5 TIPS FOR TRAVELING WITH A BOAT
Traveling with a boat really differs from backpacking or Van-Life. We already experienced this with different boats and would like to share a few tips with you, so that you can enjoy your own vacation even more. Because on the boat you’ll be faced with enough other challenges!
There are various online plattforms just like findacrew.com or crewbay.com, where you can apply for private or industrial boats and their Crews. Thereby we were having awesome adventures afloat, sailing lessons and got to untouched nooks in this world- despite an own boat or deficient sailing-experiences. It’s prevalent about sail- and motorboats; so a perfect opportunity to make your journey a little more sustainable.
So here we go- read through these 5 tips to make your journey a wonderful and positive adventure!
Provisions
- Fresh grocieres like fruits, vegetables, bread, milk, cheese, eggs or meat are only terminally good. If there’s a fridge, the durability prolongs- but nor forever. We choose different degrees of ripeness for fruit/vegetables, so that the groceries can after-ripen (for example green avocado or banana). The warmer the destination you travel to is, the faster the groceries perish! Therefore there are a lot more cultivated goods, what means you can buy fresh food on a regular basis.
- Potatoes and onions last quite long without getting cooled. Those dry and long-life groceries are the winners for a trip with a boat. We also made good experiences with rice cakes, unseasoned chips or crispbread; they lasted weeks and even months!
- (Dry) Beans, peas and lentils are even longer perishable and are also suitable to grow sprouts. Very easy and always a good opportunity for a fresh and nutrious garnish!
- Rice and Noodles are as good as beans and when you have an oven on the boat, you can take flour and baking ingrediences with you.
- Eggs last longer when you turn them from time to time- but there are a lot of practicable alternatives for baking without animally products.
- You can buy canned fruits, vegetables, beans etc. and store them forever; unchilled too.
Clothing
- Weatherproof clothing is very important for a trip with a baot, because you can’t escape from the weather and are probably at its mercy for days. Thus waterproofed, fast-drying clothes is proper for your trip, as well as wearing onion look. Depending on how warm or cold your destinations are, whether you are a lot on high sea, cruise between some islands or along the coast also the required clothing changes.
- Quick-drying travel towels are handy and a hat and some sunglasses virtually duty!
- Grippy shoes (watershoes), Flip-Flops and a pair of sturdy shoes for shore leave or hiking should be on board.
Hygine / WC
- It’s helpful to have a fresh water tank aboard- so is a water conditioner which makes drinking water out of seawater. Drinking water is of course more important than the water you shower with! So we had the shower into the ocean on a few boats (with ecologically compatible shampoo of course!) and a quick rinse off the salty water afterwards. Pleasant with warm temperatures and without high waves; though for a multi-day trip and coldness.
- A shower as well as a toilet inside the bathroom of a boat does not have the same volume as one at home. Therefore you gotta plan the time for washing etc. Things that are helpful (besides economally friendly shampoo): a cosmetic bag to hang up including a plastic bag (if something leaks)and hanging items in general, which proves itself as very useful on a always waggling boat.
Electricity / Internet
- The more power you have on board, the more devices can be used. But besides a fridge, light, navigation devices, anchor-motor etc. there’s often not much left for your phone, a microwave or electric kettle. If the motor is running anyway you should stand the chance and charge everything there is, incuding the battery of the boat.
- Powerbanks are very practical; as well as having your phone in flight mode.
- Internet is rare on high seas and coastal waters; so you’re gonna do a (involuntary) digital-detox. Some boats can receive and send e-mails via satellite. Otherwhise villages or shorelines herald for mobile data. We often have a number of things we want to look up or settle online so we pre-write messages to friends and family to only have to press the “Send” – button once we get internet-reception.
Pastime / Motion
Inherently you have a lot of time on the boat. Indeed, everything you do on a boat takes more time, because the premises and equiqment are limited and in many cases the boat moves; so you need to latch on to something. Besides there is the best pastime: sailing itself!
- It can take a lot of time to adjust sailing settings, scruitize navigational equipment or planing a route.
- Reading a good old book is a nice alternative, espacially because it doesn’t consume electricity. However, an e-book is of advantage for travelers with few luggage.
- Observing the ocean with its inhabitants as well as other boats or the natural forces like wind and water can be a great amusement.
- When anchored, go stand-up-paddling, snorkelling or canoeing!
- Due to the limited physical exercise on board we take every chance ashore to stretch our legs, explore the village or do some sports. Moreover it is the best time to do all the things you couldn’t do while sailing- the time at sea moves fast, perceived even faster than ashore.
One last, very essential tip:
You should always have enough travel sickness pills with you!! Wind and water can foil even the seaworthiest sailors.
The sailing-community is huge and known for its mutual support. Making contact is easy and fast- maybe because it can get lonely on the high seas. So you get to know a lot of different people and their stories!
We hope our tips gave you some motivation to try out a travel on the waterway and look forward for another traveler on the seas and oceans of this world!
If and how the actual implementation of these tips worked on our journey at the coast of mexico, you can read in our own travel blog: https://findpenguins.com/2e2mlukekinzc/trip/6020ee36a16306-64606793