What to carry for spares is a complicated question. Where are you sailing? Will you be in remote places? Your spares list is different if you are heading to places where you can get things rather than places where you can't. There are no spare parts available in Antarctica or doing the northern artic passage. There are no spare parts in the middle of any ocean. Part of the assessment takes into consideration how critical the specific system is to arrive to where it can be fixed or if it's needed to be fixed ASAP no matter where you are.
What systems are on your boat, how critical each is, and your ability to fix which ever system needs to be assessed. A lot of modern systems simply can't be fixed - they are replaced.
Do you need a spare alternator? How critical to your systems is having it vs not having it? I used to have a cruising boat with an engine I could hand crank to start. I had solar panels to charge batteries in addition to the engine alternator. I had limited electronics. I had no need to carry a spare alternator. My current boat has a ton more electronics and systems requiring electricity. I run dual alternators off the engine. I also have solar panels. But with all my electronic loads, on this boat I carry a spare alternator.
How are you setting up your boat? Only you can answer if you need a spare alternator. How about a spare starter motor for the engine? I can't hand crank my current engine. Sadly. But that's the way of the world at this time...
Summary: How critical are each of your systems, where will you be sailing, what systems can you not live without, what are you good at fixing on your own? Answer all these questions. Then if you need a spare alternator or not will become clear.
dj
What systems are on your boat, how critical each is, and your ability to fix which ever system needs to be assessed. A lot of modern systems simply can't be fixed - they are replaced.
Do you need a spare alternator? How critical to your systems is having it vs not having it? I used to have a cruising boat with an engine I could hand crank to start. I had solar panels to charge batteries in addition to the engine alternator. I had limited electronics. I had no need to carry a spare alternator. My current boat has a ton more electronics and systems requiring electricity. I run dual alternators off the engine. I also have solar panels. But with all my electronic loads, on this boat I carry a spare alternator.
How are you setting up your boat? Only you can answer if you need a spare alternator. How about a spare starter motor for the engine? I can't hand crank my current engine. Sadly. But that's the way of the world at this time...
Summary: How critical are each of your systems, where will you be sailing, what systems can you not live without, what are you good at fixing on your own? Answer all these questions. Then if you need a spare alternator or not will become clear.
dj
. Two spare props, actually.