How long can you stay out on the hook in 30-42 ft boat?

I enjoy long times at anchor while fishing, cruising or lazing. Over the years, I've modified my boat with systems with the goal of being able to spend two weeks on the hook without touching a dock when singlehanding. Of course, this drops by more than 50% when a crew 'mate' is aboard. My personal best is 16 days with just a trash haul of convenience bc I was bored, but I used a dink for entertainment and stopped a a couple bars and restaurants. I can easily hold 3 weeks of food aboard with two fridges.

How long are you able to stay out until the limits of power, water, fuel, sanitation, food, water, comfort, bait, beer/booze/??? or entertainment are reached?

What's your record solo boat excursion without docking?

When I was younger two weeks but not in one spot allowed recharging batteries. The sad part is/was that I and the boat could have lasted longer if not for the dreaded must go back to work.

Now headed into semi retirement (as in still working part time) while the boat can go longer, the older body may not. We are looking to go 3 weeks this summer, only time will tell if we will do it.

Interesting question. With ample solar, freezer, decent sized fridge, 500g diesel plus a watermaker and a compost head, limiting factors become food and perhaps beer/booze. Depends on what the underlying circumstances are. When 9/11 hit, my boat was equipped as a bug-out vehicle with 6-mos of very austere accommodations for two. For cruising? Depends on where we are. Gasoline for dinghy is probably our biggest hard limit. That and craving for fresh salad. Without that, we could easily go 3-months between provisioning if needed.

Peter

I have to ask, What is your budget for deodorant?

My boat is smaller than most here so the hard limit tends to be fresh water. I can carry plenty of bottled drinking water, but just for cleaning, showering, head operation, 40 gals doesn't last too long. You can always carry enough non-perishable food. Power can be handled by the generator for a very long time. I guess if I knew I had to or wanted to stay on the hook for an extended time, I could stretch the 40 gal of water as far as possible. Never tried more than a few days in one place.

On prior 46’sailboat we could and did stay totally off grid for periods >1 month. Limiting factor is food. With solar/wind/watermaker and appropriate spares it’s only food that’s limiting. Eating nothing but hard stores is miserable. Sure carry rice, beans, flour, pasta and canned or cured meats. But a nice roast with a salad or fresh veggies is a joy. In boats in the size range your talking about will have 400-1000g of diesel and several tanks of propane. You’re not doing passages just bopping around a select cruising ground so fuel isn’t as limiting as food. With adequate ventilation you don’t run AC. So it’s food especially fruit that’s limiting. In the tropics you occasionally get lucky and can pick fruit and catch the occasional non ciguatera prone safe fish..

arc said:

i have to ask, what is your budget for deodorant?

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good one!

Arc said:

I have to ask, What is your budget for deodorant?

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If he is alone it isn’t as important…

This couple has circumnavigated AU on a 30' sailboat, living very well but very self-sufficient and minimalist. Their latest video documents 2 months out without reprovisioning. I love their videos - very enjoyable and informative. They have a provisioning guide available as a free .pdf download as well.

FlyWright said:

How long are you able to stay out until the limits of power, water, fuel, sanitation, food, water, comfort, bait, beer/booze/??? or entertainment are reached?

What's your record solo boat excursion without docking?

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Well it depends:

Without docking, I'm probably between 3 and 4 weeks in Lake Champlain. Now I did dinghy to shore for a grocery runs. Lake Superior (The Apostle Islands or Isle Royale) it was 2 to 3 weeks without reprovisoning. In these fresh water lakes a daily soap swim can replace a shower. With a 2,400 mile range, 300 gallons of water and an 80 gallon holding tank, the fresh fruit and salad probably becomes the limiting factor. I guess the other question is whether you consider dinghying to shore to walk an island or climb a mountain as not staying off the dock.

Ted

On a previous 33 ft catamaran it was 8 weeks
Lots of fresh fish, rice and rainwater

On our current vessel we can and do stay off grid indefinately
Into our 6th year without touching a dock apart from haulout and a tender run for fresh veg every few weeks.
We have done a 4 month stint with zero reprov on her with full freezers and frozen veg

We spent two months in the Abacos, coming in to a marine every other week for provisions, water and holding tank pumpout (well, if I recall correctly, the Bahamas doesn't know about holding tank pumpouts- don't tell!).

