THE CRUISER'S TOY CHEST — A
ALL PHOTOS LATITUDE / ANDY EXCEPT AS NOTED
ll along the West Coast from Vancouver to San Diego boatyards and marinas are abuzz with excitement this month as scores of sailors make final preparations for their new cruising lifestyle in the sunny latitudes of Mexico and beyond. If you're one of them, this article's for you. Once your essential sailing gear and
"Look Mom, I'm surfing!" Inflatable surfboards and paddleboards come in all sizes. And competition between brands has lowered prices.
onboard systems have been checked and rechecked, you're likely to find yourself in an agonizing internal debate over the things that you simply must make room for, and those that you can live without. It's always prudent to bring along a selection of spare parts, of course, as well as some redundant navigation and communications gadgetry, but before your waterline submerges completely due to overzealous bulk buying at Costco or loading up with enough spare anchoring tackle to moor the Sixth Fleet, we'd like to inject a simple fact: Once typical cruisers The average sailor can travel for miles in a pedal kayak. This Hobie has a tiny loose-footed sail that's big fun on a downwind run.
set their hooks in a peaceful anchorage, they almost never go out for a carefree, recreational daysail. So we strongly support the idea of bringing along some toys — especially watersports toys — in order to get some healthy exercise, have a little fun and, yes, enjoy a little personal space away from your shipmates. Rather than spending relatively lethargic days lounging on deck, sailors who bring along water toys can have spontaneous fun whenever the idea strikes them — and ultimately contribute to their being in far better physical condition than they were in their pre-cruising days. What about the added weight, potential windage and clutter that water toys can create? Well, it simply comes down to priorities. True, your boat might not look as sleek and sexy with kayaks or paddleboards strapped to its stanchions. But the pleasure and health benefits they yield will far outweigh that aesthetic compromise. As to the added weight of toys, we suggest you purge your bilge of emergency canned goods and resist the temptation to carry half a cow in your freezer, as fresh food is available almost everywhere in Mexico (not to mention that American-style box stores are now found in Cabo, Puerto Vallarta and elsewhere).
ever been stuck aboard in an anchorage eager to get to shore, you'll understand why that's important. Once you get to or near the tropics, snorkeling may well become a daily ritual that can keep you and your boatmates entertained for hours while effortlessly burning calories. Got kids? In our experience, turning youngsters on to snorkeling is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. But before you leave the US, be sure to get your kids high-quality, double-seal masks that fit their faces well (without water leaking in). For adults, the hottest innovation in snorkeling gear is the development of full-face snorkeling masks which give an expanded field of vision for shallow-water exploring. Although 99% of cruisers use inflatable dinghies as their primary means of getting to shore, you'll score style points and have more fun if you opt for a two-person sailing/rowing dinghy. Plus, you'll always have a platform available for teaching kids or locals the basics of sailing. Regular rowing, needless to say, can also result in a strong back and a flat
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f you're an accomplished surfer, windsurfer or kiteboarder, it goes without saying that you'll want to bring along such gear — even if you have to share your bunk with it. But let's face it, each of these sports has a steep learning curve. By contrast, just about any fool — ourselves included — can step aboard a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or sit-on-top kayak and take off across an anchorage with better-then-even odds of getting back again safely. The rapidly increasing popularity of both of these sports has brought prices down substantially, and created an abundant used market also. The pedal-powered kayaks pioneered by Hobie (with other brands now competing) allow you to travel for miles farther than you could by paddling. Plus, there are now many brands of both inflatable kayaks and SUPs — some rolling up to the size of a sleeping bag. Another argument for bringing SUPs or kayaks is that they can sub for a second dinghy — if you've
This skipper earned style points for sailing ashore at Bahia Santa Maria in his pretty red dinghy.
stomach. Like surfers who bring along boards, diehard scuba divers wouldn't dream of going cruising without their gear — especially since it can play a crucial role in untangling fouled anchor rodes and clearing props of kelp or tangles of line, in addition to providing blissful recreation. So if your countdown to cruising allows, consider taking up this relatively easy-to-master sport. For shoreside recreation you
