Daily checklist

I'm putting together a daily check list for our upcoming charter in June and wanted others to share items that they "check off" prior to setting sail each day. I've got my short list but always looking to improve it...

We will have some newbies on the boat so I will assign them some of these tasks. I look forward to your suggestions!

Check that the distance between waterline and water had not changed.

Seriously, how about no lines in the water or that may fall into the water.
Dinghy line secure so it can't mess up a prop
Oil level in engines
Systems on such as navigation instruments, engines running and water discharging from exhaust,
Weather forecast, consider windytv,
swell forecast , consider windguru and windy tv
Route planning
Here's a start.

Adding to that list:
* Check electrical panel and turn off everything that doesn't need to be on.
* Close all hatches
* Secure the cabin - very annoying when sitting in the cockpit and hearing a door slam or some cup that just went flying. Arg!
* Some would say radio check. In the BVI I think I'm one of the few that actually has it turned on so I don't bother.

Additional items:

*check the dinghy - engine up and not full of water (especially if it rained)
*pull up swim ladder
*re-secure any safety lines that were opened the previous day at anchor - I always double check this one myself even if I assigned to someone else
*remove items hanging on safety lines
*trash and ice - really anytime someone is going to shore and depends upon location/options
*stock cockpit cooler - not just for beverages when anchored later in the day. A cold water in the mid-day heat is much better than a warm water pulled out of wherever they were stowed at the beginning of the trip.
*Sunblock
*Secure personal electronics. I always ask if everything is secure and follow that up with where is your computer, phone and camera. Towels on the salon bench are probably okay, kids ipad they put down and forgot about earlier when they rushed out to sea turtles swimming near the boat, maybe not.

I tried to radio boat in the SFD last trip that left its dinghy behind. They did not answer but someone noticed it missing and they came back for it as we were getting ready to pick it up.

I'm laughing to myself a little bit - I'm trying to think under what circumstance I'd be able to leave my dingy behind and not notice it. I've heard of people "loosing" their dingys before so it's obviously possible and does happen.

On the "check dingy and pull up the engine" comment. Other than some drag is there a reason to pull up the engine?

I put my dinghy up on the davit . Haven't left it behind yet. Did leave grandsons girlfriend once, she took a swim to shore, grandson slept in.....We didn't get far! Ha

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> That's hilarious!

She has great sense of humor, laughing so hard she was having hard time getting back on board!!

They started with the dinghy, got about ½ mile from Cooper when the dinghy decided to execute its escape! We were right behind them so hard to miss.
Polypropylene line is slippery especially when new!
G

Great thread, keep the checklist tips coming!

On the other end of the sail, after mooring/anchoring, the first thing we do is drop the swim ladder. We moored in Great Harbor once and immediately went to shore to go to Foxy's. When we returned my cousin took a misstep from the dinghy to the boat and fell in the water. He's not a small man and we had a hell of a time getting him back in the dink. Climbing on the boat was even harder. Simple solution is make sure the swim ladder us down!

Love this....any more suggestions?

Raise the Main sail while still at anchor/mooring before leaving. Much easier (a one person job) than when bouncing around out in the channel. I usually put a single reef in, which can easily be shaken out. Also its nice to have a sail up just in case the engine conks out, in the right conditions you don't even need the engine (but have it running anyway).

One thing we learned on a rather choppy day heading out to Anegada: prior to leaving a harbor, make sure to unzip your sailcover and unlash your halyard if you'd tied it down - it is not nearly as much fun to do when the boat is diving through 5 ft waves!

Was Wondering about this and the etiquette involved. We did this when we were moored at Goerge dog but there were only two other boats and the wind was just right to fall off the mooring ball and catch the wind. Not sure how comfortable I would feel doing this in a crowded mooring field but it does make raising the sail so much easier to avoid the lazy jacks.

thx

I think it's drag and more a habit than anything. . .just something I have always done. Better option would probably be to use davits, but I generally do not put the effort in for a short hop between islands. If it's rough, I would either use davits or leave engine down.

I'm on a mono that's not big enough for davits - so I'm pulling my dingy. I would think you're better off with the outboard down. I can't believe there is a measurable drag difference and I would think pulling up the outboard is rough on the little pin holding it up out of the water when bouncing over the waves. The whole mounting bracket is designed to take a bit of a beating with the engine down. Not sure about up.