Top 10 Items to Prepare for Cruising

[nigel1]

I know its something no one wants to think about, but you need to practice man overboard. If only two on the boat, you''ll need to come up with a system which is managable by one person alone.

[justwaiting]

What the other said and:
Make sure that you work as a team , anchoring, docking, reefing .....
Make sure that you BOTH can single hand the boat, it may save your life

[Hud3]

Don't forget to put proper seizing wire on all the shackles. Unrestrained, those little buggers will let go at the most inopportune moments.

[medicrene]

Thanks for the input. From what I am reading, I think we are on the right track, but I am getting some good ideas of things we have yet to complete. We have not checked the wiring on our shackles and while we do have a very specific man overboard plan, on this boat, we have not actually put me in the water and had me recovered. Sounds like a fun activity for our first weekend out on the boat.

[Maren]

Originally Posted by medicrene

Hello all,

My wife and I will be taking the first leg of our circumnavigation starting on May 3rd. I have spent two years retrofitting the boat and remain confident that she will sail well. However, I am curious about what each of you would do to prepare for such a cruise. So here is my question for you all:

What is your Top 10 list of things to do to your boat to prepare for cruising

Rene "the Witchdoctor" Steinhauer

PS. Yes, I know we all have about 250 items that need to be done, but what are your top 10?

1) Make sure your critical systems are understood to be critical. That is, a lot of places don't have wind, make you sure your engine is good; a lot of places are shallow, make sure your depth gauge is good. Have spares for when the racor unexpectedly get loaded with a batch of bad fuel.

2) Carry an extra large, preferably collapsable, anchor but one that you can get up on deck. Two on the bow, a small one on the stern (amazingly useful for stops for timed bridges, lunch or just getting things sorted out) plus the big one in reserve is not unwise.

3) Do a shorter shake down covering all those skills not everyone does all the time. An easy sail during the day, some night nav, anchoring, heaving to, MOB drill, (try that in conditions other that utterly benign but take an extra person who will just be an extra. Great motivation to stay in the boat.), reefing, etc. It's better when you do this under tougher conditions but you'll have to use your own sense of how far is too far.

Come to think of it, a lot of this has been covered by bewitched and some others, so I would go with that.