Bluewater Sailing Club
Winter Seminar Series
“Preparing Your Boat to Go Offshore”
By Greg Flederman
Checklists
Rigging & Sails
Navigation & Routing
Electrics & Electronics
Upgrades
Checklists
• Systems Checklist
• Delivery Checklist
• Pre-departure Checklist
• Post Departure Checklist
Systems Checklist
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Exterior
Bilge
Batteries
AC power
Engines and Generators
Electronics
Navigation lights
Interior lights
Delivery Checklist
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Hull
Sails & Rigging
Nav Lights & Shapes
Safety
Engine & Electrical
Tools
Charts & Navigation
Paperwork
Spares
Recommended Items
Rigging and sails:
Rigging
• Cruising rigs are often neglected
• Rig check by a recognized rigging specialist
• Less work, peace of mind, insurance value.
Sails
• Sails inspected and repaired
• Additional reefing points
• Roller furling Genoa Luff pad
• Tri sail and storm jib
• Repair/replace running rigging as needed
Navigation and Routing
Navigation
• Basic navigation including finding and plotting position,
maintaining a log , basic dead reckoning plot.
• Paper charts for entire area of cruise including Charts for
safe harbors along the route.
• Maintain library of navigational books including Bowditch,
Reeds Almanac, and others pertaining to cruising grounds.
• Celestial navigation
Routing
• Weather windows
• Commander's weather
• Seasonal considerations
Electrics and Electronics
Electrics
• Supply - Wind, solar, generator, engine alternator
• Storage - Battery banks, Chargers and Inverters
• Demand - Decrease usage -LED's, dimmers, and
foot pumps
Electronics
• GPS, DSC VHF-radio, AIS and Radar
• EPIRB's, PLB'S and MSLD's
DSC enabled VHF radio
Stand alone DSC radio
with dedicated GPS
DSC radio with GPS
data input from
Chartplotter
AIS – Automated Information System
Standalone installation
Radar
• No real breakthroughs that affect offshore sailing.
• High definition and broadband radar.
EPIRB’s
• Electronic position indicating radio beacon
• Now include GPS connectivity and or integration
PLB’s
Personal Locator Beacons
• Three main types - EPIRB, EPIRB with GPS, GPS
• Spot - 406 MHZ with GPS and Globalstar
messaging, SAR by company
• ACR mini B -121.5 MHZ and 406 MHZ, non GPS,
SAR by USCG/AMVER
• McMurdo - 121.5 MHZ and 406 MHZ, GPS,
AMVER SAR
• ACR Aqualink - 121.5 MHZ and 406 MHZ and 406
link, with I'm OK and Aquaview LED test
function, AMVER SAR
MSLD’s
Marine Survivor Location Devices
• SeaMarshall - base unit and PLB, extensive commercial
use
• Mobilert - transmitter activated by water, generates GPS
tag
• Firstlight Mermaid ID - base, thru hull and ID -pods, water
activated, generates GPS tag
• Emerald marine alert 2 - As above with optional R.D.F kit
• Raymarine Lifetag - tag activated by distance, sounds
Seatalk alarm, records position and creates mob target on
all Seatalk devices, lowers range on chartplotters and
radars to optimum for MOB/SAR, up two 16 tags per base
station.
Upgrades
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Electrics
Electronics
Tankage
Water maker
Wind vane
Life raft
Foul weather gear
Bluewater Sailing Club
Winter Seminar Series
“Preparing Your Boat to Go Offshore”
References:
BooksThe Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat - John Vigor
Offshore Sailing - Bill Seifert
The Voyagers Handbook - Beth A. Leonard
Websites
Electronics www.panbo.com, www.acrelectronics.com,
www.raymarine.com, vespermarine.com
Products and pricing - www.westmarine.com
By Greg Flederman