I am at risk of bragging, but I think I’m good with mechanical things. And, I generally enjoy working on the boat’s systems. Our Sanctuary occasionally offers up the chance to work on her, sometimes in “exotic places” (Ahh! The definition of “cruising,”) Following is a list of hand tools I find useful. Specialty items are listed in red. I find the specialty items incredibly useful, if only used occasionally. For the tasks they are good at, such as accessing a bolt head in a very limited and tight space, there is nothing else that will do the job.
I suggest the reader use this list to assess personal hand tool requirements. If not a DIYer, a small subset will do. With these tools, many DIY projects are possible.
Stubby 7/16″ ratcheting combination wrench with 7/16″ hex-drive stubby socket
Here, for example, is a photo of the Sears hex socket in a GearWrench stubby ratcheting combination wrench. It is the only combination of tools I know of that allows me to remove the cover on my raw water pump without pulling the entire pump off the engine boss. The Craftsman 3/8″ deepwell socket set I mention has the only socket that is both the right size and is physically short enough to fit onto the fuel shutoff solenoid on a Cummins 4B/6B injection pump without having to pull the pump off the engine. So I grant, these are not tools that will be used every day, but when they’re are needed to do a job, nothing else will do.
| ✓ | Qty | Tool | Source |
| □ | 1 | 12 oz claw hammer | |
| □ | 1 | 8 oz stubby ballpeen hammer | |
| □ | 1 | #1 Phillips screwdriver, 6” | Crafstman |
| □ | 2 | #2 Phillips screwdriver, 6” | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | #3 Phillips screwdriver, 6” | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | #1 straight blade screw driver, 4” | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | #2 straight blade screw driver, 6” | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | #2 straight blade screw driver, 6” square shank | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | #3 straight blade screw driver, 12” square shank | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 set | jeweler’s screw drivers | |
| □ | 1 set | screwdriver’s w/hex bolster (shank end or butt end) | Internet |
| □ | 1 | screw starter, Phillips head | |
| □ | 1 | screw starter, straight head | |
| □ | 1 set | combination wrenches, ratcheting box end, SAE | GearWrence |
| □ | 1 set | combination wrenches, ratcheting box end, SAE, stubby | GearWrence |
| □ | 1 set | combination wrenches, ratcheting box end, Metric | GearWrence |
| □ | 1 set | combination wrenches, ratcheting box end, Metric, stubby | GearWrence |
| □ | 1 set | tubing wrenches, SAE | GearWrence |
| □ | 1 set | tubing wrenches, Metric | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | miniature adjustable wrench | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 6” adjustable wrench | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 8” adjustable wrench | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 10” adjustable wrench | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 12” adjustable wrench | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 1/4” socket set, SAE | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 1/4” socket set, Metric | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 1/4” socket wrench | Craftsman |
| □ | selection | 1/4” extensions | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 3/8” socket set, SAE | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 3/8” socket set, Metric | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 3/8” socket wrench | Craftsman |
| □ | selection | 3/8” extensions | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 1/2” socket set, SAE | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 1/2” socket set, Metric | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 1/2” socket wrench | Craftsman |
| □ | set | 1/4” deep well sockets | Craftsman |
| □ | set | 3/8” deep well sockets (recommend # 34567) | Craftsman |
| □ | set | 1/2” deep well sockets | Craftsman |
| □ | selection | 1/2” extensions | Craftsman |
| □ | selection | male and female socket-to-drive size adapters | Craftsman |
| □ | set | 1/2”, 3/8” and 1/2” Universal joint adapters | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 1/2” , micrometer style, torque wrench, 20-150# | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | style=”color: #ff0000;”>35 Pc MicroDriver Set #85035 | GearWrench |
