The Voyager’s Handbook: The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising

Foreword to the Second Edition by Herb McCormickForeword to the First Edition by George DayPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I: The Essential IngredientsChapter 1. Committed CrewWHAT MAKES FOR SUCCESSFUL CREWS? * Composition of Successful Crews * Cruising with Kids: What Age Is Best? * Characteristics of Successful Crews * BUILDING VOYAGING PARTNERSHIPS * Critical Elements * Tips for Cruising with Kids * Laying the Groundwork * DECIDING WHEN TO GO * Timing Issues * Timing Options * THREE VOYAGING CREWSChapter 2. Adequate FinancingALTERNATIVES FOR FINANCING THE DREAM * Precareer: Earn as You Go * Sabbatical: Save Enough to Finance Several Years * Early Retirement: Stretching the Retirement Income * Part-Time Voyaging or Working Aboard: Continuing Your Career * HOW MUCH DOES VOYAGING REALLY COST? * Living Expenses * Avoiding Budget Busters * Annual Boat Expenses * Capital Costs: Two Case Studies * Discretionary and One-Off Expenses * The Cost of Two Cruises * HOW MUCH BOAT CAN YOU AFFORD? * Refit Costs: Some Rough FiguresChapter 3. A Bluewater-Capable YachtNARROWING THE FIELD * What Type of Boat Do You Want? * Steve Dashew\'s Hybrid Designs * Where Do You Intend to Cruise? * What Size Boat Will Suit You? * The \"Average\" Bluewater Voyager * What Age Boat Will Suit Your Budget? * EVALUATING INDIVIDUAL BOATS * Screening Criteria: Stability and Durability * Common Structural Problems in Older Boats * Bluewater Survey * Second Boats * The Test Sail * One Couple\'s Search * THE SEARCH PROCESS FOR THREE CREWS * Two Boats, Two VoyagesPart II: Refitting and Equipping the Yacht for Bluewater VoyagingChapter 4. Upgrading for OffshoreCOMMON UPGRADES TO OLDER PRODUCTION BOATS * Make Your Boat Watertight * The Ins and Outs of Stainless Steel * Improve Your Boat\'s Ventilation * Improve the Anchoring Arrangements * Revitalize the Rig * Preventing Corrosion between Dissimilar Metals * Problem-Proof the Engine and Propulsion System * Modify Your Boat\'s Interior * Common Electrical and Plumbing System Upgrades * Increase Safety Above- and Belowdecks * UPGRADING THREE OFFSHORE VOYAGERSChapter 5. Sails and Sail HandlingOFFSHORE SAILING REALITIES * Offshore Sailing Conditions * Crew Size * Boat Size * OFFSHORE SAILS AND SAIL HANDLING * Temperate and High-Latitude Passagemaking: Managing Variability * Modern Sail Materials and Their Uses * Modern Line Materials and Their Uses * Trade Wind Passagemaking: Maximizing Downwind Performance * SAIL INVENTORY FOR THREE OFFSHORE VOYAGERS * Additional Pretrip PreparationsChapter 6. Anchors, Anchoring, and MooringANCHORING BASICS * Ground Tackle for the Bluewater Voyager * Beyond Anchors and Rodes: Additional Anchoring Equipment * Anchoring Technique * Raising a Fouled Anchor * Real-World Situations * MOORING AND BERTHING BASICS * Lines, Fenders, and More * Real-World Situations * GROUND TACKLE AND MOORING EQUIPMENT FOR THREE OFFSHORE VOYAGERSChapter 7. On-Deck Essentials: Dinghies, Self-Steering, and Safety GearDINGHIES AND OUTBOARDS * Choosing a Dinghy * Selecting an Outboard * Equipping Your Tender * Tender Choices for Three Offshore Voyagers * SELF-STEERING * Wind Vanes * Electric Autopilots * Self-Steering Options and Solutions for Three Offshore Voyagers * ON-DECK SAFETY EQUIPMENT * Preventing Collisions * Preventing Crew Overboard * Abandoning Ship * On-Deck Safety Solutions for Three Offshore VoyagersChapter 8. Other Equipment: Navigation, Communications, and Comforts and