Perfect C-Dory tool kit would consist of?

A pair of stainless needle nose pliers. Good for taking the cotter pin out when switching to your spare prop. Get one that also has a wire cutter. A wrench that fits your prop nut. They make plastic ones. Don't bother. Figure out what you need and get a real metal one. Mine uses 22mm and I got one from China for about $5. Cheap plastic prop wrench is about $15 and on line reviews said they break easily. Think about attaching a lanyard to both of these so that when you are in an awkward position trying to switch props, you don't have to also worry about dropping the necessary tools in the drink.

Those two items and a SS Leatherman type multi-tool are about it for me on board. And a fillet knife for cleaning fish. And an oyster knife (my tool that gets the most use).

If you tow, you'll need another tool kit for the rig. Jack, tire iron, portable air compressor, self-jumping gizmo in case of a dead battery. These things are often kept in some nifty place under a floor panel, but if you're towing it's likely that this will be covered with boat stuff when you need it. I pull this stuff out and have them ready so that I don't have to empty out the entire back end if I have a problem.

Mark
 
I have 3 levels of tool kits: (Plus some spares and other implements)

!. First hangs by the door on the starboard side all on carabiners, so they are rapidly removed:
Gerber Multi tool, a 3 pocket belt sheath which has: mini LED mag light, Leatherman 'wave, and a Swiss Army knife-one which has all of the blades, including magnifying glass, saw, file, various screwdrivers, etc. Also on this is a Buck Sheath knife with sharp 5" blade. Also there is a waterproof combo strobe and flashlight by ACR, and two emergency whistles. On the Port side, is a 3 D Cell Mag light, and 2 head lamps, which both have red, broad white and spot white LED bulbs.

2. I have two abut10" x 6" x 3" interlocking boxes on the shelf in front of the navigator's station:
A Irwin screw driver with two size Phillips, flat, and Robertson (square drive--as most of the screws in the C Dory are Robertson screws). A mini small screwdriver, and a set of jeweler's screwdrivers. A set of picks, and Swiss files.
A pocket digital volt meter, a 10' length of #14 wire with alligator clips on both ends, zipper and snap lubricant, assortment of fuses, a ratchet box wrench to fit common sizes for fittings (such as the stand off for the Garhauer Davit. An inspection mirror, rescue silicone tape, high quality electrical tape, a small tube of "goop" JB weld "Kwick" some double stick tape and spare velcro, Several velcro straps, and a number of plastic electrical ties (used to mouse shackles) Pair of small and medium size round jaw Vise Grips. There is s small assortment of nuts, screws and machine bolts in assorted sizes. Also a 4" crescent wrench and 1/2" ratchet handle--fits the windlass--plus the tool which came with the windlass. A help the old man put the snaps on and off tool is also present.

I have another tackle box, about 12" x 8" x 4" double sided, with spare nuts bolts, fittings, wire, crimp fittings, heat shrink tubing, back up fuses, and all sorts of repair items. Also with this is an extra impeller kit, fuel filters, extra oil filter, a strap wrench, and extra engine drain gaskets (lower unit and engine oil)--also complete set of extra crown nut, several extra cotter pins, and thrust washer for the prop. Prop Wrench. Also tube of sealant, like 4000. Also one spool heavy net twine, several 50' hanks for 1/8" dacron line, spare dock and anchor lines.

Hanging below the helm, is a flat poly mesh bag, which has Diagonal wire cutters (dikes), fishing leader crimpers, two SS long nose pliers--one Longer than the other. a steel fid, and parallel jaw pliers.

3. In a heavy duty tool bag on the bottom under the helm seat:
Electrical Crimpers, 12" crescent wrench, monkey wrench, set of box wrenches in metric and SAE sizes, set of deep sockets, metric and SAW, with 12" torque wrench and extension.
Medium ball peen hammer, a couple of drift punches, one cold chisel, a 1/2" wide flat screwdriver socket drive, --for opening the lower unit lube ports, flat and phillips stubby screwdriver, couple of flat large screw drivers, small pry bar, set of allen keys in Metric and sae. Chain and large and needle nose Vise Grips. Mill bastard files, triangular file, wood 4 in hand rasp, rat tail file, small hot glue gun, with extra glue sticks. sharpening stones, Hack saw blades, with plastic handle. A small refillable butane micro torch/soldering iron, with some solder of different types. Butane refill.(kept separately)

I also carry a multi speed Dremel tool, with all bits and cutters, different size mandrels, 6 size drill bits, metal and plastic cut off wheels, several grits of small and medium sanding wheel, flap sanding wheel, polishing wheel, and rouge, carbine bits as well as steel bits, grinding stones. (these all fit in a fabric zippered envelope about 14" x 4",) The bits etc are in small plastic box.

