"Working" On The Boat While Cruising

How many of you fully prepare the boat before going on a short (less than one month) cruise, and then just enjoy the cruise without doing anything on the boat, apart from fixing those things that happen underway and need to be corrected?

My kids used to laugh everything we just went out for a weekend in your last boat, as I would constantly be doing "little" jobs.

I always thought with this boat and the fact that I was retired so could keep it updated at home dock, I would not be doing discretionary things while on a cruise.

But I just can't help it!

These aren't in anyway big jobs, but little ten or fifteen minute things. Right now my list includes installing a new 12v plug, put vinegar in the AC unit drain pans, tighten the bulb in the port running light, silicon edge of shower base, tighten the hinge of a cockpit gate, and about a half dozen other similar tasks.

I can sit still in the evening on board, but during the day when not moving....

Lol. When we had our cabin cruisers docked down the path from our house my wife forbade it. Something along the lines of, you work on this thing enough in the evenings, you don't need to do it on the weekends. Quit fiddling with it! AND, you have all winter to do this stuff! (we were in the Yoop at the time.)

If something needs to be fixed, it needs to be fixed. I always have a lists of open projects. I usually have most if not all of the parts on the boat. If I'm bored or have time on my hands, I'll sometimes find a project which time will match my level of motivation and doesn't risk taking a critical system offline and just tackle it.

Example, we were at anchor and I found myself restless. I had an old cigarette lighter outlet at the helm. I had a USB upgrade in the 'projects bin'. I tackled the job. I was so happy with the job, I decided to install the iPad mount for the lower helm. I was so happy with that job, I decided to install the iPad mount at the upper helm.

I felt alot better about spending the following day doing what I wanted to do.

I live on the boat but it seams I do most of the boat work when we are actually cruising. Part of that is due to certain systems only get used when we are off the dock. The other part is Murphy’s Law. We just started a week long Thanksgiving Cruise and what happened at the end of day 1, the toilet broke of course. I had the part so no big deal but you know that toilet has been just waiting for my vacation to break.

I try not to work on the boat while away from the dock.

Sometimes that is necessary but I keep my boat in 100% operating condition. If something is broken, or even “iffy” then it gets replaced.

The idea is that when I have the wife, and guests on board I should not have to tear into anything. I just want to enjoy the trip.

What I have found over time is that repairing or replacing marginal things prior to leaving the dock makes for a uneventful trip.

This requires what I call “puttering days”. These are days that I am alone on the boat and can keep things maintained. These are for the most part a very enjoyable part of the boating experience. I spend more days a year “puttering” on the boat than I do away from the dock and enjoy the heck out of them.

I also consider my boat my second home, much more than my wife does. She is cruising based in her boating. She would never consider just sitting at the dock for example. So she does not join me on the boat unless we are going somewhere. I spend about a third of my nights on the boat in a average year, so I have plenty of time to “putter”.

I much prefer NOT to work on the boat when away from the dock, other than necessary small maintenance items. And for short trips (less than a month or so... NO work).



Well, maybe a little something... especially if hanging on an anchor all day. Get tire of exploring, and watching sun sets. And, I don't read books, so need something to do. But nothing with specialized or big tools.


Now, going out to work on the boat....

I only repair things that break while underway or do timed maintenance (like an oil change). Until I get on another major cruise, most of my trips are under 30 days. Projects can wait; maintenance and repair get taken care of.

Ted

tiltrider1 said:

I live on the boat but it seams I do most of the boat work when we are actually cruising. Part of that is due to certain systems only get used when we are off the dock. The other part is Murphy’s Law. We just started a week long Thanksgiving Cruise and what happened at the end of day 1, the toilet broke of course. I had the part so no big deal but you know that toilet has been just waiting for my vacation to break.

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Yup, some things work well for long periods so we tend to forget abut them.
My toilet hldg tank pump cr^^^ed out on our last 3 week cruise.

Ordered parts on phone, ordered 'em and then found what I needed aboard.
So fixed it while killing time awaiting the needed , I thought, parts.
DARN. Needed those new parts as spares anyways.



Just another job to keep me on my toes.

I don't keep busy aboard unless I actually need to but when something is needed I will attend to it. I carry a lot of stuff needed as EMERGENCY supplies/parts but usually not project parts. THat, to often requires tools and supplies I don't have space for aboard. EXCEPT for my VARNISHing jobs. THose I take and varnish while out.

You will probably never have a breakdown because you are always attentive to the boat systems. Drop the lines and go people need seatow.

