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opinions sought for full-time cruiser Tools and Spares selection
Well, the reality approaches, and while I have a pretty well equipped
landside tools and spares selection ("Dad's hardware store"), I'm curious what those who have done it would suggest. It's a 46 foot ketch with a Perkins 4-154 and a Northern Lights 8kw genset, both in the "mature hours" segment of their lives but surveyed as sound. It has the usual assortment of electrical stuff which I hope to mostly keep happy with ample solar and some wind generation plus more storage than is currently (pardon the pun - about 440AH) available, as peace and quiet is high on my list (vs running engines and gensets). Unfortunately to my taste, a great deal of the electric stuff is 110, but it's got lots of inverter capability, so the trick will be to keep power happening (see solar, etc., peace and quiet, above). The storage available is pretty good, so space isn't a particular challenge, though, of course, every boat has a limit. For at least the expected first year, we'll be island hopping, working our way from Ft. Lauderdale or equivalent to Trinidad or so, and back to our expected Saint Thomas base, ETD/ETA Nov 04/05. So, the question is, for a full-time cruising boat equipped as above, what tools and spares would you bring along? Would you bring specialized tools (such as some electronic diagnostic/reading stuff) or spares (ability to rebuild stuff)? If they're not commonly available, I'd appreciate sources, as well. Thanks... L8R Skip and Lydia -- "And then again, when you sit at the helm of your little ship on a clear night, and gaze at the countless stars overhead, and realize that you are quite alone on a great, wide sea, it is apt to occur to you that in the general scheme of things you are merely an insignificant speck on the surface of the ocean; and are not nearly so important or as self-sufficient as you thought you were. Which is an exceedingly wholesome thought, and one that may effect a permanent change in your deportment that will be greatly appreciated by your friends."- James S. Pitkin |