Spare part storage

[jimdavi]

With boat coming on 4 years old, I’m starting to purchase spares, e.g. fresh water pump, water heater parts etc.
Question- are you vacuum packing parts? What do you use? Concern is corrosion as I’m in saltwater environment.

 

[Old Sea Dog]

I use heavier duty plastic bins with latching tops. I save all the silica desiccant packs I can get my hands on. Throw a few in each bin. Probably not as good as vacuum bagging, but....

 

[kthoennes]

I use heavier duty plastic bins with latching tops....

Same here. Sterilite makes storage bins in various sizes with gaskets that stack nicely, I use a series of them. And they're clear so I can see the contents and don't have to go digging to find something. The only downside of sealed containers though is -- well, they're sealed. For example I use one container to store all the consumable stuff and pastes and liquid -- caulk, glue, cleaner, boat wax, motor oil, inflatable dinghy glue, etc. I always open that one with good ventilation because even though each container or tube is individually sealed, you'd be surprised how much still gasses off.

I store some of them on the boat year round but take some home for the winter. When it drops below zero they do crack pretty easily, so I try not to disturb them when I'm checking the boat on jackstands in February. They're really not designed for the Arctic but work well otherwise.

 

[Arlen]

With boat coming on 4 years old, I’m starting to purchase spares, e.g. fresh water pump, water heater parts etc.
Question- are you vacuum packing parts? What do you use? Concern is corrosion as I’m in saltwater environment.

I used to vacuum-bag parts, but it was a pain and I couldn't open a bag and reseal it, without dragging out the sealing machine. The bags would also sometimes lose vacuum over time, so for years now, I've used heavy duty ziplock, double-seal freezer bags instead. I can get them from sandwich size up to one or two gallon for various part sizes. I coat the part with Boeshield T-9 corrosion inhibitor, put my part in, throw in a desiccant pack, squeeze out as much air as possible and seal. I keep the bags of parts inside organizer totes with latches, which I bought at Walmart. I write the name of the parts on the lid, number the bins, note their location and record everything in a spreadsheet on my computer.

 

[kthoennes]

I tried misting metal parts in storage with WD-40 but that evaporates off pretty quickly, then I tried a different lubricant that wouldn't evaporate as easily (PB Blaster) but it stinks, then I tried rubbing on mineral oil, but that evaporates too after a while. I use paste wax at home for the table saw table and drill press table, that kind of thing, but as a practical mater you can't really use wax as a surface protectant on mechanical parts.

 

[tiltrider1]

I use plastic tubs for organizing. The only issue I have had is oil filters. They are the quickest to rust. If you like storing oil filters for years then I would vacuum bag them.

I now only store one spare set of oil filters. This way they are never on the boat long enough to have an issue.

I do not store spare parts in the engine room or the lazarette, unless they are plastic or stainless steel.

 

[Lepke]

I use a food saver to seal my spares. You can buy desiccant packs on Amazon or ebay.
There are a number of spray on temporary coatings for steel and other metals.

 

[fgarriso]

We use the large clear plastic storage bins with sealing lids.

 

[OldDan1943]

I guess that depends on the size of the boat and engine room.
One of my favorite sayings “it’s on the boat somewhere.”

 

[tiltrider1]

That somewhere part gets worse the bigger the boat gets.

 

[Osprey69]

I stored a spare alternator in a oil soaked rag on our sailboat and it still rusted up.

We have a spreadsheet of what is where by location and alphabetically. Makes it much easier to find those rusted parts.

 

[jimdavi]

Thanks all. I’m going to try vacuum packing spares that don’t require opening unless being used.