Plannning for Extended Cruising and Life on the Hook

[Sweet_Pea]

For Tugnuts planning cruises to Desolation Sound, the Broughtons, Alaska, the Florida Keys and other remote destinations, we'd like to propose a thread about tips for extended cruising. There's already a treasure trove of info on the Tugnuts site and the Internet, so if you recall a great thread or good article, please post the link here to help others find it.

Here's a start, including some links new owners might find helpful:

Storage & customization

• - Laurie Ann: Making use of small spaces and other storage ideas

• - Get rid of packaging and store food stuffs in containers

• - Cargo, bike or kayak cabin top carrier; Thule, Yakima are popular brands; Tugnut discussion

• - Visual examples of shelves, fiddles, magazine and galley racks, cave and other customizations / modifications: Willie's Tug R-27, Island Ranger R-27, Nellie Too R-29, Yolo R-27, R-Matey R-25, Karma R-29

Meal planning

• - Freeze-dried foods

• - Vaccum-sealed meals that don't require refrigeration, minimal waste; FishPeopleSeafood.com (very tasty!)

• - Wine in a bag

Know before you go

• - Clearing Customs, produce, medications, alcohol, illegal dumping, radio

Local lore: scenic sites, resupply stops

• - British Columbia: Princess Louisa Inlet

Navigation challenges & hazards, local communications

• - Waggoner's Guide

Chores & Annoyances

• - Laundry: microfiber towels & quick-dry clothing

• - Garbage

• - Velcro screen cover for door to stave off yellow jackets, moquitos, flies and other pests

• - Screen inserts for skylights (factory can supply)

• - We cut marine-grade vinyl to fit inside the skylight screen to keep the hot sun out of cabin

Making your batteries last:

• - Use inverter & crockpot in sink while under way

• - Think 12 volt, charge while you cruise: tablet & smartphone charger

• - Solar panels

• - LED lights (especially for the anchor light)

Anchoring tips

• - Compare anchor types

• - Stern tying, etc.

Climate control (A/C, heat)

• - 12 volt fan

Cruise Planning

• - Pre-voyage checklist

• - Float Plan

• - maintenance & spare parts

• - Spare anchor, line & chain

 

[mspaugy]

Here's a link to freeze dried food but this stuf is very expensive. I have tried many of these over the years and most are pretty good but I am not very picky: http://beprepared.com/shop-by/brand.htm ... =MSN087007

 

[Spinner]

Read the Boat Galley blog! Tons of very useful info and suggestions by an experienced cruiser!

 

[RProffer]

An alternative to freeze dried food is Meals Ready To Eat (MRE). These are the same meals that replaced C-Rations and K-Rations that the military used in WW II and Viet Nam. Active duty and retired military can buy them in the commissary, or you can buy similar items on the internet. You get about 1500 calories to a bag. All you need is a little water for the powered drink or coffee, or to add to the heater if you want to heat up the food or beverage. On average, they taste pretty good. There is bound to be something that you don't like, but for the most part they are good.n They are good for use on the boat if you do not have time to cook or just don't want to cook. They are also good if you lose power in your house, hiking trips, cross country trips, etc. Highly recommended.

 

[pugtug613]

MRE's ... pretty good? WOW! They are nasty, in my opinion. Which one are you talking about? Ever have the clam chowder? Talk about nasty!! Sorry, I would rather eat cardboard.

 

[RProffer]

PugTug613,
What MRE's have you had? The real military MRE's or the ones you can buy on the internet? You cannot buy the military MRE's except through the commissary - it is against the law to sell MRE's except through the commissary. There are a few of the entrees that are great and a couple are not so good, and the majority I would put in the "good" class. Every MRE packet is different - which means all the extras with the entrees such as bread, vegetables, deserts, beverages, etc. are different - which gives variety. I have not run across the clam chowder yet. Most of their soups are exotic Mexican type soups. With the exception of the beverages, MRE's are not dehydrated. They can be eaten hot or cold. Just add a little water to the heater and have a piping hot meal in a couple of minutes. Even the wife likes them and she is very picky with her food.

I have heard the MRE want-a-be's that are on the internet are not so good. I have not tried them.

 

[Spinner]

I would not worry too much about trying to take freeze dried, etc. there are places to re- provision, after all! My family cruised that area every summer when I was a kid, 6 people on a 29 foot boat, for three weeks! No freeze dried stuff, just normal food, supplemented by whatever we caught.

At one point, Canada started enforcing limits on amount of food we brought across the border (I don't think they do that currently) and we would get provisions in Nanimo....

And we did not have anything but an icebox for most of those years 🙂

 

[daviduphoff]

And we did not have anything but an icebox for most of those years 🙂

As a kid we spent many a day cruising the San Juan Islands. We never worried about many of the things I now worry about. How big of battery bank do I need to run the lights, refrigerator, AC, TV, DVD player, Stereo, Laptop, Tablet, water pump, Microwave..... I remember a Coleman lantern (and not the propane bottle kind) hanging from the bows below the canvas in the cockpit and a couple lights in the cabin. We played cards and table games until an hour or so after dark and then we all went to sleep. All our non perishable food was stored in a aluminum box about 18" X 18" X 42". It sat on deck. I still have the box! Mom managed to feed us all from this food plus an ice chest for perishables. I remember one boat only had an alcohol stove, imagine that, no propane or electric. I remember rinsing dishes in the ocean and then mom washing them. I can't imagine that there was ever more than 2 pots to cook in. I remember mom doing laundry when we pulled into a marina for the night. We didn't have 2 months worth of clothing.

As far as navigation we had a compass and some charts. No plotter, no autopilot, no radar, no GPS, no AIS, nothing electronic. Somehow dad always knew where we were going.

We have 2 pickup campers here at home. One is a 1971 Alaskan pop up camper on on a 1971 F250. No refrigerator, hand pump water, a propane stove, no heater, no bathroom, none of that modern stuff. We also have a modern Lance that has all the goodies, generator, TV, DVD player, stereo, full bath, water heater, a real mattress....

I think we have more fun camping in the Alaskan because it is camping. The Lance is nothing more than a mini house on wheels.

Perhaps we are all over complicating things. I do understand many of you do spend a couple months on your boat but it is not a trip across the Pacific you are making!

Just food for thought.

By the way, the TV on our 21 quit working over the weekend and the first call I made this morning was regarding warranty service. SHAME ON ME!