Bahamas, Things You Don't Need...

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

What's the point?

We need only two things: food and water.

neither of which is inexpensive in the Bahamas

[taxwizz]

Do you need Income Tax?
No?

[tomrealest]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

What's the point?

We need only two things: food and water.

All the rest are comfort items. To be comfortable, I want radar, chain, windlass, big battery bank, ice maker (some would argue essential), dinghy and motor sufficient to plane the boat loaded, etc..
It's not survival camping.

I have enjoyed working my a__ off my whole life. Now I want to enjoy,, enjoy enjoy. I for one am not interested anymore in "roughing it". Been there, done that. BUT, Too each his own!

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Crossing the Gulfstream at night or in heavy rain, it's dumb not to have AIS. Radar, not so much, but I was in a downpour at night in the stream during my crossing this year, and AIS allowed me to spot a container ship I otherwise would not have seen. Agree you don't much need it once you are on the Bank.

[DotDun]

I know what I don't need......some Internet Troll telling me what I need or don't need on my boat! I'll determine that! And, yes, wants turn into needs cause my boat won't move without them!

A thread topic: "Bahamas, Things I Don't/Didn't Need...." may be an interesting read, this thread not so much.

[sailorboy1]

I think for some AIS must be mixed with the Koolaid, which explains why they need it!

[taxwizz]

Originally Posted by DotDun

I know what I don't need......some Internet Troll telling me what I need or don't need on my boat! I'll determine that! And, yes, wants turn into needs cause my boat won't move without them!

A thread topic: "Bahamas, Things I Don't/Didn't Need...." may be an interesting read, this thread not so much.

OUCH !
I sense much anger in you.
Take a stress pill and chill out.
If you don't want to read the thread, please go have a beer.
I think that this thread was an attempt at humor.

[Pirate007]

I don't need someone telling me what I don't need! Maybe the thread should rather be about what you do need, i.e sunscreen, bimini top, sun glasses.

[SSgtPitt]

I haven't gone yet, but we're planning for early 2018. I was hoping this thread would really get me a list of things I didn't need to horde..... I tend to overpack and over supply when hunting, hiking and camping.
I'm in the process of installing 400w of solar.
I have 450ah of new trojan batteries
Honda 2k generator
GPS handheld and boat GPS
Older functioning radar
Newer autopilot
Westmarine big pack of nuts bolts n screws
Working on all new lines
Sails newly refurbished
New cables for throttle and tranny
Spare engine filters and water pump impeller
New 2nd bilge pump
New goose neck for boom furler
New Sail rite sewing machine
Handheld VHF
Water tanks that hold 133g of fresh water.
And hoping to get -
AIS
Water-maker
Windlass
New and additional anchor / mooring rode
Dyneema lifelines
A bigger boat
A lot of money
Peace and quiet
A ton of memories
A nice all over tan

And we're hoping to hit as many islands as possible as we head south til we run into the "Port of Spain"...... which ain't in Spain but Trinidad. After that we're not quite sure which direction to go. Maybe through the canal and start island hoping around on the other side.

And yes, over 50 both of us and the boat is 1982 w a full keel. So we all are needing some comfort and refitment items.
The coolest thing I enjoy is we have air conditioning and the cooler was refitted with a cold plate that actually has ice trays that make monster sized ice cubes. So if every thing else sucks......I got ice for drinks.

[taxwizz]

Originally Posted by SSgtPitt

I haven't gone yet, but we're planning for early 2018. I was hoping this thread would really get me a list of things I didn't need to horde..... I tend to overpack and over supply when hunting, hiking and camping.
I'm in the process of installing 400w of solar.
I have 450ah of new trojan batteries
Honda 2k generator
GPS handheld and boat GPS
Older functioning radar
Newer autopilot
Westmarine big pack of nuts bolts n screws
Working on all new lines
Sails newly refurbished
New cables for throttle and tranny
Spare engine filters and water pump impeller
New 2nd bilge pump
New goose neck for boom furler
New Sail rite sewing machine
Handheld VHF
Water tanks that hold 133g of fresh water.
And hoping to get -
AIS
Water-maker
Windlass
New and additional anchor / mooring rode
Dyneema lifelines
A bigger boat
A lot of money
Peace and quiet
A ton of memories
A nice all over tan

And we're hoping to hit as many islands as possible as we head south til we run into the "Port of Spain"...... which ain't in Spain but Trinidad. After that we're not quite sure which direction to go. Maybe through the canal and start island hoping around on the other side.

