Reply With QuoteMost important of all Coastguard or VMR membership. ( plus you need a radio to call them.
I'm with coastguard and one membership covers the state of QLD ( pretty much)
Good day to you all.
I have been a member for a good while and have been quietly absorbing as much knowledge as possible, so firstly many thanks to members who freely give up some of their own time to post here on Ausfish.
We have recently purchased a Hainse Signature 500C. Prior to this we were fishing in ally boats in the Murray and so the thought of 'spare equipment/tools' wasn't a consideration as we were close to river bank and travelled only a few Km from the ramp.
Now we have the capacity to travel much further away from the boat ramp, the question in my mind is what sort of 'spares' and 'tools' should I carry for on the run repairs.?
We have a 2007 90HP Mercury Oprimax that has just 97hrs on the clock and has just had the 100Hr service.
I am thinking off the top of my head but please add to my list.
-Cable ties.
-Appropriate fuel/water seperator filter.
-Appropriate spanners/multi grips/screwdrivers.
-roll of tape.
-?Spark plug and spark plug spanner.
-Can WD40.
-Spare DI oil.
Anything else???
Cheers.
John.
Most important of all Coastguard or VMR membership. ( plus you need a radio to call them.
I'm with coastguard and one membership covers the state of QLD ( pretty much)
I carry nothing, (well except for some insulation tape and a few cable ties) I used to, but after a bit of time, any tools you have are rusted to bits and useless, so unless I am going on holidays or something, I take nothing in the way of spares and such, and most times if you needed them, it would be impossible to use them unless you jump in and swim around the back of the boat to muck around with the motor.
i carry a basic tool kit but like noel says other than some dodgy wiring fixups there's not much you can repair whilst you're out and about so the best thing is to join up with the coast guard or vmr and give them some petrol money to come and pick you up.
Add
A bit of spare fuel line.
spare prop nut & washer
spare prop when I go away.
hose clamps
Maturity is not when we start speaking BIG things,it is when we start understanding small things
nothing really to do with the motor itself, as Noel said, not a lot you can do unless to want to swim. but i do carry a spare length of tinned cable, crimps, leccy tape, zip ties, a couple of screw drivers and a small shifter. Also carry a spare fuel bulb and a couple of hose clamps. If you can temporarily fix without getting out of the boat, which is basically wiring a fuel line, then wouldn't even bother, too difficult and chances are the one bit you don't have a spare, like a bolt or something is the one bit that will be going for a swim
few Spanners,
Pliers
Sidecutters
Zip ties
Wire
Spare Prop & washers /split pins
hose clamps.
Spare Fuses
spare Jerry with 10ltrs of Fuel
Jumper leads
I guess what it all comes down to is, how much stuff can you take, and can you do anything with it if you break down, you have to draw the line somewhere, I would like to see anyone change a prop outside in any sort of chop, I reckon you will need to jump in the water, and risk getting eaten by something in QLD, or freezing to death in NSW, and all you will end up with is a lost prop or prop nut, by all means, be prepared, but you could take a full tool kit, 500 parts and still not have something to get you going again, this is day to day boating we are talking about, if you are off on a trip, then all sorts of adds and ends can come in handy, I reckon a spare hub and bearings would be my choice.
Jump leads?
yeah, jumper leads would be very handy, IF there was another boat around!
If you are going to carry a prop nut and maybe a prop, make sure you carry a socket and a block of wood or whatever you need, otherwise the prop nut is no use at all.
As far as tools going rusty.
If you wrap them up in clean rags...(you'll nee some rags) and seal them up in a lunch box, there should be no problem with them going rusty..a bit of lanox one em helps.
cheers
Its the details, those little details, that make the difference.
thats what I used to do, tupperware box, tools in oily rag, but after time, they just bugger up, agree with the prop nut bit, no use having a spare prop and no way to get the old one off, thats the sort of thing I meant when I said "can you do anything with them"
The only TOOLs I carry in my boat are my mates, but seriously just some basic bits and pieces which came in handy over Easter to get the BBQ going after some bastard insect built a nest inside the tap. To keep things from going rusty I made up a holder from some 100mm PVC sewer pipe with a glued cap at one end and a screw end at the other, make sure that you use the rubber washer. I have had my tools in there for about 4 years with no signs of rust, just need to give them a bit of a wash and spray after they have been used. And I keep a couple of those silica bags in with the tools or a bit of rice will absorb any moisture.
A screwdriver will be handy too.
A spare set of fuses for the outboard.
As for rusting tools, get stainless ones that don't rust.
I pretty much only bring a knife to cut tangled rope around the prop. IF the boat breaks down and i can't start it after 15 mintues, it's to to radio for help and a tow in.
I've done the prop change offshore. Once tilted up as we had big marlin board between the twins ( pretty easy) and once in the water on another boat. In the water with lifejacket on big bruise on the leg and headache to match but did it. I wouldn't recommend it in those conditions again but with heavier weather coming and a otherwise very long slow journey home it was worth it. Very hard to get properly dry and warm again. Both times it was from strikes well offshore , one log we saw and the other thing we don't know but didn't have a wood sound.
We carry a set of spanners and screwdrivers and extra bits ( globes, fuses, wire split pins, spark plugs, spare fuel filters, fuel pump kit) , but over the years they have been used a lot more on other boats than ours. We have jumper leads - a long set
We keep a photocopy of error codes for motor on board so if something comes up we can look at it and make a decision on whether to run the motor home.
Keep ours in a flat airtigtht pelican type case and a wipe of light oil on a rag.
Biggest item has always been the 2nd motor or auxillary .
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