outfitting a new 25 cruiser - help please!

D

Don & Liz

New member
Just signing the paperwork for our new 25' cruiser and would appreciate any experienced guidance in outfitting our boat for fishing/cruising the San Juans, Puget Sound, Columbia River and other protected waterways. Don is interested in feedback about the systems set-up. Liz is interested in more "housekeeping" ideas (e.g. how to make the most out of space and the basics needed for comfortable living in the v-berth, galley and stern).

Everything for our 25 is standard with the exception of a Windlass and a Wallas diesal stove/heater

This is what we are thinking so far:

150 honda plus 15hp honda kicker w/a TR-1 auto pilot (w/wireless control)
ICOM 422 VHF marine receiver
Garmin GPSMAP 4210
Cell phone amplifier to assist our global wireless laptop connection (for weather info)
Honda 2000 generator
Bruce anchor 16.5 pounds with 300ft rode
Sunbrella stern canvas enclosure
Inflatable kayacks
Thule bars and carrier
3 rocket launchers on high radar arch
No radar yet
some sort of: icechest w/stern bracket and bbq grill

Your thoughts? Thanks! Don & Liz
 
If cost is not an issue, I recommend the 4212 over the 4210. I have one in a 22 and it does not block sight lines at all, so I assume in a 25 it would only be better...

The extra screen size is beneficial when you start multitasking on the display. I bought my unit before the touch screen models were available to "test drive" in the boat stores and if I could do it again I would have spent the extra money for the touch screen 5212.
 
Look at the Standard Horizon CPV 350, its very tidy, you can add radar later as well as AIS and can be had for a very reasonable price if you hunt for it on the net.

Put on a larger motor Suzuki 175 or 200 or equivalent

Read what people have to say about generators, I know on the great loop people have put them on their boats only to use them once and then carry them around the rest of the time as dead weight. If you a running the boat every day while you are using it and have two house batteries I doubt you would need the generator unless you want hot water for the shower

Be careful when purchasing your anchor rode to buy a line that is approved by the windlass manufacturer, Lewmar has a nice discussion of this on their website

You might consider a rocna anchor or a manson supreme

Just some ideas for you
Good Luck enjoy your boat
Eric
 
Your proposed set up sounds pretty good. I'd recommend the Delta 22.5# anchor and a good length of chain (we use 50'). Add radar - there will be a time you need it and it is worth the investment. If you'll be using the kayaks to go to shore from an anchorage, you might consider an inflatable dinghy - more carrying capacity and you can use a motor if you choose. A compass.

For comfort, add a memory foam pad to your v-berth. We bought a king size and trimmed the v-part to fit. A Trav-a-sack is nice to use in the berth. Also, the Norcold fridge makes time aboard more like home and you don't have the "hunt for ice." Have them mount the Wallas stove as far forward on the counter as possible so you'll have room for shelves or a small microwave behind it (you gain nothing with it mounted in the middle of the countertop). We use a small toaster/convection oven. You'll probably want some kind of window covers - we have the Sunbrella that matches the cushions. It cost us $500 extra to have screens put in the camperback and was definitely worth it. You might enjoy satellite radio onboard. A couple comfortable campchairs for the cockpit - and we found a small wood folding table for $20 at Wal-Mart. Recently, we put in a single lever faucet with a sprayer - cuts water waste, more convenient.

Well, that should get you started. Congratulations on your new boat - you're going to love it!

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Eric has some good suggestions which I agree with.

We have a CD 25--and did not use the Honda generator one minute on our 2 month cruise in the PNW last summer. I agree that the Claw 16 is not an adequate anchor--go with the Manson Supreme 25 lb--it is a better anchor and will hold in a storm condition--the Claw is too small .

If you need 110 volts, use an inverter--and a couple of extra house batteries.

We have a small microwave oven, and use it frequently--often thru the inverter.

I agree with the Suzuki 175 engine. I have a Honda 130 on the 25, and Suzuki 150's on my Tom Cat--I much prefer the Suzuki engines. The kicker--can be any engine you want--we use our dinghy motor as a kicker--and troll with the main engine. I do have a 15 hp Honda as a kicker, but rarely carry it--and didn't this summer.

