{"id":445,"date":"2012-11-05T14:05:06","date_gmt":"2012-11-05T18:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=445"},"modified":"2015-07-10T02:40:27","modified_gmt":"2015-07-10T06:40:27","slug":"frequently-asked-questions-faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/frequently-asked-questions-faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Traveling in the Caribbean – is there a language barrier?<\/em><\/h2>\n

In the eastern Caribbean, a few islands are French.\u00a0 Not just French-speaking, but honestly French in the sense of having all of the privileges and responsibilities thereto appertaining (such as voting in National elections, for example.)\u00a0 Barb and I don’t speak more than a few words of French, but have always managed to get by, either because we were dealing with multi-lingual locals or because we were sufficiently adept with sign language and gesturing.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 And the delicious French food makes the effort well worth it!<\/p>\n

The rest of the eastern Caribbean islands are former English or Dutch territories, and on all of those English is the predominant language.<\/p>\n

The Dominican Republic is Spanish, but we got by just fine w\/ English.\u00a0 Likewise in Venezuela. \u00a0All of South America (except Brazil, of course) and Central America are Spanish-speaking.\u00a0 We have talked w\/ folks who couldn’t speak a word of Spanish who said they experienced no problems making themselves understood in South and Central America.<\/p>\n

Off the northern coast of Venezuela are the ABCs (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). \u00a0 Their official language is Dutch (and Papamiento), but English is spoken widely and we had no problems when in Bonaire and Curacao.<\/p>\n

How do you buy food?\u00a0 At local markets – and other – what do you look for as it relates to food safety?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

On many of the islands there are surprisingly good supermarkets.\u00a0 But on some islands in some settlements the grocery stores are very minimal.\u00a0 We usually get our fresh fruits and vegetables from local markets, as do most of our cruising acquaintances.\u00a0 We, and other cruisers we know, wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly when we return to the boat, and we have never had a problem with “stomach problems”.\u00a0 Nor have we ever had problems with buying prepared foods at local restaurants and\/or from street vendors.<\/p>\n

In general, it is unnecessary to pack large amounts of “American” foods.\u00a0 I think most first-time cruisers pack too many canned goods and extras.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t eat it at home, you probably won\u2019t eat it on the boat.\u00a0 We also find it fun to try local foods and to cook with local products and recipes.<\/p>\n

Do you have a kit of non-prescription and prescription medicines?<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

We have such a kit, with contents influenced by our attendance at a talk given by a doctor at a Krogen Rendezvous. \u00a0Most of it is common sense, but it includes some prescription painkillers and prescription antibiotics — one for “above the waist” and one for “below the waist”, as the doctor charmingly put it. \u00a0We also use lists found on the web in one of the cruising-oriented email lists, about which more later.\u00a0 It is amazingly easy and cheap to buy prescription-type drugs in many of the islands, but not in the French islands since their standards are similar to those in the U.S.\u00a0 \u00a0And we have a copy of a book found in a marine chandlery about medical matters for cruisers. The book is:<\/p>\n

A Comprehensive Guide to Marine Medicine<\/strong>, Weiss and Jacobs, Adventure Medical Kits, 2005\u00a0 (Available from Bluewater Books and Charts)<\/p>\n

Have you considered the great loop; from your journals it would appear that you’ve made a deliberate decision not to – why?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

Hmmm.\u00a0 I’ve heard raves about the experience.\u00a0 But I have also heard descriptions of debris-filled waters. \u00a0We had a neighbor, when we lived south of Savannah, who bought a boat in the Great Lakes and brought it down the Mississippi.\u00a0 Hit a submerged log and did major damage to his prop and drive shaft.\u00a0 I’ve heard about a relative lack of marinas, and a lack of good safe places to anchor out of strong currents and\/or out of danger of being hit by a barge train. \u00a0Also, I love the clear and warm waters of the Caribbean as opposed to the muddy and cold waters of the rivers coming down the middle of America.\u00a0 However, if we ever get tired of the Caribbean before we get to the point of not being able to cruise any more, we might well go up the East Coast and into the Great Lakes.\u00a0 And maybe by then I’ll feel better about going back down via inland rivers.<\/p>\n

