Do you keep your boat loaded or unloaded?

S

Sarge

New member
I had the occasion to remove everything from my boat except the anchor, electronics gear and the cushions. I'm talking everything...every drawer empty, every cabinet empty...completely empty!

I only put back what was absolutely necessary per the Coast Guard safety regs...flares, whistle, fire extinguisher, life vests, etc.

Then I took the boat out into the water. There were 2' waves and 3' swells, pretty calm for the Pacific North West. It was like the original boat trial all over again and the boat handled like a dream!

So, my question to everyone is:

Do you keep your boat loaded all the time (pots, pans, silverware, food, bedding, etc.) or do you only load the big things (like pots and pans, sleeping bags, etc.) when you know you're going cruising, but for day jaunts leave it mostly empty?

My boat is moored, so I had to remove all the stuff myself. As I unloaded the boat I put the items in big storage bins, which I then stacked in my garage. I'm very much leaning towards keeping just the minimum in my boat and and only loading the big items before a big cruise. As time goes on, I'm sure my "minimum" list will grow as I find some items absolutely necessary (tools, water, Marker's Mark(!)), but I'm going to make an effort to keep her light. Maybe save some gas in the process.

Bill and El - I can guess your answer :wink
 
Good idea Sarge. Keeping planing hulls light is a definite key to better performance as you found out. I'm not so disciplined as to remove everything, but I do take a quick inventory before I leave and remove items that won't be used on a particular trip, starting with the heaviest items.

I was taught this routine by a trimaran dealer when I had my trimaran. The dealer, an avid cruiser and racer, was a bit extreme though. Cut out his bathroom walls and installed a circular curtain (like hospitals have), downsized his anchor to 1/2 normal (only 6 ft of chain too), removed all wood structures and replaced with aircraft 'wood' material (about 1/3 the weight), even no silverware on board, only 2 sets of plasticware! But....he has the fastest trimaran in the US as far as I can tell, handles like a dream, simply amazing.
 
Sarge-

There are definitely two schools of thought here:

1. Keep it absolutely light to enhance performance and save gas, the Minimalist Approach. This is Dusty's favorite modus operandi, or MO. The racing sailboat enthusiast (or motor boat, for that matter), has no choice to follow this plan or they won't be competitive with a dead, heavy, slow boat. Tons of money are spent to lighten raceboats by using exotic materials and building techniques.

2. "Why Bother? Leave It On The Boat KISS System!" This approach leaves everything you'll ever need aboard the boat so you don't have to bother endless loading and unloading of the boat, making using the boat easier and therefore more likely. This is similar to or an offshoot of mooring a boat in a slip so it will be easier to use (without the trouble of launching and retrieving), so it will get used more often. These boats get heavy, a bit slow, and use more gas, but their owners like the simplicity of leaving the kitchen sink aboard along with the rest of their worldly possessions.

Of course, there are in between positions as well, depending on lots of variables.

I'm a total #1 when racing a sailboat, but totally shift over to #2 with my C-Dory and Sea Ray because I want everything possible aboard all the time so that I can simply decide on impulse to head up to the lake and spend a day or two without packing more than ice, fresh beer, and fresh food. Everything from soft drinks to Rx to clam chowder my shotgun are already waiting aboard for deployment.

I'm even working on a way to dock the jet ski behind the Sea Ray (during the summer) to have the "gofer craft" at hand.

Your style depends on you, or YMNV! Do what you please!

Merry Christmas!

Joe. :thup :xlol
 
Every spring I try to go through all compartments and take out the things from the previous season that I thought might come in handy but never used. Some of these items creep back in, but the process forces me to rethink what might truly be of use and what is just clutter. As it seems we rarely go out for just the day, we leave as much in the boat as possible. But relative to the weight of the boat, motors, fuel, etc. I don't think it amount to much.

I agree with you on the necessity of Maker's Mark.
Al
 
Definitely different levels of "loaded". We keep kitchen stuff onboard. Same with bedding. But, clothes, food, generator, extra anchor/line, dinghy, and all the stuff we take when extended cruising are off the boat when not "out there." We see about a 3 knot penalty with all the stuff onboard. I see a performance difference with a full tank of fuel vs half tank, too, though. For local cruising, where fuel is easy to come by (and the same price on the water as on land), we rarely fill above half.

With the boat in the water right at the house, it is easy to say, "Let's go anchor out for lunch or an overnight." It's easy with the essentials already there.

When racing our tri, an extra half knot could make a difference in the outcome, so lighter was essential. With Wild Blue, we're always just funnin' around, and a knot one way or another just doesn't matter. 8) Easy is good.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
I think a lot depends on what part of the country you're in and where you have the boat. Winter here in the Pac NW. The bedding and the cloths are off for sure The fridge is open and wiped down with vinegar. Water faucets are all in the open position. Propane tanks moved to the garage. Still for a "Day Trip" all I have to do is turn the keys. Right now it's 41 degrees, gusting to 25mph and 2' whitecaps in the channel....Hug your Pellet Stove..... :wink
 
Capn Jack":1umnbhcv said:
I think a lot depends on what part of the country you're in and where you have the boat.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with Capn Jack.....since "Sea Shift" is kept in the shop, we keep 'er loaded and ready to go. Just add/subtract incidentals that are necessary/not necessary for the trip. Always have food and coffee on board :lol: .
 
Sarge":372id6cz said:
I had the occasion to remove everything from my boat except the anchor, electronics gear and the cushions. I'm talking everything...every drawer empty, every cabinet empty...completely empty!

