Fat Freddie
New Member
Next year I am going to the caribbean via the canaries. My boat is a 34' catermaran and like all multihulls does not carry weight well. What is the minimum tool kit I can get away with?
What tools for tranatlantic
- Thread starter Fat Freddie
- Start date
Woodlouse
Well-Known Member
A Leatherman.
Fat Freddie
New Member
Nice idea from the weight point of view but perhaps a little too minimal!
lenseman
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 3 Jun 2006
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- 7,077
- Location
- South East Coast - United Kingdom
Like all things, the answer is "How long is a piece of string?"
Joking apart, take a pencil and paper and walk around your yacht, both inside and outside and note all the parts which you feel comfortable that you would be able to repair or replace.
Note how they are attached, either screw fixings or nuts and bolts and what size!
No equip yourself with these tools and no other.
It is no good it you see an engine bed nut of 22mm if you are never going to remove the engine yourself but it is very important that you have spanners to fix the fan belt assuming you carry a spare belt?
Add the the above tool list a pair or engineers pliers and mole-grips and a tool wrap to keep them all together.
Oh, and by the way . . . . don't forget the Leatherman!
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Like all things, the answer is "How long is a piece of string?"
Joking apart, take a pencil and paper and walk around your yacht, both inside and outside and note all the parts which you feel comfortable that you would be able to repair or replace.
Note how they are attached, either screw fixings or nuts and bolts and what size!
No equip yourself with these tools and no other.
It is no good it you see an engine bed nut of 22mm if you are never going to remove the engine yourself but it is very important that you have spanners to fix the fan belt assuming you carry a spare belt?
Add the the above tool list a pair or engineers pliers and mole-grips and a tool wrap to keep them all together.
Oh, and by the way . . . . don't forget the Leatherman!
& a spanner to fit those engine bed nuts in-case they come loose
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Spot on! Keep it simple!
Things, though, that I have either used or wish I'd had on nautical adventures (various):
Sail repair tape, heavy and spinnaker weight. Needles and twine
Hacksaw and loadsa blades, bolt croppers awkward if your rig goes
Length of spare rigging wire plus a few bulldog grips to bridge dodgy bits (saved my mast with this)
Loadsa JB weld million and one uses
Loadsa different jubilee clips (keep a few empty food cans as a sorce of patching material and a suitable cutter, leatherman fails on this one)
Repair putty that sets underwater (wish I had that last summer, leak started 350 miles in and had to go back for a lift)
So, its often sails, rigging and engine exhausts that I've had most problems with. All get a major hammering on a trans atlantic. The rest of stuff can normally wait till you get in.....where you can spend ages for the wrong part to be delivered in a strange language!!!!!
Things, though, that I have either used or wish I'd had on nautical adventures (various):
Sail repair tape, heavy and spinnaker weight. Needles and twine
Hacksaw and loadsa blades, bolt croppers awkward if your rig goes
Length of spare rigging wire plus a few bulldog grips to bridge dodgy bits (saved my mast with this)
Loadsa JB weld million and one uses
Loadsa different jubilee clips (keep a few empty food cans as a sorce of patching material and a suitable cutter, leatherman fails on this one)
Repair putty that sets underwater (wish I had that last summer, leak started 350 miles in and had to go back for a lift)
So, its often sails, rigging and engine exhausts that I've had most problems with. All get a major hammering on a trans atlantic. The rest of stuff can normally wait till you get in.....where you can spend ages for the wrong part to be delivered in a strange language!!!!!
VO5
Well-Known Member
To save weight, do not carry a Sextant. It is made of metal and can weigh quite a bit.
Take three pencils (or three lollipop sticks which weigh even less) and three rubber bands instead.
Bind each to each other in a triangle.
Then you can calculate the altitude of Polaris by adjusting them and using them as a vertical set square arrangement.
Then you can find the angle by laying the triangle flat and tracing with another pencil and measuring with a protractor.
The same goes for horizontal bearings and so on..
You can carry on munching without a care.
Take three pencils (or three lollipop sticks which weigh even less) and three rubber bands instead.
Bind each to each other in a triangle.
Then you can calculate the altitude of Polaris by adjusting them and using them as a vertical set square arrangement.
Then you can find the angle by laying the triangle flat and tracing with another pencil and measuring with a protractor.
The same goes for horizontal bearings and so on..
You can carry on munching without a care.
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H
highandry
Guest
Lollipop sticks!! poor bloke asks a sensible question eh? Now, catamaran? Ah! right, take a decent brace and bloody big auger bit for drilling air holes when you're upside down.
(Just kiddin' cat: owners put the shotguns away.. )
(Just kiddin' cat: owners put the shotguns away..
)bigwow
Well-Known Member
Well Freddie, taking the hint from your forum monika if you lost a bit of weight you could carry a few more tools, would be more useful.
VO5
Well-Known Member
The banter is good natured Freddie, no one is being nasty to you.
Take soft wooden bungs, Sail Patches, Thread, Needles, Palm. Monel Wire. Riggers Knife.
Spare Rope. Spare Blocks. PTFE Lubricant. Spare Stainless Jubilee Clips.
Watchmakers Screwdrivers. Tweezers. Soldering Kit. Spare Bulbs. Spare Fuses. Wire oddments. Insulating Tape. Circuit Checker.
Take a set of Universal Spanners. Flexi Bendi Screwdriver with Sockets.
File and Hacksaw. Hammer with soft cushioned head. A Wire Coathanger. Pliers.
