Hotspots further afield: going for an overnight or longer trip

Feeling adventurous? If you have perused the local waters for awhile you might be ready to venture further than you can get in a few hours. An earlier course this year covered local short trips. This course introduced us to some of the many options for longer trips. Unfortunately, I was ill on this evening and unable to attend. Fortunately, AMIB member Greg Martin was there and sent me some notes that I'll summarize here.

Prepare your boat and your route

A longer voyage comes with risks that you can only mitigate with proper preparation. The sea may be calm on the day you leave, but weather can change, the sea can quickly change from friend to ... less hospitable friend. Make sure your boat is shipshape, and plan your route in detail.

Boat prep: is your engine maintenance up to date. Check it over and manage any concerns before you leave. Similarly, with sailboats, be confident the sails won't be a concern mid-voyage.  Also check your electronics and electrical system. 

Route prep: Plan ahead for way points along your route. Where are the safe harbours? Understand the currents and tide schedules and plan your departure times and estimate distances you expect to cover each day. Be able to answer questions like these: will you always anchor? will you travel from marina to marina? will you sleep aboard or camp ashore? Plan for changes in the weather too!

On Board prep: check your toolbox to ensure you have the tools for your boat. Check your safety gear (here is a useful link to determine what is required in Canada for various types of craft). Pack provisions (food / water) with extra in case of stays longer than you anticipate. 

Resources: educate yourself and be more prepared. Firstly, how knowledgable are the people you are travelling with? They may be a great resource to help in a tricky situation. Also you could explore the weather history for unfamiliar territory you'll visit to help anticipate risks. You can also download apps with useful marine information (e.g., Tides, C-Map, MarineTraffic, Windy). Lastly the Wagonner Cruising Guide​

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