Top Ten Tools for a Cruiser

[hummingway]

Picking 10 is a Solomon's task but a couple of you had lists that made me nod. I carry a sharp pocket knife just about everywhere I go and I've started wearing one of those stainless folding plier, file, saw, screwdriver gizmos in a holster when I'm on the boat. It saves a lot of time when those little somethings come up.

[3DPhoto]

Originally Posted by Bash

Good point! Maybe we should start over:

1. Winch handles
2. Rigging knife
3. Marlin spike
4. Shackle key
5. Church key
6. Deck fill key
7. windlass clutch wrench
8. assorted fids
9. sail pre-feeder
10. corkscrew

there! much more nautical.

I like the church key and cork screw, if you can't fix the problem then just use those tools to forget about it

[3DPhoto]

Lots of great suggestions. One thing to keep in mind is not to send more on any one tool than what you are willing to drop in the drink, inevitably that is where they end up.

[ReMetau]

Leatherman
Drill and bits
Screw drivers
Wrenches
Navigation Tools
Splicing wands
Sewing machine
Dremel
Wire crimper
Scraper

[Hudson Force]

Another type of "tool" comes to mind. I keep an engine log where I date the accumulative hours on my yanmar and keep a dated record of all my maintenance. In the back of the log I have all the filter, impellor, belt and accessory part numbers as well as the length, diameter and quality of all the lines in my running rigging. This tool has developed into an important resource and has saved me much effort and time.

[daddle]

CaptForce - Add the lengths of the standing rigging to your log. Pin-to-pin. Can be quite handy.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by daddle

CaptForce - Add the lengths of the standing rigging to your log. Pin-to-pin. Can be quite handy.

'much agree! I've regretted not keeping this data from the last time I changed my shrouds. Maybe it's in my giant accordian file of stuff. I'd rather have it in my engine log appendix like you say, Thanks

[jrd22]

I have cordless drill and impact driver set that I use all the time. Hitachi Lithium Ion, they are small, light and powerful. Wouldn't go anywhere without them. The driver makes it easy to tighten things in tight spots easy, and no one has to hold the other end to keep it from spinning.

[Chief Engineer]

Stow away pieces of hose/hoseclamps/plywood/starboard/canvas
These items can be kept under mattresses.
Plan on making every pump on your boat a bilge-pump.
Build a strainer so you can use your engine as a bilge pump.

How do I know this?

You will have to read my book...(when I get done with it)

[Randyonr3]

Mike
The most inportant tool on your boat is your brain and the ability to fix anything with nothing.
To have the for thought to fix a hole in the hull by running over a sail and tying it to the sides, or shoving a potato into a leaking thru-hull.. To carry a tool for every fix on the boat is pretty hard, and so often is, what you need, is not what you have, but having the ability to make do, is the best to you can have..............

[beetle]

I do not believe 10 tools will allow you to keep the boat in fighting trim while crossing an ocean. Returning to the slip from daysail is a different matter (on a friend's boat we once kept the mast up by shoving a Sears Craftsman #4 phillips screwdriver into the hole abandoned by the cap shroud clevis pin while we took down the main and jib).

The most important thing is to know what to do (as has been mentioned several times already). Knowing how the boat is put together will provide an idea on how to use whatever materials are at hand. Binders containing exploded parts lists, instruction manuals, engine manuals, transmission manuals, etc., for the various on-board equipment is invaluable. Otherwise having a lot of tools and stuff isn't that helpful and one might be better off with a handy boat yard, a good bank account, and a credit card (I enjoyed that comment!).

