What’s on board: our equipment

On this page, we introduce you to some of our onboard equipment – things that have truly proved their worth on our boat.

Navigation & technology

• 📱 Tablet with Navionics app
  For us, this is the simplest solution for planning & navigating on the go. We use an iPad Pro with GPS (SIM card version) and buy the appropriate chart for whichever area we’re heading to each year. These usually cost between €49 and €99. Our plotter is now purely decorative in the cockpit and serves as a central hub for all navigation devices (autopilot, etc.).
• 🛜 Router with SIM card
  We opted for an industrial-grade router. We always buy a SIM card with a data allowance in whichever country we’re in, as we use quite a lot of data for work and streaming. Otherwise, even our German SIM card would suffice within Europe. For that, we’ve been using a T-Online prepaid plan for many years (currently the annual plan with 13 GB per month for €99 a year – as loyal customers, we also receive an additional 7.5 GB data bonus).

Power supply

• 🌞 Solar panel & charge controller
  Our current setup: 2 flexible 80W panels & 1 permanently mounted 78W panel on deck, plus 2 MPPT controllers. It’s not enough to live off-grid for extended periods, especially in the north. But in summer we manage perfectly well with it – even after a few overcast days in a row. And in winter we’re in a marina with shore power anyway.
• 🔋 Lithium house bank
  Our house bank consists of two 12.8 V Lithium SuperPack batteries from VictronEnergy. They have an integrated Battery Management System (BMS) and can be connected in parallel. This gives us 2 × 100 Ah lithium batteries, from which we can draw around 180 Ah. For consumers like the fridge, router, or lighting at anchor, that’s easily enough for three days without sun. And while underway, we’re well provided for too. Read here about our AGM to lithium conversion.

Anchoring & safety

• ⚓ Anchor
  Our main anchor is a 15 kg Rocna anchor with 55 m of chain – it holds even in strong winds and gusts. We always carry a budget spare anchor as well, stowed right at the bottom of the boat. We also have a stern anchor on our Ankarolina.
• 🛟 Life jacket
  We always wear one, especially on night passages or at sea in heavy swell. TheDecksvest is one of the more expensive jackets, but in my view also the most comfortable. Because if it’s not comfortable, you won’t wear it. And then it’s useless.
• 📍 AIS
  One of the best investments of recent years is our active AIS. With it, we not only see other vessels equipped with AIS – they can also see us. If a collision is imminent, you’re automatically warned.

Galley & life aboard

• 🍳 Gas cooker
  We still have our gas cooker – we haven’t replaced it yet. It’s a bit large for our needs, as we never use the oven. We somehow can’t quite get on with it and are planning to change things at some point.
• 🍟 Air fryer
  Even though it can’t be used at anchor – where we have no mains power – it’s our star in the marina the moment shore power is available.
• 🎥 Projector
  This one also can’t be used without shore power, as we have no AC supply at anchor. But then again, who wants to watch films in a beautiful anchorage? It gets plenty of use, though, when we’re stuck in the marina in bad weather or during winter.

Getting outside

• 🚣‍♂️ Dinghy
  An inflatable dinghy is a must. Ours wasn’t expensive, but it does the job for now.