Your top tips for newbie charterers

Another post on this forum got me thinking that it would be great for those that have "been there and done that" to share what they've learned about bareboat chartering in the BVI.

It would be possible to list hundreds of tips, but I'll only start off with a few, and hope others chime-in.

* Bring half the clothes and twice the cash. By weight, the toys I bring outweigh the clothes by about 3:1. Leave space in your bag and buy clothes or souvenir T-shirts along the way. You can always wear them if you run out of clean ones!

* To avoid arrival-stress while sailing, plan to sail in the morning and be at your next destination by noon. By late-afternoon the mooring fields can be totally packed, leaving you with failing light and trying to execute plan B or plan C.

* Bring a hand-held VHF radio. Many boats only have a radio below, and sometimes there's a problem with the handsets on the boats that do have them topsides. A hand-held lets you remain at the helm and talk to the dock-master.

* Plan a stay at the dock about once every 4 days or so. Many places have TTOL specials and you will (probably) need to get water, and perhaps fuel during your trip. If you schedule it in to start, you won't find yourself blowing half a day when "surprise!" the water tank runs dry.

* Don't trust the water and fuel gauges, and eye the battery gauge with suspicion! All gauges must convince me that they are correct, and I assume they are wrong at the beginning of a trip. I have been known to take the fuel tank cover off and peer in with a flashlight. Boats that have two water tanks and a cross-over valve between them have a built-in fail-safe system. First, open the crossover valve and let the tanks equalize. Then turn it off. Run tank 1 dry and now about half your water is left. Open cross-over and let equalize, and then turn it off again. Run tank 1 dry again, and about 1/4 of your water is left. Time to fill-up. This method also protects you from running ALL of your water into the bilge (or the ocean) if a leak develops in the system or somebody leaves a faucet running.

How to pick up a mooring ball on the first try: the person on the bow uses hand signals to communicate with the person at the wheel. One finger held up means forward gear; two fingers held up means neutral; three fingers is reverse. Hold thumb and forefinger close together means go slow, wide apart means more power. Use the pole to point to the mooring ball. After you pick up the mooring line and place the loop over the cleat, tie another line over the top to keep the loop from lifting off and casting you loose in the middle of the night when the wind or current changes. We always have my wife at the wheel, and I direct from the bow and it has always worked perfectly. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I know everyone says half the clothes - I think it really depends on what someone packs though. I end up bringing a t-shirt for every day plus a few extra, couple pairs of shorts and underwear for each day and a couple bathing suits. Wife and I share a rolling duffel (not too big) and get all our clothes in it. It's all the other stuff that takes up too much room!

Agree completely on arriving early at a destination. It's easy to then find plenty to do at that location and not have to rush to get a mooring.

I also think planning on itinerary can be a good thing. The key is not to feel you have to stick to it, but it can be a decent guide and help you figure out where you want to go and what you want to do. And I find it a fun way to pass time leading up to the trip. If you find it a chore, skip it, otherwise have fun with it. I've even put together powerpoint slideshows for friends - sort of an interactive itinerary

Wear sunscreen - lots of it. Make it part of your morning ritual - I get up, put on a bathing suit, put in my contacts (always do that before sunscreen!!!) and then apply sunscreen.

Know your limits. If you pull into an anchorage and start to feel uncomfortable maneuvering in it, get out and go somewhere else. Our first trip we were on a 47' Cat (largest boat I ever Captained) and heading to the Soggy Dollar our first day. It was packed and I pulled in and started maneuvering and wasn't comfortable so we bailed. Also don't let someone else convince you how to do something - do it the way makes you comfortable - you are at the helm and you are responsible and know your ability - not the person back seat driving. Doesn't hurt to take suggestions though.

charlie reminds me of one more people need to know..

When securing the boat to a mooring - you use two lines and two cleats. On a mono, it should be pretty obvious which two cleats - there the only ones at the bow!

On a Cat, apparently it is not obvious. You use the two cleats on the BOW - the spreader (not sure of its proper name) that connects to two bows has cleats - thats what you use. NOT the cleats on the port and starboard side of the hulls. I've seen lots of boats hooked up that way our past few trips.

Discourage blow dryers, curling irons and excessive make up.
No high heels! ( had one girl bring 3 pairs!)
Lots of sunscreen!
I always bring a pack of bar wipes. Better than paper towels to me and we just chuck them when we are done.
Blow up floaties to tie off of the back. Great for relaxing and good conversation.
I always bring an extra few beach towels.
MUSIC! Everyone bring a favorite playlist and rotate.
Spices from home. I go to bulk at my store and put them in little baggies.
A waterproof wallet or bag to carry $$$ credit cards etc.

