Sailing to the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean 1500

Big List of Gear and Supplies

I wrote up this list by looking around my boat and writing down everything that I thought was useful. I made this list available to Jeff as a suggested list of things we might want to get, although we already had a lot of them. We didn't wind up with everything, though (for example, we forgot to get clothespins).

Supplies

• Engine
• Motor oil (for diesel) [for main engine and generator]
• Oil filters [for main engine and generator]
• Oil-change pump and waste oil containers
• Fuel filters (engine-mounted) [for main engine and generator]
• Fuel filters (external) [for main engine and generator]
• Coolant [for main engine and generator]
• Transmission fluid
• Funnels
• Spout extension hoses, if needed, to pour motor oil, etc. "around the corner"
• Biocide for diesel fuel
• Fuel stabilizer for diesel fuel
• Accessory drive belts [for main engine and generator]
• Air filter [for main engine and generator]
• Length of hose of proper diameter to be spare coolant hose, perhaps more than one size [for main engine and generator]
• Emergency hose repair tape (radiator repair tape)
• Hi-temp epoxy (like J-B Weld, from auto parts stores) to fix hole/cracks (like in exhaust system)
• Rubber patch material (sold in plumbing dept of Lowes) to clamp on pipes to fix leaks
• S/S hose clamps for engine hoses
• Shop manual with procedure to bleed the engine fuel system [for main engine and generator]
• Oil sorb pads to absorb oil in engine bilge
• Raw water pump impeller [for main engine and generator]
• Raw water pump gasket [for main engine and generator]
• Engine zincs [for main engine and generator]
• Mechanic's tools for most common procedures (change oil and filter, change fuel filters, bleed fuel system, change coolant, adjust accessory belt tension, adjust rocker arm clearance, replace raw water pump impeller) [for main engine and generator]
• Dinghy and outboard motor
• Dinghy patch material and glue - (there are different types of glue for different types of material)
• Dinghy drain plug - spare
• 2-cycle oil for outboard motor
• Graduated measuring cup for mixing proper amount of oil
• Gasoline
• Fuel stabilizer for gasoline
• Lower unit lube
• Spare prop, if desired
• Prop shear pins
• Zincs for outboard motor
• Raw water impeller
• Carburetor repair kit
• Spark plug
• Electrical
• Spare small batteries - all types needed and lots of them, they last a long time in storage
• Spare bulbs - for running lights, plus interior fixtures
• Spare fuses - sizes/types as needed, for equipment that has a built-in fuse
• Electrical crimp connectors for 16 - 10 awg (ring terminals, butt connectors)
• Assorted spare wire - at least 12 and 14 gauge
• Assorted wire ties (black for outdoors), including ties with screw holes
• Electrical tape
• User manuals for all ship's electronic equipment
• Plumbing
• S/S hose clamps of various sizes
• Spare hose of various types and sizes
• Set of hose repair couplers (with barbed ends) of all sizes to fix leaky hoses, from 1-1/2" to 1/2"
• Teflon tape, pipe dope for NPT pipe fittings
• Butane torch - very inexpensive torch sold at Wal-Mart intended to be used as picnic fire starter, but produces very hot flame and runs for a long time. Use on boat for soldering, heating frozen bolts.
• Head repair kit, if necessary
• Cabin and interior
• Garbage placard
• "No Pollution" placard for engine spaces
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper - maybe special stuff for boats
• Small eye straps to make hard points to secure toolboxes and other large items.
