# What Are YOUR Big Ticket Necessities For Cruising?



## Rush2112 (Jul 12, 2020)

I am doing my best with this boat purchase decision to buy a boat that has most of the big ticket items I'll need for cruising already installed. I've found that buying a bare bones boat and rigging up for cruising can cost as much as buying a whole another boat! So being on a shoestring budget I want to get the boat with the most useful 'stuff' onboard as possible, and buy not included necessities as needed, while not wasting money on really unnecessary stuff, and leaving as much budget as possible for future maintenance.

By the way I'll be starting on IJsselmeer a large inland lake in The Netherlands, and eventually work my way to the North Sea passages to Sweden, Norway, and Scotland, and eventually make my way to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands. From there who knows 

So what are your absolute cruising necessities?
Here's the list I have so far, just curious what you experienced cruisers might add or alternatively find unnecessary:

Sailing Oriented Stuff:

Rock Solid Engine
Hard Dodger (a blessing they say on the North Sea)
Sun Shelter
Full Cockpit Enclosure
Deep center cockpit (its a personal preference thing)
Good Auto Pilot - Below Decks
Wind Vane / Backup Rudder
Decent Electronics / Navigation Equip.
Anchor and Chain.
Extra Stern Anchor and Chain.
Radar
Lines and Fenders.
Single Handing Assistants:
Lines Run Aft
Simplified Reefing
Bow Thruster
Stack Pack, Lazy Jacks

Dinghy with Engine
Dinghy Davits
Livability Oriented Stuff:

Water Tankage > 100L
Fuel Tankage > 100L
Composting Toilet
Big Grey Water Holding tank
Pressurized Hot Water
Heater (preferably two)
Diesel Eberspacher
Coal
Engine Powered
220 volt

Shore power
Solar Power
Extra batteries ( >220 AH)
Inverter
Refrigerator
Freezer
Full Cockpit Enclosure
Winter Tent, Beam Tent
Surprisingly I've found a few boats already within or close to my budget with many or most of these items included. They've tended to be older and not the best performance boats. I'm currently weighing that with better performing, but less equipped boats on which I'll have to do more upgrades for cruising. It's always a tradeoff in sailing it seems


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

I had 5 "must haves" given that the boat had basics like a dodger, bimini and sails, etc.
In no particular order;
1)* a real engine room, so mechanical maintenance wouldn't require me to be a contortionist.
2)* a real queen size centerline bed, so I wouldn't need custom linens and mattress.
3)* IMF main, preferably electric. Of course RF headsails, but those are pretty much stock these days.
4)* Electric self tailing winches, because I intended to single hand.
5) a pilot house w/inside steering, the boat came with an incredible brand new dodger/bimini so it was OK.
I got 4 out of the 5 and I was satisfied. It had an autopilot, radar, chartplotter, wind instruments and depth finder, but what 50 footer doesn't these days?
I added solar (with remote meter) and a watermaker, both of which I now consider necessary, but the windgen (with remote meter) doesn't do much, except when we're sailing. We went from a smaller windlass to a better, bigger one and moved up to 1/2" chain from 3/8ths which was definitely worth the grand for the gypsy and extra cost of the bigger chain.
I'm also a fan of the very best inflatable (no RIBs for me) tender money can buy, and a truly reliable 4 stroke outboard motor.


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## Rush2112 (Jul 12, 2020)

capta said:


> I had 5 "must haves" given that the boat had basics like a dodger, bimini and sails, etc.
> In no particular order;
> 1)* a real engine room, so mechanical maintenance wouldn't require me to be a contortionist.
> 2)* a real queen size centerline bed, so I wouldn't need custom linens and mattress.
> ...


1) I noticed the Trintella 3 I was looking at had a great access to the engine, and nice big space all around. It did strike me as a nice feature for cruising.
2) A REAL bed. Yeah I think live aboard cruisers will gravitate to this one ;-)
If the boat I buy doesn't have a nice aft cabin, I'm probably going to convert one saloon settee to a daybed. Might not be a queen but at least it will be normal size and shape.
3) RF Main, you mean on boom not in mast right? In mast makes me too nervous something should hang up when I need to depower and create an unnecessary drama. Boom furling seems nice though because if it hangs up for any reason you can still drop the sail..

