Just bought my boat!!

[chuckr]

i can only tell you what we did and it worked for us

we got our boat (new) in 2003 but really did not know a lot - did a lot of reading - but still reframed from doing a lot

5 years ago took off for a run up the east coast of the usa - miami to mass and back - before leaving added an ssb and pactor modem and got my ham license
then began to add things - 2 solar panels and controller -- 130w
then new anchor - 40# delta and new house batteries (6 6volt)
following year went to bahamas and to maine and back to miami - added a new chartplotter and radar -an upgrade - then new anchor rode and chain - 150' chain and 250' rode - on both anchors
then we did all of the bahamas and on returning added the following
watermaker, 2nd fuel tank, 3rd solar panel, ais

then we left and headed to mexico and down the eastern carib - in cartagena we added drawers for storage, a bigger condensor for our frigaboat reefer (which works like a champ)

now sitting in trinidad we are planning to add nothing but will do a lot of small maintenance - if we do add anything it will be another solar panel and new controller (current one will not take another panel)

we keep looking at wind but not sure it is cost justified yet -

in the end do a bit at a time and make sure of where you are going before making major investments in things that in the end you may not need

i can only tell you about one boat we knew that spent a ton of money on their boat and headed out to do a circum nav and wanted us to go with them as they were really gun ho to go - we knew we were not ready nor was our boat - but they just kept buying and adding - they got as far as the top of the eastern carib in a 1 1/2 yrs - then back to the usa and boat was sold - someone got a really pimped out boat at a great price - not sure why they quit but they did

so tread lightly in the first yr or so and then as you get closer to leaving you will knoow what works for you and what does not make sense

just our opinion
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in trinidad for hurricane season