First Time North

A practical discussion on preparing a boat for cruising to the Reef

It’s Christmas time, so why don’t we take a slightly less serious break from the normal pre-cruise preparations.  In this short post I’ll talk about some of the things I’ve bought that, while not absolutely essential, are certainly nice to have for a cruise to paradise.  And to finish off, I’ll cover a few items that you might like to ask Santa to bring in his bag.

RIB

After much thought I finally bit the bullet and forked out for a new RIB dinghy for the trip.  Compared to my existing inflatable, the new boat is faster and drier (much less water over the bows), and of course will cope with groundings and coral scratches better than the inflatable.  Opinion is divided about the pros and cons, and certainly inflatable boats have an advantage in terms of being rolled up and put away.  As it is, my new RIB has the same dimensions and weighs the same as my old inflatable.  That means it will sit happily on my foredeck (I hope).

Spinnaker sock

I bought the boat along with a rather large, broad shouldered, symmetrical spinnaker.  Its very great attraction is that it powers the boat extremely well, and very happily, downwind.  It’s also a real handful for a full race crew.  Having trialled an asymmetric, which just couldn’t give the same performance at deep angles, I purchased a new sock for my existing spinnaker.  All of a sudden it became easy to handle, even in 20+ knots sailing two-up at sea, while still giving me great performance.  I’m looking forward to many fast downwind miles through the reef with this setup. 

Stereo system

A pure indulgence is my new Fusion stereo radio.  Connecting to all the usual sources, including mobile devices via Bluetooth, the stereo also connects via the boat’s NMEA backbone to my chartplotter. So, I can control all my music while sitting at the wheel, and have a very happy time of it all.  Of course, I’ve also spent quite some time collating enough music to keep me occupied for the duration of the cruise (hoping my crews don’t object too much to my tastes).

AV system

I love film, so the idea of being without my collection for five months just didn’t appeal.  I installed a new TV in the saloon, and purchased a bluray player that connects to the TV and provides sound through the stereo and connected audio amplifier.  Bring along a few hundred discs and I’ll be set.

Drone

Seeing drone video and photos taken in the reef is more than enough to encourage anyone to include a drone in their cruising inventory.  Drones are remarkably easy to fly and can be made to take off and land from boats with not too much effort. 

SLR camera

Drones have revolutionised photography in the great outdoors, but a good camera is still essential to capture all your wonderful experiences to come.  Please don’t rely on your phone, or even a point and shoot camera.  You’ve spent lots of money getting your boat ready – make sure your photographs are worthy of the time and effort you’re putting into this venture.  Good DSLRs can be bought for reasonable amounts these days.  Many are also quite compact, if you’re prepared to accept a smaller image sensor.  Even better is to learn properly how to use the camera to take truly superb photos.  Don’t forget to take a range of lens filters, including a good polarising filter.

GoPro camera

GoPros, and their various competitors, are modern marvels.  They can be had in completely waterproof/underwater models and can take both stills and video footage.  Some of these cameras can send live imagery via wifi to your mobile device, and can be remotely controlled by the latter (note that wifi is better for this purpose than Bluetooth because of its greater range).  On a serious note, it can be very handy to send a GoPro up the mast, say on a mount attached to the spinnaker topping lift, to provide live views of the water ahead.  I also attach mine to the pulpit to help me remotely monitor and lift the anchor if I’m sailing solo.

Crew shirts

Certainly not a necessity, but go on and commemorate the cruise with a range of good looking crew shirts.

All of the above are great ideas for the cruise to the Barrier Reef.  The following, however, might be thought to be a little on the extravagant side…

200 inch Outdoor TV

Let’s face it, what could be better than seeing your favourite films on the grandeur of a truly big screen.  C-SEED make a folding, weather proof, 200 inch TV screen that lifts hydraulically through your deck.  Partner it with a few kilowatts of speaker power just like your local cinema multiplex.  Sure, it’s bigger than anything you have at home and probably needs about 30 feet of open deck space for viewing, but you know you want one.

Lift Foil

An electrically powered, foiling board, capable of reaching 20+ knots.  For only $12,000 (that’s real, Donald Dollars folks) you too can take stand up paddle boards to the next level.

Water jet pack

Why use a dinghy to go for sundowners on another boat, like everyone else, when you can fly instead.  Kit yourself up with a jet pack, just like James Bond would do.

