6 Captains and Mates: 5 Things We Can’t Live Without on Our Boat

Every boat owner has a mental list of things he or she just can’t live without while on a cruise. Some things are personal and provide comfort. For others, they focus on things that keep them safe and mobile.
We asked six boaters and their spouses what five things they just cannot live without. Some things will surprise you, while other things will have you nodding in agreement. Have a read:

Stephanie and Fred Kaufhold, Dreamweaver

1)  Bungie dinghy anchor line.  When beaching the dinghy for shore excursions, it is nice to be able to hold the dinghy off the beach or rocks while exploring without worrying about the tidal fluctuations and finding the dinghy high and dry upon returning.  Of course, a long bow line with small mushroom or grapnel anchor helps with retrieval when the tide comes in!

2)  Rubber matting on my crawl-around engine-room diamond tread deck plates.  No knee pads required which are sometimes difficult to put on.  No delays in getting to the desired engine-room location and no time limit on engine-room jobs.

3)  Enclosed cockpit with full sliding panels.  Especially pleasant when cruising in inclement weather.  It provides a protected “mud room” while transitioning from dinghy or dock to interior spaces.  Sliding panels facilitate open access for all docking, fendering, kayak and dinghy operations as well as enjoying the outdoors while protected from the sun or light rain while at anchor or dock.

4)  Electric outboard motor for the dinghy.  This is a compromise and not a good choice for everyone.  For me, the light weight makes mounting and removing it from the dinghy a safety imperative at my age.  Not having to store or transfer gasoline, clean carburetors, change spark plugs, gear oil, etc. makes dinghy operation much tidier and hassle free.  I can’t race around the anchorage and upset other boaters anymore or take long dinghy trips to secluded destinations or go offshore fishing, but for the most part, we use the dinghy for visiting other boats in the anchorage, taking the dog ashore or exploring the near shore delights.  It is perfect for our lifestyle at this stage in our cruising lives.

5)  AIS.  Having the ability to know that a vessel is just around a headland or approaching in the fog, including their name, course, speed and CPA, makes me very comfortable on the water.  I can immediately contact the vessel by name and make an informed suggestion for dealing with a meeting or passing situation with a brief VHF transmission for the benefit of all parties.
Stephanie.
1)      Fred.
2)      Fred.
3)      Fred.
4)      Fred.

Mary and Jerome Robbins, Prime Time

Jerome – licorice, ukulele, iPad, portable or stand-alone freezer, sous vide, grill, butane burner.


Mary – chocolate, soda machine & syrups, music CDs, Kindle for downloaded books, paper charts & wine, wine, wine.

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Joann and Dennis Thornton, Tonic

• Kabola hydronic heat system, water-maker, freezer and the gen set to run them.
• Aqua pro skiff and 20 hp Honda to go ashore.  
• Loaded Kindles for both of us, KVH tv antenna for reruns of Law and Order.  
• Good mattress by Canvas supply in Seattle.  
• Simrad electronics so we don’t hit something and can find our way in fog.
• A vessel we’ve put nearly 60K miles on so we trust her.

Marlene and Jim Niehaus, Discovery

• Marlene:  The Captain
• Jim:  The First Mate
• Medications
• Our cat
• Occasional sunshine

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Joanne and Dave Wilshin, L’Esprit

• US Watermaker
• Garmin and redundant navigation apps on iPads (also weather apps)
• Baby diapers (Honestly, you won’t believe the problem they solve. Read page 107 of this book.)
• Waggoner’s Cruising Guide (We were in Sullivan Bay once, and a sailboat arrived from Hawaii. They were going to sail down to Seattle without realizing they'd have to go through rapids and stuff. I went in Sullivan's laundry room and got them an ancient copy of Waggoner's and said, "Don't go anywhere until you've read these pages. You're welcome!"
  
• Tunes (we always bring movies to watch, and never watch them)
• Bull Frog Dinghy

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