Boat equipment

[powerboater56]

I have just closed on a 2005 Albin 35 CB. The boat was in great shape, and very clean, but it was repossessed and doesn't have much small equipment onboard. I will need to buy all galley stuff like plates, cookware etc., boat fenders, electrical cords, boat hooks, cleaning and maintenance stuff, spares, and more. I'm moving up from a center console so I have little experience owning a boat this size and little cruising experience.

If any of you have suggestions on what works and equally important what doesn't work I'd love to know. I'll be bringing the boat back to New England via the Erie Canal so I know I'll need a few big ball-type fenders for use in the locks. I'm guessing that I should get 5/8" dock lines, probably in 25-ft and 35-ft lengths, but I'm open to suggestion. If any of you have tools, cleaning items, docking equipment, electrical equipment and/or spares that you have found essential or even useful I'd love to hear your thoughts.

One item I am wondering about is a new TV. The boat has an old bulky TV and I am planning to replace it with a flat screen. I'm unsure whether I should go for a TV that operates on 12V or stick with a 110v unit. Also, I am wondering whether one of the inexpensive stationary TV antennas would be adequate for reception at dockside or in a calm anchorage or whether I should consider one of the new small, expensive antennas from KVH that follow satellites and work underway. I do not intend to ever watch TV underway but may watch occasionally at anchor. The boat has a generator but I'd like to minimize usage if possible. I do not believe it has an inverter and I'm unsure if that is something I should install.

I'm considering fold-up chairs for the cockpit for use at anchor and dockside, and fold-up bicycles to explore the towns along the Erie Canal. Advice on these items most welcome.

Also looking for advice on where to buy the equipment at the most favorable price. I've looked on line for some items and noticed prices vary dramatically for dock lines and other small stuff.

The boat has a Garmin 2010C GPS/chartplotter that is not state of the art but seems to be a well-regarded unit. I am planning to add an autopilot and the new Garmin GHP10 has been reviewed quite positively in Power/Motoryacht magazine plus a couple of electronics blogs. The Gamin 2010C is not able to use the new Garmin G2 charts -- I would love to hear from people who have experience with them if the G2 charts are so much better that I should upgrade to a newer GPS/chartplotter. The Garmin 2010C will interface with the GHP10 autopilot so I do not have to upgrade unless I feel the newer charts are a big improvement.

Thanks for your input! The new boat will be named "OTTER."

John Schieffelin
Jamestown, RI

[jcollins]

Wow John! Congratulations on the new boat. Otter is a good name.
Your questions are numerous and I'm sure you will get a good response. I have one of those cheap round TV antenna's that works great at the dock. But, with the switch to digital you may want to consider the better one.
Your question about lines: 5/8 should be fine. I would have a couple of longer spring lines available. I have two sets of lines. One set is left at the slip when I leave and the other is stored onboard for docking at other piers.
Where to buy? I have used boatfix.com and defender.com for most of my online ordering. Of course there is always Worst Marine when you need something quick but I find them a little pricey.
There was a discussion here about the fold up chairs. I started with the stainless type but found them cumbersome to store. I switched to the lightweight, mesh type chairs that have a wider stance. (yeah, I know, I read the wider stance jokes in the other thread. ) They are easier to store.

By the way, you do need to add a burgee to that beautiful boat.

[jleonard]

Sounds like a great trip...I bought my old Albin in Rochester 3 years ago and cruised her to Mystic, Ct so I knw the route.
Scroounge up some old fenders for the trip if you can. Otherwise make some cheap covers out of towels or similar. The trip will ruin new fenders for sure.
You need a boat hook fore and aft for the trip, and a couple of pairs of cheap gloves as the canal lines are yucky.
Defender has about the pest prices you'll find...catch their spring sale it's comming up soon I think.
For lines ready made are good and you can NEVER have too many. I buy a spool of 5/8 nylon and splice my own loops as needed, use some for anchor line.You can save a lot that way and have the right lenthg lines.

The canal authority has areally good guide/charbook for the canal. You can buy online for not much $$.

