Cruising World, March 2002

When your cruising plans take you and your boat to destinations outside of the US, you should take into consideration the wide variety of conditions you will encounter. These are often very different from conditions that you have experienced just sailing in the US. As a result, American yachts are often not properly equipped for these world conditions. European boat builders have a different viewpoint on equipment stemming from where their boats are typically used. This is an observation we have made viewing yachts in distant ports. Thus, it may be useful to look at European yachts and see how they are equipped to handle world conditions.

We purchased our boat in England and the builders recognized the need for different equipment. It's merit has been demonstrated in our cruising to date, which has included England, Atlantic Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, East coast of the US, the Pacific, New Zealand, and Australia. Let me illustrate this point with several equipment examples.

Stern-to docking

In the Mediterranean, and many other places in the world, stern-to docking is the norm. Sometimes called "Med-moor", it is a situation for which all cruisers should be prepared. It requires skill in boat handling as well as specific equipment. The normal procedure is to drop your anchor an appropriate distance from the dock, and back to the dock, while laying out the anchor rode. Hopefully, there will be some friendly people on the dock to catch your stern lines and put them around a suitable fixing such a bollard or ring. If there is no one there, then you will have to back up until a crew member can jump ashore and secure the stern lines. In some scenarios, a crewmember may have to take the lines ashore using the dinghy.

Obviously this maneuver requires skill and advance planning. To make the situation more difficult, most times you will have to go between boats already docked. In some cases you will have to "force" your way in and separate the boats. Good fenders and fender handling is required as the fenders will roll down the sides of the two boats. Well executed no damage will occur to any of the boats involved. In the worst case, docking may have to be accomplished with a side wind or current forcing your boat out of line as you reverse.

To make the task easier it is useful to have a windlass with deploying capability and a control at the helm to permit the helmsman to deploy the anchor while backing up. This eliminates the need for a crewman at the bow and gives the helmsman complete control of the situation. Remember that if not enough anchor rode is deployed, the stern of the boat can swing wildly due to the sidewalk produced by the propeller. If too much rode is deployed, then you will lose control of the bow. A bow thruster is also extremely useful in maintaining the proper direction in reverse.

After you are secured, you will need a Passerelle to get ashore. This is really a nice gangplank, often made of aluminum. They are generally folding so they can be stored when not in use. They often have stanchions and a rope handrail to assist people in walking aboard. To hold it up a Passerelle lift will be required, which goes to the top of the mast and outside of the backstay. The Passerelle is supported by the lift and is attached to the boat by a pin in a pivot fixture on the stern. Horizontal movement is controlled by lines running from the end of the Passerelle to the stern corners of the boat. When positioned, the Passerelle is generally lifted to a few inches above the dock (depending upon the tide), so it does not scrape the dock as the boat moves. However, when a person steps on it the lift line stretches and the Passerelle sits firmly on the dock to make walking steady. Stowage of the Passerelle is also necessary, and needs to be planned.  Obviously, setting up this arrangement will take some forethought and planning and fitting the necessary gear. After five years of cruising, Med-moor was still our most frequent form docking, and anchoring was second. It always provided a challenge and resulted in many memorable events. Watching others perform this maneuver after you are securely docked sometimes provides a source of amusement.

Dinghy Stowage

Where to keep a dinghy when cruising has resulted in many solutions, from folding dinghies, inflatable dinghies, stowage on the foredeck, etc. It is a major issue as the solution should not impede normal operations on deck, not restrict vision, and be able to sustain heavy weather implications. One of the easiest and handiest is to use dinghy davits. They permit the dinghy to be kept inflated, so it can be launched easily and in about a minute. When the boat has a stern "sugar scoop" type transom, it results in a very convenient way to get on and off the boat. The davit straps for the dinghy can be tied so they can be used as handholds when the dinghy is at the stern. This permits simple and easy loading and unloading of the dinghy. When on a passage we remove the outboard and mount it on the pushpit. We also have a dinghy cover to minimize the amount of water the dinghy can take in rain or breaking seas. We have crossed the major oceans without one wave hitting the dinghy, but one did break on it in the Cook Strait. It is always a concern, but when the dinghy is high above the water, there is minimal chance of waves breaking on it. Another advantage of the dinghy back there, when doing passages, is that it becomes our garbage collection area. We put the garbage bags under the cover, where they remain until landfall -- out of sight and smell.

