Tools aboard: Minimizing space and weight

[MicHughV]

Yep, you toolless folk don't come 'round to my boat to mooch a tool when the doodoo hits the fan......

[JBP]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I've been told that beer is available in a more concentrated form that is easier to transport and store.

There have been several companies who have produced beer concentrate, but they seem to go out of business quickly.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a29/pats-backcountry-beverages-beer-from-concentrate-17608940/

This one seems to only sell non alcoholic beer concentrate.

https://www.freethink.com/entrepreneurship-innovation/concentrated-beer

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I've been told that beer is available in a more concentrated form that is easier to transport and store.

Sadly it’s only rented and must be returned daily

[smacksman]

The person to ask about the minimum toolkit is delivery skippers. When you have to fly to pick up the boat it really focuses the mind. The other problem is tools have different names in different countries. Ask for a set of box spanners in the USA and you get a blank look.

[OS2Dude]

I have a set of Ryobi cordless tools. This lets me bring them to the boat when I need them and I can use them at the house as well. I keep a cordless drill, jigsaw and hand-vac on board all the time. I also have a hand tool set I got from West Marine. I use the same brand of cordless devices so I can keep the number of batteries to a minimum. Have one charger aboard. Eventually a few odd and end tools wind up aboard as needs arise.

We are on a lake, so no water sailing">Blue Water sailing but the house is 1.5 hours away, so I don't want to have to make trips back and forth.

Drill & Jigsaw came in their own case, hand tools as well. These fit in the quarter berth easily. Other assorted hand tools fit into a small 'ammo box' that goes under the settee. Two larger 'ammo boxes' contain mechanical items (screws/nuts/bolts/small plumbing parts) and electrical items (fuses, crimpers, connectors, etc.) and they also live under the settee.

[pbmaise]

There were two heavy big tools I had a love hate relationship with. I really couldn't operate without them but they were so bulky and didn't fit in any tool box.

The first was a large set of channel lock pliers. The nuts holding on my propeller were simply way too large for any spanner to fit. I removed the propeller more than once during my cruising years. This tool also came in handle with larger diameter hoses.

The second tool was a puller. Jeez I hated that thing, but again I needed it just once since my propeller was stuck firmly in place.

A rather expensive tool most people don't carry is a electrical crimper. Yes I kind of could have done without and used regular pliers, however, I did quite a lot of rewiring.

Perhaps the most overkill I had aboard was a large set of taps and dies. Both imperial and metric mind you. Yes, I did use them, however, I think I only needed two sizes out of the box of like 50 different ones. I was forever sorting them after they managed to jumble themselves in their molded carry case. It was so difficult to read the letters on them.

I lived aboard the vessel almost a year before I discovered the original builder had tucked into one of the aka heavy duty power cords and lights to work on the vessel at night. These weighed like 100 lbs in total. They hit the rubbish bin.

[sck5]

a good dremel can sub for lots of other stuff. Also, magnetic bits on the 11 in 1 tools are good for obvious reasons as is a magnet to pick up fallen nuts and bolts from inaccessible places

[drdvolk]

I also have a Nordic 44 and found a large amount of free space under to the outboard side of the drawers below the aft cabin bunk.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by smacksman

The person to ask about the minimum toolkit is delivery skippers. When you have to fly to pick up the boat it really focuses the mind. The other problem is tools have different names in different countries. Ask for a set of box spanners in the USA and you get a blank look.

Delivery skippers don’t have tools.

[nofacey]

Going to steal your idea of cloth roll ups for my box end wrenches - that’ll be handy.

My personal choice for a multi driver is Picquic, as I can easily use it’s std long hex bits in my cordless drill/driver.

The one unusual tool I love, and use frequently, is an anvil cutter - good for clean one handed cuts on hose up to 1-1/2”, wire of any size, wire ties.

Add Electrical tape, assorted pliers, and you have my at hand mech kit.

[rgleason]

I absolutely love a certain Knipex Plier, I think it is the Cobra 87 01 250 Plumbers Pliers. It is light, strong, very adjustable quickly and a perfect all around tool for rigging, mast work, stubborn shackles, etc. It performs outsize work and fits nicely in my pocket, so much so, it remains in my pocket all the way to home!

https://www.knipex.com/products/pipe...pliers/8701250

https://www.ebay.com/p/598490726?iid=392794230140 $42

I have two pair, one for home and one for the boat. I really need to whittle down my tool weight and carry just what is needed as the boat lists to the side now! Of course I have to have a big channel lock for the stuffing box and prop nuts and a small one, also several real vice grips (not the cheap knockoffs), but I've found a genuine Rigid heavy duty small pipe wrench is perfect for adjusting the stuffing box nut.

