Leaving Bayfield mid June of 2008 we pretty much felt that Meredith was outfitted as required.
We had already been South and outfitted Meredith with all of the gear we thought we needed from reading the magazines. Big mistake. The magazines don't want you to go south - you will stop buying magazines. Who pays all the salaries at those magazines? Would that be the advertisers of all that gear you are told is ESSENTIAL?
In 2005 sitting in Georgetown Bahamas we spent the afternoon with the Crew of "Planet Earth", a beat up old catamaran. This couple was in their late seventies and had just finished a 3,000 mile cruise - 1200 miles of it dismasted. They went right to the core of the question circulating on the beach that day: "What do you need to take your boat the next step (being the Dominican Republic). The discussion instantly hit on watermakers, generators, chartplotters and weapons (most of the boaters were American).
When the group asked the white haired gentleman aboard Planet Earth, who had earned the right to lecture in my opinion, he replied: "competence".
He was pointedly ignored the rest of the afternoon by all save the crew of Meredith who were profoundly affected by this simple, direct, competent couple.
SO - WHAT DO YOU NEED?
1. The Desire to Go - Not the winter sailing kind of "Next year I want to ....." but an actual driving governing impulse to chuck the comfortable life and friends back home and risk the unknown.
2. A sound vessel. - We went south with a school teacher from Blind River who had a budget of $5,000 for his entire year of sailing. This included food. We met him first in the Erie Canal and later in Georgetown, Exumas, Bahama. In Georgetown we learned his engine had failed. He left it dead. He had half of his previous year's physics class come down for a week at Easter and they had a ball. No engine, no fridge, no running water. A sound hull, acceptable sails and competence were all that were needed.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TAKE?
1. A generator for the truly North American (like Connie and Bob). We never found solar panels or wind generators to work that well. Their is only one generator to even look at - the Honda e2000i. Every boat in Georgetown has one, some have two. Why run your $25,000 diesel to charge the house battery when you can use a $1,200 gas generator? The diesel optioin only looks good to charter operators who do not pay the cost of using up the diesel engine.
2. Pressure water. A nice cockpit shower is a joy at the end of a long hot salt water swim filled day.
3. Ample water storage. I would rather have water and no fuel than fuel and no water. Maybe a canvas sheet to catch rainwater too.
4. A repair kit for the head seals. Even better a replacement pump barrel so you can just swap barrels and change the seals later - after a good rinse and dry. The Pardy's can do whatever they do in an oak bucket but it does not cut it for us.
5. Auto pilot. Small, fairly cheap and worth their weight in gold. Buy a wheel pilot, even if it is too small for your big boat, and use it to take pee breaks.
WHAT IS OPTIONAL?
Big battery bank. We are travelling now with "Douce Folie V" crewed by Renoit and Andree. They have one small house battery and one small starting battery. That is all they need.
We have 300 Ah in the house bank and a start battery. The house bank is big enough to power the fridge for 24 hours in the Bahamas in March.
Fridge. We are seriously considering shutting ours off. We only really use it to keep pop and beer cold anyway. My plan is buy a small icemaker and keep the drinks cold with that.
Big alternator. We recently swapped out our 125 Amp alternator for a 70 Amp. It makes no difference to our charging. I have not changed a fan belt since I made the swap.
Radar . I do not know anyone who actually uses their radar. We certainly do not. Ever.