Do a sleep-aboard the first night at the dock. This gives everyone time to put their stuff away, become familiar with were everything is, and the skipper and crew time to look over the boat's systems in a leisurely fashion (i.e. manual in one hand, Carib in the other) while prepping for the boat briefing the next morning. Have a nice dinner, chill on the boat. Further, don't plan a first day that requires leaving the dock by 9:00 am. Won't happen anyway. Do the briefing, pick up the last few provisions, take a deep breath, then calmly leave the dock.

WAY less stress. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

We actually did TWO nights at the dock (Moorings base) while waiting for a guitar that had been delayed in baggage.
Everyone aboard thought this was great.

I prefer non-cotton clothing. Nylon and other synthetics for shirts and shorts are lighter, dry quickly, and can be more odor resistent.

When moving locations we tend to leave early, 7-8am, and arrive early, before noon. This leaves plenty of daylight to explore. Two nights in most locations lessens the stress of trying to do everything in a short period of time.

Bring a leatherman and sharp folding knife (if not going carryon only)

50 ft of quarter or 3/8 inch nylon line... There is always something to tie up.

Most powerful led mini flashlights you can find..and one headlight.

Always start the outboard on dinghy before leaving. Lift the gas can in dink to be sure is filled..check inflation on dink.

Block ice. Get a block or two with your initial ice and will help with keeping cooler colder longer.

ALWAYS approach mooring into the wind ..and always sloooow. Neutral is where you should spend most of the approach . The ball ain't runnin away.

SUNTAN LOTION and cover...burns the first couple days that are truly unpleasant are frequent.

A "shoe policeman" and a towel on sole insde entry door will help keep sand out of sack.

Clothespins

Ziplock bags by the score.

Tell credit card company you are going to be dropping a pot load in a foreign country.

If you are uncomfortable going somewhere in the conditions...don't.

Always check lines if a new crew member is involved in cleting them.

It's best to take own masks and snorkel.

I would not provision planning on every night dining on boat. Can always get more during charter. Lethargy sets in and are a lot of good shore options. We now often have apps and cocktails on board and then go to dinner ashore.,but sometimes are full and tired after a day in the sun and enjoying the company and just keep the cocktail party goin.

Watch the battery banks if genset not on.

Wow! Great stuff. Keep 'em coming!

On tunes - We bring an RF modulator for our iPhone so we can get signals into the boat's music system. Most systems these days have a 3mm or 1/8" aux input jack, but every system we've seen has a FM tuner.

Picking up a mooring - Don't hook the loop! If you do, and the boat starts drifting back and the line gets taught you can be forced into the choice of getting pulled overboard or letting the boat hook go overboard. Hook the mooring pennant behind the loop. We went swimming for the boat hook a time or two before learning this lesson.

Queen, does this mean you always check a bag? We try to do carry on only.

Most valuable thing we bring: Duck Tape! Seems we have needed it on every charter! Second most valuable: Bug Spray!

I always bring my journal as well. Every morning I get up early and fix a cup of coffee and while waiting for the rest of the sleepy heads to get up I write about the previous days adventure in my journal. It is hysterical now to go back and read some of these journals from our past trips. It is also my quiet time to reflect and enjoy the early morning views of the harbor. Life is Good!

Great tips so far

We do most of the above! I bring my own snorkel, mask (prescription), Leatherman tool and several pool noodles

delicate subject alert. Clogged heads are no fun

/ We also have a Baggie placed under the sink for used tp

Since implementing this practice I have never had to force a guest to unclog a head. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Otherwise I would only echo

Sailors should have intentions, not plans
You go with the flow and do what the weather allows

Parachute cord, wooden clothespins, fillet knife (for easy release of fish), zip-ties and duct tape are fabulous.

Raise the main sail (with a reef or two), a one person job just take your time, while sitting on the mooring, much easier than when you are bouncing around out of the quiet anchorage.

Can't speak for Queen, but we always check bags. Impossible not to - I have 2 carry on bags (dive gear and laptop/camera bag) and the wife has at least 1 carry on plus we each have 1 checked. I think Kristine might be the only one who brings more than we do. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

You should not do that without someone who truly understands and knows what they are doing on the main sheet. You must have that person on the main sheet from the first hoist until the boat is well clear of the other boats nearby and any hazards on the way to deep water. One good puff and the main is diving the boat not the helmsman.

Good line. Consider it stolen. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

Always have one dinner meal on the boat. You never know when the whim, mood or reality will set in and the boat will not or does not make its way to a suitable shore dinner venue.

Our boats never move until everyone is ready. Why rush? When everyone is ready we make our way to the next great spot.

I'll take it one step further:
"The most dangerous thing on a boat is a schedule"

Don't have "get-there-itis"

dah. Loosen the mail sheet first, so it runs free, the boat won't move. You are still tied to the mooring ball.

That might work on the mooring. In many cases that will not work in a crowd once you let the mooring go and get underway. It is just a matter of time or hoists before the wind gods take control of the boat.

