Trouble-Free Transatlantic

We Quizzed 254 Skippers Who Took Part in the 2017 Arc Rally About the Spares They Shipped and the Repairs They Made en Route. The Lessons Gleaned Can Benefit Us All.

- Toby Hodges

You’ve got the plan, you’ve got the boat, you’ve got the time window – you’re set to hit the ocean. Almost. How much thought have you put into your spares and tools inventory? And have you considered how you might maintain and repair all the key equipment?

Shipping the right spares and considering how you’d affect makeshift repairs at sea before they happen can make the difference between a trouble-free crossing and being forced to seek assistance or make unplanned diversions.

Thankfully we can learn from the experience of skippers who have already completed ocean passages. During the 2016 ARC crossing, 60 percent of the 290-strong fleet reported a breakage of some sort. So, after last year’s ARC, we quizzed the 254 skippers specifically about which spares they carried and what repairs they made at sea. The tips and feedback for what they’d do differently, make invaluable reading (see 20 tips/lessons learned, page 35).

PART 1: THINKING ABOUT SPARES

In the six months leading up to the 2017 ARC last November, an average of nearly €12,000 per boat was spent on spares – a significant investment that represents the value skippers place on carrying back-up solutions. We asked skippers on the 2017 ARC and ARC+ what spare parts they carried, in particular for steering/autopilots, power generation, engines, sails, cooking, plumbing, refrigeration and navigation.

Of immediate note from their replies and comprehensive lists of spares is just how well-prepared most yachts and skippers are these days. The World Cruising Club (WCC) is partly to thank for this with its thorough guidelines and minimum gear requirements.