Article by Tor Pinney                                                                                                                           Back to Outfitting Checklist List

                  

THE CRUISING SAILBOAT’S SPARE PARTS CHECKLIST
© 2011 Tor Pinney All Rights Reserved

Adapted from my book, “Ready for Sea! – How to
Outfit the Modern Cruising Sailboat” (Sheridan House)

 

There’s an old sailors’ adage that laments, "Any part you have you won't need, and any part you need you won't have.” This spare parts list is intended to help you fare better, reminding you of many spare items commonly needed on board a cruising sailboat. However, this list should not be considered complete for every vessel on every voyage. It is ultimately each captain’s responsibility to ensure that his vessel is equipped with everything it needs.

The spare parts carried aboard will necessarily be limited by weight, space, and budget constraints. You'll want to give first priority to things that may contribute to the safety of the vessel; that will enable you to make port no matter what happens at sea. Second priority spares are those that will be hard to find and/or expensive in your destination ports. Last come non-essential, normally easy to buy spares that you might nevertheless want available to you in remote places.

General Spares

• Binoculars

• Parallel rules, dividers

• National ensign

• Hull repair material: fiberglass mat and cloth, resin and catalyst. (For steel hulls, welding rods and plate; for cement hulls, approved cement; for wood hulls, planking timber)

• Vast assortment of stainless steel screws (including self-tapping screws), bolts, nuts, washers, cotter pins, and clevis pins

• Assorted nails: bronze and/or stainless steel boat nails, and 8-penny galvanized nails

• Garden hose and nozzles

• Male and female garden hose replacement ends

• Wicks, globes, and burners for all oil lamps

• Sponges & scrubbers, assorted

• Paper towels, toilet paper, table napkins

• Tape: duct tape, masking tape, blue painter’s tape, rigging tape, electrical tape, weatherproof self-amalgamating tape

• Chemicals (see separate checklist)

Personal Spares

• All medications, prescription and non-prescription

• Prescription glasses, contact lenses

• Sunglasses, UV/polarized

• Stationary, pens, pencils, scotch tape, paper glue, staples, rubber bands

• Camera batteries

• Toiletries, including bar soap & shampoo

• Butane lighters

• Insect repellent and mosquito coils

• Ammunition for ship's firearms

• Underwater facemask & snorkel

• Rubber slings and spear heads for spear gun or sling

Rigging Spares

• Sail slides (cars) for masts and booms

• Sail hanks

• Sail repair needles, twine, sail cloth & rip-stop tape

• Lots of spare Sunbrella matching sail covers, awnings, etc.

• Line enough for one complete new set of running rigging, such as 300 feet of 5/8" diameter (or whatever line is common aboard) and 300 feet of 1/2" diameter

• Plenty of assorted small stuff (lashing lines)

• Rigging wire, at least one piece equal in length to the longest stay aboard

• Wire terminals such as the Sta-Lok or Norseman brands

• Nicopress sleeves

• Turnbuckles, 2 or more

• Toggles, pad eyes, assorted shackles, thimbles

• Assorted blocks

Deck Spares

• Navigation compass (hand held compass is OK as a back-up)

• Winch handles, 2

• Winch palls and springs

• Boat hook (or pole end fitting to make a boat hook)

• Running lights (kerosene or battery-powered)

• Solar lamps

• Anchor rollers

• Fishing tackle & lures

Machinery Spares

• Zinc pencils for heat exchangers, 10

• Seawater pump impellers and seals, 4 sets

• V-belts & fan belts, 2 full sets

• Oil and fuel filters, a year's supply

• Alternator and voltage regulator, complete spare set

• Starter motor for main engine, oiled and sealed

• Starter motor brushes and a spare starter motor relay

• Hoses to repair/replace any aboard (fresh water, salt water, exhaust, oil, fuel, stuffing box and hydraulics systems)

• Assorted stainless steel hose clamps

• Solenoid

• Fuel pump repair kit

• Gaskets for heads, manifolds, pump bodies, etc., complete sets

• Gasket material, rubber and paper

• Piping, fittings, tubing

• Thermostat

• Fuel injectors, at least one, preferably a full set, packed in grease to prevent rusting

• Injector feed lines

• Water temperature and oil pressure gauges

• Ignition switches

• All specially fitted zincs (shaft, prop, hull), several of each

• Zinc "fish" plate

• Cutlass bearing

• Propeller and prop shaft

• Stuffing box packing material

• Steering cables

• Repair kits for all heads, several

• Repair kits for every hand and foot pump aboard

• Bilge pump handle

• Rebuild kit for windvane

• Windvane’s airvane

• Seacocks and valves

• Stern gland packing

• Outboard motor parts (see motor's manual for items)

• Dinghy oars and oarlocks

• Water purifier replacement filters, lots

• Water maker filters, cleaner & biocide

• Tools, blades, bits - all consumable items on Tool Kit List

Electrical & Electronics Spares

• GPS, complete spare unit

• Autopilot, complete backup unit plus repair parts

• Hydrometer

• Volt meter and ammeter

• Voltage regulator(s)

• Transistors for autopilot, chargers, radiotelephone

• Assorted circuit breakers and fuses for everything aboard

• Assorted toggle switches

• Wire and terminal devices for all uses, including batteries

• Diodes for alternator, chargers, and radiotelephones

• Light bulbs for every interior and exterior light aboard (including compass, navigation lights, strobes, flashlights, dome lights, instrument lights, etc.)

• Running light lenses

• Windlass foot switches

• Battery master switch

• Oil pressure switch

• Assorted small, rechargeable batteries: D-cell, C-cell, AA, AAA

• 6-volt hand held spotlight

• 6-volt batteries for spotlight

• Refrigerator switch and refrigerant charging kit

• Brushes and bearings for all electric motors, (wind) generators, alternators

• VHF antenna

• Flashlights

~ End ~

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