Other interesting preferences, thanks for posting


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

I might add a Windlass if you plan on anchoring alot. Re: the anchor and chain, I'd want top quality kit ! I don't think the lack of a bow thruster would be a deal breaker on anything less than 40' unless you've got special circumstances.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

You can add a nice dinghy and motor


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

If you buy a unicorn that was fitted out this year, that would be a nice find. No doubt it will be over time and you’ll be replacing some them as they reach their useful life. A shoestring budget is going to be hard to have standards. Folks do it all the time, but with far less scrutiny. There is a certain logic to buying some things new, as their cost may amortize over a greater number of years. eg..... you can buy ten year old life rafts really cheaply. Even cheaper still, if they hadn’t been routinely inspected. 

I think you’re just digging your hole deeper.


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

I got my current boat almost entirely for the aft berth with a bed that could have a real mattress.


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## Rush2112 (Jul 12, 2020)

tempest said:


> I might add a Windlass if you plan on anchoring alot. Re: the anchor and chain, I'd want top quality kit ! I don't think the lack of a bow thruster would be a deal breaker on anything less than 40' unless you've got special circumstances.


Yep, I missed the windlass- thanks!
Bow thruster came to mind and got added to the list when I was focused on full keel boats, for marina maneuvers.
I suppose you're right it's a good item to take off the list now that most boats I'm considering have a fin keel. Plus it's a big ticket item for my budget. Nice catch.


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## Rush2112 (Jul 12, 2020)

RegisteredUser said:


> You can add a nice dinghy and motor


Strange that's two people now saying get a nice dinghy. Why? I was going to go with a cheapo and save money here.
All it does is a quick hop to shore right? Do you folks really use your dinghys a lot?


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## Rush2112 (Jul 12, 2020)

Minnewaska said:


> If you buy a unicorn that was fitted out this year, that would be a nice find. No doubt it will be over time and you'll be replacing some them as they reach their useful life. A shoestring budget is going to be hard to have standards. Folks do it all the time, but with far less scrutiny. There is a certain logic to buying some things new, as their cost may amortize over a greater number of years. eg..... you can buy ten year old life rafts really cheaply. Even cheaper still, if they hadn't been routinely inspected.
> 
> I think you're just digging your hole deeper.


Well I've changed my preferences 1) due to discussions over boat design, 2) due to discussions over maintenance costs, and now 3) due to the ton of extra costly stuff that a boat needs for cruising.

Believe it or not I actually am honing in on the target.
And I should be able to keep up with it once I'm going.
Unicorns do happen... I've missed two of them so far because I didn't recognize the value of all that new 'stuff'- that won't happen again!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Rush2112 said:


> Do you folks really use your dinghys a lot?


Sure do. Especially when out cruising. Also known to drop it in the marina and just go for a ride. We see people doing that all the time. Not unheard of to travel miles to visit someone or to go ashore, without moving the boat.

A quality dinghy will last longer. Aluminum hulls are becoming very popular, especially if you beach your dinghy frequently. How big or tricked out is more of a personal choice. You can get an 8ft dinghy with a 3 hp for shuttling a couple to shore. I'm going to guess the average tender is 9-10ft with a 10-15hp outboard, up to a 12ft center console with a 30 hp and waterski tow arch.


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## Rush2112 (Jul 12, 2020)

Don L said:


> I got my current boat almost entirely for the aft berth with a bed that could have a real mattress.


Amen to that.
The Trintella 3s and center cockpit Contests look fantastic on my budget.
That aft cabin has an almost magnetic draw.


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## Rush2112 (Jul 12, 2020)

Minnewaska said:


> Sure do. Especially when out cruising. Also known to drop it in the marina and just go for a ride. We see people doing that all the time. Not unheard of to travel miles to visit someone or to go ashore, without moving the boat.
> 
> A quality dinghy will last longer. Aluminum hulls are becoming very popular, especially if you beach your dinghy frequently. How big or tricked out is more of a personal choice. You can get an 8ft dinghy with a 3 hp for shuttling a couple to shore. I'm going to guess the average tender is 9-10ft with a 10-15hp outboard, up to a 12ft center console with a 30 hp and waterski tow arch.


