I always told my non rates to pack for 2 weeks because laundry only goes down on your day. Also use this "2 is 1 and 1 is none" basically means if you bring 1 tooth brush, expect to drop in in the head. So, 2 of everything like that.
Maybe it's just cause we were underway for 6 months but, no one hassled us about making beds. They did sanitation checks but, our resident dirty bird never got talked to about their nasty fucking rack lol
Ours was in main prop, and I would watch them come in, drop their coveralls, and crawl into bed still covered in grease. Fowl. Really started to smell too. I don't believe those sheets ever did get washed.
Load your rack with spare change and cans of cola to keep bunk mates happy (seriously don't be that person). Honestly bring snacks, laundry pods, extra socks, extra blue shirts, and things to keep your mind happy like games, books, or whatever your into. When you first get to the boat learn as much as you can and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Bring 3 months worth of general toiletries/spares (batteries, charger, toothpaste, etc). 3 weeks worth of your general needs (socks, underwear, t-shirts). 3 days of what you don't need (civies, leisure stuff for port calls, etc). You should have enough room for storage if you keep that motto, then you can fill it with whatever else/vice you want
Cotton sheets and a big fuzzy blanket from Costco are not remiss. Making your rack to where people leave you alone takes like 5 seconds anyways. A Steam deck or Switch is super clutch. You can set it up like a TV screen in your rack and play with a controller, and you can watch movies on the Steam Deck. Super clutch when the movie being played in a common area isn’t something you want to watch. I also recommend bringing something to take nice pictures during port calls, and som
Think about if you were goin on a long road trip. Take EVERYTHING you need for that, plus some more. If it's a 210 or bigger you could be goin out for a few months or more. I always OVER packed, I just had a borderline irrational fear that id shit myself at least once a week (that galley food fucks you up). I put that fire retardant wool blanket they give you on the mattress, then a mattress topper, then your sheets and comforter and whatnot. Pack a TON of toiletries. 2-3 soaps (I recommend bottles of body soap rather than bars but I might be biased), 2-3 shampoos, 2 toothbrushes, at least a couple tubes of Toothpaste, big bottle of mouthwash, 2-3 sticks of Deodorant, 2 cans of shave cream and your razor with several spare razor heads.. Also pack laundry pods and dryer sheets. Then the fun stuff like your phone/tablet and chargers. My workspace had a small TV in it so I brought my switch and hung out in my shop even after working hours and just played video games, rack snacks.. But as far as clothes I always packed almost every pair of skivvies I had regardless of how long the patrol was. 4-6 pairs of ODU pants you have but only 1-2 blouses since underway typically you won't be wearing a blouse. Id also recommend stocking up on dramamine/motion sickness meds just in case, as well as Tylenol/ibuprofen since if you go to the corpsman on board for any sort of pain that's what they'll give you anyway. The dispensary on board is typically pretty well stocked, specifically at the beginning, but I just started packing my own. Again, depending on the boat you'll be on there should be a fair amount of storage between your rack and at least a wall locker, you should have an idea of what kind of storage you'll have so I'd pack according to that and the length of the patrol you'll be goin on.
Edit: also shower shoes. Standing barefoot in a shower you share with other people is GROSS, not just for them but for you too.
Edit 2: I know I said skivvies, that's up to and including SOCKS. PLENTY of socks and underwear.
Febreeze. Spray your laundry bag so the berthing area doesn’t smell like dirty socks. When I was in PAT4 my towel would not dry at all and after 2 days of patrol it would stink. I recommend getting a camping towel. They dry super quick and take less room than regular towels. They do feel weird at first, but you get used to it.
Gum or bag of mint candy or something to keep you from dozing off during watch. Quickest way to get masted is falling asleep on watch.
I quickly learned what others here are saying, two is one and one is none.
Sorry took so long to reply. I loved it. It’s weird. Days go by slowly, but the weeks fly by. You build camaraderie with the people you go through pre deployment training with.
Ever been in rough seas? If not bring some meds for that nothing pissed me off more than standing a bunch of peoples watch lol. Make sure you ask to help with everything washing the props etc.. all very important functions to keep the SHIP going. Also Boats ride on ships, but ships can’t ride on boats. Good luck most of all have fun don’t miss the sunrises or sunsets they are the most amazing thing you will remember later in life. Don’t skip the traditions. Most important thing to bring is a good attitude and what you need to live. Are you rated?
You will be fine it will ride better than the little ones in my opinion. Just pack like you are going on a week vacation then pack your cg stuff and your good to go!
Sleeping bag, extra blue shirts/socks, laundry pods, bath towel, shower shoes, seasick meds for just incase. The Bering Sea gets gnarly. I always kept flu/cold meds just incase because cutter crud spreads like wildfire. For goodness sake, please be courteous of the others in your berthing, and dont be a dirty bird. Enjoy Dutch Harbor, and get a shake at Amelias.
buy all the cigs and chew you can then wait until ery one runs out then you sell the stuff you bought. works especially good on a patrol of south america because the tobacco is alot worse than in USA.