Before starting the engine, when dropping sails,getting ready to leave a mooring, or any time, make sure all lines and sheets, including dingy painter, are secured. Wrapping a line on the prop can really mess up the vacation. Been there!

Order a case of water in gallons just in case you lose the boat fresh water for any number of reasons. When the water stops hand a gallon to each person to get by on until the fresh water supply is restored.

If fashion is your thing... A small pair of slip on heels can work with a backpack. Keep the heels stowed away until you are out of the dink and even off the dock. Then just slip them on.

You should be good to go with one pair of secure Teva like sand and water friendly shoes and one better pair of shore shoes if you are going to frequent some of the higher end venues..... Scrub, Biras, BEYC.... Peter Island.

For fear of being "captain obvious", but I have not seen mention here, but have seen it all the time.

Duffel Bags and Backpacks, leave the rigid luggage at home. The charter company usually won't keep it for you.

We get cases of CHEAP 1 gallon waters, then we get 4 "NICE" 1litre bottles. Yes, we "decant" our water. Cheap water is ...cheap. The sun/sand/booze will dehydrate you... drink more water than you think you need.

Shorten the Dingy painter, really short.

The captain cannot hear what you are saying at the front of the boat, shouting just adds drama....and comedic relief for us watching...yes, we watch

Seeing the above about the dinghy painter reminds me of another tip.

On a cat with Davits, it is not a bad idea to remove the gas tank from the dinghy. We had our dinghy flip in some big waves one time and lost the tank.

Our 9th trip is coming up in June. Here are my 2 cents..
-Have an itinerary but a loose one. Check weather every morning and have a plan B and maybe C if it isn’t what you expected . We use windguru and find it fairly accurate.
-If you see dark clouds ahead plan for a blow. If you are thinking about reefing you should have already done so. Reefing is your friend if in doubt reef - don’t try to be the hero.
-Always close hatches when leaving the boat, even if the sky is blue. A shower /downpour can come out of nowhere and a wet bed sucks.
-Resist the overwhelming temptation to laze in the cockpit and hug your mug all morning. We try to get away reasonably early so we can make a few pit stops (lunch and snorkelling) along the way to our destination for the night.
-Know how to anchor and if your planned destination is conducive to this prior to getting there in case all the balls are taken. Ward loves his range finder for anchoring to judge swing room and helps to evaluate if your anchor spot is a good one. Snorkel your anchor to see if it set well, after you back on it and take a mark ashore. Use your GPS and iphone apt to take a reading so it will alarm if you move at night. The “ lets check to see if we are dragging hatch dance “ at night got old real fast so we use technology now for a better sleep. Still be alert when anchored- weather can change in a heartbeat .
-When mooring if you miss the ball circle around and try again- again heroics are stupid.
-Wear bug spray or some sort of deterrent when ashore in the evenings, sometimes even in the day time ( really happy to have had some on our a recent hike around Sandy Cay). I usually bring a small bottle with me in my purse along with my small flashlight ( never leave the boat in early afternoon for happy hour without a flashlight- may get carried away and leave after dark ) been there done that. Hard to navigate a mooring field in the dark .. and again stupidity to try to do so . We also have solar lights on our bimini which make it really easy to see – especially after a night ashore with some liberations .
-If enjoying liberations ashore, especially at Willy T remember that all the grey dinghies may look the same when you go to leave. We lock ours and also a good idea to tie a colored strip of material or bandana around the cleat where you tie off so its easier to find. Ours is yellow so usually pretty lucky here.
- always bring a portable clock with me. I am notoriously unable to sleep past sunrise when in the BVI and wake up anytime after 4 or so. Having a clock to check to see “ is it time to get up yet daddy” helps me sleep a bit longer. Hate to miss a sunrise ya know! Also after 2 weeks on vacation the alarm is needed just in case the one day I decide to sleep late is the day we need to catch a ferry for our departure home.
- Also find that I have had some itchy rashes on some trips and have found that rinsing off with a fresh water stern shower after being in the water prevents this.
-RE food. We bring some and buy the produce there usually. I find it really convenient to make lunch after breakfast for easy access if sailing or just saves time for more fun things like exploring ashore or snorkelling.
-If on a mono tell newbies who may have never sailed that the boat may “ lean over” but we will not tip. Freaks them out if they do not expect this, especially when they see the smaller monos beside them with rails in the water.
-We love our beverages so bring insulated cups from home- the steel ones from costco keep ice for hours and hours. Careful tho the goose bite is brutal- moderation only especially on the first night- again speaking from experience. Chum is no fun.
-speaking about chumming- if guests are at all prone to be a bit nauseated aboard tell them to sit so they either face forward ( the pointy end) or sit to look out over the stern,. Sitting sideways in the cockpit is a recipe for the bucket if they are a bit yucky feeling at all. If it is about to happen pass the bucket rather than risking a newbie overboard.
- Water , water and more water. Before the liberations and between. Dehydration and sun = a very bad day. We have used the gallon jugs and the small bottles and find that guests drink the small bottles best cause they can grab and go. Again the plastic bottles from Costco are great for water . Come in all colors and are spill proof.


