Boats Spares Tool kit
What you carry in the boats tool kit will be useful for many boat repairs, but you might want to add some more tools to the list.
Spare shackles
Shackles have been known to break and also useful for emergency repairs to the rig.
Spare ropes
You can never have too many ropes on board but always useful is a tow rope and spare mooring ropes.
Wire cutters
Mainly for sail boats if the rig should come down.
Sharp knife
Essential and have it ready for use.
Torches
Again essential and the rechargeable type can be a better option. Have close at hand for night sailing.
Glues and epoxy putty
For emergency repairs on wood and fibreglass.
Spare blocks
For sailboats where blocks may fail or where you want to experiment with new sheet leads.
Winch spares
For sailboats and the most important spare will be first winch handles and then what the manufacturer might recommend.
Snippet from the new app for iPhone & Android:
Dag Pike’s Boating Checklists
About the author:
Dag Pike began his career as a merchant captain, went on to test lifeboats, and took up fast boat navigation, winning a string of trophies for powerboat races around the world, including navigating Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Challenger on the record-breaking fastest Atlantic crossing by powerboat.
Avoiding personal dangers at sea
In order to stay safe at sea, we need to know the risks we are facing and to be aware of any personal dangers we could possibly encounter. Here are six of the most common potential dangers individual crew members should be aware of.
Diesel engine winterisation
An inactive boat engine needs to be protected from corrosion during the winter, caused by the rising humidity levels through the cold months and the salty coastal air. This applies whether the boat is left afloat or hauled out over the winter. Read here about the two important stages of winterisaton for a diesel boat engine.
Peer to Peer yacht charter – How can you monetize your boat?
Fire safety advice at sea from the Marine & Coastguard Agency
The VHF DSC Radio jargon buster
Boat interior varnishing
Most boat interiors have a combination of varnished and painted surfaces including solid wooden joinery, plywood laminates with thin hardwood veneers and glass reinforced plastic. When making your assessment of what you are going to do, bear in mind that the varnishing process consumes a lot of time, especially if the existing surfaces are in poor shape.
Weather forecasting resources and tips
All competent sailors need to have a good basic understanding of how to interpret a weather forecast. They also need to be able to interpret the actual conditions they are experiencing.
How to use tides and currents to your advantage
If you are contemplating a cruise through tidal waters and strong currents, then planning your trip carefully in advance is essential to enable you to take advantage of favourable tides rather than constantly fighting against them.
Essential Knots: Bowline
Dag Pike’s Boat Survey
The Boatyard Book – a boat owner’s guide to yacht maintenance, repair and refitting
The Boatyard Book is a fully illustrated 224 page practical reference manual that provides advice for boat owners on planning and carrying out annual maintenance, repairs, upgrades and refits of sailing yachts and motorboats, up to 20 metres in length.
Boat gas system maintenance
There are correct types of hose for marine plumbing, sewerage, exhaust, cooling and gas and all hoses should be checked regularly for wear and deterioration.
Sterndrive maintenance
Sterndrives are a popular form of propulsion in the powerboat market, but require a fair amount of care and maintenance. The main factors to be aware of are salt water corrosion, lubrication and regular inspection of the bellows, the condition of which is vital to prevent water from entering into the hull.
Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 4
Applying antifouling. Antifouling is best applied on a dry, calm day. It is best to apply the antifouling in the middle of the day to ensure the hull is dry and as warm as possible.
Sailboat rig checks – Part 1
Sailing boat rigs need to be checked regularly to reduce the risk of rig failure at sea. In part one of Sail boat rig checks we run through a series of useful checks that owners and skippers can carry out.
Competent crew skills: arriving and leaving a berth
Boat electrics
All boat owners should have a basic knowledge of electrics, both to avoid encountering electrical problems at sea and to stand a chance of solving them should they occur.
How to trim a genoa sail
I recently had two new sails made by Sanders Sails, based in Lymington UK. The first to arrive was the new genoa and it took me a little while to get to know it and learn how to adjust it correctly. Here is an aide memoire for getting to know how to trim a genoa so that it will deliver the best performance.
Understanding your mast and rigging
Marine diesel exhaust checks
You should inspect the exhaust system for corrosion damage regularly, especially around the injection bend. If you have noticed the engine exhaust smoking a lot during the sailing season this can also indicate a number of potential problems.
Boat maintenance below decks
While most interior maintenance work can be done when a boat is afloat, some jobs such as servicing the seacocks have to be done ashore. It makes sense to do any major interior repairs and improvements with the boat hauled out in the boatyard.
How to operate a winch
Common marine electrical problems
Most problems with marine electrical systems arise from four possible sources, a lack of maintenance, a poor standard of initial installation, insufficient battery capacity, or ineffective charging systems.
Water ingress is a frequent issue – salt water can corrode contacts very quickly. If connections are not scrupulously clean – or are loose – resistance will be increased, resulting in progressively reduced power.