Water and fresh food were the limiting factors. We took quick showers, saving the warm up water for rinsing dishes. Frozen meat and vegetables ran out after two weeks as well.

David

Once the new 110-ish gallon water tank is done, we'll be able to comfortably go at least a week without needing anything more than taking the dog ashore.

The 70 gallon holding tank is easily good for about 10 days with 2 of us on board, but could probably be stretched a few more days if we're really careful. If we're not moving around much (not burning much fuel) and don't mind carrying water back to the boat on some of the dinghy trips with the dog, waste capacity would be our biggest limiting factor.

We know from experience that provisioning food for 2 - 3 weeks is easy for 2 of us and we could certainly provision for longer if necessary. In general, if provisioning by dinghy is acceptable, we could probably stay away from docks nearly indefinitely, save for fuel and pumpout stops.

With 400 gallons of water, big frig, freezer and huge pantry, we can go approximately 40 days without going to a dock, which we did when we summered in the Broughtons.

Sandpiper is 40'.

On the Inside Passage two of us easily go three weeks before running low on fresh veggies and fresh water. If I fire up the watermaker we can go a good bit longer, especially if the fishing is good, relying more on foods that do not need to fit into the fridge. Certain crew members wish the ice cream lasted longer.

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An interesting addition to this thread would be to not only say how long you can stay on the hook, but what is the limiting factor. In our case, about 15 days. At that point we need to add fresh water. That is with 2 of us on board and both showering every day, so not exactly roughing it. We have no water maker. When we were traveling most of the time, it would not have have mattered because we were usually in areas where one probably would not have used a water maker anyway. So, 15 days.... limiting factor is water.

AZ2Loop said:

An interesting addition to this thread would be to not only say how long you can stay on the hook, but what is the limiting factor. In our case, about 15 days. At that point we need to add fresh water. That is with 2 of us on board and both showering every day, so not exactly roughing it. We have no water maker. When we were traveling most of the time, it would not have have mattered because we were usually in areas where one probably would not have used a water maker anyway. So, 15 days.... limiting factor is water.

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We're typically my wife & I, 2 dogs, our 3 kids, and 1-2 guests, so a big crew. We got a water maker before last summer's 6 week excursion because without it, even with 400g of tankage, water use was constantly top of mind, and each guest needed to be educated. Adding the water maker made for a massive improvement.

We're now at the point where our limiting factor is not so much provision-related as enjoyment-related. Wife and kids get restless after a week or two totally away from civilization. Not needing water means re-provisioning can be done easily via dinghy, at our convenience when we go to shore.

Interesting question Al. We carry 350 gal of water (no watermaker), 600 gal of diesel, and have a good generator. Fairly large fridge/freezer. Our limiting factor is our holding tank at 40 gal - of course if 3 miles offshore no problem. Will have to give it try when the Admiral is away some time, and see how long I can go.

FlyWright said:

I enjoy long times at anchor while fishing, cruising or lazing. Over the years, I've modified my boat with systems with the goal of being able to spend two weeks on the hook without touching a dock when singlehanding. Of course, this drops by more than 50% when a crew 'mate' is aboard. My personal best is 14 days with just a trash haul of convenience bc I was bored, but I used a dink for entertainment and stopped a a couple bars and restaurants. I can easily hold 3 weeks of food aboard with two fridges.



How long are you able to stay out until the limits of power, water, fuel, sanitation, food, water, comfort, bait, beer/booze/??? or entertainment are reached?



What's your record solo boat excursion without docking?

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How long is a piece of string?

socalrider said:

....We're now at the point where our limiting factor is not so much provision-related as enjoyment-related...

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Great point. I would say more often than not, that was our situation too. I love nights on the hook, but sometimes a marina sounds great to us, too.

