Materials, spare parts and tools...what to keep?

[Sea Dreaming]

Our new to us sailboat was lived aboard and cruised by the former owners for over 20 years.
Over the years they accumulated so much stuff and had very little organization. We simply don't know what we need to keep and there is so much stuff it's overwhelming!

There are parts and tools scattered all over the boat. There is a serious deficiency of space for human needs, boat stuff has overtaken all. For example, one drawer was mixed adhesive, electrical stuff and socks. Every locker is the same way, junk, parts, tools, materials all thrown together. We need a way to recognize the good stuff so we can clean out and get it organized!

Is there a good list of must have tools and parts for full time, liveaboard cruising?

[Pelagic]

Guaranteed..... As soon as you throw it out....you will need it..... or a piece of it.... [emoji12]

[UNCIVILIZED]

For me, the first step in that sort of situation is to sort each piece by category. So for example you put all of the fasteners into one bin, electrical in another, etc. Then sort the fasteners into sub catoegories; bolts, nuts, screws... And with each step I do some winnowing of the bits that are obviously junk, too old, non-marine grade, etc. Such as tossing out rusty, ferrous fasteners, & half tubes of semi-hardened goops & sealants.

In doing that you'll probably get rid of 1/4-1/2 of the stuff on hand, straight into the dumpster. Oops, put it by the dumpster at the marina, it'll be someone else's gold. Seriously. Man, the gear I've snagged there

Also, while you're doing this sorting, you'll start to see fasteners that match those around the boat. So they'll be of higher value to you than others. As to where to go from there is based on how much space you can afford in order to keep spares around. Keeping in mind that marine grade fasteners, & spares ain't cheap. Plus, when doing this you might enlist the help of someone who's both boat, & tool savvy to make some recommendations for you in terms of what'll be most valuable to you.

My stuff is sorted into;
- Screws
- Nuts, bolts, & washers
- Marine hardware, & or deck gear. Plus their spares & components
- Scrap stock material. Meaning bits of aluminum, G10, wood, etc. from which other things can be fabricated.
- Electrical
- Solvents
- Goops, & Sealants
- Paints & Varnish, etc.
- Epoxy, & Adhesives
- Rigging
- Engine
- Sails
- Line
- Sandpaper, & other consumables such as tape, etc. Basically things that get used up when doing projects.
- Other

Some of the stuff goes into drawers. And usually it's the stuff which often gets used, but will stay organized in a drawer easily. The other bits go into clear plastic bins, or tubs. So that it's easy to see what exactly is in there without opening the double secured lid (with both latches, & lashings). But whatever works for you, organizationally, & maximizes space usage onboard.

Ah, & do a loose inventory of stuff when organizing it, along with keeping track of where things are stored.


EDIT: You might find it helpful in determining the non-obviously important items by perusing books like Nigel Calder's Boatowner's Mechanical & Electrical Manual... as it covers a very large portion of the kinds of gear on boats that'll need TLC over time.

[Kelkara]

I can't answer your question, but my boat was the same way when I bought it. It'll be a while yet before I've decided what I should keep and not throw out, and what I've already thrown out that I should have kept.

Keep all the tools ... if a tool made it's way onto the boat, it probably has a use, even if you haven't worked it out yet.

Check that any spare parts are actually compatible with the equipment on board - e.g. I had a bunch of parts for the previous engine, which were not compatible with the new engine.

[Lepke]

What you carry for repairs depends on your fixing ability and how far you are from help. And I agree with Plagic: "Guaranteed..... As soon as you throw it out....you will need it..... or a piece of it....

[JPA Cate]

Sea Dreaming,

About the tools, depends on what you all have brought of your own, too, for me, I would choose on basic quality where there's duplication. You'll be able to buy new along the way, according to what your needs are, but, what you do have is a potential treasure trove.

Yes, do start inventorying it. It will also help to make a list of what you stow where, locker by locker. Eventually, you won't need it, because one tends to store like with like, except for the blokes who like to store engine stuff near the engine, pump kits in the areas where they'll be needed. These things are very personal. On a boat with limited stowage, that's always a puzzle to solve.

We always put the tools most often needed in the bosun's locker (under the nav station seat on our 36 footer). Less frequently needed went under the stbd quarter berth.

On our 36 footer, we sacrificed the port quarterberth and pilot berths for stowage, and then made "knock down netting" for them, so that if we were rolled or pitchpoled, the contents would stay where they were..

You can't go too far wrong with storing it near to where you need it.

Be ruthless about pitching rusty tools, especially if they are duplicates. Give them to a local school or something, someone can use them and be glad of them. Consider fitting an instrument net under the overhead of the forepeak for your psaltery, etc. Clothing can go to churches, old foulie jackets to fishermen.

Dump all parts (or try to give them away via the cruiser net) for things you do not have.

Ann

PS. For things like beans, rice, flour, you want containers that bugs cannot eat their way into.

