Passagemaking Basics

Passagemaking Basics

Passagemaking basics have gotten complicated with all the YouTube channels, forum opinions, and gear reviews flying around. As someone who started as a weekend boater and worked my way up to multi-day offshore passages, I learned everything there is to know about the fundamentals that actually matter when you leave sight of land. Today, I will share it all with you.

I remember my first overnight passage vividly. I was absolutely convinced I’d prepared for everything. I had charts, waypoints, a watch schedule, and enough food for a week. What I didn’t have was any real experience being offshore in the dark with no one to call for help. That first night taught me more about seamanship than two years of coastal cruising combined. Passagemaking isn’t just longer boating — it’s a different discipline entirely, and the basics are what keep you safe when things get interesting.

The Fundamentals That Actually Matter

Probably should have led with this section, honestly. Prepare your vessel with redundancy in critical systems — two means of navigation, two means of communication, backup bilge pumps, spare impellers and belts. Develop your seamanship incrementally, building from day trips to overnights to multi-day passages as your confidence and skills grow. Plan conservatively on weather windows, distances, and your own endurance. That’s what makes passagemaking endearing to us cruisers — it demands the best version of your seamanship and rewards it with experiences that no amount of coastal cruising can match.