A Simple Plan
What to do in advance of a cruise to maximize your fun factor.
By Dave Kelley
April 1, 2004
There aren't many things more pleasurable to more people than a successful cruise, a day or
more spent exploring, wandering, or doing whatever, going from here to there and back again, with
maybe a few stops in between. When you're cruising you can sightsee, ski, wakeboard, ride an
inflatable, lie in the sun and nap, or even drop a line and see if anything's biting. When done
right, a cruise can seem as spontaneous and effortless as drawing breath. When done wrong, though,
cruising can be a chaotic hasslefest that results in one or more participants swearing off cruising
forever. The difference between the two is good planning. Even the most freeform cruise works
because there's a plan involved, a skeleton on which you can hang the meat and the muscle of
relaxation and fun. The key is to build the skeleton before rattling your bones off to the launch
ramp.
Good planning doesn't mean developing a full-blown case of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), micromanaging every detail so that you're unable to do anything unless everything's perfect. The best cruise plan is an outline that can accommodate changes easily while keeping you on target for your goal ' a fun cruise.
If you put 10 cruisers in a room and had them each create a cruise plan, you'd probably get 10 entirely different responses, but a closer look would most likely find some basic similarities. Each plan would probably include long-range chores to be done well in advance of the outing, short-range chores to be done the night before or the day of the outing, and a float plan to cover the cruise itself. If you touch those three bases, you're doing well. It may take a few practice cruises of short duration to get a feel for how much detail is the right amount for you when it comes to planning. Some people want nothing more than a short list reminding them to bring the ice chest and checkbook, others want a checklist that rivals those used by NASA for rocket launches. Give yourself a few easy outings to find out where you fit on that spectrum. Just make sure your to-do list covers the Big Three: long-range, short-range and float plans.
Long-Range Plans
There's a balance to be struck, for sure, but for the most part the majority of preparation for a cruise can and should be done well in advance. In fact, the more you get done in advance, the better the cruise usually turns out because there's no last-minute problems because something was overlooked. The following long-range plan isn't set in stone, but it's been proven to be a good foundation for a more detailed plan over years of cruising.
First, decide on the duration of the cruise. A day trip requires the least amount of planning. An overnighter, weekender or longer demands a bit more forethought. Even if you're only heading out for the day, however, the same general cruise planning is applicable. Here's
a sample to-do list for a weekend cruise, all of which can be done as much as a week prior to the trip.
1) Plot itinerary on chart. (A good rule of thumb is to limit travel to 75 to 100 miles per day to keep from having to run full-throttle from place to place.) If you don't have charts for the waters you plan to navigate, buy those charts and then plot your course.
2) Locate suitable marina(s) for overnight docking, and make reservations if necessary. If you'll be sleeping on board, make sure that's allowed, or plan on finding safe mooring. If you're not sleeping on board, locate and book rooms at hotels near marinas.
3) Make sure boat and trailer registrations are up to date; renew if necessary. Nothing kills a cruise buzz like getting a ticket for an expired registration.
4) Make sure all of the boat and trailer maintenance is current. (Oil changes, bearing lubes, etc.)
5) Determine the number of passengers you'll have, and put at least one PFD per person on board.
6) Store all watersports gear (skis, wakeboards, inflatables, tow ropes, handles, etc.) on board.
7) Install fresh batteries in all of your handheld electronics.
8) Make sure there are two fully charged fire extinguishers on board if there's not an onboard fire suppression system. If there is an onboard system, make sure
it's fully charged.
9) Draft a float plan. This will be your itinerary while cruising. For a quick primer on float plans, see the June 2003 'Back to Basics' article in Boating World.
10) Begin tracking weather for the cruise. The Weather Channel has a good website (www.weather.com) that gives extended forecasts, as does the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (www.noaa.gov). The NOAA site also has charts and other useful stuff and should be on every cruiser's bookmark list.
Short-Range Plans
This is the stuff you can do the day or night before the cruise as well as the morning of departure. It's best to do it all the day or night before the cruise if it's possible, though. Here's a sample to-do list that's been used by generations of experienced cruisers.
