Just a quick note to let you know what preparations are happening relevant to the offshore portion of our trip:
Safety:
I would like to discuss all safety related issues as a team. Ultimately, I am responsible for the safety of all aboard and I expect to pay for the upgrades to the boat, so I will make the final decisions. But I would like to benefit from your thoughts and research and share the excitement of the preparations with you. Besides, you need to make informed decisions on whether to set to sea with me, so you need to be involved in the discussion.
Advisory committee: I am thinking about asking for one or two volunteer advisers from the Southern Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) to join our team and monitor our discussions. I think we should volunteer to indemnify those volunteers legally.
I removed all lifelines and delivered them to a rigger for inspection/replacement. No discussion or team decisions needed.
I begin a careful inspection of the steering system next. No discussion will be required.
Communications: Does anyone have a satphone?
I bought a new iCom M700 single side band capable of ship to shore communications from thousands of miles out, useful for calling the Coast Guard if we should need help, or to update them if we think we are at risk. It will also receive weather forecasts while at sea. It will not support email, and there are not marine operators to connect us with telephones ashore. I may buy the equivalent of a satellite blackberry with limited bandwidth and delays measuring in tens of minutes.
Investigating other weather products - Bruce and I are going to look at some software for presenting weather faxes on a laptop; I am also looking into XM Satellite weather products at the Boston Boat show.
Looks like we could have old school weather faxes http://weather.noaa.gov/fax/marsh.shtml and Southbound Herb http://www3.sympatico.ca/hehilgen/vax498.htm free. it would be really nice to have XM or Sirius weather, but that would run from $800 for laptop software to ~$2000 for the capability in a new, integrated color chartplotter.
We will need to decide whether I need to buy an EPIRB or if a personal beacon http://www.findmespot.com/ is the better option - pricing new and used EPIRBs, learning more about the SPOT device. The EPIRB is monitored by NOAA, and sends only one message "send help, we wish to abandon/have abandoned ship", the SPOT is monitored by a private agency and emergency messages are automatically relayed to up to 5 designated email addresses of our choice. The SPOT also has the capability of sending an "OK" message and a user definable message, as well and the "send help, we are wish to abandon/have abandoned ship".
Life rafts - New or used, coastal or offshore - New offshore =~$2500 Previously owned coastal <= $700. The differences are primarily in the provisions packed in the raft, and offshore rafts have insulated floors, which are less important given where we will travel. We will need to discuss, as I am reluctant to spend the $2500 for one trip. Previously owned (unused, certified, and repacked) offshore may be a possibility Offshore vests - I am inclined to ask you to provide your own offshore vests and harnesses. I have some big Kapok ones, but I would think you would want either a float coat or inflatable (SOSpenders, for example, see defender.com)
Comfort
Bought parts for engine driven refrigeration, researching solar panels and additional DC refrigeration. I may beef up the house battery bank. I am searching for a battery monitor used on ebay, I have been outbid on several.
Provisioning - Dana will take lead, and my cousin has volunteered to help. We may try canning pre-cooked meals, as they don't require refrigeration (so we can store much more food for the months in the tropics). We will also provision for the If you want particular meals from home, we could send the pressure cooker and canning materials around so everyone can contribute. If not, be happy with what we provide.
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1 comment:
Regarding food at sea....
Think about lots of healthy (and not so healthy) snacks. It is suprising how many calories one needs just sitting there! For the passages: Think: pre-packaged peanut-butter or cheese crackers (easy to store, individuall wrapped), lots of pre-packaged cookies (same reasons as above), various candies, trail mix, snack size potato chips, hot oatmeal, hot chocolate. Your ideas on pre-cooekd foods is a good one. Lots of flavor with little/no prep. Keep spare bottled water in case of problems with water tanks. We had a large bottle of gluecose tablets( from your local drugstore...the kind diabetics carry). Good for when you tummy isn't well but you need energy.
Along that last line....This may sound a little gross, but, one way to keep yourself strong, alert, and non-seasick is to keep regular bowel movements. With everyone on odd-shifts and out or your normal environment and routine, eating well and regular bowel movements will help prevent sea sickness. We found the cheap no-frills brand of sea-sick 8-hour tablets worked for us (but use what works for you). Take them early and often, even if you think you don't need them. Many suggest starting any medication several hours before heading out to give your body time to adjust. I have used the 4-hour chewables when on an off-shore passage. Easy to swallow. Easy to manage dosage since they were small. It talking with other cruisers about sea-sick medicines, we all found that we "hear" things, especially late at night. Regular boat and water sounds get mistaken for someone talking. Really! I think it has something to do with the medication messing with your inner-ear fluids.
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