I assume that we’ll have internet ability to do our on-line banking, but when you travel to these places is it best to have cash, credit cards, traveler checks, combination of all – please explain in detail what you’ve experienced?<\/span><\/h2>\n

ATMs are widely available.\u00a0 We use them almost exclusively as a source of cash (in the currency accepted on that island.)\u00a0 We pay for groceries in the larger stores by credit card.\u00a0 We use credit cards to pay for marine supplies, bottom painting, etc. \u00a0We haven’t used traveler checks in years, and don’t know any cruisers that still use them. \u00a0We don’t think they are even accepted anymore in the islands. \u00a0Many banks are now charging fees to withdraw cash from an ATM not affiliated with their bank. \u00a0We have gotten around those fees by using a VISA card tied to our Schwab account that refunds any fees charged. \u00a0We also opened an account at a Scotia Bank so are able to use all their ATMs with no fees.<\/p>\n

When choosing credit cards we have found that it pays to shop around, because many cards charge a 3% to 5% fee for foreign transactions.\u00a0 We switched to a Capital One VISA card which does not have a foreign transaction fee and have also recently discovered that one of the VISA card’s available with our bank does not charge those fees either.<\/p>\n

What are the negatives about living on boat as a primary residence<\/em>?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Barb and I both love living on board.\u00a0 (We know couples in which the husband ignored his wife’s misgivings, only to have to sell the boat after a few short months.) \u00a0It is a great life, but you both need to be on the same page in order for you to feel that way.\u00a0 We know a few couples in which the wife has said she would “put up” with the experience for “x” years, and then they would have to return to “normal” living.\u00a0 There are any number of couples that cruise for y months a year and then return to the states for 12-y months.<\/p>\n

But this hasn\u2019t answered the question, has it?\u00a0 We don’t have a list of “negatives” that eat at us.\u00a0 But living aboard does create some changes, however, that some folks might find negative.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Going shopping is sometimes a major expedition.\u00a0 You have to take your dinghy to shore, secure it in a safe place, catch some form of transportation to the grocery and\/or market, and then haul your purchases back to the boat.\u00a0 Whether you find this a major negative will depend in part on your attitude.\u00a0 We have had some experiences on these expeditions that have produced mile-wide grins on our faces.<\/li>\n
  2. Some anchorages can be rolly (and therefore uncomfortable.)\u00a0 The solution is to use the published guides and advice from other cruisers to find protected anchorages, and to perhaps use passive at-anchor \u201cflopper-stoppers\u201d.<\/li>\n
  3. Free and available wifi connections are no longer a prevalent as they used to be. We ameliorate this problem by usually buying a data plan from the local cell company. \u00a0We are able to share the data among all of our devices. \u00a0We also have had a satellite telephone that in a pinch we can also use for email. \u00a0We almost exclusively use it when we are out at sea for a day or two.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Do you have friends that come to visit you and what are the pros and cons involved with the logistics of\u00a02 couples (or more) on board?<\/em><\/strong>
    \n<\/em><\/p>\n

    Yes, we have had guests a number of times, and have thoroughly enjoyed the experiences.\u00a0 \u00a0Our Krogen 48 is quite commodious \u2013 our guests have their own bedroom (stateroom) and their own shower and bathroom (head).\u00a0 One has to be careful about making commitments to be somewhere on a specific date to pick up or drop off guests, but we have always avoided problems by building in a cushion of time.\u00a0 You don\u2019t want to get into a situation where you feel obligated to travel when the weather conditions would otherwise suggest that you not do so.<\/p>\n

    If you would enjoy your guests on land, chances are you will enjoy your guests on the water.\u00a0 If a short visit is all you could stand on land, you will want to tactfully ensure that the visit on the water will be of similar duration.<\/p>\n

