How often you used a spare?

twistedtree said:

On a more serious note, I think this is one of those questions where the answer is, "it depends". If you are coastal cruising in generally populated areas, aka pretty much all of the US coast line, I would carry minimal spares...............

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I agree. I haven't yet cruised anywhere TowBoatUS wouldn't come and get me and tow me to where I could get parts.

That said, I do carry a few spares and of course filters. The only spare I can recall using while away from home is the pair of belts for the alternator and water pump. The old belts didn't break but they looked pretty ragged and I decided that replacing them before it was an emergency would be a good idea.

I had to replace a transmission oil cooler once while cruising and it was a weekend so I had to stay in a marina longer than I had planned, but I had a replacement air shipped and installed it and was on my way.

We've used spares as part of our normal routine. We do have them all bar coded and located so easy to find and all have expiration dates so we replace if they expire. We cruise long distances and routine maintenance often required in the course of trips and we do cruise outside the range of tow services frequently. Now when we do the loop, we will carry far fewer spares on that boat, as we aren't offshore and we have space limitations. Also, we can get any part needed within less than 24 hours.

I have put my spare alternator on while the primary was being repaired. I carry plenty of spare filters and a couple of impellers as well as enough oil for an oil change, oil for the tranny and enough antifreeze to completely refill the system. I also have a more or less complete set of spare hoses. In addition I keep a couple of hundred feet of #12 wire on board along with a collection of connectors and heat shrink. The only other spares I carry are three spare bilge pumps and float switches.

I don't carry a spare engine like many of the others that post here do.

Use of spares we carried: belts (typically last 1500-2000 hours), seawater impellers (for some reason ours last only 200-300 hours), air filters (when dirty), oil filters (scheduled oil change), alternator brushes, props (dinged on floating wood).

We've shipped in a few parts too - seawater pump, turbo, exhaust elbow, v-clamp holding turbo and exhaust elbow together.

SE AK cruises always involve some practice installing spares, sometimes (belts, impellers, props) in very remote locations.

We've been completely disabled only once in 6,500 hours - the sterndrive failed catastrophically. Got back to Lake Powell launch ramp thanks to our kicker.

Peter B; said:

Never - not even close.

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Hah!
Then what's that thing hangin' off your back end if it aint a spare?

One spare I have never used is the FX 55 anchor still in its red bag. I'm fearful of selling it though for the mentioned curse.

For those of us blessed with twin engines and heads, spares are in place and ready to go. I've been hoping the AP 20 would give up the ghost, it won't darn it. I was worried about the navigation laptop with Windows XP, it is now a great working spare and may well outlast the new navigation laptop.

Last summer the fresh water pump went kaput, the 8 year old in the box spare went on. I used a spare coolant pump 2 years ago. My IT friends in the big yacht business fly all over the world installing spare/new electronics. Things have changed.

Being in a small town in Alaska I have to keep a large parts supply on the boat. Most parts are mail order items.

So, I guess I use "spares" all the time. Mostly small stuff, rarely the engine parts.

I rarely use a "spare" while away from the dock though. My goal is to not have to work on the boat while underway.

What I do is spend time aboard, at the dock "puttering" on the boat. I tend to replace and or fix things at the first sign of something amis, vs waiting for a failure. To me, that time spent on the boat is part of the joy of boating.

What JN said. Buy spare, immediately install. Evaluate removed item, and either see if it can swim, or rebuild and put back into "spares" storage. Sort of like an elephant protector-if you've put your new spares into immediate service, those components seldom fail in the future. But you've got spares (and the tools and the knowledge to use 'em) if you need to.

Remember the definition of cruising-repairing boats in exotic places. In the boonies, if you ain't got the spares, you ain't fixing it.

Regards,

Pete

In the last 6 months, off the top of my head, I recall needing to use the following spares:Watermaker, dinghy, hydraulic cooling pump, dinghy Davit controller, generator oil pressure switch, dog leash, and a bilge pump.



Spell check via iPhone.

That I recall, so far 2 spare Racor filters, 15 amp breaker, some water hose, windlass relay and 2 Northern Lights genset ceramic raw water pump seals.

"How do you know your spare this or that is even any good?"

The same way prudent sailors have done for decades.

Install the "spare",, it will teach you if more tools are required to be in your kit.

