toolbox

Basic tools to make repairs to the various parts of your boat.

Carry only those tools that fit the fasteners that hold the various bits of your boat together and you will have what you need and won’t be burdened by what you don’t. Don Casey

Starter kit:

Advanced kit add-ons. Many of these are useful if you plan to do most of your own work.

Tool General uses Boat uses
Grinder Cut metal, sanding, polish metal or wood etc Polishing prop, cutting SS pipes or sheeting
Dremel Cutting, sanding, etching, engraving wood or glass Sharpening tools, drill bits, customizing wood with art, cutting small areas with precision.
Power drill Drill holes through wood, metal, SS etc Holes for hardware etc.
Orbital sander Sanding Fairing fibreglass, or rounding edges of wood.
Screw extractor (E-Z outs) Removing broken bolts from wood or metal Extracting seized bolts in engine body
Tap and die kit Re-threading stripped bolt holes Engine body hole repair
Bolt cutters Large, cutting through heavy wires or metal Cutting locks or rigging wires
Small hatchet Cutting, whittling wood or other Cutting lines, or through walls in an emergency
Shears Heavy duty cutting Cutting through heavy canvas or rope
Pipe wrench Turning threaded pipes and fittings Tightening or loosening galley plumbing, or stuffing box
Strap wrench (metal band) Loosening and tightening pipes, fixtures and cylindrical items Loosening or tightening oil and fuel filters on engine
Hand-sewing needles 5 assorted straight and 2 curved sailmaker's needles, plus assortment of carpet needles Sail, clothes or canvas repair
Caliper Precious measuring Measuring inside of pipes, diameters of tubes etc
Hole saws Boring round holes Cutting holes for wires, or instruments through wood or fibreglass.
Small manual pump Extracting water, oil or sewage water Oil changes, pumping out bilge water
Heat gun Stripping paint, shrink wrapping, softening adhesives or plastics Softening hoses for insertion, shrink wrapping electrical connections etc
Right angle screwdriver Tightening or loosening screws with limited clearance Removing screws from engine
Jigsaw Cutting holes, shapes and curves in wood Making complex custom wood projects
Small bench vice Holding wood or metal in place for cutting or drilling —

We prefer not to have too many overly specialized tools that we only ever use once every 3 years, like a rivet gun, a grease gun or a swage tool. In a boatyard, there is always someone who will have these, and we're certain that they'll be more than happy to lend them to you.