Building a Basic Sailboat Toolbox

[Ken Cross]

It's the same boat we have. Ours came with a few spares: raw water impeller, fuel filter, belts. I've used them and replaced the spares. I started with a few tools (socket set both metric and SAE, Vice Grips, screw drivers, sharp wire cutters, rigging knife, hacksaw blade and holder, digital meter, spare bulbs. Once in a while I discover I need something else that I add. Some things like an air filter, paint, and oil filter I don't keep on board. I won't likely need to replace them as an unplanned event. In a marine enviornment I'm not afraid to go wothouw an air filter. I'd replace a failed one at my liesure. I also carry a fid, small squirt can of light machine oil, electrical tape, duct tape, butyl tape, super lube, small tubes of epoxy, sail tape, needle and heavy Dacron thread, and an assortment of stainless steel fasteners.

Ken

 

[BigEasy]

Pateco nailed it. I would follow his advice for spare parts. As far as hand tools, I would research craftsman tool sets now available at Lowe’s. Not as good as original craftsman ( no lifetime warranty) but good enough for a DIY mechanic. You can get a 165 piece metric /SAE set including sockets, ratchets, adaptors, and wrenches for $100. If you’re a vet, take 10% off for 4th of July. Fill this basic kit with some screw drivers, pliers, metric & sae allen wrenches, wire cutters & crimpers, and oil filter wrench and you’re good. Oh, don’t forget a hammer! I would avoid the all in one kits from West Marine...good enough for emergency repairs; however, the quality is very poor. Used the West kit on charter boats and was concerned that the tools were going to break in my hand causing busted knuckles or worse.

 

[TomY]

Tools are sort of personal, especially on a DIY boat. The inventory takes years to evolve and depends on the boat and skill of the owners.

Here's my take: Don't get too many for your boat, to start. It's easy to bring a ton of dead weight onto a boat, much harder to take it off.

Take the obvious spares but not many (any) duplicates as you'll just end up throwing many away.

I keep a few hand tools (multi screw driver, 2 crescent wrenches, small channel locks, needle nose, knife, rigging tape, LED flashlight), light oil, easily accessed that I use 95% of the time mostly adjusting rigging, routine stuff.

I keep a small box or three of tools I use perhaps a couple times a season, on a fiddled shelf in the back of a hanging locker(unusable space). I also have a few clear plastic boxes of small parts. I don't do much -any- boat work during the sailing season except for an occasional minor repair.

Then I keep a couple dozen tons of tools, in my garage. Those tools in the garage have proven handy enough for the coastal New England sailing we do, and don't slow my boat down at all.

 

[Kings Gambit]

I have the 3JH3E Yanmar (1998), now with about 2130 h. I've never had any repair work away from the dock. Which means that for my type of sailing-- mostly within 40-60 n.mi. of harbor(s)--I've found I haven't really needed to carry so much aboard in the way of tools and parts. Consequently, I took off a bunch of stuff when I returned to Long Beach from Ventura Harbor. I "turn over" the diesel fuel in the tank at least once/yr, sometimes twice or more. I regularly change as suggested by manufacturer, if there is a suggestion, both fuel filters and the impeller; in addition to the oil filter. The only "disabling" breakdown I've had that would cause problems if away from harbor is my two inexplicable starter failures which occurred inside the harbor. So, I always carry a spare starter now and the tools needed to swap it out while at sea.

Your most likely emergency repairs will be to the fresh water system (springs leaks occasionally) and the marine head/sanitation system, which breaks down a lot compared to the other equipment I have aboard. You also see this a lot on charter boats. So, have a head rebuild kit or critical parts, and spare hose stock & fittings for the fresh water plumbing system.

Also, be sure to have spare fuses/breakers for each of the electronic items on board that require them. The major one I had to replace is the 1 amp toggle-breaker fuse that controls the solenoid in the propane system. If that goes out, no propane for your weekend!!

As for tools, unless you have a big inverter, you shouldn't need anything aboard that requires AC power. You need at most only six screw drivers; large & small flat blade, large & small Phillips, and one each of flat and Phillips that is short handled. The best thing I've had is one of the screw driver sets where you can change the bit. So, one handle but several bits to pop in at the end. Keep the bits in the cap of the handle.

Here's an example.

Another thing is two full sets of Allen-head wrenches b/c those things can break or round at the end; and a set of star bits if you have Selden rigging. You can get these fitted onto the end of sockets.

Oh yeah, if sailing close to shore, don't neglect to get towing insurance!!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Two schools of thought on bringing tools: minimal or "all ya got." I'm in the latter camp. I just feel that if yo have tools, they are there for a purpose. That purpose may not be evident until you need it. But if the tools are "home" or in the "garage" or in the "dock box" they ain't doin' me any good there, are they? I had a backup alternator. It was in my garage. I wasn't! The alternator failure made me cut short a delightful cruise, because I wanted to be on the hook, not in marinas. Lots of motoring involved in the California Delta, no solar, so engine run time recharged the bank. This was only an hour or so by car but 8 hours by boat. The backup alternator lives on the boat now.

Tools: You build what you need. I thought I had everything, but then this year came two jobs which required me to get a nut splitter and a
5 piece flex ratcheting box end wrench set for the lag bolts on impossible to reach rear engine mounts. Oh, boy, mommy, new toys.

