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 Hey
Buddy Can You Spare A Part ? by
Mark King
It is a common scene
in the summer. The local towboat arrives at the marina with a sheepish
skipper and an anxious family aboard a disabled vessel. As often
as not, a minor problem that could have been repaired on the water
is to blame. And just as often, the problem couldn’t be repaired
on the water because the skipper lacked basic knowledge and spare
parts. Forgetting the boy scout adage, “Be Prepared”, skipper has
placed himself and his family at risk.
Equipment regulations for pleasure craft have been
developed over time by the Canadian Coast Guard. They are published
in the Safe Boating Guide and are straightforward. The equipment
that you must carry by law is a minimum requirement to help you
in specific emergencies. But, it isn’t necessarily all the equipment
you should carry. And, along with any extra safety gear you could
use, with a little thought you will realize that there a number
of other items that should be on board.
As you review your summer boating experiences this
winter and visit boat shows, make lists of other equipment and parts
you may want to have on board.
Some of it should be on board any prudent skippers’
vessel. Some items are optional and might only be found on extremely
well-equipped boats or those venturing onto the water for extended
periods where the crew will have to be self-sufficient. (Top)
Your lists should be split between mechanical equipment,
like spare engine and drive train parts, safety equipment such as
extra distress signals and health equipment, like a well-stocked
first aid kit.
There is nothing worse than having to be towed into
the dock because you didn’t have a spare impeller on board after
you sucked a plastic bag into the pump. And, a well-equipped first
aid kit with basic knowledge can mean the difference between cutting
a day on the water short, or patching up a small wound and continuing
with the day’s boating trip.
So what should you be looking at when you are planning
a spare parts list?
Start with the basic parts that make the boat go.
You don’t have to be a mechanic, but the ability to change a spark
plug, a high tension wire or a fuel filter should be second nature.
And it could save you dollars and an embarrassing tow.
It is unlikely you will lose eight spark plugs or
a complete set of high tension wires all at once. Two of each, with
the spare wires being the longest you’ll ever need, should hold
you in good stead.
Check over you engine or owners’ manual and make
a list of parts that you could change. Then note on that list the
items that could possibly stop working on the water. (Top)
Some items, like impellers, are crucial to the operation
of your boat. It will pay to have spares and know how to change
them. One of the most important spare parts you can carry are propellers.
Even in familiar waters you can come across flotsam that will destroy
a propeller before you know what happened.
On sterndrives and outboards, a spare propeller
and the ability to change them can keep your down time to a minimum.
While inboards present their own problems if you have to change
propellers, at least having a spare will keep your time on shore,
or with a diver, relatively short.
You should also carry spares of such items as bulbs
for navigation lights, extra lines and even enough fenders to ensure
that if you have to raft off another boat, yours will be well-protected.
You can never have enough line on board.
In an earlier column I discussed upgrading the minimum
mandatory equipment required by the Coast Guard. It bears repeating
that you should review your cruising area and the type of boating
you do and plan to carry extra emergency equipment accordingly.
Emergency equipment is always worthwhile having
on board. If you don’t use it on your own boat, chances are that
someday you will come across someone else who will need it. (Top)
Boards and compounds to plug leaks are essential.
It is easier to stop water flowing into a boat than it is to bail
it out. Think about all the places where water could leak in and
determine how you would stop it and what equipment and parts you
need. Extra hose clamps, wooden plugs, boards with screws already
in place to seal a hole, can all be stowed close by for an emergency
and don’t take a lot of space.
In the health department make sure you have at least
a minimum of first aid gear and make sure you understand how to
use it. Suntan lotion, bandages, ointments, headache medicine and
other items can supplement the kit. Think carefully about the situations
you might encounter on the water. Do you swim in an area infested
with zebra mussels? Divers‚ booties or other footwear will help
prevent injury.
There are a lot of items that you can put in a spare
parts kit. In fact, there should be several kits placed in strategic
places throughout the boat.
Spending a few minutes this winter planning and
organizing before shopping at the boat shows may save you the embarrassment
and the price of a tow next year. (Top)
(Lifeline is produced through the Safe Boater Training Program,
a certification program for recreational boaters.)
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