What parts would be needed for a long trip?

[Iggy]

Trying to list what parts would be good to have other than the common ones. As in filters, belts, hoses and impellers.

More so for a Yanmar 6LY engine and a 6K northern lights genset.

For the genset I do have the mixing elbow
For the Yanmar a thermostat.

 

[psneeld]

Is this a far offshore "long trip" or a long coastal cruise with possibility of assistance, tow to reasonable sized port and decent package delivery?

 

[O C Diver]

It depends on the definition of a long trip. Some think a thousand miles is long, others would say ten thousand. I tended to view it in hours of engine time. Annually I did close to a thousand hours per year. Obviously I would carry everything to complete required book maintenance during the time period.

In addition, I had:

Starter
Alternator
Fuel pump
All fuel filters
Raw water pump
" " " impellers
All anodes
Fresh water pump
Belt tensioner
All idler pulleys
Serpentine belt
Thermostats and gaskets
Radiator cap
Antifreeze change
Any specialized engine hoses
Rescue tape

The tools and manuals to install the above.

Ted

 

[ranger58sb]

Trying to list what parts would be good to have other than the common ones. As in filters, belts, hoses and impellers.

More so for a Yanmar 6LY engine and a 6K northern lights genset.

For the genset I do have the mixing elbow
For the Yanmar a thermostat.

How far will you ever be from an Amazon delivery point, or from a FedEx/UPS delivery location?

What systems on the boat are approaching obsolescence? Or what parts, if any, are already scarce in the supply chain?

-Chris

 

[ranger58sb]

How far will you ever be from an Amazon delivery point, or from a FedEx/UPS delivery location?

What systems on the boat are approaching obsolescence? Or what parts, if any, are already scarce in the supply chain?

-Chris

 

[JackConnick]

Lots of filters; fuel, oil, air for each engine and generator. Plenty of oil to do at least one change.
Tools
Replacement pumps and some hoses for all systems
Generator: A set of oil, temp sensors. Relays (4), belt, impellers. Install the new s/s elbow. Gaskets for rocker cover.
Fuses for everything on board.

Jack

 

[SteveK]

When the single or twin discussion comes up again, I must remember spare parts, as in a complete second engine to keep one going.

 

[Cold Duck]

This is pretty much impossible to answer without more info. The short answer is as much as you can comfortably carry on the boat. A 70fter can carry a lot more spares than say a 40fter. I lost an inverter in Geeorgetown, Bahamas. Was able to purchase online and have shipped free to a small airline in Florida who then shipped it to Geogetown. A short taxi ride to airport and I had new inverter installed 48 hours after failure. So where you are cruising will make a difference. The world is a much smaller place than it used to be.

 

[rslifkin]

I lost an inverter in Geeorgetown, Bahamas. Was able to purchase online and have shipped free to a small airline in Florida who then shipped it to Geogetown. A short taxi ride to airport and I had new inverter installed 48 hours after failure. So where you are cruising will make a difference. The world is a much smaller place than it used to be.

That's a big thing. I look at spares I need to carry as being the things I might need on short notice and are either easy to carry, or hard to get on short notice. And then there's also the question of what things will allow me to resolve a problem myself vs what things will still require some kind of outside assistance.

Cruising grounds factor in, as well as specific parts for a given boat. For example, I've learned that I need to carry spare starters, as mine aren't something that's regularly stocked in stores, so I can't just get one anywhere like you can for some engines. Mine are a common starter, but not the most common version of it, so they typically have to be ordered which takes a couple of days.

 

[TJM]

Along with the spare parts list, you would need all of the tools to replace or repair those items. Pry bars, liquid wrench, heat gun for hose removal. Get practice at fuel filter changes and bleeding the lines. I have set of color coded (painted with nail polish) wrenches that correspond to the vent plugs when I need to bleed my fuel system. Plugs are painted the same color as each wrench.

 

[tiltrider1]

The spare I carry are kind of irrelevant to the next person. They are very specific to my boat and the condition my boat is in.

My starters are 35 years old. Therefore I now carry a spare starter. My raw water pumps are 7 years old so I only carry a rebuild kit. Due to the age of my generator I carry a water pump, fuel pump and heat exchanger.

Spare shear pin for the bow thruster. Bilge pump and switch. Lots of pluming and electrical components such as switches, crimp connectors, breakers, elbows, tees, reducers.

The list goes for toilets, heat pumps, water maker and so on.

 

[Jeff F]

Cruising grounds factor in, as well as specific parts for a given boat. For example, I've learned that I need to carry spare starters, as mine aren't something that's regularly stocked in stores, so I can't just get one anywhere like you can for some engines. Mine are a common starter, but not the most common version of it, so they typically have to be ordered which takes a couple of days.