We are two aboard and food is the least concern. In order of importance in being away from dock is:
1. Power: As we do not have solar yet, with the previous battery setup power would go out after a day. With the battery setup it would be about 3 days (without moving or running a generator).
2. Water: with our setup we have about 2 weeks of water capacity for shower, cooking, dishwashing (we just drink wine so no issue there ).
3. Holding tank: about 3 weeks of capacity for 2 of us.
4. Wine: about 2 month capacity under the bed

L

We are aiming for six weeks on our boat once we get it on the water for our fist year.
Like others mention here, i anticipate water will be our issue. On our trailer we can go two weeks on our trailer water tank.
Our boat will have 2-1/2 times more water but I feel for boating we will be using more than we use on the trailer.
I am predicting 4 weeks on our current setup. If necessary I can always daisy- chain another tank if needed to get to our 6 week target.

Some other features we will have on our boat for extended trips are:
800w solar for our house batteries.
400A 12V useable house battery power
High efficiency 12v solar fridge.

All our systems are 12v, we have no need for an inverter or ac power when we leave the marina, though we do have a Genset on board should the need arise. As a matter of fact, we declined the need for shore power at our marina for the 2022 season.

It is really limited by the tolerance of the crew. Back in the days of the first single handed around the world races, it would be about a year. There is still a single handed non-stop round the world race run periodically but the times are down to 80 - 90 days or so. Also fully crewed non-stops (takes more stores), in the 60 day range at this point. Some very strange person went out and sailed around the South Atlantic for 2 years (or was it three?) just to say he did.

Energy you can make, water you can make, you can catch some food but that is probably the limiting factor.

Really impressed with all of you.
Tons of great points and info for my self to digest.
I’m a people person, don’t think I could ever stay of the grid.
A few days at anchor…, and I need to get back to the dock.
I’m not set up for long stays at anchor.
But you’ve all got me thinking. Which feels great !
Like to rethink my boating endeavors.

If it was a zombie apocalypse and my life depended on being absolutely self sufficient, I could probably stay away for a month. Fuel and power wouldn't be an issue for months, likewise with the composting loo. The limiting factor would be food and water. If I kept to a skimpy budget of 6.5 gallons per day, that would get me a month. There is a watermaker down in my engine room, but It hasn't been in service for decades. I have no idea if it works or not.

In the real world, I just don't like being isolated for more than four or five days away from civilization. Even if I don't go out or socialize much, I find it comforting to be near others. I like being in a neighborhood.

I need to run my engine every other day for about two hours to top off the batteries, have a water maker and I'm boating in an area where the occasional flush doesn't trash the environment. I researched generators, but my engine uses less fuel than a generator does so it's pretty much a wash on engine vs generator. I am good until I runout of salad, and I am comfortable leaving the engine running while I take a hike ashore.

Pretty much until I run out of things I want to eat without side dishes.

For me being away from a marina for long periods isn't a problem. More than about 2 days in one anchorage (or marina) though and I get restless. Current trawler has no washing machine, so that sets the time between marinas. Used to do laundry in a bucket but have gotten lazy in my dotage.

Hi,

about 2 weeks (maximum time 17 days), water is critical which runs out first. Usually on a long cruise we go every 7-10 days to refuel with water and fresh food and possibly culture experiences, otherwise we enjoy the wild nature of our incredibly magnificent archipelago in Finland and Sweden. In summer, hygiene is simple, swim and wash the sea and a small shower of salt off, at this brackish water and salt concentration of only about 0.3-0.5% at its highest in the Danish Straits 2%

NBs

4-5 nights and I'm ready to go home. I like my boat but love my house. Guess I'm in last place here and I'll be eaten by zombies. I'll be looking for some hot female ones on my return

Speaking of clothing, we carry enough clothing during our summer trip of around 8 weeks to avoid doing laundry.

That's 56 pairs of socks, t-shirts and undies plus long sleeve shirts and shorts in less quantity. . Everything gets washed upon our return home.

We got tired of washing our cloths at marinas and yacht clubs with only 2 to 4 washers and dryers. There usually are other boaters waiting to use the laundry.

And we don't have a suitable location for a washer/dryer on Sandpiper.