
Ask boaters who have prepared for an extended journey to share their experience for an article, and they will usually tell you they could write a book on the subject—and many of them have! We asked PropTalk contributor Elizabeth Kelch and Captain Bill Clifton to share some of what they’ve learned by cruising their Grand Banks Classic 36
In No Hurry on the Chesapeake and beyond.
What are your top five spare parts to bring along when you travel?
When presented with this question, Captain Bill’s first response was “only five?” After I explained to him I was looking for his top five, he reported he wouldn’t leave home without alternator, fresh water pump, raw water impellor kit, fuel filters, toilet repair kit, belts, oil, paper charts… He went on a bit more, but I decided the list was long enough and quit writing.
Is there anything you brought along thinking it would be important that you never really needed?
I acquired an emergency water filtration tool to insure that if we ran our tanks dry, we’d have something to drink. Thankfully, we haven’t needed that. There is also the spare anchor, the get-home motor, and the satellite phone. We haven’t needed these things, but they are like insurance; we buy it hoping we’ll never need it.
I can’t think of anything I brought that’s just taking up space that I wish I could jettison.
Did you forget anything important?
Recorded music and videos, either CDs or MP3 player, for when you don’t have internet, don’t have the data to draw on, or can’t find a good radio station.
Serious rain coats. We have rain-resistant jackets but should have brought rainproof, for occasions such as running out in a storm to drop the anchor or checking what the big thud on the bridge was. Sailors seem to have the piece of information, but powerboaters, less so.
Sun umbrellas that attach around the boat have been surprisingly useful. Our boat has very little shady area, so I threw that in at the last minute and have found myself getting it out more than I expected. If your boat has more shaded area, this may be irrelevant for you.
If your good friends were departing on a long cruise for the first time, what would be your top pieces of advice?
Be each other’s backup. Make sure you know how to do everything the other person normally does. Even during a minor event that might have a partner laid up for a day or two, there are things that have to be done and seen to.
Expect to see storms, and when you do, be grateful for the experience gained from it because it’ll give you more confidence to handle whatever your journey has in for you. I have to attribute this piece of advice to my friend Steve on
Roof Rage, who reminded me of a trip in which we had three storms in three days.
Take less clothing—life on the hook laundry plan. I use a salad spinner of restaurant size and sturdiness. The laundry goes in the big salad spinner full of soapy water on the cockpit, a few minutes of underway time is the agitation cycle. Dump the soapy water out and fill it up with freshwater for the rinse. Repeat as many times as you feel necessary. Next comes the part I’ve never seen anybody else do. The salad spinner becomes my spin cycle so that when I hang my clothes to dry they are not sopping wet. A close line strung up the mast or across the cockpit becomes my final step.
Remember to stay flexible. When things don’t go as planned, because they won’t, keep your troubleshooting skills handy and improvise.
What are must-have items in the galley?
We all know storage space is at a premium, so make sure all equipment is at least dual purpose. Believe it or not, your collapsible silicone dish drainer can double as a colander. And your boxy toaster that does nothing more than toast bread may be something you could consider leaving home.
We always make sure we travel with spare cooking gas. We have two tanks and as soon as we empty one, we get it filled so there is always a backup on hand.
There is always pancake/ baking mix in my pantry drawer because it’s really versatile. It can be used to make things for any meal, any time of the day. Try putting sandwiches on biscuits. Fruit cobblers or coffee cakes can feel like a luxurious breakfast.
I don’t use any paper napkins or paper towels. If you use them, you’ll have to find someplace to store the full package when you bring it in from the store and then have to store the trash until you find some place to dispose of it. I use cloth napkins and cloth dish towels. They are really easy to wash using my laundry salad spinner, dry quickly, and require less storage space.
Another galley tip to consider is where to store your bread. Bread is soft and can’t be stored on top of anything because it will take that shape (you’ll end up with misshapen bread). Other things can’t be stored on top of the bread, and the precious little counter space in the galley can’t be filled up with storing bread. We still haven’t quite figured out a good solution for this problem.
What else would you like to add?
Fans that run on battery, ideally rechargeable, and/or AC power will quickly become worthwhile investments. Often I find myself stepping out my salon door because, even with the windows open, the air inside feels hot and stuffy—and I find myself greeted by cool temperatures and a beautiful breeze. You’ll appreciate using the fans to draw some of that cool, comfy air inside. In the evenings when we are on the hook and are enjoying the quiet so much that we don’t want to turn on the generator, the battery-power becomes a treasured option.
Consider back up and/ or extra refrigeration. We have a cooler that runs on DC power. The refrigerator in my galley is small and anything tall doesn’t fit. We’ve put the DC cooler under the table, and it has nearly doubled my refrigeration space. I’m also pleased I’ve seen it used as a stool and foot rest quite often, so now it’s doing double duty.
What are your future cruising plans?
Our long-term cruising will soon become full-time cruising. I (Elizabeth) am still working and writing for a living. Bill is retired and now spends more time working on his boating avocation. We’re currently in The Great South Bay on the south coast of Long Island and and heading back to the Cheasapeake in a few weeks. In November, we’ll head down the ICW at a leisurely pace. We’ve discussed pulling into Havana Harbor and maybe doing a lap around Cuba.
Top Personality Traits of Cruisers
After years of reading cruisers' stories, we at PropTalk have seen a trend of personality traits that are helpful to possess when cruising:
- Flexibility: When you talk to veteran cruisers, you will hear them talk about Murphy's Rule, unforeseen circumstances, lengthy boat repairs, health issues... and also absolutely falling in love with a place and wanting to stay longer. Strict schedules won't work on a long cruise. Be flexible.
- Resourcefulness: When all else fails, you may have to invent a new tool for the job.
- Creative thinking: Anyone who would use a salad spinner to dry laundry is meant to go on long journeys on boats! Think outside the box.
- Detail oriented: Off the top of your head, it helps to know the details about your boat (length, draft, beam, height, power requirements), even for something as simple as making marina reservations.
- Sense of humor: As Kelch puts it so well, "When things don't go as planned, because they won't..." You must be flexible, resourceful, creative, and detail-oriented - and for all of that, you're going to need to laugh at yourself sometimes.