    What satellite internet and phone services do you have and\u00a0what do you recommend?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

    We subscribed to Global Star satellite phone service, and also had special software that enabled us to use the phone to send\/receive email.\u00a0 An alternative is Iridium, which reportedly has much better coverage, but is more expensive and slower for sending digital data. \u00a0We have not used the service much in the past few years so we have suspended. the service.<\/p>\n

    Is there a book or other research information that helps rate\/rank the different Caribbean marina\u00a0areas?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

    We don\u2019t use marinas much \u2013 we mostly anchor out.\u00a0 We occasionally pop into one briefly in order to equalize our batteries.\u00a0 But in Trinidad, where we must spend the most active of the hurricane months, we do then use marinas because there are no decent anchorages for large trawlers. Also, many Caribbean islands don\u2019t really have appropriate marinas.\u00a0 But there are excellent published sources that describe anchorages and marinas and more.\u00a0 I\u2019ll list some of the best of them later\u2026<\/p>\n

    Are there places in the Caribbean and Central America coastline\u00a0you would not go\u00a0and why?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

    <\/em>Mainland Venezuela has gotten increasingly unstable and dangerous and only the foolhardy get anywhere near its northern shores. There have simply been too many acts of violent piracy. \u00a0When we cruised from Carriacou to Bonaire in December 2014, we traveled an arc that kept us far off to the north of Los Roques and Las Aves, islands that are far enough from the mainland to have been formerly considered reasonably safe, but are now also mostly avoided.<\/p>\n

    There are anchorages in St. Vincent that have horrible reputations for breakins and robberies:\u00a0 Wallilabou and Chateaubelair, in particular. Two web sources of news of incidents on the water are:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0www.noonsite.com\/General\/Piracy<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0www.safetyandsecuritynet.com<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n

    Do you travel in groups – for safety?\u00a0Are there safety concerns – specific to security and personal safety?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

    We like to travel with at least one other boat when they are good friends AND we are on the same schedule, but otherwise we have no concern about venturing out on our own.<\/p>\n

    What mechanical services can you find while traveling? \u00a0We expect to be able to do most of the lighter maintenance and other repairs ourselves. \u00a0Will that work?<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Some islands have excellent mechanical services.\u00a0 Others have virtually none.\u00a0 Some particularly good ones are Puerto Rico, St. Martin, Martinique, Curacao and Trinidad.\u00a0 To a lesser extent St. Lucia and Grenada.<\/p>\n

    If one of us got ill, is there a reference resource\u00a0of where you can go to clinic or hospital on your travels?<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Yes, the guidebooks list such facilities.\u00a0 And other cruisers will have recommendations.<\/p>\n

    Based on your experiences what would you do differently?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Start earlier (when we were younger).<\/li>\n
    2. Equip the vessel with a pair of flopper-stoppers and appropriate arms (for at-anchor stabilization)\u00a0before\u00a0<\/em>leaving the USA.\u00a0 (We didn\u2019t secure a pair until we got down to Puerto Rico in 2007. \u00a0We initially used the standard boom of the Krogen 48 North Sea from which to suspend them, but added the appropriate poles in Oct. 2010.)<\/li>\n
    3. We wish we had a less energy-consuming refrigerator.\u00a0 If we were starting from scratch we would not have \u2013 as we do now \u2013 a domestic self-defrosting 120 v. AC unit.\u00a0 But we love its size, and the ability to keep, say, ice cream, in the freezer.\u00a0 This makes us immensely popular with our friends on sail boats with small inefficient refrigerators.<\/li>\n
    4. You cannot have too much storage space for spare parts, lubricants, and tools.\u00a0 I should have built or had built more storage racks down in the engine room.\u00a0 I did do\u00a0some<\/em>, but in retrospect I didn\u2019t do enough.<\/li>\n
    5. I would not wait so long to install solar panels. \u00a0We now have three panels on the pilothouse roof and two more on a constructed-for-the-purpose T-top. \u00a0They keep our batteries ever so much happier and greatly reduce the frequency and duration of our generator use.<\/li>\n
    6. I would not wait so long to replace a nominal 17 gallon-per-hour watermaker with the ever so much more productive 50 gallons per hour unit that we now have. \u00a0Rinsing off dive gear and soaking underwater cameras takes lots of water, as does keeping salt and dust rinsed off the exterior of the boat.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Regarding the galley what are the items you need the most, use the least and if you had an open wish list for galley equipment (stove, fridge, ice maker, etc)\u00a0what would you recommend and why?\u00a0\u00a0If your stove is propane, how easy is it to get refills during travels?\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

