Tools that changed your life

[MicHughV]

I got this light which straps around your head. It has 4 LED lights which feed off a tiny battery. For work on the engine or any other nook and cranny, it throws out an amazing amount of light and leaves your hands free to do whatever work you need to do. Especially useful at night.

Amazon has a wide variety of these. Very inexpensive. Every sailor oughta have a half dozen of these on board.

https://www.amazon.com/ENERGIZER-Uni...%2C110&sr=8-18

[siamese]

Vice grips. Regular and needle-nose.

[Kd9truck]

This DeWalt drill can hoist 220 lbs up a 65 ft mast 5x and it makes a great main sail halyard and roller furled Genoa verry easy to furl/strike or raise in the case of the main.

https://www.acmetools.com/dewalt-fle...911452748.html

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Dogscout

Knipex Pliers Wrench

This +++
Don't cast off without one (or two).

[skipperpete]

This tool has saved me from endless cuts and clothing tears from razor sharp ziptie cutoffs ….and also for anyone who works where I installed cable ties in the last 20years.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by skipperpete

This tool has saved me from endless cuts and clothing tears from razor sharp ziptie cutoffs ….and also for anyone who works where I installed cable ties in the last 20years.

There's gotta be a special place in hell reserved for those who leave sharp pointy bits on zipties.

Sharp flush cutters are a good tool for ensuring no sharp bits remain!

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Kd9truck

This DeWalt drill can hoist 220 lbs up a 65 ft mast 5x and it makes a great main sail halyard and roller furled Genoa verry easy to furl/strike or raise in the case of the main.

https://www.acmetools.com/dewalt-fle...911452748.html

I was about to post a similar comment about my Milwaukee 28v right angle drill. I reckon the best single thing I've bought for my boat (and me) in many years. A real game changer for an aging yottie.

Jim

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by George_SD

12v dual mode (high volume, high pressure) compressor...

Care to share make/model details?


Thanks.

[Ryban]

I have a small 18V compressor I like, I think it's a Ryobi. I bought it for hookah usage, but haven't used it a ton for that. However it has come in handy for all kinds of other tasks on the boat that can benefit from a compressed air source.

That all said, it's a compact device, so the volume is small and it will be running all the time when in use.

[gs41escapade]

Originally Posted by Sailer_Med

Milwaukee battery powered impact wrench. A big one, 240 ft-lbs if I remember correctly.

I second this. Even a small one. Has saved me sooo many times now from stripping cheap philips screws and the like.

[MARC D]

A clamp-on DC current meter.

[Senojev]

Dremel tool and accessories for when all else fails.

[kayakerChuck]

In absolutely no particular order-

A big cordless impact wrench
The Knipex Cobra pliers and pliers wrenches
Wera Karftform Kompact screwdrivers https://www.kctool.com/wera-051024-k...-25-pouch-set/

Cordless oscillating tool

And my latest $$$ tool purchase, a DeWalt cordless pop rivet gun. It pulls up to 3/16" SS rivets almost instantly. I set LOTS of them... https://www.dewalt.com/product/dcf40...rivet-tool-kit

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by SY Harmony

A bottle opener

That requires a tool?
https://www.google.com/search?client...l5NoPgPCLEA_45


I've used more of these than I want to admit to.
https://www.delish.com/food-news/a45...bottle-opener/

[thinwater]

A review of the Mantus bottle opener, from another forum:


"The other day I received some equipment from the guys at Mantus. Note, I have no affiliation. I do have one of their anchors, yes, but this review isn't about their anchor. There are enough threads out there on them. I'm talking about the Mantus bottle opener. It was actually free for a clever begging campaign, so any negative comments on my part is rude, however, there are no perfect tools for boaters. The opener has its faults. The product came well packaged and in a timely fashion for an overseas delivery. After unwrapping the package, I could easily see that it's a beautiful design and fitted well in my hand. Storage would not be complicated which is an asset for any boat owner. It also had a clever loop for a chain to possibly be used as a cool bling bling necklace, but I digress. It worked very well for the first 6 beers or so, but as the evening's enjoyable extensive testing progressed, and interesting attempt to keep notes for this review, it became increasingly difficult to operate. Even though they weren't insurmountable, they were enough however to give me a powerful headache in the morning because I couldn't totally figure out the problem. It, for some reason, kept slipping off the bottle tops and wouldn't properly set. After 4 or 5 more beers(I think) it became useless to operate so I went to bed. The tests were inconclusive (actually I misplaced my notes), so it looks like I'll have to do further testing to retrace my steps again this evening.