ConveniencesNAVIGATION EQUIPMENT * Position Finding * Beyond the Depth Sounder: Additional Instruments * Charting Options * The Cruiser\'s Laptop * HIGH-SEAS COMMUNICATIONS * The Ship\'s Barometer * Radio-Based Systems * Satellite-Based Systems * COMFORTS AND CONVENIENCES * Refrigerators/Freezers * Watermakers * Heating and Cooling Systems * Other Goodies and Gadgets * EQUIPMENT CHOICES FOR THREE OFFSHORE VOYAGERSChapter 9. Configuring Your Electrical SystemANALYZING ELECTRICAL NEEDS * A Back-of-the-Envelope Calculation for Daily Energy Usage * Calculating Loads * A Few Useful Electrical Notes * Generating Options * Stowing Electricity * An Alternative Approach to Balancing the Electrical System * Optimizing Charging * Battery-Down Exercise * ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FOR THREE OFFSHORE VOYAGERS * How Long Can You Leave the Boat?Chapter 10. Putting It All Together: From Refit Plan to Balanced BoatA REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE: REINVENTING GINNY * A Sensible Four-Year Refit Plan * Executing the Plan * Tallying the Bottom Line * REFIT PLANS FOR THREE OFFSHORE VOYAGERS * Refit Plans and Time Frames * Why Weight-Carrying Ability Matters * Comparison of Three Balanced Boats * What We Left Off . . . and WhyPart III: Liveaboard SkillsChapter 11. Liveaboard Essentials: What to Bring and How to Stow ItMANAGING SPACE * Maximizing Stowage Space * Organizing Stowage Areas * The Stowage Plan * ALLOCATING SPACE: THE ESSENTIALS FOR LIFE ABOARD * Deck Gear * Navigation Needs and Ship\'s References * Galley Equipment * What Not to Bring * Linens and Bedding * Clothing * Electronics * The Most Personal of Decisions: Firearms Aboard * Miscellany * LIVING WITHIN YOUR SPACEChapter 12. Managing Life AfloatBUSINESS AND BUREAUCRACY * Communications * Pretrip Preparations: Setting Up for Remote Management * Money Matters * Ship\'s Papers and Other Documents * TRANSITIONING TO LIFE AFLOATChapter 13. Better BoatkeepingMAINTENANCE MIND-SET * Day-to-Day Proactive Maintenance: Looking for Trouble * Preventive Maintenance Schedules: Preventing Trouble * Troubleshooting: 90 Percent Solutions * The Annual Haulout * Minimizing Maintenance: Avoiding Trouble * ESSENTIAL TOOLS AND SPARES * The Voyager\'s Toolbox * The Spares LockerChapter 14. GalleywiseFRESHWATER MANAGEMENT * Assessing Needs * Do You Need a Watermaker? * Getting It Aboard * Keeping It Potable * FOOD AND STORES MANAGEMENT * Provisioning Basics * Obtaining Propane * Provisioning Tips and Tricks * Galley SkillsChapter 15. Staying Safe: Lessons Learned Over 90,000 Nautical MilesEIGHT DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AND WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THEM * On the Rocks in Iceland * Night Reef Entrance * Close Encounters with Ships * Close Encounters with Hard Objects * Close Encounter with a Hurricane * Fire On Board * Pinned on a Fuel Dock * GPS Waypoint Mistake * SUMMARY OF LESSONS LEARNEDChapter 16. Staying Healthy: Being Your Own DoctorPREPARATION: BEFORE YOU LEAVE * Know Thyself * Children and Older Voyagers: Special Considerations * Know the Basics * Know Thy Medical Kit * PREVENTION: MANAGING DAY-TO-DAY HEALTH * Seasickness * Infections and Serious Illnesses * Allergic Reactions * Emergencies and Traumatic Injuries * PROTECTION: ENSURING LONG-TERM HEALTH * Sun Protection * Nutrition * Exercise * Managing Major Health ConcernsChapter 17. Staying Challenged: Following Your HeartSHIP-SUITABLE ACTIVITIES * Water Time * Learning Time * Social Time * Quiet Time * SHIP-ADAPTABLE