I only put back what was absolutely necessary per the Coast Guard safety regs...flares, whistle, fire extinguisher, life vests, etc.

Then I took the boat out into the water. There were 2' waves and 3' swells, pretty calm for the Pacific North West. It was like the original boat trial all over again and the boat handled like a dream!

So, my question to everyone is:

Do you keep your boat loaded all the time (pots, pans, silverware, food, bedding, etc.) or do you only load the big things (like pots and pans, sleeping bags, etc.) when you know you're going cruising, but for day jaunts leave it mostly empty?

My boat is moored, so I had to remove all the stuff myself. As I unloaded the boat I put the items in big storage bins, which I then stacked in my garage. I'm very much leaning towards keeping just the minimum in my boat and and only loading the big items before a big cruise. As time goes on, I'm sure my "minimum" list will grow as I find some items absolutely necessary (tools, water, Marker's Mark(!)), but I'm going to make an effort to keep her light. Maybe save some gas in the process.

Bill and El - I can guess your answer :wink
Click to expand...


Turn Key, Loaded & Ready for the next Adventure (have to pack water this tine of year) :mrgreen: :beer
 
Daydream lives in our driveway. She is fully loaded all the time, except for fresh food and water (lots of canned / dried stuff stays in bins). She would benefit of course from our removing everything and only putting stuff back on that we actually have been using instead of things we think we might use, but then, so would our house...
 
Valkyrie is docked in the western basin of Lake Erie and sits pretty low on her lines.

We have all cruising and fishing gear on board, except downriggers, and are ready to take off for a week with just the addition of a cooler full of food. We also have lots of dried and canned goods on board.

I have surprised some fishing friends, after a good day of walleye fishing, by dropping the hook in a protected anchorage and frying up some fresh fish. Nothing is better!

Nick
 
Both boats always loaded and ready to go. It is too much trouble for us to unload the boat. Yes, there is some more weight, but the convience is worth the "cost"
 
I keep my boat in the marina and it is loaded with a few cans of emergency food, an emergency tacklebox, and two emergency fishing rods, many emergency life jackets, two emergency blankets, emergency towels, 5 gallon emergency gas tank, emergency tool chest, emergency collapsable chairs, emergency dip net, large selection of emergency music CDs, emergency pans, plate and cups, emergency cleaning supplies, emergency toys and books for my daughter and well, you get the idea. I only fill the tank about 1/2 full (56 gallons) when fishing locally as my boat is noticeably more sluggish when completely filled. I tote the good stuff (fresh food, extra CDs, clothing, bait, good fishing rods/reels, CD player face) to and from the boat for each trip.

C.W.
 
Hi Folks,

I keep it "loaded" and ready to go. The problem is to try and cut back on what you need. I do that by hanging bags under the forward deck and under the seats. Each bag has a purpose, "electric shore bag", 25' orange extension cord, electric heater, and a clip-on-light. A "heavy weather bag", boots and waterproof bottoms., "USCGAux Patrol Bag", patrol flag, side patrol "boards", and roof flag. I think you get the picture.

What I do is try and have everything in it's place, and in bags or plastic containers so I can get what I need when I need it. Otherwise, it is out of the way. It ain't easy.

Fred
 
On the 19CD there's even less room to store items but Joe has built a couple of extra storage lockers that are located in the cockpit. We keep the boat loaded and ready to go. R-MATEY is stocked with food, water, blankets, tools, electric shore power cord, propane bottles, spare prop, a change of clothing (including shoes if one pair get wet), safety equipment, etc. Like Fred we also use the plastic storage containers. Everything is suppose to have a 'special place' which usually works 95% of the time. We do have a list that we go over to make sure that the necessities are on board prior to launching.

Ruth and Joe
R-MATEY
 
Anna Leigh is also a Coast Guard Auxiliary Facility so I keep it ready to go. Along with all the other "normal" stuff I have a lot of things that normally you wouldn't have on board. Such as 200 feet of tow line, bridles and other tow related items.
 
Several really good ideas begin to emerge from this thread, some of them seemingly opposed at first:

1. A lighter boat is faster and, more importantly, saves gas.

2. It's easier to leave lots of stuff on board to make the boat more convenient to use and to avoid leaving something at home you need.

3. Extra supplies and equipment inspire confidence in your boat and cruising adaptability.

4. Emergency equipment and spares are valuable, in some cases, life saving necessities.

5. A checklist is an invaluable tool to insure you don't go off without something you really need.

6. Make the back side of the checklist into a "TO DO LIST" of things you need to do before using the boat again so that you won't forget to restock the boat, make that repair, or pursue that great idea for a project you had on your last trip.

7. Occasionally, at least once year, go through the entire boat and remove the excess accumulation that you don't use or find necessary. Lighten the boat back up. It's also a great time to more throughly clean out the dust, vacuum the carpets, wash the inside of the hull, clean upholstery , flush the water tank, polish the potti, etc.

8. When you clean out the boat and remove the excess equipment, check the age of and dates on items with a shelf life like food, Rx, cleaning supplies, cigars (!), etc., that need to be replaced. Rotate new stocks in place and use the old stock at home before it expires.

9. Make up a mechanical checklist to accompany your boat inventory/packing list. Include everything from water, gas, and oil to hydraulic steering fluid, fuel filters, zerk fittings, battery water, trailer brake fluid, tire pressures, brake lights, etc. Safe towing is no accident.

10. Now go on to planning some great fun trips because you're assured you've got your ship together.

Joe. :thup :teeth
 
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