5

Strongly recommended equipment for cruising

The following tables list items that are strongly recommended for various types of cruising.  Four types are mentioned here: day sailing, coastal cruising (during day only) (this means cruising on large lakes, and at the coast), coastal cruising (during both day and night), and offshore cruising (ocean).  Keep in mind that racing commitees have their own requirements (usually including still more than listed here), so for any kind of racing ALWAYS READ YOUR NOTICE OF A RACE CAREFULLY!

DAY SAILING
Personal Gear
  1. Rigging knife on a lanyard.
General Vessel Equipment
  1. First aid kit and manual.
  2. Flashlight with spare lightbulb and batteries.
  3. Boarding Ladder or another boarding device.
Emergency Equipment
  1. Emergency steering device (eg. spare tiller).
  2. Heavy weather jib.
  3. Tools and spare parts.
  4. Marine radio transceiver (VHF).
  5. Soft tapered wood plugs tied with lanyards, plugs adjacent to each through hull fitting.
Navigation Equipment
  1. Compass (marine type, properly secured, with deviation card).
  2. Lead line or echo sounder.
  3. Navigation charts of cruising area, and navigation equipment.
  4. Tide tables and current predictions - on tidal waters only.
  5. Knotmeter and distance measuring device.

 

COASTAL CRUISING (DAY ONLY)
Personal Gear
  1. Rigging knife on a lanyard.
  2. Safety harness for each person on board.
  3. Whistle for each person on board.
General Vessel Equipment
  1. First aid kit and manual.
  2. Flashlight with spare lightbulb and batteries.
  3. Boarding Ladder or another boarding device.
  4. Radar reflector.
  5. Jack Lines securely attached to deck.
Emergency Equipment
  1. Emergency steering device (eg. spare tiller).
  2. Heavy weather jib.
  3. Tools and spare parts.
  4. Marine radio transceiver (VHF).
  5. Soft tapered wood plugs tied with lanyards, plugs adjacent to each through hull fitting.
  6. Mainsail reefing to reduce mainsail by at least 40%.
  7. Inflatable or rigid dinghy.
  8. Emergency abandon ship bag with extra lifejackets, emergency water, emergency food.
Navigation Equipment
  1. Compass (marine type, properly secured, with deviation card).
  2. Lead line or echo sounder.
  3. Navigation charts of cruising area, and navigation equipment.
  4. Tide tables and current predictions - on tidal waters only.
  5. Knotmeter and distance measuring device.
  6. Spare compass, may be handheld.
  7. List of lights, sailing directions.

 

COASTAL CRUISING (DAY AND NIGHT)
Personal Gear
  1. Rigging knife on a lanyard.
  2. Safety harness for each person on board.
  3. Whistle for each person on board.
  4. Personal strobe light for each person on board.
General Vessel Equipment
  1. First aid kit and manual.
  2. Flashlight with spare lightbulb and batteries.
  3. Boarding Ladder or another boarding device.
  4. Radar reflector.
  5. Jack Lines securely attached to deck.
Emergency Equipment
  1. Emergency steering device (eg. spare tiller).
  2. Heavy weather jib.
  3. Storm jib.
  4. Tools and spare parts.
  5. Marine radio transceiver (VHF).
  6. Soft tapered wood plugs tied with lanyards, plugs adjacent to each through hull fitting.
  7. Mainsail reefing to reduce mainsail by at least 40%.
  8. Inflatable or rigid dinghy.
  9. Emergency abandon ship bag with extra lifejackets, emergency water, emergency food.
Navigation Equipment
  1. Compass (marine type, properly secured, with deviation card).
  2. Lead line or echo sounder.
  3. Navigation charts of cruising area, and navigation equipment.
  4. Tide tables and current predictions - on tidal waters only.
  5. Knotmeter and distance measuring device.
  6. Spare compass, may be handheld.
  7. List of lights, sailing directions.
  8. Loran C electronic navigation OR GPS electronic navigation.
  9. Radar (choose one proper for your type of vessel).

 

OFF-SHORE CRUISING
Personal Gear
  1. Rigging knife on a lanyard.
  2. Safety harness for each person on board.
  3. Whistle for each person on board.
  4. Personal strobe light for each person on board.
General Vessel Equipment
  1. First aid kit and manual.
  2. Flashlight with spare lightbulb and batteries.
  3. Boarding Ladder or another boarding device.
  4. Radar reflector.
  5. Jack Lines securely attached to deck.
Emergency Equipment
  1. Emergency steering device (eg. spare tiller).
  2. Heavy weather jib.
  3. Storm jib.
  4. Tools and spare parts.
  5. Marine radio transceiver (VHF).
  6. Soft tapered wood plugs tied with lanyards, plugs adjacent to each through hull fitting.
  7. Mainsail reefing to reduce mainsail by at least 40%.
  8. Inflatable or rigid dinghy.
  9. Emergency abandon ship bag with extra lifejackets, emergency water, emergency food.
  10. Marine SSB radiotelephone.
  11. EPIRB either 121.5, 243, or 406 MHZ.
  12. Liferaft properly inspected.
Navigation Equipment
  1. Compass (marine type, properly secured, with deviation card).
  2. Lead line or echo sounder.
  3. Navigation charts of cruising area, and navigation equipment.
  4. Tide tables and current predictions - on tidal waters only.
  5. Knotmeter and distance measuring device.
  6. Spare compass, may be handheld.
  7. List of lights, sailing directions.
  8. GPS electronic navigation.
  9. Radar (choose one proper for your type of vessel).
  10. Sextant, Nautical Almanac, tables, accurate time piece, and universal plotting sheets.

Lesson 6: "Sail Maintenance"

Home (FRAMES) | Home (NO FRAMES)
Sailboats | Equipment | Rigs | Knots | Weather | Navigation | Racing | Newsroom | Classroom | Terminology | Marinas | Classifieds | Important Links | International | Literature | Pictures | Photo Contest | Guestbook | About Authors