Best of luck on your trip.
Jay

[Veebyes2]

If you don't have a marine store nearby, galley stuff can be found at a RV supply place or Wally World. 5 lines should do it, 2 spring, bow, stern & a spare. Check to see if the boat has an inverter/charger. If not a 2KW will do most of your light AC needs. For bikes we bought a pair of Downtube http://downtube.com/ 9 speed folding bikes. You might want to buy wider aftermarket seats for them.

[zinbaad]

Best of luck in the new boat, sounds like a beauty
and what a wonderful way to cruise the first time, down the canal with the views!
Good luck.
Wholesalemarine in Fla has some good deals, ships real fast too

[Jack28]

If you want a cheap set of fender covers go to Walmart and buy a cheap pair of sweat pants and cut the two legs off and you have two fender covers they work real good. JACK

[jleonard]

Hey Jack..... that's a great idea.

[powerboater56]

Thanks for ideas about boat fender covers. From what I've learned, fender covers are strongly discouraged in the Erie Canal because the lock walls are so rough they chew up fender covers instantly. The shredded fender covers fall in the water and gum up the lock doors and mechanisms. So for the Erie Canal I intend to buy several big inflatable round ball fenders -- I gather the round shape works best in locks -- and hope they survive the locks.

Still interested to hear what spares/tools/equipment have been invaluable for Albin owners. I have signed up for a hands-on diesel maintenance/repair course at Mack Boring which I hope will help me learn how to maintain the Yanmar.

I am still evaluating stuff I need to get like medical kits, PFD's, flashlights, shore power cords and adapters, boat hooks (Shurflo extendable?), flat-screen tv's for boats, antennas, tool selections, multimeters, Vacuflush accessories, custom bed sheets, EPIRBS, and on and on. At some point I'll have to grapple with buying a dinghy and dinghy davits but I figure I won't need a dinghy in the Erie Canal or Hudson River so I'll put off that decision until I get back to Rhode Island.

Appreciated suggestions on Boatfix and Wholesale Marine. The prices for dock lines on Boatfix were excellent, although I wasn't sure if some of their dock line brands like Uniforce, Bridgeline Ropes and Seachoice were OK quality. I ordered one each from several manufacturers so I can compare them. I intend to go to the sale at Defender later this month, and hope I can pick up PFD's and other basics at a good price. I found a review for marine binoculars in an old Powerboat Reports issue and they liked the West Marine Tahiti and Nikon Ocean Pro. The West Marine Tahiti 7 X 50 were on sale ($100 off) at my local store so I picked up a pair.

[gerygarcia]

Congrats on the new Albin!

My suggestions
Don't skimp on lines. Buy good ones and they will last a lot longer. The best ones stay on the boat,
the older are for your dock.
Make sure you get new flares, since the ones that were on the boat are probably expired.
A standard West Marine tool kit goes a long way to what you need. There will be other tools
specific to your engine that you might want to have on board.
I would have a spares stash for the basics like oil filters, belts, fuses at the minimum.
Wood plugs - just in case you spring a leak in you through hull areas and a nice rubber mallet to do the job quick.
Get a good (larger the better) fire extinguiser.

I'm sure there's a lot more that you would want.

You can go crazy at a West Marine regarding stuff for the galley

For your trip throught the canal:
Buy the largest ball fenders that you feel comfortable lugging around with you on your trip. Replacing fenders is alot cheaper than fixing fiberglass
Get the quick set and release contraptions for the fenders, since you might have to switch from port to starboard in a hurry.
Make sure you have at least two boat hooks and work gloves with the rubber on the palm side.

[Veebyes2]

I use the round fenders on my 32. The flare of the 32/35 makes the elongated fenders pretty much useless. Taylor has some nice ones. For the locks I like the idea of the track pants from Walmart. You are going to look pretty silly walking into the store with a fender in hand so that you can get the right size pants.

[Mike]

hmmmmm....spare impeller, engine zincs, hose replacements, fuel filters (primary and secondary), wax toilet ring - easy way to fix leaks, small can of deisel, throwable cushion, and a first aid kit. And beer. yup, think that's it.

[Mariner]

Oh, man I could make a list longer than I-90 of things you'll want for your boat.