LOL water ski dinghy hadn't thought of that one!
Yeah I guess you're right, heck if I had a dinghy alone I probably would have used it a lot this summer. OK good stuff I'll keep it in mind.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Rush2112 said:


> 3) RF Main, you mean on boom not in mast right? In mast makes me too nervous something should hang up when I need to depower and create an unnecessary drama. Boom furling seems nice though because if it hangs up for any reason you can still drop the sail.Other interesting preferences, thanks for posting


No, I might not have made it clear and I will fix it, but I meant in mast furling (IMF). From the discussions I've personally had with those who have boom furling, every one I have talked to, from 40 odd foot cruising boats to the mega sailing yachts professionally crewed, they have to have two people to raise the sail. One on the halyard and one making sure the cars go on the track properly. Not the best system for a singlehander. 
IMF, on the other hand, *never* screws up if it has been properly maintained. There is a learning curve, but to say that one day IMF will jam and cause a roblem is like saying that one day your boat is going to run into the rocks you pass by each time you go sailing. IMF doesn't screw up ever, *people* screw it up! After over ten years of operating a 40 year old system with a very blown out main for 5 of those years, I think I can speak from experience. And we are a charter boat (or were before c-19) so we sail a lot more than most boat owners and cruisers.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

conglyvaness said:


> I don't think the lack of a bow thruster would be a deal breaker on anything less than 40' unless you've got special circumstances


Bow thrusters are for use in tight quarters like docking in marinas. The vast majority of people who are out cruising are anchoring virtually every evening that they are not underway. So the need for a bow thruster on a cruising boat is not a pressing need.


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

The 'must have' list for a cruising boat really depends on your budget, boat size, and complexity. There are tons of folks out there cruising on boats so small that half the stuff mentioned would not even fit onboard. There are others with larger boats that keep things affordable by not having complex systems (IMF, electric winches, windlass, refrigerator...). Obviously, to get big-boat speed, safety, and comfort, you may NEED some of these complex systems to safely sail your boat.


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## Rush2112 (Jul 12, 2020)

Barquito said:


> The 'must have' list for a cruising boat really depends on your budget, boat size, and complexity. There are tons of folks out there cruising on boats so small that half the stuff mentioned would not even fit onboard. There are others with larger boats that keep things affordable by not having complex systems (IMF, electric winches, windlass, refrigerator...). Obviously, to get big-boat speed, safety, and comfort, you may NEED some of these complex systems to safely sail your boat.


Yeah I mean I can't imagine living without a refrigerator or a hot shower. 
And up north here you can't survive without a heater.
At least two anchors and chains is more of a safety feature for anchoring to wait out a storm or something.
A solid engine falls in the safety category as well in case I need to run from the storm.
In fact pretty much everything on that list I consider necessary, especially as I'll be single handing.

Even a radar I now consider to be essential for safety in the fog or when catching a nap.
I remember reading about a guy in California not long ago, disappeared. They found part of his boat floating and with such catastrophic destruction of what they found figured he was probably run over by an ocean liner or large transport ship of some kind who probably didn't even notice they hit him!

So I'll add an AIS class B (transmit and receive) to that list thank you very much 
Sure back in the day, people didn't worry about all this tech, then again, the waterways were a lot less busy!

The conclusion I'm coming to however is unfortunate...
Even a lowball estimate- you can take a 20 grand boat and spend 20 grand on maintenance items, then spend 20 grand on cruising gear.
And next year you have more maintenance costs on more items because you have more gear now...

I would say sailing has turned out to be literally about triple the cost I'd expected 
That's all good and fine, I mean it is what it is- it's just going to take a bit more planning and preparation (and saving!) than I expected.


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## Killick (Feb 27, 2014)

I'd like one of those Tilley Endurable hats but those things cost a fortune.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Killick said:


> I'd like one of those Tilley Endurable hats but those things cost a fortune.


They are bit pricey, but they are bullet proof and well worth the money. Baseball caps are virtually disposable by comparison.

Tilly's are most expensive, when you buy one a tad too small, spend a year trying to convince yourself it fits, then give it away to a relative and buy the right size. Don't do what I do.


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## midwesterner (Dec 14, 2015)

Minnewaska said:


> They are bit pricey, but they are bullet proof and well worth the money. Baseball caps are virtually disposable by comparison.
> 
> Tilly's are most expensive, when you buy one a tad too small, spend a year trying to convince yourself it fits, then give it away to a relative and buy the right size. Don't do what I do.


