Newbie wanting tips on "Bug out boat"

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by Tyrfing, Sep 13, 2017.

  1. Nick.K
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    Nick.K Senior Member

    Does this thread make anyone else think of Buster Keaton?

    Don't think there would be a happy ending though.
     
  2. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Given your primary needs, a 24' Grady White cabin cruiser or simular will do. It will offer protection from the elements, is a good sea boat and has good resale value.
     
  3. srimes
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    srimes Senior Member

    Demanding list of requirements:
    Trailerable by a normal vehicle
    Shallow draft
    Fast motoring to escape immediate threats
    Long range if fuel is scarce

    This leads to only one practicle solution... A MacGregor 26 powersailer!
     
  4. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    First piece of equipment to install, is a large red Panic Button.
     
  5. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member


    The problem is not the type of boat, but your lack of experience. What is simply inconvenient for an experienced seaman, say a gale, would be deadly for you. There is no perfect boat. What you can find is a boat that fits you. This is something that takes years of boating in as many weather conditions as possible. You want reassurance that a boat will save you. It will kill you. If you are looking for safety, a car will provide more of it. If you are looking for protection from radioactive fallout, a boat is too slow. If you are looking for protection from a chemical attack, a boat is still too slow.
     
  6. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    I think a small sub on the bottom of the Hudson will do to survive a Hurricane, it needs only to be able to dive and rise, so it will be easy to operate, and Hurricanes don't tend to stay long at one place . . ;)
     
  7. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    The problem with being submerged in the Hudson is debris could stop it from rising again. Better get away from there.
     
  8. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Good point Hoyt,

    Maybe best clean the bottom of the Hudson then, for this sake it needs only to be done below the berth of the sub, and don't have the sub berth near buildings to avoid new debris are falling on top of the dived sub.

    And best tell people where you are, and as an extra safety measure you can attach a hoisting cable equipped with a float to the sub, so that some Hurricane survivors, if there are any, can lift you up if for some reason you can't get up yourself.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2017
  9. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Oh, just saw Daniel doesn't live in NYC, but on Long Island, so the sub could be berthed in one of the bays there, so it doesn't need to be in the Hudson at all.

    P.S. - Preferable on the north side of Long Island, since that's the protected side.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2017
  10. Rurudyne
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    Rurudyne Senior Member

    I can only give you my preferences if I had your need.

    First off, as folks have mentioned experience, I would personally want something less expensive to own and operate on the grounds that if she doesn't suck down gas like a Congresscritter with tax money I might use her more often, enjoy her more, and thus gain said experience.

    In the sorta fast category I would personally prefer a folding trimaran. I know these are for sailing (and these can be bought used rather than built) but I see no reason why a motor boat with suitable powerboat main hull wouldn't work as a folding tri ... especially if just going for the more economical sorta quick category rather than hella fast (how far to the next fuel pump?) category.

    Trailerable, because your launching options are more diverse and even if you were to keep her at a marina (rather than at home) it could be on the hard, saving money over using a dock and paying those fees.

    Lighter rather than posher ... for ease of launch, recovery and handling.

    Maybe even a stretched beach launching powerboat type (like a rescue minor) with small stabilizing amas (still folding) and a warm cubby with a reasonably dry cockpit, that way once you were underway if you needed to beach you'd not be stranded later?
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2017
  11. Squidly-Diddly
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    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Get a MacGregor 26.
    It comes with trailer and can be towed and launched with any typical 6cyl vehicle.
    Its also very shallow draft, so you could probably do a commando launch AKA "Escape from New York" when authorities make leaving illegal on some pretext. Strap about 8 big planks to the roof of station wagon (you do have a wagon or van, right? first thing a prepper needs) and use them to roll out on soft ground near the shore that isn't guarded because everything sinks into the mud. Pro Tip: for the really soft mud, fix about 4' wide strips of plastic sheeting to the planks. Just staple through about 5 sheets every 2'. That way the plastic will be what gets stuck into the mud when you lift the planks to re-position as your rig crawls toward the sea like a just hatched baby sea turtle. Like how motocross racers use multiple layers of "tear offs" on goggles, but different.

