High Seas Adventure: How to Prepare for A Sailing Trip

You will need to do early preparation for a successful trip. You must ensure that you have properly prepared your boat for the adventure and packed everything you need for the journey.

Some of the things you should do include: 

Equip your boat properly

To ensure everyone is comfortable and safe, you must equip your boat appropriately. 

Bring life jackets for everyone on board, a toolbox loaded with basic tools, waterproof strobe lights, a large first-aid kit, seasickness medication, immersion suits, flares, a satellite phone, a sea anchor, and a long, heavy-duty rope. 

Even if you don’t intend to anchor, a rope is essential if you require a tow.

Have an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB). This device is activated in the event of an accident. 

When the EPIRB is engaged, a distress signal is broadcast on frequencies monitored for distress calls. For peace of mind that it will work when you need it, buy it from a reputable store such as boatoutfitters.com.

Bring a GPS gadget to read water temperature, a very high frequency (VHF) radio, and a fish locator. For small to medium center consoles, an 8-foot whip antenna is a good choice.

Choose a compass with a reliable nautical chart that you can rely on if something goes wrong with your GPS. 

You also should have an extra battery that will power the electronics for hours if the battery fails.

Have enough food

One of the most challenging aspects of long-distance boating is deciding what to eat ahead of time. But, as any adventure boater knows, nothing beats a fantastic supper on deck in the middle of nowhere.

Because meals usually taste better outside, it’s worth planning ahead of time to ensure you have the necessary supplies on hand.

Calculate how many dinners you’ll need in your journey, then organize a rotation. Boneless chicken thighs, filleted fresh fish, and steaks all freeze well.

Take them out of their respective container, divide them into two halves, and wrap each in freezer paper. Your dinners compress when frozen, taking up minimal space in your boat’s ice box. Don’t forget to label everything to make them easy to find.

You should stash pasta, rice, faro, and other dry items. You can spice these up with inexpensive, storable ingredients like simmer sauces, canned artichokes, and sliceable polenta.

You’ll have to be strategic if you’re a veggie and lettuce enthusiast—stronger lettuces, such as romaine, last longer than delicate leaves, so have more of the stronger ones. A bag or two of frozen tender small peas is also useful.

Carry enough fuel

The last thing you want is for your boat to run out of fuel in the middle of the ocean. To ensure this doesn’t happen, follow the rule of thirds.

Use the rule of thirds to calculate how far you can go without using more than a third of your fuel supply.

Check that you’ll have a third remaining for your return to the land and another in reserve. The third will ensure you’re covered if the weather changes in a way that causes you to slow down and consume more fuel. In addition, the reserve will be available if you need to change direction.

Be smart about the water issue.

Water is a constant concern for longer excursions to distant areas. Many boats install a water maker, which is costly and requires constant monitoring.

You can fill your tanks with drinkable water at marinas if you don’t have a water maker. When that isn’t an option, you must be extra cautious: know how many gallons of water your tank holds and keep a close eye on it.

You should be able to complete your journey without refilling by conserving water, using backup containers, and capturing rainfall. When possible, cook with saltwater (it works well for vegetables but not pasta).

When boiling, it can also be used to wash dishes, followed by a freshwater rinse.

Think about entertainment

It takes a few days to unwind. But once you do, one of the most enjoyable aspects of being on the lake is how time magically expands. Suddenly, your fragmented concentration deepens.

Without distractions, you discover that you can read that book you’ve been putting off–and many more.

On a sailboat, even non-readers have reading superpowers.

You should bring more books than you’ll need, as well as a tiny portable speaker for music listening, a deck of cards for cocktail hour, and any other travel-sized activities you prefer.

Think about connectivity

As much as being out of the cell-service range can be peaceful as you get to spend time with yourself or loved ones, it’s good to be connected once in a while to know what is happening in the world.

When you need connectivity for work, arrange marina stops. You can also outfit your vessel with a Wi-Fi Ranger or Iridium Go for worldwide SAT voice and data access.

Have an emergency plan.

Although rare, accidents happen. The boat can sink, and you might get ill, among many other things. To feel confident on your trip, you should have an emergency plan.

Thankfully, there are plenty of options you can go with. You can have an inflatable life raft to help you abandon a sinking boat. Before you set sail, you should confirm that the inflatable raft is in good shape.

The last thing you want is to have an emergency, and you can’t inflate it.   

Have an EPIRB that sends a distress signal containing your precise location.  

You can also make a ditch kit that you can grab in seconds and jump into your boat. Keep the kit in a visible location.

Ensure your kit contains flares, a waterproof VHF radio, food, and water. It goes without saying that you should always know where your personal floating devices (PFDs) are.

Parting shot

When you are going for a long sailing adventure, you need to prepare for it properly. The most important thing to do is to avoid haste. Take your time and think your adventure through. Before you set sail, ensure that everything is in place and your emergency plan is well thought out.