What to consider when traveling with an Explorer Yacht in the Northern Hemisphere?

If you want to take your yacht to colder regions, you need to think not only about where you want to go, but also about what activities you want to do there and how to get ashore safely to do them. If you have a yacht captain and crew on board, you should involve them in the planning, as they will be happy to help you.

Prepare spare parts and take them with you. Even though Explorer Yachts should be equipped with redundant vital parts like water pumps, heaters, air conditioners, engines and generators, the last thing you want to experience is a breakdown of machinery that you can't fix on the fly. Prepare for a long, trouble-free journey with your engineer.

Yachts must be prepared for communication difficulties at higher latitudes. VSAT signals are designed for latitudes up to 70 degrees north. Prepare an Iridium satellite phone that will serve as a backup. With such a phone, you can make an emergency call via Iridium and also send text messages and e-mails.

It is important to stock up on supplies before an expedition, however, you must also avoid waste in the process. Especially in cold climates, it is not possible to dispose of trash on land due to the lack of infrastructure. Therefore, consider installing trash compactors and optional glass breakers so you can compress the amount of trash you generate. On larger Explorer Yachts, there are also often cold storage facilities where trash is stored for weeks and months.

Proper clothing and protective gear are very important in colder regions. Consider purchasing multiple sets for guests and crew on board when cruising in such cold regions. The wind and weather conditions can become quite uncomfortable out in the cold, especially when you leave your heated and temperature controlled Explorer yacht for the cold, icy regions.

For more information on how to best prepare your voyage of discovery with your yacht in the Northern Hemisphere, please feel free to contact me.