• S/S screws, various sizes (1/2" + 5/8" pan head self tapping, bigger sizes, nuts, bolts, flat washers, lock washers)
• Rigging and sailing gear
• Spare running rigging - a couple sizes / lengths, save some old line
• Spare piece of standing rigging wire + appropriate size bulldog clamps
• S/S seizing wire - for seizing shackles, etc.
• Sail repair tape
• Sailmaker's repair kit (needles, thread, hand protector, hank of sail cloth, whipping twine)
• Sail track slug, if they are nylon and can break
• Splicing fid
• Winch handles + spares
• Manual handle (or method) for electric furler
• Butane lighters - used to melt ends of lines (or can use stove)
• Ground tackle
• Snubber materials - shackle, thimble, chain hook, nylon rope for at least two snubbers (in case one is lost overboard)
• Manual operation handle for windlass
• Miscellaneous
• Nylon twine, spool
• Light line (1/8" polyester)
• Medium line for misc uses, like tying things down (1/4" polyester)
• Duct tape
• Masking tape
• Velcro ties
• Rubber bands
• Plastic clips (that have a built-in hook) to clip to towels then hang from hooks
• Stick-on hooks - for head and galley to hang towels
• Zip-lock bags, various sizes
• Mesh bags
• Plastic wrap
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic trash bags
• Single-edge razor blades (for scraping)
• Loctite
• Glue - Goop, small tubes of epoxy, super glue, etc.
• Epoxy - resin, hardener, fillers, for misc. repair work
• Epoxy supplies - mixing cups, popsicle sticks as stirring sticks, syringe, spreaders, chip brushes, latex gloves
• Painting supplies - paint (or varnish), chip brushes, sandpaper, thinner, masking tape.
• Solvents - MEK, acetone, paint thinner, kerosene (which is also good as a cleaner/degreaser)
• Grease - various types, for lubing steering, winches, windlass (it might take gear oil), outboard motor clamps, etc.
• WD-40, PB Blaster
• Silicone spray
• Latex gloves
• Nitrile rubber gloves - for use with strong solvents / degreaser
• Rags - for slop use, or polishing, etc.
• Cleaning supplies - degreaser, Scrubbing Bubbles, Formula 409, brushes, bilge cleaner, plastic scouring pads (plastic "steel wool"), Goo Gone
• Bleach - to treat suspect drinking water, or pour a little diluted bleach in sink if it starts to smell
• Hand cleaner (after working on engine, etc.) - GoJo with pumice, in orange container
• Anti-bacterial wipes (in plastic container that you pull out one at a time)
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Antiseptic spray
• Medical kit - any other supplemental supplies desired
• Emergency water - 8 gal total, buy in polycarbonate bottles, not the flimsy polyethylene bottles which will crack and leak.
• Bug spray
• Laundry soap and related items
• Dish soap, sponges, scouring pads, etc.
• Brushes to clean topsides
• Big sponge for cleaning topsides
• Buckets
• Boat soap
• Boat wax
• Stainless steel polish
• Spare hose nozzles (they can break or corrode)
• Caulking - super-duper caulking for below the waterline, less expensive caulking for on-deck, inexpensive silicone for ordinary use. Get small tubes if available so you don't waste a big tube.
• Caulking gun
• Sandpaper - various types as needed, some for wood/fiberglass, emery cloth for metal
• Plastic tarps - a couple of tarps with lines attached, as an emergency covering
• Computer supplies - backup CDs or DVDs, paper, ink cartridges
• Stationery supplies - paper, pens, pencils, eraser, logbooks or journals, stapler, ruler, notepads (pocket size spiral notepads are really handy to take ashore with notes, lists, etc.), scotch tape, scissor.

