Aside from the very basic tools needed aboard a cruising yacht, below is a short list of other equally important, but not absolutely vital, tools that are very handy to have WHEN YOU NEED THEM!
Keeping in mind that whenever you can, try to find stainless steel tools and always have a place to store them away from the salt water environment. It is also best to spray them with some non corrosive product like WD-40 or T-9 Corrosion Block to keep them in good condition.
- Socket Wrenches
- Various files
- Torque wrench (absolutely necessary for any engine repair work)
- Feeler gauges
- Pipe wrench for those hard to open thru hull nuts etc.
- Crow bar
- Small screw drivers, both flat and Philips head, for electronic repair
- Bronze or stainless steel brushes
- Flexible drive for ABA hose clamps (Greatest tool since the Leatherman) Don’t leave home without it. AND use ONLY ABA all stainless steel hose clamps as this tool works only with ABA hose clamps and has the extra bonus of have having a socket drive to fit the screws on these great clamps
- Needle nose pliers
- Oil filter wrench
- Off-set screw drivers
Handy to have: a small hand plane, good big tweezers, magnetic stick to get items out of a deep bilge, long grab stick for same function, long handled mirror to see in tight places, wire cutters for electrical wire and crimping, wire cutters for ss rigging (best are the hydraulic ones but quite expensive), wheel puller, hose cutter, soldering Iron or gun in gas.
Then, of course, if you have an inverter, generator, or just plug into shore power: Electric Drill with good carbide bits, Hole Saws to use with electric drill, Electric Jitter Bug sander (and the sand paper to fit).
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