      We don\u2019t have an ice-maker.\u00a0 We do have a garbage compactor, which we never use, but which serves as a convenient place to \u201chide\u201d the waste container in the galley.\u00a0 Our vessel also came (we are the 2nd<\/sup>\u00a0owners) with an automatic dishwasher, which we used only very seldom.\u00a0 While in Trinidad we replaced it in Nov., 20 with additional storage space in the form of a large drawer for silverware and two deep drawers for pots and pans.\u00a0 We have a nice microwave\/convection oven, which we use frequently.\u00a0 We have a three-burner propane stove that also has a smaller-than-domestic-but-reasonably-sized oven.\u00a0 \u00a0(We once brought back to the vessel a large frozen turkey only to discover that it wouldn\u2019t fit in the oven.)\u00a0 We have two 20-pound propane tanks up in a ventilated compartment on the flybridge, and have never had trouble getting a refill.\u00a0 (The guidebooks generally mention where to find this service, as do the \u201ccruiser nets\u201d that exist on VHF in the morning on many of the islands in the eastern Caribbean.)<\/p>\n

      What are the hardest things about living aboard?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

      I am really having trouble coming up w\/ negatives.\u00a0 Here is one that is a bit of a stretch, perhaps:\u00a0 I used to be able to run on almost all of the islands.\u00a0 Now, after knee surgery my running days are over. \u00a0How to stay active?\u00a0 On many of the islands, the roads are too narrow and\/or steep for biking. \u00a0During our extended stay in Bonaire, we solved the problem by joining a health club and exercising in the morning before our dives. \u00a0On other islands, we do a lot of hiking and walking.<\/p>\n

      If you don’t have a home address now, do you have a base where you receive mail?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      <\/em>When we retired and sold everything in Georgia, we changed our \u201cresidence\u201d to a mailing service in Florida.\u00a0 This not only solved the problem of having a place for our mail to be sent but also freed us from state income tax and yearly property tax on our trawler.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Many many cruisers use the same highly competent and professional service.\u00a0 They (the service) not only forward mail on request, they also scan the outside of envelopes\/packages so you can view them when you have an internet connection.\u00a0 If you want to see the contents of an envelope, you move the envelope to a scan folder and the contents will be available for viewing and printing the next day.\u00a0 It is particularly nice when you are waiting on an important piece of mail and would otherwise need to have it sent via FedEx.\u00a0 Occasionally we request that all of the envelopes (that we have moved to the \u201csend\u201d folder) be FedExed to us \u2013 wherever that may be.\u00a0 If guests are coming to visit, then we have the mail sent to them before they depart and they bring it with them. The mailing company is \u201cSt. Brendan\u2019s Isle\u201d, and their URL is www.sbimailservice.com.<\/p>\n

      Is there a research place you recommend regarding boat and travel insurance?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

      I don\u2019t know of a single location for that specific purpose.\u00a0 \u00a0But I will list below several trawler-specific subscriber email lists that periodically cover the topic.\u00a0 You could repose the question and\/or consult their archives.<\/p>\n

      We are relatively new to boating on a trawler.\u00a0 Are there books you would recommend?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

