[cb32863]

So as I am new to sailing and already cannot wait until spring, I am Minnesota not much boating in the winter.... If I was on a 26-30 footer what kind of onboard toolkit would one want to carry? Asking this now as I have a few months to get things together for next season. Thanks in advance!

CB

 

[jephotog]

I asked this when I first came aboard and was given this reference by Sailing Dog to his website

The Cruising Sailor's Toolkit | Adrift at Sea

This pretty much covers all your needs. As long as you know what to do with it. I.E, no need to buy a full supplies of electrical tools if you do not know how to do the work or plan on doing it. If you want to learn Nigel Calder has a good book on it. Don Casey has a lot of good books on fixing the rest of the boat. "Don Casey's complete illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual" is a compendium of a number of his books.

I have been doing a lot of work on my little boat and have 2 small tool bags to cover all my needs. But there is no electrical or mechanical parts onboard.

 

[cb32863]

Thanks for the info! I will definately be looking in to your suggestions.

 

[Gene T]

I have a home tool kit that came in a hard plastic case with fitted spaces for all the tools. It has a basic 3/8 and 1/4 metric/SAE socket set, screwdrivers, pliers, needle-nose, a claw hammer and jewelers screw drivers. I have been surprised over the years how handy it is. I also have a regular hard plastic toolbox that holds everything else, files, wrenches, hacksaw, a mirror, and everything else I have found I needed over the years. BUT, each boat has different needs. I have a new boat now and I am finding the tool kit needs redoing. The tool boxes need to fit and should be picked for their size. Multiple soft bags might be easier to stow.

Electrical depends on your experience.

Power tools can go either 120V AC if you have an inverter, or good quality rechargeable tools. 12v would be preferred so you could fab up a cigarette lighter plug with cord to power them when the batteries go dead. The new lithium tools work well and hold a charge for a long time. A drill is all you really need but lots of other tools can be handy depending on the boat and how much work you plan to do to it.

 

[cb32863]

Gene, thanks for your insight. I got one of those all-in-one toolboxes years ago for a housewarming gift and yes, they do come in handy in a pinch, even when you have a full tool box. It only helps if it is close... Thanks for the info!

 

[Hudsonian]

Don’t get carried away with tools. I have decided that if I can’t fit in a tackle box I don’t need it aboard my 30' sloop
• Six in one screwdriver
• Switch grip dual jaw pliers
• Two 6” adjustable wrenches
• A Fiskars pistol grip 3/8” socket drive with extension and five sae sockets
• Automotive test light
• 3’ jumper wire
• cheap stripper crimper
• A strap wrench
• An awl
• A rat tail file
• A scrap of 400 wet dry paper
• Bees wax and seam ripper from sewing notion department
• Whipping thread
• Good sailmakers needeedles, Palm
• heavy duty scissors
• A strap wrench
• An oil filter wrench
• An awl or ice pick
• Two 6’ lengths of 12 gauge tin coated copper multistrand wire
• Monel seizing wire
An egg crate box with:
• Crimp terminals
• A spare bulb for each of the navigation lights
• Fuses
• Screw shackles
• Clevis pins, Ring dings
• Assorted SS nuts, bolts and washers
• Shrink tubing
• Nylon webbing
• Welded SS ring
Gallon freezer bag with:
• Boeshield T9
• McLube SailKote
• PBlaster
• Dielectric silicone grease
Spares and Extra Parts:
• Fuel and oil filters
• Alternator and pump belts
• Impellers for the raw water
Tape: Duct tape, 3M electrical red, green, white, spinnaker repair tape, 3’ anti-skid tape

 

[CaptainForce]

I liked "sailingdog's" list of tools, but I'd have three wierd additions. There's nothing that replaces the function of a turkey baster for moving some fluids in or out of some tight places. I also have a three foot piece of fishing rod with a large alligator clip clamped to the end. With toweling clipped at the end I can clean and swab otherwise inaccesable places. A third wierd, but useful tool is a surfboard leash. This soft plastic tube can be used as a plumbers snake to clean out heat echange tubing without worry of damage. It's especially useful with marine air conditioners. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

 

[sailingdog]

I'd point out that my list is really overkill if you're just daysailing or weekending... but really a minimum if you're going out longer-term.

The turkey baster is an excellent addition, as is the fiberglass rod with alligator clip and surfboard leash, but not as useful on my boat, since it is outboard powered and has simpler systems than an inboard diesel powered boat might in some ways.