12 Essential Items from 4 Years of Liveaboard Cruising | Sailing Gear E001

In this video, 12 Essential Items from 4 Years of Liveaboard Cruising, I introduce you to my brand new channel SAILING GEAR, a channel just for introducing new used and forgotten sailing gear and accessories for versatility, quality and practicality in an honest, unbiased way. In this video my partner and I cover some of the basic items we carry on our liveaboard cruising sailboat, Balachandra (details below)
Be sure to check out our longstanding mainstream sailing channel, Sailing Balachandra as well!
#sailinggear #sailingchannel #sailingbalachandra

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This channel is dedicated only to introducing, testing, and reviewing of applicable sailing and cruising equipment, accessories, and apparel both new and old to help out cruisers and boaters in the community to make informed decisions on what gear is available, what works, and what doesn't. Our goal is to deliver an honest un-biased opinion on all gear being tested. We do not take endorsements or payouts.

Daniel Cormier is a full time liveaboard cruiser with 4+ years experience as a YouTube creator and influencer with his channel Sailing Balachandra.

Be sure to check out and SUBSCRIBE to our original channel, Sailing Balachandra, Our YouTube sailing vlog inspired by other great channels such as Delos, La Vagabonde, Sailing Uma and Project Atticus, we document the sailing adventures of myself (Dan) and my partner Nawal as we navigate the globe. We also dive into lots of DIY boat projects both above and below decks, and share with you all of the pros, cons, costs, essentials, trials and tribulations of living aboard a sailboat full time. Check it out here:

Links in this video:

This video was shot with equipment from Optrix by Body Glove, Nikon, Apple, GoPro, and Polaroid

Opening Theme Music:
Song: Omega 3 by Eaters
Album: Watchmaker Untitled
Creative Commons License

Other Music: the YouTube Music Library

[EnglishCoachChad]

I have been making a list. 
Feel free to add to it.

* Spare depth sounder
* Plenty of head torches / LED lights (rechargeable) RED LIGHT for night vision
* Lots of Face Cloths
* Multi meter (2 of them just in case)
* Spare Buckets
* Vacuum sealer for food
* Pump Pressure Water Sprayer (for cleaning and showering)
* canned food remove the labels - identify the contents - isolate the cans in some kind of a container
* Containers with a good seal for dry rice, beans, seeds, nuts, etc…
* Pressure cooker
* hanging Food nets to keep food aired
* Hand Held Water Pump (clean out the dingy / recycle the water)
* Trolly-cart to transport fuel, water etc.
* Walkie-talkie (or a head set)
* Turkey Baster to get the last water out of the bilge. And the to clean out the sea strainer before I take out the filter.
* WD-40 to prevent rusting of ALL metal.
* A water-maker is super nice to have. Tainted water is a big problem for long term cruising. Fresh water just makes everything about cruising better, no going to a dodgy dock, safe drinking water, clean clothes, wash salt off of everything.
* instal the biggest anchor (Ultra) you can fit.
* Weight-belt - Get one with pockets that you fit pouches filled with lead shot into - easier to adjust the weight on the belt, and the shot pouches don't chip the gelcoat when you put them down.
* a washing plunger
* a wind-scoop for the hatch
* A Hooka diving set up with a full size tank is nice thing have for below waterline problems, changing zincs, bottom cleaning etc...
* a lot of sunglasses.
* Have a complete running light setup with housing and fixture. ready to go for when they fail.
* stock up on engine oil
* Garmin in-reach Or Iridium-go
* eggs carrying container
* A good dingy makes a big difference!
* have an extra paddle on hand
* Good Outboard
* good dinghy anchor with a few feet of chain
* get low cost or second-hand store bed sheets to use as large sunshades - keep the interior of the boat cool
* Plenty of sail repair tape
* portable hard drives SSD
* plastic scrapers - buy quite a few.
* a good hard bristle brush for scrubbing the hull
* Good long flippers are really important
* a weight belt (for diving deeper)
* have extra locks to lock up the dinghy and stuff. (they often get rusty)
* it's great to have extra courtesy flags - they do get damaged very quickly
* make sure that all wood is well oiled
* buy several pairs of long stainless steel forceps for cleaning out through hulls under the boat etc.
* 2000 watt or more converter
* Re-Build Kits
* Tiger Balm - red (methyl salicylate for analgesic, numbing the skin, menthol for reducing inflammation, and camphor for circulation)
* mosquito net and insect repellent
* don't need that many propane cylinders.
* Spare propane regulator

[bobgaysummerland]

very useful information. I look forward to checking out the rest of the videos. Thanks

[davidjames]

Fantastic info. Very informative. Thank you.

[Anjinsan]

Very nice initiative... best wishes for the channel!!!

[ivanveselov]

I was thinking you’ll have an Amazon affiliate links to the staff you recommended, it’s both useful for the viewers and you!

[PondusdeCopenhague]

Muy buena xplicacion y muy importante, gracias!

