Checklists For Sailors
Why Checklists?!
Hi, I'm Simon from Sailing Britican.
If you don't mind, I'd like to tell you a little story about how checklists have helped to save our boating lifestyle dreams and maybe even our marriage!
If we didn't have them we'd probably be back on land feeling miserable by now.
During the process of getting our sailboat, we were stressed. When we finally got our boat we were even more stressed.
Our generator would run for 1/2 hour and then stop. All sorts of 'experts' would spend hours trying to fix it (and charge us) but we never got it working for long.
This went on for a year!
We’d pay for so-called ‘experts’ to fix issues only the find out that the same problem returned - usually after we had sailed several miles away.
Our first reaction in the early years was to put our heads in the sand. It was a sour realization that a great majority of marine technicians were crooks.
After several months we didn’t feel more knowledgeable. We felt more hopeless. Our new boat was costing us a fortune and we seemed none the wiser. A heavy pit in my stomach seemed to be growing heavier and heavier.
Our cruising friends would move on and we’d have to stay put for another month waiting for parts and thinking that perhaps we weren’t cut out to manage a boat.
Instead of spending our limited money on seeing the world, we were spending more time seeing marinas and boatyards.
But after spending so much time, effort, and money to get the boat we couldn’t quit. We couldn’t go on either - we were running out of money.
My wife, Kim, started to doubt my abilities to keep the boat running.
She was increasingly getting nervous that we’d have some sort of catastrophe and not know how to get out of it.
I was confident about my sailing skills but I underestimated what it took to maintain a large cruising boat.
What I wanted to achieve was a situation where I could troubleshoot and fix most problems with the boat.
I wanted to know what major spares I needed so I could stock them and didn’t have to wait around for parts to be shipped in.
I wanted to know what needed to be done to prevent issues before they happened and how to fix issues when they struck.
Ultimately I wanted to be in control and not beholden to yet another marine expert that actually wasn’t an expert at all.
I wanted to see the world - not another boatyard!
I wanted to be able to look at Kim and say, ‘I know exactly what the problem is and I know how to fix it.’ OR find a way to minimize the problems in the first place.
Looking back over my life I worked hard to become good at my job. There were rare experiences where I felt incompetent or unable to do something. Changing our lifestyle to living on the boat put me in unchartered waters. I felt out of my depth and it wasn’t comfortable.
I had confidence in passage planning, sailing, and getting us safely from one place to another but I underestimated that amount of knowledge a boater needs to know to manage all the systems.
It’s hard to admit this but felt like I was failing in the eyes of my wife and daughter.
Previous to getting on our boat my wife and I took quite a few courses about engine maintenance, motors, pumps, refrigeration, electricity, safety, and First Aid. None of the courses really prepared us to actually fix anything.
And when an ‘expert’ came on board I’d shadow him to learn so I could fix the issue the next time but as I mentioned the ‘expert’ rarely fixed the problem!
We didn't know what we didn't know and relying on previous training or experts didn't work either!
And then we got a lucky break. And when I say ‘break,’ it was a break! While sailing the Ionian Sea I discovered oil below our engine - too much oil. After making a phone call a 6’5” Italian guy came out to our anchored boat.
He wasn’t a guy that I’d want to meet on a dark alley. Let me put it that way. I ran our engine for 3 minutes. We turned it off and the man, Andreas, said “You have four problems.”
And then he listed them. Andreas asked me to move the boat closer to his boat and he said he’d help me out.
Every morning for a few weeks Andreas helped me take apart my Perkins engine, sending some parts off for repair/reconditioning.
He taught me how the engine worked, how to service it, and what to do when a variety of things happened. He showed me how to use the multimeter, solder, and troubleshoot on my own engine. In the end, we even repainted the Perkins making her look brand new.
Andreas also helped me once and for all sort out our generator issues. Furthermore, he noticed we weren’t greasing our driveshaft or rudder so he prevented a massive issue had we kept going without doing so. Andreas also had a friend help me fix an ongoing rigging problem.
By the time I was done with Andreas I had the knowledge and more importantly, I had my confidence back.
Before we parted ways Andreas told me that both our engines were in a terrible state when he met us. They hadn’t been serviced in years (contrary to what the past owner told us) and we didn’t do them any good by not taking care of them as we should have. He basically yelled at us (in a friendly way) saying that we had to create better systems to look after our boat.
Both Kim and I decided to create a checklist on what we had to do when we had to do it - the first one we made was how to check our engine before we went on a voyage.