Big projects reserved for home port.
Smaller discretionary ones are sometimes done as time permits while cruising but they are secondary to the cruise... msybe rainy day fillers.
I also may spend an hour doing some cleaning or "waxing" before kicking back at beer thirty.

I think I've heard that "Cruising is just working on your boat in exotic places"
That has happened but hopefully not often when it is critical

Shrew said:

If something needs to be fixed, it needs to be fixed. I always have a lists of open projects.

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Something is always broken.

menzies said:

How many of you fully prepare the boat before going on a short (less than one month) cruise, and then just enjoy the cruise without doing anything on the boat, apart from fixing those things that happen underway and need to be corrected? ...

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Never. Ever. I have 145 items on my to-do list last count. It's a boat fer cryin' out loud, there is no such thing as done, underway or dockside. Should have named the boat Sisyphus.

Oh, I feel your pain. I thought from 42-foot woodie to 30-foot glass things would slow down. Well, they have a bit, but......

kthoennes said:

Never. Ever. I have 145 items on my to-do list last count. It's a boat fer cryin' out loud, there is no such thing as done, underway or dockside. Should have named the boat Sisyphus.

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That's great. I gotta tell the admiral!

It depends on what needs doing and how motivated I am at the time. Sometimes I just want to chill out and relax, sometimes I have to be doing something.

I never do any projects once we are on a cruise. Maybe something tiny like fixing a lose wire to the anchor light so it will work when we drop the hook but seldom more than that. I do what I can in the Spring and then only fix things which become broken through the summer.

Time for an anecdote..My first boat a 23 foot Penn Yan. I called it my Saturday/Sunday summer. Fix, repair, clean, improve every Saturday in beautiful weather at the dock looking forward to an adventure on Sunday. Every Sunday staying at home and watching it rain, wishing I had gone out on Saturday and not worry about a few repairs.

pete

Vacuflush?

tiltrider1 said:

I live on the boat but it seams I do most of the boat work when we are actually cruising. Part of that is due to certain systems only get used when we are off the dock. The other part is Murphy’s Law. We just started a week long Thanksgiving Cruise and what happened at the end of day 1, the toilet broke of course. I had the part so no big deal but you know that toilet has been just waiting for my vacation to break.

Click to expand...

catalinajack said:

Vacuflush?

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I used to plan sanding and varnishing teak at anchor. No lines to contend with and no hassle from neighbors.

I generally try do everything in advance so I can avoid work along the way. We like to spend our time in port visiting the local attractions...and I prefer to do this without "boat maintenance guilt" hanging over my head. About 8 years ago, I decided I would leave the polishing of the stainless steel rails to do while under way. They still haven't been done... Hmmm...maybe they don't really need it. Can one over-maintain?!

Hah! On my old boat there’s rarely anything major, but forever, everything minor. The only way to keep up with it is by taking care of each thing as it comes up, and that often includes the moments of usage.

menzies said:

I can sit still in the evening on board, but during the day when not moving....

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Wifey B: Idle minds are the devil's workshop.

You need to do something, cruise, keep moving or go ashore and explore. Not just sit there idly. I know when my mind is idle I think of things to do, but not work, and most of which can't be mentioned here.

Menzies, this may not be possible on all boats, but I eliminated the AC condensation drip pans on my last boat by routing the drain line to a new bulkhead thru-hull 2-3' above the waterline.


--Peggie

HeadMistress said:

Menzies, this may not be possible on all boats, but I eliminated the AC condensation drip pans on my last boat by routing the drain line to a new bulkhead thru-hull 2-3' above the waterline.


--Peggie

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I guess it's possible, but I have four units quite aways apart so the runs would be longish. As it is they all run into the forward sump pump that is also used for the guest head. We clear that reqularly as well.

We completed 15 month 8 hr day refit to restore trawler completely .... Have been enjoying trouble free cruising now 3 years. So now do selected " nice to do" type projects as we go on a do it when it feels good timetable. Loving it that way.

If the boat is at the dock, I work on it.
When the dock lines are cast off, the to-do list is cast off.
We relax, enjoy the trip, read ebooks, make more to-do lists,

I prep the boat so that I only have to do the things necessary for continued safety and comfort, which keeps me busy enough. It's a boat.

Projects get done, or worked on, at the dock during times that we are not cruising. Necessary to keep cruising stuff gets done during cruise as needed. Might work on something if we're waiting out weather, etc. Hardly ever without something to do.

Not sure where I read this, maybe on this forum; "something's broken on a boat, you just don't know it yet".