Must have Tools

[krozet]

So being a brand new mariner and starting to look at the world through a 'cruisers' eyes I have decided to go through my tool collection and start trimming back what I don't need. The plan is to setup 3 tool boxes.

1 small box: digital millimeter, basic screw driver set, basic ratchet set, Wire crimpers / cutters, a pair of vice grips, a small monkey wrench.

1 Medium box : Full Socket set in it's own case with full wrench set. Marine wiring kit (terminals, wiring, fuses, heat wrap, soldering iron), full screw driver set, second pair of vice grips, medium monkey wrench, full set of drill bits, sand paper.

1 Large box : Power tool's. Cordless drill, corded oribital waxer, corded palm sander, 25 meter extension cord, coping saw, hand saw, corded jig saw.

This is just what I am trying to setup but my question is what needed tools am I missing or what can I potentially get rid of. Parts will be a seperate issue, this is just for the tools needed for a boat. The boat is a 33' fiberglass sailboat. The current plan is for weekend and some extended cruising in Lake Ontario. The extended plan is to head south in a few years for the winter and then to see where the wind takes me. I might as well start thinning out my tool collection now. Anything I don't need could be sold or traded for what I did need.

Thanks for any input;

Robert

[wind_magic]

Originally Posted by krozet

So being a brand new mariner and starting to look at the world through a 'cruisers' eyes I have decided to go through my tool collection and start trimming back what I don't need. The plan is to setup 3 tool boxes.

1 small box: digital millimeter, basic screw driver set, basic ratchet set, Wire crimpers / cutters, a pair of vice grips, a small monkey wrench.

1 Medium box : Full Socket set in it's own case with full wrench set. Marine wiring kit (terminals, wiring, fuses, heat wrap, soldering iron), full screw driver set, second pair of vice grips, medium monkey wrench, full set of drill bits, sand paper.

1 Large box : Power tool's. Cordless drill, corded oribital waxer, corded palm sander, 25 meter extension cord, coping saw, hand saw, corded jig saw.

This is just what I am trying to setup but my question is what needed tools am I missing or what can I potentially get rid of. Parts will be a seperate issue, this is just for the tools needed for a boat. The boat is a 33' fiberglass sailboat. The current plan is for weekend and some extended cruising in Lake Ontario. The extended plan is to head south in a few years for the winter and then to see where the wind takes me. I might as well start thinning out my tool collection now. Anything I don't need could be sold or traded for what I did need.

Thanks for any input;

Robert

Robert,

I don't have any specific recommendations but I thought I might offer a few thoughts from my own stash of tools and parts.

One thing is that I don't keep all of my tools and parts separate like you are saying.

Electronics/Electrical, I actually keep parts and tools in the same tool kits. I have a small electrical kit that has snips, small meter, PC scope, resistors, caps, transistors, various chips and processors, magnet wire, bits of conductive wire, and other stuff that I use to do circuits and that sort of thing, and that is all kept together. I also have a larger kit used for electrical work that includes another bigger meter, an clamp on amp meter, random fuses, wire, ties, crimp connectors, crimper, and various other bits and pieces, and that is all together. Then I have yet another electrical kit that has antenna connectors, small meter, few parts, bits of wire, etc, that is used for portable amateur radio operation. I have another kit that goes with the bicycle which includes the right sized sockets and wrench for parts on the bike, tools for fixing flats, more bits of wire, etc.

I guess what I am getting at is that I tend to buy more than one tool so that I can keep the tool with the parts so it is all together when I need it. Like above, I must have five different multi-meters, each one part of a different kit, so that I can just grab that kit and do what I need to do without digging around looking for parts and tools. I also do it that way so that I can just grab one kit and take it somewhere if I need to use tools on a project that isn't on the boat, like if I am helping someone else. Socket wrench for example, I have a number of socket wrenches, one is in the bicycle kit that I grab and take with me bike riding, that way I don't have to pull tools from different places just to go bike riding. So I pretty much try to keep a kit geared to whatever tasks I typically do that has everything that I need to do that kind of task, be it electrical, wood carving, splicing and working with line, sewing, or whatever. My sewing tools are, of course, with the sewing supplies and include bits of cloth patches, thread, needles, sewing machine tools, etc, all in one place with a pair of scissors nobody is allowed to use for anything but sewing.