The next was how to service our engine and what to do after 300 hours, 500 hours, 1000 hours, and so forth. We looked through every service manual to every system we had on the boat to find out if there was a checklist to help us prevent issues rather than wait until something broke.
Most, if not all, of the information we needed to properly care for the boat we had on board in the form of a manual or 'how-to' book. But there were too many to read! When we realized we could cheat and just find the service checklist it became easier to create systems of success.
We pulled our heads out of the sand and created ways to be proactive.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed, we took back control. Before you knew it we had checklists for passage planning, pre-passage checks, post-passage jobs, boat briefing lists, cleaning checklists, safety lists and on they went.
The more we used our checklists the easier life got.
Over the last seven years we’ve created and updated our checklists and now consider them blueprints for success. Instead of trying to commit things to memory or ‘wing it’ we continuously get favorable results because we have a plan and follow the plan. Furthermore, the plan or checklist gets updated if and when we determine something else can be added to make the result even better.
- When we take our boat out of the water, we have a list of what to do before and after the boat is out.
- When we are going to have a long-term stay in a marina, we have a list of what questions to ask to determine which marina will suit us best.
- Before we renew our marine insurance we have a checklist on how to pick the best policy for us.
- And we have a variety of lists to ensure that our cleaning and maintenance are performed at set times so we never get mold or mildew damage.
- When we are doing a BBQ Pot Luck at the beach, we even have a checklist for that! Forgetting the forks or a garbage bag always results in an unnecessary trip back to the boat.
The result of our checklists is that we’re proactive rather than reactive and we have far fewer breakages or disasters.
Due to the systems, we catch things way before they’re a problem. We also know when certain things are going to break, such as our generator impeller, so we swap it out before it becomes an issue.
To say that our boating life has changed from good to great is an understatement.
These checklists haven’t helped just us out, we’ve been selling our checklists to other sailors for years and they’ve had similar results.
In many cases, the people that get our checklists didn’t know half of the things that they should have been doing but are now doing.
Heck - we had no idea that there was a greaser system under a closet floorboard that we should have been turning every 24 engine hours until Andreas showed it to us!
Our checklists help people to know what they don’t yet know but need to know.
When we set out on our sailing lifestyle journey we envisioned having excellent sailing conditions,
We also visualized being anchored in picturesque bays, meeting new like-minded people, exploring different lands, learning about new cultures, and feeling what true freedom was like.
Now that things aren’t breaking all the time and we’re on top of our sailing maintenance schedules I can say that we truly are living-the-life.
I’m confident in my abilities and so is Kim.
And throughout the process, I’ve learned something important. I learned that with a little help from a guide or teacher or friend that you can take back control. You really can have your cake and eat it too!
So now, allow me and my wife to be your guide. Take what we've spent perfecting for seven years and hit the ground running...
Checklists For Sailors - Fully Customizable! Get Your Copy Now!
On offer now: “Checklists for Sailors – Passage Planning, Sailboat Maintenance, Cleaning, Medical, and more”
Not only can you get a guide with most of our routine checklists but can you imagine how quickly you’ll get set procedures in place with an editable MS Word version of the checklists?
Once you have the checklists you will effectively have blueprints of success for engine maintenance, cleaning schedules, passage planning, and more!
100% Money-Back Guarantee. If at any point you’re not satisfied with the guide you can return it for a full refund. Checklists For Sailors is worth $1,000s but we're currently selling it at the low price of $27.97. How much would you pay for something that can potentially help you avoid disasters and breakages?
Here are just some of the checklists included...
The start to finish of a sailing voyage
What do you do before, during, and after a passage? This list will walk you through the whole journey.
Boat briefing
Things to cover with new guests and crew. All about the important boat operational and safety systems. General rules and how to get around the boat.
Guests and or crew duties and responsibilities
Not sure what to do with guests? Give them jobs to do! This checklist outlines all the different roles people can play.
Anchoring
Ensure a good night sleeping by knowing the steps to anchor - preventing dragging!
Packing and preparing for a sailing holiday
Send your friends and crew a list of what to bring and what NOT to bring on your boat. Includes details about what luggage is appropriate and what is not.
Maintenance and service checks
Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly checklists for the engine and ancillary servicing tasks.
Wintering a boat
Here's all the tasks you need to complete to ensure your boat is safely on the hard for the winter or hurricane season.
Every time your boat is out of the water
There are some tasks that can only be done when your boat is out of the water. Make sure to do this when you haul out.
Spare parts checklist
Use our spare part list as a starter for yours. Every boat is unique but each one had mission-critical spare parts that must be on board at all times!
