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What Would You Not Do Without

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cat1951
Admiral

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USA
636 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/08/2006 : 14:40:37

With the big guy in the red suit planning a visit in a couple of weeks, the Admiral has wondered what I would like for Christmas. We just bought our first boat (1985 C-25) in March and we have done a lot of adds to her since then. Harken furler, new porta potti head, new vhf radio, cabin fans for moving the air, and a queen size areo bed for sleeping in the main cabin. We already have a depth/knot meter that gives us max speed, avg speed, distance tvld etc.

So what I am really looking for is that one thing that you don't want to do without. Yes, things like PFD's, First Aid Kits, etc. are those required things that I am not referring to. I am looking for something that you wouldn't normally think of as essential.

Any ideas?.....

Mike
Grand Lake, OK
N.O. Catalina 25 #4849
In my opinion 75% of the earth is water for a reason. That's why I sail.

Edited by - on

Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 15:26:51

My first addition would be a nice stereo/CD/MP3/Ipod Compatible device with a good set of speakers

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 15:35:05

Maybe not what you want ot hear ("Yes, things like PFD's, First Aid Kits, etc. are those required things that I am not referring to."), but safety stuff. Auto-inflate PFD w/harness, tether, landlubber's quick ref cards for onboard emergencies (skipper overboard procedure would be at the top of my list!), fire extinguishers, VHF, GPS, reliable motor, big batteries and a way to keep them charged, reliable electrical system, civilized MSD. Santa would likely be bored hearing it. OK, how about an autopilot, good marine stereo (AM/FM/WB/CD/MP3), digital camera, 12V AAA charger, homey knick knacks for the cabin (curtains, slip covers, mirrors, framed pictures, soap dispenser, tropical/nautical throw pillows, matching towels, matching set of cutsie nautical dishes), some new Type IV PFD throwables, fenders with slipcovers, bimini, (a good dinghy, but that shouldn't be an hurried impulse purchase).

-- Leon Sisson {who hates xmas shopping}

Edited by - on

existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 15:36:41

[url="http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|118|3071|4757|312074&id=725595"]One Touch Winch Handle[/url]

Awesome for the single hander or racer.

Edited by - on

ilnadi
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 15:42:10

1. Music - think mp3, think what would run for 12 hrs without draining battery at a volume you can hear.

2. GPS

3. cockpit seat

Edited by - on

oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 16:18:37

After sailing my boat since 1983 I'd have to say balanced rudder.

It'll definitely transform your sailing experience with the Catalina 25.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 17:16:27

Assuming you are not on some piddly 2 x 3 mile lake:

autopilot

handheld GPS

handheld VHF

good binoculars

SOLA Flares (expensive but worth it)

International Association Burgee

Edited by - on

Dick Johnson
1st Mate

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USA
40 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 17:29:44

The GPS.

Edited by - on

mmac
Navigator

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USA
168 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 17:38:07

Blocks, deck organizers and rope clutches-anything that will set your boat up for single-handing if it isn't already.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3465 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 17:57:47

How about:

Electric faucets
Microwave
Storage netting
Mosquito net for when the pop top is up and you do overnighters
New sailing gloves
LED Anchor Light
Graphic Name makeover
Boating Sneakers
Boating Shirt specific for boating w/pit netting, sleeve rollups, etc.
Upgrade wind indicators for attaching to the stays
Flag and the block and tackle to hoist to the spreaders
West Marine Gift Card
Atomic Clock to hang in the cabin - Never needs resetting.
Remote for operating the cabin VHF from the cockpit.
New sails
Spinnaker
A sailing dinghy to go where you can't with the Catalina

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 18:08:05

1st Agree with Leon: Safety gear, the greatest insurance policy!
2nd Agree with Dick, 'GPS' one of the best safety devices out!

Besides, A really good GPS is the coolest of 'toys'

Paul

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 18:26:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cat1951
 I am looking for something that you wouldn't normally think of as essential.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Why, a bigger boat, of course.

Edited by - on

mashedcat
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 18:43:15

After sailing my boat since 1983 I'd have to say balanced rudder.

Tell me about the difference. Is it that great a difference, and in what way?

Edited by - on

mashedcat
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 18:44:16

by the way, how do you make those quotes from the last guy appear in the lines in smaller print????

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 18:58:09

Dave - the original rudder was built with minimal rudder in front of the pintles, and produced violent weather helm in moderate winds. The 2nd generation has about 1 1/2" of rudder ahead of the pintles and goes under the hull - it's like driving a car with power steering compared to the first version!

Edited by - on

cat1951
Admiral

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USA
636 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 19:27:07

Wow...so many things so little time.

Things mentioned that are on the list:

1. Auto inflating PFD's. The vests that we wear are hot enough in hot weather. So that is added.
2. GPS...????? Not sure if we need that or not. We are on Grand Lake.. 60 miles long and 1300 miles of coastline. Pretty big, but it's not difficult to determine where you are at with the charts we have.
3. Music... Got it. We have a CD player with and FM Radio and speakers in the cabin and cockpit. So I take my IPOD (similar, but not exactly the IPOD) and use a transmitter and tune it to one of the FM stations. So music is covered.
4. Bigger Boat?... yep in a couple of years. We are just starting to get ready to build our last house and need to get past that first. But, a Catalina 28 MK II would be great and is what I would like. But I sure would miss the others on this forum..

