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Become the do-it-yourself king

10 November 2011

Posted by Alex from Lagoon under Technical world

10 Comments

Each skipper has a special interest for one specific element of his / her boat: the toolbox! Indeed this artefact can save you from many bad situations, ranging from a simple screw to put back in place to the complete dismounting of the engine starter to change the carbon brushes. It is hard to describe “the tools list” for the perfect toolbox because each person’s abilities and boat characteristics vary a lot. Nevertheless, you will find below some thoughts from talks with our “sea water do-it-yourself experts” at the shipyard.

: The dream of all do-it-yourself guy, a station with a place for each tool.

At the first glance, I have to admit that the do-it-yourself spirit on a boat represents different skills: you should be at the same time a plumber, an electrician, a mechanic, a ship’s chandler, a woodworker … This means that every personality should be able to find his/her preferred tools in the toolbox, which of course adds more weight in the boat. Having said that, the weight dilemma can be solved if you adapt the toolbox to your boat (by removing the unnecessarily tools) and if you do not care too much about the help that you could bring to boat friends.

Among the tools which we do not always think of but which are very useful , we have:

- A rubber mallet: allows hitting without damaging the teak or the gel coat,

- An angled adapter for your screwdriver,

- Vice: which becomes a third hand,

- An electric tester because without it you cannot do much,

- A teflon spray: to make everything slide as necessary.

: You need the right tool for each different pipe !

Besides these tools, here is the general tool list recommended by our in house boat delivery team. Of course, it must be completed and refined according to the size of the boat: the adjustable spanner for the shrouds of a Lagoon 380 is not the same as for a Lagoon 620!

Sets of Allen and Torx keys, set of screwdrivers, set of spanners, wrench, scissors, cutter + blades, pistol with Sikka and Silicone cartridges, electrician adhesive tape, masking tape, filter keys, a wood grater, a wood saw, a hacksaw + blades, petroleum jelly, grease, a hammer, electrician clamps, plumber’s clamps, absorbent cotton, sandpaper, electric tester, battery operated screwdriver.

And you, what is your favourite tool ?

Tags: Catamaran, diy, do-it-yourself, Lagoon catamaran, tool, toolbox

Alistair

It would be a really good idea for every manufacturer of boats, bikes, and anything of this nature to provide a spec of the ideal toolkit that is specific for the every model in their range. It is of course the customer perogative to buy some or all of the kit or not. At least the customer has a definitive list of whatever need to look for.
Alex and the Lagoon Inside Team

Alistair, thank for your idea. I will transmit it to the right department. Nevertheless, if you take for example the different options for a Lagoon catamaran, it makes difficult to have a complete list of tools appropriated for each boats. But as you suggest, a list of a basic tool can be given and this post is a non-exhaustive part of it.
Jim Toomey

A list of spare parts for cruising would be useful
Alex and the Lagoon Inside Team

Jim, thank for your comment I will work on it for a futur post.
Dan Thomas

The Russian made Ural Motorcycle (a BMW clone they stole right before wwii) Comes with a tool kit. The whole motorcycle can be taken apart and rebuilt with the few tools provided in the kit. To bad a boat couldn’t be that simple.

Dan
Alex and the Lagoon Inside Team

Thank for your input Dan. This characteristic of the Ural sidecar bikes is easy to understand when you know that this motorcycle was used by soviet military troops. More info of this history here : http://www.imz-ural.com/factory/
http://lagooncatamarans.org Phil Busby

I have included a Wiki section in the http://lagooncatamarans.org website (see Geolocate website link under Lagoon Fans top right of this page) and I am hoping that all Lagoon Handymen will update the Wiki Manual with instructions and photographs all the jobs and improvements that they do to their Lagoon.

Here in England many of us grew up with Haynes manuals for motorcycle and then car enthusiastic amateur mechanics, poking around with a hammer and one-size-fits-all spanner. Cars nowadays are far less easy to work on at home, so I am looking forward to rolling my sleeves up and getting handy on my live-aboard lagoon (to be), hopefully starting next spring.

I will post everything I do on the wiki, from changing the water pump impeller to installation of solar panels. Tim Benner is my hero as far as handyman work goes, have a look at his photos of his Lagoon on the Yahoo [LagoonOwners] group website (also linked from here).

Phil
Alex and the Lagoon Inside Team

Nice input Phil! As you, Tim Benner and his Lagoon 380 “I Dream of Jeanne” is also my hero!
Gallifrey

Cable Ties of all shapes and sizes!
Alex and the Lagoon Inside Team

Thank Craig. Dear readers, have you some other suggestions ?

Lagoon Inside

Become the do-it-yourself king

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