It's no secret that boats and their systems are complicated, sometimes requiring adjustment, repair or replacement. And that means diving into the tools you keep aboard or bring from home. Depending on the task, it could also mean buying a new tool or borrowing one from a friend. If you do even a little of your boat's maintenance or upgrades, chances are you've used a drill, rivet gun, wire stripper/crimper, soldering iron, wrenches, vise grips, or a socket set... just in the past year! What kind of tools do you keep aboard? How do you decide what should be in your boat's tool locker or remain at home until you need it? What is the tool you find yourself using over and over again? Tell us about the tools on your boat and then take the Quick Quiz on the homepage. (Discussion topic and quiz by Warren Milberg)
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"maintenance guy"
I am the maintenance man at a remote fishing retreat in northern BC, right next to SE Alaska, and spend a fair bit of time fixing and working on power boats on the water. I sail my Venture 21 Taboo whenever I have the chance, and next year I will have a Venture 222 that I just picked up this spring. At any given time, I will have probably a greater selection of tools and supplies than most, including a complete set of metric and standard wrenches and sockets, mutli-meter, wiring tools and components, a couple of tubes of silicone, blets hoses, spark plugs, filters. Of course this list is usually paired down significantly for my sailboat, which doesn't require much more than a few wrenches, screwdrivers and wiring stuff as well as silicone and splicing tools. The only other thing that is always present on my boat is the music
I am the maintenance man at a remote fishing retreat in northern BC, right next to SE Alaska, and spend a fair bit of time fixing and working on power boats on the water. I sail my Venture 21 Taboo whenever I have the chance, and next year I will have a Venture 222 that I just picked up this spring. At any given time, I will have probably a greater selection of tools and supplies than most, including a complete set of metric and standard wrenches and sockets, mutli-meter, wiring tools and components, a couple of tubes of silicone, blets hoses, spark plugs, filters. Of course this list is usually paired down significantly for my sailboat, which doesn't require much more than a few wrenches, screwdrivers and wiring stuff as well as silicone and splicing tools. The only other thing that is always present on my boat is the music
I keep a wide selection of tools and spares
I do EVERYTHING. Thus I keep multi-meter, soldering iron, torch, socket sets, wrenches, screwdrivers, hacksaw, knives, cordless driver drill, plus may "special" tools or bits that I have developed and made for specific tasks. Of course I keep spares for nearly everything from the heads, pumps, plus special kits for the generator and fuel & oil filters for the engines. Also wire and extra hose of all types. If you don't have the tools or spares, you are stuck and at the mercy of marinas and mechanics. Last month the bottom seams in my piece-of-crap Zodiac dinghy let go again for the 3rd time and I was stuck for 4 days to get the proper PVC glue. Want to guess what I have added to my spare parts arsenal?
I do EVERYTHING. Thus I keep multi-meter, soldering iron, torch, socket sets, wrenches, screwdrivers, hacksaw, knives, cordless driver drill, plus may "special" tools or bits that I have developed and made for specific tasks. Of course I keep spares for nearly everything from the heads, pumps, plus special kits for the generator and fuel & oil filters for the engines. Also wire and extra hose of all types. If you don't have the tools or spares, you are stuck and at the mercy of marinas and mechanics. Last month the bottom seams in my piece-of-crap Zodiac dinghy let go again for the 3rd time and I was stuck for 4 days to get the proper PVC glue. Want to guess what I have added to my spare parts arsenal?
My tools
Rule 1 - inventory everything once per year. The things that you thought were a good idea to have on board, but didn't use in the last year - review them and decide if you really need them. It keeps weight and clutter down. My tools Most useful - two adjustable wrenches - good on stubborn shackles as well. Set of screwdrivers Extremely big screwdriver (on previous boat, used for a few minutes as an emergency tiller while I figured out what to do) Kit of stainless steel nuts and bolts (in my case, metric - at least M6, M8 and M10); yes, I have been so grateful that I carry these on several occasions at sea. Spare bung for water tank (MacGregor 26M) - few weeks ago, removed bung without problem, but it refused to screw up and seal again; having spare was useful. Old spoon - great tip from local dealer (Richard at MacGregor UK) - perfect tool for fitting battens in sails without damaging sails. Electrical tape and gaffer/duct tape. Ty-wraps - can do anything, fix anything with these - as well as use once type, get large releaseable type - can be used to hold things together or as a makeshift vice or clamp. Camping "cigarette" lighter - one that will not blow out in wind, and has adjustable flame - this is great for sealing ropes. The pedantic would argue that some of these are materials (materiel) rather than tools, but what use are tools sometimes if you don't have any materials to use them on? I have just been through my boat (this weekend)and now have the inventory, locker by locker, on a spreadsheet. I intent to print this out and laminate it so that I have a handy reference on board, and so that crew can find things in an emergency. After all, what is the point of having a tool if no-one can find it. Perhaps next year, I will photograph the tools and put the pictures on a laminated card with their names, so that when I ask someone to get me a tool, they can see what they are looking for.