This is something that was posted here on TTOl that I have saved , printed and insist that newbies read on each trip. I have it printed and in a book aboard to review before each trip with first timers.
Tips for Newbies on a sailboat

1. Lots of suntan lotion
2. Don't use the lifelines for stability, use shrouds or handholds instead
3. Don't carry bags in or out of the boat (carry yourself first, then have someone hand you the bags)
4. Watch out for flying elbows when starting the dinghy engine
5. Eat crackers if you are feeling sick
6. Don't get your feet tangled in the sheets
Ginger snaps/crackers or drink are best if you are queezy

7. Shorten dinghy painter when picking up a mooring or anchoring or entering/leaving the dock.
8. Bring 1/3 the amount of clothes you think you need and 3x as much money.
One hand for you, one hand for the boat.
2. Never shut off the engine until you are secure at anchor, on a mooring ball or at the dock. Then shut it off and have a beer.
Newbie Safety tips
-- Don't throw the wash bucket overboard with a rope tied to it and to your wrist while the boat is moving
-- Don't sneak up behind a dude while he is peeing off the back of the boat at 1:00 am
-- Learn ahead of time what the term "we're coming around means". Also, learn what the difference is in "to tack and to jybe"
-- Explain why they call the "boom, the boom"
-- When you are beaching the dinghy, the water may be deeper than you think
Never untie the dinghy from the boat until you have started the dinghy motor and let it run for a few minutes ensuring it will continue to run.

2. If your dinghy ever shuts off abruptly after running fine, you can count on a dislodged fuel line at the motor or at the tank. Make sure both are secure and start again.

3. Never leave the charter co. dock until you're sure your dinghy motor will raise up and stay there. If it won't you'll never be able to dink ashore to any beach.. like White Bay, Sandy Spit or Sandy Cay!
Our Captain has aways made a strong point about man overboard procedures when he gives us the safety briefing. Not that we'll have to do the boat work but that we should yell "man overboard" and point where we saw the person go over, and continue to point.
When picking up a mooring ball, if things go terribly wrong, let go of the pole. You won't be able to stop the boat with it! (see MOB drill)
Just off the top,

1. If the captain asks you to go ashore for more ice, obey him. He's the captain and plus running out of ice creates a very unsafe condition on board.

2. Do not keep asking the captain to adjust the white flappy things so they stop blocking your sun.

3. Leaving your stateroom hatches unsecured while under way can cause no end of bad things to happen up to and including your being pitched overboard halfway to Anegada.

4. Do not shout helpful advice to the Captain whilst he's in the process of docking. He has a great deal of experience doing this and despite the fact that it isn't helping, neither will your rookie advice.

5. It is considered unsportsmanlike to stand around and laugh uproariously should the captain fall from the dinghy while attempting to disembark at Foxy's. Instead, the experienced seaman should be prepared to immediately throw the skipper a line and a cold beer, though not necessarily in that order.

Flotsam: you de man
-- When the boat comes up to the dock, do not use your leg as a fender
-- When you have a man over board (MOB), you just mark the spot on the GPS and go on. It makes the paper work easier at the end of trip and teaches the other Newbie's to hold on tighter.
-- Only the captain gets to carry a sword and gun (see "mutiny" in Wikipedia)
-- Don't swim near the boat if you hear a pumping sound
- go slow, nothing really bad can happen then (this from a power boater!)
- carry at least a flash night when the dinghy is in operation at night and see above point as well
- use said flashlight to watch for anchor lines when coming back from the bars at night
- after safely aboard at night, use said flashlight to shine light into the water and watch the array of BIG fish come around to the light, tarpon and sharks
- no night swimming (see above)
- the captain's always right and if he's not, he's the one with his name on the contract and bears that responsibility if he's not
- don't be afraid to ask if you don't know and always offer to help out
- take navy showers and always turn the tap off when not in use anywhere on the boat
A few things I have not seen mentioned:

Move your dink as far away as possible from any BBQ.

Make the crew understand the BBQ is HOT even if the lid is closed.
I had a buddy lean his arm on the lid during a discussion,next trip with him I brought yellow caution tape and cordoned off the area, he got a kick outa it but still had the scar.

USE the dinghy kill switch lanyard!

If any crew are doing the stern shower and hair conditioner thing make them follow with a deck brush, bucket and dish soap to remove the slippery slime the conditioner leaves on the swimstep!

Have a knife handy if trolling, any MOB, cut the lines!