I guess timeliness/inconvenience is a factor as well. I travel pretty much continuously, but am always close to a place where I can stop and attempt DIY repairs, and wait for parts if need be. That's part of cruising for me. My spares list is pretty thin compared to many here. But if I had a tight schedule or guests that calculus might change.

I should also say if I didn't have internet my attitude around self-reliance would change radically.

 

[Docktopus]

Would people responding to this thread please comment on what kind of cruising they are doing as well as what spares they carry? I am following this thread with a lot of interest. We cruise almost entirely in the SF Bay Area, where we are never far from a chandlery and we have good sea tow coverage. As a result, I carry almost no spares.

Thanks for starting this topic, it is going to be very helpful!

 

[Blissboat]

In addition to adopting / adapting the excellent suggestions above, remember to bring along your ability to improvise short-term solutions. That's because whatever the spare part turns out to be that you need, you won't have it when you need it. Don't ask me how I know . . .

 

[O C Diver]

Would people responding to this thread please comment on what kind of cruising they are doing as well as what spares they carry? I am following this thread with a lot of interest. We cruise almost entirely in the SF Bay Area, where we are never far from a chandlery and we have good sea tow coverage. As a result, I carry almost no spares.

Thanks for starting this topic, it is going to be very helpful!

Ok, so for 8 years I cruised leaving Florida in April and returning in November. I did the Great Loop and several years in the Great Lakes. As a point of remoteness, there were areas that neither Tow BoatUS or Seatow had coverage. In addition, a mechanic could be a hundred plus miles away.

To put this another way, all the work I would be doing would be on the externals (for the most part) of the engine. As an example, being on Lake Superior with a broken serpentine belt and heavy weather 6 hours away, could be life threatening. Changing the belt (if you have a spare) could be as little as 30 minutes to a couple of hours depending on the engine.

Alternatively, if you're not mechanically inclined and dependent on a mechanic, that should be a factor in where you cruise.

Ted

 

[Comodave]

Have two towing memberships. Then spread any towing requests between them so you don’t get cancelled because of too many tows.

 

[Greg QS]

Everything that was said plus Fluids, all oils , antifreezes, filters, anything and everything you can think of. Spare bilge pump, extra float switch. Clamps. hoses, belts, impellers, props, Tools, fuses , extra propane and extra bottles of rum

 

[TBill36]

Northern Lights lists what spares to carry for offshore cruising in the owner's manual. You could probably duplicate that without the electrical side for you propulsion engines. I would also make sure you can have a prop puller if not already mentioned. Some cruisers carry an extra shaft also. They are easy to bend and induce vibration that can lead to other problems. You can probably get home without it, but if you're far away, you can always get the boat hauled, swap it out, and keep going.

 

[Iggy]

Thank you everyone! Some good points. I will be doing the loop.

As mentioned, I have all the common stuff. I was more interested to what boaters with yanmar engines and Northern lights like mine have gone though in parts.

 

[tiltrider1]

My cruising grounds are primarily Seattle to Alaska.

 

[Jeff F]

Thank you everyone! Some good points. I will be doing the loop.

That's a long trip, but as others have said, it's really a series of day trips. There are many opportunities to acquire or replenish parts and supplies along the way.

At least that's my experience.

 

[slowgoesit]

I started a thread last year prior to doing our trip from the PNW to Florida.
The thread is: Too many spares?!?

Just to reiterate, here was our list of spares we started the trip with:

