Stocking up Your Boat

There, you have just got a boat. A nice new hobby for the weekend and it is time to stock it out. It is time to get all that equipment and gear that you have read about in all the magazines and that you have dreamt about for so long. Time to fill that boat up with all the latest goodies and set sail into the unknown. Sail out and over the horizon, ready for all that may be placed in your way!

The engine has always been my greatest problem and I have this constant nightmare of breaking down whilst away from shore. The last thing that I want to do is to call for help and admit to everybody that I was not ready. Spanners, screwdrivers, engine tool kit and a few essential spares are of course a necessity but the Chain Block and the torque wrench, the hydraulic spanner and the ten-pound hammer? I am not so sure that I will ever really need them at sea.

What are you going to do with them? Lift the engine off the block and do a complete strip down whilst bobbing on the water? Let us look into this before we dive in and fill the boat up full to the brim with unessential items. Before we fill up the cabin drawers with tools of all shapes and sizes and electrical equipment that would stretch your power supply to its limits. It must be remembered that if the problem is a serious one then nine times out of ten you will not have the correct spare part anyway! So what do you really need before you make a storeroom out of every available space onboard?

Tools are essential and maybe the saving grace to any that lose their power at sea. Tools are required to unblock a fuel filter or cure a leaking pipe, but you are not going to be doing a complete overhaul so leave the 18" monkey wrench behind along with the engine lifting frame and the welding machine. Leave them safely at home in the garage and set sail with the minimum of required tools for essential repairs. Have in your boat enough tools to do the job and leave plenty of space for all the food and goodies that will make the trip into what you dreamt it would be like. Don't turn your boat into a nightmare with unnecessary tools falling out of cupboards and leaving oily stains everywhere, just have what you need and set sail happily. Don't have your friends and guests complaining of stubbed toes and bruises on the head as they work there way through the cupboards whilst searching for some food to eat!

The crucial point to remember about engine maintenance and repair is that it should all have been done before you left port. The engine and auxiliary equipment should be in a good condition and able to do the job it is meant to do before you take the last rope off the jetty. So any repairs and work should have been carried out before you even thought of stocking up for the trip. When you set sail you should have underneath you a boat ready and prepared for all occasions, one that you can trust in to do the job that it is required to do.

In many situations the amount of equipment that you carry does depend on the skills that you yourself possess. First of all, if you are not very good at engine overhauls then it is pointless to have the larger pieces of equipment anyway. If you are good at doing engine overhauls and have knowledge about what you are doing then you should not have set sail with a faulty engine in the first place. It is possible that you breakdown through no fault of your own but it is far better to have a good communication system to call for help and swallow your pride than to try and fix the engine yourself.

Essential items therefore consist of a set of spanners, a couple of hammers, a set of screwdrivers, and an adjustable wrench. One monkey wrench of a small size, filter removal strap for the Fuel filters and LO filters, hand crank handle if the engine is small, a spare set of batteries, some spare Lubricating Oil and some odds and ends of screws and nuts and bolts. Along with these items should be the engines tool kit, essential spares for the engine including a couple of injectors, fuel filter and LO filter inserts and anything else that the manufacturer recommends for that engine.

Leave behind the Chain Block, the large Monkey Wrench and the Hydraulic Spanners. Leave behind the spare heads and the spare crankshaft and all the spares that require the use of a chain block. Make sure before you leave that the engine is in top working condition and that you can trust in its ability to take you where you want to go without breaking down on the way. And finally make sure that your communication system is suitable and in a good working condition, so that if a problem does arise help is not far away.

There is no pride to think of when you breakdown. Safety is of a higher priority.

About The Author

Author and Webmaster of Seamania. As a Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy he has sailed the world for fifteen years. Now living in Taiwan he writes about cultures across the globe and life as he sees it.

---

Dock Cleaning Procedures

It is important when cleaning a dock that you use... Read More

Orient Beach Shore Excursions - Beauty on the Beach!

When cruising to St. Martin (or Sint Maarten), some of... Read More

Boat Winterization Services and Charges, Part II

Boat Winterization Services and Charges, Part IIIf you own a... Read More

Keltic Seafaring

Many academics are unable to handle the possibility of ships... Read More

Carnival Cruise - A Perfect Holiday - Rock and Rolling with Carnival Cruise

If you want to have fun for one low price,... Read More

Cleaning Canvas Tops on Boats

Cleaning boat canvas covers is difficult unless you know the... Read More

Family Reunion Cruises - Something Everyone Can Live With

The mere thought of getting together for a family reunion... Read More

Alaska By Ship

When was the last time you saw an eagle descend... Read More

Robotic Boat Cleaning is Here, Soon it will be Affordable

Robotic Underwater ship cleaning robotic unit, the M3500 Robotic System... Read More

The History of Water Sports

Swimming is noted in many of the classics as relating... Read More

Cruising Glacier Bay

You can watch movies about it, you can hear about... Read More

Find Many Cruise Deals That Suit Your Personal Style And Needs!

Finding Cruise Deals are half the battle when considering a... Read More

Monaco Yachts

Sea and rich people: where else to find a better... Read More

Like a Chicken to Water... Your First Steps on a Boat

Some people step onto a boat and are straight at... Read More

Are you Ready for the Cruise of a Lifetime?

Cruises are one of the best ways to unwind and... Read More

Alaska - Easy Cruise Guide

WHAT TO SEE: Legendary beautiful scenery of Alaska- magnificent coastal... Read More

Want a Dream Career? Get a Job on a Yacht!

If you're the "outdoorsy" type, prefer to work on a... Read More

Yacht and Ship Registration in the Isle of Man

The maritime history of the Isle of Man dates from... Read More

Simple Things for the ?Sailing Life?

Owning a boat has an oxymoronic quality to it. "The... Read More

Crossing Paths With a Legend

When 13-year-old Bill Lefakinis first visited the famed yacht Christina... Read More

Celebrity Cruises for All-Inclusive Vacations

Why Take a Cruise Vacation? Well, with all the cruise... Read More

School for Sails, by Capt. Cary Hanna

Gorgeous, acrobatic, and lit-up, Sailfish rank as the # 1... Read More

Reducing Wake Turbulence and Wing-Tip Vortices Using Contoured Winglet Designs

Some Taiwan scientists have figured out a way to reduce... Read More

Small Boats Should Have Certain Equipment On Board For Proper Safety Precautions

Relaxing in your canoe on a beautiful calm lake, fishing... Read More

A Lifetime Cruise ? Hawaiian Cruise - An Exotic Hawaiian Cruise Trip

Hawaiian Cruises are everyone's dream cruise to the Hawaiian Islands... Read More

Fun and Fat Free Cruising

This year more than 10.5 million people will go on... Read More

What Is Best For You; An Inflatable Kayak Or A Hard-Shell Kayak?

If you are buying a kayak for the very first... Read More

Why a Cruise Vacation is YOUR Dream Holiday

Thinking you could use an escape from the wintertime blahs,... Read More

Atlantic Ocean at Great Depths

The Atlantic Ocean is Earth's second-largest ocean. It covers approximately... Read More

The Nile Cruise

Egypt is where history first emerged. It is here that... Read More

Amazon Cruise Expert Guide

An Amazon cruise is the ultimate jungle adventure. From the... Read More

Boat Washing 101 - Spring is Here, Lets Go Boating

As a boat owner you know that washing the boat... Read More

Boat Detailing - Diagnosing Gel Coat Surfaces

Determining Oxidation Levels on Your Yacht and how to deal... Read More