Make sure all crew is aboard and accoutnted for before dropping a mooring or putting the boat in gear.

If you raise your main on a mooring do open the traveler and mainsheet and back off the mooring nose to wind and anticipate the main powering up and your ability to safely avoid other yachts/people/dinks in your vacinity..I have seen many get way outa control with a raised main in an anchorage..

There are many more, gotta get another beer
Ok, nobody has mentioned handling sheets, halyards, etc.

Any newbie crew members that will be helping out with the handling of lines needs to know the golden rule:

Always have the tail end of any line running thru a rope clutch on winch with several wraps and tension before releasing the clutch, i have seen nasty rope burns and can imagine worse things can happen.

Also a good idea to bring any crew aft of the blocks for the headsail when tacking, the sheets can whip wildly and cause nasty insuries or MOB, same goes when furling.

When releasing main halyards either control the line with a winch or let it run free and keep hands and all body parts clear of the line!

Only wish I had found TTOl before my first trip- just think how much learning from my mistakes I would have avoided <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" />

We are newbies, were down for our first charter last November. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is microfiber rapid dry camp towels. It was a suggestion of Daniel our captain and a great addition to the trip. They are dry in minutes and ready for reuse.
Dale

Every boat and system is different here. Ask and make sure the crew understands how to secure the dinghy before you leave the dock. Very good chance a key step was missed. No dinghy should flip in the secure position. Imagine if the engine even with a safety line had detached. What a mess! Every dink should also have a line securing the fuel tank anyway.

There is a lot to master on these boats now. Sometimes it can help to have one person own and master the dink alone.

As part of the boat checkout and boat brief I suggest asking this.

What is different about this boat? What gets crew in trouble or confused on this boat. Is there anything on this boat that regularly has crews calling on the phone for help?

Hidden breaker particularly for the windless can be an example,

Do not be shy here. Every boat has something different about it.

There's no built in method for securing it - under normal situations its fine. We were going through a channel and had rough surf causing the stern to get low enough to the water to catch and flip the dinghy enough to lose the gas tank. It's not as if we found it upside down, it righted itself, but tipped enough that the gas tank fell out.

This was not our first time on this boat either - just the right circumstances for this to happen. The only mistake made is that we probably should have removed the gas tank all the other times as well.

.. my routine is apply sunscreen nude then apply bikini. I have had too many burns close to the bathing suit line where I was too careful cause I didnt want to get it on my suit. Suit afterwards means you get it on without missing spots. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Sun all day everyday you dont want even a bit of sunburn- not fun at all. and always bring total block just in case I need to avoid more sun in places I may have missed. My nose always suffers!

I agree, Kim, sunscreen before suit. And always apply standing up. I have missed that spot at the top/back of the legs and then gone snorkeling. Not fun.

The dinghy in the davits is not supposed to be able to swing. If nothing else lines from the dingy should be used to secured the dinghy from free swinging. The boat should also be at angle to minimize the water weight in the dingy if you take a wave a flood the dink with sudden sea water. The load created by the swinging weight is never good for the boat, davit or dingy.

My point always make sure you understand how to secure the dinghy for your charter boat before you leave the dock. If you look back and your dingy is swinging on the davits something is not correct and the dinghy is not secure.

At all times the motor and fuel tank should be protected by a line or spliced wire to the dinghy.

It can really help to break down the roles. One or two own the galley and never interfere with their program. Someone must be the master of the vessel, even if you rotate that responsibility daily. I always do my best to have a dinghy captain and master on our trips.

Like I said, this was simply the right set of circumstances to make this happen.

Fact is, the charter boats do not have a great system for securing the dinghy to minimize all movement. The only movement we usually get is side to side and we tie it as best we can to avoid that. In this case it didn't matter - put the boat at a high enough and have a high enough wave at the stern and things will happen.

Only thing we could have done that we didn't is have the gas tank secured in the dinghy. That's why we just remove it now and why I posted about this - so others know its best to just remove it. Securing it as best you can helps too.

oh, you mean a master baiter <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Be sure you know who is the Captain, and who is the Admiral. The Admiral is in charge of the charter, but the captain is in charge of the boat. Anything he/she asks you to do should not be questioned, just do it. Save the questions for the cocktail hour.

Also, regarding blocked heads. On our boat the rule is "if it did not come out of you, please don't put in in the loo" Enough said.

add Center Cockpits and Edsel's as poor investment choices......

Yes. I always check a bag. Hey! I'm from Dallas! At least it's only 1 bag! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

(but I forgot to mention it is huge!) Not including my carry on. We always like to bring a little gift for the boat owner. Just to show appreciation. One month from today!!!
Reminds me of today's poem....
Hooray! Hooray! It's the First of May! Outdoor ******* starts today! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />

If you're going to use the grill on the stern you should first move the dink to the bow.

