We prepared for our last trip to the Bahamas shortly after both Dave and I got fully vaccinated.
One of the things we looked at is what we can do to lighten up the boat some from our previous trips to the Bahamas. Less stuff = less weight, less to plow through when we needed something, better sailing and more maneuverable.
Admittedly, it helped that we have a storage unit here in Marathon and we would be coming back here. Obviously, if you’ll be heading on to other places, you don’t have quite the flexibility that we do but you may still be able to offload some items.
We didn’t get rid of any of our spare parts and tools. Those are critical gear. As were our ditch bag (see its contents here) and our life raft. But things we took off the boat (or didn’t put on):
- Winter clothes
- Supplies we won’t be needing, such as paint
- Spare parts and owners’ manuals for gear we no longer have
- Various items that we bought, tried and didn’t like; old gear we’ve replaced
- Chart books and cruising guides for other areas
- Excessive amounts of food and supplies
We went through the boat, one area at a time, and made sure we really want everything we have aboard. And, I’ll admit, we sometimes discovered things that we needed to get. We just tried to make sure we’re taking more off than we discover we need to get!
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Ems says
I agree for the lighting the boat but considering the price of food in the Bahamas that would be the one thing I always stock up on big time for there. I was shocked on the prices. And so many tiny island just don’t have much food even available.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Even then, not EVERYTHING is expensive there. Rum isn’t. Dry staples (rice, beans, flour, etc.) aren’t. So you can stock those items for 3 or 4 weeks and then restock in the Bahamas.