      The Complete Book of Anchoring and Mooring<\/strong>, Earl Hinz, Cornell Maritime Press, 2001
      \nBoat Docking; Close Quarters Maneuvering for Small Craft<\/strong>, Charles Low, Harvey Island Enterprises, 1997
      \nBoat Handling Under Power<\/strong>, John Mellor, Sheridan House, 1988<\/p>\n

      Are there guidebooks you can recommend?<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

      The Gentleman\u2019s Guide to Passages South<\/strong>, Bruce Van Sant\u00a0 (A classic book about how to get from Florida to South America.)<\/p>\n

      In addition to the books by Doyle listed below, Van Sant also recommends the following three books, which I own but have never used (because the guidebooks serve the same function and more)<\/p>\n

      Virgin Anchorages
      \n<\/strong>Leeward Anchorages
      \n<\/strong>Caribbean Marinas and Services<\/strong><\/p>\n

      <\/strong>Guidebooks by Chris Doyle:<\/p>\n

      Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands
      \n<\/strong>Sailor\u2019s Guide to the Windward Islands
      \n<\/strong>C<\/strong>ruising Guide to Trinidad and Tobago plus Barbados
      \n<\/strong>Cruising Guide to Venezuela and Bonaire<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Guidebooks by Stephen Pavlidis:<\/p>\n

      The Trinidad and Tobago Guide
      \n<\/strong>The Turks and Caicos Guide
      \n<\/strong>The Puerto Rico Guide
      \n<\/strong>The Leeward Islands Guide
      \n<\/strong>The Windward Islands Guide
      \n<\/strong>The Virgin Islands Guide<\/strong><\/p>\n

      We own virtually all of the above.\u00a0 We use Doyle\u2019s guides the most, but also often consult Pavlidis as we approach a new location.<\/p>\n

      Are there email lists you can recommend?<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

      We are members of Krogen Cruisers, and therefore are eligible for a subscription to the email list \u201cKrogen Cruisers List\u201d, which is populated by Krogen owners and wanna-be\u2019s.\u00a0 An invaluable resource for matters Krogen.\u00a0\u00a0 You can subscribe by going to the website:<\/p>\n

      w<\/span>ww.krogencruisers.com<\/p>\n

      I also subscribe to the email list \u201cTrawlers and Trawlering\u201d.\u00a0 Very busy and very informative list. \u00a0You can subscribe by going to:<\/p>\n

      http:\/\/lists.samurai.com\/mailman\/listinfo\/trawlers-and-trawlering<\/wbr><\/wbr><\/a><\/p>\n

      I also subscribe to the list \u201cCruisers Network Online\u201d, which tends to focus on points in the western part of the Caribbean. \u00a0You can subscribe by going to\u00a0<\/span>the website<\/p>\n

      http:\/\/Groups.yahoo.com\/group\/Cruisers_Network_Online<\/a><\/p>\n

      Are there other web resources you can recommend?<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

      If you go to the website:<\/p>\n

      http:\/\/www.his.com\/~vann\/KrgStuff\/Krognidx.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

      you will find<\/span>\u00a0an informative web site that contains bunches of stuff about Krogens, and toward the bottom of the page (in section 9) of that FAQ, links to general articles, including<\/p>\n

      Hull Design (advocating full displacement): \u00a0http:\/\/www.his.com\/~vann\/KrgStuff\/boatperf.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

      and<\/p>\n

      1-VS.-2 Props:\u00a0http:\/\/www.his.com\/~vann\/KrgStuff\/1-vs-2.htm<\/a>\u00a0;<\/p>\n

      and many many more.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Do<\/em>\u00a0visit the site.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Traveling in the Caribbean – is there a language barrier? In the eastern Caribbean, a few islands are French.\u00a0 Not just French-speaking, but honestly French in the sense of having all of the privileges and responsibilities thereto appertaining (such as voting in National elections, for example.)\u00a0 Barb and I don’t speak more than a few […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P2Tyag-7b","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/445"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=445"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":567,"href":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/445\/revisions\/567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/tusentakk2.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}