Whatever you do, get a tool box that keeps them captive. Like this (much easier to find the right thing):

 

[jssailem]

a tool box that keeps them captive.

What no more guessing... Digging in to the bottom of the box and stabbing your fingers?
Ah gee. All the fun is going out of the repair experience. What am I going to do with that gross of bandaids?

 

[gdudik]

My training is as an auto mechanic:

https://www.harborfreight.com/301-pc-mechanics-tool-set-63464.html
This thing is a winner. Can't beat the price, and for "oh shit" backup tools it will work great.

Also, a Power Probe will help you diagnose all kinds of electrical issues. It's basically an overgrown test light that will allow you to put power and ground out through the tip as well as detect whether something has power or ground and at what voltage. Couple this with a cheap multi-meter for resistance and other checks and you'll have 99% of your electrical problems diagnosed.
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Probe-...F8&qid=1530378238&sr=8-5&keywords=power+probe

 

[WayneH]

On my boat, I now have a few spare woodruff keys for the raw water pump. I was changing out the impeller when the key dropped out of the slot and found the one spot where it could go UNDER the engine pan. No problem. I'll just steal the key from the spare pump that came with the boat. Hmm. No impeller and no key in the spare pump. No onboard information on the pump, either. Had to track that down to find out what size key to buy.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[JamesG161]

Here is a very handy tool that is easy to stow.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Claw-Mag...-Grab-Grabber-Fingers-Prongs-24-New/104442350

I also have a small Boat Associated tool kit for taking to the boat and returning back home, when berth repairs.
This is included.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Performance-Tool-W80656-Flexible-Hose-Clamp-Pliers/29163701
Ever try to hold a hose clamp in place and screw it tight, with out skinning you knuckles?
Jim...

 

[dlochner]

Two schools of thought on bringing tools: minimal or "all ya got."

If I took off all the tools I have on board, the waterline would rise several inches and we'd have a lot more storage.

Today I was working on few boat projects, these are the tools I used:

10" Adjustable wrench
Nut driver for hose clamps, (5/16ths?)
Small screwdriver to straighten pin on instrument
Diagonal cutter
Wire stripper
Crimper
Label maker
Heat gun

The 2 most essential tools I have are:

A gardener's foam kneeling pad
One of those claw grabber tools

The kneeling pad saves my aging knees and the grabber pickup tool is essential for retrieving those bits and pieces that inevitably wind up in difficult to reach spaces.

 

[jssailem]

Like Dave. I have a lot of tools on board for the various projects I plan. I learned from my time with @Stu Jackson that these projects get done in the marina not while adventuring. So now I take all the project stuff off the ship while sailing. The boat sits a couple of inches higher in the water and has a livelier feel. The benefits are better sailing and I have room for guests.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

I like to keep tools and spares on the boat so I can change a starter while a friend sails!!! Or hot wire a battery to bypass bad cables.

 

[dlochner]

Remember, that any job that requires a new tool is a job worth doing.

The corollary is that any job that can be made easier by buying a new tool is a tool worth buying.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I learned from my time with @Stu Jackson that these projects get done in the marina not while adventuring.

Golly, weren't you taking notes during my many "lectures" about fixin' boat parts in remote locations?
I only claim to fix things before I leave my home port...
Only tools I have at "home" are my father-in-law's. All the tools I own are where they belong: on the boat.

 

[jssailem]

I know. And in our first meet you were dealing with the Chinese water torture till @LeslieTroyer and I brought tools and butyl tape to fix the leaking dorade. So we could get back to drinking beer and not hear the drip drip tears.

But though we had the tools there were a few too many on my boat.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

The dorade May have contributed but rebidding the handrails got the water out.

 

[jssailem]

True... But he was complaining about the dorade when we met him. Some 14 months ago... Some power tools, a little scraping and butyl. All done.

As I recall there was some good beer afterwards... And even some red wine... We were well treated for the rescue.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Speaking of spares aboard- Hal Roth , who has circumnavigated, advocates buying spare AN INSTALLING it. That way you know several thing-The new part fits and works, AND the old one does too

I've never done it, but for a long distance sailor, as Hal and Margret were,, makes a lot of sense

 

[dLj]

So lots of excellent comments and suggestions, but there is one tool I haven't seen mentioned that I find really handy to have on board. A high quality portable vise. Here's a picture of mine, it's about 50 years old (it actually looks better that this picture implies). Can't tell you the number of times this has allowed me to make/fix/whatever while working on the boat.

dj

 

[MitchM]

i always carry the yanmar minor spares kit plus engine oil, hydraulic oil, engine antifreeze and windlass oil. i never saw the need to buy the major spares kit , $$$ and lots of complicated parts that i would not be inclined to install my self. (of course if you are crossing the atlantic ocean and need to change an injector, you'll need a major spares kit...) i ordered the parts manual for my yans, and made sure i had the torx , allens and metric sockets and box wrenches for every routine maintenance job. i have a card that says which wrench/socket goes on which part and also marked the size on the nut . plus i carry a jabsco impeller puller, oil filter wrench, wirecutters, bolt cutters and basic 12 v supplies. and guinness.