ACTIVITIES  * Photography * Other ArtsPart IV: Shorthanded Passagemaking SkillsChapter 18. Global Weather Patterns and Voyage PlanningGLOBAL WEATHER PATTERNS * Prevailing Winds * Ocean Currents * Weather Disturbances * Planning Tools: Pilot Charts * VOYAGE PLANNING * One Year, One Ocean * Around the World in Eighteen Months * Circumnavigating in Two or More Years * Eastabout CircumnavigationsChapter 19. Weather Basics and Onboard ForecastingWEATHER BASICS * Temperate and High Latitudes * Two Weather Phenomena to Watch For * What the Barometer Really Tells You * Tropical Latitudes * ONBOARD WEATHER RESOURCES * Weather Fax * Weather Charts and Their Uses * High Seas Radio Nets and Forecasts * Inmarsat-C Forecasts * Downloadable Weather Files * Weather Routers * USING WEATHER INFORMATION * Departure Window * Routing Decisions * Sail Handling Decisions * Lessons LearnedChapter 20. Preparing for PassagePASSAGE PLANNING * Prepassage Bureaucracy: Obtaining Visas * Wind Strengths * Ocean Currents * Other Hazards * PASSAGE PREPARATIONS * Provision Planning * Picking Your Weather Window * Final Shoreside Preparations * The Last Few HoursChapter 21. Basic Passage RoutinesTAKING CARE OF THE BOAT * Doublehanded Watchkeeping * Duties of the Watchkeeper * TAKING CARE OF THE CREW * Cooking * Sleeping * Hygiene * Managing Garbage at Sea * Diversions * Morale and SafetyChapter 22. Heavy WeatherHEAVY-WEATHER BASICS * (In)frequency and Severity * Breaking Waves and Rogue Waves * The Golden Rules * GALE AND STORM TACTICS * Heaving-To and Forereaching * Lying Ahull * Running Off * Hawk vs. Silk: An Example of How Boat Design Impacts Tactics * SURVIVAL STORM TACTICS * Southern Ocean Storm Tactics * Running Off with a Drogue * Lying To a Sea Anchor * Motoring or Sailing into the Weather * 1998 Sydney-to-Hobart Race: A Postmortem * HEAVY-WEATHER STRATEGIES FOR THREE OFFSHORE VOYAGERSChapter 23. Toward Self-Reliance: Managing Emergencies at SeaEMERGENCY PREVENTION * Going Aloft at Sea * EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT * Taking on Water * Failure of Structural Openings * Collision * Steering Failures * Rigging Failures * Piracy * SURVIVING AN EMERGENCYChapter 24. Toward Seamanship: Efficient PassagemakingKEEPING THE BOAT MOVING SAFELY AND WELL * Learning the Language * Making Miles in Light Air * Single-Handed Jibe * When Canvas Fails: Minimizing Motoring * Shorthanded Safety Tips * ADAPTING THE PASSAGE PLAN * Developing an Initial Passage Plan * Modifying the Plan Based on Actual Conditions * MAKING A SUCCESSFUL LANDFALLPart V: Foreign SavvyChapter 25. Upon ArrivalBUREAUCRACY REVISITED * Clearing In * Managing Bureaucratic Hassles * Burgeoning Bureaucracy * GETTING YOUR BEARINGS * Returning the Boat to Normal * When in Rome . . . * Avoiding Pests and PlaguesChapter 26. Enjoying Being ThereASSIMILATING * Finding the Way In * Respecting Local Laws and Customs * Saying \"Thank You\" * SIGHTSEEING * ENTERTAINING * MANAGING LOCAL RISKS * Volatile Political Situations * TheftChapter 27. The Voyaging Life: Keeping the FaithTHE FIRST YEAR: RECONCILING THE DREAM WITH THE REALITY * The Two Sides of the Voyaging Coin * Changing Gears * JOINING THE CRUISING COMMUNITY * Voyaging Values * Voyaging Customs * Sea Superstitions * Voyaging Etiquette * LONG-TERM SATISFACTION * SURVIVING REENTRYAppendicesAppendix 1. Additional ResourcesAppendix 2. ConversionsAppendix 3. Performance Measurements ExplainedAppendix 4. Upgrades for Boats of Different AgesAppendix 5. Galley Substitutes and EquivalentsAppendix 6. Offshore Medical KitIndex