ESSENTIALS for Carribean Cruising

[Jonesee]

Originally Posted by SailingPassage

So, the boat search has begun in earnest. Carribean cruising awaits this spring, so I thought it might be interesting to see what people who have cruised the Carribean (or other places, for that matter) regard as their most essential piece of equipment on their boat. Anything is in play here, so what is the most essential bit for YOU??

"Cruising the carribean in spring..." "Most essential bit for you..."

A hurricane plan! You will be beginning your cruise when others are heading back north (or sometimes south). Let's call spring March, that will give you 90 days before you should be in safer waters. If not, back to:

Have a hurricane plan. Nomsayin?

[Jonesee]

LOL I just saw Hud brought up the hurricanes. I can't believe no one thought of it earlier.

[quidam]

A dry bunk!!! Too many boats that I have owned of crewed on had annoying leaks over "my" bunk. Sleeping on a wet bunk is miserable in any weather.

[Aussiesuede]

Originally Posted by speciald@ocens.

Dinghy with a powerful enough engine.

And considering the fact that that engine will be as popular as Angelina Jolie in the Carribean, don't leave home without a healthy set of countermeasures to secure it to dock while you're ashore having fun. A simple chain ain't going to 'cut' it.

[SailingPassage]

Originally Posted by Aussiesuede

And considering the fact that that engine will be as popular as Angelina Jolie in the Carribean, don't leave home without a healthy set of countermeasures to secure it to dock while you're ashore having fun. A simple chain ain't going to 'cut' it.

Aussiesuede, any specific "countermeasures" that you find work exceptionally well (without forcing a crew member to stand-by with pepper spray and a shot gun)?

[Rhosyn Mor]

So, I'll add my 0.02
( these are for 38 footer, but with variations could well apply to anything) , and this is only essentials.
Good heavy ground takle- a good bowyer 55lb delta, good secondary 44 lb claw, 22lb danforth on stern.
Spray dodger, bimini, and connector. Lots of chain with snubbers.
a couple of old tyres for docking next to those rust ridden wharves ( DR etc)
Sanitation system that you can pump overboard without electric
Some form of power generation- without a reefer 2 60 solar panels are plenty.
Good dinghy
A means of collecting water, and foot pumps at sinks.
Diesel spares, if you include Venezuela in your travels, carry some flex fuel tanks to fill up where its cheap.
If you have some speciality food item you like bring that ( Nori, PG tips, Wasabi, Marmite, etc) and lots of it.
ventilation
Good charts
Self steering- non electrical ( although auto pilots are becoming more and more reliable
A drogue is a good idea if you include the longer passages that cna be made in the Carib, Testigos , Belize, Mexico, Roatan etc. Los Roques.
thers always more, but that would be a good start...

[Aussiesuede]

Originally Posted by SailingPassage

Aussiesuede, any specific "countermeasures" that you find work exceptionally well (without forcing a crew member to stand-by with pepper spray and a shot gun)?

First, remove the engine cover, tie a rope to it, jump in the car, and take it for a 10 minute ride down a dirt road to get it really looking beatup and ugly. You can buy a new spare cover for when you're at home if you like. The choice of going after your seemingly old beater and the nice shiny one on the dink next to yours will be an easy choice for most crooks.

Regular bolt cutters won't go though these 9 ft Yakima Cables, and they are long enough to wrap around the shaft, through an open hole on the connecting bracket, and around the engine mount (or anything permanently attached to the dink) Then a second cable simply looped through to moor the dink to the dock. These locks can be 'common keyed' (one key for all locks) in case you have other things like kayaks and the like that you'd like to secure aboard with other cables. If you ever lose the key, you can just give the key code to the good folks at Yakima, and they'll send ya another.


http://http://www.rackattack.com/product-pages/yakima-sks-9-foot-cable.asp