Preparing for longer trips

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Dorset Dan

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We have had our Fairline Targa 34 a year now and from our base in Poole have done Weymouth / Portland heading West and the Solent (Lymington, Yarmouth, Cowes) going East. All in company and within easy reach of Seastart should they be required (touch wood).

In August we are planning to go first weekend across Lyme Bay to Brixham (then back to Poole) and the second to spend a long weekend in Guernsey. With these longer distance trips my mind has turned to what we need to prepare for. We have VHF, radar and AIS on our boat (all working), a decent toolkit, paper charts, some bungs, duct tape and box of random bolts / fixings / zip ties, we have lifejackets (recently serviced) and flares (in date), and will have a wallet of all boat documents (VAT invoice, insurance, SSR certificate, etc) but what I was unsure about specifically were:

Engine spares - I have a couple of belts and filters on board from the previous owner but I have to admit that I've not double checked what condition. We have 2 x KAD300's so what would be seen as essential to carry aboard? - would it it be worth me just buying the following 'service kit' to carry around?:

423135 Oil filter
21624740 Fuel filter
21951356 Impeller
861014 Pre Filter (10 micron insert type. If a different filter is required, please call)
977542 Alternator Drive Belt
3582424 Water Pump Belt
860388 Compressor Drive Belt
876185 Air Filter
11 litres of VDS3 oil
You may also need a power steering belt, part number 973487 for some installations.
Coolant qty required: 19 litres- not included.

Liferaft - a small 4 man liferaft would fit in the locker on our transom but I'm not sure if this is seen as an 'essential' or a 'nice to have' (we will be travelling with at least 3/4 other boats on each trip). I might hire one for the cross channel trip if I can find someone locally that does it.

Anything else?
 
That sounds like a good idea to me, I always carry 2 of everything and use them for the service the next year. That way I know they're always in good condition and it's not costing me anything extra.
I suppose the bigger issue is do you know how to fit them? how to bleed the engine etc. I made sure I serviced the boat myself the first couple of years so I had a good idea how to fix any issues I might find. Might be obvious and easy to some and a black art to others like me :-) But having done it a few times it seems less scary now.

The one thing I would add is a pack of electrical connectors ( I assume mostly those spade and ring ones), wish I knew the proper names and a crimping tool. I've seen these crack on occasion and it's an easy fix if you have them handy.

I wouldn't see a need for a liferaft if you have a tender and you're staying withing sight of the other boats as long as the forecast is good.
 
I'm not that mechanically minded (hence regularly needing the expertise of volvopaul) and the engine access on a Targa 34 would make it difficult (for me at least) to do much in anything other than flat calm conditions (especially with a hot engine).

I would hope that worst case scenario we have to limp somewhere on one engine, and at least then have the spares on board to fix when we reach our destination (or if locally then the Seastart guy might be able to fix us there and then to get underway).
 
regarding the impeller. Always carry more than 1 spare. It is my experience that if you ever do have a problem with the impeller shredding you tend to go through a second impeller just trying to find the fault. Annoys me endlessly that, but it's just Murphies
 
Dorset Dan said:
I'm not that mechanically minded (hence regularly needing the expertise of volvopaul) and the engine access on a Targa 34 would make it difficult (for me at least) to do much in anything other than flat calm conditions (especially with a hot engine).

I would hope that worst case scenario we have to limp somewhere on one engine, and at least then have the spares on board to fix when we reach our destination (or if locally then the Seastart guy might be able to fix us there and then to get underway).
Click to expand...

Another tip is dont have your engines etc have any sort of major service just before going out without a healthy proof test first. Gremlins always seem to appear just after any major upheaval if my experiences are anything to go by. Stupid things like belt tensioners going just after a belt change. It shouldn't happen and even less so when done by a marine engineer. Murphy's Law just rules though. My boat gets a thorough going over each winter on the hard. My first couple weeks on the water always seems to stretch to fixing gremlins that should have been ironed out while on the hard. This year it was the loss of one prop after an anode change (yes I tightened the bolts, even to the point of over torque), one pulley after a belt change and an impeller after a intake hose change and descaling job left an airlock despite priming the system. Just the sort of stuff that on it's own is trivial, on holiday is a PITA
 
Get some spare bolts for the seawater pump cover. If you drop one in the bowels of the boat it's really annoying. I use M5 X 8 mm steel cap head bolts. Pennies but make life much easier.
4 X 10 micron fuel filters, 2 impellers plus extraction tool, a complete set of belts of known good condition. I don't bother carrying spare oil filters, or air filters.
 
There is a balance of over planning vs not having enough bits

First thing really is how capable are you of fitting the bits and what tools do you have.

Having bits others can fit is useful as it can get you going faster but I would not go over board.

General stuff - wire , voltmeter , random plumbing fittings , hose , tools is just as valuable as parts

Impellers and fuel filters and on a small boat I would leave it at that

I have toilet pumps and all sorts but I live on the thing for 3 months a year and carry huge volume of tools parts etc which I also have space for. So to me it depends.

As long as the boat is well looked after and you have the basic bits and bobs I would probably stop there.
 
Dorset Dan said:
We have had our Fairline Targa 34 a year now and from our base in Poole have done Weymouth / Portland heading West and the Solent (Lymington, Yarmouth, Cowes) going East. All in company and within easy reach of Seastart should they be required (touch wood).