While I am a newbie to BVI chartering I am not a newbie to sailing. I think I started this with my post last night.

I can not understate how much I appreciated and enjoyed reading the foregoing posts. Sandsailsun, you have been around boats!

I loved "bring less clothes and more money!"

Mooring ball pick-up, just hilarious.

Somewhere around my tenth year, only a year or two into my sailing life, I was involved in sailing instruction that taught us how to pick up a mooring ball. I was in a Penguin - some of you may know this boat .... about 13 feet, a single main, no jib. The mast is stepped forward about a foot or two from the pointy bow. We were instructed to put the boat into the wind to approach the mooring ball, leaving the tiller (lashed amidships on a bungie) to proceed forward as the boat slowed, drop the main, and grab the line attached to the mooring ball as it passed to port or starboard. In my excitement to get that ball, I forgot to drop the main, the boat accelerated as it predictably fell off and my skinny self, not wanting to lose that line, got pulled right into the water as I watched my Penguin sail off into other moored boats! Fortunately, or not, it capsized nicely before doing any damage to the moored fleet. Fun times.

More fun times ...... "nothing goes into a head except what comes out of your body." The wisdom of this statement is beyond mere importance. There is nothing worse than a clogged head to ruin a voyage. Nothing.

It does no good to tell your crew to follow their father's advice, fold only 2 or three panels of toilet tissue, never wad it up, wipe once. They will inevitably wad it up - several times - and the net amount of tissue will equal a third of a roll each time!


Thanks everyone. There is a lot of good stuff here for someone like me, planning my first charter trip in the BVI.

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1AfTmhz9wGZyxGm98-FVAOYqVO7OZa-6HEAeFyjVo6vU

Here is a crew safety list that is great if you have less experienced crew aboard.

No one drink what's left in the last bottle of Grey Goose unless you get permission from the Captain!

I don't reply much... But this one made me laugh! I'm already packing my bags for Cat Fight 2013 No high heels - but plenty of bikinis <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

It's always a trade off to bring "stuff" or go light. Everything we pack I try to think if we can make due without or if I can just as easily pick it up in the ilons.

Things we now bring that noone else has mentioned:

- a couple of large mesh laundry bags. Huh you say? We stick the swim fins/goggles/etc in the bags and throw them down in the aft storage locker. It's much easier to get a bag of stuff out vs. standing on your head in a six feet deep hole trying to snag that last swim fin. Or having all that junk loose in the cabin or cockpit and stepping all over it.

- A 12 volt light that I can plug in at the cockpit table and hang from the bimini top. It gets dark and it's nice to have some light. Some boats will have a light for you. Some will not. It's small and it's worth bringing just in case.

- Water tight storage box. Small made out of transparent plastic. To put your small camera plus wallet in when you pack your shore bag - just in case it goes for a swim...

- Spare pair of sun glasses and reading glasses. Just in case you break a pair.

- We make a bit of food on board. So we bring four or five steel wool pads to clean up with. A lot easier to clean up that frying pan vs. a sponge with soap! And yes - I'm sure we could find that in the ilons as well but seems like we forget and it's small and light weight so why not (we pack a couple of duffel bags with stuff for the five of us).

- always pack a good attitude. Things will happen that you don't expect. Sometimes that might even be stressful or make you angry or sad - like when I stuck my camera in the plastic zip lock baggy and then later stuck the boat keys into the same baggy. No problem you say? Well I had swam ashore with those keys and the "float" on the key chain was no float at all - it was full of water. So I marinated my camera in the water in the plastic bag. Smart one!

- This year I'm also bringing a hand held depth finder. This is probably over the top but.... It drives me nuts that I don't really know if the depth finder on the boat has been calibrated or if someone has decided that a one or two foot safety factor should be added. I think that's nonsense - the depth is the depth. So yes... it's over the top but I'm bringing my own hand held depth finder. Just because I can and it's my vacation so I'm bringing what I want. So there.

Reminds me of a few more things I like to bring....
mesh hammocks and green bags for fruits and veggies. A Sharpie for writing our name on our RED Solo Cups <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />, Glow sticks, thin plastic decorative tablecloths (makes the party festive and you can clean up real easy!) plastic ties for hanging burgees, cold brew tea bags. (Just shove one or two in a gallon of water in the morning, and you have a gallon of iced tea in 3 minutes. They don't have the cold brew down there.