Lets see, first, I actually like the large diameter, cylinidrical, Tayler-Made fenders for locking-through. The round ones tend to want to either be above or below the rub-rail, and thus don't offer the maximum protection and sometimes pop out when pressed against a wall. On a boat with a dramatic flare like an Albin, the cylindrical ones will straddle the rub-rail and stay in place. But to each his own; and not all locks are the same.


Obviously you will need to equip the boat with all the required safety equipment before making the trip; flares, PFD's, whistle, fire extinguishers, etc... This is much more important than what type of tv you will buy. In addition to what's required by the USCG, you will want other safety equipment as well. I highly recommend a Lifesling. From what I understand, these were recently approved as throwable devices, but many that are out there do not carry the proper labeling, and many CG inspectors will not know or care. They will want to see a traditional, untethered throwable. A good sharp knife is a MUST have. An example of where a serrated knife blade would have made a difference is the case of the NFL players who recently drowned off the coast of Florida. Their anchor got stuck and they were unable to free it. Also helpful in this case would have been a retrieval line for the anchor. Very few boaters carry and use these, but they are invaluable. This is a small (1/4") line that you tie to the opposite end of the anchor that you can pull on to free it if it becomes fouled on the bottom.

Make sure you have a VHF radio. This is a higher priority than a new tv antenna or newer GPS. The VHF is your direct link to the Coast Guard and helps them locate you in ways that a cell phone can not do. I recommend both a stationary and a handheld. Again, the event in Florida drove this point home. They had a working VHF onboard, but once capsized, it was useless becaue the antenna was underwater. But don't think that a handheld alone is enough. You will want the range of a stationary unit. The handheld is a backup; useful for after you've made your initial distress call with the stationary so the CG can aim their receivers in your direction for better reception, and you're in the water, no longer able to use the stationary radio.

As for the tv, it will depend on whether you plan to primarily stay in marinas or not. If so, go the 120volt route since it will be less expensive won't put wear and tear on your batteries or charger when you're on shorepower. If not, one of those 12 volt units might be better, since it won't require using an inverter, which has inherent inefficiencies. I'm not clear on what you're talking about for an antenna, but I think you're comparing a simple antenna to a sophisticated gyro-stabilizing satellite dish. If so, there is DRAMATIC difference in cost. One can be had for the boatowner's equivalent of a few bucks. The other costs thousands and requires a monthly subscription. Of course, there is also a dramatic difference in coverage area and channel availability.

I like New England Ropes. Go with at least 5/8" lines on your 35' CB. Three 25 footers, and one 50 footer. The 50' footer goes on the bow. The other three are for the stern line, the after-tending, and the forward-tending. The long line on the bow is so you can bring it aft and step off the swimstep with it, rather than have to jump to the dock. It must be removed whenever it's not secured or if you are underway. Otherwise it's too risky that it will end up in the prop. Truthfully, ALL lines should be removed and stowed when you're underway. I'm not familiar with the locking system on the Erie canal, but the locks here require that you have at least two 50' lines with a 12" diameter loop tied or spliced into the end you pass up. And you don't want to use your nice lines in the locks. I carry four regular three-strand nylon lines just for the locks, two for each side, so I don't have to switch if I gamble wrong on what side they will put me on.

For spares, you'll want two oil filters, spare fuel filters (two each for both the primary and the secondary), two spares for each belt, two spare water impellers, and at least a couple gallons of Delo 400 (I suggest Business Costco for the oil). Also, you will want a yellow five gallon diesel jug that is 3/4 full. The fuel in it is for if you run out on the water. The extra space is in case you need to drain fuel out of something (like a filter). With the jug should be a funnel with a built-in wire mesh strainer (to keep the contaminated fuel from the filter out of the jug, and the contaminated fuel from the jug out of the fuel tanks).

I'm a big believer in keeping a few spare warm jackets on the boat, as well as a full set of foul-weather gear. You just never know when you're going to head out on a clear, warm day, and find yourself out in cold, wet, and windy weather. Gloves are good too.

MOST important is that you take a digital camera along to document your journey so you can post the pictures here and share with the members!