What Broken Gear Would Make You Cancel?

[jeremiason]

This is question is a little bit silly and is just encouraging replies of "How big are mine" type answers...

So far everyone is making assumptions based on the orginal O/P's post.

Every one of your answers is right, if the conditions are favorable and wrong if the assumed conditions change...

My answer is yes you could move a boat from point A to Point B with any of those devices off or broken... but why would you move from a safe harbor without repairing them first?

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

This is question is a little bit silly and is just encouraging replies of "How big are mine" type answers...

So far everyone is making assumptions based on the orginal O/P's post.

Every one of your answers is right, if the conditions are favorable and wrong if the assumed conditions change...

My answer is yes you could move a boat from point A to Point B with any of those devices off or broken... but why would you move from a safe harbor without repairing them first?

Tom,

In general, you are right, of course, but I can think of a few (admittedly not very compelling) reasons. For example, I might have made arrangements to meet someone at the destination or it's easier or less expensive to effect the repair there, or I'm really tired of the place I'm at. In the past I have made many departures without one or more of the items listed by the OP not functional. I still don't have a windlass or refrigeration, and their lack has not stopped me yet . I have sailed for many years without GPS, chartplotters, radar, or depthsounders.

Assuming I have a working compass and paper charts, in most cases I would be comfortable leaving without any electronics. (In some places, with featureless coasts, silting bottoms, and lack of well maintained buoyage, I agree I would probably would want a working depthsounder.)

Non functional engine is a more serious issue. I would not willingly put my self in a situation where I would need to enter a strange crowded harbor under sail without an engine. Similarly, I would like to have an engine available to enter a harbor with strong currents and narrow and twisty approaches. Nonetheless, for some destinations and under some conditions I could imagine leaving without an engine.

I can't think of any sane person that I know who would leave a safe harbor on a 30 mile passage with a non-functioning or jury rigged steering.

Generally, I would not leave without being able to sail if needed, but I agree that sail handling can usually be successfully jury rigged. Others might be happy to leave with a working engine only.

[westsail374]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

This is question is a little bit silly and is just encouraging replies of "How big are mine" type answers...

So far everyone is making assumptions based on the orginal O/P's post.

Every one of your answers is right, if the conditions are favorable and wrong if the assumed conditions change...

My answer is yes you could move a boat from point A to Point B with any of those devices off or broken... but why would you move from a safe harbor without repairing them first?

The reason I created the original post was curiousity at how many folks really feel they MUST have all of the gizmos they say the well found boat needs before they can actually sail.

Why move without repairing the minor issues first? If one waits for absolutely everything to work perfectly in a craft with multiple complex systems, one may never leave! Remember, this is a short good weather hop, not a blue water trek in the stormy season....

Interesting thoughts on what is really vital...

[hellosailor]

Obviously another first-time author trying to flesh out some plot lines.<G>

[bobconnie]

The only thing that would bother me is the lack of a windless! at my age and never useing marinas unless we need doctors LOL I need a windless to get my BIG anchor aboard ! if I was 15 yrs younger nothing on the list would stop us from sailing !! just my 2 cents

[hellosailor]

And here I thought a windlass was just for poor folks, who have to resort to re-using dirty old anchors. A proper Yachtsmen only uses an anchor once, then cuts the line and has a new clean one delivered and installed on arriving at the next port, don't they?

Next you'll be telling us you re-use clothing and linen and tableware and crystal as well. I'm so sorry to hear that, Bob. But the anchors, honestly, you know what Mr. Fields had to say about what the fish are doing in that water. Ugh.

[sailstoo]

inflatable sheep

[bobconnie]

Huh??? Im as bare bones as they come ! lol I reuse everything except toilet paper!!

[MysticGringo]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

This is question is a little bit silly and is just encouraging replies of "How big are mine" type answers...

So far everyone is making assumptions based on the orginal O/P's post.

Every one of your answers is right, if the conditions are favorable and wrong if the assumed conditions change...