Sea Breacher

Sort of like an enclosed jet ski on steroids.  I don’t know where you’d stow it, but they look like great fun.  At US$80,000 each, I think I’ll take two. 

Submarine

Finally, for the sailor who has everything else, be the first on your marina arm to carry your own fully functioning submarine.  Built by Aston Martin, this limited edition craft can dive to 500 metres and stay submerged for 12 hours.  At only US$4 million, it really is a steal.  Just think how much money you could make searching for lost shackles and sunglasses at the bottom of the marina.

A practical discussion on preparing a boat for cruising to the Reef

I’m returning to my favourite theme – the management of scarce resources.  This month it’s on the topic of the storage, use and supply of fresh water.  Depending on how you want to tackle this, it can either be a very serious problem, or no problem at all.  So, read on.

It makes sense, I think, to first tackle the subject of water use.  Your decisions on this will drive the other considerations of storage and supply.

The use of fresh water probably falls into the following categories:

Drinking

Particularly in the tropics, you’re going to be drinking a lot of water, probably up into the range of two or more litres per person per day.  If you’re three weeks away from port, this will demand a significant part of your overall supply (2 litres x 2 people x 21 days = 84 litres).  Many people don’t like drinking their unfiltered tank water, and that has other uses anyway.  For me the best source of drinking water is 10 litre cardboard casks, readily available in supermarkets.  They’re stackable, will happily live in the deepest recesses of your storage lockers, have a virtually unlimited shelf life and compact down nicely when emptied.  I won’t be having single use plastic water bottles on board, primarily because of the problem they present upon disposal.

Dishwashing and rinsing

This can be a real water waster if normal domestic habits are brought onboard.  Use of fresh water for pre-rinsing, especially, is an absolute waste.  Use the infinite supply of clean salt water to rinse, even if you have to do that over the stern or in a bucket.  Many boats have a salt water tap in the galley, and Gypsy Princess is about to get one installed for this very purpose.  A subsequent wash up in fresh water should stop any problems of rusting utensils.  For that matter, salt water can be used for the wash up too, perhaps with a final rinse in a small amount of fresh water.

Cooking

Give some thought to what foods can be cooked in salt water.  Pasta is one that comes to mind.  This is an area where you’ll have to experiment to see what works.

Showering

I’ve left this to last because, I have to admit, all of my thinking about water conservation has the goal of a quick daily shower lurking about.  It’s rather nice crawling into a nice bed, made up with crisp sheets, having just had a fresh water shower.  Of course, an onboard shower can’t last more than a minute or two.  But remember that a fresh water shower can be supplemented first by a swim or salt water shower.

Water supply and storage

I suppose this comes down to simply one of two possible choices:      

• rely on tank water filled up in port, or
• buy a water maker.

The first option doesn’t warrant any thought, except as to the quality of the water you’re putting into your tanks and the size of those tanks.  With that in mind, always check the water before you start filling.  Perhaps fill a bucket first – you can always use it wash your deck.  Many owners use inline water filters but these are horribly slow and, if the water is poor, the tiny filter most people use will foul up very quickly indeed.

Give some consideration to whether you wish to increase your tank capacity.  If you have available locker volume (and that’s rare!) you could consider having a custom tank built by one of the reputable manufacturers and have it installed into your existing system.  

Alternatively, you could buy a soft bladder although these are less than ideal because of their ability to slosh about if not full or properly secured.  As a last resort you could try filling jerry cans and lashing them somewhere on deck or possibly in your lazarette.

Water makers appear at first sight to be the miracle cure for water supply.  They have three problems that I can see:

• their cost,
• their power demands, and
• their noise.

No water maker is cheap.  The lowest priced unit I’m aware of is from the Katadyn brand.  It’s about $5,500 plus parts plus installation, draws four amp of electrical current and makes about 6 litres and hour.  The popular Rainman units cost from around $7,000 - $8,000 (plus spares and parts, I guess).  They either draw 30+ amp from your batteries or use a petrol engine, but they do make water at a commensurately higher rate.  All require careful attention.  If you go without use for any real time the reverse osmosis filters must be pickled in a special solution. 

