Boat Tools & Spares onboard?

[bkohatl]

Any Suggestions?

Like Hardware.......

I was also wondering if anyone could advise of possible problems with an Inverter onboard.

Thanks,
Brian

[Mikebe]

I have needed wrenches, pliars, hammer, 3M 4200, 3M 5200, Duct tape, electrical tape, flashlight, needle-nose pliars, wire-cutters, cigarette lighter, heavy-duty scissors, fender washers, spare lock-nuts, spare propeller, spare thrust washer, spare cotter pins. West Marine sells a "rigging kit" that contains an assortment of spare hardware. I have also needed spare shackles...basically any hardware you take off regularly will sooner or later end up in the water...that includes eye glasses, doesn't do much good to have spare nuts if you can't see how to put them on.

It really depends on how you use the boat and how self-reliant you want to be. I always have a cell phone AND a VHF radio, so if there's something I really need and don't have on board I can always have it helicoptered in...

I don't know of any specific problems to look out for with inverters other
than draining you're battery...might want have a spare one of those on board with that inverter, though.

Oh yes, Marine grease, Silicon lube spray, TWO boathooks, extra dock lines, extral general purpose line.

I also have a couple of extra blocks similar to the ones for the halyards.

PS; when all else fails, a bottle of Jim Beam comes in handy....

[KayakDan]

Blue Water Yachts sells a hardware kit that has one of everything you could try to lose.Stainless mountiing bolts,sail stop,snap rings,clevis pins etc. Comes in a little plastic case. I figure it's cheap insurance for about $25.00

[pokerrick1]

Dan;

That's a nice idea - - - I also like the Jim Beam idea

Rick

[James V]

Add to that a gas cap and prop with sheer pins and carb kit, spark plug, Oil fill bolts. The list can go on and on.

[Moe]

Ring Dings (aka cotter rings)
Sail Repair Tape to secure them (and repair sails)
Clevis Pins (for forestay, shroud adjusters, etc)
- drill forestay clevis to 1/4" so it's the same
Cotter Pins (for forestay turnbuckle)
Mast step bolts
- replace with dwyer mast pins and keep original bolts as spares
Rudder trailering bolts
D Shackles for main and jib halyard
- use captive shackles and keep originals as spares
Shackles & clevis pins for Harken Little Fiddle Blocks
- used on mainsheet, vang, and 26X mast raising kit
- may be Harken PN 072?
Sail stop if you use slugs

Bulbs for Navigation & Cabin Lights
Electrical Tape
Fuses for Boat (including master near battery)
Fuses for Outboard Motor (check under cowling)
Hand Start Rope for Outboard
- and tools necessary to access it
- or Jump Start Battery Pack (especially with inverter)

[Frank C]

BWY sells a hardware kit that has one of everything you could try to lose. Stainless mountiing bolts,sail stop,snap rings,clevis pins etc, and comes in a little plastic case. I figure it's cheap insurance for about $25.00.

This sort of hardware kit is also carried in WM, maybe also by the onLine retailers. I've purchased a couple of them, those little plastic compartment boxes with a close-fitting lid. They might carry a variety of clevis pins and ring-dings, or stainless screws & nuts.

Eventually I found I was collecting more little SS bits that needed stowage. E.g., every time I replace a factory vernier or cleat, it produces yet another BoatBit that needs a home. Now I have a couple of different "tackle boxes" each with 4 compartment "drawers," each drawer with its own individual hinged lid. So my little collections of spare clevis pins and ring-dings are now a couple of pigeon holes in "spares" tackle boxes, almost exclusively SS pins, rings, screws & nuts, and boating leftovers.

You've seen these "tackle boxes" in various retail stores. Wally has them, Target, Sears, any local hardware store, Home Depot too. Also the major sporting goods stores ... I have one with an olive case & 4 drawers, costs about $12. My other one is larger, a red external case with 4 larger drawers, easier stowage of larger pieces like cleats & vernier slides (from lifelines or shroud adjusters).

Finally, I hate it when I discover that a favorite tool has disappeared from the garage - usually onto the boat. Since it's not practical to keep a complete toolset aboard, here are some specific tools that are especially handy as dedicated boatTools, kept aboard in a compact toolbox!

• Cheap set of Stanley quarter-drive "deep" sockets. about 7 sockets in increasing sizes on a handy plastic rack, plus the quarter-drive ratchet (~ten bucks at Wally's).
• Adjustable wrenches, 6-inch and 8-inch.
• About 4 screwdrivers, small & medium, 2 Phillips, 2 regular.
• Brand new, just released GearWrench Quad Box (SAE) - available at Sears ($19 sale, set of 2, ends next weekend, Fathers' Day) ratchet-style box-end spanners. Each spanner fits 4 different sizes of nut, so the set of 2 spanners in toolbox fits 8 different nuts (7/16" up to 3/4"). (see below)
• Cheap set of Stanley Half-drive "deep" sockets. about 6 sockets in increasing sizes on a handy plastic rack, 3/4" up to 1-1/4" plus an inexpensive torque wrench. These fit the lug nuts & every other nut on the trailer, plus the outboard prop and the steering wheel nut.
• Why the cheap tools ... well, they are a backup set, eh? They're also prone to drowning, they rust in the salt air, and there's not usually a giant torque demand for fasteners on the boat (just one opinion).

Quad Box by Gear Wrench (4 sizes in one ratchet tool)

GearWrench has announced the Quad Box Ratcheting Wrench system: a single tool with four reversible ratcheting box ends in 4 different sequential sizes.

For a wrench, the Quad Box is stuffed full of features. It boasts a 5-degree ratcheting mechanism ... so even in cramped areas the ratchet teeth will catch and provide movement. The four box end collars protrude out only slightly from both top and bottom on each end of the wrench, which makes for a slim profile. Each size has its own dedicated reversing lever recessed into the hardened, forged beam for easy control.

Each set (metric or SAE) consists of two wrenches, which gives you a range of eight sizes: 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, ½ (on the SAE smaller wrench), 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4 (larger SAE wrench). Metric sizes are 8, 10, 12, 13MM (on smaller wrench), and 16, 17, 18, 19MM (on the larger).

[kziadie]

Others have contributed pretty comprehensive lists... my additions:

Spare gas lead, spare winch handle, electrical wire, crimp ends, crimp tool, impeller kit, spare plug for ballast vent, handheld GPS, flashlights, flashlights with red lenses, handheld VHF, shock cord, hand bilge pump with at least 6' hose and a plug that can fit the thru hull for the galley drain (3/4" I think).

If your engine uses metric fittings, make sure you have wrenches/sockets for both metric and imperial.

Kelly

[Boblee]

Can I suggest one of these and a small fibreglass repair kit.
www.clamptitetools.com