What tools and materials must you have for repairs on board?

[Isabellaa]

As a beginner in cruising, I want to be prepared for any possible breakdowns on board. What tools and materials do you consider mandatory for carrying out repairs while swimming? I will be grateful for advice from experienced cruisers.

[FutureRTW]

Lots of past discussions about this if you do some searching. I have this particular discussion bookmarked because it's pure gold with some humor dropped in - https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...fe-277644.html

[leecea]

carrying out repairs while swimming

Don't have experience with this so trying to think creatively...

- Wetsuit or something appropriate to the water temps you're in
- Mask
- Knives that can cut through whatever is wrapping the prop
- Tools that fit your prop - maybe spares for a lost or damaged prop
- A way to pull something out of a blocked through-hull
- Underwater epoxy

[HankOnthewater]

Hi Isabellaa, indeed the link provided in post #2 will give lots of info, there has been quite a few of these kind of threads.

As a basic rule you need stuff to enable to get back home or to a safe port. So for a daysail, you don't need much. For a year long cruise in remote areas, you need to take a lot.
It also depends on the size of your boat, a 28 ft boat does not allow for a lot of spares and tools, while you can take nearly everything on a 48 ft boat.
It also depends on your skills. I would be silly to take a welder if you can not weld, or fibreglass repair stuff, if you do not know how to use it.
And lastly, it depends on the type of boat: a simple boat with very little equipment does not need many spares and tools, while a large boat with complex electrical, hydraulic, and plumbing systems needs more, and likely specialised tools.
And as a very lasty comment... it also depend on the maintenance you do. A well maintained boat needs less repairs than a poorly maintained boat.

You can also approach it in a different way, like a matrix:
1. List the equipment you have on board
2. Then for each part the likelyhood of breaking that
3. Then how important that part is for a return to port
4. If point 2 and 3 scores high then you need spares, tools to make it work, and knowledge to use the tools.

Last 2 tips:
- have 3 sockets of 10 mm on board (or its imperial equivalent)
- have a healthy fear of the time '0200 hrs', as that is when things usually break


Hmm, not sure while you mentioned "swimming". Is that for hull repairs?

[osprey877]

Originally Posted by HankOnthewater

Hmm, not sure while you mentioned "swimming". Is that for hull repairs?

AI bot or troll using Google translate??