On Wed, 03 Jun 2015 18:24:08 -0600, Paul Cassel
wrote:

On 6/3/2015 5:27 PM, wrote:

===

Complexity of systems tends to increase exponentially with the size of
the boat, and that inevitably leads to increased maintenance
requirements. The right way to increase complexity however is to
build in some redundancy at the same time so that it's not necessary
to have everything 100% operational at all times. The alternative is
to go with the minimalist approach and forgo modern conveniences like
refrigeration and air conditioning.


Many years ago my wife and I used to "cruise" the coast of Maine in a
Muscongus Bay (often referred to as a Friendship) Sloop. We had a one
burner kerosene stove, water out of a "jerry can", and a magnetic
compass for navigation.

I don't remember ever having a "break-down".


We had a similar. We did have a propane stove / oven but kerosene
lanterns, a coal / charcoal stove and that was about it for tech. We did
have misery with the Volvo diesel aux but that was not frustrating as, I
suppose having basic system break. We did have only a short while for
cold due to an icebox but we managed on beans, eggs and dry foods mostly.

Wasn't a bad life.

-paul

I was in Singapore and on the hard doing the bottom when I met a guy
who had ordered a "Cornish Shrimper" from England. It arrived in
Singapore in a 20 ft. shipping container. The yard got it in the water
and rigged it and the guy - very obviously - learned to sail in the
bay and a few days later he and his wife sailed off for Thailand. I
saw that they had some sort of one burner cooking stove, a tarpaulin
to make a tent over the boom at night and that was about all. His
charts consisted of some road maps but no compass or GPS.

I never saw the guy again but a year or so later I saw his boat in a
marina in Thailand and asked the Marina Manager about him. He had
sailed all the way, no outboard, from Singapore to Thailand, along
shore all the way. When they got low on food they stopped and went to
the local market and bought more. The manager said he had asked the
guy how he got across the gulf - most people would sail N.E. from
Southern Thailand across the gulf to the mouth of the Chao Paya river
- and the guy said nope he didn't try that.

From looking at a chart it appeared to be about a 1,000 mile voyage,
in an open sail boat.

The Marina Manager said that the boat was for sale and the guy had
said that he was glad he had made the trip but didn't think he wanted
to do it again :-)


I guess you'd have to call that minimal sailing :-)
--
Cheers,

Bruce