“THE LIST”

by Al Hatch

Funny thing about cruising boats, the lives of their owners and crews revolve around “The List”.  It’s a virus that if you own or want to own a boat you can’t help catching. It takes on a life of its own as soon as one gets the idea of purchasing a boat with “the list” of  amenities and sailing qualities both you and the Admiral are looking for.

Like nearly all viruses it then morphs into a list of boats one might like to take a look at, then morphs yet again into a list of boats and the things wrong or right with them so one can make a decision as to which boat you like and what kind of an offer to make.

Once an offer is accepted the list virus really starts growing, lists of possible names, lists of serviceable equipment on board, lists of equipment to purchase, lists of work to be done and these are broken down into lists for the yard, the rigger, the mechanic, the painter, the sign maker, lists of work one is going to do on their own and so on.

You would think that once a boat was paid for, the pre-launch list of work done, registration and insurance taken care of and the boat in the water you would be able to sit back and relax with the list virus under control, but no… the lists continue….

Now it’s lists of things you’d like to change or upgrade, and lists of places to go, new sails and water toys, equipment upgrades/additions you’d like, lists of provisions, clothing to go home to wash, clothing to bring from home that was washed last week, a list of things to do whenever one leaves the boat to go home so the boat will be there floating where you left it in the condition you left it or so you hope.

At home, the list of things to do to get ready for next week continues on.  So, finally the day comes when you decide to chuck it all and go live aboard to escape the seemingly endless list of lists, but they feed upon themselves and the list just get bigger and longer, now it’s list of things to sell, things to pack and store, things to find room for aboard the boat, and then there is the list of things to do before one tells the boss, “won’t be in next week, goin sailin and I won’t be comin back!”  “Well that’s the plan anyway”.

Now it’s lists of addresses to change, bank and insurance companies to notify, the post office, magazines, clubs and church newsletters to change address with.  Lists of people who might forward your mail on time so you don’t get dunned for late payments, Aunt Edna – no she can’t remember to even pick up her own mail from the mail box, Uncle Dave – no he doesn’t open his own bills they just stack up on the counter and never get paid on time so yours will just….., so where is that list of mail forwarding services?
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And it continues with lists of upgrades and equipment additions that must be made before going offshore, then lists of provisions, spare parts, don’t forget the birthday candles for the kids, crayons, craft paper and school books.

Then as all your gear, both personal and boat related, arrives you look at the mound of equipment falling out of the car doors and begin looking for the list of where it all just might fit and with a little luck, some re-arranging and some dumpster space it all will in the end.  And into that dumpster will go a few old lists, but the darn things seem to multiply all by themselves and by morning there will magically be a whole new slew of lists on the chart table just waiting for you.

You will never get rid of them, no yachtsmen ever has, for each time you get ready for a passage your favorite notebook will come out and you’ll make new lists of equipment that needs servicing or repair, of provisions to purchase, of charts and pilots you’ll need, maybe lists of potential crew.

No matter how many miles you have at sea, how many years you sail from Connecticut to Georgetown or St. Thomas the lists will always follow you.  Some will be easy to make up and complete, some will never seem to get completed for as you cross off one item that’s been taken care of another one will pop into your head and be added.

It becomes a matter of learning to determine which items are really important and which ones can wait till, well sometime in the future.

It will always be satisfying to finish a list, turn the page or rip it out and throw it away but you won’t really escape the list virus until you sell the boat and get rid of all the gear, for if you take any home for storage or sentimental reasons sooner or later the dormant list virus will surface and you will find yourself making a list of boats you might like to look at and of places you’d still like to sail.

Twice now I’ve sold boats, brought gear home to store, mostly because I’m not quite ready to part with it, and then one day while restacking the pile of old gear the list virus surfaces and it begins all over again with the list of boats to look at and then the morphing starts and one is dragged along by the lists, dragged toward the smell of the sea and the feel of a deck moving underfoot and one begins to long for the feel of spray and motion of a boat reaching towards a tropical island on a deep blue tropical sea.

Fair Winds everyone!