When a problem arises on board, stress is much reduced when you have the correct tools and equipment. In the middle of the sea you have to hope that you came well prepared and have good improvisation skills, because there will be no help for hours, potentially days. This means that when you do hit land, and when you find a Chandlery or a hardwear store - take full advantage!
Our biggest gripe for boat maintenance isn't that we have a problem but that we quite often find ourselves without the ability to provide a solution. This is not due to ability but lack of fittings (in our case 90% of the time this means stainless steel bolts or shackles).
Regarding tools, well we are equipped up to the eye balls. But as for fittings, no matter how many we buy we always seem to need more and with facilities in remote areas few and far between we quite often seem stuck. You can use NoonSite and other resources to find out if the area you are going to will have places to re-supply. But quite often what we would define as a hardware store, is not how the local hardware owner will define it.
How happy we have been to be in Rodney Bay for a few days and have all the facilities we could ask for. Once again we have bought everything we can think we will need but I'm sure there will be more.
We have found the key things to stock up on, and also to be aware of are:-
Remember the scouts motto and you and your boat should be able to have a smile when the next problem occurs.
On a happy note - after our re-stocking we managed to get the spares we needed to fix the bow thruster. It turned out to be a broken main switch that had shattered components inside it - switch-o,change-o and voila moving our hefty long keel boat just became a doddle again!
Tia and Jarvis, Over and Out!
Our biggest gripe for boat maintenance isn't that we have a problem but that we quite often find ourselves without the ability to provide a solution. This is not due to ability but lack of fittings (in our case 90% of the time this means stainless steel bolts or shackles).
Regarding tools, well we are equipped up to the eye balls. But as for fittings, no matter how many we buy we always seem to need more and with facilities in remote areas few and far between we quite often seem stuck. You can use NoonSite and other resources to find out if the area you are going to will have places to re-supply. But quite often what we would define as a hardware store, is not how the local hardware owner will define it.
How happy we have been to be in Rodney Bay for a few days and have all the facilities we could ask for. Once again we have bought everything we can think we will need but I'm sure there will be more.
We have found the key things to stock up on, and also to be aware of are:-
- Stainless steel bolts, shackles and screws
- Circa-clips!!!
- Rope - of all sizes, lengths and types.
- In-line fuses, relays and wire crimps
- Be aware of the size of fittings - metric or imperial
- The quality of things you buy in places may not be nearly as good as back home
- SPARES, SPARES, SPARES! You may not think that little tiny part, that was brand new may break... but it probably will.
- And whatever you buy... get two!
 |
| Toolbox of spares... 1 of 3!! |
Remember the scouts motto and you and your boat should be able to have a smile when the next problem occurs.
On a happy note - after our re-stocking we managed to get the spares we needed to fix the bow thruster. It turned out to be a broken main switch that had shattered components inside it - switch-o,change-o and voila moving our hefty long keel boat just became a doddle again!
Tia and Jarvis, Over and Out!
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