Ship's Gear

• Safety equipment
• Offshore PFDs
• Harness and tether for each person
• Personal strobe lights
• Personal whistles
• Personal sailor's knife
• Flares (perhaps stored in waterproof container)
• Satellite EPIRB
• Sound-producing device
• Ship's bell
• Jacklines (webbing or wire)
• Lifesling
• Lifesling tackle
• Throwable ring or collar
• Man overboard pole
• Smoke alarms in each cabin with good battery, spare 9v batteries
• Carbon monoxide detector, if desired
• Propane detector, if desired
• Fire extinguishers
• Ship's first-aid kit, with emergency medicine book or pamphlet
• Ditch kit bag with emergency gear
• Lee cloths if required
• Crabbing net on pole (all metal so it's sturdy) - for scooping dog up from water if dog falls overboard (if dog wears harness, use boat pole)
• Miscellaneous
• Waterproof binoculars
• Backup GPS, battery powered, with DC power cord adapter and cigarette lighter plug
• Handheld VHF, preferably waterproof
• Hand-bearing compass
• Navigation tools - dividers, parallel rules, mechanical pencils, drafting erasers
• Reference books - knots, splicing, required copy of navigation regulations, radio frequency usage, West Marine catalog, Bowditch (American Practical Navigator), Chapman's, Reed's Almanac
• Cruising guides - for all areas to be visited
• BVI courtesy flag, other courtesy flags as required
• Q flag (all yellow, used after arriving but before clearing in)
• US flag
• Charts, including pilot charts if desired
• Sailing directions for Caribbean
• Yearly calendar / planner
• Ship's log
• Weather log for printouts
• Radio log for usage
• Maintenance log
• Pop-out magnifier (Wal-Mart has one with a light)
• Calculator
• Boat cards - if desired, they are like business cards with contact info, easy to hand out to people to keep in touch
• Barometer
• Handheld spotlight
• Flashlights - at least two per person, should be waterproof
• Headlamps - to wear on your head at night for hands-free lighting
• Cockpit light - not for when sailing
• Tool caddy/bag/bucket while working on projects
• Small or medium daypack for provisioning trips ashore
• Canvas boat bag for misc. carrying
• Mask, snorkel, fins - for fun, and for checking on boat hull, prop, anchor, etc.
• Work gloves - if desired, to handle ground tackle
• Hoses - for freshwater only, don't use for washdown
• Washdown hose - never use for freshwater.
• Indoor/outdoor thermometer
• Fishing gear and supplies
• Diesel, gasoline, water jerry jugs and secure place to keep them
• Boatpoles - at least two
• Galley / Cabin
• Pots, pans, dishes, bowls, cups, insulated cups/mugs, utensils, etc., kettle, French press, stovetop toaster rack, dish drying rack and drain pan, dish towels, baking pans, cupcake pan, hot pot holders, one big pot for pasta, griddle, frying pan
• Strainer, colander
• Can opener, corkscrew, garlic press, vegetable peeler, measuring cups, kitchen knives, big spoons and ladle, spatulas
• Kitchen timer
• Stove lighter - handheld butane wand, plus matches as backup
• Assorted plastic containers and bottles for storing dry goods or leftovers in galley
• Assorted plastic storage bins, boxes, containers, as desired, to store other items in lockers throughout the boat
• Whatever you call the insulated corkboards you put hot pots on to keep from scorching the table
• "Magic cloth" (synthetic chamois) - for wiping down shower after using it
• Dustpan and brush
• Clothespins
• Sailing
• Snatch block
• Tackle (with rope and blocks) to use as vang or preventer
• Bosun's chair
• Ascender - if desired, to hook yourself to another halliard as a safety backup (while wearing harness when climbing mast steps or using bosun's chair)
• Extra sail ties
• Dinghy
• Air pump
• Oars, with some way to store them securely inside dinghy so you're never without them
• Anchor
• Bailing cup / sponge
• Security cable and lock
• Security bar and lock for outboard motor
• Flares
• Sound-producing device
• Valid registration
• Number boards or stick-on numbers
• Boarding ladder (to climb into the dinghy from the water)
• Boarding ladder (to climb from dinghy on to boat)
• Fuel tank and hose
• Misc. Useful Tools
• Leatherman tool or equivalent (Swiss army knife)
• Dremel tool and bits
• Electrician's fish tape - to pull wires / hoses through tight spaces, or to pull nylon twine which is then used to pull the wire/hose
• Inspection mirror (Sears makes a nice one)
• Long metal "grabber", or "picker-upper" tool, where you push the plunger at one end and the claws at the other end can grab things so you can retrieve them
• Plastic squeeze-bulb hand pumps (sold as hand pumps to refuel kerosene heaters)
• Powerful but small magnet (with string attached) to retrieve tools from bilge
• Plastic or metal vernier calipers, to measure inner and outer diameter of things
• Big enough wrench to adjust stuffing box (usually needs two wrenches)
• "Eggbeater" drill and bits, electric drill if desired for heavier work
• Visegrips, Channelocks, sm/med/lg adjustable wrenches
• Various screwdrivers, pliers
• Hacksaw
• Wood and metal files
• Scraper - to remove caulking or other surface material
• Putty knife - can be used as a scraper, also to clean barnacles from prop while free-diving on it
• Sharp utility knife and blades
• Extension cord (perhaps the kind with a worklight at the end, if not, get a separate worklight)
• Electrical crimper for 16 to 10 awg
• Decent AC/DC multimeter
• Small brass brush and stainless steel brush (toothbrush size, for removing corrosion)
• Allen keys (metric and/or english) as required - some furlers use allen keys for setscrews
• Sparkplug wrench for outboard motor, sparkplug gapping tool
• Special adjustable tool for unscrewing deck fills for water, fuel, waste
• Kneepads or foam pads - for kneeling on deck or below when working on something for a while
• Personal items
• Multiple pairs of sunglasses (in case they are lost or broken)
• Multiple hats (in case they are lost or blown overboard)
• Sunscreen
• Small plastic bottles for shampoo, conditioner, etc.
• Entertainment - books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, games
• Hobby / special interest items
• Adequate supplies of personal medications, vitamins, supplements, etc.

Please use your browser's "back" command to return to where you came from.