[johncollins]

Nice info like it. But they are fins flipper was a dolphin in a tv show my first dive instructor said that to us alot.

[dickenscider]

Hi, we use a pair of SENA SPH10 Marriage Savers although we were in the U.K. at the time, we brought them from Holland, ( much cheaper) being Bluetooth they allow hands free operation, a real boom on a sailboat, they also have a 900 mt range. We wouldn’t be without them.

[benmac]

A hydrostatic release should operate at between 3 and 5 meters or roughly 9 to 15 ft. So im not surprised it didn't operate on the boat hook.

[svZia-Switch]

It's interesting that you say a Garmin Inreach is "just as useful" as an Iridium Go when in fact the Inreach only provides tracking, basic text messaging, and completely useless weather at $1 a request I believe. But then you mention that it's just as useful when you pair your Inreach with your pre-existing SSB radio and a subscription to Chris Parker (unless you are just listening for free with no contribution). I think a more feasible comparison would be starting from a blank slate: Purchase a Garmin Inreach and SSB Radio plus the cost of installing the SSB without your boat looking like a hodge podge of hanging wires, OR, purchase an Iridium Go. You can see why most cruisers are opting for the Iridium Go when presented from a blank slate perspective. With that said, I like the Garmin Inreach a lot, especially for it's price point. I wouldn't compare it to an Iridium Go however. Thanks for the list. The Motorola Walkie Talkies are a great recommendation that I've been meaning to add onboard. I will go with your pick for model.

[WillNGo]

Good new channel.
I use a headlamp so much (this morning) on dry land I always have it handy. I've had it for 20 years AAA batteries, contacts slathered with OxyGard dielectric grease against corrosion). I also wrap the bottom inch of my pocket Fenix flashlight(torch) with that stretchy silicone tape so I can hold it in my teeth. It also helps when I trap it under my shirt collar to hold while while reading. I've been doing this for many years.
I have a couple of small digital thermometers, but what I notice is they either make the humidity the larger number or on one device it's on top, on another on the bottom. So is it 45% and 63 F? or 45f and 63% ??? (Celsius is probably better, but I also live in the desert, so 15 and 20 would not be uncommon). I put a single layer of Scotch tape to obscure the less useful humidity number. (And dial thermometers all seem to go from - 10 to 110 f so the actual range of numbers you need are too close together so you have to get close and squint to read it. Dumb.)
The flippers. Have you tried 303 spray? Might make a good topic in the future. I came up with a way to help pry off my kayak's rubber hatches. I thought I was clever but someone on a chat said, 'Just use 303 that's what it's for.' Yep. Keeps the rubber supple and a bit more slippery, they pop right off and on like new. Tried on windshield wipers - not as good.
Starlink would make a good subject as it rolls out. Right now it's only in beta in Canada and the northern most US states, but soon it will work everywhere and on RVs and boats. (I think the history of at sea communications is an amazing subject. When I finally get out there in a year or two I'll probably be as connected as I am here in Los Angeles.)
Possible future topics: What ropes do sailors use and where? I've rented a few sailboats and it seems like color and pattern are more important than rope type.
Also I've never been able to find a clear explanation of the foresail letters/numbers. (Everybody seems to just talk as if everybody else knows... I've been in situations where guys will yammer on for an hours about something and I'll ask later and that guy who'd been one of the most engaged talkers will admit, "I have no f*in clue, man. I was just being friendly." )

[spyglassfreowestaus]

Great idea for your new channel!
Are you getting any comm from the linked sites? If not then consider. Then be transparent.
Keep up the great work.

[SYHOZHO]

Hey brother thanks for the video I’m 22 years old saving my money right now to buy myself a sailboat and eventually stock up all the essentials that I need this was a great information video happy sailing

[richsander]

I hope you are abke to link up with other cruisers to see what thier items are to. Thier reviews. Maybe have the Ultimate gear list.

[gking]

Love the idea of the new channel and subscribed. Could you tell us about the NEW pressure cooker?
Thanks,
G King
SV Intuition

[alexshyshkov]

great video. But can you explain what the walkie-talkie is for? Why not use a cellphone? Unless u r cruising through many countries... (which u probably are)

[mateu]

I believe you have married a snake with how hard she enunciates her S sounds haha!

[rajivadhikari]

I always wonder why cruisers don't use forward looking sonar, wouldnt that be a better option knowing what you are getting into. Will be great if you can do an episode on forward looking sonars.

[jsvno]

Strange - there is no information about the amount of Amp's the small inverter gives and what is the idle amp. drawn from it, is it sinus or square wave? this is not very serious - get into the deep of stuff, is there alternatives to Motorola walkies? Everybody know what they want on the boat, but did i choose the right thing? I sounds like u have started a commercial channel sponsored by the thing u are given. Liked the sailing channel u had before! Will look at some episodes before i judge. Happy summer

[stevenmoore]

Great first video, thanks! Only feedback is that the content seemed quite disjointed, maybe consider focusing on a specific topic(s) in the future episodes. Either way we always learn something from your videos and will keep watching either way.