Rule 1 - inventory everything once per year. The things that you thought were a good idea to have on board, but didn't use in the last year - review them and decide if you really need them. It keeps weight and clutter down. My tools Most useful - two adjustable wrenches - good on stubborn shackles as well. Set of screwdrivers Extremely big screwdriver (on previous boat, used for a few minutes as an emergency tiller while I figured out what to do) Kit of stainless steel nuts and bolts (in my case, metric - at least M6, M8 and M10); yes, I have been so grateful that I carry these on several occasions at sea. Spare bung for water tank (MacGregor 26M) - few weeks ago, removed bung without problem, but it refused to screw up and seal again; having spare was useful. Old spoon - great tip from local dealer (Richard at MacGregor UK) - perfect tool for fitting battens in sails without damaging sails. Electrical tape and gaffer/duct tape. Ty-wraps - can do anything, fix anything with these - as well as use once type, get large releaseable type - can be used to hold things together or as a makeshift vice or clamp. Camping "cigarette" lighter - one that will not blow out in wind, and has adjustable flame - this is great for sealing ropes. The pedantic would argue that some of these are materials (materiel) rather than tools, but what use are tools sometimes if you don't have any materials to use them on? I have just been through my boat (this weekend)and now have the inventory, locker by locker, on a spreadsheet. I intent to print this out and laminate it so that I have a handy reference on board, and so that crew can find things in an emergency. After all, what is the point of having a tool if no-one can find it. Perhaps next year, I will photograph the tools and put the pictures on a laminated card with their names, so that when I ask someone to get me a tool, they can see what they are looking for.
If you do any serious sailing
Have a set of bolt or cable cutters on board. If your (God Forbid) mast comes down, you will want to be able to cut the rigging free and fast. The mast could hole the boat. The you will be in deep water (pun intended). Add this to all the other stuff mentioned and you might want some Super Tape. Fair Winds Cap'n Dave
Have a set of bolt or cable cutters on board. If your (God Forbid) mast comes down, you will want to be able to cut the rigging free and fast. The mast could hole the boat. The you will be in deep water (pun intended). Add this to all the other stuff mentioned and you might want some Super Tape. Fair Winds Cap'n Dave
A few more items to add
Just a few more items to add to the list: WD-40 to lube or loosen something, Duct tape to hold or secure something. Small mirrow on a extension stick. I bought one at ACE hardware for real cheap. It is great to look under or around the engine compartment. For less often used tools, but eventually I will need one but don't want to spend big bucks for a super high quality set, I bought a set of tools in a toolbox. One of those 75 items in one box thingy. A tube of Goop hand cleaner, or Lava hand soap.
Just a few more items to add to the list: WD-40 to lube or loosen something, Duct tape to hold or secure something. Small mirrow on a extension stick. I bought one at ACE hardware for real cheap. It is great to look under or around the engine compartment. For less often used tools, but eventually I will need one but don't want to spend big bucks for a super high quality set, I bought a set of tools in a toolbox. One of those 75 items in one box thingy. A tube of Goop hand cleaner, or Lava hand soap.
My minimum kit
I should start by telling you that I have been around boats a very long time. One thing I have successfully learned is that the more complex it is the less likely it is to work when you need it. Tools should be dependable items that can get you through the repairs that you can do. Some of this will be a repeat, but some may not and other may get you thinking. It seems we have two categories in the discussion so far. Tools and Spares: Lets not do spares because they are very location and boat dependent. What I call a minimum tool kit: A set of wrenches in a wrap so each has his place. SAE and metric if needed An assortment of screwdrivers including both stubbys and a big one (for prying?) Large and tiny adjustable wenches (see below) Water Pump pliers (Channelock) Long nose pliers (often wrongly called needle nose - but you know what I mean) Lineman’s pliers (look these up if you do not know) A large curve jaw locking (Visegrip) plier A hammer (see below) A handle for reciprocating saw blades and a few different blades. (beats a hacksaw) An old eggbeater style hand drill (look at flea market junk tool tables) and a reasonable collection of drills. Now - Hard to find real monkey wrench - not a pipe wrench and not a “Crescent”wrench - Often called an engineer’s wrench. The jaws are smooth and at a right angle to the handle. A small (12") can easily open enough to tighten a stuffing box. They are often made with lump on the top that will eliminate the need to carry a hammer. If you find the one like I have, you have a packing wrench, a hammer, a BIG adjustable and maybe a weapon. If you want to be fancy, find a good old Yankee (spiral ratchet) screw driver. Not easy to find anymore but I often see them at flea markets. The tips are still available. One essential electrical tester for 12v boats - a cabin light bulb in a plastic pill bottle and the wires brought out to two alligator clips. (I have high buck meters, too, but this works better.) All this stuff will fit (I Know) in a modern plastic version of a 50cal box. If rust is a problem, spray the entire inside and contents with wd-40 and then wipe them off if needed. Power tools are a looser. They are problematic around water and I have little spare electric power and no built-in shore power.
