[PUP] Any suggestion - or PPM should die ?

[2elnav at netbistro.com]

> Hello, could we ask all the sailors on here to look at not the top 600K
> trawler but put their experience to making a good seaworthy small
> passagemaker, and what a small passagemaker would need. I think it is good
> to look at the top of the market knowing the products which have world
> wide reputation but when you have to put your mind to the economical
> solution and making the budget solution there may be a different story.
> Any thoughts ?
> Regards
> David


REPLY
One thing that is quite obvious to me.  Back in the late sixties when I
first got into boating we did not have so many conveniences and personal
comfort equipment. Not that I am opposed to comfort and convenience but
how about reading any of the accounts by globe trotting cruisers like Hal
Roth, Eric and Susan Hiscock, in and Larry Pardey, Bob Bebee; not to
forget more recent cruisers like Ben Gray in Idlewild and Steve Dashew. In
recent months I have heard people say in a slightly disparaging tone that
these people are minimalist or that the speaker isn't into camping out or
willing to live in a college dormitory type environment. The point is
these were the pioneers who proved it could be done.

The common denominator these days seems to be a degree of self indulgence
rarely heard of in earlier times. That's fine if you can afford these
things, but lets admit they are not essential. Having clean tanks to store
potable water in is essential.  Having a spa complete with hot and cold
running showers, mistings and water massage is not. For that matter is a
full size bathtub really critical?  Some  cruisers in bygone days  hung up
a black plastic bag to get sun warmed showers. Ok ok  I admit this may be
going beyond the pale and so does blocking up the cockpit foot well to
make a tub. But you know what I mean.

There are critical systems and then there are other systems. It used to be
potable water was delivered to the sink with a foot pump as a conservation
measure. For regular clean-up you used salt water. Nowadays it seems you
are deprived if the RO water maker cannot deliver 600 GPD for multiple
fresh water showers for every crew member each day.

A main cabin stove was once considered the height of luxury and comfort.
Today it has to be a central hot water hydronic heating system, preferably
 by Kabola ($14k)  but if you go cheap you get a Webasto or Espar ( only
$6k)
AT one time cruisers used blocks of ice and a refrigerator was a luxury.
Today a fridge is the norm and most also have a freezer. But even that is
not enough. The better equipped cruising boat must also have ice makers
and a wine chiller. And Garbage disposal in the sink drain!  Quite apart
from the question of using these in some jurisdictions, is this really the
way to treat our environment?

Have our collective self indulgence gotten in the way of common sense?    
How many cruising people can still navigate with pencil, paper and a stop
watch. How many can actually take a celestial sight and reduce it to a
plot? We take it for granted that instant positioning to an accuracy  of
less than a boat length is the norm. Its very nice but is it essential?
(I'm ducking for cover)
The list is endless. However the list of "absolutely essential"  systems
hasn't changed that much and will not be greatly different, be it a 36
footer or a 76 foot luxury megayacht.

Drinking water, food storage,  propulsion fuel,  cooking facility of some
kind (forget gourmet cooking) and a dry warm bunk to sleep when off watch.
Those are the essentials. Almost everything else becomes comfort systems
of ever increasing complexicity. And the more complex, the harder it is to
maintain, not to mention being expensive.
Hey if you have the money, by all means indulge and enjoy!  But there are
other approaches.

Arild
old timer who started in wooden boats