Top 10 list

[ajgoldman]

SHTP vets,

I would love to hear your top 10 list of items that you would not leave the dock without when sailing to Hawaii. This would be a great help for us first timers!

Maybe also a list of "I wish I had brought..."

Bob, when you mentioned to me that I will need good chafe gear when we anchor in Hawaii, that was good advice, I had not thought of that. Anything else in this vain?

Happy New Year everyone!

AJ Goldman
Second Verse

 

[BobJ]

1) Snickers bars
2) Fake mustache
3) Silly putty
4) Whoopee cushion
5) Ukelele (its Hawaiian)
6) Nose hair trimmer
7) Party pants (passion fruit orange w/blue flowers: genre=Hawaiian?)
8) Jews harp
9) Hula hoop (its Hawaiian)
10) Sudoku puzzles

I think that's about it.

 

[BobJ]

Upon further reflection, a few others came to mind (in no particular order):

1) A handheld VHF to tote around Hanalei with you (but use wisely - it's not a walkie-talkie)
2) Small inflatable boat and oars (so you don't have to impose on those who have them)
3) Small cover or tarp, to cover an open hatch for when it rains (many afternoons)
4) Fuel jugs to refill for the voyage home (it's a hassle buying them there)
5) Small blocks and suitable line to twing sheets, etc. away from lifelines and other sources of chafe
6) Dry bags from REI (2-3) for your clothes - clothes not in dry bags get musty quickly
7) Second anchor, suitable rode, and the aforementioned good chafe gear
8) TopClimber or other climbing gear to do rig repairs/maint. while at anchor
9) Mask and fins to check your anchors or cut away fishing lines, etc. wrapped on keel/rudder
10) Unscented baby wipes to stay cleaned up

 

[Oceanslogic]

Things to Bring

A Jews Harp...That was not on my list but it is now. Thanks Bob! One other question...Any particular genre of party pants? Are we talking a 50's? 60's? 70's party theme or does it depend on the skipper? Great thread I look forward to hearing about more Top 10's from Vets...

Adam
s/v Blue Moon
International Folkboat

 

[haulback]

90 minute (LOUD) kitchen timer

eye-glass strings

plotting sheets

thermos mug each for coffee/tea

extra cordage to replace any damaged sheets/halyards

spinnaker net

running twins

seine twine (for repair lashings)

enough light plywood, fast-cure sikaflex, quick-cure epoxy, cloth, etc to effect the old ‘hole in the boat’ repair….and a plan how to go about it.

If you are sailing home – a suitable drogue

Jim/Haulback

 

[jfoster]

SHTP vets,
SNIP
Bob, when you mentioned to me that I will need good chafe gear when we anchor in Hawaii, that was good advice, I had not thought of that. Anything else in this vain?
SNIP
AJ Goldman
Second Verse

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/online/Brand.category/mode/1/N/8354/sID/4ABFFC804725BB7F/catalog_name/FISCO/act/A99/Ntx/mode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/Shopby/Shop+By+Department/Ns/P_Sort/MSCSProfile/95385A1F52DEA1A229D5B375420544649916F63FED070F41870E46357718889D3E4FD038C46F24B7182FDAAFEAA59FD9C4FD80B760B363EB6AC134C885495D4FD91DB04F87252C6B46C37BF69ED13823CFBA946DE7872E231E215ED04C0E01CE84409479A18CB0736EE2ABED0DB511454E96D8695BE7779CA0B8B3BA45EDCE31D921513D94E0B170

There are 12 different chain stops, chain snubbers, chain grabbers on two pages of this link. My personal favorite is the ABI Chain Grabber. Your mileage may vary.

John
Blueberry

 

[haulback]

don't confuse a chain grabber with chafe protection.

2 horses - different colours.....

Most guys will use a chain/rope combination rode so will have to worry about chafe on the line.

I have used a 2 foot section of clear soft hose large enough so the inside diameter is way larger that the outside circumference of the anchor rode.
Once you get your anchor set, a suitable amount of rode paid out, and everything is settled to your satisfaction, slip the split length of hose over the rode and 'close ' it so there is a big overlap. Then tape the shit out of it. The whole length of it.

It sometimes helps to hold it in place, if you either carry the tape wraps off both ends of the hose onto the rode itself, or tape in a length of light line to lash onto something. As the boat surges on the rode there is a tendency for the chafe gear to work it's way up (or down) the line, away from the bow roller,

Rags work OK too, but you have to make sure they are securely lashed in place.