If you’re going to get a water maker, I suggest you consider the question “Why”.  Is it to have virtually unlimited water (get a bigger one and make sure you can power it, and accept the noise), or is it just to provide some extra supplement to your existing storage.  If you can answer this then you can make a properly considered decision on purchase and use of a system.  Just bear in mind that cruising the Coral Coast isn’t like crossing an ocean. Towns and ports are always close by, and water is available if you really need it.  Many boats cruise these areas quite successfully without water makers.

A practical discussion on preparing a boat for cruising to the Reef

It’s only a little over seven months before Departure Date arrives.  For Gypsy Princess, detailed preparations began two years ago, and it feels like the time remaining is travelling by very quickly.  For owners still with significant amounts of work remaining, you’ll need to start knocking all those jobs off very quickly.

Last month I discussed issues relating to the boat’s electrical power.  This month I’m covering one of the key users of that power – navigation and communication equipment. 

These days we take it for granted that we know where we are and also that we can communicate with just about anyone at any time.  On long passages we use our chart plotter to set our course and know that we’ll always get there.  Everything is so easy.  However, getting to that point takes planning, and ensuring you have reliable alternatives in case of failure demands attention to all the details.

Let’s start with navigation equipment.

It should be absolutely clear that navigation starts with a full set of paper charts, navigation tools and one or more good hand bearing compasses.  Even with the GPS in full operation, a paper chart gives you a very practical wide view of your environment and they’re especially good for identifying lights, rocks and other items you should be aware of.  If you pre plot your planned courses (along with heading information) and then update your charts with, say, hourly positions you’ll be able to cope with any short or long term GPS problems.  Remember, modern chart plotters can and do fail or have periods of down time.  You should become comfortable with taking sights and using parallel rules, triangles or dividers for transferring your position onto a chart.  It is still a source of considerable satisfaction for me to be able to do that.  Note that you’ll need over 30 charts for the trip to Dunk Island.  All of these charts need periodic updating, so if you don’t have them already you might like to hold off purchasing until closer to departure.

Modern touch screen chart plotters are a true wonder and I wouldn’t be leaving home without one.  They’ll interface with just about all your navigation gear, even older equipment and devices from other manufacturers.  They bring together all of the information you’ll need about the prevailing conditions, how the boat is performing and will guide you to your destination.  Configurable screens let you tailor what combination of charts and data you’d like to have displayed at any time.  A particularly nice feature these days is the ability to wirelessly connect any mobile device (ie phone or tablet) to the chart plotter.  I won’t go to bed these days without a tablet sitting beside me mirroring the chart plotter, with a split screen showing both an ultra high and wider zoom of my anchorage, with the boat’s track being traced out as it drifts around the anchor.  This gives me an excellent picture of most of what I need to know.  And I can turn the plotter’s power consumption to a low setting that only draws 0.2 Amp.  Mobile device apps are also available that let you remotely control all of the functions of your plotter, so you can set waypoints, routes and do your other housekeeping from the comfort of your saloon, admittedly with the probable annoyance of whoever is on watch at the time as their view of the plotter is being changed.

Of very great use when used in conjunction with a chart plotter is one of the modern configurable, multi-purpose instrument displays.  These compact items are remarkably affordable and give you the ability to have an extensive array of customised data continuously available.  I’d highly recommend having one or two of these displays at your helm.

The Whitsundays are 1,000 miles from home, and only the most obsessed helmsman would want to hand steer the whole way.  An auto helm is another must have.  Besides, when steering in benign conditions, Otto the auto helm will invariably steer a straighter line than I can hour after hour.  Perhaps I think too hard about this - I bought my boat (pre loved) without an auto helm and it was a big deal getting one fitted.  A very important issue is deciding how you want to configure all of your displays to show critical information, particularly speed, distance and bearing to next waypoint, current course over the ground and cross track deviation.  These are all key to managing your passage and safely and efficiently getting to your destination.  I suggest you spend a lot of time experimenting with different display combinations until you get a combination that makes you comfotable.

I’ve already recorded on the plotter all of my waypoints for the passage as far up as Fraser Island.  I’ve scoped out tracks that will miss headlands and other nasties by at least a mile.  Having those routes will make life simpler for me and the crew when we’re out at sea.  On the topic of planned routes, I don’t permit the chart plotter to instruct the auto helm – I require every course change to be entered manually by the watch keeper.  I have a feeling this will keep them just a little more alert and also be aware of their general situation, which is critical.