Tools kept on board that I can think of at the moment... at least I'm not as bad as my friend Mike, he carries a welding set on his boat (it's metal)...

basic hand tools
X-acto knife set
mechanics box end wrench set (sae/metric)
open end wrench set (sae/metric)
tap & die set (sae/metric)
gear puller (large/small)
prop puller (2 blade / 3 blade)
hacksaw with metal and carbide blades
screw driver set (phillips/slot/torx)
socket set (sae/metric - 1/4, 3/8, 1/2" drive)
pliers: needlenose, snap-ring
dykes
vice grips (a whole bunch)
'C' clamps, assorted sizes
hammer: deadblow, construction, 3 lb. sledge
punches, including big drift punch
metal chisels (set)
wood chisels (set)
allen wrench, 'T' handle allen set (sae/metric)
jeweler's screwdrivers
ratchet/pivot screwdriver set
carpenter's sliding square
36" metal ruler, 24" square ruler
25' tape measure
calculator, protractor, small plastic drawing triangles
circle template, large compass
files: wood, metal, thread, round, triangle, flat
sawz-all blades and small handle for them

unusual hand tools
Band-It tool
torx anti-theft drivers (needed for Schaefer furler)
diamond sharpening/honing stones (coarse/fine)
inspection mirror (great for looking under the motor)
Stanley short box handsaw (for wood)
angle-taking tool
level (24" straight level, small hanging level)
100' tape measure
calipers accurate to 1/100 inch
aircraft metal shears
pair of stuffing box wrenches
impeller puller
cheater bar for sock set/wrenches
small 16" crowbar
wrecking bar/axe
small japanese draw-saw
tubing cutter, flaring tool
refrigeration gauge set & refrigerant

big tools
Felco cable cutters (big & small)
bolt cutters
nicropress
1/4" rivet gun (vang uses rivets into boom)
4" bench vise
big pipe wrench

electric tools
12v Makita drill 3/8" chuck
18v Makita drill 1/2" chuck
24v Milwaukee right angle/straight drill 1/2" chuck
cobalt drill index set, point punch, and 3in1 household oil
drills to make hole the size of all rigging clevis pins
cobalt center drill
step drill
hole saws (not a set, just the most useful ones)
reverse-out screw extractor bits
forgot my dremel tool! - most awesome tool.

electrical repair
multimeter
clamp-on ammeter
heat shrink
ring terminals, butt crimps, & battery lugs
butane-fired soldering iron
small lengths of wire with alligator clips (lots of them)
tie-wraps (4,6,8,12,24" length)
battery cell specific-gravity reader

sail repair
sticky back (4 oz dacron sail repair material)
palm/needle/thread (thread of different sizes)
spare full batten cars (2)
anhydrous alcohol
more sticky back
wool (red/green for tell tales)
lock-stitch hand tool (a really handy tool)

repair materials
10 oz boat cloth
5 minute epoxy
105/205 West epoxy (quart)
stir sticks, small cups, latex gloves
acetone (pint)
plumber's putty / underwater epoxy
1/4" plywood sheet material
hose clamps
winch grease
16 gauge, 14 gauge, 12 gauge wire (100' spools)
length of 2/0 battery cable
titebond and gorilla wood glue
sand paper (80 grit seems to be the most often used)
green 3M tape

never used:
normal pliers
slip-jaw pipe wrench
impact hammer/wrench

- rob/beetle

[Jim Cate]

Beetle,

Ann here. Your list could be ours, except we have used plain pliers, channel lock pliers, and the impact driver [on our 2nd one of those]. We always carry adhesive for repairing our hypalon dinghy, and have needed underwater epoxy. 120 grit sandpaper is our most used. But, IMO, your list is super!

Cheers,
Ann

[simonmd]

Originally Posted by beetle

I do not believe 10 tools will allow you to keep the boat in fighting trim while crossing an ocean.
- rob/beetle

Rob, the thread is TOP 10 tools, not 'what 10 tools do you have?' I'm sure all of us actualy have more than just 10.

[brankin]

Another boat to follow you with all your new found tools

[Dave the Canuck]

I carry a large diameter string from a bass guitar. It's perfect for running along small channels which have become plugged. Last two uses were to clean out the vent from the anchor locker which had become plugged with mud and the vent from the holding tank which was probably plugged with a spider. It's also helped cleaning out the propane orifice mechanism on the propane bbq.