When Med-moored, we raise the dinghy up under the Passerelle, thus keeping it out of the way, secure, yet still providing complete access to the boat. This is a totally neat solution to several issues.

Electrical Power Requirements

Most of the world uses 240-volt AC power, and that is what is available dockside. Further, it is 50 hertz and single phase. This is in contrast to the standard 120 Volt AC used in homes in the US, which happens to be 60 hertz. When available, 240 volts in the US is three phase. The issue becomes, how should you equip a boat's electrical system so it can be plugged in anywhere in the world. That takes planning and foresight.

Based on our experience on the east coast of the US, where we visited 68 marinas between Key West and Boston, virtually all had 240-volt power available. Only three did not, and two of those advertised they did. One was temporarily out of service and the other only had it on certain docks. Thus, it is easy to conclude that, to be universally connected, a boat should be based on 240 volts AC. This means, however, that all equipment and appliances used on the boat needs to be 240 volt type. On our boat, this includes the refrigeration and air conditioning systems, the water heater element, the battery charger, and loose items such as hair dryer, kettle, toaster, iron, vacuum, etc.

The harder decision is what hertz the boat should be based on. As ours is a US boat, we chose 60 hertz. By this I mean, the generator and the inverter produce 60 hertz 240 volt power. Thus, make certain that as many as possible of the AC devices can use 50 or 60 hertz. If a device requires 60 hertz (such at a microwave or washer/dryer), then they will have to be powered by the inverter or generator when in 50-hertz countries.  As I still have a few items, which require 120 volts AC, I have a step down transformer, which produces 120 volts from the 240-volt input and goes to a few US type outlets. The other outlets are all 240 volts, of the British three-prong type, although they could be European or Australian for example.  If it is not possible to convert appliances to 240 volts, then consider installing a large enough step down transformer to run all the equipment. On an existing boat, this might be the easiest solution to being able to plug in when overseas.

If you are not comfortable with electrical matters, then consult an appropriate expert. Even after you have the boat set up to receive 240 volts, then there is the matter of the shore plugs. There are about as many types of plugs as there are countries, and in some cases each marina is different (in Monte Carlo, the plug was different for each dock). As a result I have collected numerous shore plugs and have to buy and wire the shore cable each time we enter a new port. I keep a short adapter cable for such purposes, and I change the plugs on it rather than on the main power cord. It is useful to have a VOM multimeter in order to deduce the wiring of various marinas. Also, have extension shore cables that are very long as power is not always available next to the dock.

Electronic Charts

If you cruise popular areas like the US, Europe, the Med, and Caribbean, for example, there are several makes of electronic charts available. However, if you want charts of places like Tonga, Indonesia, Marquesas, and even further afield, then the choice of chart providers is limited. There is one source that can provide all the charts you might need for anywhere in the world. It is the British Admiralty (BA) Hydrographic Office and their electronic raster chart series, named ARCS. I have found these to be extremely good as they are a reproduction of the BA paper charts, which are among the best available. However, you will need an electronic chart program, which can handle ARCS charts and their security coding procedures. The one I use is MaxSea, which is a very good charting program, but just be sure any chart program you use has ARCS capability. ARCS charts are available from authorized agents worldwide, and the unlocking codes can be sent to you via E-mail attachments, and you only have to purchase the charts you need.

VHF with GMDSS

The US Coast Guard is lagging behind international agreements to monitor VHF channel 70. However, in other areas of the world, many countries are implementing GMDSS. Eventually this will lead to the ceasing of using channel 16 as the distress channel. Even now, large ships are no longer required to monitor channel 16. So make sure you have a new VHF with GMDSS capability before you set off for foreign waters. That way you will be able to initiate a distress call, which will include an identification of your boat, your lat/lon position, and the type of emergency. Also, make sure the VHF has international frequencies in addition to the US frequencies.