I should start by telling you that I have been around boats a very long time. One thing I have successfully learned is that the more complex it is the less likely it is to work when you need it. Tools should be dependable items that can get you through the repairs that you can do. Some of this will be a repeat, but some may not and other may get you thinking. It seems we have two categories in the discussion so far. Tools and Spares: Lets not do spares because they are very location and boat dependent. What I call a minimum tool kit: A set of wrenches in a wrap so each has his place. SAE and metric if needed An assortment of screwdrivers including both stubbys and a big one (for prying?) Large and tiny adjustable wenches (see below) Water Pump pliers (Channelock) Long nose pliers (often wrongly called needle nose - but you know what I mean) Lineman’s pliers (look these up if you do not know) A large curve jaw locking (Visegrip) plier A hammer (see below) A handle for reciprocating saw blades and a few different blades. (beats a hacksaw) An old eggbeater style hand drill (look at flea market junk tool tables) and a reasonable collection of drills. Now - Hard to find real monkey wrench - not a pipe wrench and not a “Crescent”wrench - Often called an engineer’s wrench. The jaws are smooth and at a right angle to the handle. A small (12") can easily open enough to tighten a stuffing box. They are often made with lump on the top that will eliminate the need to carry a hammer. If you find the one like I have, you have a packing wrench, a hammer, a BIG adjustable and maybe a weapon. If you want to be fancy, find a good old Yankee (spiral ratchet) screw driver. Not easy to find anymore but I often see them at flea markets. The tips are still available. One essential electrical tester for 12v boats - a cabin light bulb in a plastic pill bottle and the wires brought out to two alligator clips. (I have high buck meters, too, but this works better.) All this stuff will fit (I Know) in a modern plastic version of a 50cal box. If rust is a problem, spray the entire inside and contents with wd-40 and then wipe them off if needed. Power tools are a looser. They are problematic around water and I have little spare electric power and no built-in shore power.
On my small boat
Daysail 17' I most often use a multibit screwdriver, pliers, small socket set, and silicone goop. The wierdest tool I use is a small digital camera for taking pictures of things I can't see because of location, or awkwardness of getting my head in close. It is a great diagnostic tool, especially for things in the bilge, and around tight corners.
Daysail 17' I most often use a multibit screwdriver, pliers, small socket set, and silicone goop. The wierdest tool I use is a small digital camera for taking pictures of things I can't see because of location, or awkwardness of getting my head in close. It is a great diagnostic tool, especially for things in the bilge, and around tight corners.
Hole plugger
A couple of the coned shape wooden plugs and 3M 2544 caulk. If you hit something and it is below the waterline, you put lots of the caulk on the wood plug and hammer it into the hole. If it is a big hole, there is not too much you can do about it, although I have heard of someone stuffing life jackets in a big hole and it slowed down the rushing water enough for him to limp home.
A couple of the coned shape wooden plugs and 3M 2544 caulk. If you hit something and it is below the waterline, you put lots of the caulk on the wood plug and hammer it into the hole. If it is a big hole, there is not too much you can do about it, although I have heard of someone stuffing life jackets in a big hole and it slowed down the rushing water enough for him to limp home.
bare minimum
duct tape. needle nose pliers, spare pin thingey's with those round cotter pins... very handy thin wire that I think "normal" people use for flower arrangements, more duct tape, and three different types of line (thin, medium, and thicker). What can I say. I fixed a stay under sail today and had the most perfect time. Have sailed without a tiller in strong winds (no screwdriver! although I will keep that in mind) Also, I always have my knitting with me, and you'd be surprised how handy a stitch holder or extra needle can be in a pinch. ;D capri #575
duct tape. needle nose pliers, spare pin thingey's with those round cotter pins... very handy thin wire that I think "normal" people use for flower arrangements, more duct tape, and three different types of line (thin, medium, and thicker). What can I say. I fixed a stay under sail today and had the most perfect time. Have sailed without a tiller in strong winds (no screwdriver! although I will keep that in mind) Also, I always have my knitting with me, and you'd be surprised how handy a stitch holder or extra needle can be in a pinch. ;D capri #575
The bare essentials
I carry the usual assortment of screw drivers, channel lock pliers,plus a lot of stainless Steel nuts, bolts,washers, screws, and spare parts that I might need, but the one most used tool that I carry on my person, is the Gerber Multi-tool pliers. This tool gets the most use, and does just about everything.
