LakeCruising

This will be my ramblings that could ideally turn into a book on the subject of Inland Lake Cruising.

• • The Dream

    • Friday night till Sunday escape from the working world

    • What is your dream?

      • The family outing

      • Friday Floating Happy Hours

      • Devil's Cove Raft Ups / Lake Havasu

      • Friends out for an evening cruise

      • Weekend on the lake

      • Extended cruising

  • Section 1 - Power Boats

    • Picking a Boat

      • New vs. Used

      • Budget

        • Financing

        • Slips

        • Partnerships

        • Gas

      • Size Matters

      • Style

        • Sedan Style Cruisers

        • Bridge Style

        • Trawlers

        • Aft Cabin style (Carver)

        • Sailboats

        • How many suites? Sleeping capacity

        • Heads

      • Engines

        • Single vs. Twin

        • Bow Thruster

          • Batteries

          • Shear Pins

        • I/O vs Inboard / V-drive

        • Diesel vs. Gas

        • Joystick Docking

      • Electronics and Electrical System

        • GPS / Chartplotter

        • Fish / Depth finder

        • VHF

          • Do you need one on a lake?

            • Group events

          • Hand Held vs. Mounted

          • Special Features

            • Emergency Mode

            • Wx channel

            • Ch 16 monitoring

        • Engine Monitoring (Fuel Flow, tach, temps, etc.

        • Trim Tab indicator

        • Rudder Indicator

        • Chain counter

        • Radar

        • WiFi - Hotspots

        • Satellite dish

        • Radar

        • Generator

          • The argument for / against a generator

        • Inverter

          • How big is "big enough"?

          • Battery sizing

            • Battery sizing rules of thumb

            • Sample Calculation for running a small space heater

        • Sound and Lighting

          • Basic sound vs. "one of THOSE guys"

          • LED lighting

          • Special lighting - string lights, flashing, etc.

        • Batteries

          • Starting Engine Batteries

          • House Batteries

          • Stereo System

          • Solar Chargers

      • Other Features

        • Sleeping

          • Bed arrangements:

            • Walk Around Platform Bed

            • Bed against one side

            • V-berth

            • Cross-oriented (aft cabin beds)

            • Coffin berths and Caves

        • Hot water heater

          • Dual Sourced - AC or Engine

        • Head

          • Shower

          • Toilet

          • Macerator

          • Pump Out

          • Tank Monitoring

            • Probes vs. electronic

            • Xilinx

            • See Level II system from Garnet

        • AC

          • 12V / Electric

          • Defrosting

        • Galley

          • Fridge

          • Microwave

          • Ice Maker?

            • Built in - water quality issue

            • Table top

          • Grill

        • STORAGE

          • Master suite storage

          • Galley / main cabin storage

        • Swim Platform

          • Swim Ladder

          • Grill

        • Main cabin layout

          • Working table

          • Sofa

          • TV / stereo

        • Exotic Features

          • Washing machine

          • Trash compactor

          • Water maker

      • Other Necessities

        • Life Jackets

          • Inflatable life jackets

        • Lines and Fenders

          • Dock Lines

          • Misc Lines

            • Long lines for tying off to shore, etc.

            • Back up dock lines

            • Small lines for tying off floats, etc.

          • Fenders

            • Sizes and styles (hang over side vs. traditional)

              • End hole vs. through the body

            • Fender Baskets

              • Wire

              • Home-made

            • Fender Covers

            • Fender Hangers

        • Anchors and Rode

          • Delta

          • Plow

          • Claw

          • Rode

            • Chain

            • Rope

          • Windlasses

            • Rode type

              • The chain size, and rope size matters!

            • Electrical Issues

              • Fuses / Breakers

              • Batteries

        • Spot light

          • Handheld vs. mounted

        • Your Slip

        • Canvas

          • Bimini

          • Camper Canvas / Isinglass Enclosures

          • Protective covers

        • Water Supply

          • Bottled water vs. water tank water

          • Use a water pressure regulator

          • Should you use a water filter?

        • The Dingy

    • Going Cruising

      • Short Term Cruising - what to bring

        • The wagon

        • Ice Chest

        • Ice Maker - table top?

        • Swim Floats

        • Towels

        • Clothes

        • Toiletries

      • The Log

      • Navigation

      • A typical weekend out

      • Longer Cruises

      • Pumping Out

      • Cold weather

      • Work from Boat

      • Anchoring

      • Rafting up

        • Swimming at the boat

          • Cushions, Lazy Bunz, Floating Beer Pong

          • Tie one on! (the floats and the people - not the hangover!)

      • Single Handing

        • LIFE JACKET

        • Docking

      • Maintenance and Repairs

        • Annual engine service

        • Bottom Job

          • Zebra Muscles

            • Primary points of attachment - Outdrives, Trim Tabs.

              • Bronze props not affected

              • Bottom paint generally effective

        • AC Issues

          • Loss of prime

          • Water Pump

          • Control board

          • Fan

  • Section 2 - Sailboats

    • Picking your dream

      • Day cruising

      • Overnighting in a cove or at the dock

      • Longer stays

    • Buying a boat

      • New vs. Used

      • Size Still Matters

        • Cabin Space

        • Sleeping space

        • Standing headroom

        • Storage space

        • Head

        • How big?

      • Styles, Brands, Materials

        • Fiberglass vs. wood or other materials

        • Boat Brands

          • Catalina

          • Hunter

          • Beneteau

          • McGregor

          • Others

        • Swing vs. Fixed Keel

        • Tiller vs. Wheel

        • Catamarans

      • Engines

        • Outboard

        • Inboard gas

        • Inboard diesel

        • Electric

      • Sails

        • Racing vs. Cruising sails

        • Lake Cruising vs. Coastal Cruising

          • Light air sails

            • Spinnakers, A-symmetrical, Genoa

          • Main sails

          • Furling

          • Jib bags

          • Dutchmen / Lazy Jack and Zippered Stack Packs

      • Typical vintage boat fixups

        • Replace the outboard

        • Check the swing keel and keel winch cable

        • Running Rigging / Standing rigging

        • Add a roller furler

        • Sail Covers

        • Seat Covers

        • Anchors

        • Inside bulkheads and other woodwork

        • Bilge Pumps

        • Electrical system

          • Radio

          • Depth finder

          • GPS

          • Battery system

          • Lighting

          • Solar panels

      • Other features

        • Auto Pilot

        • Bimini - a MUST

        • STANDING head room

        • Air Conditioning

          • Installed

          • Window Units

          • Room AC's

        • Heaters

        • Refrigerators

        • Microwaves

      • Lake Cruising in a Sailboat

        • Lake winds - light, shifty

        • Night Cruising / wind patterns