1) File your float plan. In simplest form, this means telling someone you trust that you'll be taking a day trip, leaving from launch ramp A at X a.m., having lunch at restaurant B and returning home around Y p.m. that evening; it will also include a description of your boat and all passengers. A longer trip's float plan will have more details. This is so someone on shore knows where you're supposed to be and when you're supposed to be there, just in case.
2) Do your shopping. You can save a lot of money by purchasing all your food and drink at the supermarket. Once all of the shopping's done, go ahead and store all non-perishables on board; bring the perishables on as you head out for the launch ramp. Everyone's shopping list will be different, but always include sun block, ice, biodegradable bath tissue, biodegradable dish soap (doubles as binding lube for skis, you know), trash bags, extra batteries, drinking water and ice.
3) Fill the boat and tow vehicle with fuel. Again, you'll save loads of money ' and a lot of time and hassle ' by filling up at the local gas station the night before instead of queuing up at the marina first thing in the morning. Also, fill the boat's water tanks.
4) Store all charts, handheld electronics, DC chargers and your spare batteries on board.
5) Get the final weather updates. If the weather's even a little bit dodgy, then you should reschedule.
6) Put extra ball caps or wide-brimmed hats on board because somebody's going to forget his or hers. The same goes for drink koozies.
7) Go over the itinerary and charts with passengers so everyone has an idea of where you're going as well as an idea of how to read the charts so they can help navigate if necessary.
8) Hook up the boat, trailer and tow vehicle. Check all electrical connections and lights; repair or replace if necessary.
9) Pack all of your luggage and stow
it on board before you leave.
10) Lock your doors and turn off lights when you leave the house.
A well-planned cruise isn't by definition a great cruise, but it's got a head start. The more you plan and get done ahead of time, the less you're likely to forget and have to either replace or do without. More importantly, the more you plan and get done ahead of time, the more relaxed you'll be when it's time to actually head out the door and be on your way because you'll know that you're well-prepared. And a cruise is supposed to be all about relaxing, isn't it?
5 Signs You're Doing TOO MUCH Planning:
1) Your 'to do' list is so large that you've had to divide it into volumes. Try to divide things up into long- and short-range chores.
2) Your itinerary is broken down by minutes and seconds instead of days and hours. Give yourself some time to explore or rest at a nice cove.
3) You were supposed to leave last Saturday but are still working on the fifth draft of your float plan. Take a few practice cruises so you'll know the ropes beforehand.
4) The Pentagon has begun calling to ask if you'd help them arrange the deployment of the Pacific Fleet. Checklists are a good idea, but so is delegating some tasks to your crew.
5) Finally, if you're putting instructions in your will so your heirs can finish the preparations, you're probably doing too much planning.
Good planning doesn't mean developing a full-blown case of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), micromanaging every detail so that you're unable to do anything unless everything's perfect. The best cruise plan is an outline that can accommodate changes easily while keeping you on target for your goal ' a fun cruise.
If you put 10 cruisers in a room and had them each create a cruise plan, you'd probably get 10 entirely different responses, but a closer look would most likely find some basic similarities. Each plan would probably include long-range chores to be done well in advance of the outing, short-range chores to be done the night before or the day of the outing, and a float plan to cover the cruise itself. If you touch those three bases, you're doing well. It may take a few practice cruises of short duration to get a feel for how much detail is the right amount for you when it comes to planning. Some people want nothing more than a short list reminding them to bring the ice chest and checkbook, others want a checklist that rivals those used by NASA for rocket launches. Give yourself a few easy outings to find out where you fit on that spectrum. Just make sure your to-do list covers the Big Three: long-range, short-range and float plans.
Long-Range Plans
There's a balance to be struck, for sure, but for the most part the majority of preparation for a cruise can and should be done well in advance. In fact, the more you get done in advance, the better the cruise usually turns out because there's no last-minute problems because something was overlooked. The following long-range plan isn't set in stone, but it's been proven to be a good foundation for a more detailed plan over years of cruising.
First, decide on the duration of the cruise. A day trip requires the least amount of planning. An overnighter, weekender or longer demands a bit more forethought. Even if you're only heading out for the day, however, the same general cruise planning is applicable. Here's
a sample to-do list for a weekend cruise, all of which can be done as much as a week prior to the trip.
1) Plot itinerary on chart. (A good rule of thumb is to limit travel to 75 to 100 miles per day to keep from having to run full-throttle from place to place.) If you don't have charts for the waters you plan to navigate, buy those charts and then plot your course.
