Preparing for longer trips

[BruceK]

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.

I've changed all manner of things at sea courtesy old boat. If you do have to, the best tip I can give you is dont work looking down. I know it's easier but if you can squeeze in so you can look straight ahead or at a very shallow down angle you will be OK. Look down and I surprise myself by feeling unwell. Something I dont normally get at sea. Also carry a engine duvet. Not to keep the engines warm but you from getting burnt if you have to lean over anything.

 

[luptonj]

Maybe even offer to pay extra to do these parts on one of the engines yourself with supervision
Most of them are quite simple once you've done it once but can be very confusing the first time. Especially when you've got the "I don't want to break it" attitude. I wasted ages trying to bleed the engines first time by not pushing the lever past where it got stiff in case I broke something.

Also learn how to tighten/replace the belts. They often seem to stretch for me and need re-tightening after a couple of weeks.

We did a 1 week trip 2 weeks ago having had the boat fully serviced and had to replace a broken throttle cable and a leaking fuel filter, the latter on a mooring 50nm from home, and had to bleed the engine before it could start. It's only a 5 minute job but could be a ruined trip if you had to wait to find an engineer to do it.

 

[Portofino]

I would not bother with ( if space is premium in this eg ) with fluids .Just some top up oil a 5 L for both .
Skip the oil filter too .
Rubber wear as OG posts ^^ and the ability to fit them .
Belts and impellers .
Also some sort of pipe bandage and gasket sealant , both fine and putty .
Fuses too .
The show stopper will be an impeller or belt letting go followed by a leak of some sort .
Some trim ram relays and for the steering some PTFE tape incase a Union seeps PS fluid out .
Some 1 or 2 L of PAS fluid too .
Folks say olive oil works as a get you home as does plane water for coolant temp replacement .

Check you Nav lights bulbs work as well before setting off in case you inadvertently ( or planed ? ) end up riding around i the dark !
If tidal destination make sure you have some extra long warps .Even with the best pre trip planning you could end up in some rediculous tidal reach mooring in some gawd forsaken port either weather bound or waiting for “ spares “

 

[jrudge]

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.

I did a belt in rough weather ( KAD300 did them all the time - joy). I was used to changing them but at sea I would say this is all but impossible.

I motored for several hours on one engine until I could anchor in a sheltered place ( Atlantic coast of france) and strip / replace.

Unless it is actually totally flat or close to it in a hot engine room I am not really sure that repair actually at sea as opposed to an anchorage is viable in most cases and given engine temps, rolling, lack of other crew I would suggests probably very dangerous.

Deploying the anchor is all well in theory, but in the med ( SOF is even deeper) you are typically in 30-50m of water even close to the shore. Just motor on to a place a safety and then deal with the issue unless the thing is on fire or sinking.

At a decent anchorage no problem ( I got the angle grinder out in Ibiza to make a new part for the tender throttle that had got broken lifting and no one batted an eye lid! ) so you can do an awful lot at sea, but not when it rolls.

 

[petem]

I've changed all manner of things at sea courtesy old boat. If you do have to, the best tip I can give you is dont work looking down. I know it's easier but if you can squeeze in so you can look straight ahead or at a very shallow down angle you will be OK. Look down and I surprise myself by feeling unwell. Something I dont normally get at sea. Also carry a engine duvet. Not to keep the engines warm but you from getting burnt if you have to lean over anything.

Advice regarding looking down noted!

What's an engine duvet!?

Incidentally, owners of sports boats will inevitably find themselves having to lie across the engines to access parts. I'd be interested to know what the best practice is for doing this to a) avoid extensive leg bruising! b) damaging the engines?

 

[BruceK]

An old discarded common and bedroom variety duvet now reserved for engine use only. Double bed folded over. You can throw it over the top of the engine before lying across an engine. In a sports cruiser it is an absolute essential whether the engine is hot or cold.

 

[luptonj]

I did a belt in rough weather ( KAD300 did them all the time - joy). I was used to changing them but at sea I would say this is all but impossible.

I motored for several hours on one engine until I could anchor in a sheltered place ( Atlantic coast of france) and strip / replace.

Unless it is actually totally flat or close to it in a hot engine room I am not really sure that repair actually at sea as opposed to an anchorage is viable in most cases and given engine temps, rolling, lack of other crew I would suggests probably very dangerous.

I had to put a power steering belt back on in rough conditions once. Not fun, I didn't even try to replace it as it was still in one piece, just levered it back on and continued until I could sort it somewhere quiet.
It would be a very rare occasion to have to do it at sea, but even when back in an anchorage there's no point in having to wait to get an engineer to fit them.

With a twin engine boat you will rarely try to fix anything at sea, but there is a lot of confidence in knowing you could if you had to.
Plus when something goes wrong it's nice to know what it is and what's involved in sorting it.

 

[BruceK]

I would not say changing a belt at sea is all but impossible. I think much depends on the engine room layout. I dont have much room in mine but in front of the engines is a goodly amount of room to kneel and even sit. I dont keep a silly belt protector on which serves no purpose I can see other than aesthetics and the belts are easily accessible with just one or two bolts to adjust

 

[powerskipper]

Would be worth doing a CG66
https://mcanet.mcga.gov.uk/public/cg66/
Its the coastguards voluntary info/safety form. helps them identify you if there is an incident. If you have done it already, they do need up dating every so often.( 2 years I think)

 

[AndieMac]

.........Deploying the anchor is all well in theory, but in the med ( SOF is even deeper) you are typically in 30-50m of water even close to the shore.........

If this comment is regarding my suggestion Jeremy, then you may not have fully understood how the "parachute sea anchor" works.
Basically the boat is held head to weather by a small, actual parachute fully deployed, sitting just below the surface, with a line back to the boats bow. You only need to be floating in a couple of metres for it to function. Then the boat will only pitch, fore and aft, but no roll, side to side, with a minimal drift rate.

 

[Bandit]

A good spares kit is essential your list is good I would say 4 of pre filters 30 micron rock stoppers as well as two engine mounted, and two sets of belts.

fulfillers, impellers and belts are the likely ones.

Have your batteries been checked recently for condition?

as far as Guernsey is concerned well sorted for parts and assistance give me a pm to discuss or call if you have a problem, I amin the trade and a boat enthusiast.