Unexpectedly Useful Tools and Appliances

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Badsanta

Today I bought two 2kW fan heaters from the delightful ironmonger in Cowes, Hurst. These things are great! They are tiny and weigh about a pound each. .

Can I get more info on the heaters. Thanks[/QUOTE]

One is branded "Manor" and the other "Warmlite", but they
are identical Chinese production. You can set to 1kW or 2kW, and there is a thermostat. I am getting about 3x more useful warmth out of one of them than I did out of my now binned 2kW convection heater, and they are each about 1/4 the volume of the old heater. They are quiet, too -- quite a bit quieter than the fan coils I use with the hydronic heat. I am pleased And they only cost 10 quid each!

In this climate, you may have to heat 12 months a year. Electrical heaters are important, because the Eberspaecher is noisy and bothers people in harbor, and burns up diesel to boot. I don't have air conditioning, but reverse cycle A/C would be a great heat source for us. As it is, fan heaters for when we're on shore power . . .

[Cheechako]

*12v shop vac
*calipers.... I cant do anything without them!
*dental tools
*a right angle drill! VERY useful on a boat for sure.
* the little $10-15 swiss army knife (small scissors and two blades) I go through about 2 of these a year. They stay sharp very well, are amazingly strong for so small. If you are cleaning a surface like removing an old gasket, and you got most off but there are those little spots that the scraper isnt working on, these knives work great for all kinds of stuff like that.
* a 1/4" drive screwdriver type handle that takes 1/4 drive sockets. pickup one dedicated for hose clamps witha 5/16 socket permanantly attached.

[Kenomac]

We brought our little ceramic blower heater to Spain, and you're right! It's a very handy little heater which puts out loads of heat and takes up almost no space; can't burn yourself on it, and it's not made of cheap plastic. We needed to bring it with us from America because the boat is 110 volts; can't buy anything electric here in the EU that'll work on the boat.

The most useful hand tool I use here on the boat or back on our land based abode, is a small, yet very powerful LED rechargable flashlight... or torch for you Brits. It was included as a come-on item along with a rechargable Rigid drill. I rarely use the drill, but the two of us grab for the flashlight (torch) at least 20 times per day. We like it so much, that I actually went down and bought a second drill, just to have a second light.