I probably would opt for a radar--I happen to like Furuno. I also would want a good fish finder.

Not sure about inflatable Kayaks, vs a good inflatable dinghy. I have owned a number of inflatables, and they are almost an essential. I also have an inflatable Hobie mirage drive--I think that the Mirage dirve is much better than paddling, but there is more chance of water in the inlatable than in the hard kayak--depending on the type. I don't think you need a tule rack for kayaks or dinghy--that tends to complicate the issue if using inflatables--in my mind. With hard Kayaks, it would be a different story.

We also use memory foam on the foreward bunk, and use queen sheets, and sleeping bags, as blankets..Also consider a shade over the foreward hatch--see West Marine.

Also consider replacing lights with LED--both for reading and cabin lights.

I have always wondered what use the rocket launchers are when you have the high arch--and full camper canvas--it is hard to get to the rods. We keep the rods in holders under the cabin roof--and have rail holders when trolling.

We keep the ice chest in the cockpit, although I have made a bracket which allows it to be placed in the well area. I would consider one of the high end ice chests--like IceyTrek or similar high end ice chest.

For the hot days--consider a "Fantastic Breeze" fan--or cheaper the Wal mart fan which is like it--and about $11.

Agree with the window covers--and you can make them if you wish. Putting the snaps in is fairly easy.

We put three shelves in the "handing locker"--a shower curtain in the head, on hooks to cover the door, A mirror on the outside of the door. A couple of small LED lights as "night lights" both in the cabin and cockpit.

We also put a single large shelf under the galley.

You did not mention refigeration. On our 25 we have the factory refigerator--it is OK--but we prever the chest type we have on the Tom Cat __ see the Thataway album--several other boats have variations of the same theme---with slide out under the dinette seat.

Incidently when cruising, Marie sits at the aft dinette seat--with a large pillow behind her back--and we stack gear in the foot well of the navigators seating area--some folks have put cabinets there.

We also put various bags and hamocks on each side of the cabin walls of the V berth--for our clothes--the bags are "sheet bags" made of mesh for sailboats.
We also put 5/8" closed cell back packing pads on each side to insullate the hull of the V berth--it cuts down condensation considerably.

Finally you may want to put the Permatrim on the motor to get the bow down for choppy water.

Have fun with your new boat!
 
Don & Liz,

Congratulations on your new boat. We wish you many happy hours aboard. Lots of good suggestions so far.

As Jim said, a Delta 22.5 lb. anchor with at least 50' of chain works wonderfully in the PNW. We have a Honda 2000i generator and use it every day when at anchor for hot showers and at some docks which have no power. See the recent thread on the new version with a 30 amp plug. We also have a 2000w. inverter and use it far less despite our 540 amp hour house battery bank.

The Sunbrella covers for the windows work well. My mate made ours with her trusty sewing machine, far less than $500. See them in the Dreamer album.

As you can see by these posts, it's different strokes for different folks. You'll develop your own style somewhere in between. Best of luck!
 
I have a 1500w inverter in our 22 footer and a 1k inverter in the 27 foot trawler. I also have a Honda 2k genny, which now sits in my dockbox.

I much prefer the inverter. It's instant....efficient....quiet....and doesn't require fuel or shelter.

If you go with a genny, you may want to consider the 1k genny due to size and weight. I've given serious thought about trading mine across for one.

Dittos on the memory pad.

Dinghy's are a lifestyle decision. My last two boats have them and I have yet to use them. They sit on the dock. When we want to go to shore, we go to a marina or public dock. To me, that offers more freedom than taking one to shore and always having to keep an eye on it.

-Greg
 
Lots of great suggestions here that we have applied to our boat to our great satisfaction. Like Dr. Bob, we keep a high-end cooler in the cockpit which allows us to use a stern rail for mounting the bbq. We saw the rail in Seahooked's album and found it to be ideal. We got it through David at Railmakers NW and highly recommend both the rail and David. The rail is quite stable, and we have a Magma Catalina grill mounted to it. For even greater stability, I connected the custom rail to the existing rails using hinged fittings. We really like everything about the installation.

Regards to all,

Greg
 
Don & Liz: Congrats on your new boat!! The excitement of setting it all up is a blast in itself.

