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The Voyage of the Alamar

Equipment Check List
[Updated 5/27/01]

Bulletin 5/27/01: A friend who has been to Newfoundland before says nights on
the water up there are "bitterly cold" In light nof this, I'm now
recommending people take lots of warm stuff including heavy gloves, warm
socks, rubber sea-boots with deck soles. For anyone who is nervous about
being a long way from the best American medicine, there is an outfit called
Medjet Assistance which will arrange to have one flown to one';s hospital of
choice from anywhere. Signing up for the service is $175. The number to call
for information or to sign up is 1-800-963-3538.

Might be a good idea to print this list out and use it while packing.

  1. Sleeping bag (boat has foam mattresses, but no sheets or blankets. Life aboard is more like camping than anything else. This is not yachting. There are no staterooms. There is a tiny head with a toilet and washbowl, but no shower, no hot water unless you heat some on the stove)
  2. Pillow. (if important to you. Boat has a few small old pillows)
  3. Two-piece foul weather gear or rainsuit. The heavier the better.(less likely to tear) light weight hiking raingear and long raincoats aren't practical on a boat.
  4. Sou'wester or rain hat. Some people prefer these to a hood.
  5. Deck shoes. Any brand, but must have razor cut soles specifically for boats. Sperry Topsider is best known brand. Don't bring Running shoes, basketball shoes, black-soled shoes.
  6. Sea boots. (optional) keep you dry on deck in rain, make dory landings drier. Again, razor cut soles are better.
  7. Clothing for warm days and cold days, and for cool and cold nights. The daytime summer average high temperature in Newfoundland is 61 F. The average overnight summer temp is 47-54 F. Be prepared for it to be cold and windy.
  8. Bring at least one heavy sweater.
  9. I bring buckskin gloves for handling ropes in a blow and heavy warm gloves for taking my turn at the wheel on a cold day or night.
  10. A Wool watchcap, Navy style, is an excellent way to keep your head warm.
  11. Underwear and socks. Bring a week's worth
  12. Towel, For when we find an anchorage with a shower.
  13. Dark glasses. A necessity. The sun off the water is fierce.
  14. Hat, baseball cap or anything that will stay on in a breeze.
  15. Sunscreen
  16. Chapstick (vital. A few days without one and your lips will crack and blister)
  17. Personal toiletries. Best if packed in a toilet bag of some sort, so you can carry it all to the head and back to your bunk
  18. Swimsuit. For the courageous
  19. Jeans or other pants for hard use. Should not be so long or baggy you trip over them or snag them easily.
  20. Favorite recipe. Everyone helps cook, everyone helps clean up. Bring spices or flavorings you might need. After leaving Castine, groceries will be pretty basic. We have an ice chest, and we can get ice at many places, but there is no freezer aboard.
  21. Camera, Encouraged. Everyone swaps photos
  22. Marlinspike, rigging knife or boat knife. Strictly optional,but a good lockspike or rigging knife is a sort of badge that you are a boat person. Do not buy a folding knife or spike that does not have a solid locking feature.
  23. Duffel-bags only for luggage, please. There is simply no place aboard where suitcases, hard or soft can be stored.
  24. Drugs. No illegal drugs at all, please. The law allows the Customs people to confiscate the entire ship if they find a single joint of marijuana or anything else. We seem to fit one of their profiles for smuggling. We have been searched, and with dogs. We fudge a lot of things, but not this. No drugs. Zero.
  25. Passport. Picture ID is enough for Americans in Canada. But if there is any chance you will be with us in Miquelon and St Pierre, bring a valid passport.
  26. Flashlight and personal reading light. The bunks don't have electric (or any other)lights.
  27. Tapes, walkmans discmans etc. The boat has a tape deck but no CD player. Bring extra batteries for any electrical gadgets you bring. The boat has a twelve volt electrical system and anything you can charge through an automobile lighter socket, we can charge.