What tools do you find useful for repairing your boat on the water?
JD Winston
Inactive
Chanhassen, MN
Posts: 899
IDO » Forums » Fishing Forums » General Discussion Forum » Boat tools…what do you carry?
What tools do you find useful for repairing your boat on the water?
I was just thinking about this subject today thanks for asking JD it will be interesting.May take a while due to the weekend to get answers.
All I can say is that you’ll never have everything you’ll ever “need”.
I have:
Wire stripper
Screwdrivers (the kind without vodka)
Needle nose pliers
Vise grips (I believe this is a must have)
I probably have more but that’s all I can think of for now.
What tools do you find useful for repairing your boat on the water?
“On the water” repairs have been few and far between. For a water blockage of the tattle tail stream, a piece of wire and a couple zip ties if I need to remove a hose. A few spare fuses (not really a tool but I carry them). A roll of black electrical tape, a pair of pliers and /or a multi tool, a spare bilge plug and a spare bulb for the navigation lights.
In the truck I carry a fairly complete tool kit. (no specialty tools)
One thing I don’t carry is a spare prop or the means to change one.
Jumper cables, small socket set, screwdrivers and some miscellaneous electrical connectors and crimper.
DT
Extra plugs, extra fuel line, lighters, koozies, pliers, prop pins, razor(should just get wire strippers), might have some margarita salt laying around, umbrellas(for drinks not rain), extra hat, extra sunglasses, gloves, fly fishing net(compact) in case I forget big one, micro screwdrivers for fixing reels or glasses, first aid kit(unless it needs to be amputated,we’re staying on the water), Hammer(pun intended), wire cutter(motor work and hook removal), extra fuses, couple cuban cigars(in case that 35″ eye is caught), list goes on….
I actually have maybe a quarter of this list, but one day when I have big boy boat like yours JD ya betcha I’m going to have all of em!!
cuban cigars(in case that 35″ eye is caught)
I recommend actually putting those to use.
Add duct tape and a channel locks to DT’s list and you’d have the”tool tote” that’s in my boat.
I carry one of those nifty pre-fab tool kits that has sockets, wrenches, screwdrive with different bits, etc. To this I added Visegrips, plumber’s pliars, hammer, larger adjustable wrench, and a few other tools. I’ve used the tool kit more to help other people than I have for my own use, but I feel better that it’s there.
One of the really useful things to have is a lug wrench that’s in a compartment that’s easy to get to from the safe side of the boat. Your truck’s lug wrench will almost never fit your trailer lugs unless you’re lucky or planned it that way.
One of the most important things to have on board these days is a cell phone charger and a spare. Dead phones call for no help.
Also make sure you have a tow rope that will tow your boat. With boats these days often going north of 3000 pounds, using the ol’ rotten anchor line that’s 15 years old is a setup for disaster.
Grouse
My tool kit consists of
Wire to clean tell tail
Metal file
Small set of wrenches to remove jet foot
Spare impeller and impeller keys
Spare foot on long trips
Fuses
Electrical tape and butt splicers
Extra drain plug
pliers, jackknife, two screwdrivers, duct tape, electrical tape, light, lighter, WD-40, gorilla glue, wrench for the prop.
Tell tail: where the motor pees.
Jet foot: essentially the lower unit of a jet motor. no prop.
FDR
I actually have maybe a quarter of this list, but one day when I have big boy boat like yours JD ya betcha I’m going to have all of em!!
Hey hammie, it only took me 46 years to get my hands on this boat and I’m already overwhelmed with the learning that I need to do to get it rigged right to keep it safe and utilitarian.
Thanks to all the guys in this thread for sharing. I have a much better shopping list now that I never would have thought of by myself.
All I can say is that you’ll never have everything you’ll ever “need”.
First off, yes anything can break down at the most inopportune time. That said, the best tool is “proper at home on going maintenance”. Take care of your equipment and it will take care of you.
The older the engine the more tools. Usually when newer engines break they aren’t fixable on the water. I carry basic tools, plugs and a spare water separator filter. Both times my main motor quit it lost a piston. My kicker got me home.
2 fundamental things. Other than taking hooks out of a few people’s hands, these are about the only things I have needed to use:
Side Cutters is a #1 must not only for your partners but the occasional guy you meet on the water or on the boat ramp that doesn’t need to goto the emergency room to get the hook out of there hand, pliers pliers pliers, split ring pliers is always a nice thing to have, TP, Duct tape, electrical tape, a fish counter ( for the good days), a small toolkit with a couple of sockets, screwdriver with the proper bits alot of boats these days have Torx, fuses, a sharp knife in case you get stuck in the prop, a tow rope in case your buddy breaks down, jumper cables, and a bucket.
Side cutter and/or a bolt cutter I found is a must… for either extracting buried hooks in a fish’s mouth – or in your partner’s hand…
I keep a breaker bar and socket for the tire lug nuts in the boat, For many of the newer trailers (and Ranger) you will also need an allen wrench to remover the hub cover.
-J.
Question for the Yamaha/Skeeter guys: what type of fuses does the 200 inline four stroke and WX1910 take? Also, how about type of drain plug? Thanks.
I carry a small plastic tool box. I think it was actually a tackle box which has two fold up sectioned trays that open up as you fold the lid back. This box goes with me everywhere. It is in the boat for the boating season but goes in the vehicle the rest of the year or for road trips without the boat. I’ve been tempted to get a bigger one over the years but decided to keep it small so I would always find room for it. It always surprises me how much this small box will hold. I have 1/2 and 3/8 drive rachets with popular standard and metric sockets, spark plug sockets, screw drivers, crescent wrench, wrenches through 5/8, punch, pliers, side cutter. knife, wire stripper/crimper, telescoping magnet, and lots more. The trays hold all kinds of bolts, nuts, wire ties, fuses, spark plug gap tools etc. I haven’t needed the tools often but they are worth their weight in gold when you do.
Not sure if anyone else put zip ties, but a good smattering of these in various sizes are extremely helpful!
Joel
I’ll keep a prop wrench with spare prop, also I’ve found that a roll of that silicone tape will work great if you discover that your bilge hose has sprung a leak. After watching that commercial for the spray sealant you might want to keep a can of that handy just in case somebody shoots a cannon ball through the hull.
I’ll keep a prop wrench with spare prop, also I’ve found that a roll of that silicone tape will work great if you discover that your bilge hose has sprung a leak. After watching that commercial for the spray sealant you might want to keep a can of that handy just in case somebody shoots a cannon ball through the hull.
Prop wrench is an excellent suggestion. Or an adjustable that you’re sure is big enough to fit the prop nut.
On any trip to Canada, I always take a tube of ShoeGoo adhesive or similar like Sportsman’s GOOP.
I have repaired a rock-punctured hull in Canada using Sportsman’s Goop and a cut-apart Bud Light can. One could make the argument that this is the best possible use for Bud Light… Pour beer on ground and use can as boat patch…
I glued the alum. can patch to the outside of the hull and used duct tape to hold the patch flat and in place until the Goop dried, which takes about 30 minutes. The resulting patch was on so well it was totally watertight and it took a major effort to remove it later for a “proper” repair.
Grouse
First aid kit
various electrical thingamabobs and doodads
spare spark plug and plug wrench
emergency pull cord
extra plug
flashlight & extra batteries
Knipex
Beretta 9mm (in case all else fails and you have to scuttle)
Those of you that carry spare props, what do you store them in? Worried about corrosion and damage from bumpy rides.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.