• spare macerator pumps (for offshore use)
• spare fresh water pumps, (in addition to the two installed in parallel)
• spare bilge pumps
• spare shower pumps
• spare fuel/water/black tank deck plugs
• spare isolation transformer
• spare Victron Quattro Inverter Charger
• spare 24v charger (start battery bank)
• spare IR Temp gun
• spare 4/0 battery wire, terminal ends, and crimper
• large quantity of smaller ga wiring and connectors
• large assortment of zip ties, wire bundle ties, clamps, etc
• spare plumbing parts, fittings, tubing, glue, hangers etc.
• multiple soldering irons
• spare dinghy fuel tank, fuel hoses, and filters
• spare dinghy air pump and patch kit
• spare bulbs galore including Nav lights, interior lights etc, both LED and incandescent
• extra light fixtures of various types
• spare windshield wiper arms and blades
• spare anchors, chain, and rode (5 total)
• spare anchor swivel
• spare anchor chain bridle, all set up for use
• spare anchor windlass (the one that was removed when the current one was installed), It was working when removed, but since then has been inspected and serviced to ensure proper operation.
• spare foot switches for windlass
• large assortment of shackles, swivels, etc
• large assortment of various hardware
• spare wash down pump for deck/anchor chain
• spare paravane fish, as well as one complete set of cable/chain rigging
• spare coffee maker (2) and spare coffee grinders (2) Heaven forbid we can't make coffee!
• spare reverse cycle heating/air raw water pumps (2)
• spare watermaker low pressure raw water pump (1)
• spare shop vac filters (2)
• spare hydronic heater radiator
• distilled water in jugs, as well as an onboard distiller (for CPAP, and FLA start batteries and auxiliary (get home) engine start battery)
• extra shore power cords (2), and spare ends as well.
• multiple adapters/Y's etc for shore power
• spare shore power insert into boat
• backup small freezer in the event the 10cu ft freezer fails
• spare pair(s) of reading glasses, multiple, as I keep misplacing the damn things!
• spare CPAP along with associated spare hoses, masks, water trays, filters, etc
• Both Passports, and Passport Cards
• spare (backup) credit cards (several)
• spare Kindle
• spare tablet loaded with Navionics
• Two installed VHF radios, 1 new spare in a box, never installed, along with 3 handheld VHF's
• We have a Sat Phone, but with Starlink, I don't know if we'll enroll in the service or not.
• our two older I-phones in case we accidentally drop one in the water, will new new SIM card though.
• multiple PFD's, 4 offshore w/ plb's and 20+ others, offshore, and near shore. All serviceable, we can give them to people who may have theirs lost/stolen
• Extra foul WX gear for people who fly in to visit
• more scuba gear than any sane individual could possibly need (says my wife!)
• spare boat poles, total of 4
• spare fenders, too many to count . . . the darned things keep floating by our marina, and we keep the good ones!
• spare blade for the Hundested CPP (came with the boat)
• spare hydraulic fluid, enough for total replacement of system oil
• enough engine oil for 4 oil changes (along with containers for used oil)
• spare engine oil removal pump(s)
• spare torque wrench, as well as multiple tool duplicates
• complete set (8) rebuilt injectors, along with tooling required to install
• spare impellers for auxiliary engine cooling system (main engine raw water and fresh water cooling pumps are bronze, gear driven)
• spare engine driven bilge pump impellers
• spare belts/hoses
• spare boarding ladder
• fiberglass mat/roving/resin etc for projects, or repairs
• spare VHF radio antenna
• spare LED reading lamps (2)
• Sailrite sewing machine and misc canvas, etc for projects/repairs

Since (and during) the trip, we added:

• Freon for refrigerator
• HVAC gauges
• Spare fridge controller for main refrigerator
• spare hyd hoses

Parts of Mexico, and definitely El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama, it is extremely difficult to get parts, and expensive and time consuming when you CAN get them in. Case in point: The fridge controller went out. The name brand, SECOP OEM controller in the United States is readily available for $68.00. In La Paz, MX, only a no name controller was available . . . for $350,00 usd. I ordered the name brand, had it sent to my sister in the States, but bought the no name brand to get us going immediately. Also has a very small leak in one of the fill valves of the system. We had a refrigeration guy remove the valve, and silver solder the tube. (hence the freon and HVAC gauges added to our inventory of spares).

Other than that, I used:

• fuel and oil filters, and engine oil, spares on-hand.
• replaced LED reading lamp in fwd stateroom. Replace with on-hand spare.
• two macerator pumps. Replace with on-hand spare.
• misc electrical connectors
• wire wire to fix an intermittent electrical issue with our get home engine
• replaced a VHF antenna. Replace with on-hand spare.
• hyd hose, which I did not have, but sources in La Paz for $110.00 usd, made to order
• fresh water washdown pump, which died after only 3 months in use. Replace with on-hand spare.

This was a complete list of repairs in our 7 month, 7,500 statute mile trip from Port Orchard, Washington State to Moore Haven, Florida.
but that is pretty much all we used on our boat in repairs for the trip. Now, we used a LOT of our spares to help other boaters out along the way. Charged them the cost of replacing the parts once we got to Florida, NOT the local price, and they were ecstatic to get them! Especially for that price. Let's see, one macerator pump, two fresh water pumps, some tubing and hose clamps come to mind, as well as making up a couple of battery cables for a guy in Mexico.

This was a complete list of repairs in our 7 month, 7,500 statute mile trip from Port Orchard, Washington State to Moore Haven, Florida.

If you are heading down the intracoastal waterway, or podunking around in short trips, obviously you won't need this many spares, but this is what we carry.

Edit: Since you are doing the Loop, spare parts will be WAY more accessible than we had, so I would abscess over spares, fuel and oil filters, hose clamps, fresh water pump, belts and hoses, misc hardware and electrical connectors would probably do you just fine!

Enjoy!