Navtex

It is highly useful to have Navtex capability on board. This is because in countries that may only use their own language in VHF weather forecasts, the Navtex is usually provided in English (the universal language, similar to aircraft), in addition to their own language. You can't imagine how wonderful it is to be able to read in English the necessary weather and safety information rather that trying to listen to it in a language you cannot understand. Our Navtex is combined with the weatherfax, making it convenient. However, stand-alone units are also available. Weather faxes use international conventions, so they are readable.

Gas System

Most US boats are equipped with propane gas (LPG) systems. This is very widespread, and probably the most universal gas available around the world. However, in some areas in Europe the typical gas utilized is butane. This is supplied in canisters, which are exchanged. If you need to convert from one gas to another, you may have to change various jets and orifices in the stove and oven. We have a kit that permits us to switch between the two gases, which was provided by the stove manufacturer. In addition, you will have to change the fitting to the gas tank or canister and the pressure regulator and gauge. As gas is very dangerous, be sure you know how to do the job properly, or seek professional assistance.

Television

If you want a television on board, it should be a universal type if you want to receive local programs in the countries you visit. There are TV's available which run off DC and which can be programmed for every country's system and can tune in all broadcast frequencies. It is nice, but it requires re-programming at each port. Also consider the VCR. Either obtain one which takes both PAL or NTSC formats or choose between them (both are VHS types). If you want to rent videos in other countries, then get the universal type VCR.

Anchor Chain

If you will be anchoring in areas where there is coral, then 100% chain rode is necessary. It is quite common for your chain to wrap around coral heads when the boat swings with the wind, so having chain makes for comfortable sleeping. Another aspect, especially in the Pacific, is that anchorages are sometimes very deep. Once we anchored in 82 feet (25 meters) of water, and payed out 260 feet (80 meters) of chain. We carry 300 feet (90 meters) of chain for such situations. Of course, your windlass must be capable of hauling up the weight of 100 feet of chain reliably. All chain rode is also desirable for other reasons, such as deploying from the helm, as mentioned before, and in filthy bottoms which taint rope rode.

Other Equipment

Even small items such as hoses can be troublesome. Most countries do not use the US type hose threads. I use a French hose that has removable snap fittings with several sizes of threads. These work in most countries, but I have run into unique type hose fittings such as a brass bayonet type. If they are unique, you will have to obtain them locally. Relative to nuts and bolts, if your boat uses American type fittings, take spares as many countries have only metric ones available. If you want to put new anti-fouling paint on, then you may not be able to get the same type of paint that you normally use. Every country has it's own environmental laws and a paint that is available in one country may not be available in another country.

Local phone systems are changing at such a fast rate it is hard to keep up with the best or most economical method to get phone service. The most universal type mobile phone is GSM, except in the US. It is often quite advantageous to purchase a local phone, such as the pre-paid type. I have used a GSM phone in all of Europe, French Polynesia, New Zealand and Australia and used it to connect to AOL via local phone numbers. A very easy way to use E-mail from the boat, even 20 miles off shore.

Replacements and Spares

The good news is that many brands of boat equipment can be obtained in many countries. This makes obtaining replacements or spares easier than expected. However, getting the right spare parts will take extraordinary time, money and patience in foreign ports. Even "over-night" services can take a week until a package arrives and clears customs. Before you leave the US, you should find out where to obtain spare parts for all pieces of equipment on your boat, and if they have E-mail addresses. Also, develop a list of the model and serial numbers for all equipment aboard. This will assist in identifying the correct spare part. Also useful are assembly diagrams and parts lists for all equipment. This may seem like a daunting task, but it will pay dividends in some remote place in the world. It would also be extremely valuable to enlist a friend or family member who would be willing to chase parts from a simple description or part number, and then send them to you, wherever you are.  There are services that claim they will perform this task for you, however, I have not personally used one so I cannot vouch for their efficiency. I have found E-mail the best way to locate and obtain spare parts, across time zones. In our case, our boat manufacturer provides the service to obtain spare parts.

Summary

These are illustrative of some of the types of situations you might encounter while world cruising. Be sure that you have considered all the ramifications of where you will be going in order to determine the equipment you will need.

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