Put the removed operating item back in its packing , call it your SPARE.

Needing a Half moon wrench or crowfoot socket is best found out near shore.

Items like fan belts can be a PIA to install if stuff has to be removed for access.

Some times a second belt can be put in place , and wire tied out of the way.

Shift cables ditto.Install a second set when replacing the first.

FF; said:

Put the removed operating item back in its packing , call it your SPARE.

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Now, see, that's the part I don't get. What good is it, lugging around a bucket full of used spares with no known life expectancy?

So far, I've used spare fuel filters and a rebuilt raw water pump as the pulley migrated out of alignment on a newly rebuilt unit from a well known pump rebuilder.

I have not used the spare alternator (on board) or the spare props, starter, diesel engine, or Twin Disk transmission that I keep in a storage facility.

jungpeter said:

What JN said. Buy spare, immediately install. Evaluate removed item, and either see if it can swim, or rebuild and put back into "spares" storage...

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FF said:

"How do you know your spare this or that is even any good?"

The same way prudent sailors have done for decades.

Install the "spare",, it will teach you if more tools are required to be in your kit.

Put the removed operating item back in its packing , call it your SPARE.

Needing a Half moon wrench or crowfoot socket is best found out near shore.

Items like fan belts can be a PIA to install if stuff has to be removed for access.

Some times a second belt can be put in place , and wire tied out of the way.

Shift cables ditto.Install a second set when replacing the first.

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That's what I just did. I had a screw head break off when removing the cover plate of my raw water pump. I removed the pump, ordered a new one, installed the new one and will remove the remains of the screw and put the old pump in the spares. Now I know what it takes to replace the raw water pump.

Hawgwash said:

Now, see, that's the part I don't get. What good is it, lugging around a bucket full of used spares with no known life expectancy?

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If I installed this pump again while cruising I would replace it at the next opportunity. I won't put a worn out item in the spares.

Richard

Having cruised Bay Pelican for almost 17 years we have replaced almost everything, almost always from spares, head gaskets, alternators, sea water pumps, fuel pumps, bilge pumps, fresh water pumps, door hinges, and on and on. Several items were the type you would not normally think of to carry as spares, the shower faucet (one shower on boat), the shore water inlet with the pressure regulator and a coolant overflow tank.

Was stymied recently with one I hadn't thought of which was the plastic discharge elbow on the toilet. Broken by the tork from the discharge hose filled with scale. Fortunately another cruiser had a spare.

Even when in the United States we found that for a cruising boat getting replacement parts immediately was not easy. I remember the time in Key West when one boat was going to have to stay behind from his friends who were going north because they were leaving at 5 am to make the next stop and he needed to wait until 9 am for the chandlery to open to replace his bilge pump. Sold him a bilge pump at 10 pm and he left before I was up.

Have replaced with spares while cruising:

Hydraulic belt (twice)
Water pump belt
Water pump
Vacuflush ball seal
Washdown pump
Bilge pump
Bilge switch
Sump pump

I sense a theme... Better make sure I have more spare pumps!

FF said:

Some times a second belt can be put in place , and wire tied out of the way.

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Oh, that's a good one!

Spare component parts ? Many times. Complete spare units (e.g. an entire starter) no... just bilge pumps and bilge switches and tach senders that I can recall. I was so glad to be overstocked on that stuff. Having a twin engine boat, I soon learned that if an item went out on one side, the other was soon to follow, so I always bought two of anything so as to be ready for the inevitable. Replace them both with new and keep the still-working one as a spare. If I had a single engine boat, I'd have even more spares I think.

Quote "Some times a second belt can be put in place , and wire tied out of the way."

Had an early 70's 23' Sport Craft with a straight six cylinder Chey engine. Front motor mount had to be removed every time the single V-Belt had to be replaced. Thought we got smart so we wire tied the spare belt behind the motor mount for a quick replacement. Well, once the belt broke and guess what, so did the spare

Works well for Ford Lehman 120s so you don't have to pull a cooling hose.

"Now, see, that's the part I don't get. What good is it, lugging around a bucket full of used spares with no known life expectancy?"

You are removing the existing operating unit , that is working properly.

And replacing it with a new , unknown quality operating unit.

IF the new installed part is OK you depart on your voyage with the new part working.