If I start doing something and I repeatedly catch myself pulling tools from different kits then I know its time to make a new kit specifically for whatever I am doing. That is how my bicycle kit was formed, I kept pulling tools from other kits to work on my bike, and then finding when I was out on the road I didn't have the tools I needed because they were back at home base, so finally I just make a kit for the bike and bought redundant tools.

[badsanta]

I keep one small one with the basic screw drivers adjustable wrench electric tape that I use first to fix the easy stuff. Then I have a electric bag with all the cutters strippers multimeter and all my electric tools. I then have a bigger one for all the wrenches and sockets. Another that holds the hammers saws files and odd stuff. I tried one large tool box, then found I could not move it.

[CaptainForce]

One unusual tool that I find very helpful aboard can be purchased inexpensively in the grocery store. Sometimes I need to add or remove fluids in confined space, so I'd recommend a "Turkey Baster". 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

[jjablonowski]

For tool boxes, I like plastic organizers with see-through lids with clasps.
Can't rust. Open it, take out a tool, immediately lock it closed so it can't spill.
Small enough to stow anywhere. Not expensive; get several.

Other thoughts:
- Put a wrist strap on your drill. Davy Jones has an appetite.
- Toss the electric soldering iron. Most here will argue that crimped wiring connections inside a hot-melt-glue-filled connector are the way to go. Get a butane-powered mini torch to melt the shrink-wrap tubing.
- Forceps.
- Waterproof grease. For O-rings, hose connections, etc.
- Dental pick(s).
- Tef-gel or some other anti-seize goo.
- Small magnet, to test for stainless vs. conventional, i.e., rust-prone, steel. I was amazed to find P.O. had installed a couple of non-stainless cotter pins.

[bloodhunter]

If you are going to have battery operated tools make sure you have spare batteries and aither a 12-volt charger or an inverter to run your 110-vot charger. Be careful with the inverter, they tend to eat current like you've got a 100-mile extension cord to your battery charger. Also I've found that a tool that will remove screws with stripped heads was very useful (think I got it in Sears). Also for your wrenches and sockets, check what sizes you need and get multiples of each otherwise you'll find that the one you need has been eaten by the boat.

[wind_magic]

Originally Posted by bloodhunter

If you are going to have battery operated tools make sure you have spare batteries and aither a 12-volt charger or an inverter to run your 110-vot charger. Be careful with the inverter, they tend to eat current like you've got a 100-mile extension cord to your battery charger. Also I've found that a tool that will remove screws with stripped heads was very useful (think I got it in Sears). Also for your wrenches and sockets, check what sizes you need and get multiples of each otherwise you'll find that the one you need has been eaten by the boat.

I'd add that I would not leave a nicad charger hooked to a boat's inverter all the time. I know in people's garages they tend to just hook these chargers up and leave them running with batteries in them, but I would not do that on a boat because it would waste a lot of power just to keep the batteries warmed up above 90+% full all the time.

[Selkirk]

I don't use tool boxes. They have sharp corners that not only don't fit anywhere, but have a way of banging into something that has a nice finish on it.

I use Gatemouth bags like this one:

You'll love it.

[wind_magic]

Originally Posted by Selkirk

I don't use tool boxes. They have sharp corners that not only don't fit anywhere, but have a way of banging into something that has a nice finish on it.

I use Gatemouth bags like this one:



You'll love it.

I use canvas backpacks and other packs for the same reason, easy to stow, easy to carry, etc. I like the military surplus backpacks, they seem to hold up really well and come in different sizes, and they are inexpensive. They are also easier to secure on deck.

[krozet]

Originally Posted by cardiacpaul

hangs head...
2 items.
Duct tape, WD40.

If it moves and its not supposed to - Duct tape.
If it doesn't move, and it is supposed to - WD40

Hey it was 2 in the morning. So duct tape is just as useful on a sailboat as on the hard? I thought there might be a marine equivalent to it. How I missed the WD40, I have no excuse for it.