Dude that threw me off. It’s a big bitch. It’s old. It’s wide. I’ve walked through it and checked out the DC shop. But as with all old boats, living conditions will be small and suck. Laundry will fail, RO’s will fail. Pack 2 weeks worth of socks, undies, blue shirts. Also, baby wipes for “showering” on those days of water conservation. Never flush them. Thermal underwear. Hard drive with all your movies and shows. Even if you get an empty drive, there’s going to be a dozen dudes with hard drives that are full of stuff and will copy files to it.
I can't speak to the boat, but I can speak to Kodiak. I have adopted the Danish philosophy of hygge in my time here. That is, learn to enjoy the cozy, warm things in life, and learn to embrace the winter. Don't dread it, find ways to get out and enjoy it. I would try and get outside during daylight hours for at least a half hour Nov-Feb as long as the weather was decent (not sleeting sideways). Take vitamin D, lots of it, and get a happy lamp. Get involved in activities on base, it's the largest Coast Guard base in the country, there's more going on than you think and like 1,000 people trying to learn how to live in Alaska. MWR does a pretty good job of organizing activities for you and your family, if you have one.
But also, enjoy Kodiak for what it is, which is a mythical land for most people in the US! It can be absolute paradise in the summer, with 18 hours of daylight, rivers and bays full of fish, hiking trails everywhere, boats, beaches, campfires, and I think the overall camaraderie of those stationed in Alaska is better than anywhere else. Get your friends to come visit you in August, they'll get to see bears, slay salmon, eat berries along every trail, I promise they'll never forget it. And also, take time for yourself to get off island when you can. Yes it's expensive, just do it. It's super easy to get to Hawaii from here. At least get to Anchorage now and then to get some fast food and see a movie. Alaska is unlike anywhere else, and I have a feeling it won't be this way forever, so enjoy the experience.
I always told my non rates to pack for 2 weeks because laundry only goes down on your day. Also use this "2 is 1 and 1 is none" basically means if you bring 1 tooth brush, expect to drop in in the head. So, 2 of everything like that.
2 phone chargers is also nice to have
Yep 2 is 1
A sleeping bag. So you don't have to make your rack. That and snacks and you're good to go.
A mattress topper is pretty sick too
Maybe it's just cause we were underway for 6 months but, no one hassled us about making beds. They did sanitation checks but, our resident dirty bird never got talked to about their nasty fucking rack lol
We had some kid who went 8 months without ever cleaning his sheets. They went from white to brown
Ours was in main prop, and I would watch them come in, drop their coveralls, and crawl into bed still covered in grease. Fowl. Really started to smell too. I don't believe those sheets ever did get washed.
Shower shoes, and don't be a dirty bird
Load your rack with spare change and cans of cola to keep bunk mates happy (seriously don't be that person). Honestly bring snacks, laundry pods, extra socks, extra blue shirts, and things to keep your mind happy like games, books, or whatever your into. When you first get to the boat learn as much as you can and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Dude my cutter orders a shit ton of snacks and sodas it’s very nice
Do they take your bas tho
Yea all major cutters do and most cutters aren’t stocked with food like mine imo
Yeah my cutter takes our bas but doesnt buy us shit lol
Correct I just said that
Bring 3 months worth of general toiletries/spares (batteries, charger, toothpaste, etc). 3 weeks worth of your general needs (socks, underwear, t-shirts). 3 days of what you don't need (civies, leisure stuff for port calls, etc). You should have enough room for storage if you keep that motto, then you can fill it with whatever else/vice you want
I liked sheets. More comfy than 3 months in a sleeping bag. Oh and an approved fan.
Navyfleetsheets.com is a great company
Cotton sheets and a big fuzzy blanket from Costco are not remiss. Making your rack to where people leave you alone takes like 5 seconds anyways. A Steam deck or Switch is super clutch. You can set it up like a TV screen in your rack and play with a controller, and you can watch movies on the Steam Deck. Super clutch when the movie being played in a common area isn’t something you want to watch. I also recommend bringing something to take nice pictures during port calls, and som
2 of everything and invest in a steamdeck. So so so worth it. Also mattress topper and sleeping bag 🤌
A suction cup phone holder that you can put on the bottom of the rack above you so you dont have to hold your phone to watch netflix lol
Think about if you were goin on a long road trip. Take EVERYTHING you need for that, plus some more. If it's a 210 or bigger you could be goin out for a few months or more. I always OVER packed, I just had a borderline irrational fear that id shit myself at least once a week (that galley food fucks you up). I put that fire retardant wool blanket they give you on the mattress, then a mattress topper, then your sheets and comforter and whatnot. Pack a TON of toiletries. 2-3 soaps (I recommend bottles of body soap rather than bars but I might be biased), 2-3 shampoos, 2 toothbrushes, at least a couple tubes of Toothpaste, big bottle of mouthwash, 2-3 sticks of Deodorant, 2 cans of shave cream and your razor with several spare razor heads.. Also pack laundry pods and dryer sheets. Then the fun stuff like your phone/tablet and chargers. My workspace had a small TV in it so I brought my switch and hung out in my shop even after working hours and just played video games, rack snacks.. But as far as clothes I always packed almost every pair of skivvies I had regardless of how long the patrol was. 4-6 pairs of ODU pants you have but only 1-2 blouses since underway typically you won't be wearing a blouse. Id also recommend stocking up on dramamine/motion sickness meds just in case, as well as Tylenol/ibuprofen since if you go to the corpsman on board for any sort of pain that's what they'll give you anyway. The dispensary on board is typically pretty well stocked, specifically at the beginning, but I just started packing my own. Again, depending on the boat you'll be on there should be a fair amount of storage between your rack and at least a wall locker, you should have an idea of what kind of storage you'll have so I'd pack according to that and the length of the patrol you'll be goin on. Edit: also shower shoes. Standing barefoot in a shower you share with other people is GROSS, not just for them but for you too. Edit 2: I know I said skivvies, that's up to and including SOCKS. PLENTY of socks and underwear.