Cleaning and maintenance checklists
Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly cleaning tasks. If you don't stay on top of these tasks you're going to have a dirty and stinky boat.
Meal provisioning
Provisioning for a long trip? This list will provide you with the meal groupings you'll need to buy from.
Choosing a marina
Staying in a marina for the long-term? Make sure to follow these steps so you know before you go.
Now is the time to hit the sea sailing so click on the button and grab your fully customizable set of boat checklists now. If you’re still trying to decide if this is right for you or not, scroll to the bottom to read some of our reviews.
(Unless you want a better offer - Scroll Down.)
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We also have a guide offering VHF Radio Checklists & Templates. This guide was created to help new boaters to get familiar with what to say, how to say it, and what to do if an emergency does occur.
Filled with examples, checklists, and fill in the blank templates, this guide can be given to any crew member for general help on how to make a ship-to-ship call or how to handle an emergency or safety broadcast. This publication can also be offered in MS Word so it can be fully customized with your Boat Name, MMSI and Call Sign.
The cost is normally $19.97 but if purchased right now with Checklists For Sailors, you'll save almost $8.00. This offer cannot be found elsewhere.
(An $8 Savings - Unless you want an even better offer - Scroll Down.)
BEST VALUE! Get all our guides at one low price!
What took years for us to learn you can get in far less time. Reduce your learning curve now! With our collection, here are just some of the things you’ll gain:
- Get the right cruising sailboat (for you and your plans) so you avoid buying a lemon, money pit, or something that just won’t work for what you intend to do.
- Create a budget on how much the boat will cost to upgrade and a realistic forecast for monthly outgoings accounting for all the unknown costs no one tells you about.
- Set up your finances to ensure a proper allocation for preparation versus living costs and how to generate passive and active income while sailing so you have enough money to cruise as long as you want.
- Understand what experience is necessary before you head out to sea, so you know what you need to know to sail and maintain your boat to the highest, and safest level.
- Effectively get your partner (family too) to wholeheartedly join you in your pursuit so that it’s a team effort and not one person dragging the other person along.
- Build up your confidence in performing the standard tasks (using step-by-step checklists and templates) that almost all new sailors get drastically wrong so that you avoid massive failure at the start.
- Successfully perform the mission-critical joint tasks you and your partner will need to know so you look like know what you’re doing from the start.
- Communicate with your partner effectively so that joint tasks like anchoring, mooring balls, maneuvering in tight places, and passage planning don’t end in arguments.
- Set up all the necessary routines, procedures, and calendars for cleaning, preventative maintenance, and safety/medical equipment so you know what you need to do and when you need to do it from day one!
- Determine and allocate all the roles and responsibilities necessary to get the boat ship shape so you and your partner/family know who’s responsible for each task necessary to ensure a well-maintained and safe boat.
- Avoid being suckered into all the things you can spend your money on! Spend it wisely on the kit that you really need so your cruising budget lasts longer.
- Figure out what systems you can work on yourself and what’s best to outsource so you can save time and money.
- Know the systems that break down at sea so you can fix them without having to call for help (especially a good thing when there is no help around!).
- Effectively deal with the four big sickness worries that cruisers face, seasickness being a big one, so you don’t have to be confined to bed, or hospital, unnecessarily.
- Fit in as a sailing cruiser from day one so that you can avoid embarrassing situations. Yes – sailing cruisers, like any community, have certain do’s and don’ts.
- Properly use the VHF radio to call marina’s, other boats and do the standard safety messages so you don’t look like a novice. Note: Never say ‘Over and out!’ If you do, you have to buy a round of beers for everyone at the bar.
- Make passage plans using modern technology so you don’t have to rely on the antiquated paper charts and sailing school methods that are obsolete and dated.
- Set your expectations realistically so you, or your partner, are not disappointed.
- Have at hand the step-by-step list on how to prepare your boat for a storm in a marina or at an anchorage so you decrease your chances of damage or loss.
We’re offering our Confident Sailing Cruiser Collection so you can learn exactly what you need to know quickly to make your sailing dream a reality. For years we’ve been creating valuable checklists, templates, examples, guides, videos, and learning lessons that cover the problem areas of becoming a sailing cruiser. We know where people get it wrong because we’ve been immersed with those people for years.
We see the successes and the failures. We want you to be a success.
Here’s exactly what’s included in the collection:
This guide will help you to clarify your thought process, ensure you avoid making mistakes and it will certainly help to save you money. Ultimately it will provide you with a clearer perspective about some of the issues involved with buying a boat and transitioning to a life on the sea.