If it has a "problem" you are close to the seller and can try again.

"Ooops I didn't realize you had the B model".

The removed operating unit should make a dandy spare , as at least you know it fits and is operating OK.

An old worn out piece of crap would be better tossed , not carried as a spare.

Bought a Defever44 two years ago in Florida. Twenty hours into our voyage home to Maryland, an injector line fractured underway. A mess but we caught it early on. Anyway, the boat had a full set of new injectors on board. We limped in to a marina on one engine, tied up for the night, and were on our way the next morning by 10am. We recently found four oil coolers and a heat exchanger stuffed away in a cubby.

Sea water leak on an alternator. Circulating water pump bearings locked up. Burned up a starter when water got into engine. had spares for all.

Last time out - Before starting up, looked in bilge between engines, as I do every time out. Noticed small puddle of water toward front - I don't like nor allow water in my bilge - geeeerrrr! So, I stepped down into the wide open engine compartment and noted small drip coming from one end of fresh water pump. Hose connection pressure fittings' rubber grommet/o-ring had failed. I pulled out my plumbing spare parts package and put in a brand new connector. Leak solved!

Yea - No water in bilge again!

Good to have spare parts! Problem is - you're never too sure exactly which one you'll need!

I figure tools and spares aboard amount to a few (maybe several??) hundred pounds... not too bad. Good for balast when positioned correctly.

makobuilders said:

Does anyone carry a spare starter motor and had to use it?

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I seem to have an issue with starter motors.

About 2 years ago, the starter motor failed on my old 30 year old Volvo MD17 when I shut off the engine in the local lock waiting for levels to equalize. No spare, but I managed to get to a nearby dock, remove the starter and get it rebuilt the next day.

Last week, I was leaving the marina through the same dock; shut down the engine again, and when I tried to fire it up - nothing. I thought it must be a bad connection, or relay but after an hour of faultfinding it was found to be a dead starter motor again. I didn't think I needed a spare with less than 200 hours on the engine.

A new one is on the way from Holland under warranty, and I'll be rebuilding the old one to keep as a spare. Twice bitten.....(in the same spot)!

Twisted Tree has said it the best so far.
All I can add, is that I also have a locker full of stuff that some would consider "spares". So much so that whenever I encounter someone with a problem at one of our YC outstations, rummaging my locker of extra stuff will often lead to a solution. But to call that "spares" is to stretch the definition too far. Things like various sizes of hose, pipe, clamps, belts, nuts & bolts, screws, glues, packing, washers, O rings, gasket material, caulking, cabosil, resin, gelcoat, paint, etc. And a few hundred pounds of appropriate tools, some others you might consider odd, like a router and a set of bits, skilsaw, sawzall, jigsaw, angle grinder, torquewrench, etc. But actual spares such as starter, alternator, water pump (engine) etc, nada.

koliver; said:

I also have a locker full of stuff...But to call that "spares" is to stretch the definition too far.

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What? No sandpaper in your locker? The boat in my avatar was built out on Trites Rd. in Steveston and I spent many hours at Steveston Marine buying six of every SS fastener along with everything you mentioned and like you, most of what I had ended up on someone else's boat. I also had six props. Two in use, two in the lazarette and two in the prop shop.

Hawgwash said:

Hah!
Then what's that thing hangin' off your back end if it aint a spare?

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Hawg, that's just a rather large fender, for when other folk, who can't drive their boat in or out of the marina properly run into me - it has served that purpose at least twice..!

AusCan said:

I seem to have an issue with starter motors.

About 2 years ago, the starter motor failed on my old 30 year old Volvo MD17 when I shut off the engine in the local lock waiting for levels to equalize.
Last week, I was leaving the marina through the same dock; shut down the engine again, and when I tried to fire it up - nothing.

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Sorry Aus, but why on earth did you shut down your engine while waiting in a lock for water levels to equalise..? In every lock we went thru in the UK in the canals, I never turned the engine off in the lock once - that appears to be the perfect invite for Murphy's law, don'tcha know..?

Peter B; said:

...that's just a rather large fender, for when other folk, who can't drive their boat in or out of the marina properly run into me

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Hah! Again. How does a bloke properly run into you? Or is that another Ozism;
"G'day, mate, ya wanna move ya boat? I got no reverse and might properly run into ya."