Stocking up spares in the UK vs rest of the world?

[geem]

You're making it sound better than trying to buy everything where I am... £20 surcharges for Island postage... nearest chandlery a 7hr return trip away...etc etc!

Make sure your batteries are in top condition. In my experience the choice once away from the UK can be limited and very expensive. Battery costs in the Caribbean are very high.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Make sure your batteries are in top condition. In my experience the choice once away from the UK can be limited and very expensive. Battery costs in the Caribbean are very high.

I have to say we have many friends who are blue water sailors who seen to go back to their boats with suitcase of stuff , these are very experience long term cruisers, so I'm surprised what I have read here .

 

[Graham376]

I have to say we have many friends who are blue water sailors who seen to go back to their boats with suitcase of stuff , these are very experience long term cruisers, so I'm surprised what I have read here .

That's the easy way, most arrivals are seen as tourists entering the country so unlikely to get searched and have a duty free personal allowance if they are.

Daft as it sounds, for expensive suitcase sized spares, rather than posting, it can be cheaper to get a budget return ticket and bung the stuff in a suitcase or carry on.

 

[sailaboutvic]

That's the easy way, most arrivals are seen as tourists entering the country so unlikely to get searched and have a duty free personal allowance if they are.

Daft as it sounds, for expensive suitcase sized spares, rather than posting, it can be cheaper to get a budget return ticket and bung the stuff in a suitcase or carry on.

I was referring more about further a field more then the EU .
That to one side and this is from personally experience two days ago .
Another cruisers managed to use an agent to import a set of sail vat and import free here in Italy.

 

[geem]

I have to say we have many friends who are blue water sailors who seen to go back to their boats with suitcase of stuff , these are very experience long term cruisers, so I'm surprised what I have read here .

I agree. We always take a suitcase full of UK sourced parts back to the Caribbean with us.

 

[Kelpie]

Make sure your batteries are in top condition. In my experience the choice once away from the UK can be limited and very expensive. Battery costs in the Caribbean are very high.

Thanks. I am building a lithium battery before I go, but the engine and instruments will remain on the existing lead-acid system, so I will consider replacing those.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Deleted wrong forum

 

[dansaskip]

My approach was to carry a good range of spares. Yes in places like the Caribbean you can get stuff and there are some very good chandleries but it depends on what island Grenada, St Maarteen, Trinidad amongst others yes but more difficult on say Nevis, St Kitts, Statia for example.
Another point to bear in mind is that dreaded bugbear of thread size particularly if you have an older boat. They will be American sizes . I had trouble getting an imperial seacock in Trinidad for example.
Anyway if you need to fix something it is so much nicer to be able to dig that spare out of your bosuns locker and fit it there and then, swinging quietly at anchor in some lovely spot than go searching about ashore for a part.

 

[geem]

My approach was to carry a good range of spares. Yes in places like the Caribbean you can get staff and there are some very good chandleries but it depends on what island Grenada, St Maarteen, Trinidad amongst others yes but more difficult on say Nevis, St Kitts, Statia for example.
Another point to bear in mind is that dreaded bugbear of thread size particularly if you have an older boat. They will American sizes . I had trouble getting an imperial seacock in Trinidad for example.
Anyway if you need to fix something it is so much nicer to be able to dig that spare out of your bosuns locker and fit it there and then, swinging quietly at anchor in some lovely spot than go searching about ashore for a part.

One of the best chandleries in the Caribbean is in Le Marin. Very reasonable prices as well. Budget Marine and Island water world are both expensive but they have a number of outlets across the Caribbean.

 

[Bilgediver]

And if the worst comes to the worst then make sure the first mate has brought enough cling film and wrap the sanitary hose in that as sometimes recommended by our Headmistress.

 

[Sea Devil]

There is an international system called YACHT IN TRANSIT which basically allows a visiting yacht - to import spares from another country. I have used it fairly successfully in places like Djibouti after I was robbed by pirates and had to replace a load of stuff - no UK chandlers would send VAT free so I got it from West Marine - USA...
I have also in the past used it in Gibraltar and Trinidad... The only problem is that you need to make certain in any country that they will accept this method and sometimes the official concerned will require a 'gift'

 

[sailaboutvic]

There is an international system called YACHT IN TRANSIT which basically allows a visiting yacht - to import spares from another country. I have used it fairly successfully in places like Djibouti after I was robbed by pirates and had to replace a load of stuff - no UK chandlers would send VAT free so I got it from West Marine - USA...
I have also in the past used it in Gibraltar and Trinidad... The only problem is that you need to make certain in any country that they will accept this method and sometimes the official concerned will require a 'gift'

Funny you should posted that , I just had to deal to help out another cruiser store his new sails from Turkey , there came as yacht in transit but he had to pay a agent €120 to deal with the paper work here in Italy , the problem it seen with UK companies they can't be bothered with the paper work in volved , plus some EU countries are not making it easy ,
Has I posted before the only way I manage so far is have them send to family member , repacked and sent

 

[GHA]

So what is everyone breaking that needs suitcases full of spares for? First few years cruising a fair few things went but it seemed to be just wear and tear needing mainly consumables after while.
It stuff is breaking so much isn't it easier to go simpler?

 

[geem]

So what is everyone breaking that needs suitcases full of spares for? First few years cruising a fair few things went but it seemed to be just wear and tear needing mainly consumables after while.
It stuff is breaking so much isn't it easier to go simpler?

For us it often replacement of consumables such as filters for the engine, generator, prop anode, getting electronics repaired such as my old Raymarine stuff. New imperial seacocks, some new light fittings. Nothing that stops us sailing. We only get back to the UK once a year so we take advantage

 

[Graham376]

So what is everyone breaking that needs suitcases full of spares for? First few years cruising a fair few things went but it seemed to be just wear and tear needing mainly consumables after while.
It stuff is breaking so much isn't it easier to go simpler?

I haven't had many critical breakages except having to strip and rebuild engine one time so my spares are mainly consumables - hose clips, nuts and bolts, filters, impellers, bulbs, wire and terminals etc. Most other things can be repaired or replaced from local suppliers.

With all the hassle and delays when ordering from UK since 31/12, we'll be better off buying from EU suppliers.

 

[mattonthesea]

I used Tom Cunliffe's recommendations from The Complete Yachtmaster.

But I would add that, no matter what you plan for, something will happen to completely faze you. In Grenada, when visited by a father and toddler, I jumped up from the sterndeck to make the toddler laugh. Unfortunately, I also managed to put my head on the path of the Aerogen blades. One moment, one broken blade and one bloody headache later I had lost my main power supply. But within 24 hours I had replaced it; another couple had a few spares and I repaid them by showing them how to connect up their SW receiver to their laptop for weatherfax.

And your ingenuity for solving problems will surprise you