Avoiding stasis...

Something you may want to check out,  a conversation with Bruce Springsteen, and in the "technically and economically feasible" department...

Back in the late 80's when we were preparing to retire and sail away to the Caribbean things were different and not in a bad way.

For instance, there was not a lot of choice like we have today in boats and boat stuff. Today, by comparison, there is such a plethora of "stuff you have to have" that just choosing a boat and outfitting is a lot harder than actually doing the sailing/cruising gig.While choice is a good thing, too much choice tends to induce stasis and stress. Made worse, of course, by the fact that the pressure to consume mixed with the need to have the very best (something that really only exists in myth) and shaken with a liberal application of false information is a cocktail that will make your head spin.

I mention this because as I'm budgeting out the new boat build I've been spending a fair amount of time thinking of the outfitting as I'd really like to future proof my investment and insure as trouble free system as possible. A couple of weeks looking at state-of-the-art electronics systems made me wonder just how anyone can actually outfit a boat these days and not lose their mind in the process.

My job became a lot easier once I'd applied the Need/Want process to the mix and did the math which vectored me right back to a reality based system...

Which means I'm going old school. Truth be told, I've always preferred simple and, as a bonus, if you want simple you're back in the not a lot of choice world.

So, right now my shopping list for the next boat is a grid compass, a mechanical (not electronic) speed/ log, an inexpensive fishfinder/chart plotter, and a vhf with AIS. Since I'm a belts and braces kind of guy I'll also add a couple of cheap (under $100) pocket GPS units, a handheld VHFs, and a trailing log. All told not a lot of investment and far, far short of that magic $1K number.

Next up we'll talk about why I prefer a grid compass and suchlike...

Listening to Wyclef Jean

So it goes...