What should I do about having metric and imperial tools? I have a Yanmar, but some things are imperial. I have both box wrenches and socket sets. It all adds up so that one locker is all tools and my cloth tool bag is overweight and overflowing, and the small plastic tool chest is totally stuffed with tools I have used on the boat.

One advantage of this is I can usually fix anything without driving 20 minutes back to the house. However I have to cut back.

Also I have a hand drill that is really useful sometimes, but often I need a portable drill. I'd like to be able to charge it on board. Milwaukee has a small 12v that looks good, but I have never bought one. Also the Fein Multitool is great for sanding and cutting in small places, but that 120vac tool stays at home generally until needed.

I like the idea of a small appropriate tap and die set, because the cheap plastic cases keep breaking and I have to use tape to keep them together with the drills and taps. These are essential for mast work.

Really good multi screwdrivers would be a good way to cut down on tools too, who needs 6 screwdriver handles taking up space?
I like the idea of the stainless steel Picquic multi screwdriver https://www.amazon.com/88103-Sixpac-.../dp/B0018IV8WM which version is best? I am always having to sand and lubricate my ferrous multi driver.


I find I like my small butane torch from West Marine (it is very old and there are better ones now) but I use that often for burning ends of lines, wiring and countless other jobs like unfreezing a stubborn nut, etc.

How to weed out the unused tools? Remove anything that has not been used for two years. Put it in a box somewhere in your shop and take any tools back as you find you need them.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Another requisite for any offshore trip is finding place for the 12 cases of beer prior to leaving. This too, finds itself alongside tools. 12 cases of beer is equally as important as tool selection.

We have a winner.

[Capt Gill]

Originally Posted by sck5

a good dremel can sub for lots of other stuff. Also, magnetic bits on the 11 in 1 tools are good for obvious reasons as is a magnet to pick up fallen nuts and bolts from inaccessible places

Most metal hardware for marine use will be s/steel or bronze; your magnet will not be of help.

Originally Posted by Bowdrie

I like to keep a piece of RR track that's a few inches long on board, gotta have something to pound on.
I guess a small HF anvil might work also.
To be prepared one should have both SAE and Metric Crescent wrenches,

No, one Crescent wrench will do both

[toddster8]

At this point, I'm converting the forward head to a small tool-room and utility closet.

I've done a couple of sorts through the collection and shuffled off the "second-best tool collection" to the old boat that I'm selling. But still there is a large tool bag of general tools, roll-up of wrenches & drivers, electrical bag, rigging & sewing bag, dissecting tools, cabinet full of power tools & their attachments, a vise, many many small parts cases... I kept my large socket set but haven't figured out a good way to store and organize it yet. And a few large tools - bolt cutters, battery terminal crimper, etc. Box of various tape. Box of various adhesives & goos, box of fiberglass stuff, box of engine spares...

I too used to use a piece of railroad track as an anvil, but I kept the small vise instead.

One old-school cruiser recommendation that I heard somewhere was to go from stem to stern of the boat, look at every piece and consider, "how would I adjust or remove that? Where is the tool for that? Can I remove that exotic fastener and replace it with a standard one that doesn't require an extra tool?"

On the other hand, back in college, my roommate and I got to hang out with a lot of girls who were way out of our league because it was known that we both had big tool chests and knew more or less how to use them.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by nofacey

Going to steal your idea of cloth roll ups for my box end wrenches - that’ll be handy.

Here's the sort of thing I do. This is actually a rollup from my car so it has the trailer hitch pin in it and some other car-oriented things. I use iron-on labels so I can remember what's missing but they tend to fall off -- I'm in the process of stitching them in place.

The missing tools are: a needle nose pliers (Knipex), a channel lock pliers, and a 12v test light.

This particular kit (I have one in each car) has a ten-fold screwdriver from Klein, which I experimented with for a while. It's OK but I like their 11-in-1 with a regular handle better and have that in the other kit.


In the background is a Preon P2 flashlight, the best made that uses AAA batteries. I don't have one in every car kit -- I use a cheaper Gerber flashlight that is now discontinued that uses one AA battery. With an Eneloop NiMH it will work in cold weather, will never leak, and will hold its charge for years and years.