leu of vacuum Laundry - Two plastics washtubs for clean and rinse FANS - Clip on fans for moving about the boat. Home | Membership | Message Board | About OPO | Upcoming Rallies | Contact Us For more information call 1-800-4PASSAGE (1-800-472-7724)