I also have a hatchet (works as a large hammer if necessary) and German Army folding shovel. hoe, & pick plus Machete.

In the lazarette, there are several bottles of engine oil, one container of lower unit oil, one bottle of hydraulic fluid and tubing, funnels, (for various oils, and filling cans etc).
 
What ever Bob said plus, some hose clamps, a grease gun with extra grease. A complete set of bearings and a wheel seal. Block of wood for driving seal into place. Boat Us unlimited towing plus, trailer assist, and a fistful of cash. Bob had to buy another trailer in route so poo happens. No joke about the cash or a healthy limit on your credit cards.
D.D.
 
We keep knives and multi purpose tool in a cup holder by helm with pens and Sharpie, battery nut wrench and fuel cap tool. In the tackle box more tools, knives, needle nose pliers and heavy duty cutter to cut hooks. We have a large free lab specimen shipping container that is larger than a 50 cal ammo box with screwdrivers, sockets, wrenches, zip ties, extension, ratchet, sandpaper, wide blade cutter, string, magnet, DVM, electircal tape, magic tape, rescue tape, wax toilet bowl ring, real slip joint pliers, extra fuel filter with bowl, strap wrench, dispo gloves, 2 part epoxy and other stuff. It is packed full and I often open it and add and remove stuff, like added a Sharpie pen, fuses, crimp-er, crimps and some electrical wire. Box is too full for spray electrical cleaner, extra light bulbs, dielectric grease. Work in progress - next time will review it. I like Bob's system and ideas
 
Hi Ken!
We respect your vast experience exploring West Florida's coast and rivers and enjoyed meeting you at our Sarasota Moorings adventure in Dec 2014.
I've come around to thinking that what you should keep onboard depends on your 'where you are in life' perspective. Where we are is, every boating weekend is a blessing, and we might get 26 in a season, half limited by bad weather or small craft advisories or manning shortfalls at work for me or for Eileen. Of the remaining 12 weekends, over 50% of our 'ruined' boating weekends historically were due to trailer tires or boat batteries, so we are very aggressive in replacing both (tires and batteries at 4 years from mfg date not buy date).
After we retire in July, we'll be off off all days, not just weekends, and if a bad tire or bad battery ruins our plans, it's no big deal anymore. I'll keep these Sears Platinum 2013 (re-branded Odessey group 31's) til the weakest one fails, then replace the 3 with Northstars when WestMarine has a sale.
I agree with all above, plus have spare OEM fuel filters and spark plugs, and props + parts, nut drivers for every pipe clamp on the boat, but no spare kitchen sink like Bob.
I'd be interested in what YOU take, based on your experience to date.
Happy Boating!
John
 
Two must haves aboard immediately available are a sharp knife and
secondary anchor ready to deploy.

Frankly, a "perfect tool kit" is an oxymoron. If you need and use
everything in it, you may have chosen the wrong past time.

I like prevention and the "KISS" principle.

Aye.
Grandma used to say, "Less is more."
Grandpa used to say, "Knowing what the future holds is purely imaginary."
 
There is a big difference between "perfect" and "perfectly good".

Some of the suggestions seem like overkill to me. However, where you intend to and how long you will do it is going make a difference in your selections.

Also, the general state of repair of your boat will determine how much you actually use the stuff in the tool box.

You also have to ask yourself how much can you actually repair yourself "out in the field". Either because of your personal skill level and ability or because of the lack of auxiliary equipment (e.g. engine hoist). If there is actually a case where I need lower unit oil while cruising, I'd think I'd have much bigger problems to deal with. Other than things needed to keep the engine running and the steering working, everything else on the boat is optional equipment which we can either live without for awhile or has redundancy (cell phone for radio, tablet for chart plotter). If you have a kicker, you don't even need to fix the main engine if you don't want to.

If you have an electronics failure in the engine, you're pretty much done, not matter what tools you have on hand.

I have some tools on board. However, for where we go and how long we are out, the only tools on my boat that I have used so far (knock on wood) is the wrench for installing the drain plug and the square drive bit for the screws on the windows (to take the support off the center window to place the A/C unit).

I have had more issues with trailer tires than anything on the boat itself.
 
Agree with ssobol. If you don't have the expertise to use the tools, no reason to have them. We often to into remote areas--and have for many years.
I always carry shop manuals for the engines. Also agree about electronics--and that is a reason to have a simple kicker.

A couple of examples of what I have had to do: Complete valve job on a generator when crossing the Atlantic: Tools, including valve grinding compound--job done in a couple of hours, and generator running again that night.--Generator not 100% necessity, but it had a 150 amp alternator, to generate 12 volts, and it ran the water maker and water heater. So it made life more luxurious.