I mentioned mobile devices a little earlier.  A further important use for these toys is as backup plotters, when equipped with their own GPS and something like the Navionics navigation app.  This software is just as detailed as the charts on your main plotter, and are independent (for a while, at least) of the boat’s main power system, should you have any problems there.  The Navionics app also has some degree of connectivity with your plotter should you wish to sync information between the two devices.

Finally, I must mention all of the relevant pilot and other cruising guide books.  Some of these are just indispensable – Beacon to Beacon is worth the price just to get you through the Great Sandy Strait, 100 Magic Miles is the ubiquitous guide for the Whitsundays and Rob’s Passage Planner gives you valuable information for every bit of coast from here to there.

Communication gear

I’m going to stick here to the two principle means of communication: VHF devices and mobile phones and related equipment.  All our boats have installed VHF sets, and AIS is a compulsory piece of kit for this cruise.  Learn how to use your own equipment and its various functions.  MMSI numbers are important to have installed on your VHF (your AIS set demands one), if for no other reason than to permit automated digital distress signals to be sent out.  Prepare printed sheets that set out the actual words for a Mayday or Pan Pan call, and also set out the name and registration of your boat in the phonetic alphabet.  You don’t want to be fumbling with such things when you’re on the radio in an emergency.

You should have a backup to the boat’s VHF set in the form of a handheld radio.  These can also come in handy for talking to the boat when you’re ashore.  Make sure the handheld is waterproof and floats – it could be a lifesaver if you need to abandon the boat.  My handheld VHF also includes a pretty capable GPS device with waypoints and routing functionality. 

Mobile phones are now a pretty standard marine communication device, and don’t require much comment.  Telstra provides the widest coverage up the coast. 

Internet access has become quite important for cruisers.  Most importantly it gives easy access to detailed weather forecasts.  It can also be used for communication, and it’s a source of information for ports and other cruising destinations.  Given its importance it’s worthwhile considering the installation of some dedicated high gain aerials and a fixed router.  Then all of your on board devices, even a small computer printer can be readily connected.

Should you carry a satellite phone?  I’ve taken that off my shopping list, since internet and mobile phone coverage is quite good for much of the Queensland coast.  However I’ve used a satellite phone on the passage to Tasmania and it proved it’s value in getting weather forecasts to us.

FIRST TIME NORTH

A friend said to me not so long ago that a cruise begins the moment you decide to go, and that preparations for the cruise are all part of the fun of it.  I’m thoroughly enjoying that  truth, but it remains a fact that setting up for a long cruise is a significant job.  It can seem especially so for first timers.
So, to help other members like me who are prepping their boat for the Barrier Reef for the first time, I thought I’d write this regular column in the lead up to our departure next May.  Each month I’ll cover what I think are the key topics, and I’ll describe some of what I’m doing to turn Gypsy Princess from a comfortable local waters cruising boat into my new home for five months.  Of course, every boat is different, and every sailor has different priorities.  I strongly recommend that you form a view of your own cruising philosophy – that in turn will help you resolve the many decisions you’ll need to make.  Every decision is a compromise involving time, cost and on board space.  This column isn’t therefore a definitive “how to” guide for your own boat, but with any luck it might make your own preparations just a little bit less daunting.

I’ve scoped out some major topics for each of the next few months.  This month – Power.

Nothing really defines success on a modern cruiser like power.  With it you know where you are, and your toys, refrigeration, entertainment and gadgets all work. Without it you’re sitting in the dark and probably can’t even start your engine.  The three major considerations relate to the generation, storage and use of power.

Generation

Our boats all have engines that can pump out significant current.  However, sole reliance on them will rack up huge engine hours (at low loads that will do damage to the pistons), suck up your scarce fuel and send you mad with unwanted noise.  Obviously, if you’re travelling under power then you’ll be getting plenty of power generation as a free side benefit.  The three main alternatives are a genset, a wind turbine and solar panels.

