S2 Ep1: Preparing Hazel for Offshore

Preparing Hazel for Offshore

It’s been a while. Hazel has been resting safely in New Orleans, but now it’s time for her to do what she was built to do, sail oceans. We’re finally ready to begin Phase II of our global circumnavigation. This next leg takes us from the Gulf of Mexico into the Caribbean Sea, with our first stop at Shelter Bay Marina in Panama. Based on the current weather forecast, the passage from NOLA to Panama should take about ten days, nonstop. From there, we’ll transit the Panama Canal and continue on to French Polynesia, then onward to Hawaii. More on that adventure later. For now, here’s the route from New Orleans to Shelter Bay.

Before we can cast off, preparing Hazel for offshore conditions is a massive undertaking. In truth, it has taken 18 months of work to ensure she’s fully seaworthy for an ocean crossing. After completing the 1,750‑mile journey down the Mississippi River, several critical tasks remained before she could safely take on the open ocean.

I spent a long, demanding week in New Orleans tackling the final preparations. For non‑sailors, some of this may seem dry, but for those who know boats, every one of these steps carries real weight. Here’s a look at a few of the major items, listed in no particular order.

1) Seal the Solar Arch Bolts

Using Sikaflex and butyl tape, we waterproofed the bolts that pass through the hull to support the solar arch. As Hazel heels and waves slam against her, even a small leak can become a big problem. This step ensures those bolts stay watertight.

2) Clean the Solar Panels

After the long trip down the Mississippi, the panels were filthy. Dirty panels mean reduced efficiency, and cleaning them is no small feat, they’re high, awkward, and hard to reach. But clean panels mean more power, so up we went.

3) Assemble the Ditch Bag

Hazel’s ditch bag stays right by the companionway, ready for the worst‑case scenario. If we ever had to abandon ship, three things must come with us: the life raft, the ditch bag, and the EPIRB. The ditch bag holds essentials like water, food, a knife, signaling gear, a Garmin InReach, sunscreen, and first aid supplies. Many of these items are also included in the life raft, but redundancy is survival.

4) Service the Mast Winches

Winches are the workhorses of the boat, especially the mast winches. The primary mast winch hoists the mainsail and lifts crew up and down the mast. We broke them down, cleaned, lubricated, and inspected everything. Good thing we did, the mainsail winch was beyond repair. Replacing it was expensive, but absolutely necessary. Later in the journey, we’ll service the primary winches for the headsails as well.

5) Secure the Dinghy

The dinghy is essentially our car, used for everything from grocery runs to snorkeling trips. There’s endless debate about how to store a dinghy offshore, but we take the conservative approach: deflate it and lash it to the mid‑deck. If heavy seas break over the bow, we know it’s secure.

6) Perform Engine Maintenance

Oil, oil filters, fuel filters, impellers, routine but essential. Opinions vary on how often to change them, but we follow a conservative schedule: every 100 hours.

7) Replace the Shower Sump Pump

We installed a new sump pump and ran brand‑new wiring to the electrical panel. The old wiring was questionable at best. It took nearly a full day to rewire with 10‑gauge tinned copper, but the shower now works flawlessly.

8) Upgrade Electrical Components

As mentioned in our Mississippi River blog, the shower pump failure was likely due in part to aging circuit breakers. We replaced breakers for all pumps, the fuel‑polishing system, the autopilot, and other critical systems. We also stocked spares.. 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 amp.

9) Permanently Mount the Starlink

After testing temporary placements, we chose a permanent location aft, near the solar panels. Installing it required drilling a new hole through the hull and removing ceiling panels to run wiring to the electrical panel. Starlink can be finicky on DC systems, so we wired it through the inverter to run on 120V AC. The result is rock‑solid performance.

10) Inspect and Service All Thru‑Hull Seacocks

A seacock is exactly what it sounds like, a valve through the hull that lets water in or out. They’re simple, often overlooked, and absolutely critical. A failed seacock offshore can be catastrophic. Fortunately, all of Hazel’s are now serviced and functioning perfectly.

11) Install the Life Raft

Hazel now carries a brand‑new four‑person self‑inflating life raft equipped with water, medical supplies, and survival essentials. It’s mounted beside the helm for fast deployment. Hopefully it’s something we never need.

12) Miscellaneous but Important Tasks

• Topped off diesel

• Filled the propane tank

• Set and tested the jacklines

• Set and tested the mainsail preventer

  
  

Hazel is ready. The real question is whether the crew can match her capability at sea. Tomorrow morning, we cast off the dock lines and point her bow toward the Gulf of Mexico. Time will tell.