Welcome to the C-Brats too!.... and get to some of the gatherings. They are a great way to see how folks use different things on their boats.

Some of it, you may want to work your way into after having been on the boat a bit rather than trying to knock it all out prior to getting it on the water a bit.

Good feedback from others with the same boat. Enjoy

Byrdman
 
Auto pilot has always been on the top of my list. It seems anyone who travels on salt water has a need to have one, or any large body of water for that matter. It does a better job than the helmsman. With the new electronics, the tracking feature will adjust course for wind and tide keeping you in a straight line saving time and fuel. With no land marks in sight on a cloudy day it is so easy to get off course. Frees you up to rig your fishing pole and numerous other chores and nature calls. Kind of : Look Mom no hands. :thup
captd
 
I agreee that autopilot is a must for any distance cruising. Even 2-4 foot waves can tire the helmsman after an hour or so. Why not let the autopilot do all those repetitive corrections? I'd get an autopilot that has the knob you can turn to quickly dodge logs.

As for inverters being 'efficient' - they are not. You lose 10-20% of your battery power by converting it to 110V and using them for heating really sucks the batteries down.

With my frequent need for A/C, I pretty much had to get a genset, but I use it for backup/emergency electric heating, cooking, microwave, TV, etc.. All the while the genset is being used, it also powers the boat's internal battery charger.

With the twin Honda 150s, we get 80 amp alternator charge. I think a single Honda 150 only gives you 40 amps. That may have changed on the newer models, though.

IN any case, set up at least two house batteries and decide on a genset down the road. In your area, not likely you'll need A/C very often\

good luck and enjoy the process!

John
 
drjohn71a":7xzr07jm said:
I agreee that autopilot is a must for any distance cruising. Even 2-4 foot waves can tire the helmsman after an hour or so. Why not let the autopilot do all those repetitive corrections? I'd get an autopilot that has the knob you can turn to quickly dodge logs.

As for inverters being 'efficient' - they are not. You lose 10-20% of your battery power by converting it to 110V and using them for heating really sucks the batteries down.

John
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True. An autopilot is my next expenditure. There are many times I wished I had one in the open waters of Puget Sound.

A better word for "efficient" is "sufficient." My inverter setup is not efficient but it's sufficient for my power needs. If I required AC, then it would be a different story.

-Greg
 
In the For What It's Worth department.

15 horsepower kicker is way overkill on this boat. The efficiency of the hull means that it takes very little horsepower to get to hull speed. Beyond that it takes a lot more horsepower to get to planing speeds.

We have 8 horse High Thrus kickers on boats as big as 30'. I think Honda makes an 8, so consider that,

If you decide Suzuki (and they or E-Tec would be my choice in that horsepower range) look at the 9.9 High Thrust.

As someone who usd to sell marine electronics, and has written Sea Magazine's electronics column for awhile, Garmin has had a lousy radar. Their plotter is great! Their fishfinder is good. radar- not so much.

Best radar by far- Furuno. If you want Radar as part of your main electronics, look carefully at Furuno. Northstar is also a good radar, and their units are worth a look.

Garmin and Raymarine are the ones doing the most marketing and pushing their product through big box retailers. Furuno just continues along being mainly sold at Electronics dealers, and focusing on rugged functionality.

My 2 cents, and worth what you paid for it.
 
Can't add a whole bunch here EXCEPT to ask: (A) do you have a dog? And (2) do you like to anchor out? If so, consider a dinghy, not an inflatable kayak, as a necessity. The Alaska Series is a great dinghy, and a certain dog I know thinks it belongs to him...

at_and_Baxter_in_Dinghy_in_Twilight_Canyon_9_20_08.jpg

And of course, congrats on the boat! You are going to love it!
 
Matt Gurnsey":bjv1tjew said:
In the For What It's Worth department.

15 horsepower kicker is way overkill on this boat. The efficiency of the hull means that it takes very little horsepower to get to hull speed. Beyond that it takes a lot more horsepower to get to planing speeds.

We have 8 horse High Thrus kickers on boats as big as 30'. I think Honda makes an 8, so consider that,

If you decide Suzuki (and they or E-Tec would be my choice in that horsepower range) look at the 9.9 High Thrust.

