Considering that we recently moved up our cruising plans by nearly a year and still have a ton of stuff to do before we cast off the lines (like, er, get a boat), it's easy to become overwhelmed. It's easier to break it all down into bite-sized pieces by listing the major steps and then analyzing each as a separate project to be worked on. When one project gets frustrating, we can leave it alone for a day or two and think about how to better go about it while chipping away at other projects. Considering my airline background, it's natural to arrange it all as a checklist, and thus we have easily slipped into cruising sailors' natural affinity for list-making.
Here's a simplified version of our checklist of everything that needs to be done before heading to the Bahamas in (ideally) January, with completed items marked off.
_x Long-Term Cruising Planning
_x Rough Itinerary
_x Budgeting - Pre-cruise & On Boat
__ Obtain cruising guides Bahamas through Puerto Rico/USVI
_x Sell Washington Townhouse
__ Sell Minnesota Home
_x Carpet, Paint, Basement Windows
_x List with Realtor
_x Home Inspection Repairs
_x Transfer Utilities
__ Close June 7th
__ Move to temporary apartment for Summer 2016
_x Find Appt & Sign Short-Term Lease
_x Sell or Donate Unneeded Furniture & misc.
__ Sort & Box up Belongings - Storage, Apartment, Boat, Donate, Sell, Trash
__ Fix & Sell Dawn's Jetta
__ Move Motorcycles to summer storage
__ Rent Storage Unit
__ Borrow Trailer, Move June 4th.
_x Sell Piper Pacer
__ Purchase Boat: Spring/Summer 2016
_x List Type, Preferred Features, Likely Models
_x Online Search, Spreadsheet, Daily Update
_x Begin looking at Boats - May 2016
__ Boat-Shopping Roadtrip - Memorial Day Weekend 2016
_x Research Surveyors
__ Make an Offer
__ Survey + Sea Trial
__ Separate rigging & engine inspections as needed
__ Negotiate Repairs
__ Obtain Financing
__ Obtain Insurance
__ Take Delivery
__ Short Familiarization Cruise w/ Skipper
__ Obtain Temporary Slip
__ Search for yard to do repairs/refit
__ Towboat US Membership
__ Documentation
__ Change name if desired, rechristening ceremony
__ Obtain or transfer USCG Documentation
__ State registration &/or sales/use tax if required
__ Sailing Education
__ Dawn: ASA 101-104 Sailing Course June 2016
__ Sam: Marine Diesels class July 2016. Marine Electrical Class Sept 16?
__ Both: First Aid Classes, Fall 2016
__ Both: Safety at Sea seminar, Fall 2016
__ Refit Boat: Summer/Fall 2016
__ Make list of repairs & refits required before cruising vs deferred items.
__ Move Boat to Yard that allows owner work. Decommission & Haul.
__ Cosmetic/gruntwork repairs: we do
__ Technical Repairs: yard or technicians
__ Late October: Bottom job, recommission & splash.
__ Obtain all required safety equipment, personal equipment, etc.
__ Reregister EPIRB
__ Certify Life Raft
__ Assemble Ditch Bag
__ Voluntary USCG Inspection
__ Move Preparation: Summer/Fall 2016
__ Put Dawn on Sam's Medical Insurance
__ Bid to Atlanta Base
__ Get Piper's vaccinations updated & fresh vet bill of health.
__ Transfer Sam's remicade/GI specialist to Atlanta-based hospital
__ Fresh Class I medical to establish summer base month
__ Bid for September or October CQ
__ Move motorcycles to winter storage
__ Move down to boat: November 2016
__ Rent trailer, move out of Apartment, sell or store remaining belongings not going to boat.
__ Establish South Dakota Residency, power of attorney to Dawn's mom.
__ Change all bills to online only.
__ Move boat to suitable liveaboard marina near commutable city.
__ Cruise Preparation
__ Short (2-3 day) shakedown cruises - Intracoastal, outside, anchoring/mooring.
__ Record electrical needs & solar/wind output, test watermaker, etc.
__ Practice sail-handling & maneuvering, revise running rigging as needed.
__ Inventory spares and obtain as needed.
__ Move boat to South Florida December 16
__ Obtain any needed paper or electronic charts through Puerto Rico
__ Store or Sell Nissan Xterra
__ Sign up for weather router, start listening to HF weather & cruiser nets.
__ Port Phone numbers to Google Voice, Cancel Verizon Service 1/17
__ Provision, Refuel, Top off water
__ Update float plan
__ Find good weather window, leave for Bahamas January-February 2017
Yeah, that's "it." I know it's not complete, I add new things every time I revisit it. Anyone have additional suggestions? Time to me to head down to the garage to chip away at the next project.... ;-)
Here's a simplified version of our checklist of everything that needs to be done before heading to the Bahamas in (ideally) January, with completed items marked off.