Check chafe gear regularly to make sure it is still in place, effective, and has not worn through.

My opinions only

Jim/Haulback

 

[blighbaum]

The one piece of gear I needed and did not have was a gimballed cup holder! I thought it was too Chris Craft, too Marina Del Rey! I should have swallowed my pride; after I made a cup of coffee, I had to hold it in my hand until I had drunk it all.

If I do the race in '12, I'm not sure where I will put the thing, so it will not be in the way. One of the problems with having a small boat is that it's hard to fit everything in.

Also, I went to COSTCO and bought a big jar of 12-inch bungee cords that had snaps at each end. Those turned out to be handy.

- Tom Kirschbaum, Feral

 

[BobJ]

I have used a 2 foot section of clear soft hose large enough so the inside diameter is way larger that the outside circumference of the anchor rode.

That's also what I used. WM used to sell split sections with holes in each end to tie them to the rode - now I see they just have the yachty stuff. It's easy enough to make your own though.

As the boat surges on the rode there is a tendency for the chafe gear to work it's way up (or down) the line, away from the bow roller

What's a bow roller? For those of us with more modest craft, make sure you have decent chocks and a substantial, through-bolted mooring cleat. For example, the chocks need to have enough capacity to hold the hose-covered line. I was disappointed to discover that my (now pitted) aluminum skene chocks are no longer made and I'll have to install something else.

My opinions only

I'll take your "opinions" any day.

 

[robtryon]

10 More Things to Think About

There's a lot of good advice here. I especially liked Bob's first 10 items! Here are some more that came to mind:

* A battery powered portable fan with the water squirter dealy.
* Big bag of fresh oranges - an orange for breakfast every day was fantastic and they kept no problem for my 20-day passage.
* Handline fishing gear - I caught 8 fish on the way over which helped supplement my menu.
* A nice loud stereo system w/Sirius satellite radio - I had reception over half way across. You'll also want a nice selection of music on your iPod or computer.
* I took a small DVD player and a handful of movies - didn't get a chance to watch much on the way over, but I watched a bunch on the way back.
* I'm a big reader so I brought a ton of books, literally. If I were to do it again, I'd bring my new Kindle, which can hold 1500 books but weighs only ounces.
* LD bought me a hat with a roll up neck covering. I swore I wouldn't wear it but it ended up being great. Kept me from becoming an even bigger redneck!
* A daily multi vitamin and a package of EmergenC in a bottle of water every day.
* A sunshower for the trip and while in Hanalei (if you're staying on the boat).
* I bought a $99 digital video camera from best buy to document how 'magical' my windvane was. (90% of my videos focus on the windvane, for some reason.)

Those are a few more ideas, without stating the obvious things I wouldn't even get on the boat without having, like AIS & SSB.

 

[BobJ]

Ten More

From my 2006 and 2008 lists:

1) Spreader patches on the main (both for unreefed and reefed positions). Your main will be against the spreaders for one to two solid weeks, right?

2) Stanchion patches on the jib where it lays against the pulpit and forward stanchions. (You won't have the kite up ALL the time.)

3) Watertight engine panel cover. (See the cockpit filled with water thread.) Several boats have had their key switches short out from being soaked. Even if you can "hot wire" it to start it, the key switch also activates your regulator. I measured carefully and had the cover made at Tap Plastics. It's held on the panel with bungee cords and hooks.

4) Petzl headlamp - one with the red flip-down lens so you don't kill your night vision. You will use this a LOT because it's "hands free" - I kept mine tied to the companionway ladder where I could easily grab it: http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/tactikka-series/tactikka

5) Roller furler screws - trust me, have spares (especially if it's a Harken). There's a good story about Anna Stockel getting outside assistance - ask a SHTP vet. I also put a couple layers of tape around the furler to cover the screws; I think Rob uses a hose clamp to secure Beetle's.

6) Big bean bag for napping in the cockpit (or for long steering sessions).

7) Headsail lighting - you can lash a flashlight to the pulpit but there are lights designed for this. Or you can do like I did and have reflective draft stripes applied to your headsail(s) - Gucci.

8) Spare fuses for everything (label the spares for where they go) and spare bulbs for the nav lights.

9) Spare alternator belt(s) and if you have a high-output alternator consider a spare alternator bracket - they can crack under the load.

10) If you have an ICOM radio, take a spare microphone. Four Icom mic's crapped out in the 2006 race alone. Very frustrating when you can hear but can't talk.