Cargo strategy: tools

[toddster]

So, I've finished installing the diesel heater (Yay! Life gets better.) This involved sailing (motoring) three days (plus five days waiting out weather) to access my remaining shore-side tools and materials, in storage. This stash will only get farther and farther away as my cruising proceeds.

As is the nature of such projects, it required an unreasonable amount of stuff, including sheet metal tools and tubing tools from storage. And a lot of stuff that I gave away or sold for pennies during my estate sale and had to buy anew for hundreds of bucks.

So now to put everything away. Which rule would you follow?

A. Job's done, put everything back in storage.
B. If it was required once on the boat, it will be needed again. Find room for it, somehow, somewhere.
C. Give it all away to someone who can use it. I'll probably never need it again. What could go wrong?

 

[slug zitski]

So, I've finished installing the diesel heater (Yay! Life gets better.) This involved sailing (motoring) three days (plus five days waiting out weather) to access my remaining shore-side tools and materials, in storage. This stash will only get farther and farther away as my cruising proceeds.

As is the nature of such projects, it required an unreasonable amount of stuff, including sheet metal tools and tubing tools from storage. And a lot of stuff that I gave away or sold for pennies during my estate sale and had to buy anew for hundreds of bucks.

So now to put everything away. Which rule would you follow?

A. Job's done, put everything back in storage.
B. If it was required once on the boat, it will be needed again. Find room for it, somehow, somewhere.
C. Give it all away to someone who can use it. I'll probably never need it again. What could go wrong?

Tools are good

more the better

you must decide how to deal with them and what tools you value

a yacht tool kit is about 150 lbs of stuff …I just shipped one

 

[ghost37]

As a former management consultant I would advise to adopt a framework that considers the opportunity cost (size), frequency of usage as well as the risk of not having a certain tool. Consider our emergency rudder for our Monitor windvane. Is it big? Yes. Do we use it frequently. No. Do I want it if I actually need it? Hell yes.

 

[Talchotali]

A man with too many tools doesn't have enough projects.

 

[robtoujours]

True! The only thing is that some tools are only needed for big work.. if you’re not going to do that sort of work again, maybe smaller/simpler tools will do ok..

Eg do you really need a 1/2”, 3/8” and 1/4” socket set ..

Mostly I get by with 1/4”, other stuff is dead weight. The 1/2” was great for replacing my skeg but not planning on repeating that job.

Conversely, a hand riveter and lazy tongs one … had both.. but the heavier tongs is more versatile.. so out goes the hand one.. etc

 

[Elegua]

Go through the boat and make sure you take all the special sizes and tools for the specific equip you have.: ie I have a big nut on my forestay so I need a 2” wrench. The nuts in my steering stuffing box are also big. For some jobs you with lock nuts you ideally need two of the same size. I have a max prior so I need a grease gun and zercs for the max-prop……etc…I separated my tools into: rigging; scrapers cauks and sealants; lubricants; spares and seals; electrical and fuses; everyday tools that get used a lot; heavy tools that get used less often; fasteners and rivets…etc … all in labeled bags and inventoried in storage. Probably more efficient ways to do it. In hindsight I could have narrowed things down had I spent more time looking at the specific fasteners and equipment I have.

Oh - get at least one Chapman tool set.

 

[slug zitski]

Odd size tools are valuable on boats

most repair projects have restricted access

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

I have a lot of tools aboard. My guiding principle is, can I maintain the boat without this tool? If I can't, it's aboard.

Ditto with fasteners and plumbing fittings, hose clamps et al. Probably 50kg of stainless fasteners in compartmented trays aboard.

Hey it's all trimming ballast.

FKT

 

[Diarmuid]

We keep a totes informal floating tool co-op going in our town, and it works surprisingly well. For instance, a friend has my large tile saw in storage. If I need it again, we know (roughly) where it is. Couple days ago, I asked him if I could borrow back my 6' rolling scaffold (which he's kept and been using for eight years) to repaint my living room ceiling, and also his identical unit to make it go faster. Another friend was planning to borrow my pancake compressor to experiment with spraying tile glaze, but her physical therapist said he has a more suitable one and lives just down the street. I also have a concrete vibrator and a chain hoist belonging to two other friends. If they want them back, they'll ask.

So what I'm suggesting is you give your tools to people you know, with the understanding you can borrow them again at need. They get use out of them, you get free storage.

 

[Zonker]

Yes, just take them all. Except for stationary power tools like a table saw or a drill press.

Now that I have discovered flex head ratcheting wrenches I will never be without them again.

Or socket extensions that wobble a few degrees. What a lifesaver.

 

[robtoujours]

I keep one of those drill presses that you put your battery powered drill into.

More accurate than the method of using 2-3 progressively larger D shackles to center the drill.

Anything with a ratchet stays on board.

Bosch battery Dremel and accessories is essential. Of course it’s 12V so it annoys me a little I can’t standardise my battery system with my 18V tools…

Like FKT, movable ballast in the form of fasteners in tackle boxes. Trims out the battery bank on port.