I know that there will be folks who don't agree with this, but I tie a line ( fairly thin strong cord like parachute cord) to the boat hook. This has saved the boat hook many times when we had newbies going for the mooring. I also bring a package of handi wipes--reusable, light and good for fast cleanups. A wrist loop on the flashlight that you take into dinner saves the risk of losing it in the dark. Also, don't shine the flash in the dingy drivers eyes!!! Seems like a "duh" thing, but I can tell you (and I am not a newbie) how many times I have swung around in the dink and blinded my husband!! We also refill small bottles from gallon jugs--sharpie perfect sense for crew ID. Can never bring too many clothes pins--do try to get the old fashioned wooden ones--the plastic ones crack too easily. Put more than you think you need when hanging clothes on life lines--the wind can quickly render them flying objects. Also, never set sail with anything hanging from the life lines, clothes, rags, bathing suits, etc.

My wife loves shelling and looking for sea-glass, so we bring small mesh bags to put her treasures in while she's searching for them.

I bring a waterproof resealable bag on a neck-lanyard to put my wallet, boat papers, etc. in for the dingy ride to shore.

We also bring a very large waterproof dive bag for carrying towels, coverups, cameras, etc. to the beach, and also for carrying goodies we bought ashore back to the boat.

Dingy rides can be wet - especially going back from White Bay, Jost to Great Harbor. Last trip the kids in the bow were wearing their snorkel masks on the ride back!

Ha! On our boat all of the guys have the waterproof bags. We call them "man purses"! They are great!

I'll second the sugestion about tying a line to the boathook.
It is a loooong way down to the water on a large cat and if you happen to drop the hook, it's gone!

I cannot figure out how I would practically use a handheld depth sounder from the helm of a boat?

I do take the time to figure out with both help from the guys on the dock and my own eyes and mask what the reading would be when we touch bottom. That is all you really need for BVI anchorages and navigation.

Just don't tie the other end of this line to yourself, or you AND the boathook may go for a swim.

Back in the 1970's I spent 6 weeks as a student aboard a 130-foot schooner. We got our wash-down water for the deck by using a bucket thrown into the sea. The bucket had a long line on it, and the professional crew was VERY careful to explain to tie the bucket to the railing, and not to yourself. We generally honked along at 8 knots or so, and that bucket would have pulled you right overboard if you weren't careful! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/drown.gif" alt="" />

This may be the very best advice of all.

x2

We had to vote one of our crew "off the island" last year due to a pervasively bad attitude.

Funny. I wasn't planning on using the hand held for anything other than the initial calibration. I'll stick it in the water and compare it with the depth finder on the boat. And either recalibrate it or just note how far off it is. A line with a rock on the end and a measuring tape will do the same. But I have the hand held so why not bring it? I guess my point was, in answer to the newbie question was that you should not trust the depth finder on the boat. A couple of years ago we had a Sunsail boat. Didn't notice until we had left the dock that the depth finder was reading 100 feet. That's a pretty important (most important?) instrument and it needs to be useful.

I'll add a kids menu to this thread (or the start of one):

-- before you let them swim off the boat at a new location, go in yourself and assess the current/wind/drift
-- take them to Scrub Island for a night half way through and let them play in the pools and shower
-- fit them with snorkel masks at home before leaving
-- if conditions are relatively mild, take them to the Bubbly Pool for sure
-- take them to the Baths late in the day when it's not crowded and let them play hide and seek, etc. on the trail to Devil's
-- take them to Happy Hour at Saba Rock
-- bring some boxes of their favorite mac and cheese from home; the food part is generally very easy--you can provision for some stand-bys they eat at home, and most of the restaurants onshore are of the fries and burgers genre
-- don't let them apply their own sunscreen even when they get to the age of insisting they can do it themselves
-- bring long sleeve surf/water shirts for them and try to get them to swim with them on as much as possible
-- a teenager or prototeenager can be nicely encased in the v-berth and an entire day can get underway happily for the rest of the boat without needing to bother with getting them up and prying them out of there
-- bribe them with stops for t-shirts/dresses and virgin coladas if you happen to hit any low morale spots
-- (I know this will be a minority view!) don't allow soda as a regular beverage at home but have a rule that everyone gets cold Cokes whenever they want on the boat
-- have them bring the phone but cutoff data access; no texting while there but take lots of pictures with their phones and do the instagram thing, etc. with their friends on the way home
-- if you have girls, find a compromise system with the water that will allow you to let them wash their hair once a day in fresh water, however briefly; and a small amount of Joico K-Pak styling oil combed in after works great for dealing with the sun and salt to prevent development of a bird's nest and hair bad mood
-- everyone says see Pirate Show at Leverick too, though that is typically done for the season when we charter
-- Willy T is (usually) ok for them early evening on the lower deck on the kitchen side; the food is good and the funny restaurant boat you dinghy to is a fun thing for them
-- bottom line is this is better for them than anyone else regardless; BVI is a total water world and I don't know any kids who don't want that in their dreams

What I really want to know is what the sounder says just before or when the keel touches. You can find a soft clean sandy spot and check by braille.

