Bugging out by boat (lakes, acre, the wild, winter)
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Yes, when it comes time to bug out, lets not make it as easy as possible, lets throw in the problems the seas or oceans can bring up and throw that into the mix too.
Deserted island? I can't stop laughing.
Deserted island is mostly a fantasy, but a life aboard and sailing to exotic locales that may weather shtf better than here is real enough. Problem is, to do it successfully you need to really be into the whole sailing thing 100%. Knowing how to use a sextant, be self sufficient.. there is so much to know.
Second - You need to map it out logically. Forget anything over 38 feet. Why? Because it'll need to be motored to be manageable. Under 38 feet (or thereabouts), you can handle the thing under sail only if need be (and in a real shtf scenario, you prolly won't have access to clean diesel for very long, if at all).
All your points are good but I would argue that under 38 would be a bit small just due to storage issues if you really are planning on a really long haul and that 38 -45 foot would be ideal. Not that you could not do it with a old Islander 30 if you had to. I have sailed 50 footers in and out of slips and through narrow places, it takes a little skill but can be done. You can get by without a motor. We sailed an motorless 40 foot cruiser around all over Hawaii. Sometimes we used to use a rowing dinghy to tow it into the slip in no wind. Over 45 foot the things start loading up alot, too much for one or two people, becomes expensive and more prone to breaking in a big way.
But as you sort of said, owning a boat just for running away from an event that probably won´t happen anyways does not make much sense. But I am a sailor and if I was not busy being a parent and such at the moment I would consider getting a small boat and taking off for a bit anyways. I do a yacht delivery every now and then with a friend who is captaining full time and race dinghys pretty seriously. Will do a transatlantic trip next year hopefully and pick up a few Euros extra.
All in all the smallest boat that will work for you is better than the bigest you can buy.
There ARE some deserted islands, but they're deserted for good reasons.
And if you aren't prepared to deal with the people you find on the not so deserted islands you run across while looking for the deserted island that you don't know where it is, you may have problems.
The whole notion of "bugging out" in a boat is so far fetched it's laughable. It's a one way trip to nowhere. If you had the couple hundred thousand, or even the $50K or so some believe they can do it with, you could find some vacant acreage, and dig a real nice bunker, and have it stocked with plenty of goodies to last a real long time, without having to risk yourself and family/friends at the mercy of nature at sea, on top of the other predators that will be looking for you.
Go watch "All is lost" if you want a fictionalized account of some of the stuff that can happen out there. Then keep in mind the thing that does you in is the thing you didn't think about. In a survival situation, going to ground, and keeping a low profile is best. Unless youre in a submarine, your a sitting duck out there.
BTW, I have LOTS of experience with boats. Only way I'd "bug out" on a boat is if I was aboard and an angry mob was heading down the dock toward me.......
In a SHTF event getting out to sea initially can be a huge benefit. In most of the places I have been while in the service, most civvies would be shocked at what I have seen people do when panicked. To themselves, children, other people or to animals even. Getting away from large groups of panicked people via boat can be a great idea.
Living at sea or on a deserted island (all couple acres of it) or any real length of time? Might work might not. depends on what type of landmass. Have you stocked it full of reserve fuel/food/water? Can it support the calorie and water demands of you and the people with you?
But it really depends on what kind of SHTF event.
Zombies invasion for example, would be ideal for a boat getaway.
WW3 on American soil? Could be a great idea to leave via water, unless we are invaded by a massive naval force (About as unlikely as zombies considering our naval capabilities)
multiple massive nuclear strikes? Potentially a bad idea to go the water route if you are caught in a fallout pattern. But a great way to avoid "hot" areas as well.
And if you aren't prepared to deal with the people you find on the not so deserted islands you run across while looking for the deserted island that you don't know where it is, you may have problems.
Completely agree with this statement
Quote:
Originally Posted by Compression
The whole notion of "bugging out" in a boat is so far fetched it's laughable.
Completely Disagree.
It is always situational. Imagine your in the Florida keys, Catalina island, Hawaii, eastern Texas trying to get to Mexico avoiding some land based occupying force. Boat seems pretty nice if you have to drive or hike out (or if your in Hawaii or Catalina swim out! XD).
Lots of scenarios can be contrived to where a boat could be exceptionally useful. It is all situational.
Absolutes fail absolutely.
Last edited by Westcoastnavy; 12-23-2014 at 08:27 PM..
Reason: spelling
In a SHTF event getting out to sea initially can be a huge benefit. In most of the places I have been while in the service, most civvies would be shocked at what I have seen people do when panicked. To themselves, children, other people or to animals even. Getting away from large groups of panicked people via boat can be a great idea.
Living at sea or on a deserted island (all couple acres of it) or any real length of time? Might work might not. depends on what type of landmass. Have you stocked it full of reserve fuel/food/water? Can it support the calorie and water demands of you and the people with you?
But it really depends on what kind of SHTF event.
Zombies invasion for example, would be ideal for a boat getaway.
WW3 on American soil? Could be a great idea to leave via water, unless we are invaded by a massive naval force (About as unlikely as zombies considering our naval capabilities)
multiple massive nuclear strikes? Potentially a bad idea to go the water route if you are caught in a fallout pattern. But a great way to avoid "hot" areas as well.
But your in plan view. Seems senseless to hide there. Pirates have always been a problem at sea. Even now pirates in small boats take tankers.
A well prepared sailboat should be able to go for at least a couple of years with out needing much and could go pretty much anywhere in the word. Who needs motors or fuel.
He is a total nutter but a guy just spent 1000 days at sea on a beat up homemade schooner without any outside assistance- it can certianly be done.
S**t happens but If you are somewhat competent you can avoid crashing in the surf and being in a boat gives would give you the most choices as to where you want to go.
Get a used barge, armor it up, install a mast, expect slow travel forever, stay within eyesight of the shore, add extra flotation tanks to keep going if one or two compartments are breached, coat the whole think in heavy zinc impregnated paint after ridiculous amounts of sandblasting, add an arsenal of weapons to include a rudimentary flame thrower or two, stock the Shiite out of it, have a map and desalination eqquipment, have a plan,
Hey, it ain't the QE II but, it ain't Kon Tiki either. Not the most fly ride but, it would get you where you are going.
The idea of bugging out by boat is interesting, if it works for the given situation. Live near the water / have experience with boating / scenario best dealt with by fleeing public? Boat might just work.
That said, I would NOT want motor power (for all the provided reasons). Sail is the way to go. But, I would go for a catamaran. Slower to turn, and much wider (making narrow passages tighter), but more stable, with a faster cruising speed, and most importantly: No keel. Meaning you can sail straight up to beaches, or into shallow waters around islands and inlets. In the event of a hull breach, cats are safer -- if one hull fills with water, the other will usually stay floating (granted, there may not be rescue services to help you -- but at least it beats being completely sunk). Only downside, again, is turning and bridge slap. An equivalent length cat has more than twice as much living space as it's monohull'ed brother, and the large bridge area between can support large solar setups.
Something in the 25-40 ft range would be manageable with no engine power, and provide enough living space for you and a few others. Hell, just one or two people and you could devote half the boat to non-perishables and clean water.
As for clean water sources -- desalination exists. Powered by a solar or wind generator, and you can make your own clean water from what you're sailing in.
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