2) Locate suitable marina(s) for overnight docking, and make reservations if necessary. If you'll be sleeping on board, make sure that's allowed, or plan on finding safe mooring. If you're not sleeping on board, locate and book rooms at hotels near marinas.
3) Make sure boat and trailer registrations are up to date; renew if necessary. Nothing kills a cruise buzz like getting a ticket for an expired registration.
4) Make sure all of the boat and trailer maintenance is current. (Oil changes, bearing lubes, etc.)
5) Determine the number of passengers you'll have, and put at least one PFD per person on board.
6) Store all watersports gear (skis, wakeboards, inflatables, tow ropes, handles, etc.) on board.
7) Install fresh batteries in all of your handheld electronics.
8) Make sure there are two fully charged fire extinguishers on board if there's not an onboard fire suppression system. If there is an onboard system, make sure
it's fully charged.
9) Draft a float plan. This will be your itinerary while cruising. For a quick primer on float plans, see the June 2003 'Back to Basics' article in Boating World.
10) Begin tracking weather for the cruise. The Weather Channel has a good website (www.weather.com) that gives extended forecasts, as does the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (www.noaa.gov). The NOAA site also has charts and other useful stuff and should be on every cruiser's bookmark list.
Short-Range Plans
This is the stuff you can do the day or night before the cruise as well as the morning of departure. It's best to do it all the day or night before the cruise if it's possible, though. Here's a sample to-do list that's been used by generations of experienced cruisers.
1) File your float plan. In simplest form, this means telling someone you trust that you'll be taking a day trip, leaving from launch ramp A at X a.m., having lunch at restaurant B and returning home around Y p.m. that evening; it will also include a description of your boat and all passengers. A longer trip's float plan will have more details. This is so someone on shore knows where you're supposed to be and when you're supposed to be there, just in case.
2) Do your shopping. You can save a lot of money by purchasing all your food and drink at the supermarket. Once all of the shopping's done, go ahead and store all non-perishables on board; bring the perishables on as you head out for the launch ramp. Everyone's shopping list will be different, but always include sun block, ice, biodegradable bath tissue, biodegradable dish soap (doubles as binding lube for skis, you know), trash bags, extra batteries, drinking water and ice.
3) Fill the boat and tow vehicle with fuel. Again, you'll save loads of money ' and a lot of time and hassle ' by filling up at the local gas station the night before instead of queuing up at the marina first thing in the morning. Also, fill the boat's water tanks.
4) Store all charts, handheld electronics, DC chargers and your spare batteries on board.
5) Get the final weather updates. If the weather's even a little bit dodgy, then you should reschedule.
6) Put extra ball caps or wide-brimmed hats on board because somebody's going to forget his or hers. The same goes for drink koozies.
7) Go over the itinerary and charts with passengers so everyone has an idea of where you're going as well as an idea of how to read the charts so they can help navigate if necessary.
8) Hook up the boat, trailer and tow vehicle. Check all electrical connections and lights; repair or replace if necessary.
9) Pack all of your luggage and stow
it on board before you leave.
10) Lock your doors and turn off lights when you leave the house.
A well-planned cruise isn't by definition a great cruise, but it's got a head start. The more you plan and get done ahead of time, the less you're likely to forget and have to either replace or do without. More importantly, the more you plan and get done ahead of time, the more relaxed you'll be when it's time to actually head out the door and be on your way because you'll know that you're well-prepared. And a cruise is supposed to be all about relaxing, isn't it?
5 Signs You're Doing TOO MUCH Planning:
1) Your 'to do' list is so large that you've had to divide it into volumes. Try to divide things up into long- and short-range chores.
2) Your itinerary is broken down by minutes and seconds instead of days and hours. Give yourself some time to explore or rest at a nice cove.
3) You were supposed to leave last Saturday but are still working on the fifth draft of your float plan. Take a few practice cruises so you'll know the ropes beforehand.
4) The Pentagon has begun calling to ask if you'd help them arrange the deployment of the Pacific Fleet. Checklists are a good idea, but so is delegating some tasks to your crew.
5) Finally, if you're putting instructions in your will so your heirs can finish the preparations, you're probably doing too much planning.
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