Article by Capt. Steve Katz
Preparing with Spares
I am writing this column while working during the all charity Custom Shootout fishing tournament hosted at the Beach Resort & Boat Harbor in the Abacos, Bahamas. Many of the boats here have brought not just food or drink with them, but also most are well stocked with spare parts and supplies. These tournament boats travel to destinations that are isolated from your typical marine supply store and most boats desire to be self-sufficient.
Whether traveling to far flung destinations around the world or just a run down to Chincoteague VA in your center console, being prepared is important any time when on the water.
Pack it up!
When heading out for an extended trip or even a quick trip to an isolated area, most crew prepare the boat with the important fishing supplies and food provisions for the voyage and destination. What about the spare parts or regularly consumed parts that may be needed to maintain the boat while away? What if something critical breaks- do you bring a spare? What spare parts should you bring? What parts can I get at my destinations? How can I ship parts to my destination and how fast and how much will it cost? Do you have room to bring all of this with you?
One boater I met always carried lots of spare parts and tools, though admitting he was not mechanically inclined but if he ever needed service away from home, he figured it would be easier to find a mechanic than it would be to find the right parts AND a mechanic.
Carrying a good cross selection of spare parts can allow you to make temporary or permanent repairs while away from your home port.
Besides food, drink and safety supplies, what should you carry onboard?
Fuel system
Without good fuel, your boat is not going anywhere. Most importantly is new, clean, and dry spare fuel filters, these should be top of the list for any boat. Be sure to find out where your fuel filters are located, how many you have and understand the procedure needed to change the filters. Any engine specific special fittings, valves or fuel system parts should be carried in your spare kit.
Oil and lubricants
Leaving home port with all fluid levels topped off should be standard practice. Though long runs or a malfunction could cause a dip in oil and or fluid levels causing your engine to slow or stop operating. Find out the correct type of oil and fluids your engine and equipment requires and how to add these fluids to maintain the proper levels.
Pumps
Both bilge pumps and engine cooling pumps are particularly important to keep your boat running and floating. Many engine seawater cooling pumps incorporate a flexible rubber impeller. Over time these can dry-rot, take a set or fail due to overheating. Even a spare rubber impeller can become useless depending on its age and how it has been stored.
Engine seawater pumps are often difficult to remove and replace, research what is needed to perform this job and be sure you carry the correct parts and special tools in the event you or a hired service person needs to change this while you are away from home.
Bilge pumps can fail electrically or mechanically, something as simple as an errant plastic wire tie can jam a bilge pump and cause the motor to fail. Years of submersion in salt water can take a toll on the best bilge pumps and the associated wiring.
Bilge pumps come in many sizes, types, and voltages, it is easiest to replace a failed pump and or pump float switch with the same exact model you currently have. This allows the mount, wiring and hoses to remain in the same place and often a swap can be quick and simple since everything new matches with the old equipment.
Navigation and Lighting
While most captains pride themselves on their marine electronics, it is a good idea to have some sort of back-up plan if something goes wrong. It seems many boaters use something like the Navionics application on their smartphone and that could save the day if your main source of electronic navigation has a problem. Of course, carrying paper navigation charts may not be “cool” but they do not need electricity to work!
Navigating at night can be difficult for the captain but also your visibility to other boaters is just as important. It is a good idea to carry additional battery powered lighting that could be used at night, whether the specialty marine navigation flashlights or any light producing source will help other boaters see you and could even be used to signal help in an emergency. Be sure to check the spare batteries, they do not seem to last as long in storage as they once did.
Electrical
Circuit breakers and fuses -with so many styles, shapes, and capacity of how do you decide what to bring? Review your boat’s electrical system and confirm the location, type, and sizes of the fuses and breakers and purchase a handful. In a pinch your spares, even if not exact, may get you going until you can locate the proper hardware. It is also a clever idea to carry some electric wire, it can be used for many things, though wiring a temporary bilge pump, electronics feed or navigation light might be a quick fix in an emergency.
While there is not enough room for all the spares you would like to carry, carefully selecting the spare parts and tools that match your boat and a little bit of ingenuity is the best way to be prepared.
Until next time -
Stay Grounded!
