Trip preparations

[Capt’nKarl]

We’re going out for a 10 day adventure and we’re so excited. However, I’ve been cleaning, preparing, provisioning, sorting, loading, unloading, checking equipment, packing, unpacking, arranging, rearranging until I’m ready to scream. Is this what we all do or am I a weird. STOP IT. I know I’m weird.
Exhausted,
Karl

 

[Submariner]

We’re going out for a 10 day adventure and we’re so excited. However, I’ve been cleaning, preparing, provisioning, sorting, loading, unloading, checking equipment, packing, unpacking, arranging, rearranging until I’m ready to scream. Is this what we all do or am I a weird. STOP IT. I know I’m weird.
Exhausted,
Karl

It's not nearly the adventure it would otherwise be with all that planning. Just say'n... 😀

 

[NorthernFocus]

It gets a lot easier with time. Or less stressful I should say. We typically go out for a week, spend a week home, then do it again. We make 6 or 8 trips each summer with a couple of shorter ones thrown in taking visitors out. It takes us roughly three days to prep for each trip. We usually return home mornings, haul out, and reach the house around 10 AM or so. The rest of that day is spent flushing the engine, washing clothes, cleaning the boat, and packing any fish that we caught. That's one day. I refuel the boat with jerry cans rather than on the water or dragging through a station. So fueling, watering, minor repairs, etc, takes another day. Then the day before we're leaving we run the engine, load the kayak, bedding, clothes, food, etc. That's the third day. Keep in mind we're retired so a "day" is about four hours of honest work.

 

[Submariner]

We keep our boat stocked. Bring food, a change of clothing and head out... and swap out fishing gear onboard based on what season it is. If it's crab season, the crab pots will just stay on the boat. Bring bait each trip.

Return trip home is a salt-away rinse of the boat. Then salt-away and flush of the engine. Take out the trash, bring home dirty clothes. Bring home our catch. Empty the san tank, top off fresh water, and fill up at the fuel dock.

 

[knotflying]

As you cruise more and more you will find you need less. Each person has their own criteria as to what is important. My experience has been that if you pack for a week you are good for a month and more. My point is that after a week we replenish food and drink supplies and are usually ready to do laundry. After that you can do it again every week for as long as you want to stay on the boat. Our mantra is, " if we forgot it, we can buy one on the way".

 

[SJI Sailor]

Same here as knotflying and submariner: we have everything on the boat ready to go except perishable food and clothes.

More specifically, our departure process consists of going to the boat the day before whenever possible to fill the water, remove the canvas covers, store the provisions, check the bilge, engine, and thrusters, etc. Then on departure day it is very leisurely and takes 30 minutes or less.

There is a downside which is that we tend to have too much stuff stashed away, but we usually don't go near top speed anyway so that's not a huge concern.