Some people use full size vises with success but I prefer this;

 

[El Borracho]

You nervous heavy cruisers should carry all possible tools. I might need to borrow the odd one someday. In 20 years of cruising I have not carried more than would fit in a regular hand carry toolbox. Have never lacked anything critical. Even rebuilt one diesel and replaced another. Tin snips on a boat? Really? All three? I got rid of the PO’s claw hammer after failing to find a single nail on the ship.
I’m considering adding a cordless drill motor and angle grinder. Seems profligate, though. The angle grinder might allow deleting the one tool that does not fit in the toolbag: The huge rigging cutters.

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

You nervous heavy cruisers should carry all possible tools. I might need to borrow the odd one someday.

Funny you should say that, the number of times I've been asked 'Hey can you lend me xxxx....' is legion.

I'm amazed at how few tools & spares most people carry. I guess relying on the kindness of other cruisers works out for them.

FKT

 

[thinwater]

Some of all three.

Another consideration is the likelyhood that you will be able to borrow it or find it quickly and cheaply. Taps or micrometer, probably not. Large pipe wrench or hammer, probably yes. As a consultant I travel with a backpack of tools. I carry the small, weird stuff, and borrow the big heavy stuff I know a plant will have. Also, can I improvise. I love my metal bandsaw, but I carry a hacksaw (several types) and blades.

 

[accnick]

Funny you should say that, the number of times I've been asked 'Hey can you lend me xxxx....' is legion.

I'm amazed at how few tools & spares most people carry. I guess relying on the kindness of other cruisers works out for them.

FKT

I ran into that a lot.

The cruisers around us knew we carried tools and spares galore. I had a fitted backpack toolbag to take with me to other boats. I would have drowned if I had fallen overboard with it. (I still have that one on my current boat. it hasn't gotten any lighter over the last 25 years.)

We even had cruiser kids asking us (most politely) if we had any microwave popcorn we could spare.

We almost always did.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

give your tools to people you know, with the understanding you can borrow them again at need

My chop saw and many clamps have had a much better life in my buddy's moms garage compared to my condo.

 

[SloopJonB]

Make note of the tools you actually use on your boat and keep them on board.

No need for full sets of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch sockets sets when you only need about 1/2 dozen of them.

Same with wrenches, screwdrivers etc. If you change all screws to Robertson you will only need 4 drivers.

Note: this applies to maintenance tools, not construction tools - no bench sanders, chop saws and the like.

Tools should never be given away - that's what inheritance and estate sales are for.

 

[Navig8tor]

Worked on several vessels that carried 50-60 k worth of engine and system spares only to find the bit that breaks is seldom if ever in the spare inventory.
For me it depends where you intend to go -getting a critical part these days is a credit card and a good courier away unless you’re going really remote places you know where the place the part arrives is a week or more away from where you are.

Like Sloop mentions stick to the tools you need to strip down or re-assemble most things on board.
Finding the 18v Drill pack battery can now power the on board Vacuum and a 4” Grinder and several other things sure does make things handy.
We carry few actual spares on board with the exception of anodes, impellers a few critical water pump parts, some gaskets and of course oil and coolant also we carry a tube of high temp casket material so we can make something work until we can get somewhere to service it properly.
We got a basic toolbox at the big box hardware store that includes 1/4 sockets metric and imperial, screwdrivers, pliers, hex drives.
Have basic electrical tester wire stripper, shrink and connectors.
The things I have invested in above that are high quality socket handles both long and short handles-the cheap sets don’t typically have a fine enough ratchet meaning in some confined spaces you can barely get to the next click when loosening or tightening things up.
The other is an open/ratchet spanner set -bloody brilliant when the nut is only getting tight a quarter turn at a time and you don’t want to constantly realign an open spanner end.
We were taught to be largely self sufficient especially long distance cruising, with the advent of the World Wide Web and transportation networks that look nothing like 25 years ago the most important thing in your onboard toolbox is a credit card and an internet connection.
Sad in a way I quite enjoyed playing MacGyver.

 

[woodtick]

I stowed one corded mini grinder and zip blade aboard, toolbox is 19xx7". Lots of electrical connectors and such. 2 years ago the wife and I were stuck in a blow New years eve, and day,she forbid me to move the boat to collect our prawn traps. I happily installed nice LED strip to replace the 12" flourescence and cabin bulb lighting... No fixture change, and was happy. I still have some LED strip left on the boat, about 8 ounces, or double what I need or used. I use my grinder for all kinds of stuff, hopefully not to cut the stays though..... but it's there!

 

[Startracker]

We keep a totes informal floating tool co-op going in our town, and it works surprisingly well. For instance, a friend has my large tile saw in storage. If I need it again, we know (roughly) where it is. Couple days ago, I asked him if I could borrow back my 6' rolling scaffold (which he's kept and been using for eight years) to repaint my living room ceiling, and also his identical unit to make it go faster. Another friend was planning to borrow my pancake compressor to experiment with spraying tile glaze, but her physical therapist said he has a more suitable one and lives just down the street. I also have a concrete vibrator and a chain hoist belonging to two other friends. If they want them back, they'll ask.

So what I'm suggesting is you give your tools to people you know, with the understanding you can borrow them again at need. They get use out of them, you get free storage.

Just make sure you write down where it bloody well went. I'm currently on the hunt for about 1200$ in crimpers and am extremely irritated about it.