I originally wrote this page for the blog 7 years ago, and a few things have changed since then. Communication and navigational technology is definately a few. For fun, I have edited he page using italics, so you can really see how some things have changed, but many have stayed the same.
What do you need to travel around the world on a boat is impossible to pin down. Each boat and person has their own ‘neccessities’. A lot of cruisers are setting off with much greater budgets, much bigger boats and as a result able to squeeze on many more home comforts. The sky is the limit depending on your finaces.
Safety Equipment – is a ‘no brainer’. The best stuff you can afford and prey you never have to use it. There is a load of information available so we will not go into that. Still holds try. Unforeseen disasters can strike anyone at any time. Although sailing is a relatively safe sport we still loose sailors and boats.
A good anchor – another ‘no brainer’, but you would not believe how many boats drag into you, or ashore, or into reefs because they do not have a good anchor. We have friends that have lost their boat when their anchor dragged. Unless you have the money to pay for marinas all the time, a good anchor is essential. THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR BOAT SAFE! Do a little research and choose the best anchor you can afford. Remember that it needs to reset with the wind shifts. in addition you need good tackle to go with that anchor and enough chain. If a blow comes through you really want to have 5x or more scope out. And, do not mix dissimilar metals!
Your boat will also need the basics…like sails, navigation and comunication devices. A galley, bed and steering. How well you stock her and her size it up to you. There are also books and books on this topic.
What I found lacking was the little things. What makes life aboard more comfortable.
Maybe if we listed some of the smaller things WE can’t live with out or wish we had, it might be helpful to you. We will update it as we go along.
So glad we have it:
*A pole for our foresail. In lighter winds or rolly seas, on winds stern of beam, it is a god send. Absolute essential for lighter winds.
*Shock cord and hooks. To hold things down, hold them in place and to stop stuff falling off shelves and table tops. Bring some eyes as well so the hooks have something to attach to. Always running out!
*Extra warp. For the dingy, to tie things down and hold things in place. Old warp is covetted by the locals in many countries and a great bartering tool or gift.
*Shade bimini over the cockpit. I just can not take frying my brains out. The sun really is a KILLER in the warm climates.
*Cockpit cushions. Night watches would be horrible without them. We love canvas as a cover because it is less ‘slippery’, nice on bare skin, waterproof, quick drying and easily washed in laundry soap.
*A cutting board that fits over the sink. Even better when you have a double sink. Gives you more counter space and holds dirty dishes in place under it at sea.
*A WiFi amplifier of some kind. We left without one and had to hang out in Marina offices and cafes for hours to update our blog or get a weather forecast. With an amplifier you can often get a signal on your boat. This now depends on where you are travelling. Many countries have mobile coverage and you have the option of using your existing provider or purchasing a local SIM card and data. Many countries, or areas within countries, do not have mobile coverage and the boaster quickly pays for itself.
*Exterior hard drives. To share movies, pictures and navigational information with other people.
*Extra fuel cans. Got us out of a lot of scraps especially when we had fuel and fuel filter problems. We are also finding fewer and fewer fuel pontoons to moor your boat up to.
*IFAM locks. They never stop working in the worst conditions. With some chain or wire you can lock up bicycles, kayaks, engines and fuel to dingys and dingys to pontoons. We have never had one seize up even when left locked outside for a year unused. They are expensive, but it will never wear out.
*Lots of ‘stackable’ big buckets. They take up as much room as one bucket. For laundry, catching rain and carrying loose items in and out of the dingy. If you can get the plastic flexible buckets, they are covetted everywhere we go.
*Sturdy bucket on a warp. Washing down decks, dingys, dogs and humans. Emergency toilet.
*LED bulbs. They cut your energy consumption to nothing.
*An ASAP Marine, UK catologue. If it is in their catologue they will deliver it any where in the world in 24-48 hours. Their staff can offer knowledgable help over the phone or by email if you have engine, fuel, plumbing or electrical problems.
*Water foot pumb in the galley. We have had so many electrical and plumbing problems…but at least we could get a cup of tea. The exception was when we had plumbing, electrical and gas problems one morning.
*Water containers. You have to collect and carry water from many different sources in the Caribbean. and the Pacific. Watermakers are always breaking down.
So wish we had of known or had one of those:
*Audio books. We discovered they were the best thing for staying awake on night watch alone. We could have down loaded them before we left. Now everyone watches videos on tablets. Saying that a boat just ran aground when the night watch was distracted playing a video game.
*Wish we had of known that you can only get ‘camping’ gas in France, Spain and Portugal. We would have gotten used cylinders on ebay rather then having to ‘pay through the nose’ for them in France. We switched to fibreglass tanks. No more rusting! In many countries we switched to the local exchangeable tanks, as refilling our existing ones was up to 8x more expensive.
*Mosquito nets. We were eaten alive for days when the winds died in Portugal on anchor. At least get some for the windows and hatches of the sleeping cabin. Important in many tropical countries where dengue fever is prevalent.
*Up to date cruising guides. We bought ours used and they were 10 years out of date. Anchorages had been turned into Marinas and some harbours were no longer navigable by sail craft. Now there are a multitude of free cruising guides available on line. Also up to date information on any new changes.
*Up to date charts. We have set harbour entrances as a way point at night and almost sailed through a newly extended sea wall. There is a multitude of navigational softwear now available, wih regular on line updates. No one provider has the ‘world licked’, so use and compare a variety of sources during passage planning. We had a friend loose their boat on a reef not charted on Navionics in the South Pacific.
*Lots of 12V LED lighting in the engine room. Other wise you are stuck like us using head torches and running out of batteries. Sorted, and engine room now very brght.
*Spare bulbs for all running lights and have them labeled some how. You do not want to have to get up and down the mast twice.
*Lots of spare marine epoxy, sealant and chemical weld. It is so hard to find. Ran out of marine epoxy and filler back in Spain and been looking ever since. Still always seem to run out.
*12 V adapters and plugs on the boat for computers and hard drives. We found the inverter, especially when accidentally left on, really ‘eats’ power. They are impossible to find or order when you have no address.
*Lots and lots of fuses. We never seem to be able to replace them fast enough. Everything electrical contains them and they all seem to blow regularly.
*More swimming shorts and bathing suits. We have ended up living in them and they quickly fall apart in the sun. Oh, so true still!
Do some preparation
When ever you can get some internet do down load up to date electronic copies of any cruising guides, charts or information on areas you might visit in the future. Electronic copies take up no space, are easy to trade with other cruisers and are great back ups.
The same with any movies or tv shows. Bring extra portable storage to share pictures, video ect with cruising friends.