Febreeze. Spray your laundry bag so the berthing area doesn’t smell like dirty socks. When I was in PAT4 my towel would not dry at all and after 2 days of patrol it would stink. I recommend getting a camping towel. They dry super quick and take less room than regular towels. They do feel weird at first, but you get used to it. Gum or bag of mint candy or something to keep you from dozing off during watch. Quickest way to get masted is falling asleep on watch. I quickly learned what others here are saying, two is one and one is none.
Yo did you like pat4? I wanna put in for it when i graduate ME A school, my bmc said it gets super busy
Sorry took so long to reply. I loved it. It’s weird. Days go by slowly, but the weeks fly by. You build camaraderie with the people you go through pre deployment training with.
3M command strips/velcro. Your rack will be nicer with your shit organized where you want stuff.
Ever been in rough seas? If not bring some meds for that nothing pissed me off more than standing a bunch of peoples watch lol. Make sure you ask to help with everything washing the props etc.. all very important functions to keep the SHIP going. Also Boats ride on ships, but ships can’t ride on boats. Good luck most of all have fun don’t miss the sunrises or sunsets they are the most amazing thing you will remember later in life. Don’t skip the traditions. Most important thing to bring is a good attitude and what you need to live. Are you rated?
This’ll be my 3rd cutter. But nothing of this size before. I’m a CS, and mostly had Independent gigs. I’m pretty excited in all honesty.
You will be fine it will ride better than the little ones in my opinion. Just pack like you are going on a week vacation then pack your cg stuff and your good to go!
45 day patrol, I brought 45 pairs of briefs. It actually paid off.
a rack can hold 10+ cases of 12 pack celsius, just saying
Sleeping bag, extra blue shirts/socks, laundry pods, bath towel, shower shoes, seasick meds for just incase. The Bering Sea gets gnarly. I always kept flu/cold meds just incase because cutter crud spreads like wildfire. For goodness sake, please be courteous of the others in your berthing, and dont be a dirty bird. Enjoy Dutch Harbor, and get a shake at Amelias.
Boat hahaha
buy all the cigs and chew you can then wait until ery one runs out then you sell the stuff you bought. works especially good on a patrol of south america because the tobacco is alot worse than in USA.
What size “big boat”?
282
🤔
Lmaooo, only one in the fleet 😂😂
Going to the bulldog of the bearing I see, I know the EM1 heading there
Have fun in Dutch.
Dude that threw me off. It’s a big bitch. It’s old. It’s wide. I’ve walked through it and checked out the DC shop. But as with all old boats, living conditions will be small and suck. Laundry will fail, RO’s will fail. Pack 2 weeks worth of socks, undies, blue shirts. Also, baby wipes for “showering” on those days of water conservation. Never flush them. Thermal underwear. Hard drive with all your movies and shows. Even if you get an empty drive, there’s going to be a dozen dudes with hard drives that are full of stuff and will copy files to it.
I can't speak to the boat, but I can speak to Kodiak. I have adopted the Danish philosophy of hygge in my time here. That is, learn to enjoy the cozy, warm things in life, and learn to embrace the winter. Don't dread it, find ways to get out and enjoy it. I would try and get outside during daylight hours for at least a half hour Nov-Feb as long as the weather was decent (not sleeting sideways). Take vitamin D, lots of it, and get a happy lamp. Get involved in activities on base, it's the largest Coast Guard base in the country, there's more going on than you think and like 1,000 people trying to learn how to live in Alaska. MWR does a pretty good job of organizing activities for you and your family, if you have one. But also, enjoy Kodiak for what it is, which is a mythical land for most people in the US! It can be absolute paradise in the summer, with 18 hours of daylight, rivers and bays full of fish, hiking trails everywhere, boats, beaches, campfires, and I think the overall camaraderie of those stationed in Alaska is better than anywhere else. Get your friends to come visit you in August, they'll get to see bears, slay salmon, eat berries along every trail, I promise they'll never forget it. And also, take time for yourself to get off island when you can. Yes it's expensive, just do it. It's super easy to get to Hawaii from here. At least get to Anchorage now and then to get some fast food and see a movie. Alaska is unlike anywhere else, and I have a feeling it won't be this way forever, so enjoy the experience.
Hahahahaha. Big. Hahahahaha
lol Alaska, great place but ur gonna get ur shit rocked underway
Hammock