On a delivery, a fault catches the boat hours from the nearest port. The right spares and a clear fault protocol are how a small problem gets solved without affecting the rest of the passage.
What should be aboard
- Engine
- Fuel filters, raw-water pump impeller, belts, engine oil and coolant.
- Plumbing
- Lengths of hose and clamps, softwood plugs, sealing tape.
- Electrical
- Fuses, terminals, spare cable, spares for navigation lights.
- Deck and rig
- Shackles, swivels, lengths of line, sail repair tape.
- Tools
- A tool kit to suit the boat, torch, hand pump.
Fault protocol
- Safety first. Make the boat safe: course, speed, sails; stop the engine if needed.
- Diagnose. The cause and its effect on the passage.
- Record. Time, position, symptom and action in the logbook.
- Inform. The owner is told.
- Decide. Continue, divert to the nearest port, or call for help; the captain decides.
Before departure
The spares list is checked against what is actually aboard; gaps are discussed with the owner. Defects found in the pre-departure check are fixed in port.
The spares list
Spares carried on a delivery are chosen for the parts that fail most and can be changed at sea: fuel filters, raw-water pump impeller, belts, fuses, hose sections and clamps, gaskets, engine oil and coolant. The list is prepared for the boat's engine and systems; each part is checked to fit before departure.
Tools
A spare is only useful if the tool to fit it is aboard. A basic tool kit, any special spanners the engine needs, a torch and a meter save time when something fails.
When something fails
When a fault happens at sea, the safety of boat and crew comes first: sails or anchor if the engine has stopped, finding the source if water is coming in. Then the cause is sought calmly. Many engine faults involve fuel, air or cooling and can be cleared with simple steps.
Carry on or divert?
If the fault cannot be cleared or may recur, the decision is made to divert to the nearest suitable port. The owner is told and the repair planned together. Carrying on a long leg with a faulty system can turn a small problem into a large risk.
Records
Every fault goes in the log with time, symptoms and action taken. The record becomes part of the boat's maintenance history and is passed to the owner on arrival.
The pre-departure check
The technical check before departure catches a large share of faults while still in port.
Restocking
Spares used on the passage are listed, so the owner can restock them before the boat's next trip.
Where a fault recurs, a technician's inspection is recommended to find the root cause rather than replacing the same part again.
Listing where spares are stowed, and sharing it with the crew, means the right part is found quickly at night and in bad weather; they are kept labelled in watertight boxes.
A well-prepared spares box and a simple fault checklist prevent panic at sea and let a problem be solved calmly, step by step, with the boat safe while the work is done.
Preparation is the best helper when something fails far from shore.
Check the spares box before every passage, not just the first.
Replace anything used, and log what was replaced.
A tidy spares box is a quiet form of safety that pays for itself the first time it is opened at sea.