Passage Preparation Checklist
Engine
Oil and filter change
New fuel filters (include checking/cleaning bowl)
Check belt tension
Check stuffing box not leaking
Top up battery water level and equalize charge
Fill fuel tanks
Take sample off bottom of both fuel tanks (check for water or sludge)
Fill one spare jerry jug of fuel (for bleeding or emergency)
Spare belts, fuel and oil filters
Oil for 3 full oil changes
Service complete spare set of injectors (if they have been used)
Rig
Sail inspection/touch up seams with popped stitches
Make sure all telltales are intact
Wire tie (or mouse with stainless wire) all shackle pins closed (and any other pins that might vibrate loose) Check halyards for chafe
Renew marks on reef lines and on halyards (drop or pull lines to marks)
Renew marks on jib tracks for various sails (esp. storm jib) sheeting position
Mark (on mast) spin car pole position for poling out jib
Make sure all clutch labels still readable
Check spreader boots
Clean all shackles and blocks with soapy fresh water
Set up preventers
Set storm jib sheets
Hank trysail on mast track (where it lives on passage)
Stow storm jibs in head shower area
Install stern blocks (used for trysail sheets and drogue briddle)
Install ‘safety loops’ thru center of blocks (spectra soft loops to contain them if they should explode) Galley
Fill all propane cans
Test all burners/oven on stove
Flush and fill water tanks
Fill two jerry jugs with water (for emergency)
Several spray and squirt bottles of slightly soapy water (in cockpit and near companionway, to rinse salt off hands and feet – keep salt out of boat)
Pre-prepare first 3 to 5 dinners – ‘heat and eat’ single bowl meals
Stash ‘grab food’ (granola bars, Chocolate bars, dried fruit, etc) in easy accessible places
Add additional ‘taste bud’ food (pickles, strong sauces, etc)
Safety
Set fixed work station tethers and jacklines
Put drogue and warp on forepeak sole
Put ditch bag next to companionway
Oil and filter change
New fuel filters (include checking/cleaning bowl)
Check belt tension
Check stuffing box not leaking
Top up battery water level and equalize charge
Fill fuel tanks
Take sample off bottom of both fuel tanks (check for water or sludge)
Fill one spare jerry jug of fuel (for bleeding or emergency)
Spare belts, fuel and oil filters
Oil for 3 full oil changes
Service complete spare set of injectors (if they have been used)
Rig
Sail inspection/touch up seams with popped stitches
Make sure all telltales are intact
Wire tie (or mouse with stainless wire) all shackle pins closed (and any other pins that might vibrate loose) Check halyards for chafe
Renew marks on reef lines and on halyards (drop or pull lines to marks)
Renew marks on jib tracks for various sails (esp. storm jib) sheeting position
Mark (on mast) spin car pole position for poling out jib
Make sure all clutch labels still readable
Check spreader boots
Clean all shackles and blocks with soapy fresh water
Set up preventers
Set storm jib sheets
Hank trysail on mast track (where it lives on passage)
Stow storm jibs in head shower area
Install stern blocks (used for trysail sheets and drogue briddle)
Install ‘safety loops’ thru center of blocks (spectra soft loops to contain them if they should explode) Galley
Fill all propane cans
Test all burners/oven on stove
Flush and fill water tanks
Fill two jerry jugs with water (for emergency)
Several spray and squirt bottles of slightly soapy water (in cockpit and near companionway, to rinse salt off hands and feet – keep salt out of boat)
Pre-prepare first 3 to 5 dinners – ‘heat and eat’ single bowl meals
Stash ‘grab food’ (granola bars, Chocolate bars, dried fruit, etc) in easy accessible places
Add additional ‘taste bud’ food (pickles, strong sauces, etc)
Safety
Set fixed work station tethers and jacklines
Put drogue and warp on forepeak sole
Put ditch bag next to companionway
Change Co2 on PFD’s and test bladders
Check battery on EPIRB
Provide ‘crew list and float plan’ to emergency contacts
Update speed dial numbers in iridium (USCG, emergency contacts, weather and medical) Take seasick medications 24hrs before leaving and stow them in an accessible place Check prescription dates in medical kit and replace as necessary
