Final Outfitting

"Somebody should stop me……"

Its been a bit of time since my last post. This follows the two other posts about outfitting and choosing a boat, and tries to summarize some of the things we have done.  Much more information about all of this crap is on other parts of the site.  Beware – this is a long and complicated list….

When you buy a new sailboat you have got it made – right?  Yes – you avoided all of those problems that you would have had with a 20 year old cruising boat – wiring, rigging, and engine upgrades.  But you still have all of the problems associated with turning a boat into a long range cruiser…..

Yes – a new boat – what an extravagance!!  Notice, however, that it seems to be missing a few crucial items……

Many of the pundits say that a new boat will cost about 15 percent of the purchase price to outfit for cruising, while a used boat may cost up to an additional 50 percent.  We have spent about $25-30,000 outfitting the boat, upgrading systems, and stocking the interior.  This is about 10 percent of our total cost, depending upon how you look at it.

Sailing Systems

We bought all of the sails that Malo offered, plus all of the sail handling options.  This was a very good decision.  The sails were of the highest quality, as was the gear.  Our sail inventory includes the main, a working jib, a 130 genoa, a geneiker, and a staysail.  The staysail was converted to reef to 60 percent.  Here is what we had to do:

• reinforce genoa at head, tack and clew – install full cover  (it had one of those glue on covers that don’t provide adequate UV protection.)
• design and build preventer system
• reinforce the staysail with new hanks, install reefing system

Energy system designed and installed

• 540 hours gel batteries
• design and build battery box
• relocate main circuits to new battery box
• 125 ample power high output alternator
• V3 multistage regulator
• "eliminator" to connect house and start batteries for charging
• KISS wind generator
• 170 amp hours solar panels
• design solar panel mount system for rails of boat
• design stowage of panels in aft lazerrette
• Trace C40 charge controller
• run new 0000 gauge wire for alternator output

Communication

• Skymate 100 e-mail system
• HI FI radio linked to computer via modem for decoding weatherfax
• Assorted antennae, custom mounts, wiring, poles, etc

Survival

• Winthrop 4 person offshore life raft
• ACR 406 epirb
• ditchbag – pus assorted flares, beacons, survival equipment, and extra gin for the bag

Cabin

• Boat washdown system – include three way valves for using fresh water, and outlet for and aft  (this is one big, bad, stream of water I can pump)
• Watermaker – Little Wonder modular 200
• wiring associated with above – this includes installing power centers, circuits, and direct battery wiring using 6 gauge – no voltage drop here, plus glassing in a shelf for the pump, and redesigning the head cabinet storage to accommodate all of this
• 5 Goldenrod heaters installed in each forward and aft locker – this keeps the mildew down, but involved a hundred feet of cabling
• mahogany computer box (yes it actually slides out)
• shelf for DVD player, and mount for LCD TV
• custom mahogany boarding platform

Transportation

• Caribe 32 – 11" dingy
• Tohatsu 9.9 hp outboard  (this is a two stroke – why pay for a 4 stroke when nobody can repair them in Columbia?)
• 2 person inflatable kayak
• All of the stuff to load, pull, repair, and store above items

Sleeping areas

• Tufted toppers for both bunks  (these are great)
• two sets of fitted sheets for each bunk
• 2 silk comforters  (yes – I know it is hard to believe – silk is expensive, but it works great in the wet Northwest

Galley

This is an ongoing project – so far all the usual pots and pans plus:

• 2 burner force 10 stove
• Crock pot
• new Correll china – this is indestructible glass from Corning
• Assorted stainless steel barware

Electrical

    New AC circuit box

    five new circuits

     redesigned wiring for boat AC New outlets in the forward birth, aft berth, heads

3600 gal per hour Rule bilge pump, on automatic circuit

Engine Systems

• AquaAlarm monitoring system for water intake, bilge, engine overheat, and fire
• Racor 500 fuel filter
• inline 12 volt fuel pump
• engine hour meter    

Man – am I tired, and I am not even done!!!!  Is it time to go cruising yet??

Things that have broken or worn out in 4 years:

• The SEVA stove – could not stand the heat I guess
• The carpet – I am a bit too heavy
• and – thats it!