This guide demonstrates how sailing cruisers, of all ages, are creating lifestyles that incorporate everything they love – fresh sea air, an abundance of wildlife, the ability to travel anywhere there’s a coastline, an almost guaranteed sunset every night, friends at every port, deliciously healthy local foods, quality time with our loved ones and a sustainable INCOME.
Checklists will help you to become more organized and motivated to get the right things done. You’ll also get things done quicker and more efficiently, have more clarity, delegate, save lives, and continually improve.
This is a boater must-have VHF Radio broadcast reference guide. When using the VHF to call another boat, marina, or send a broadcast to all boats (MAYDAY, etc.) there are set steps to take and very specific words to use. This guide can be personalized with your MMSI, Call Sign, and Boat name for free. Instructions are included on how to make the request within the guide.
In-depth, step-by-step anchoring and mooring checklists to ensure effective procedures, communications, and ultimately a good night’s sleep!
If a hurricane is coming your way, do you know how to best prepare your boat the survive? After surviving several hurricanes and a few tropical storms, we have a tried and tested checklist that has kept our boat afloat. Get our checklists and tips to ensure you do everything you can to protect your boat.
There are ways, however, for preparing for seasickness. Some people can avoid it, others can mitigate its effects and many are afflicted only mildly. This guide is for anyone afraid of getting seasick or having to deal with someone who is sick. It’s fast, hard-hitting, and full of potential solutions.
The value of all the guides is priceless. You’ll save thousands of dollars by reading and applying what you learn from just one of them!
Currently, all the guides are selling at over $150 separately. Today, however, you can get our full Becoming A Sailing Cruiser collection for $97.00 (the cost for a nice dinner out!)– scroll up and click the BUY button now.
The reason that we are offering this collection for a low price is that it will soon be a part of our fully comprehensive online training package. The new package will consist of videos, guides, checklists, templates, and materials that reinforce the video teaching. Since the online training videos aren’t ready yet, we’re offering this special collection as a one-off offer.
So…If all this did was to help you start living your dream sooner rather than later, allow you to make far fewer mistakes, and save thousands of dollars, would it be worth the full asking price? Of course, it would!
I want to make sure that this collection will work for you and I’m so sure that you’ll see the value that I’m going to give you a full 365-day money-back guarantee. If for any reason you are not happy with your results, just let me know and I’ll give you 100 percent of your money back.
But buy it now because this ‘collection’ offer will not be around for too long. This collection will eventually be absorbed into a larger, more robust, and much higher-priced training offer. We’re just not there yet.
Anyway – Just imagine what your life will be like once you’re sailing off into the open blue expanse.
There’s nothing like it and there is no other place that my family and would rather be but on our boat. Here’s to seeing you anchored next to us in the not-too-distant future!
So, click the BUY button below and you’ll be taken to a secure order form. After you put your credit card information in, you’ll get an email with directions on how to access the collection immediately.
(Best Value! Save $1,000's)
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Testimonials
Checklists For Sailors - 5 Star Review
DMR - June 5, 2019
Kimberly Brown, you have contributed to the sailing community a truly indispensable tool! We are so grateful to you for taking your time to help cruisers! We are new to full time cruising and this is our first boat.....that overwhelming feeling I was having while trying to organize tasks has now been substantially alleviated! Thank you a million times over.
Coaching Call
Diana McDade - 2019
Simon and Kim on Britican were such a big help to me when I was preparing for our crossing from San Diego to Honolulu. My coaching calls were such a reassurance to me, and I incorporated all of the advice that was given as far as provisioning and tips for handling trash, spare parts, and just having someone to bounce thoughts off of...
Checklists For Sailors - 5 Star Review
This book is absolutely amazing! Thank God for the Word version because mine is so tattered from use it looks like it was at sea for years!
All Guides, Coaching Calls & Britican Experience
My wife and I purchased all of Kim's guides, we did the coaching calls, went on the Britican Experience (a week with Simon and Kim in the Caribbean) and we worked with Simon and Kim's recommended broker. We now have our boat! Soon we'll be heading out to live the life.
Coaching Call
Simon saved me tens of thousands of dollars. He also prevented me from buying the wrong boat for what I wanted to do. It should be law that everyone has a chat with him before buying a boat.
Checklists For Sailors - 5 Star Review
Coaching Call
Robert Bernie –
Simon and I had a fantastic converstation. He got me to offer $5,000 below what I was going to offer. I went back and forth with owner and in the end I paid $4,000 less than what I originally intended. Simon saved me $4,000 due to one phone call!