• A genset has the advantage of offering instant, high power generation.  They can also give you hot water every day.  Boats under about 40 feet though may struggle with storing a genset, and noise will still be an issue for most of us.  Fuel and servicing are also issues to consider.
• Wind turbines are superb if you’re doing long passages, where wind is in abundance.  In those situations they can work day and night and can pump out masses of power.  Our circumstances tend to be quite different however.  We look for protected anchorages, specifically with minimal wind, and stay there for days at a time.  Turbines don’t seem to be all that effective in winds below 15 knots, and many of them make an awful screaming noise when they are running.
• Solar panels are cheap, unobtrusive, noiseless and work without attention from sunrise to sunset.  Australia’s climate seems ready made for them.  Cloudy days are a problem, particularly if you have a couple in a row.  Panels also lose effectiveness during winter, when the sun is lower in the sky and daylight hours are fewer.  As a guide, during winter the sun isn’t as high in the Whitsundays as it is in summer in Sydney, so horizontal panels won’t be as efficient as you might think.  Remember that you’ll never achieve the power output that’s advertised on your new panels, often by a large margin.  

For reasons of cost or space your combination of the above options might not be able to fully provide for your daily power needs.  Your engine will then have to make up any shortfall.

Storage, ie batteries

There is a mass of battery literature on the internet, so I won’t be going into detail here on the various choices you have.  For me, a good set of AGM deep cycle batteries are unbeatable.  They have fast recharge times, preserve their charge over long periods and provide more charge/discharge cycles than most other batteries.  Kept topped up, good quality AGMs will reportedly offer you up to 10 years’ life.  They’re also sealed so don’t require servicing and if punctured won’t leak any electrolyte. Lithium Ion batteries are starting to make an appearance and they offer lots of advantages but they’re eye wateringly expensive and require more serious management.  Their ongoing reliability hasn’t yet been proven, and poor management can result in fire hazards.
Larger battery capacity isn’t necessarily better.  Remember that you have to recharge that capacity, so your battery size should be chosen to be consistent with both your average daily power use and your power generation ability.  It’s worthwhile to measure the power consumption of every piece of equipment on board, and to use that to forecast your power usage.  You should target a battery capacity at least 3 times your daily consumption.

Use

Things to consider:

• How do you manage your battery?  A simple volt meter is of only minimal use because its readings do not indicate state of charge.  Given the complete reliance you place on your batteries every cruising boat really needs a reliable battery monitor, wired to a shunt connected in line with the main power cable.

• Do you want 240 volts AC? You can charge cameras, phones, laptops, drones and all your other gear via 12 volt adaptors, but they much prefer 240 volts.  You might also like to use microwave ovens, toasters, toasted sandwich makers or blenders (for cocktails!).  If so you’ll need an inverter, and enough battery capacity to power it.
• Where is your power?  It’s nice to have 12 volt (and 240 volt) outlets spread around the boat, including sleeping cabins.  
• Many boats have multiple fridges, and some carry portable fridge units.  This tends to be one of the heaviest areas of power consumption, so be aware of the demands of your system(s).  Also understand how far you can dial the thermostat down while still maintaining acceptable temperatures.

I had three key considerations in setting up power on Gypsy Princess.  Firstly, I didn’t want to have to run the engine to generate power, and I didn’t want to fit a genset onto a boat that doesn’t have any obvious space for one.  I just don’t want noise from those mechanical things intruding on my ideal of paradise.  Secondly, I never want to worry about having adequate power.  And third, I wanted all of my toys and gadgets to be readily chargable, just like at home.

• I have a pair of 220 Ah Lifeline AGM batteries that fit in the space that Catalina provided, plus a separate battery dedicated to engine starting, connected to the house bank via a voltage sensitive relay to ensure it always stays fully charged.  There’s not really a lot of room for anything further, so it’s just as well that they serve my needs more than adequately.  
• I installed two 150 watt solar panels when I bought the boat and I’ve just added a further two 100 watt panels for the trip.  The original 300 watts was enough to fully recharge my batteries every day on summer cruises, so I should be good now with 500 watts.  I’ve connected the four panels to two MPPT solar controllers to maximise power output.
• I’ve just installed a 2000 watt inverter but haven’t been game to see how far I can push it yet.  
• I’m also installing lots of USB and cigarette lighter sockets around the boat so everyone has access to power wherever they are.  This is an easy upgrade job, so long as you don’t mind running cables.  
• I have LED lights throughout the cabin and for navigation, and they’re so efficient they virtually don’t even figure in my power calculations.  
• I leave my Raymarine chartplotter switched on through the night, but in a low power mode that draws less than half an amp.  This allows me to keep mobile devices connected to it so I can monitor my position.  
• A DVD player, LCD panel and audio amplifier are necessary indulgences for me, so I simply accept their power demands.