[andyselzn]

Was browsing the web instead of sleeping and came across the single handed transpac race documents. In the required equipment list is: "Tools and spare parts sufficient to repair or jury-rig breakages in the yacht's major systems...."

Am curious if there are any books, web pages, etc that answer this question neatly. A kind of checklist to get my mind thinking about all the ways in which things can go wrong and what to do about them.

 

[smurphny]

I don't know what requirements exist for races but some of the things I keep aboard are still-good rigging wire that came off when replaced, some different sizes of crimp swages and a hand swage tool, gudgeons and pintles and a dismantled rudder that can be reassembled in a few hours, wire rope clamps (can be used to join wire quickly), (a good length of Amsteel/Dyneema is also good for emergency rigging repair), a complete sewing kit and a sewing machine, extra pieces of sailcloth, grommets, spare starter, spare alternator, impellers, complete gasket set, etc. for engine, plenty of various sized wood plugs, spare h/h gps and vhf, inflatable pfd recharge kits, nuts and bolts of all sizes, spare bilge pump, spare water pump. Tools (could be its own topic): complete set of any tools needed for engine including torque wrench, wire cutters, grinder, recip. saw, drill, I'm sure there are many more items I could think of. It all boils down to the idea that you should be able to fix almost everything aboard the boat with no access to supplies/tools.

 

[paulk]

There are plenty of books and web pages that answer this question. The problem is taking all the gear they suggest without towing a barge behind you. Distilling all the suggestions into what is "sufficient" is part of what keeps all of us from signing up for the single-handed Transpac.

 

[killarney_sailor]

I suspect that the organizers are looking for proof that a potential entrant has more than a little bit of a clue about what they are doing. It is not particularly hard to come up with a list of spare parts that you would need. Probably quite bit harder to make up a list of bits and pieces that you could use for jury rigging. A lot of this would depend on the person's experience and creativity. The most incredible one I ever heard about was a French guy in one of the earlier around the world singlehanded races who needed to get his engine going to generate power for his autopilot and nav and communications systems. The engine did not have a crank start but jury rigged one from the flywheel to the boom and then jibed the main to provide the pull. Only took some line and several blocks, but a huge amount of creativity.

 

[eherlihy]

Gorilla tape gets my vote as one of the best jury-rig materials available. Don't leave the dock without it!

 

[christian.hess]

necessity is the mother of invention...

 

[capta]

The book that saved our lives when we were capsized in a hurricane and lost the companionway hatch, was "Once is Enough" by Miles Smeeton.
I doubt there is actually a list, as each of us has a different idea of what we consider to be the important things.

 

[deniseO30]

my role model

 

[outbound]

Would be information to see what people put on their list. Think folks don't think of decent spares list when WM isn't around the corner. For instance added check valves a a pressure water pump, spare block and tackle which can cannibalized for parts, spares for the stove and things like that that aren't involved in keeping the water out but are involved in keeping body and soul together.

 

[andyselzn]

jesse martin has an equipment list in his book Lionheart (appendix 1, page 141). the list includes all his equipment but one can sort out what is targeted as spares and tools.

 

[killarney_sailor]

In the tape department we have found the white tape for shrink wrapping handy along with some heavy black rubber tape that is used to make joints in fish ponds and the like. I happened to have these in the basement and took them onboard and am glad I did.

As for being creative, I had the nipple that connects the exhaust elbow to the rest of the exhaust break off when we were a few miles from the bay that leads into Brisbane. There was not much wind at all and you have to go many miles to get to the marina where you have to check into the country (that is another story). I started by connecting with a layer of JB Weld (great stuff) and sat back with a beer to admire my handiwork. Then I had an idea. I had some fibreglass tape (3" wide?) onboard and thought it might be a useful reinforcement so I put a couple of layers of that into the JB Weld and added some more JBW on top. Waited for several hours for it too harden and it worked great. I got the right nipple and was going to replace what was there and decided to test it. its still there after 18,000 miles and looks exactly like it did after the first few hours of running (it changed colour then). Perhaps the invention of 'JB Weld-reinforced F/G' as a construction/repair material. Some time soon I am going to replace the elbow and I guess I will replace the nipple then too. Certainly will keep the old one for a souvenir.

 

[JonEisberg]

Don't have my copy handy right now, but I'm pretty sure Bill Siefert's book has some excellent suggestions re essential tools and spares...

If I were to recommend just one tool to carry offshore, it would probably be a banding tool like a Band-It... No other single tool I can think of at the moment might prove as valuable in being able to effect the means of self-rescue, in either a rig or steering failure... I've been lucky so far, have never had to use mine in anger, and hope to keep it that way... But, I wouldn't take my own boat anywhere without it...

BAND-IT® Tool

 

[smurphny]

+1 on keeping fiberglass supplies aboard. Underwater epoxy also. Marine-tex has saved the day many times. Other easy and cheap emergency spares for rigging are non-marine galvanized turnbuckles. A come-along can also come in handy as well as a small vice. A vice is a godsend for many things and can easily be clamped to a table. Did I mention clamps