Having worked on our boat for the last seven years, we have found that there are some essential tools that you will need to have on your boat. The links below show what we would likely buy if we had to do it again, although not necessarily the ones we have.
If you don't see the links, you may need to disable your ad-blocker.
-
Cordless Electric Drill
Of all the tools you need on a boat, this one is essential. You will need to drill holes in stuff.
-
Drill Bits up to 1/2"
You will need bits to about 3/8" in SAE sizes. You will also need a bit about two sizes larger than the largest hole you will make in your fiberglass to relieve the edges. This keeps the fiberglass from cracking.
-
Cordless Dremel Tool
We have found a Dremel tool, especially a cordless one, to be an essential tool on the boat. We use this thing all the time.
-
Dremel Sanding Bit and Routing Bit
Of the 50 different bits we have for the Dremel, we find that there are two that we use the most: A course sanding bit and a router bit.
-
A Right-angle Attachment for the Dremel.
We find that there are times that you can't get the Dremel into a tight space. The right-angle attachment makes it work.
-
Digital Volt Meter
You have to have a volt-meter on board.
-
Long Wire with Alligator Clips
This is something we made. Get a long piece of wire and attach alligator clips to both ends. This is used with the volt meter (actually the ohm-meter on it) for doing connectivity tests. The wire should be at least half the length of your boat.
-
Straight-slot and Phillips Screwdrivers
You will need a variety of straight-slot and Phillips screwdrivers. We use the Phillips ones way more than the straight-slot. Have more than one of the Phillips sizes will help, because you will misplace them. You might think that would be impossible on a 22 foot boat, but you'd be wrong because you'll set something on top of it or it will roll behind something.
-
Awl
The number of times we use the awl is pretty large. Just having a pokey thing to open 4200 tubes and stick in screw holes is nice.
-
Vice Grips in Several Sizes
We use these all the time for both clamping and when one of the other wrenches we have isn't the right size.
-
Open Wrenches in SAE Sizes
You will need these.
-
Wrench for Battery Terminals
The standard battery terminal is 10mm. Keep a wrench near the batteries just for this.
-
Ratcheting Wrenches is 8 SAE Sizes
We find these way more useful than a socket wrench and use them all the time. There are a handful of times we've need the socket wrench when access is tight, but we don't keep it on the boat.
-
Adjustable Crescent Wrench
For those times you can't find the other wrench you need or need a second one in the same size at the same time.
-
Wire Strippers
Find good wire strippers. They should be labeled for stranded wires and work for 10 AWG to 22 AWG. Stranded wires are thicker than solid wires.
-
Crimping Tool
For the wire connectors. Get the clamp type.
-
Heat Gun
Much better than an open flame for heat shrink. However, requires an AC socket on the boat, either shore power or a generator.
-
Utility Knife
You'll need to cut things.
-
Scissors
Good sharp scissors. We prefer ones with metal handles for the boat.
-
Head Lamps
Get one that is really bright for project work. Get several others that are cheap and adequate for coming and going to the dock in the dark.
-
Flashlights
In bulk, flashlights are cheaper than the batteries they come with. When they stop working, throw them away.
-
Parts Box
Keep your connectors, screws, clevis pins, cotter coils, etc. neatly sorted.
-
Claw Hammer
Not needed often, as it is overkill. Still carry it.
-
Rubber Hammer
We use this way more than the claw hammer as we are usually not banging on metal.
-
Needle Nose Pliers
An extension of your fingers for hard to reach things. Also useful when whipping lines to make that final pull on the thread.
-
Klein Bottle Opener
We don't know how you open a klein bottle, but this tool manages somehow. This is a math joke.
-
Electric Pump for Inflatable Dinghy
Get one with an auto shut off at a given PSI.
-
Battery Pack for Electric Pump and Other Stuff
This thing will power the pump, recharge your cell phone, power medical devices, and just all-round handy to have. The EXP48 is the largest size lithium ion battery you can take on a plane.
-
Hand-held VHF
What if you get demasted? There went your antenna for your fixed VHF. Perform your own radio checks. We keep this one in the cockpit and use it much more frequently than the permanently fixed one when contacting a marina or another nearby boat. Also useful for taking on the dinghy.
-
Portable Generator
Recharges batteries at anchor. Fits in the port side lazerette on the Catalina 22 (width on the generator is only 10.25" despite what the product description says). Also useful for running the heat gun on shrink wrap when working on AC wiring. We bring it to the boat when it will be useful.
-
Center Punch
You will need to center punch sometimes before drilling a hole.
And these supplies should be kept on the boat:
-
3M 4000 and 4200 Fast Cure Sealant
These act as sealants and glue. We have 5200 as well but have never used it. The higher the number, the more permanent it is.
-
Butyl Tape
Use this for stuff where seating stuff needs to be water tight, but not act as glue. Particularly useful for making things water tight that are through-bolted.
-
Blue Painter's Tape
Keep a roll handy. We have a million uses for this on board: labeling things, temporarily attaching things, temporarily covering holes in the deck we are planning to seal tomorrow, hanging a plastic bag under where we are about to drill a hole in the fiberglass, etc.
-
Black Electrical Tape
We hate this stuff, but occasionally it is useful. Use it exclusively for covering exposed electrical wires. Use something else for every other use.
-
Yellow Electrical Tape
Use this for marking the ends of black DC negative wires that come with devices. We use yellow for DC negative on the boat, but some of the stuff we bought comes with black negative wires that can't be replaced. In those cases we wrap the ends with yellow tape to identify them as DC negative.
-
Automotive Tape
For providing attachment of stuff that you may want to remove later. This is awesome for attachments to fiberglass where a screw could cause a problem.
-
Duct Tape
We hate this stuff, too, but if you need a quick temporary patch on an air mattress or dinghy it's the right thing to have. Use blue tape almost everywhere else.
-
Two-sided Velcro
It has the fuzzy side and the hook side on the same strip, so sticks to itself. Useful when you need to group stuff. Cut to the length needed. Use this instead of black electrical tape for grouping wires.
-
Wire Ends
Rings, forks, joiners in 10 AWG to 22 AWG, especially 14-16 blue forks. 10-12 AWG are yellow, 14-16 AWG are blue, 18-22 AWG are red. Get ones that are heat-shrink.
-
Electrical Heat Shrink
In a variety of sizes and colors.
-
Paper Towels
You just need these in bulk.
-
Lint-free Rags
Useful for applying teak oil and other solvents.
-
Teak Oil
We use Starbright teak oil, which is tung oil. Makes our teak look beautiful without being sticky or drippy.
-
Spray 9 Cleaning Fluid
Work great for cleaning stuff.
-
Melamine Sponges
Exactly the same stuff as Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, but 1/10th the cost. If it won't come off with a paper towel, this will almost always get it off or clean.
-
Nitrile Gloves
For handling gasoline, porta-potty, solvents, and other things you don't want on your hands. Keep them readily accessible, not buried in a locker, so you'll put them on before getting your hands dirty.
-
FSR Fiberglass Stain Remover
If Spray 9 and a melamine sponge won't remove something from the fiberglass, this will. Put some on, leave it a few minutes, then wash it off. It's magic for cleaning grime off the hull. Don't use it where it will get into the water, though, as it is a very mild acid.
-
Stainless Steel Screws, Bolts, Washers, Lock-Washers, Nuts
We keep a parts box of a wide variety of these. Keep a magnet for checking them. Anything that easily sticks to the magnet is not stainless and should be tossed off the boat as it will rust.