On our RIB dinghy 25 hp outboard, I hit a unseen/uncharted rock at speed, and cracked the case of the lower unit. Pulled it, used JB Weld, and put the new fluid in, and continued to use it until a replacement (used commercial lower unit) was obtained.

I had a lot more tools, including a drill press and power tools on the long distance cruising boats.

Trailer tools: I like to have 2 jacks--one floor jack, and one bottle jack. A torque wrench, and socket for the lug nuts. Also I carry a battery operated impact wrench to pull the nuts, and put them back on--sure it can be done by hand. Should be torqued to specs. Also a breaker bar for the lug nuts.

Extra bearings and seals are essential for long distance trailering. I also carry emery cloth and fine wet and dry sand paper, in case I have to repair the spindle--it was scarred up when I had a bearing overheat in Utah. Sure I could have found a place near by to camp, chained up that axle, try and find the nearest place which could work on the trailer, take an extra day or two out of the vacation to have someone else make the repair...

Extra lug nuts, some compressor to be able to air up the tires if low--
Also have pressure/heat sensors on the trailer tires, with a readout in the truck.

No kitchen sink--and having a good set of tools, does not take that much space. I probably spend as much time helping someone who didn't have the tools or parts on their boat, as I have on repairs on my boat. No matter how well prepared or maintained a boat is, things do break... But this is my comfort level.
 
I also like "The Law of Attraction" meaning what you think about happens.

With all that stuff you've thought about getting, planned on using "if", stuffed
into already cramped storage spaces onboard and had to pay for is simply
asking for trouble to occur.

Just listen to a few stories of "this and that" happened to me 50 miles from
nowhere but I had the right stuff to fix it and made it home - "Just lucky", I guess.
Wrong. You set yourself up for it to begin with.

Think about it.

Aye.
 
On the road or on the water, if I had a problem or question I'd sure like to have Bob's expertise to help me!
My accusing him of carrying a spare kitchen sink was in jest...but if I had a problem with my sink I know he'd have the answer!
Thanks Bob! Happy Boating!
John
 
Some things I didn't see mentioned:
1. Rescue Tape. This stuff works magic in many places. Lots of colors too.
http://www.rescuetape.com/
2. Steering system hydraulic oil, 1 qt. Your choice as long as it meets the specs.
3. Engine oil for your outboards. have enough for both main and kicker or twins.
4. JB Weld for metal repair
5. 4200 fast set
6. Duck, Duct or DUK tape, however you spell it. (Gorilla or otherwise.)

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

JC_Lately_SleepyC_Flat_Blue_070.thumb.jpg
 
Jay,
Good find on the rust inhibitive cases. For me, I can see using rust inhibitive liner in the home shop tool chests, since just the humidity and salt air from Perdido Bay make some tools rust. We use a lot of corrosion block. Some steels seem to rust anyway, others never seem to...

Thanks.
 
Too much "fix it" stuff onboard to repair future imaginary calamities and annoying
minor problems takes up valuable space that could be used to store beer*.

On the other hand, I understand alternative views**.

Aye.
Grandpa used to say, "All Boy Scouts learn 'Be Prepared'."
Grandma used to say, "To get what you want, first stop thinking and talking about
what you don't want."

* Please use cans, not glass bottles.
Grandpa used to say, "Safety first."

** Of course, canned and box wine as well as plastic liquor bottles may be
considered per palatal preference.
 
Someone commented on a similar thread that having most of the spare parts, and even more tools than you can use:

Shops don't always have just the parts you need, and it can be slow to get them.

Good Samaritans can fix things for you if you have the tools and parts.

And per the old "perhaps the donkey will learn to fly" joke, in an emergency you just might figure out how to do more that you think you can.
 
Foggy said:
* Please use cans, not glass bottles.


**cans may be considered per palatal preference.
Agree, cans are considered safer on a boat and can be crushed when empty to take up less space. Interesting to me though - in 1999 we toured east - Bay Of Fundy, Nova Scotia and P.E.I. The owner of the cottage we rented on P.E.I. explained to me why they sold very few drinks in cans on the island. Almost everything was in bottles. He said glass when it finds its way into the ocean will break and be turned into "sea glass" within a short time. Very harmless and environmentally friendly compared to an aluminum can which may float, looks like trash and can retain sharp edges which can harm people and wildlife.



Agree, for me the perfect beer is a Heineken, poured into a glass at just the right temp.(not too cold) to enjoy its taste and aroma. Might be my imagination but I swear I can tell if it came from a bottle or can.
8) :roll:

Rob
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