| □ | 1 | Do it Best 4 Pc Adapter Set #397539 | GearWrench |
| □ | 1 | 3/4 in. Wrench Socket #42067 (shallow sockets) | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | 10” “Ford” wrench | |
| □ | 1 | 10” plumber’s wrench | |
| □ | 2 | 24” plumber’s wrench | |
| □ | 1 | Sea Strainer wrench | Marine Chandlery |
| □ | 2 | deck key wrench | |
| □ | 1 | strap wrench, small | |
| □ | 1 | strap wrench, large | |
| □ | 1 | chain wrench | |
| □ | 1 | locking chain pliers | |
| □ | 1 | Lineman’s Pliers | Channellock |
| □ | 1 | utility pliers | Channellock |
| □ | selection | Sliding joint pipe pliers | Channellock |
| □ | 1 | needle nose pliers | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | needle nose pliers, miniature | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | circlip pliers, inside | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | circlip pliers, outside | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | wire stripper | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | diagonal cutter (dikes) | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | Vise grip, small | |
| □ | 1 | Vise grip, large | |
| □ | selection | SAE taps | Craftsman |
| □ | selection | SAE die | Craftsman |
| □ | selection | Metric taps | Craftsman |
| □ | selection | Metric die | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | vise; Z VISE by Zylizz (pronounced: ZY-liss) | Internet |
| □ | selection | putty knife | |
| □ | 1 | Marine ratcheting double-crimp tool | Ancor |
| □ | 1 | ratcheting modular plug crimp tool (RJ45, RJ11) | Big Box, Hdwr |
| □ | selection | Allen Keys, SAE | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 set | Allen Keys, Metric | Craftsman |
| □ | 1 | ClampTite Emergency Clamping tool | Internet |
| □ | selection | drill bits, titanium | |
| □ | selection | drill bits, brad point | |
| □ | selection | drill bits, paddle face | |
| □ | selection | seal/o-ring removal picks | |
| □ | selection | dental picks | auto parts store |
| □ | 1 | EMS Scissors | Hdwr, pharmacy |
| □ | 1 | spring hook | |
| □ | 1 | Utility hand pump, water | |
| □ | 1 | Utility hand pump, petrochemicals | |
| □ | 1 | impeller puller | |
| □ | selection | hole saws | Big Box, Hdwr |
| □ | 1 | hole saw arbor | Big Box, Hdwr |
| □ | 1 | 6” vernier caliper, plastic (steel rusts) | auto parts store |
| □ | selection | ss, brass & plastic bristle brushes | |
| □ | 1 | miniature hacksaw and blades | |
| □ | 1 | Std hacksaw and blades | |
| □ | selection | cabinet maker’s rasps | |
| □ | selection | flat bastard files | |
| □ | set | flat feeler gauges | |
| □ | 1 | measuring tape | |
| □ | 1 | 1/2” round wire brush | |
| □ | 1 | utility wire brush | |
| □ | 1 | mirror on extendable handle | |
| □ | 1 | magnet on extendable handle | |
| □ | 1 | lost part retrieval tool | |
| □ | selection | LED flashlight(s) | |
| □ | set | screw extractors | Craftsman |
| □ | selection | electrical connectors (red, blue, yellow) | |
| □ | selection | 12 AWG wire | |
| □ | selection | 10 AWG wire | |
| □ | 1 | fish tape (electrical wiring) | |
| □ | selection | electrical tape; black, red, white, green | |
| □ | 1 container | High Vacuum Grease; Dow Corning | |
| □ | selection | wire ties, black | |
| □ | selection | wire ties, white | |
| □ | selection | wire ties, miniature, misc. colors | |
| □ | 1 | 6” carpenter’s square | |
| □ | 1 | 12” spirit level | |
| □ | selection | Rescue tape; black, red, white, green | |
| □ | 1 | tubing bender (steel, copper) | |
| □ | 1 | 1/2” miniature pry bar | |
| □ | 1 | 1” miniature pry bar | |
| □ | 1 | 12” pry bar | |
| □ | selection | 1/4”, 1/2”, 3/4” and 1” wood chisels | |
| □ | 1 | pulley puller, 2-leg | auto parts store |
| □ | 1 | pulley puller, 3-leg | auto parts store |
| □ | 1 | puller, “H” style | auto parts store |
| □ | 1 | razor scraper w/blades | |
| □ | selection | wood working saws | |
| □ | 1 | drill gauge, SAE | |
| □ | 1 | drill gauge, Metric | |
| □ | 1 | thread gauge, SAE | |
| □ | 1 | thread gauge, Metric | |
| □ | 1 | nut gauge, SAE | |
| □ | 1 | nut gauge, Metric | |
| □ | 1 | sewing awl with thread | |
| □ | selection | paint brushes | |
| □ | 1 | paint brush spinner | |
| □ | 1 qt | acetone | |
| □ | 1 qt | mineral spirits | |
| □ | 1 qt | Cetol Marine Light | |
| □ | 1 qt | Cetol Gloss | |
| □ | 1 container | Anti-Seize grease; Permatex 80071 | |
| □ | 1 container | Pipe thread sealant w/PFTE; Permatex 80632 | |
| □ | 1 container | PFTE grease | |
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Cruising Aboard Monk36 Trawler Sanctuary 