Owning a boat can be fun: endless fishing trips, free tours into the deep waters, cruising at the luxury of waves, and any other open water adventures. While having fun and all the adventures, you must also plan for the uncertainties, i.e., the need for repairs and additional accessories to prevent accidents and help in times of danger.
Therefore, before going out into the waters, you must inspect all your accessories to ensure you have the right tools and spare parts for your boat.
These parts will ultimately vary depending on the type of boat you are using and the intended purposes. Hence, you need to go for the vital parts, especially those likely to need repairs. You need mechanical, electrical, plumbing, connectivity, navigation, and all relevant tools.
This article explores a few vital parts to help you venture on a safe and thrilling boating experience.
1. Boat Propellers
Due to concerns about fuel efficiency, performance, and operational efficiency, you must ensure that the propellers in your boat can maximize performance while limiting fuel consumption. Over time, the boating industry upgrades and manufactures new and advanced propellers; hence it is up to you to upgrade the existing one to ensure sustainability.
You can always plan for a complete replacement in case the existing one has issues or you need a more efficient propeller.
One of the sources of ideal props is Volvo Penta marine parts, which sell different propellers for different boats and are compatible regardless of the boat manufacturer. You can buy propellers suitable for petroleum, diesel, and electric-powered boats to boost efficacy and ensure higher performance.
These propellers are also made of durable materials; hence they can last longer than the ordinary on the market since they hardly rust, nor can they break when in contact with large debris in the water.
2. Auxiliary Electrical Systems
Boats do not have electrical connectivity at all places, limiting your ability to charge devices or connect other electrical devices for other needs. Due to limited and tight spaces in the boat, you need extra electrical systems such as extension cords and socket sets to meet all the power needs.
While buying these gadgets, ensure they are oil and water-resistant and proofed to avoid electrical hazards due to the environment. The extension cords will save you the burden of modifying the boat arrangements to create extra space for auxiliary or additional power needs. You can plug it into the provided socket outlets and extend it for usage at any desired location within the boat.
In case of any cabling needs, you should ensure the boat remains neat with a limited number of cables visible. You can use cable fasteners to organize all the cables on the wall, or you can neatly wrap all the cables in a protective coil to prevent contact with water, accidents, or any cuts. Also, buy additional socket covers to prevent moisture entry, especially when sockets are used in open areas.
3. Digital Boat Tracker
The boat navigation system will hardly fail; however, in case of failure, you need to know your exact location and find your way back to the shores. Therefore, you need a handheld digital navigator to communicate your exact location to the rescue teams to facilitate search and rescue in case of any accidents at sea.
Notably, you need a navigation system and tracking to enable someone to track you and know your location in real time, especially when going into new areas for the first time.
When selecting an alternative tracking and navigation system, select one that can be easily installed into the boat navigation system. It should always be connected to the boat’s electrical to let other connected devices know your location at sea.
4. Nuts, Bolts, and Screws
It’s good always to carry extras of these in case of need for replacements, especially when you notice a crucial one is missing. You do not have to buy all the bolts for every piece of equipment, but you can consider multipurpose bolts and screws, which can be used in different parts of the bot.
Ensure they are water, rust, and corrosion-resistant and can last longer. Also, store them in locked toolboxes or compartments to avoid rusting or losing them.
5. Digital Boat Diagnostics System
Some of these devices are relatively new but can be essential for newbies using boats. Diagnosing a problem on the boat can be difficult, especially if you have no experience or an engineer on board hence the need for a digital diagnostic system.
Consider a diagnostic and navigation alert system that constantly diagnoses the boat’s performance and will alert you in case of any issue.
It can diagnose critical systems such as navigation, sensors, pumps, engine, and anchors to ensure they are all functional. In case of any issue, it will be easier for you to know the problem and inform the repair person to carry the necessary tool to deal with the situation.
The other benefit is that most of them have an instant alert system that enables you to respond instantly. Most boats do not come with such diagnostics; hence you need to get one, install them and integrate it with the boat systems to enable instance alerts and notifications.
6. Markers
Not everything in the boat is always labeled; hence it is easier for accidents to occur, especially when someone presses the wrong thing. Also, to ease diagnostics, operations, and maintenance, you must ensure critical elements are clearly labeled using markers.
You can use the markers to label pumps, plug heads, hoses, door labels, and any other essentials within the boat. Moreover, you can also use them for warning labels to ensure people do not sit or visit certain areas within the boat. A temporary or permanent marker will work based on your current or future needs.
7. Sealants
Leaks can easily occur in the boat due to accidents, wear and tear, and other issues. When not controlled or stopped, the effects can be devastating such as electrical hazards, or worse, the boat may capsize, or equipment, such as pressure pumps, may malfunction. Therefore, you need a powerful sealant to seal smaller and larger openings as you plan for repairs or steer back to the docks.
It should also stick longer, giving you enough time to get to safety or wait for the repair crew to arrive at the scene. Therefore, do not buy any other marine multipurpose sealant suitable for preventing different types of leaks.
Conclusion
Before the ultimate boating experience at sea, ensure the boat has all the necessary tools and equipment to keep you safe and boost the boat’s operations. Invest in digital systems to make the boat easier to operate, navigate and prevent uncertainties that may occur at sea.
Also, buy additional accessories to boost the fun on the boat, i.e., electrical connectivity, boat trackers, and entertainment systems.