I carry the usual assortment of screw drivers, channel lock pliers,plus a lot of stainless Steel nuts, bolts,washers, screws, and spare parts that I might need, but the one most used tool that I carry on my person, is the Gerber Multi-tool pliers. This tool gets the most use, and does just about everything.
Vise
We have all the same stuff everyone else mentioned but one of the handiest items I have not seen mentioned is a small vise with a clamp type base. This little vise has come in very handy over the years. I can clamp it to our companion steps,table,or a dock if available. My vise(like a lot of my good hand tools)is a hand me down from my dad but I think they are still available at most hardware stores.
We have all the same stuff everyone else mentioned but one of the handiest items I have not seen mentioned is a small vise with a clamp type base. This little vise has come in very handy over the years. I can clamp it to our companion steps,table,or a dock if available. My vise(like a lot of my good hand tools)is a hand me down from my dad but I think they are still available at most hardware stores.
Tools
While I keep a pretty full set of tools on my boat, and always carry a knife when on board, I also keep a Swiss Army knife hanging on the pedestal. Being right there all the time, that is my "go-to" tool most of the time. In at least 90 per cent of the cases, it has the blade/tool/function to get the job done quickly.
While I keep a pretty full set of tools on my boat, and always carry a knife when on board, I also keep a Swiss Army knife hanging on the pedestal. Being right there all the time, that is my "go-to" tool most of the time. In at least 90 per cent of the cases, it has the blade/tool/function to get the job done quickly.
It all depends....
This forum question was a great reminder to check my tool locker and update where necessary. As for a direct answer to the question, though, I seem to have grabbed a screwdriver more than I've touched anything else in my "kit." I guess I've been lucky that I haven't needed more. Bill on STARGAZER
This forum question was a great reminder to check my tool locker and update where necessary. As for a direct answer to the question, though, I seem to have grabbed a screwdriver more than I've touched anything else in my "kit." I guess I've been lucky that I haven't needed more. Bill on STARGAZER
basics plus electric
I have many of the same basic tools mentioned, plus I picked up battery powered reversable variable pitch drill and a small battery powered saw (on sale at sears). I keep the battery packs fully charged. These are always handy at the dock or on an overnight and work fine as a first line of emergency power cruising. Obviously, I keep hand tools as well. Also, medium weight bolt cutters, sized to my rigging. Also, articulating wrenches sized specifically to my Yanmar engine (recommended by the Yanmar mechanic). Sanders
I have many of the same basic tools mentioned, plus I picked up battery powered reversable variable pitch drill and a small battery powered saw (on sale at sears). I keep the battery packs fully charged. These are always handy at the dock or on an overnight and work fine as a first line of emergency power cruising. Obviously, I keep hand tools as well. Also, medium weight bolt cutters, sized to my rigging. Also, articulating wrenches sized specifically to my Yanmar engine (recommended by the Yanmar mechanic). Sanders
Glad I bought a new boat!
I hate having to fix things! I carry a leatherman tool and an assortment of sockets,screwdrivers and wrenches. I sail on Lake Champlain (NY) and am never far from port. Most of my issues have been loose screws, nuts, bolts, fittings etc.
I hate having to fix things! I carry a leatherman tool and an assortment of sockets,screwdrivers and wrenches. I sail on Lake Champlain (NY) and am never far from port. Most of my issues have been loose screws, nuts, bolts, fittings etc.
My Tools
I have an older boat so good tool kit is a must have but that doesn't mean big. I have gone over my engine and found the sizes I need for all but a complete tair down, this is not many on a atomic four. I have the usual assortment of pliers, adjustables and screw drivers. I do carry some electrical repair items also but everything I have fits in a small canvas bag. As far as which one I use most...like I said I have a old boat and have become familar with them all!
I have an older boat so good tool kit is a must have but that doesn't mean big. I have gone over my engine and found the sizes I need for all but a complete tair down, this is not many on a atomic four. I have the usual assortment of pliers, adjustables and screw drivers. I do carry some electrical repair items also but everything I have fits in a small canvas bag. As far as which one I use most...like I said I have a old boat and have become familar with them all!
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