A few thoughts on spare parts

[prh77]

Having been burned a few times after trying to install parts I kept for emergencies, I had a thought; when you get a spare, install it. This will accomplish a few things. First you will find out if it fits and functions. I remember one post here, a member was south of the border and his engine fresh water pump failed. Pulled out the spare to find one of the nipples for the hot water heater was not included. He ended doing a nipplectomy on the high seas with a pair of vice grips. Better to install the part at the dock and verify operation at your leisure. Another benefit is you will remove a part that you know is in working order. Granted it is used, but if you replace it before you have to, you have known good spare. One final benefit is the oh sh** factor. We have all snapped off hardware or had to fabricate tools for that bolt that makes you say what the hell were the designers thinking . Again at the comfort of your slip or mooring, you can apply PB Blaster and take your time. You can also procure new hardware that you buggered up. I am not saying we should replace everthing on the boat, but for some of the common spares, JUST REPLACE IT.

[Momentum M]

I guess that you woke my dead cell!!!!   Very good idea

I did this with my belt 'cause the hose is passing in the center of the belt so one has to disconnect the hose to install the new one.  When one is using is motor then he's either in a narrow passage, comming into a marina, etc....when you really don't need this kind of problem. Same could happen with your pump, etc...

Here's my dead cell:  I did that with the belt only but with no other parts.  Maybee it drained all my energies to think of the belt and not enough left to think of the other parts!!

Thanks for the wake up call

You might want to see the how the belt is installed on the westerbeke 35

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4864.0.html

[Ron Hill]

Peyton : You are absolutely correct.  Much easier to replace parts in the slip than on the hi seas !

What you need to look at is what are the extra nipples/gaskets/clamps/etc/etc that you'll need when you replace that part!!!  Then have them also instock !

I'm pretty good at detecting failures, but piss poor at predicting them! 
Unless you're plush with many $$, I'm not to sure that you really want to throw parts at the engine or any other C34 system until they are really needed.  A thought

[prh77]

Ron; I could not agree more, it could get very expensive trying to anticipate every failure. My point is, if you have acquired a spare part for whatever reason, install it.