And yes, over 50 both of us and the boat is 1982 w a full keel. So we all are needing some comfort and refitment items.
The coolest thing I enjoy is we have air conditioning and the cooler was refitted with a cold plate that actually has ice trays that make monster sized ice cubes. So if every thing else sucks......I got ice for drinks.

SSgt....That sounds like fun.

Do you have room in the bilge for a stowaway?

[sailing_gal]

I'm a single hander and have spent several winters in the Bahamas. IMO, solar panels are a must. Lots of anchoring and you don't want to have to constantly run your engine to charge your batteries, especially if you want to keep your fridge cold. If you will only be sailing in daylight, you can skip the AIS and the radar, although AIS is really handy for hailing people. Everything else is just a matter of food and drink preferences. There are many people who do the crossing without a liferaft- I don't think it's a good idea to rely on your dinghy as a life raft in the gulf stream, but that is just me.

[captmikem]

A number of years ago my wife and I sailed all over the Bahamas, Grand Bahamas, Abacos, New Providence, Down to the Exumas and back on a Columbia 26. No engine, no outboard. Had an HF receiver and a VHF, and a lead line. I would take my 12 v battery ashore and charge it about once per month.

Some tight tacking every so often but one gets used to it. Makes you a much better sailor when you always have to rely on sails. Also makes you hold off until you have a clear idea of an entrance.

I have been back many times on much larger boats, but I don’t think I have had as much fun as the first time.

I would add to the “Don’t need list.”
Life rafts, personal mob devices, and most of the “Safety Gear” manufactures try to tell you that you can not live without. Mandated flares and life vests are pretty much all you need, and if you worry about going over the side a harness.

I meet a lot of people who are waiting in marinas and anchorages around here to go to the Bahamas but don’t because they can not find a guaranteed perfectly calm day to do it.

Just go.

M

[alansmith]

A couple of years ago I was reading Jim Brown's article about when he finished building his boat. They had no navigation instruments, not even a radio, if I recall correctly. They exited San Francisco Bay and he said we made A left-hand turn. They sailed a long way. I can't remember if they stopped in Ensenada or San Diego. That is the intrepid sailor at his best. When they were caught in a hurricane in Cabo the locals helped him pull the boat up onto the beach to escape the storm's wrath. Cool story.

I understand the authors intent on this post. I think it is a credible point of view. We over analyze. We want all the risks possible taken out of the equation. We spend $50,000 putting the latest and greatest features of comfort on our boats. I think we should all be able to listen to another man's point of view without getting a knot in our panties.

[Gone Bananas]

Another one for the books

Back in 1979 working in Australia - Brisbane to be exact- met a couple from Vancouver on their 18 foot home made plywood (sans marine plywood) trimarande. (Was a want to be at the time so looking for seasoned travelers)

The only thing they had was a sextant (not even a compass) and sighting tables. They said they learned how to sight the sun while on their way . They ran into only one problem- when they crossed the equator on their trip across the Pacific- they forgot to reverse the numbers-- were lost for two weeks. Affectingly known as Boo and Moo when they discovered their "only error?"

[puffcard]

I kind of see this tread as a poke to the Pier Queens that won't leave till everything is a 100% or they added everything they can possibly think of. I've seen boats that didn't leave for the winter, because they were still fixing. One boat he couldn't figure how to mount his big ass grill. He felt that it required a special bracket that had to be fabricated and after two tries he was done. Now it was late Dec and too late for him to leave. Then I see a young lady, buy an old sailboat, that needed everything and just takes off. She maybe had sailed a handful of times, she single-handed the ditch. Instead of waiting to have an everything boat, some just go. It's only 50 miles of open water to the Bahamas and people can get over there and have fun with the minimal amount of gear. My first 4 trips in the 70's, our nav/safety gear included a knotmeter, VHF, compass, and hard dink. In no way is anyone saying to do that, or that you should.

Just do it.