As someone who usd to sell marine electronics, and has written Sea Magazine's electronics column for awhile, Garmin has had a lousy radar. Their plotter is great! Their fishfinder is good. radar- not so much.

Best radar by far- Furuno. If you want Radar as part of your main electronics, look carefully at Furuno. Northstar is also a good radar, and their units are worth a look.

Garmin and Raymarine are the ones doing the most marketing and pushing their product through big box retailers. Furuno just continues along being mainly sold at Electronics dealers, and focusing on rugged functionality.

My 2 cents, and worth what you paid for it.
Click to expand...

Matt,

I have Furuno radar and it's good. Their chartplotter is ok. Takes some getting use to.

You mentioned Northstar which use to be Navman....right? Do you/others have an opinion on their fuel flow guage? I believe they can be purchased for roughly $100. I'm considering one as my next upgrade for my 22 footer.

-Greg
 
Just to show how different folks use their boats--Dreamer takes showers--and uses the gen set to heat the water--we use sponge baths (and shower at marinas)--and heat the water on the stove. One of the reasons is the limited water supply of the C Dories. We carried a 1000 watt generator on the CD 25 (2000 on the Tom Cat, because we frequently air condition in; Florida). If you are going to charge batteries from any small generator--they are relitatively in-effecient--unless you have a large (40 or 50 amp battery charger--which we do have on our Tom Cat, but not the C D 25). We found that running as much as we did, almost every day, it kept the batteries up, even using the inverter--this included docking at marinas several times a week--and topping the batteries off from 110 volt marina power.

Auto pilots--I have had them since 1961 on all of my sail boats and trawlers. I do not see the need for one in a C Dory, even though we may travel as much as 200 miles in a day. I find that driving the C Dory is relitatively relaxing, and not a chore--when cruising. I don't like to put a high speed boat on auto pilot (and this includes 15 knots) in the PNW--there are too many logs, dead heads etc which will cause you grief). If we were doing a lot of fishing, I would have an auto pilot--the idea of it on the kicker would suffice for that purpose, You would have to decide if the auto pilot was going to be on the main engine, or kicker--if on the main engine--then that would most likely be used for trolling.
Again--the concept of different strokes for different folks.

Start with the minimum, and you will decide what you have to have. Money is tigher for us of us in todays worlds--and it is easy to add electronics and other features as we go along.
 
Dene":2zrf84bo said:
Matt,

I have Furuno radar and it's good. Their chartplotter is ok. Takes some getting use to.

You mentioned Northstar which use to be Navman....right? Do you/others have an opinion on their fuel flow guage? I believe they can be purchased for roughly $100. I'm considering one as my next upgrade for my 22 footer.

-Greg
Click to expand...

Greg (and others)-

Northstar was Northstar long before Navman was around. When Brunswick thought they should be in the electronics business, they bought both companies and combined them under the Northstar name.

The small units, stand alone units and instruments are all part of the original Navman line.

That being said- they are good units. Their instrument line was developed after years of making Standard Horizon's instruments, which were basic, affordable units.

I have heard their Fuel Flow unit is good, after calibration, and easy to use. Their line of plotters are C-Map based, which I prefer in the NW. Many of the plotters can have fuel flow added to them without the need for a second display. I've installed some M84's in boats and have found them nice units that are easy to use. Haven't done a radr on them yet, but their radar is made by either Koden or JVC, which are good products (second only to Furuno).

The 6100 series competes with Furuno's NAVman VX2 system, and is worth a look, and makes good use of tye Navionics cartography.

Sorry to hijack the thread.
 
As Matt suggested:
15 horsepower kicker is way overkill on this boat.
Click to expand...

I have the Suzuki 9.9hp kicker and it's what I'd consider to be almost "ideal" as far as size and capability for a 25' Cruiser - anything more would be a waste. It doesn't take much (at all) to push this hull through the water.

Curious, what stove you have on your model?

And, congratulations on your new vessel... :lol:
 
I have had 4 of the Navman/Northstar/Standard horizon fuel flow units (have two on the Tom Cat currently)--and they work as well as the Lowrance units--the fuel flow transducers are similar, if not identical--but different back bone system. The fuel flow gets less accurate below a gallon an hour, but above that, it is within 5% of measured use--often better.
 
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