Or you can do you own bottom safety check in shallow clear water to get an idea what the unit reads with say one foot under the keel. The bright sandy bottom will give you better light to look at the bottom anyway.

Usually the better talent on the dock can tell you what the sounder will say with no water under the boat.

This lying depth sounder thing is one of my pet peeves.

Like others, I want to know the depth as precisely as possible. This is an aid to navigation! Sometimes the charter company thinks they are being smart by making the sounder read 1-2 feet less than reality. All this does is confuse me in times when I REALLY need to know the exact reading NOW. For example, crossing the shallow-spot on the way into Anegada. It's about 7 feet or so, and if the depth sounder starts telling me OH NO! it's 5 feet or 4.5 feet, it makes me immediately wonder if I'm out of the channel!

So to all the charter companies out there: please don't get cute with the depth sounder - please make it read as accurately as possible. Don't dial in a foot or two for a "stupid charterer" factor. You're already trusting us with your $500,000 boat, so this type of gamery simply serves to tick us off.

Just download the manual for it and you can adjust their calibration

Good Luck with that?

"You can find a soft clean sandy spot and check by braille."

there is also a new thing out called a dive mask.

Not everyone puts their face in the water....

The fishing weight and knotted string approach at the dock works pretty well.

You should also ask if it is calibrated to water depth or depth under keel. Good thing to know.

Depth finders MEH....Did everyone know there is a little 25 cent battery in those suckers? Let's just say that it is not on the "Preventative Maintenance" schedule. My preferred way to deal with these suckers is to NOT enter an offset. drop a string and a weight overboard and note the REAL offset on a label. Why? you might ask....

We were in Anegada and the inverter was turned on for a reason that I do not want to be ridiculed in a public forum for, so lets just say we did not turn it off, my bad. The day had a pretty good beamy wind where we were not paying attention to anything important...like the battery gauge....

Pulling into CGB we clear the channel and set to starboard behind the mooring balls...thud...thud...fuque...whiskey tango foxtrot(!!) depth gauge says 6 feet? We get off and I dive the boat, no harm. OFFSET on depth gauge is cleared(?), house battery is at 11.3 volts.

string and rock

Second that.

There are many who use only a good set of current charts and a lead line or a well calibrated depth sounder to navigate one's way through tight spots.

As a newbi to BVI chartering, I'm perplexed that anyone with a brain who works for a charter company would do something like that. But, man, I appreciate the comments here that the depth sounder needs to be checked out thoroughly.... I liked the idea of asking the guy who owns the boat in the slip next to your charter boat what the depth there is. I have never been one to "add" a couple of feet to the sounder reading. It is what it is as long as you know its accurate.

Calibrate.

I have a little 4 oz lead fish weight with a string knotted every foot. All of $.70 cost. When I get to the boat at the charter base I drop it over the side just forward of the mast and count the wet knots. I use that to compare to the depth sounder. Usually I find it set about a foot or so below the keel.

The other thing I do is find the knot log and clean it. 9 times out of 10 it is fouled with barnacles or other crud.

Try the AICW behind Jekyll Island at low tide. Makes the BVI look like the Marianas Trench.

If you read the reviews at West Marine and others... Some claim the best us of the hand held depth sounders is as a weight to measure the water depth?

Pay attention to whether the air vent on the dinghy gas tank is open or closed. If you are unaware that it is closed, you might be surprised when the dinghy engine dies for seemingly no reason. If the dinghy is in the davits, and the air vent on the gas tank is open, you might be surprised when gasoline starts sloshing around underway -- and with no easy way to rectify the situation.

I think the most important tip any newb can receive is to pick the right crew. One person (and it only requires one) can sour an entire trip. Be very careful who you bring <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

I've been enjoying these posts, love the details. One basic sailing item I haven't seen on this list yet:

Make certain that stopper knots are in all of the appropriate sheets and lines.

We didn't notice until our fifth day that we were missing a stopper knot on our outhaul for an in-mast furler. Basic, but I never want to try and fish an outhaul out of a boom!

We take our microfiber towels with use and ignore the terrycloth towels provided. They dry in five minutes. We also take insulated water bottles and refill from gallon jugs as needed.

A lesson learned, if you put a 6 gallon case of water in a deep aft locker you will be getting down there to pull it out! Someone else mentioned frozen gallon of water to keep the adult beverage cooler chilled - works great!

Cheers, RickG

+1 on the stopper knot. As a crew member last year on a moorings 4600 we didn't notice the lack of stopper knots either and had our starboard sheet blow completely overboard on a port tack. We still had control of the port sheet, so we were able to capture it even though it was whipping like crazy. But it left a nasty burn (and now scar) on my forearm that stung the rest of the week.

Bravo!! Stopper knots are one of the first things I check when I get on any charter boat. If none exist, they are tied w/in the first 10 minutes and well before we leave the dock!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Great information....your experience shows!!