My answer is yes you could move a boat from point A to Point B with any of those devices off or broken... but why would you move from a safe harbor without repairing them first?

There are several items on the list that I don't have... sure, I'd love them, but can't afford it right now. As too the whole list, last year I set out for a 5 day trip with a friend, as soon as we left the dock, my electronics all failed! I had an iPhone, my memory, and a solar panel made just to charge small electronics (solar Joos... brilliant). And we had the time of our lives.

I blew the clew out of my mail on the first day of a 4 day trip this summer... we just sailed with a reef in, and enjoyed ourselves... even though we were slow.

I had a steering cable break... that taught me how to use my emergency tiller. It would have stopped me from leaving, but it didn't bring me back early.

Was this perfect, nope. I've since rewired the whole electrical panel, added backup instruments, added a battery monitor (which isn't working correctly... but that's an upcoming post), replaced steering cables had main fixed/reinforced. But I don't get to sail enough, so a broken refrigerator just changes the order I eat the food in... doesn't stop me from watching the sunset at anchor.

[Gone Global]

The only thing that would stop me would be if the entire boat were under water when I arrived at her to leave. That would be considered catastrophic gear failure.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

This is question is a little bit silly and is just encouraging replies of "How big are mine" type answers...

So far everyone is making assumptions based on the orginal O/P's post.

Every one of your answers is right, if the conditions are favorable and wrong if the assumed conditions change...

My answer is yes you could move a boat from point A to Point B with any of those devices off or broken... but why would you move from a safe harbor without repairing them first?

It's not at all a silly question, just the opposite it is very profound. Even if the OP did not say so explicitly it is a question about what the core functions on the boat are that you can't do without.

The extension of this question is about how you balance competing priorities. If the OP's stated question were a bit different this would be more obvious. Let's say the scenario was that there was a tropical storm that was going to start to be felt in 2-3d and there was a somewhat better hurricane hole on the next island over 30nm away. What breakages would keep you from attempting the passage tomorrow bright and early?

[speciald@ocens.]

My first off shore trip was from St Petersburg, Florida. All we had was a depth finder, an AM radio (before VHF), and a radio direction finder. We didn't know the radio was broken until we got to Marathon. No fridge, no furler, no windlass, atomic 4 motor with 20 gallons of gas, tiller steering. That was in 1978 and we made it without a problem

[Boracay]

For coastal cruising on the East Coast of Oz: A non functioning computer/internet connection for weather reports.

The weather, and in particular the sea state, here is just so different on the open ocean, and the barred ports are inaccessible in many conditions.

Too many stories of coastal cruisers getting beat up/coming to grief.

[zeehag]

lemme see--dont have fridge, dont use puter for nav, have paper charts, should make another lead line, dont use radar that much when i am sailing......did the blown out sail thing... did the repairing of engine while underway...didnt die when my nav lights didnt work with engine running....

could use a crew--some times is necessary with my paws being not so good,but i think that wouldnt keep me from progressing southward-


if there were a named storm trying to keeel me, i would get to where i was safest as fast as possible and nothing will cause a delay. i will advise a FRIEND that there is a problem, they can call XXXX if not hear from me in XX days.....and never forget the follow up---

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by westsail374

You have planned a 30 mile voyage from one island to another, departing at 10 a.m. You will be crossing open water, as in island hopping in the Caribbean. The harbors at both ends are well protected and have good marina facilities available if needed.

The weather is perfect - 15 knots broad reach, sunny day, no inclement forecast for a week to come.

Just before you are to depart, you discover a piece of equipment is not working.

What piecees of equipment being inoperable in this situation would be important enough for you to postpone the voyage until the gear was repaired?

GPS?
Chart plotter?
Radar?
Depth sounder?
Windlass?
Radio?
Refrigeration?
Something else?

"C" None of the above!

Pretty much sailed a LOT without any of that stuff, but as I get older, I am starting to be more diligent about my comforts.