Standard or Metric

[Hoosiersailor]

My wife and I are closing on a boat next month and are starting to pack things. I have been a aircraft mechanic by trade all my life and have lots of tools. On a Hunter boat with a Yanmar engine and generator do I need metric or standard hand tools? Or a mixture of both? Planning to bring everything I think I need but is there anything out of the ordinary i should pick up?

Thanks

[MicHughV]

Surely you jest....on a sailboat you will need to be a mechanic, electrician, rigger, sailmaker, fiberglass expert, doctor, nurse, solar expert, painter, radio expert, and a general DIY know-it-all.
Your boat will be slowly transformed into a workshop on the water.

To go sailing, will require two weeks notice to put all tools away.

[marcjsmith]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Surely you jest....on a sailboat you will need to be a mechanic, electrician, rigger, sailmaker, fiberglass expert, doctor, nurse, solar expert, painter, radio expert, and a general DIY know-it-all.
Your boat will be slowly transformed into a workshop on the water.

To go sailing, will require two weeks notice to put all tools away.

Too funny….post of the month….

I would imagine the yanmar is metric….

While on board investigate and see if anything is sae.

If not. Then you keep everything metric moving forward. And keep the sae sockets and wrenches at home.

That being said, a small socket and wrench set doesn’t add much space or weight…

[Wotname]

Yanmar is metric.

[capt jgw]

For wrenches and sockets the Yanmar is Japanese so metric for that, and the boat itself is likely imperial so you'll need both. And an assortment of screwdrivers, pliers, vice grips, channel locks, small pipe wrenches, saws, and anything else you can think of. Manual and power. And a shop vac, etc. No matter how many you carry you'll be going to the hardware store with every project to get more. Right now I have a small table saw and a drill press aboard.

[Hoosiersailor]

Well I didn't think it was that funny of a question but glad I was able to be entertaining.

It's funny because having worked on aircraft all my life most all of them are standard including Canada Bombardier, Airbuses, Embraer, etc. all the way down to the rivets in 1/32nd sizes. However, I am now working on small Diamond aircraft and they are a mix of different metric and standard sizes.

Thanks for the help. Now I know I will just bring....everything.

[coopec43]

Maybe one of these thru hull spanners









A multi-meter





A torch








Bolt Cutters




Spare globes, fuses, cable, hose clamps, rope

[rls8r]

In addition to the "usual suspects" - just off the top of my head I'd recommend that you to bring a metric socket set (with 12-point rather than 6-point sockets if you have a choice), a set of metric open-end wrenches and a set of metric box wrenches (I have ratcheting ones) - from 6 mm to at least 18 mm. I'd also recommend a set of metric Allen wrenches. Of course, depending on whatever other things you have on the boat - you may need sets of the above also in Imperial sizes (check your winches, stanchions, dodger frame, etc., to see what they will need).

Don't forget an oil filter wrench.

I'd suggest getting an inspection mirror (flexible shaft) and a grabber for picking up nuts, bolts and screws. Remember, magnetic grabbers don't work on stainless steel.

I also carry a set of Imperial size taps (both tapered and bottoming) - along with appropriately-sized drill bits (which don't often come in 'standard' drill bit sets). McMaster-Carr sells some nice boxed sets.

Finally - I'd recommend carrying a battery-powered angle grinder. I was surprised by the number of things it can be used for - in addition to cutting away standing rigging if something untoward happens while cruising.

[markxengineerin]

I have a yanmar engine and a boat that's inch. Yet I carry no inch tools, and having unbolted everything that's possible to unbolt, I've never needed them. There is always a metric size close enough or ability to use vice grips/adjustable/pliers etc.
So I would not waste the space and weight to have a complete inch tool set on hand.

[Montanan]

Or one could just purchase a boat that never needs repairs.

Just be sure you have both SAE and Metric bottle openers and cork screws, so one can enjoy your beers and wine, else you will need to purchase the twist top brands.

Oh, yeah, while you are at it, a set of lefty wrenches [erhh, spanners] and screwdrivers are handy for undoing the fasteners and another set of righty tools for refastening; greatly simplifies the tasks.

Eventually, one gathers a complete set of tools for the Portside repairs and another for the Starboard side.

[rls8r]

Montanan -

Don't forget cable stretchers - for when you've cut a cable too short. They're hard to find. Someone 'borrowed' mine a while back and hasn't returned it - and I'm having a heck of a time replacing it.

[deblen]

Here are a couple of metric/inch SAE charts.Imperial wrench sizes.pdf

MM to Inch Chart.pdf

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Hoosiersailor

My wife and I are closing on a boat next month and are starting to pack things. I have been a aircraft mechanic by trade all my life and have lots of tools. On a Hunter boat with a Yanmar engine and generator do I need metric or standard hand tools? Or a mixture of both? Planning to bring everything I think I need but is there anything out of the ordinary i should pick up?

As indicated upthread, you will find that you need metric tools for the power train and a mixture of metric and SAE tools for various other boat components.


My advice is to resist the temptation to bring "everything."


I bring "everything" only for the most commonly used drives -- 10mm, 7/16, 1/2 -- and yes for those I have end wrenches, deep sockets, and shallow sockets.


I pruned my sets and don't carry wrenches for rarely used sizes like 11mm or 5/8. There's always adjustable wrenches and vice grips for the odd situation that comes up.


You will find that you need hex (Allen) wrenches and Torx wrenches from time to time in both metric and SAE. I carry sets of the L-shaped wrenches for these and leave the square drive sockets at home.

[more]

Originally Posted by Hoosiersailor

My wife and I are closing on a boat next month and are starting to pack things. I have been a aircraft mechanic by trade all my life and have lots of tools. On a Hunter boat with a Yanmar engine and generator do I need metric or standard hand tools? Or a mixture of both? Planning to bring everything I think I need but is there anything out of the ordinary i should pick up?

Thanks

depend boat manufacture and year.
and standard is metric also in usa.this imperial is not standard. i dont remeber when i see imperial bolt. maybe on hydraulic line. new standard on car is torx metric.some sail gear use torx, yesterday i must buy small Female Torx Socket Set, E Torx . i have big 1/2 socket but no place. drive 80 km buy socket return finish job after holiday. i can imagine remote caribbean island .

prepare torx small e4 to e10 male and female.
metric all combo but 7,8,10,12,13,15.17
imperial not need if you have eu boat,usa burma boat i dont know

[Kello]

Originally Posted by Hoosiersailor

Planning to bring everything I think I need but is there anything out of the ordinary i should pick up? Thanks

Anti-depressants.
Hunters sail well but don't have the storage of a true blue cruising boat. If you want to keep your wife then she WILL get the space she needs for her stuff, and there will be no space left for your stuff.
So, rent a storage unit for your tools, and while you are fixing the boat to cruise, create a system so you know which tools to keep and which you don't really need.
Good luck.