_x Long-Term Cruising Planning
_x Rough Itinerary
_x Budgeting - Pre-cruise & On Boat
__ Obtain cruising guides Bahamas through Puerto Rico/USVI
_x Sell Washington Townhouse
__ Sell Minnesota Home
_x Carpet, Paint, Basement Windows
_x List with Realtor
_x Home Inspection Repairs
_x Transfer Utilities
__ Close June 7th
__ Move to temporary apartment for Summer 2016
_x Find Appt & Sign Short-Term Lease
_x Sell or Donate Unneeded Furniture & misc.
__ Sort & Box up Belongings - Storage, Apartment, Boat, Donate, Sell, Trash
__ Fix & Sell Dawn's Jetta
__ Move Motorcycles to summer storage
__ Rent Storage Unit
__ Borrow Trailer, Move June 4th.
_x Sell Piper Pacer
__ Purchase Boat: Spring/Summer 2016
_x List Type, Preferred Features, Likely Models
_x Online Search, Spreadsheet, Daily Update
_x Begin looking at Boats - May 2016
__ Boat-Shopping Roadtrip - Memorial Day Weekend 2016
_x Research Surveyors
__ Make an Offer
__ Survey + Sea Trial
__ Separate rigging & engine inspections as needed
__ Negotiate Repairs
__ Obtain Financing
__ Obtain Insurance
__ Take Delivery
__ Short Familiarization Cruise w/ Skipper
__ Obtain Temporary Slip
__ Search for yard to do repairs/refit
__ Towboat US Membership
__ Documentation
__ Change name if desired, rechristening ceremony
__ Obtain or transfer USCG Documentation
__ State registration &/or sales/use tax if required
__ Sailing Education
__ Dawn: ASA 101-104 Sailing Course June 2016
__ Sam: Marine Diesels class July 2016. Marine Electrical Class Sept 16?
__ Both: First Aid Classes, Fall 2016
__ Both: Safety at Sea seminar, Fall 2016
__ Refit Boat: Summer/Fall 2016
__ Make list of repairs & refits required before cruising vs deferred items.
__ Move Boat to Yard that allows owner work. Decommission & Haul.
__ Cosmetic/gruntwork repairs: we do
__ Technical Repairs: yard or technicians
__ Late October: Bottom job, recommission & splash.
__ Obtain all required safety equipment, personal equipment, etc.
__ Reregister EPIRB
__ Certify Life Raft
__ Assemble Ditch Bag
__ Voluntary USCG Inspection
__ Move Preparation: Summer/Fall 2016
__ Put Dawn on Sam's Medical Insurance
__ Bid to Atlanta Base
__ Get Piper's vaccinations updated & fresh vet bill of health.
__ Transfer Sam's remicade/GI specialist to Atlanta-based hospital
__ Fresh Class I medical to establish summer base month
__ Bid for September or October CQ
__ Move motorcycles to winter storage
__ Move down to boat: November 2016
__ Rent trailer, move out of Apartment, sell or store remaining belongings not going to boat.
__ Establish South Dakota Residency, power of attorney to Dawn's mom.
__ Change all bills to online only.
__ Move boat to suitable liveaboard marina near commutable city.
__ Cruise Preparation
__ Short (2-3 day) shakedown cruises - Intracoastal, outside, anchoring/mooring.
__ Record electrical needs & solar/wind output, test watermaker, etc.
__ Practice sail-handling & maneuvering, revise running rigging as needed.
__ Inventory spares and obtain as needed.
__ Move boat to South Florida December 16
__ Obtain any needed paper or electronic charts through Puerto Rico
__ Store or Sell Nissan Xterra
__ Sign up for weather router, start listening to HF weather & cruiser nets.
__ Port Phone numbers to Google Voice, Cancel Verizon Service 1/17
__ Provision, Refuel, Top off water
__ Update float plan
__ Find good weather window, leave for Bahamas January-February 2017
Yeah, that's "it." I know it's not complete, I add new things every time I revisit it. Anyone have additional suggestions? Time to me to head down to the garage to chip away at the next project.... ;-)
No comments:
Post a Comment