If you live aboard a sailboat you know that your marine engines, diesel and petrol, are a critical lifeline. Whether it's for moving the yacht, charging your battery bank, escaping bad weather or doing one of a million things we use our tenders for, having a reliable engine can make all the difference.
Being able to maintain and troubleshoot your engines can be beneficial financially and for your own peace of mind, but you'll need to have the right tools aboard. In this guide, I'll walk you through some of the essential tools I think every liveaboard sailor should consider carrying in order to complete basic engine maintenance and repairs.
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Why having the right tools matters
Imagine being anchored in a remote bay with no access to a marine mechanic. Your engine sputters, and you’re left with two options; fix it yourself or stay put until help arrives. What do you do?
On our boat we have 3 marine engines; two Yanmar diesel's and a Tohatsu outboard. It was important to us to know how to maintain and troubleshoot these engines ourselves because as liveaboard cruisers we aren't always located places where there's competent marine mechanic available. Part of that equation is having the right tools to get the job done.
What tools to have on a boat for the engines
We have a comprehensive toolkit aboard our boat so it's hard to narrow it down to the key items. Here's a list of general tools and equipment that I think is useful to have, as well as some motor specific things to consider getting.
General tools and equipment
Starting with the basics, here are the general tools and equipment that we use not just for our engines, but also for numerous other tasks around the boat.
Cleaning solvents like isopropyl
Silicone grease, silicone spray, Joker spray and contact cleaner
Engine servicing tools
These are some of the things we keep aboard more specifically for working on our engines, as well as the Yanmar SD 60 sail drives on the catamaran.
Manual oil changer (we like the West Marine one)
Various funnels for filling oil and diesel - the flexible oil funnel is nice to have
Lower unit gear oil pump for our outboard
Yanmar impeller puller
Many of these tools are used for other things around the yacht, including installing parts and servicing the generator or other motors. I also keep a few empty oil containers aboard for when I do an oil change.
Servicing spares to keep aboard
At each servicing interval there's specific parts and fluids that need to be checked and changed, and if something goes wrong it may be one of those that's the root cause of the issue. It's useful to have a selection of spares aboard so that you don't need to mess around with trying to find a dealer. This could include:
Fuel filter
Oil filter
Impeller
Engine oil
Coolant
Anodes
Exhaust mixer elbow
Seals and hose
Spark plug
Hose clamps
How to service and troubleshoot your marine engines
If you're attempting to service, repair or troubleshoot your engines it's important that you know exactly what you're trying to achieve and the logical steps needed to get there. A small error or misunderstanding could cost you thousands in repairs, not to mention leaving you stranded, so this isn't something to approach with a cowboy attitude. Education, attention to detail and having the service manual are some of the best ways around this.
If you're still building your skills you may want to:
Take a course on marine engine servicing
Hire a mechanic or experienced cruiser to provide 1:1 lessons
Self-educate by reading books, the service manual and watching relevant YouTube tutorials from knowledgeable individuals
Assist other cruisers in servicing their engines to learn how they do it
Overall it's advisable to be methodical, think logically through each step and be careful in your approach (don't panic or rush yourself) to maximize the chances of success.
How to organize and store your tools on a boat
How you store your tools will depend on the size and layout of the boat, but the key is to keep it organized and away from salt water and sea breeze. We keep our engine spares in airtight containers, frequently used tools are in a well organized and easy to reach tool chest, while those that have a more specific use like the manual oil changer are kept in harder to reach spots.
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