    Did I mention "easy to tow" because you will most like Gonzo said and drive West instead of sailing North, and the MacGregor is also a pretty cool trailable RV camper. While not near as roomy as an actual 26' RV trailer, at 26' is the "Goldielocks" size, the biggest size you can easily trailer while also about the smallest size you can live in.

    With the 60hp outboard it can do about 25mph but realistically more like 20 semi-loaded but that is still good. That should get you clear of bad guys and out of visual range, then switch to sails for unlimited cruising range. You can of course also slap the big outboard on some other craft or trade or ammo or slaves etc.

    No, it wouldn't be my first choice to sail in heavy weather, but it wouldn't be my last choice. Several have survived pretty heavy weather with no problems, and it has POSITIVE FLOTATION (even with big outboard and 'standard load' IIRC) so you won't go straight to the bottom when marauding pirates strafe you and leave you for dead as they cruise away laughing. It will LOOK like you are sinking, or about to sink at any moment, which is perfect. :)

    Lots of "real boaters" knock the MacGregor because its not a real sail or power boat and majority of buyers are non-boaters buying one as their first "big boat", but that sounds like you, so everything is set up for first time boat buyers. No crazy stuff you need to know that only guys born into yacht clubs know about.

    Not sure but I think the MacGregor would be about right to do East Coast's Inland Passage.

    One of my back burner projects is to modify a MacGregor as a long range BugOut/Survivial by installing 4 bladders inside the water ballast tank. One for fuel and one for fresh water on each side, and with hose and pump so the liquid can be transferred. On long reaches transfer the weight to one side for better sailing. Might also want a pump to evacuate the seawater to lighten boat underway. Boat's water ballast is listed as 144 gallons but only about 3/4 appears suitable for bladder installationhttp://www.macgregor26.com/drawings/drawings.htm, so figure maybe 100 gallons of usable bladder volume. Ballast tanks and maybe even storage appears to appears to form a double hull. Storage lids more or less water tight? I'm guessing the boat is not really spec to carry a lot of weight in the ballast tanks when being trailing or launching so bladders would want be fully filled once in water, but thats OK. Semi-filled still good.[​IMG]

    I'm a big fan of "bug out to the ocean". Statically "boat people" do pretty good even with 3rd world equip and degraded and jury rigged 3rd world equip at that. I'm guessing with at least 2 million cases the survival rate is better than 90% and most deaths by illness. Last I checked the survival rate for Communist Death Camp was about 0% with over 100 million cases on file. No one has ever found any successful hold outs after former hard line Communist areas allow visitors, just a sort feeling of a certain emptiness in the society and culture where all the people used to be.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2018
  12. rwatson
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    rwatson Senior Member

    As an ex Mac owner, I think you will find that getting to the Macgregor bouyancy tanks for fresh water will be too difficult. On top of that, the insides of the tanks are sharp unfinished fibreglass, and will puncture any flexible container.
    There should be a lot of room under the "floor" for flexible water containers.
    The Mac is as good an emergency refuge as any boat that size.
     
  13. Chuck Losness
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    Chuck Losness Senior Member

    I have read through this and have yet to see the OP or anyone else ask this very important question. Maybe I missed it. Is the Admiral in total agreement with your plan of operation? If not your chance of success is diminished greatly. Also this topic has been discussed in great detail on some of the survival blogs like survivalblog.com. Go read through their archives and you will get answers to the pros and cons of your plan. Then you can start making decisions on a course of action that is best for your family and your situation and not what might work for some one else. You can PM me if you would like.
     
  14. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    No pump needed for that, see Mac 26 M water ballast . . .

    ‘‘ You can also empty the tank while the boat is in the water. Under power, at about 6 mph, open the valve on the transom and the tank will drain in about 5 minutes. ’’
    Yes, see Mac 26 M construction . . .

    [​IMG]

    ‘‘ These are the fiberglass parts that make up the boat. At the left is the hull, still in its mold. Notice that the water tank and daggerboard trunk are molded in as part of the hull. Next is the deck, the deck liners, and the hull liner. On the right are the rudders, daggerboard, galley parts, hatches and other smaller parts. ’’
     

  15. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    If want to buy new, now that Roger has retired, best bug out on a Tattoo 26, I'll guess . . .

    For comparison first 2 × the Mac 26 M - (scroll down the link a bit for info)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    And below the Tattoo 26

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2018
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