Top 10 essential tool to have on board
- Thread starter Spanjaard
- Start date
doug748
Well-Known Member
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Cigar cutter.
thinwater
Well-Known Member
Hmm. That's about 120 tools. Go to the back of the line. The OP is nuts for allowing sets, because... I'l just order up a mechanical set, electrical set, and rigger's tool set.
It should be 10 items or it is no challenge at all.
Spanjaard
Well-Known Member
I rather go with 20 too. But I really need to cut the crap. If I admit 20 probably I will give in to 40.
Rather say 10 and get carried away and finish with 20. Well 21 .
Roberto
Well-Known Member
For me, a Leatherman (with bits+adapter) covers an ample lot of needs; I then keep in a separate pocket a second pair of pliers, cutting pliers, screwdriver bits, an adjustable wrench and a small torch lighter. I reckon with these I do 90% of the jobs on board, the remaining 10% usually requires more specific tools.
Second order: multimeter, caliper/straightedge, more files, hacksaw for metals, you name it...
Second order: multimeter, caliper/straightedge, more files, hacksaw for metals, you name it...
Spanjaard
Well-Known Member
I am surprised no one said cable ties.
William_H
Well-Known Member
The tools you carry must reflect your experiences and sophistication of your boat. In my little boat under back locker lid I have fitted clips to hold essential tools. So knife slip hinge pliers, phillips head and straight screw driver. Also in the locker winch handle and boat hook, wd40 spare bolts and shackles bits of rope gaffer tape and allen key for winches. Inside a towel, half roll toilet paper, first aid kit, buckets, paddles and short whisker pole. Funny thing about the slip hinge pliers. They are so old and rusty that they refuse to fall over board but being slip hinge do not seize up . No I don't grease anything. ol'will
Momac
Well-Known Member
They are not tools
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
One might wish to debate that one. I am sure many can demonstrate otherwise.They are not tools
Blueboatman
Well-Known Member
Tube of sikafkex
Duct tape
12v tester lamp for continuity troubleshooting
CC
Mole grips
Decent screwdriver +
Another one —
Electrical screwdriver
Head torch
Cold beer afterwards ? ?
Duct tape
12v tester lamp for continuity troubleshooting
CC
Mole grips
Decent screwdriver +
Another one —
Electrical screwdriver
Head torch
Cold beer afterwards ? ?
Porthandbuoy
Well-Known Member
Stubby spanners in both metric & imperial sizes (1970’s boat with upgrades)
Set of flat, Pozidrive & Philips screwdrivers.
Pliers, long-nose pliers, snips & molegrips.
Allen keys ( metric & imperial)
Junior hacksaw + spare blades.
Multimeter.
Odds, sods, & bits’n’bobs.
Set of flat, Pozidrive & Philips screwdrivers.
Pliers, long-nose pliers, snips & molegrips.
Allen keys ( metric & imperial)
Junior hacksaw + spare blades.
Multimeter.
Odds, sods, & bits’n’bobs.
garymalmgren
Well-Known Member
The Studley Too Chest,
And a decent bulkhead to hang it on.
gary
Smithsonian tool chest - Bing video
And a decent bulkhead to hang it on.
gary
Smithsonian tool chest - Bing video
LONG_KEELER
Well-Known Member
Get to know people in the marina by borrowing their tools . Liveaboards have nearly everything .
Praxinoscope
Well-Known Member
If single tools re the requirement for this thread and depending upon short or long distance cruising then as follows:
1 very sharp knife, preferably pen knife’ type with shackle key and marlin spike (at least 1, 2 or 3 even better)
1 flat blade screwdriver. (Really need more than 1 to allow for different size screws especially for electrical connections)
1 cross head screw driver (sizes as for flat blade 1 isn’t enough and then Philips and Pozi’ need to be covered)
1 pair side cutters
1 Pair round nosed pliers
1 Pair pliers
1 adjustable spanner
1 ball pein hammer. (Otherwise known as a ‘Dagenham Screwdriver’)
1 sail makers needle and Swedish fid ( cheating a bit here but needle so small I’m allowing it)
1 hacksaw (with HSS blades, junior h/saw blades just don’t cut stainless steel)
Multi meter not essential, as a spare bulb and a bit of wire will enable a circuit test in an emergency.
If kits are allowed following additions.
There are several good automotive tool kits that have most of the above items as well as a selection of sockets and spanner’s
Multi meter
Gas soldering iron
Oil/fuel filter removal tool
Small easily attachable vice
Set of cobalt steel drills
12v drill ( have ‘modified‘ one battery pack to allow a lead from the house 12v battery to be used if battery pack fails)
Unless you ’blue water‘ sailing this should IMHO cover most needs.