[Bill Creadon]

Great answer. I have inherited from folks getting out of boating and take it all and sort. Most of it is gold.

[gjordan]

This question has been asked many times before with many different opinions given, but recently I ran across a book that gives very good lists of things/tools/spares to have on a boat. It is a technical book really best suited for a boat builder or boat yard, but it is full of good information for a new boat owner/cruiser. BOAT DATA BOOK by Ian Nicolson. It has more technical information than you will ever need, but it also gives you much information that you should not be without. I think it is worth having onboard. Just my opinion. _____Grant.

[gjordan]

Just to add to my opinion, if you find tools that you cant identify, ask other boaters or a mechanic, but dont toss them. Even if you are not mechanically inclined, someone in an out of the way anchorage may be able to fix your engine/freezer/etc if you have the needed tool. The internet is great for posting photos of unknown tools/parts and getting help with identifying them. Just a thought. _____Grant.

[Sea Dreaming]

Thank you everyone for your help!
When we were here in October we took off 10 big lawn and leaf bags of pure trash and junk. We have taken off an additional 6 bags now. The "might be good" stuff we have been putting into boxes for later sorting. But we are still finding stashes of stuff! Yesterday I found a cache of paint roller cages and calk guns under the drawers under our bunk. That's in addition to the drawers being full and the lockers under both aft berths full of ....who knows? But I've been finding receipts from early 2000 and the late 1990s amidst the chaos.

Yes, we do have gold aboard too. Zincs anyone? We have found several caches and one type we have about 20, and another type about 40. We have 3 of most tools, some without names. Most appear to have been purchased when the originals were lost in the boat! I can't even really go into it all. But you are welcome to help us sort it out. We have 10 life jackets for guests! Haha! (We are donating most of those) And we have booze...a full locker brimming with booze!

[redhead]

We, too bought an old boat that was filled with stuff from PO (including clothing, deodorant, yuck). I second Ann's suggestion of an inventory.

Once, while my other half was in NY I emptied every single locker, tossed things like 35 year old adhesives and electrical tape, gave away tools of which we had brought our own. The things I couldn't identify I sent him a picture of and he made the toss/keep decision.

Then I drew a schematic of every locker, drawer, bin, lazarette, etc and identified them. The port side even, S'bd odd. L for locker, D drawer, etc. Then keeping like with like I wrote it all down twice once showing everything in "FL2" (forward port locker) and then another list alphabetically.

It took me two weeks, but I know everything on the boat. As time passes I forget, the book is there. I use the alphabetical list much more than the other list.

I know there are spreadsheets for this, but by writing it down I've remembered much more accurately where everything is. I find spreadsheets keep me at a mental distance, but then I'm a dinosaur.

Good luck, my heart goes out to you, but it's a little like you taking possession of the boat. You'll be that much more invested.

[zeehag]

it has never failed to be--every single time, bar none, that i have tossed, gifted, flung something gone, i direly needed it within a week or so. donot tempt yourself with lighter and clearer hahaha those are myths. just roll with it--stash stuff clean and ocd-like and go for it... in 5 yrs you will know what is left and what still is good and toss the rest. but it is 5 yrs.

ps...SOME duplicates are just too damned cheap and easily replaceable--paint stuff and other hard to stow stuff-- ditch the cheapo stuff but keep one of each of those just in case, and run like winged creature fast.
helpful hint--you willnot need paint rollers anywhere in mexico--they cheap and readily available, and no earthly use at sea.

[NewMoon]

Originally Posted by redhead

Then I drew a schematic of every locker, drawer, bin, lazarette, etc and identified them. The port side even, S'bd odd. L for locker, D drawer, etc. Then keeping like with like I wrote it all down twice once showing everything in "FL2" (forward port locker) and then another list alphabetically.

It took me two weeks, but I know everything on the boat. As time passes I forget, the book is there. I use the alphabetical list much more than the other list.

We did the same on a new boat, but named the locations and then made a list. - no schematic. There were so many more locations than in our older boat that the list was invaluable. As time went on we re-arranged many times, and updated the list accordingly. We use it also as a checklist before setting out for a long cruise.

[Cheechako]

Go thru every compartment. Clean them good while you are at it. Throw out the stuff that's gone too rusty and bad goop etc. Throw out old polishing compounds and paint etc, unreliable anyway. This happens on boats just like it happens in your garage living on the hard. By going thru everything you will learn a lot in the process.
DO NOT throw out any strange looking tools, metal bars, fittings etc! These are often some oddball thing required to do some maintenance etc.
Keep a good quantity of spare screws etc, but organize them... even if that just means putting them all in a small tackle box!

[TheThunderbird]

Buy several organizer-boxes
Clean/Paint/insulate stowes in the making
It'll take two years so you can KNOW your boat

Or, have a garage nearby, to do it fast