And this just out from Sail Magazine:
https://www.sailmagazine.com/diy/kn...=textlink&utm_campaign=enewsletter_SAIL180701
https://www.sailmagazine.com/diy/kn...=textlink&utm_campaign=enewsletter_SAIL180701
just out from:Sail magazine
I have a portable clamp on vise, but it stays on the truck. If I was going offshore, I might bring it.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.
Two tool boxes. One for hand tools, and another holding the power tools. Plus plastic bins for spares labeled: Engine spares, Plumbing, Electrical, Etc.. Also a couple of tackle organizers filled with spare stainless/bronze screws, bolts, nuts, washers, cotter pins. etc.The Shadow's idea of an everything I might need/everything I actually use two box solution is brilliantly simple. And simply brilliant. I bought 28 lbs. of harbor freight tools, and spend a lot of time digging for what I need. Now I just need that extra box.
Well said. If you keep your boat in 'good nick', a basic tool supply will suffice for some near home sailors. A surprising number of things that go wrong on a boat are repairable with basic tools, supplies and some know how.The one thing that is not mentioned here is preventative maintenance. While costal crusers may be lackadaisical about doing that, the price they pay if something break is a call for the tow boat, while blue water sailors take preventive maintenance very seriously. Of course they normally have spares for every system on the boat including rigging, also not mentioned here. The point is if you look at all the systems on your boat and properly maintain those systems you will decrease the chance of breaking down substantially therefore decreasing the amount of tools and spare parts you need on your boat. That said, you should have the basic tools and spare parts needed to make the emergency repairs that you are capable of handling. For example, if you are not comfortable changing fuel filters what is the point of having them on board? Besides that, there are many things that can and do break when you least expect it. Last summer our cooling water injection hose blew of the exhaust riser a half mile from the dock. We were in heavy currents in a busy river and could have gotten out of the channel to deploy an anchor, but we had no way to fix it we slowed the engine speed and motored on to the dock. The idea of being able to fix anything that breaks and have the necessary parts and materials on board is not alway possible. The key thing is to maintain all the systems on the board to prevent having to do so in the first place.
and band-aids!basic , very basic, one set of channel locks
That is why most of my tools remain in the Van instead of on the boat or at the house.One factor, that I don't recall being mentioned is the distance from your boat to your home workshop/tool supply. If you live a few minutes away, running home to get a special tool is easy. I live about an hour from the boat and 20 minutes from the nearest hardware store. Having a well stocked tool box and parts supply saves a lot of travel time.
No to hijack the thread, but her name was Luna. We rescued her from a Starbuck's parking lot in the Florida Keys on my birthday about a year and a half ago. Sadly through tragic circumstances we had to euthanize her two weekends ago. She was hanging out with me by the pool in our back yard, at about midnight while I was having a smoke exploring and walking along the fence top. Neighbors Pit mix jumped up on the fence, ripped her off, and savagely attacked her. I instantly jumped over the fence and tried to save her. Fought off the dog, and rushed her to the emergency Vet. After several hours at the vet, it was determined she had a crushed pelvis, and broken spine, and would not recover. She was a great cat, and Michelle and I are still crushed over her loss. RIP sweet Luna.I did notice him/her earlier... is his name HOBIE? That was the inspiration for my log on name that is one nice tool box!!!!