1 very sharp knife, preferably pen knife’ type with shackle key and marlin spike (at least 1, 2 or 3 even better)
1 flat blade screwdriver. (Really need more than 1 to allow for different size screws especially for electrical connections)
1 cross head screw driver (sizes as for flat blade 1 isn’t enough and then Philips and Pozi’ need to be covered)
1 pair side cutters
1 Pair round nosed pliers
1 Pair pliers
1 adjustable spanner
1 ball pein hammer. (Otherwise known as a ‘Dagenham Screwdriver’)
1 sail makers needle and Swedish fid ( cheating a bit here but needle so small I’m allowing it)
1 hacksaw (with HSS blades, junior h/saw blades just don’t cut stainless steel)
Multi meter not essential, as a spare bulb and a bit of wire will enable a circuit test in an emergency.
If kits are allowed following additions.
There are several good automotive tool kits that have most of the above items as well as a selection of sockets and spanner’s
Multi meter
Gas soldering iron
Oil/fuel filter removal tool
Small easily attachable vice
Set of cobalt steel drills
12v drill ( have ‘modified‘ one battery pack to allow a lead from the house 12v battery to be used if battery pack fails)
Unless you ’blue water‘ sailing this should IMHO cover most needs.
Neeves
Well-Known Member
Ditch the wine and corkscrew and learn to drink decent alcohol.
A better malt whisky.
The question is a bit 'wooly'.
If you are going for a day sail and/or you only day sail then your tools might reflect the fact you are not far from home (or succour). If you are going for long term (what's long term? - say a fortnight or longer) and going off piste (to places that don't have parking meters, or don't even have cars) then you would have a different tool kit. If you day sail your don't need a bosun's chair but if you sail out of sight of land and short handed - then jumars can be very useful.
Half the fittings on our cat seem to be metric the other half imperial (it took Australia a long time to use all the stock of imperial rigging) - am I expected to bodge it?
But I am pleased to see most of you still call it a 'Mole' wrench (and not Kirby grips
I made up this 'knife' block which contains the tools we have found are needed frequently, adjustable spanner (now replaced with a bigger one), 2 knives (one with shackle key) two commonly used Alan keys and a flat and Phillips screwdriver + torch. This is attached to the aft bulkhead in the galley and the helm is on the 'outside' of the bulkhead and you can reach in and grab what is necessary. The kit is easily accessible and it not obtrusive.
Take care, stay safe
Jonathan
A better malt whisky.
The question is a bit 'wooly'.
If you are going for a day sail and/or you only day sail then your tools might reflect the fact you are not far from home (or succour). If you are going for long term (what's long term? - say a fortnight or longer) and going off piste (to places that don't have parking meters, or don't even have cars) then you would have a different tool kit. If you day sail your don't need a bosun's chair but if you sail out of sight of land and short handed - then jumars can be very useful.
Half the fittings on our cat seem to be metric the other half imperial (it took Australia a long time to use all the stock of imperial rigging) - am I expected to bodge it?
But I am pleased to see most of you still call it a 'Mole' wrench (and not Kirby grips
I made up this 'knife' block which contains the tools we have found are needed frequently, adjustable spanner (now replaced with a bigger one), 2 knives (one with shackle key) two commonly used Alan keys and a flat and Phillips screwdriver + torch. This is attached to the aft bulkhead in the galley and the helm is on the 'outside' of the bulkhead and you can reach in and grab what is necessary. The kit is easily accessible and it not obtrusive.
Take care, stay safe
Jonathan
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
If we're being strict, then what I need for MOST jobs on Capricious is:
- 13mm spanner
- 17mm spanner
- Adjustable spanner
- Needle nose pliers
- KNIFE
- Phillips screwdriver
- Flathead screwdriver
- hammer
- Crimp tool
- pop riveter
The Q
Well-Known Member
On the sailing Boat, an Allen key for the mirrors..
I have a leatherman type tool on me at all times so that covers the rest.
Motorboat,
A full set of electronics tools and DMM... the motor boat is diesel electric with a battery pack
Oh Mirrors on the sailing boat? the boat is sailed like an International 2.4Mr and I can't turn my head far enough to see who's sneaking up behind me during racing.. hence wing mirrors on the boat, and they need to be folded down to put the cover on hence the Allen key.
I have a leatherman type tool on me at all times so that covers the rest.
Motorboat,
A full set of electronics tools and DMM... the motor boat is diesel electric with a battery pack
Oh Mirrors on the sailing boat? the boat is sailed like an International 2.4Mr and I can't turn my head far enough to see who's sneaking up behind me during racing.. hence wing mirrors on the boat, and they need to be folded down to put the cover on hence the Allen key.
Spanjaard
Well-Known Member
Neither Gaffer nor WD40...They are not tools
Spanjaard
Well-Known Member
One might wish to debate that one. I am sure many can demonstrate otherwise.
Agree.
Let's allow octopus as a 'companion animal'