In August we are planning to go first weekend across Lyme Bay to Brixham (then back to Poole) and the second to spend a long weekend in Guernsey. With these longer distance trips my mind has turned to what we need to prepare for. We have VHF, radar and AIS on our boat (all working), a decent toolkit, paper charts, some bungs, duct tape and box of random bolts / fixings / zip ties, we have lifejackets (recently serviced) and flares (in date), and will have a wallet of all boat documents (VAT invoice, insurance, SSR certificate, etc) but what I was unsure about specifically were:

Engine spares - I have a couple of belts and filters on board from the previous owner but I have to admit that I've not double checked what condition. We have 2 x KAD300's so what would be seen as essential to carry aboard? - would it it be worth me just buying the following 'service kit' to carry around?:

423135 Oil filter
21624740 Fuel filter
21951356 Impeller
861014 Pre Filter (10 micron insert type. If a different filter is required, please call)
977542 Alternator Drive Belt
3582424 Water Pump Belt
860388 Compressor Drive Belt
876185 Air Filter
11 litres of VDS3 oil
You may also need a power steering belt, part number 973487 for some installations.
Coolant qty required: 19 litres- not included.

Liferaft - a small 4 man liferaft would fit in the locker on our transom but I'm not sure if this is seen as an 'essential' or a 'nice to have' (we will be travelling with at least 3/4 other boats on each trip). I might hire one for the cross channel trip if I can find someone locally that does it.

Anything else?
Click to expand...

It’s just genuinely good that you are being safety conscious. IMO be prepared and you have the backups. It may be a slim chance all goes wrong, but you can’t live by the motto ‘it’ll never happen’....

I have a liferaft on my T40 but I don’t cruise in company. You have AIS and a Radar so tricky crossings are much nicer with those even if you don’t have other boats with you.

You’ve got a great boat. Just go for it and explore. I’ve done the Solent to Salcombe in a single engine outdrive without company before. Had all the safety gear but no radar or AIS. Just some drive and excitement and solid planning. Job done!
 
jrudge said:
There is a balance of over planning vs not having enough bits

First thing really is how capable are you of fitting the bits and what tools do you have.

Having bits others can fit is useful as it can get you going faster but I would not go over board.

General stuff - wire , voltmeter , random plumbing fittings , hose , tools is just as valuable as parts

Impellers and fuel filters and on a small boat I would leave it at that

I have toilet pumps and all sorts but I live on the thing for 3 months a year and carry huge volume of tools parts etc which I also have space for. So to me it depends.

As long as the boat is well looked after and you have the basic bits and bobs I would probably stop there.
Click to expand...

I agree, with a small boat, every spare has to earn its place. It's no good having two spare sets of props on board if they mean you have nowhere to store your clothes! And at the end of the day, these things can be quickly couriered to where you're stranded (assuming you manage to get back to land)!
 
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Thanks for all replies, some interesting comments and I think that the most common engine consumables I will buy to keep on board but as Petem says, the space on a Targa 34 is at a premium so I can't go over the top.

Plus my lack of mechanical ability / experience means that in reality, whilst out at sea, these will be there more so for peace of mind to have spare parts to hand for someone more experienced to fit, unless the fix is an obvious and straightforward one (I suspect that I am not alone in this). I am keen to learn though so might look into learning the basics.....
 
To give yourself any real chance to repair a mechanical failure in open water, in any kind of sea state, carry a proper parachute sea anchor to hold your head to weather.
Your boat will instinctively turn beam on to the sea state and hold that position, rendering most of the crew either too seasick or unable to properly effect repairs down below in the rolling conditions.
If you prefer to set courses running closely along shorelines and pick up a pot line around the prop or a failure of some kind, the parachute sea anchor will hold your drift rate to basically the current speed, giving you time to sort the issue before going aground.
A retrieval line to invert the parachute is essential to get it back onboard.
 
Just to restate the importance of the most critical item, yet cheapest thing, on the boat that is most likely to prevent you getting to your destination.......the impellor. If it fails offshore at full chat, it could not only be a slow unsettling crawl to the nearest refuge, but a wrecked engine.
You would be suprised at the number of seriously experienced skippers, who became a little blase about the rubberware and have come a cropper because of it.
The temptation to just make it last another month or two difficult to resist.
It would have helped of course if boat designers had put sufficient space in front of the things to be able to see the blimming pump face plate let alone actually be able to get a screwdriver to the dinky little bolts holding the plate on.
In emergency, even if you do shear the odd screw. providing pump is not leaking air, sufficient sealing goo will enable the pump to function, gently nipping up remaining bolts will get you home.

Well worth pre journey, locating the pump and the chance of doing anything if the need arose.
First job on aquiring any new boat is
A, Check the faceplate bolts/screws undo without shearing off
B.Check the impellors.
The previous owner of my boat either lied or had a very bad memory indeed....
When asked about impellors, assured me they had recently been changed.
The Port one lost all its vanes on start up attempting to exit launching slings.
Fortunately, with a chandlery on the launch premises and the aid of Swiss army knife and its screwdriver we were soon underway.
 
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Very worthwhile arranging to be on board and watching whilst the engine servicing is being done to learn how things get done. Needs agreeing with the engineeer as your “assistance” will slow things down, but very worthwhile.
Take copious photos of everything, write up notes (including specific spanner / socket sizes etc) and prepare an engine worksheet with your own photos and notes, before you forget. This needs to cover things like impeller change, fuel filter change, bleeding, coolant top up etc.
Also use permanent pens and/or red touch up paint to mark anything less than obvious.
 
dunedin said:
Very worthwhile arranging to be on board and watching whilst the engine servicing is being done to learn how things get done.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I'm sure most mechanics would be willing to spend a chargeable hour or two showing you how to change a fuel filter, impeller and belts. I'm not convinced I'd want to tackle belts at sea (in a hot engine room) but you could probably do primary filters by lying on the cockpit sole.
 
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