The OP hasn't been on here in three months. I think he got overwhelmed by all that is involved in boat selection, and has possibly gone into hibernation for the winter.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

midwesterner said:


> The OP hasn't been on here in three months. I think he got overwhelmed by all that is involved in boat selection, and has possibly gone into hibernation for the winter.


Seems you're right. He was all over the place on the boat, including some doomsday economic forecasts.

I was replying to yesterday post, from another member.


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

I don't know if this will help or not. We really like our boat and are full time live aboard, soent a lot of me in Caribbean. But have also been as far North as Labrador

Sailing Oriented Stuff:

Rock Solid Engine YES
Hard Dodger (a blessing they say on the North Sea) A GOOD DODGER BUT NOT MUST BE HARD
Sun Shelter BIMINI
Full Cockpit Enclosure NO
Deep center cockpit (its a personal preference thing) YES
Good Auto Pilot - Below Decks WOJLD LIKE BUT HAVE A WHEEL PILOT, ITS OK
Wind Vane / Backup Rudder. YES, KEEL HUNG RUDDER WITH WHEEL AND TILLER
Decent Electronics / Navigation Equip. IPAD WILL SUFFICE NICELY
Anchor and Chain. HUGE ANCHOR AND GOOD CHAIN
Extra Stern Anchor and Chain. YES
Radar VERY MUCH YES, BUT ALSO AIS AND SAT PHONE
Lines and Fenders. OF COURSE
Single Handing Assistants:
Lines Run Aft. NO
Simplified Reefing. MORE REEFS
Bow Thruster NO, STAY OUT OF MARINAS
Stack Pack, Lazy Jacks. YES

Dinghy with Engine. VERY IMPORTANT
Dinghy Davits. NO
Livability Oriented Stuff:

Fuel Tankage > 100L 800L
Water Tankage > 100L. 800L
Composting Toilet NO, BUT 2 TOILETS SO WHEN ONE BREAKS
Big Grey Water Holding tank. NO!!!
Pressurized Hot Water NO
Heater (preferably two). HAVE 1 EBER, WOULD LIKE 2
Diesel Eberspacher
Coal. NO, CANT GET FUEL
Engine Powered NO
220 volt NO

Shore power HAVE BUT DO NOT USE
Solar Power 1KW PLUS WIND
Extra batteries ( >220 AH). WOULD BE NICE
Inverter 2KW
Refrigerator. MUST
Freezer. MUST
Full Cockpit Enclosure NO
Winter Tent, Beam Tent HAVE BUT USE LITTLE


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

hpeer said:


> Sun Shelter BIMINI
> Full Cockpit Enclosure NO


Fully agree that a wrap around cockpit enclosure, in the Caribbean, is useless. However, they are usually designed in sections and that first section behind the bimini can allow for a much drier, more usable cockpit, while raining. Of course, the bimini and dodger need to connect too.

A feature I see in the Caribbean is a roll up solid panel on the sides and/or back of the enclosure to shade sun as it approaches the horizon. Only the needed side is usually deployed to keep the rest open air. I like that idea.


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## SV Siren (Mar 8, 2013)

Speaking of Tilley hats...for those who have them, which one is your favorite and why? What features do you feel are important? Valentines is coming up, and I just _know_ my wife needs a good idea...lol


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## Killick (Feb 27, 2014)

midwesterner said:


> The OP hasn't been on here in three months. I think he got overwhelmed by all that is involved in boat selection, and has possibly gone into hibernation for the winter.


Cool - now we can talk about him behind his back!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

SV Siren said:


> Speaking of Tilley hats...for those who have them, which one is your favorite and why?


I like the standard AirFlow models, with the one inch band of mesh at the top, not the full mesh. They come with a few different tweaks, like adding neck shields. Some have bands, which are fielder choice, but I don't see why. Some have snaps that can hold one or both sides up, but seem to defeat the purpose of having a wide brim hat on. That said, the brim will flap up, in heavy wind. If you snap the side up, which is no worse that a baseball cap, the forward brim becomes more rigid.

This model (maybe all models?) can be tossed in the washing machine. I particularly like wearing it, when out exploring in the dinghy.

They used to guarantee them for a lifetime, no questions asked. Now the guarantee is for defects and does not include you damaging it. However, I think you'd need to drop it in a volcano to kill it. Mine's been sweaty and balled up in my boat bag and through the wash multiple times. My old one that I gave away is still kicking too. Looks good as new.


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