Own A Boat? Spare Parts You Should Always Have On Hand
If you've recently bought your own boat, you need to be prepared for potential malfunctions. You never know when your boat is going to break down. Unfortunately, when boats break down, they usually leave you stranded in the water. Luckily, if you have spare parts on hand, you can avoid being towed back to shore. However, it's important that you have the right parts on hand. You probably know that you need to keep things like spare fuel, bulbs and batteries on hand, but that's not where the list should end. Here are four other spare outboard motor parts that you need to keep in your boat.
Marine Hoses
If you want to keep your boat on the water, you need to plan for damaged hoses. Marine hoses can wear out when you least expect it. Unfortunately, if they rupture while you're out on the water, you might not make it back to the dock. To make sure you're ready for any emergency, you need to have a variety of marine hoses on hand. Some of those hoses include fuel, raw water, drain, and bilge. It's also a good idea to include a supply of hose clamps with your spare parts.
Impellers
If your boat is equipped with impeller-driven water pumps, don't forget to keep a supply of impellers onboard. Once the impeller breaks, your water pump will malfunction. Unfortunately, that can lead to overheating, which can leave your boat stranded in the water. To avoid water pump issues, you should always have a supply of impellers. In fact, you should have at least one impeller for each impeller-driven water pump you have on board your boat.
Filters
If you're ready to stock your boat with spare parts, be sure to include the filters. Fuel filters are the most important filter you can keep on your boat. Fuel filter problems are a common issue. However, once your fuel filter clogs, your boat will stall. That's because fuel can't flow through to the rest of the motor. The best way to keep fuel flowing through your boat is to stock your boat with spare filters.
Belts
Finally, if you want to be equipped with the right spare parts for your boat, you'll need to have belts for your alternator and water pump. Belts tend to heat up quickly, which puts them at risk for breaking. Unfortunately, if you don't have a replacement for the belt, you'll need to call for emergency repairs. Or, you might need to have your boat towed back to shore.
If you need spare parts, reach out to a company like a Yamaha outboard motor service.