5. Microwave is on the list for when we are in the slip.
6. Atomic Clock is not on the list, but a cabin barometer and clock are there.
7. Handheld VHF is done. We have a WM VH150 and love it.
8. Good Binoculars... just bought em earlier this summer.
9. Got the blocks and clutches for single handling, so that's covered.
10. Cockpit seat... Would be great if we didn't have a tiller boat. Not sure what to get otherwise.
11. I like the one touch winch handle idea....
12. Fire Extinguisher - got it and it's brand new. Got a smoke detector too.
13. Digital Camera - oops you are a little late. Just bought a digital Rebel xti (10 megapixels and it is a winner.)

Keep em coming, I have a good list so far

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 19:56:33

Unless you're only sailing on a small lake in good weather... a GPS/Chartplotter. GPS is good... chartplotter opens a whole new dimension in navigation.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 20:02:14

What would I not do without?

Hmmm, tough question. After the basic things needed to get my boat underway, I can't think of anything I couldn't do without. I love the furling...Could I live without it? Sure, but I would rather have it than not. Same goes for the autopilot, bimini, knotmeter, GPS, depthmeter, marine head, and on an on...

My wife and kids on the other hand probably couldn't live without the bimini and Sport-a-Seats.

Stop the presses! I just thought of something I couldn't live without...wind!

Edited by - dlucier on 12/08/2006 20:05:29

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 22:22:25

Tillerpilot, tillerpilot, tillerpilot.

Brooke

Edited by - on

oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2006 : 23:53:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by mashedcat
 After sailing my boat since 1983 I'd have to say balanced rudder.

Tell me about the difference. Is it that great a difference, and in what way?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The original rudder has almost the entire foil area located behind the pintles, therefore it's "unbalanced" and you make up the difference in the mechanical effort required to move the tiller, or maintain it's postion underway, with your muscles.

With the new balanced design, a substantial portion of the rudder foil is in front of the pinltes, so the center of effort is balanced at that point rather than far aft. It's sort of like having a well balanced sailplan as opposed to being out of trim, or having the wrong rake on your mast.

With a balanced rudder you can sail with your fingertips on the tiller rather tugging on it until your arm gets sore. The leverage is now greatly in your favor because the forces on the foil area ahead of the pintles work with you to balance the forces exerted by the foil area behind the pintles which work against you.

It really is something I wouldn't ever do without and since '83 I've accumlated a lot of "stuff".

Edited by - on

Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 12/09/2006 : 05:18:09

Is Catalina Direct the best source to buy the balanced rudder and how do you tell from their site that it is this type?

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 12/09/2006 : 06:08:42

Or, you could tune your rig to eliminate excessive weather helm, and save $400-500 for a GPS or autopilot.

Edited by - on

oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 12/09/2006 : 06:50:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Chris Z
 Is Catalina Direct the best source to buy the balanced rudder and how do you tell from their site that it is this type?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

There's a misconception that the balanced rudder is concerned with, or associated with the reduction of excess weather helm.

That's probably because the balanced rudder is so much "easier on the arms" that excess weatherhelm, (as well as necessary weatherhelm), can be handled without much effort.

What it actually provides is a balanced helm, that feels like power steering compared to the original setup.

Eliminating excess weather helm is function of proper rigging setup, mast rake, and the right sail selection and trim for the wind conditions, sea state, and point of sail you're on.

There have been several sources for balanced rudders mentioned, and according to what I've read here there are several iterations of balanced rudders as well.

Some have said that their balanced rudders are lighter than the original rudder, in fact some were said to be so much so that they displayed considerable bouyancy when installed.

The balanced rudder I recieved from Catalina Direct is at least as heavy as the original equipment rudder, is sturdier, and would sink like a cobblestone if dropped overboard.

If you order a balanced rudder from C.D. I suggest that you order it with new pintles already installed and tell them your boat's model year and hull number so the rudder will be set up to fit the necessary profile properly.

Whereas the original style rudder was faily straight along the leading edge and the installation of the pintles was rather easy, the new rudder has a more complex shape extending under the skeg, which requires a more precise fit in order that you can easily hang it on the gudgeons. Thats why it's much harder to position and install the pintles yourself.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 12/09/2006 : 08:51:52

Of course, this, like so many things, is subject to individual preferences, but if you eliminate excess weather helm, then necessary weather helm is very nominal. As the windspeed increases, weather helm also increases, but, if you trim and/or reef your sails to keep the boat on her feet, the amount of weather helm is not uncomfortable. The key is in reducing the angle of heel. Whenever the boat is heeling excessively, weather helm will be very heavy. But the helm will be heavy because the boat is overpowered and the sailplan is out of balance, and not because the rudder is unbalanced. As soon as you adjust your sails so that the boat can stand up, the helm will lighten.

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 12/09/2006 : 13:55:50

Not this year, and who knows when... but I've got MY eye on the binoculars that stabilize the image. Seems the most important times for me to see what's ahead are also a bit rough and I can never quite get a good look at what interests me at the moment...

Edited by - jerlim on 12/09/2006 13:56:40

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 12/09/2006 : 16:20:30

Like many c25 owners, you will ultimately find yourself single handing more and more. Either a "Tiller Tamer", or the more sophisticated autopilot will be the item of equipment most indispensible to you. Even in an inland lake you will still need to leave the tiller for short periods of time.Simrad and Raymarine are the most popular autopilots $400 to $600).

I have also found my roller furler to be of great value when single handing for obvious reasons. I have a Schaeffer ProFurl Snapfurl. many other owners have a CDI furler ($650 to $850).

These are big ticket items of course. For stocking stuffers, mark up a West Marine catalogue for your wife. Everything from safety whistles and man overboard personal lights for PFDs, to barometers, to books on seamanship. There's no end to the money you can spend

Edited by - on

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