Turn all thruhulls to make sure all are free
Make sure head Y valve will turn, macerator pump works and vent line is clear
Put a little soapy water in bilge and flip on bilge pumps to make sure all work
Ankle splint
Navigation
Test iridium
Check for entire e-chart coverage of route
Create ‘plan A’ route/waypoints with ETAs (include in float plan above)
Sort into sequence paper charts for potential emergency landfalls
Find best SSB weather and net frequencies
Find best weather fax frequencies
Start tracking weather patterns 2 weeks ahead of departure
Change batteries and test celestial calculator Make sure passports are on board (in ditch bag) Check the running lights
Double check spare eye glasses are on board Steering
Top up autopilot hydraulic fluid
Two spare bottles of hydraulic fluid
Tighten all bolts (locknuts)
Check slop/tension
Lubricate steering system and rinse rudder bearings with soapy fresh water
Mark center, and +- 8 degrees rudder angle on wheel (reef when wheel goes to +-8 degree marks) Bunks
Make up sea bunks
Cover double bunk with plastic
Set up lee cloths
General Stowage
Stow dinghy (under main saloon table)
Stow outboard (in Laz)
Plug windless chain pipe
Turn off windless breaker
Duct tape hatches
Remove forward dorades
Replace batteries in all flashlights
Pack pretty much everything in ziplock bags – certainly all books, loose electronics and clothing
Check battery on EPIRB
Provide ‘crew list and float plan’ to emergency contacts
Update speed dial numbers in iridium (USCG, emergency contacts, weather and medical) Take seasick medications 24hrs before leaving and stow them in an accessible place Check prescription dates in medical kit and replace as necessary
Turn all thruhulls to make sure all are free
Make sure head Y valve will turn, macerator pump works and vent line is clear
Put a little soapy water in bilge and flip on bilge pumps to make sure all work
Ankle splint
Navigation
Test iridium
Check for entire e-chart coverage of route
Create ‘plan A’ route/waypoints with ETAs (include in float plan above)
Sort into sequence paper charts for potential emergency landfalls
Find best SSB weather and net frequencies
Find best weather fax frequencies
Start tracking weather patterns 2 weeks ahead of departure
Change batteries and test celestial calculator Make sure passports are on board (in ditch bag) Check the running lights
Double check spare eye glasses are on board Steering
Top up autopilot hydraulic fluid
Two spare bottles of hydraulic fluid
Tighten all bolts (locknuts)
Check slop/tension
Lubricate steering system and rinse rudder bearings with soapy fresh water
Mark center, and +- 8 degrees rudder angle on wheel (reef when wheel goes to +-8 degree marks) Bunks
Make up sea bunks
Cover double bunk with plastic
Set up lee cloths
General Stowage
Stow dinghy (under main saloon table)
Stow outboard (in Laz)
Plug windless chain pipe
Turn off windless breaker
Duct tape hatches
Remove forward dorades
Replace batteries in all flashlights
Pack pretty much everything in ziplock bags – certainly all books, loose electronics and clothing
Credit to Evans Starzinger for most of this list
* bilge pump: For those of us with old, leaky fiberglass boats, I'd double check the bilge pumps. I'm wiring in an LED light to activate when the float switch is tripped so I know when it's running. If equipped with an indicator, make sure it works. Filling the bilge and testing the manual pump is probably a good idea, too.
* check ALL thru-hull valves to ensure none are stuck.
- check transmission oil / fluid level
- clean prop
- check shaft seal for leaks with engine running at cruising speed and in gear (usually when leaving anchorage)
- clean water line and/or bottom as required (probably not in high latitudes!)
- cover on windlass and windlass circuit breaker off
- close forward sink drains (don't think Hawk has any that are forward enough to get hammered by waves)
- tape pelican hooks at lifeline gates
- clean speed transducer paddle wheel
check impeller
