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My point was that name-calling, judging and labeling those who disagree with you doesn't strengthen your argument; it greatly increases the likelihood that they will simply tune you out. It is not only possible, but highly productive, to disagree without being disagreeable.
Make no mistake about it: there is no such thing as THE correct choice here.
While one can certainly make an excellent case for escaping by boat (under certain circumstances), one can just as easily make an excellent case against escaping by boat. I actually explored the idea rather extensively back in the late 1960's when I was still living on the central Gulf Coast, still in my 20s, and still thought that I was 10 feet tall and bullet-proof.
He makes some valid points on why NOT to bug out by boat. It's only a valid option in very limited situations, and your time / effort / money is probably better spent on more reliable options.
Few of my favourite points: SHTF-fanatics aside, the most likely scenario to bug out to is something like a natural disaster. If you're in an area with boat access, you're likely looking at a hurricane, tsunami, etc. While leaving early is always an option, going by boat might put you right in the storm you're trying to avoid.
My other favourite: the family who said they would hole-in, wait out the initial scenario, then head to the boat to seek alternate BOL... you really think your boat, stocked with provisions, will still be sitting safely at the Marina?
My other favourite: the family who said they would hole-in, wait out the initial scenario, then head to the boat to seek alternate BOL... you really think your boat, stocked with provisions, will still be sitting safely at the Marina?
Not if I find it first!! :P
It is always always dependent on the situation right?
Imagine if Yosemite erupted and you live on the coast, boat might be the best way to go as all the roads will be crowded and potentially blocked. So yay boats.
Or you need to escape LA in a hurry. Ill steal a boat head up or down coast and then dry foot it because that traffic getting out would be nightmarish.
In many situations boats are good for quick mobility.
During a massive hurricane or tsunami? Not so much and you just lost all your supplies. Thus bug out bags are your friend.
During a massive hurricane or tsunami? Not so much and you just lost all your supplies. Thus bug out bags are your friend.
Not to mention, if you put all your eggs in one...boat, and a hurricane / tsunami comes through, you could lose all of your preparations.
In a situation that warrants it, bugging out by boat could be useful, but it relies on a number of factors. Not to mention, quick and easy access to the boat at any given time. Unfortunately, the best way to assure that is with water front property -- between that and the boat, it's looking pretty cost-prohibitive.
If you're dead-set on bugging out by boat, I'd suggest changing your circumstances to better allow for it. For quick and easy access to open water (or hidden / unpopulated inlets), you'd have to live in a small, coastal town.
Focusing on sailboats (no dependency on fuel), you'd be best served with a catamaran -- more storage, no keel (meaning you could beach it / go through shallower waters). Trimarans are great for stability, but often the outriggers are closed, and the middle hull is no bigger than a monohull.
Possibly some small fishing town on the Puget Sound, or coastal Northeast (Maine?). Weather is great in SoCal but good luck finding affordable beach property.
well, the top category are cats and generally range between 30 and 50 ft, fit two pilots, so room for all sorts of stuff, go very fast up to 200mph and carry a boat load (literally) of fuel.
often times you can find them sitting dry docked very close to water because off the large size.
personally, it gets my vote. it is not a sustainable vehicle and certainly a gas hog, flashy and not good for much other than getting some where far away quickly, but they are stupid fast, can handle some really serious weather and not bad off for a get away. no one is going to catch you and you have huge range.
sry for spelling and grammar, on my phone atm.
The things are all fuel tank and engines. They are not suited for living purposes. I would also think they would be a terrible ride in a large and breaking sea. They simply are not going to be suitable when they can no longer stay on the plane. It may be possible to turn and run along the waves but that does not work if they start to break on you. Some of the cigarette boats have cabins and can seal up enough to continue in heavy seas.
Note that virtually all small boats need to be able to go to cork mode in the open sea. I did a trip off the coast of Mexico in a storm where we were actually going under water to the cockpit which filled up every few minutes. And it could have gotten worse. A way to find out how well sealed your boat actually is...and note people going off shore often have bolt on covers for ports for these kind of conditions.
The things are all fuel tank and engines. They are not suited for living purposes. I would also think they would be a terrible ride in a large and breaking sea. They simply are not going to be suitable when they can no longer stay on the plane. It may be possible to turn and run along the waves but that does not work if they start to break on you. Some of the cigarette boats have cabins and can seal up enough to continue in heavy seas.
Note that virtually all small boats need to be able to go to cork mode in the open sea. I did a trip off the coast of Mexico in a storm where we were actually going under water to the cockpit which filled up every few minutes. And it could have gotten worse. A way to find out how well sealed your boat actually is...and note people going off shore often have bolt on covers for ports for these kind of conditions.
All fuel tank and engine exactly. Perfect ocean transport.I dont plan to live on a boat, just evac with one. The ride really isnt that bad. Better ride than some of the small boys Ive been on, and you really can outrun some weather in those. Most of these are able to roll completely or fully sub. Only thing better than these IMO would be one of the puddle pirates rescue boats. those things are Dang near unsinkable and fast.
Okay, if one is going to bug-out over the bounding main, here is an overview of the sailboat specifications that I came up with back in the day.
* A 40 to 50-foot, ketch- or schooner-rigged sailboat with long keel and displacement hull (as opposed to a planing hull). Should have accommodations for at least four people; six would be better. Openings in hull, deck, cabins, etc. kept at a minimum, and capable of being battened down thoroughly. Also, considerable attention paid to designing cabins and coamings to direct waves away from cockpit, crew stations and hull openings. Cockpit and other crew stations should be very well-drained.Significant amount of built-in storage in hull spaces not needed for human occupation (such as beneath berths, between bulkheads and hull, etc.)
* Running rigging designed to be manually operable by one person if need be.
* Ground tackle (anchors, lines, winches, etc.) for deep harbors and for hard, soft and weedy bottoms. Should be rigged for fore-and-aft anchoring, among others. Anchors used on rocky bottoms should be rigged with a trip-line.
* Small dinghy for going ashore and general utility work. Can be inflatable if used with care.
Just ran out of time. More later, if I can get back to it.
Technology has advanced many generations from where it was in the late 1960s/early 1970s. It is now possible to efficiently generate and store solar electrical power. Back in the day it was more efficient to generate it with an alternator linked to a propeller being towed behind the vessel, and store it in lead-acid batteries (which also served as excellent ballast).
The same is true of creating fresh water from saltwater, though the precise technology still evades me.
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Above all, however, if one is escaping/relocating by boat, the primary initial concern would be to get well away from the "traditional/typical shipping lanes." Why? To avoid encountering the almost-certain groups who would rob us of our supplies, our vessels, and our lives.
H-m-m-m-m... Guess someone noticed that I know Shirt from Shinola about the topic and chose to remain silent.
You soliciting an argument?
The ketch or schooner thing is pretty much silly. The second mast on a ketch generally provides nothing except gear to have problems with. If you lose the main mast on a sloop you can easily rig the equivalent using a boom and what you got left. And you need the gear and capability to clear a busted mast regardless.
The water system is Reverse Osmosis. It requires a source of power. Solar is nice but a couple of hundred gallons of diesel is even nicer...with an alternator and a gen set. And a half dozen solar panels though they often get in the way of the running gear.
I would prefer a boat toward 50 or even 60 feet. I can single hand such a boat even semi-crippled. I want a boat big enough to have a little shop and an engine room. I want to be able to tear things down and rebuild.
When the art get just a little better I want a parts printer on board.
And I want a damn good radar system and also a detection capability. I want to know when another radar is near.
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