If I can think of other things I will tell you.
Good Sailing.
Take soft wooden bungs, Sail Patches, Thread, Needles, Palm. Monel Wire. Riggers Knife.
Spare Rope. Spare Blocks. PTFE Lubricant. Spare Stainless Jubilee Clips.
Watchmakers Screwdrivers. Tweezers. Soldering Kit. Spare Bulbs. Spare Fuses. Wire oddments. Insulating Tape. Circuit Checker.
Take a set of Universal Spanners. Flexi Bendi Screwdriver with Sockets.
File and Hacksaw. Hammer with soft cushioned head. A Wire Coathanger. Pliers.
If I can think of other things I will tell you.
Good Sailing.
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scotty123
Well-Known Member
The ARC, used to have several lists of stuff, from very essential to nice to have.
Basically their full list required you to tow a twin vessel behind, for spares etc.
How long is a piece of string, is an apt phrase to answer this question.
mandlmaunder
Well-Known Member
Been there tried that!
Hi Freddie
Come on over to the warm side.
When we crossed we had the same issues that you do.
All the above advice except the whole saw is good and can work for you.
I would recommend getting one of the good quality many piece tool kit from a good car centre, not the cheapy one's as these have most of what you need for almost every job.
Then go through the boat and find any out size or over size nuts or fixings and get the tool for the job.
There is a good amount of Chandlers and boat supply out lets(check put Budget Marine and Island Water World on line to give you some idea as to what is available to you) on this side of the pond , you might struggle a bit for parts in some of the more remote and scenic Atlantic Coastal towns of Europe as they mostly have fishing boat parts but Fedex can find you almost any where so you can reduce your spares list to the obvious, belts and filters and alike.
Your tool and spares list is or should be very similar to your normal cruising stuff.
I tried to make all things multi task when possible as our cat is also very weight sensitive.
Where are you planning on cruising when you get here?
Mark n Lee on Manatee
Ps the leatherman Wave or super tool are my personal favorites and I wont go out with out one.
Hope this helps
Hi Freddie
Come on over to the warm side.
When we crossed we had the same issues that you do.
All the above advice except the whole saw is good and can work for you.
I would recommend getting one of the good quality many piece tool kit from a good car centre, not the cheapy one's as these have most of what you need for almost every job.
Then go through the boat and find any out size or over size nuts or fixings and get the tool for the job.
There is a good amount of Chandlers and boat supply out lets(check put Budget Marine and Island Water World on line to give you some idea as to what is available to you) on this side of the pond , you might struggle a bit for parts in some of the more remote and scenic Atlantic Coastal towns of Europe as they mostly have fishing boat parts but Fedex can find you almost any where so you can reduce your spares list to the obvious, belts and filters and alike.
Your tool and spares list is or should be very similar to your normal cruising stuff.
I tried to make all things multi task when possible as our cat is also very weight sensitive.
Where are you planning on cruising when you get here?
Mark n Lee on Manatee
Ps the leatherman Wave or super tool are my personal favorites and I wont go out with out one.
Hope this helps
Bob_Ranft
Well-Known Member
Mini Tool Kit as used in all good ISO certified factories world wide
Freddie,
You only need three tools: Flat bladed screwdriver that's big enough to be used as a chisel and a crowbar. Medium size Philips screwdriver (sharpened to a point so you can poke people) And an adjustable spanner that's big enough to be used as a hammer.
Also got a cat so know all about saving weight. There's five items in my tool kit, addition of bottle and can opener to the above.
Bob
Freddie,
You only need three tools: Flat bladed screwdriver that's big enough to be used as a chisel and a crowbar. Medium size Philips screwdriver (sharpened to a point so you can poke people) And an adjustable spanner that's big enough to be used as a hammer.
Also got a cat so know all about saving weight. There's five items in my tool kit, addition of bottle and can opener to the above.
Bob
Neil_Y
Well-Known Member
A lump of 4x2 and some thick plywood.
Sail repair stuff as other poster said, with webbing, double sided tape to hold parts together when you stitch, some heavy weight sticky back cloth, a really good length of a dyneema line 3-4mm, this can be used for lashing or multi purchase repairs.
Check the condition of fittings like gooseneck and kicker thoroughly. any moving item like this can get lots of wear during 4-5weeks of solid sailing.
Have a good trip.
Sail repair stuff as other poster said, with webbing, double sided tape to hold parts together when you stitch, some heavy weight sticky back cloth, a really good length of a dyneema line 3-4mm, this can be used for lashing or multi purchase repairs.
Check the condition of fittings like gooseneck and kicker thoroughly. any moving item like this can get lots of wear during 4-5weeks of solid sailing.
Have a good trip.
whipper_snapper
Well-Known Member
Don't forget a good few lengths of electrical wire, insulating tape, crimps, fuses and multimeter. If (when) you have significant electrical problems, you often don't want to embark on a full scale repair while underway but can often rig a temporary kludge to keep a bit of kit running.
Csail
N/A
xxyyzz
Well-Known Member
A bucket.
Ludd
Well-Known Member
spaceship
If you follow ALL the suggestions,your spare hull is going to come into it's own!
If you follow ALL the suggestions,your spare hull is going to come into it's own!
normansparrow
New Member
Cruising from Cuba to USA
Can anyone PLEASE tell me if you are allowed to enter the USA by yacht after leaving Cuba?
Can anyone PLEASE tell me if you are allowed to enter the USA by yacht after leaving Cuba?
